CBSE Class 11 English The Portrait Of A Lady Assignment

Objective Type Question Answers

Question. For how many years did the author study abroad?
a) Five years
b) Six years
c) Four years
d) Three years
Answer : a) Five years

Question. What did they have for their breakfast?
a) Sandwich
b) Fruits
c) Stale Chapatis
d) Milk
Answer : c) Stale Chapatis

Question. Who is the author of the chapter ‘The Portrait of a Lady’?
a) Sudha Murthy
b) Khushwant Singh
c) R.K. Narayan
d) Ruskin Bond
Answer : b) Khushwant Singh

Question. When did the grandmother feed the sparrows?
a) In the morning
b) In the afternoon
c) In the evening
d) At night
Answer : b) In the afternoon

Question. What was grandmother doing when she died?
a) Sleeping
b) Praying
c) Spinning wheel
d) Feeding sparrows
Answer : b) Praying

Question. In real life excellence is not enough to be successful.
Answer : academic

Question. Sudha had done better than most of her peers in academics.
Answer : male

Question. Sudha was feeling very remembering her postcard episode.
Answer : nervous

Question. Who accompanied the author to the village school?
Answer : His grandmother

Question. The grandmother carried ……………… chapatis to feed the village dogs. (fresh/stale)
Answer : stale

Question. Whom did the author’s grandmother feed in the city?
Answer : The sparrows

Question. The author went to school on a bicycle in the city. (True/False)
Answer : False

Question. The writer was sent to ............. school in the city. (an English/a private)
Answer : an English

Question. The portrait of author’s .............hung above the mantelpiece. (grandfather/grandmother)
Answer : grandfather

Question. The writer gives the portrait of his ……………. in the chapter ‘The Portrait Of a Lady’. (grandfather/ grandmother)
Answer : grandmother

Question. Was the writer’s grandmother sentimental?
Answer : No

Question. The grandmother said her prayers in a ………………….. sing song. (monotonous/continuous)
Answer : monotonous

Question. What did the grandmother read in the temple?
Answer : Scriptures (Holy books)

Question. Who prepared the author for school in the village?
Answer : His grandmother

Write True or False for the following statements

Question. The author shared the room with the grandmother in the city. (True/False)
Answer : True

Question. The author’s father threw bread crumbs to the sparrows after the grandmother’s death. (True/False)
Answer : False

Question. The author’s grandmother was sentimental lady. (True/False)
Answer : False

Question. The author’s grandmother wore spotless white clothes. (True/False)
Answer : True.

Question. After a short interview Sudha was told she had been successful.
Answer : False

Question. Sudha was keen on taking up the job.
Answer : False

Question. Sudha had been offered scholarship by universities in the U.S.
Answer : True

Question. Mr.JRD Tata was the chairman of Telco Company.
Answer : False

Question. The panel did not ask any technical question.
Answer : False

Question : Notice these expressions in the text. Infer their meaning from the context.
● the thought was almost revolting
● an expanse of pure white serenity
● a turning-point
● accepted her seclusion with resignation
● a veritable bedlam of chirrupings
● frivolous rebukes
● the sagging skins of the dilapidated drum
Answer: ● the thought was almost revolting – The thought that the author’s grandmother was once young and pretty raises a doubt in the mind of the author. He finds it too hard to believe.
● an expanse of pure white serenity – It refers to the calm, peaceful and serene character and conduct of the author’s grandmother. She is compared to the peaceful winter landscape in the mountains.
● a turning-point – It refers to the point where the author’s relationship with his grandmother changes drastically after they move to the city-house.
● accepted her seclusion with resignation – This shows the author’s grandmother’s passive submission to her secluded life after she gradually loses touch with her grandson.
● a veritable bedlam of chirruping – It refers to the noise, confusion and chaos caused by the chirruping of the sparrows that scattered and perched around the author’s grandmother.
● frivolous rebukes – It refers to the casual and light-hearted rebukes of the grandmother to the sparrows.
● the sagging skins of the dilapidated drum – It points to the shabby and deteriorated condition of the drum.

Question : Mention the three phases of the author’s relationship with his grandmother before he left the country to study abroad.
Answer : The three phases of the author’s relationship with his grandmother before he left the country to study abroad are given below. The first phase was the period of the author’s early childhood. During this phase, he used to l ive with his grandmother i n the village. The grandmother used to take care of him from waking him up and getting him ready to accompanying him to the school. Both shared a good friendship with each other.
The second phase was the time when the author and the grandmother moved to the city to l ive with author’s parents. This was a turning-point i n their friendship because now they ‘saw less of each other’.
The third phase was the time the author j oined University. He was given a room of his own and the common l ink of their friendship was snapped. The grandmother turns to wheel-spinning and reciting prayers all day long. She accepts her seclusion with silence.

Question : Mention three reasons why the author’s grandmother was disturbed when he started going to the city school.
Answer : The author’s grandmother was unhappy after knowing that the things taught to him at school were related to western science and l earning.
Secondly, she did not believe such things that were taught at his new school. She was disturbed that there was no teaching about God and scriptures. Thirdly, she was unhappy with the i dea of music l essons being given at school. She considered music suitable only for the people with l ow dignity. The disapproval of the grandmother was visible i n her silence.

Question : Which language do you think the author and his grandmother used while talking to each other?
Answer : The author and his grandmother might have used their mother-tongue to converse with each other. As the author, Khushwant Singh, belongs to Punjab, the language used by them might be Punjabi. 

Question : Which language do you use to talk to elderly relatives in your family?
Answer : I speak in Hindi to talk to the elderly relatives in my family. (A model answer has been provided for students’ reference. It i s strongly recommended that students prepare the answer on their own .)

Question : How would you say ‘a dilapidated drum’ in your language?
Answer : In Hindi, we would call ‘a dilapidated drum’ as ‘phata-hua dholak’. ( A model answer has been provided for students’ reference. It i s strongly recommended that students prepare the answer on their own i n pertinence with the languages used by them .)

Question : Can you think of a song or a poem in your language that talks of homecoming?
Answer : (T his question i s to be answered on the basis of students’ own understanding and experience. It i s strongly recommended that students prepare the answer on their own .)

Question : Notice the following uses of the word ‘tell’ in the text.
1. Her fingers were busy telling the beads of her rosary.
2. I would tell herE nglish words and little things of Western science and learning.
3. At her age one could never tell.
4. She told us that her end was near.
Given below are four different senses of the word ‘ tell’. Match the meanings to the uses listed above.
1. make something known to someone in spoken or written words
2. count while reciting
3. be sure
4. give information to somebody
Answer : 1. Make something known to someone in spoken or written words: I would tell her English words and l ittle things of western science and learning.
2. Count while reciting: Her fingers were busy telling the beads of her rosary.
3. Be sure: At her age, one could never tell.
4. Give information to somebody: She told us that her end was near.

Question : Mention three ways in which the author’s grandmother spent her days after he grew up.
Answer : The author’s grandmother “accepted her seclusion with resignation”. She spent her days of l oneliness by engaging herself i n the wheel-spinning activity, reciting prayers and feeding the sparrows.

Question : Mention the odd way in which the author’s grandmother behaved just before she died.
Answer : She had omitted to pray, she was not going to waste any more time talking to us. She lay peacefully in bed praying and telling her beads.
Even before we could suspect, her l ips stopped moving and the rosary fell from her lifeless fingers.

Question : Mention the way in which the sparrows expressed their sorrow when the author’s grandmother died.
Answer : The author’s grandmother shared a unique bond with the sparrows. She seemed at her happiest self while feeding the sparrows. The day the author’s grandmother died, thousands of sparrows sat scattered around her dead body. They sat there i n utter silence mourning the death of the grandmother. They took no notice of the bread crumbs thrown at them and flew away silently after the body was carried for the final rites. Next morning, the bread crumbs were swept away i nto the dustbin by the sweeper.

Question : The author’s grandmother was a religious person. What are the different ways in which we come to know this?
Answer : The author’s grandmother was a religious l ady with a kind heart. She moved about i n the house “telling the beads of her rosary”. Her l ips constantly moved i n “inaudible prayer”. She said her morning prayers i n monotonous sing-song hoping that the author would l earn i t by heart. Everyday, she went along with the author to his school and sat i n the temple that was attached to i t, reading the holy books for hours. She believed i n the teachings about God and scriptures and did not l ike that her grandson was not taught about them i n the city school. Gradually, she turned to reciting prayers throughout the day. Before dying, she stopped talking to her family members and turned to prayers, and counting the beads.

Question : Describe the changing relationship between the author and his grandmother. Did their feelings for each other change?
Answer : The story describes the entire phase of relationship shared by the author and his grandmother. In his early childhood, the author shared a strong bond with his grandmother. However, that tie of friendship l oosened a little when they both shifted to his parents’ city house. She no l onger accompanied him to the school and could not help him with his l essons. There was a further crack i n the relationship when the author j oined university as he was given a private room and the common l ink between them was snapped. They were further distanced from each other when the author went abroad for five years.
In spite of changes i n the course of the relationship (due to the demands of the situation), their feelings for each other remained unchanged.
Though she did not display her emotions, when the author was l eaving for abroad, she wholeheartedly celebrated his homecoming when he returned.

Question : Would you agree that the author’s grandmother was a person strong in character? If yes, give instances that show this.
Answer : Yes, the author’s grandmother was a person strong i n character. The instances to prove this are given below.
● The author’s grandmother was a person strong in character. She was a picture of contentment.
● She had her own thoughts about learning at school. She considered the teaching of scriptures to be more fruitful than science and music.
● In her phase of loneliness and seclusion, she took to wheel-spinning and feeding sparrows.
● She appeared composed and did not display any emotion when the author decided to go abroad for studies.
● Ignoring everyone who tried to stop her, she sang for several hours celebrating the home-coming of her grandson.
● During the last few hours of her life, ignoring the protests of her family members, she stopped talking to everyone and took to reciting prayers and telling her beads.

Question : Have you known someone like the author’s grandmother? Do you feel the same sense of loss with regard to someone whom you have loved and lost?
Answer : Yes, I knew someone l ike the author’s grandmother. It was my own grandmother who passed away recently. The i ntense sense of l oss i s very heart-wrenching as I spent almost fifteen years of my life with her.
                                            Or
No, I have never known someone the way the author knew his grandmother. Thus, I have never felt the sense of grief presented i n the story.
(A model answer has been provided for students’ reference. It i s strongly recommended that students prepare the answer on their own .)

Question : Notice the different senses of the word ‘take’.
1. to take to something: to begin to do something as a habit
2. to take ill : to suddenly become ill Locate these phrases in the text and notice the way they are used.
Answer : The instances where these phrases have been used in the story are given below.
1. “… she took to feeding sparrows i n the courtyard of our city house”. This phrase refers to the daily activity that the author’s grandmother took up when they shifted to the city.
2. “The next morning she was taken i ll.” This phrase refers to the author’s grandmother’s sudden illness.

Question : The word ‘ hobble’ means to walk with difficulty because the legs and feet are in bad condition.
Tick the words in the box below that also refer to a manner of walking.

Answer : The words that also refer to a manner of walking are:
shuffle
stride
waddle
paddle
swagger
trudge
slog

Answer in 40-50 words:

1. Why was it hard for the author to believe that his grandmother was once young and pretty?

2. Briefly describe the typical routine of the grandmother in village as well as in city.

3. The grandmother had a divine beauty .How does the author bring this out.

4. Which incident affected the relationship of grandmother and the narrator and how did she behave when her grandson had to go for higher studies?

5. How did the grandmother shape the grandson‘s personality? What role did she play?

6. How did narrator’s grandmother react to his receiving education in an English School?

7. What was the happiest moment of the day for the grandmother?

8. What could have been the cause of the Grandmother’s falling ill?

9. Why did the sparrows not pick the breadcrumbs on the last day?

10. What did the sparrows do when the dead body of the grandmother was carried off?

11. What was the last sign of physical contact between the author and his grandmother? Why did the author think it to be the last physical contact?