SEBA Class X English Text book First Flight Chapter 2: Nelson Mandela : Long Walk to Freedom

SEBA Class X English Text book First Flight Dust of Snow

SEBA Class X English Text book First Flight Chapter 1: A Letter to God

NCERT Class IX English Moments Chapter 1 The Lost Child Questions and Answers

1. The Lost Child

 

A child goes to a fair with his parents. He is happy and excited and wants the sweets and toys displayed there. But his parents don’t buy them for him. Why then does he refuse when someone else offers them to him?

 

IT was the festival of spring. From the wintry shades of narrow lanes and alleys emerged a gaily clad humanity. Some walked, some rode on horses, others sat, being carried in bamboo and bullock carts. One little boy ran between his father’s legs, brimming over with life and laughter.

 

"Come, child, come," called his parents, as he lagged behind. fascinated by the toys in the shops that lined the way.

 

He hurried towards his parents, his feet obedient to their call, his eyes still lingering on the receding toys. As he came to where they had stopped to wait for him, he could not suppress the desire of his heart, even though he well knew the old, cold stare of refusal in their eyes.

 

"I want that toy," he pleaded.

 

His father looked at him red-eyed, in his familiar tyrant's way.

 

His mother, melted by the free spirit of the day was tender and, giving him her finger to hold, said, "Look, child, what is before you!"

 

It was a flowering mustard-field, pale like melting gold as it swept across miles and miles of even land.

 

A group of dragon-flies were bustling about on their gaudy purple wings, intercepting the flight of a lone black bee or butterfly in search of sweetness from the flowers. The child followed them in the air with his gaze, till one of them would still its wings and rest, and he would try to catch it. But it would go fluttering, flapping, up into the air, when he had almost caught it in his hands. Then his mother gave a cautionary call: "Come, child, come, come on to the footpath."

 

He ran towards his parents gaily and walked abreast of them for a while, being. however, soon left behind, attracted by the little insects and worms along the footpath that were teeming out from their hiding places to enjoy the sunshine.

 

"Come, child, come!" his parents called from the shade of a grove where they had seated themselves on the edge of a well. He ran towards them.

A shower of young flowers fell upon the child as he entered the grove, and, forgetting his parents, he began to gather the raining petals in his hands. But lo! he heard the cooing of doves and ran towards his parents, shouting, "The dove! The dove!" The raining petals dropped from his forgotten hands.

 

"Come, child, come!" they called to the child, who had now gone running in wild capers round the banyan tree, and gathering him up they took the narrow, winding footpath which led to the fair through the mustard fields.

 

As they neared the village the child could see many other footpaths full of throngs, converging to the whirlpool of the fair, and felt at once repelled and fascinated by the confusion of the world he was entering.

 

A sweetmeat seller hawked, "gulab-jaman, rasagulla, burfi, jalebi," at the corner of the entrance and a crowd pressed round his counter at the foot of an architecture of many coloured sweets, decorated with leaves of silver and gold. The child stared open- eyed and his mouth watered for the burſi that was his favourite sweet. "I want that burfi," he slowly murmured. But he half knew as he begged that his plea would not be heeded because his parents would say he was greedy. So without waiting for an answer he moved on.

 

A flower-seller hawked, "A garland of gulmohur, a garland of gulmohur!" The child seemed irresistibly drawn. He went towards the basket where the flowers lay heaped and half murmured, "I want that garland." But he well knew his parents would refuse to buy him those flowers because they would say that they were cheap. So, without waiting for an answer, he moved on.

 

A man stood holding a pole with yellow, red, green and purple balloons flying from it. The child was simply carried away by the rainbow glory of their silken colours and he was filled with an overwhelming desire to possess them all. But he well knew his parents would never buy him the balloons because they would say he was too old to play with such toys. So he walked on farther.

 

A snake-charmer stood playing a flute to a snake which coiled itself in a basket, its head raised in a graceful bend like the neck of a swan, while the music stole into its invisible ears like the gentle rippling of an invisible waterfall. The child went towards the snake-charmer. But, knowing his parents had forbidden him to hear such coarse music as the snake-charmer played, he proceeded farther.

 

There was a roundabout in full swing. Men, women and children, carried away in a whirling motion, shrieked and cried with dizzy laughter. The child watched them intently and then he made a bold request: "I want to go on the roundabout, please, Father. Mother."

 

There was no reply. He turned to look at his parents. They were not there, ahead of him. He turned to look on cither side. They were not there. He looked behind. There was no sign of them.

 

A full. deep cry rose within his dry throat and with a sudden jerk of his body he ran from where he stood, crying in real fear, "Mother, Father." Tears rolled down from his eyes, hot and fierce; his flushed face was convulsed with fear. Panic-stricken, he ran to one side first, then to the other, hither and thither in all directions, knowing not where to go. "Mother, Father," he wailed. His yellow turban came untied and his clothes became muddy.

 

Having run to and fro in a rage of running for a while, he stood defeated, his cries suppressed into sobs. At little distances on the green grass he could see, through his filmy eyes, men and women talking. He tried to look intently among the patches of bright yellow clothes, but there was no sign of his father and mother among these people, who seemed to laugh and talk just for the sake of laughing and talking.

 

He ran quickly again. this time to a shrine to which people seemed to be crowding. Every little inch of space here was congested with men, but he ran through people's legs. his little sob lingering: "Mother. Father!" Near the entrance to the temple, however, the crowd became very thick: men jostled each other. heavy men, with flashing, murderous eyes and hefty shoulders. The poor child struggled to thrust a way between their feet but, knocked to and fro by their brutal movements, he might have been trampled underfoot, had he not shrieked at the highest pitch of his voice, "Father, Mother!" A man in the surging crowd heard his cry and, stooping with great difficulty, lifted him up in his arms.

 

"How did you get here, child? Whose baby are you?" the man asked as he steered clear of the mass. The child wept more bitterly than ever now and only cried, "I want my mother. I want my father!"

 

The man tried to soothe him by taking him to the roundabout. "Will you have a ride on the horse?" he gently asked as he approached the ring. The child's throat tore into a thousand shrill sobs and he only shouted. "I want my mother, I want my father!"

 

 

The man headed towards the place where the snake-charmer still played on the flute to the swaying cobra. "Listen to that nice music, child!" he pleaded. But the child shut his ears with his fingers and shouted his double-pitched strain: "I want my mother. I want my father!" The man took him near the balloons. thinking the bright colours of the balloons would distract the child's attention and quieten him. "Would you like a rainbow- coloured balloon?" he persuasively asked. The child turned his eyes from the flying balloons and just sobbed, "I want my mother, I want my father!"

 

The man, still trying to make the child happy, bore him to the gate where the flower-seller sat. "Look! Can you smell those nice flowers, child! Would you like a garland to put round your neck?"

 

The child turned his nose away from the basket and reiterated his sob, "I want my mother, I want my father!"

Thinking to humour his disconsolate charge by a gift of sweets, the man took him to the counter of the sweet shop. "What sweets would you like, child?" he asked. The child turned his face from the sweet shop and only sobbed, "I want my mother. I want my father!"

 

Author: MULK RAJ ANAND

 

THINK ABOUT IT

 

1. What are the things the child sees on his way to the fair? Why does he lag behind?

Answer: On his way to the fair, the child sees toys in shops, a sweetmeat seller with various sweets, a flower-seller with garlands, colorful balloons, a snake-charmer, and a roundabout. He lags behind because he is fascinated by the toys and the various sights, often distracted by the beauty around him.

 

2. In the fair he wants many things. What are they? Why does he move on without waiting for an answer?

Answer: The child wants:

• A toy from the shop
• Burfi (a type of sweet)
• A garland of gulmohur flowers
• Colorful balloons
• A ride on the roundabout

He moves on without waiting for an answer because he anticipates his parents will refuse his requests. He understands their likely objections, so he does not want to be disappointed.

 

3. When does he realise that he has lost his way? How have his anxiety and insecurity been described?

Answer: The child realizes he has lost his way when he turns around and cannot find his parents anywhere. His anxiety is depicted through his frantic searching and cries for his mother and father. He experiences panic, tears, and fear, feeling lost among the crowd. His physical state, such as his untied turban and muddy clothes, reflects his distress.

 

4. Why does the lost child lose interest in the things that he had wanted earlier?

Answer: The lost child loses interest in the things he had wanted earlier because, in his moment of fear and desperation, his longing for his parents outweighs all other desires. The sweets, toys, and other attractions no longer hold any significance for him when he feels vulnerable and alone.

 

5. What do you think happens in the end? Does the child find his parents?

Answer: In the end, it is implied that the child does not find his parents immediately. He continues to cry out for them, and despite the attempts of a kind stranger to distract him with various attractions, his focus remains solely on his need for his mother and father. The story leaves the reader with a sense of uncertainty about whether the child will be reunited with his parents.

 

 

NCERT Class 10 English Chapter 8 A Slumber Did My Spirit Seal Questions and Answers

A Slumber Did My Spirit Seal

This poem is about the death of a loved one. How does the poet feel when he thinks about her death? How does he imagine her to be, after death?

A slumber did my spirit seal—
I had no human fears.
She seemed a thing that could not feel
The touch of earthly years.
No motion has she now, no force—
She neither hears nor sees,
Rolled round in earth’s diurnal course
With rocks and stones and trees.

Written by: WILLIAM WORDSWORTH

GLOSSARY
diurnal: daily (“Earth’s diurnal course” is earth’s daily rotation on its axis.)

Thinking about the Poem

1. How does the poet react to his loved one's death?  
Answer: The poet feels numb and calm, not bitter grief or deep sadness. His soul is "sealed" as if in deep sleep, meaning he is not feeling strong emotions. He seems at peace with her death, rather than overwhelmed by sorrow.

2. Which lines of the poem say that time will no longer affect her?  
Answer: The lines that suggest time will no longer affect her are:  
"She seemed a thing that could not feel  
The touch of earthly years."

3. How does the poet imagine her to be, after death?  
Answer: The poet imagines her as a part of nature, not as someone in a happy place like heaven. He describes her as being "rolled round in earth’s diurnal course with rocks and stones and trees." These lines show that he sees her as becoming one with the earth and nature.

NCERT Class 9 English Chapter 6 No Men Are Foreign Questions and Answers

No Men Are Foreign

Have you ever thought of some people as strange, or other countries as ‘foreign’? We have many ways of thinking of other people as different from ‘us’, as ‘them.’ ‘ They’ may belong to a different country, or speak a different language. In this poem, however, the poet reminds us of the many ways in which we are all the same — for we are all human.

Remember, no men are strange, no countries foreign
Beneath all uniforms, a single body breathes
Like ours: the land our brothers walk upon
Is earth like this, in which we all shall lie.

They, too, aware of sun and air and water,
Are fed by peaceful harvests, by war’s long winter starv’d.
Their hands are ours, and in their lines we read
A labour not different from our own.

Remember they have eyes like ours that wake
Or sleep, and strength that can be won
By love. In every land is common life
That all can recognise and understand.

Let us remember, whenever we are told
To hate our brothers, it is ourselves
That we shall dispossess, betray, condemn.
Remember, we who take arms against each other

It is the human earth that we defile.
Our hells of fire and dust outrage the innocence
Of air that is everywhere our own,
Remember, no men are foreign, and no countries strange.

Author: JAMES KIRKUP

GLOSSARY
dispossess: dislodge; deprive
defile: make dirty; pollute
outrage the innocence of: violate the purity of

Thinking about the Poem

1.
(i) “Beneath all uniforms . . .” What uniforms do you think the poet is speaking about?
Answer: The poet is talking about the uniforms that people wear, like soldiers’ uniforms. These uniforms make us look different from one another, but underneath, we are all the same.

(ii) How does the poet suggest that all people on earth are the same?
Answer: The poet says that all people are the same because we all share similar things, like we breathe the same air, walk on the same earth, and live in the same world.

2. In stanza 1, find five ways in which we all are alike. Pick out the words.
Answer: In stanza 1, the five ways we are alike are:
A single body breathes (everyone breathes the same).
The earth our brothers walk on (we all walk on the same earth).
Beneath all uniforms (we are the same beneath our clothes).
The land is earth (the same land is under all of us).
We all shall lie in it (we all will die and return to the earth).

3. How many common features can you find in stanza 2 ? Pick out the words.
Answer:In stanza 2, the common features are:
Sun, air, and water (we all need these to live).
Fed by peaceful harvests (we all eat food from the earth).
War’s long winter starv’d (war affects everyone, making people suffer).
Hands (we all work with our hands).
Labour (we all do work that is not different from each other’s).

4. “... whenever we are told to hate our brothers ...” When do you think this happens? Why? Who ‘tells’ us? Should we do as we are told at such times? What does the poet say?
Answer: This happens when people in power or leaders tell us to fight or hate other people. They tell us to hate our brothers during times of war or conflict. The poet says we should not listen to such things, because when we fight, we only hurt ourselves and the world we live in.

NCERT Class 9 English Chapter 5 A Legend of the Northland Questions and Answers

A Legend of the Northland

This poem narrates the legend of an old lady who angered Saint Peter because of her greed.

Away, away in the Northland,
Where the hours of the day are few,
And the nights are so long in winter
That they cannot sleep them through;

Where they harness the swift reindeer
To the sledges, when it snows;
And the children look like bear’s cubs
In their funny, furry clothes:

They tell them a curious story —
I don’t believe ’tis true;
And yet you may learn a lesson
If I tell the tale to you.

Once, when the good Saint Peter
Lived in the world below,
And walked about it, preaching,
Just as he did, you know,

He came to the door of a cottage,
In travelling round the earth,
Where a little woman was making cakes,
And baking them on the hearth;

And being faint with fasting,
For the day was almost done,
He asked her, from her store of cakes,
To give him a single one.

So she made a very little cake,
But as it baking lay,
She looked at it, and thought it seemed
Too large to give away.

Therefore she kneaded another,
And still a smaller one;
But it looked, when she turned it over,
As large as the first had done.

Then she took a tiny scrap of dough,
And rolled and rolled it flat;
And baked it thin as a wafer —
But she couldn’t part with that.

For she said, “My cakes that seem too small
When I eat of them myself
Are yet too large to give away.”
So she put them on the shelf.

Then good Saint Peter grew angry,
For he was hungry and faint;
And surely such a woman
Was enough to provoke a saint.

And he said, “You are far too selfish
To dwell in a human form,
To have both food and shelter,
And fire to keep you warm.

Now, you shall build as the birds do,
And shall get your scanty food
By boring, and boring, and boring,
All day in the hard, dry wood.”

Then up she went through the chimney,
Never speaking a word,
And out of the top flew a woodpecker,
For she was changed to a bird.

She had a scarlet cap on her head,
And that was left the same;
But all the rest of her clothes were burned
Black as a coal in the flame.

And every country schoolboy
Has seen her in the wood,
Where she lives in the trees till this very day,
Boring and boring for food.

Written By: PHOEBE CARY

A ballad is a song narrating a story in short stanzas. Ballads are a part of folk culture or popular culture and are passed on orally from one generation to the next. ‘A Legend of the Northland’ is a ballad.

GLOSSARY
legend: old traditional story
Saint Peter: an apostle of Christ
provoke: make angry

I.
1. Which country or countries do you think “the Northland” refers to?
Answer: The Northland likely refers to cold northern countries like Norway, Sweden, or any region near the North Pole.

2. What did Saint Peter ask the old lady for? What was the lady’s reaction?
Answer: Saint Peter asked the old lady for a cake because he was hungry. The lady, being greedy, made small cakes but thought they were too big to give away, so she didn’t give him any.

3. How did he punish her?
Answer: Saint Peter punished the old lady by turning her into a woodpecker. He said she would now have to live like a bird, getting food by pecking at wood.

4. How does the woodpecker get her food?
Answer: The woodpecker gets her food by boring (pecking) holes in trees.

5. Do you think that the old lady would have been so ungenerous if she had known who Saint Peter really was? What would she have done then?
Answer: No, if the old lady knew that it was Saint Peter, she would have been more generous and given him the cake. She would not have been so selfish.

6. Is this a true story? Which part of this poem do you feel is the most important?
Answer: No, this is not a true story. It is a legend. The most important part is when Saint Peter turns the greedy lady into a woodpecker, teaching a lesson about selfishness.

7. What is a legend? Why is this poem called a legend?
Answer: A legend is an old story passed down from generation to generation, often with a moral lesson. This poem is called a legend because it tells a story that may not be true but teaches us to not be selfish.

8. Write the story of ‘A Legend of the Northland’ in about ten sentences.
Answer: Once in the Northland, Saint Peter was preaching and became very hungry. He went to a woman’s house and asked for a cake. The woman made a very small cake but thought it was too big to give away. She made even smaller cakes, but each one seemed too large for her to give. She did not give Saint Peter any cake. Saint Peter became angry and turned the woman into a woodpecker. He told her she would now have to get her food by boring into wood. The woman flew up the chimney and became a woodpecker, with a red cap and black body. Now, she lives in the forest, pecking for food all day.

II. 1. Let’s look at the words at the end of the second and fourth lines, viz., ‘snows’ and ‘clothes’, ‘true’ and ‘you’, ‘below’ and ‘know.’ We find that ‘snows’ rhymes with ‘clothes’, ‘true’ rhymes with ‘you’ and ‘below’ rhymes with ‘know’.
Find more such rhyming words.
Answer:
1. few and through (lines 2 and 4)
2. one and done (lines 18 and 20)
3. flat and that (lines 26 and 28)
4. form and warm (lines 36 and 38)
5. word and bird (lines 42 and 44)
6. same and flame (lines 46 and 48)
7. wood and food (lines 50 and 52)

2. Go to the local library or talk to older persons in your locality and find legends in your own language. Tell the class these legends.
Answer:
1. Legend of Usha and Aniruddha: This is a romantic legend about Usha, the daughter of King Bana, and Aniruddha, the grandson of Lord Krishna. Usha dreams of Aniruddha, and with the help of her friend Chitralekha, she brings him to her palace. This story is a part of ancient Assamese folklore.

2. The Legend of Kamrup Kamakhya: This legend tells the story of the Kamakhya temple in Assam, dedicated to the goddess Kamakhya. It is linked with ancient beliefs about fertility and power, and the temple is considered one of the most important pilgrimage sites in India.

3. Legend of Lachit Borphukan: This is the story of the brave Assamese general Lachit Borphukan, who defended Assam from Mughal invasions. His leadership in the Battle of Saraighat is remembered as a heroic act of bravery and sacrifice.

NCERT Class 9 English Chapter 4 The Lake Isle of Innisfree Questions and Answers

The Lake Isle of Innisfree

This well known poem explores the poet’s longing for the peace and tranquillity of Innisfree, a place where he spent a lot of time as a boy. This poem is a lyric.

I will arise and go now, and go to Innisfree,
And a small cabin build there, of clay and wattles made:
Nine bean-rows will I have there, a hive for the honeybee,
And live alone in the bee-loud glade.

And I shall have some peace there, for peace comes dropping slow
Dropping from the veils of the morning to where the cricket sings;
There midnight’s all a glimmer, and noon a purple glow,
And evenings full of the linnet’s wings.

I will arise and go now, for always night and day
I hear the lake water lapping with low sounds by the shore;
While I stand on the roadway, or on the pavements grey,
I hear it in the deep heart’s core.

Written by: WILLIAM BUTLER YEATS

*************************
GLOSSARY
wattles: twisted sticks for making fences, walls
glade: clearing; open space
linnet: a small brown and grey bird with a short beak
*********************************
 

Thinking about the Poem

I. 1. What kind of place is Innisfree? Think about:
(i) the three things the poet wants to do when he goes back there (stanza I);
Answer: The poet wants to:
    • Build a small cabin.
    • Plant nine rows of beans.
    • Keep a beehive to live alone in the peaceful surroundings.
    
(ii) what he hears and sees there and its effect on him (stanza II);
Answer: In Innisfree, the poet hears the calm sounds of morning, crickets singing, and birds flying. He sees the glow of the sky at midnight, the purple light at noon, and peaceful evenings. These sights and sounds bring him peace.

(iii) what he hears in his “heart’s core” even when he is far away from Innisfree (stanza III).
Answer: Even when the poet is far away, standing on the road or pavement, he can still hear the soft lapping of the lake water in his heart, reminding him of the peace of Innisfree.

2. By now you may have concluded that Innisfree is a simple, natural place, full of beauty and peace. How does the poet contrast it with where he now stands? (Read stanza III.)
Answer: In the third stanza, the poet contrasts Innisfree with his current surroundings. Innisfree is peaceful and full of natural beauty, where he hears the gentle sounds of the lake. In contrast, where the poet now stands — on the "roadway" or "pavements grey" — is dull, lifeless, and noisy. The city lacks the calm and tranquility he finds in Innisfree, and he longs for that peace deep in his heart.


3. Do you think Innisfree is only a place, or a state of mind? Does the poet actually miss the place of his boyhood days?
Answer: Innisfree seems to be both a real place and a state of mind for the poet. While it is an actual place from his boyhood, it also represents his longing for peace and simplicity, away from the noise and busyness of city life. The poet deeply misses the calm and beauty of Innisfree, and it remains alive in his heart and mind, even when he is far away. It symbolizes a place of escape and inner peace that he yearns for.

II. 1. Look at the words the poet uses to describe what he sees and hears at Innisfree
(i) bee-loud glade
(ii) evenings full of the linnet’s wings
(iii) lake water lapping with low sounds
What pictures do these words create in your mind?
Answer:
(i) "Bee-loud glade" paints a picture of a quiet, natural space where the buzzing of bees is the dominant sound, suggesting harmony with nature.
(ii) "Evenings full of the linnet’s wings" brings to mind an image of a serene evening with small birds, like linnets, flying gracefully, filling the air with the gentle flutter of their wings.
(iii) "Lake water lapping with low sounds" evokes the soft, rhythmic sound of water gently hitting the shore, creating a calm and soothing atmosphere.

These images emphasize the tranquility and beauty of Innisfree.

2. Look at these words;
"...peace comes dropping slow
Dropping from the veils of the morning to where the cricket sings"

What do these words mean to you? What do you think “comes dropping slow...from the veils of the morning”? What does “to where the cricket sings” mean?

Answer:
The words "peace comes dropping slow" suggest that the feeling of peace arrives gradually, like the slow unfolding of a peaceful morning. It indicates a calm, quiet atmosphere that takes time to settle in, gently filling the surroundings.

"From the veils of the morning" refers to the early morning mist or fog that slowly lifts, revealing a peaceful and serene scene as the day begins.

"To where the cricket sings" means that this peace reaches all the way to the quiet places where even the smallest sounds, like a cricket’s chirp, can be heard. It conveys a sense of calmness and natural harmony.

 

NCERT Class X English Textbook Chapter 1: A Letter to God Questions and Answers

 1 A Letter to God

BEFORE YOU READ

     They say faith can move mountains. But what should we put our faith in? This is the question this story delicately poses.
    Lencho is a farmer who writes a letter to God when his crops are ruined, asking for a hundred pesos. Does Lencho’s letter reach God? Does God send him the money? Think what your answers to these questions would be, and guess how the story continues, before you begin to read it.

Activity

1. One of the cheapest ways to send money to someone is through the post office. Have you ever sent or received money in this way? Here’s what you have to do. (As you read the instructions, discuss with your teacher in class the meanings of these words: counter, counter clerk, appropriate, acknowledgement, counterfoil, record. Consult a dictionary if necessary. Are there words corresponding to these English words in your languages?)

    THE house — the only one in the entire valley — sat on the crest of a low hill. From this height one  could see the river and the field of ripe corn dotted with the flowers that always promised a good harvest. The only thing the earth needed was a downpour or at least a shower. Throughout the morning Lencho — who knew his fields intimately — had done nothing else but see the sky towards the north-east.
    


    “Now we’re really going to get some water, woman.”
    
    The woman who was preparing supper, replied, “Yes, God willing”. The older boys were working in the field, while the smaller ones were playing near the house until the woman called to them all, “Come for dinner”. It was during the meal that, just as Lencho had predicted, big drops of rain began to fall. In the north-east huge mountains of clouds could be seen approaching. The air was fresh and sweet. The man went out for no other reason than to have the pleasure of feeling the rain on his body, and when he returned he exclaimed, ‘‘These aren’t raindrops falling from the sky, they are new coins. The big drops are ten cent pieces and the little ones are fives.’’
    With a satisfied expression he regarded the field of ripe corn with its flowers, draped in a curtain of rain. But suddenly a strong wind began to blow and along with the rain very large hailstones began to fall. These truly did resemble new silver coins. The boys, exposing themselves to the rain, ran out to collect the frozen pearls.
    
    ‘‘It’s really getting bad now,’’ exclaimed the man. “I hope it passes quickly.” It did not pass quickly. For an hour the hail rained on the house, the garden, the hillside, the cornfield, on the whole valley. The field was white, as if covered with salt.
    
    Not a leaf remained on the trees. The corn was totally destroyed. The flowers were gone from the plants. Lencho’s soul was filled with sadness. When the storm had passed, he stood in the middle of the field and said to his sons, “A plague of locusts would have left more than this. The hail has left nothing.

This year we will have no corn.’’
That night was a sorrowful one.
“All our work, for nothing.”
‘‘There’s no one who can help us.”
“We’ll all go hungry this year.”
    
    But in the hearts of all who lived in that solitary house in the middle of the valley, there was a single hope: help from God.

    “Don’t be so upset, even though this seems like a total loss. Remember, no one dies of hunger.”
    
    “That’s what they say: no one dies of hunger.”
    
    All through the night, Lencho thought only of his one hope: the help of God, whose eyes, as he had been instructed, see everything, even what is deep in one’s conscience. Lencho was an ox of a man, working like an animal in the fields, but still he knew how to write. The following Sunday, at daybreak, he began to write a letter which he himself would carry to town and place in the mail. It was nothing less than a letter to God.
    
    “God,” he wrote, “if you don’t help me, my family and I will go hungry this year. I need a hundred pesos in order to sow my field again and to live until the crop comes, because the hailstorm... .”
    
    He wrote ‘To God’ on the envelope, put the letter inside and, still troubled, went to town. At the post office, he placed a stamp on the letter and dropped it into the mailbox.
    
    One of the employees, who was a postman and also helped at the post office, went to his boss laughing heartily and showed him the letter to God. Never in his career as a postman had he known that address. The postmaster — a fat, amiable fellow — also broke out laughing, but almost immediately he turned serious and, tapping the letter on his desk, commented, “What faith! I wish I had the faith of the man who wrote this letter. Starting up a correspondence with God!”
    
    So, in order not to shake the writer’s faith in God, the postmaster came up with an idea: answer the letter. But when he opened it, it was evident that to answer it he needed something more than goodwill, ink and paper. But he stuck to his resolution: he asked for money from his employees, he himself gave part of his salary, and several friends of his were obliged to give something ‘for an act of charity’.
    
    It was impossible for him to gather together the hundred pesos, so he was able to send the farmer only a little more than half. He put the money in an envelope addressed to Lencho and with it a letter containing only a single word as a signature: God.

    The following Sunday Lencho came a bit earlier than usual to ask if there was a letter for him. It was the postman himself who handed the letter to him while the postmaster, experiencing the contentment of a man who has performed a good deed, looked on from his office.
        
    Lencho showed not the slightest surprise on seeing the money; such was his confidence — but he became angry when he counted the money. God could not have made a mistake, nor could he have denied Lencho what he had requested.
    
    Immediately, Lencho went up to the window to ask for paper and ink. On the public writing-table, he started to write, with much wrinkling of his brow, caused by the effort he had to make to express his ideas. When he finished, he went to the window to buy a stamp which he licked and then affixed to the envelope with a blow of his fist. The moment the letter fell into the mailbox the postmaster went to open it. It said: “God: Of the money that I asked for, only seventy pesos reached me. Send me the rest, since I need it very much. But don’t send it to me through the mail because the post office employees are a bunch of crooks. Lencho.”
    

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crest: top of a hill
draped: covered (with cloth)
locusts: insects which fly in big swarms (groups) and destroy crops
conscience: an inner sense of right and wrong
peso: currency of several Latin American countries
amiable: friendly and pleasant
contentment: satisfaction
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Oral Comprehension Check

1. What did Lencho hope for?

Answer: Lencho hoped for rain because his field needed water to grow the crops.

 

2. Why did Lencho say the raindrops were like ‘new coins’?

Answer: Lencho said this because he thought the rain would bring a good harvest, and the harvest would give him money. So, he saw the raindrops as valuable like coins.

 

3. How did the rain change? What happened to Lencho’s fields?

Answer: The rain changed into hailstones when a strong wind started to blow. Big hailstones fell with the rain.

            All the crops in Lencho’s field were destroyed.

 

4. What were Lencho’s feelings when the hail stopped?

Answer: Lencho felt very sad and hopeless. He said the hailstorm had left him with nothing, and he thought that his family would go hungry.

Oral Comprehension Check

1. Who or what did Lencho have faith in? What did he do?

Answer: Lencho had faith in God. He believed that God would help him.

So, he wrote a letter to God asking for 100 pesos to support his family and sow his field again.

 

2. Who read the letter?

Answer: A postman read the letter first. Then he showed it to the postmaster, who also read it.

 

3. What did the postmaster do then?

Answer: The postmaster was touched by Lencho’s faith. He decided to help him. He collected money from his employees and friends, added some from his own salary, and sent it to Lencho with a letter signed ‘God’.

Oral Comprehension Check

1. Was Lencho surprised to find a letter for him with money in it?

Answer: No, Lencho was not surprised. He had strong faith in God, so he believed that God would send him the money.

 

2. What made him angry?

Answer: Lencho became angry because he received only seventy pesos instead of the hundred pesos he had asked for. He thought that the post office employees had stolen the rest of the money.

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Thinking about the text

1. Who does Lencho have complete faith in? Which sentences in the story tell you this?  
Answer: Lencho has complete faith in God. The sentences that show this are: 
• "In the hearts of all who lived in that solitary house in the middle of the valley, there was a single hope: help from God."  
• "Lencho thought only of his one hope: the help of God."
• "God could not have made a mistake, nor could he have denied Lencho what he had requested."

2. Why does the postmaster send money to Lencho? Why does he sign the letter ‘God’?  
Answer: The postmaster sends money to Lencho to preserve his faith in God. He is touched by Lencho's strong belief in God and doesn't want to break that faith. He signs the letter as "God" to make Lencho believe that the help came from God.

3. Did Lencho try to find out who had sent the money to him? Why/Why not?  
Answer: No, Lencho did not try to find out who sent the money because he had complete faith that it was God who sent it. He didn't doubt God's help.

4. Who does Lencho think has taken the rest of the money? What is the irony in the situation?  
Answer: Lencho thinks that the post office employees have taken the rest of the money. The irony is that the post office employees, including the postmaster, were the ones who collected and sent the money to him out of kindness, but Lencho believes they are dishonest and stole the money.
5. Are there people like Lencho in the real world? What kind of a person would you say he is? You may select appropriate words from the box to answer the question.

greedy
naive
selfish
stupid
comical
ungrateful
unquestioning

Answer: Yes, there are people like Lencho in the real world. Lencho can be described as naive and unquestioning. He has complete faith in God and doesn't doubt the help he receives, but he doesn't realize who actually helped him. He might seem ungrateful as he blames the post office employees without knowing the truth.

6. There are two kinds of conflict in the story: between humans and nature, and between humans themselves. How are these conflicts illustrated?
Answer: The story illustrates two types of conflict:

1. Conflict between humans and nature: Lencho's crops are destroyed by a hailstorm. This shows the struggle between humans and natural forces, as Lencho and his family depend on the crops for survival, but nature's destructive power leaves them helpless.

2. Conflict between humans themselves: Lencho believes that the post office employees took part of the money he received from "God." This conflict arises from Lencho's misunderstanding and mistrust, despite the fact that the employees, especially the postmaster, had only good intentions in helping him.

Both conflicts highlight human vulnerability in different ways—one against nature's unpredictability and the other against misunderstandings among people.

***

Answer Bank of H.S.L.C.QUESTIONS From 2011 to 2020

 

PROSE SECTION:

 

(Section-A)

1. A Letter to God

G.L. Fuentes

 

A. Very Short type questions: Mark: 1

1. Choose the correct answer from the alternative given:

(a) I need a hundred pesos…

(currency of India/Spain/Latin America)                               (HSLC 15)

Answer: currency of Latin America

(b) Send me the rest……, since I need it very much……   (HSLC 16)

(relaxed/remaining part/be buried)

Answer: remaining part.

(c) The house _____ the only one in the entire valley sat on the crest of a low hill.

(wide/whole/flat) (HSLC 17)

Answer: whole.

2. What happened to Lencho’s fields after the hailstorm? (HSLC 15)

Answer: After the hailstorm Lencho’s cornfield was totally destroyed. Not a leaf remained on the trees. Flowers were gone from the plants and the fields became white as if it was covered with salt.

3. Where was Lencho’s house situated? (HSLC 16)

Answer: Lencho’s house was situated on the crest of a low hill.

4. “All through the night, Lencho thought only of this one hope:” What was Lencho’s only one hope? (HSLC 17)

Answer: Lencho’s only one hope was help from God.

5. What type of a man was the postmaster? (HSLC 19)

Answer: The postmaster was a fat , amiable person

6. What was the one hope of Lencho? (HSLC 20)

Answer: The one hope of Lencho was help from God.

7. What did Lencho say to his sons after the hailstorm? (HSLC 20)

Answer: After the hailstorm Lencho told his sons that even a plague of locusts would have left more corn than what was left by the hailstorm. He also said that there was no one to help them and they would go hungry that year.

 

B. Short type questions: Marks: 2/3

1. “These aren’t raindrops falling from the sky, they are new coins.” Why did Lencho consider the raindrops with new coins? (HSLC 15)

Answer: Lencho’s cornfields needed rain for a good harvest which in turn would bring him money and prosperity. So, when the drops of rain began to fall, Lencho was so happy that he considered them as ‘new coins’.

2. “But don’t sent it to me through mail because the post office employees are a bunch of crooks.”

What made Lencho think that the post office employees are a bunch of crooks? (HSLC 16)

Answer: Lencho received less money than he had asked for. He was sure that God could not make a mistake nor could he deny Lencho what he had requested. So, he suspected the post-office employees of having taken a part of his money and called them a bunch of crooks.

3. What did the postmaster do after he had received Lencho’s letter? (HSLC 17, 20)

Answer: The postmaster was impressed by Lencho’s deep belief in God and he decided to help Lencho himself. He collected money from his friends and employees. He himself gave a part of his salary. Then he put the collected money in an envelope and sent it to Lencho.

4. What did Lencho do throughout the morning? What did he see in the north-east? (HSLC 18)

Answer: Lencho had been watching the North-East sky throughout the morning in the hope of rain.

He saw huge mountains of clouds in the North-East.

5. “Lencho’s soul was filled with sadness.” Why? (HSLC 18)

Answer: Lencho’s soul was filled with sadness because the hailstorm had totally destroyed his field of corn. He saw a bleak future ahead. There was no one to help his family and he feared they would go hungry that year.

6. "The only thing the earth needed…." What 'only thing' did the earth need? (HSLC 19)

Answer: The only thing the Earth needed was a downpour or at least a shower.

7. What did Lencho write in his letter to God? (HSLC 19)

Answer: In his first letter to God, Lencho wrote about his helpless condition caused by the hailstorm. He requested God to send him one hundred pesos so that he could sow his field again and live until the crop grew.

In his second letter to God, Lencho made a complaint against the post-office employees. He wrote that of the money he had asked for, only seventy pesos reached him. He requested God not to send the money through the mail because the post-office employees were a bunch of crooks.

 

Additional Important Questions

 

Very short question answer (1 mark)

 

1. Why did Lencho keep gazing at the sky?

Answer: Lencho kept gazing at the sky because he hopefully wished for rain.

2. How much money did Lencho ask from God?

Answer: Lencho asked one hundred pesos from God in his letter to God.

3. How much money did Lencho receive from God?

Answer: Lencho received only seventy pesos from God.

 

Short question answer (2/3 marks)

 

1. Why do you think Lencho wrote a second letter to God?

Answer: Lencho wrote a second letter to God because he didn’t receive the hundred pesos from God that he asked for in his first letter.

2. What impression do you form of the postmaster after reading the story 'A Letter to God'?

Answer: The postmaster was a kind, friendly, helpful fellow. He helped Lencho with seventy pesos and even wrote a letter on behalf of God in order not to break his faith in God.

3. Why do you think Lencho called the post office employees 'a bunch of crooks' ?

Answer: After receiving the letter from “God” Lencho remained unsatisfied. The fact that he received only a little more than half of the amount he had requested for, made him angry. It was because he had a knowledge that ‘God’ couldn’t make a mistake; hence the money was assumed to be misappropriated by the post office employees for which they were called “a bunch of crooks” by Lencho.

4. Why did Lencho show no surprise on seeing the money?

Answer: Lencho showed no surprise on receiving the money because he had complete faith in God. He believed in God and expected a certain help from him.

5. How are the conflicts between human and nature and human themselves illustrated in the story?

Answer: This story has two conflicts firstly between nature and human where human have no control over nature. In one moment it can make you happy and in the next it can destroy all dreams in a second.

The second conflict is between humAnsthemselves where Lencho has no faith in human but God. He didn't even bother to find out who sent him the money or even if it's possible for God to write a letter. There was no gratitude at all.

6. “Lencho was an ox of a man,working like an animal in the field”-what does the writer mean to say through this statement ?

Answer: Lencho was a hardworking farmer. His only source to earn livelihood was the cornfield.

Therefore he worked hard like an animal with greater intimacy in his field for good harvest. That is why the writer used the statement aforesaid.

7. Read the following paragraph carefully and answer the questions that follows:

            It was during the meal that , just as Lencho had predicted, big drops of rain began to fall. In the north-east huge mountains of clouds could be seen approaching. The air was fresh and sweet. The man went out for no reason than to have the pleasure of feeling the rain on his body, and when he returned he exclaimed," These aren't raindrops falling from the sky, they are new coins. The big drops are ten cent pieces and the little ones are five."

1) What happened during the meal? (1)

Answer: During the meal big drops of rain began to fall.

2) What could one see in the north-east? (1)

Answer: In the north-east one could see huge mountains of clouds approaching.

3). Find word from the passage that meAnsto 'made a forecast'. (1)

Answer: Predicted.

4) What does Lencho call the rain drops? (2)

Answer: Lencho calls the big drops of rain ten cent pieces and the little ones five cent pieces.