CBSE Class 10 English Bholi Assignment Set 02

Short Answer Type Questions
 

Question. Why did Bholi’s teacher feel like an artist admiring her masterpiece ?
Answer: Bholi’s teacher felt like an artist admiring her masterpiece, when she realised how her soothing words, education, and motivation gave confidence to Bholi to face the world and transformed her from a girl who was unsure about herself and a backward child, to a bold and confident girl.

Question. Do you think Bholi could have confidently refused to marry Bishamber if she wasn’t educated? Give reasons.
Answer: Without education, she could not have mustered up the courage and confidence to refuse to marry the groom of his parents’ choice. Now, she could earn and feed her old parents with self-respect.

Question. How does education play a transformative role in Bholi’s life?
Answer: Education plays a huge transformational role in Bholi’s life. It induced in her confidence and self-esteem. It made her able to take right decisions, choose wisely and speak up for her ownself. Education was her weapon to fight against Bishamber and to stand up for herself.

Question. Ramlal was worried about Bholi as she didn’t have good looks. Counter the belief that it’s important for a girl to be good looking and give a reason for the same.
Answer: In today’s world girls can earn at par with boys. So, they are neither a showpiece nor a burden on others. Hence, a girl doesn’t have to be always good looking irrespective of the boy’s appearance and status. Besides a girl’s looks, her intelligence and confidence matter more to today’s youth. Today, girls are recognised and praised for their work rather than their appearance.

Question. How did you feel when you read about Bholi being ignored and ill-treated by her parents as a child?
Answer: I felt bad about her parents’ ill-treatment. She was unfortunate that destiny did not favour her. Her parents’ dejection worsened her situation and pushed her even backwards. Parents should always work for the upliftment of their children.

Question. How would you have reacted if you were one of the guests witnessing Bholi’s wedding when she refused to marry Bishamber Nath?
Answer: If I were a guest at Bholi’s wedding, I would have supported Bholi’s decision and praised her for displaying courage and boldness to stand against the orthodox of the society.

Question. Do you think Bholi’s father would have agreed to the match if her mother hadn’t insisted upon it? Why/ Why not?
Answer: No, Bholi’s father was doubtful about the groom’s age but her mother’s insistence and orthodox arguments convinced him to marry off their daughter to Bishambhar.

Question. Bholi’s parents accepted the match for her though Bishamber Nath was nearly the same age as her father. Bholi also accepted her parents’ decision without voicing her opinion.
(a) What does this tell you about the social conditions prevailing in our society?
(b) How do you think these problems can be addressed?
Answer:
(a) This story tells us that girls were considered a burden on their parents and they were not discussed on any matter not even for selecting their life partner. Earlier girls too accepted it as their fate and did not raise voices against any partiality.
(b) These problems can be addressed by educating the whole society. People should be made aware that men and women have equal rights.

Question. You’ve read the quote: ‘A teacher affects eternity. He can never tell where his influence stops.’ In the context of this statement, comment on the role of Bholi’s teacher in her life.
Answer: Bholi’s teacher supported her by showing confidence in her. She helped her in the school lessons but “a teacher affects eternity”. It was her influence that made Bholi differentiate between right and wrong. Now, she could speak boldly in front of all to save her own life as well as her parents’ honour and respect.

Question. Which character traits of Bholi have had an everlasting impression on you? Why?
Answer: When Bholi’s teacher asked her name, she stammered and could not speak her name. All the students laughed at her but she did not give up. Gradually, with the help and support of her teacher, she became bold and confident. Her never give up attitude impressed me a lot.

Question. List any one characteristic of Bholi’s teacher with reference to her first day at school. Give a reason for your answer.
Answer: Bholi’s teacher identified Bholi to be different from others; shy, scared and stammering. She comforted Bholi by being kind and friendly to her, this changed Bholi and transformed her into a confident young lady who could read, write and speak clearly.

Question. Bholi was a neglected child. Explain.
Answer: No new clothes for Bholi, old dresses passed on to her, nobody cared for or mended her clothes, parents sent her to school as they thought there was a little chance of her getting married.
 

Long Answer Type Questions

Question. Imagine that Bholi writes a diary entry, exploring the themes of ‘Girl Child’ and ‘Impact of Education’, in the context of her own experiences. Write this diary entry, as Bholi.
Answer:
February 20XX, Monday 9:00 pm
Dear Diary,
Today, I am feeling utmost proud of myself for rejecting the marriage with the old man (Bishamber Nath). From the moment I was born, I was ridiculed by my family members and friends because of my pock-marked face. People used to call me Bholi because they considered me a simpleton whom nobody would marry. My teacher showed me a world where my stammering voice and pockmarked face didn’t define me with her patience and kind words. Where others saw limitations, she saw potential in me. I’ve discovered my voice in education. I defied injustice today by declining to wed a man who treated me like a commodity. My education has given me the confidence to dream bigger and to challenge social norms.
Bholi

Question. A character arc is the transformation or development of a character throughout a story and refers to the changes a character undergoes as a result of his/her experiences, challenges and interactions with other characters. In the light of the above information, trace the character arc of Bholi in K.A. Abbas’s ‘Bholi’.
Answer: Bholi, the protagonist of K.A. Abbas’s story, starts as a timid and self-conscious girl, scarred by a childhood accident and ridiculed for her lack of beauty and stammer. Her parents consider her a burden, and her future seems bleak. However, Bholi’s character arc is a beautiful journey of empowerment and self-discovery, beginning when she starts attending school.
At first, Bholi is scared and hesitant, but her teacher’s kindness and encouragement become a turning point. She learns to read and write, which opens new worlds for her and builds her confidence. Over time, Bholi transforms from a shy, insecure girl into a confident and educated woman who can stand up for herself.
The climax of her character arc occurs at her wedding, where she refuses to marry a greedy man who demands a dowry, asserting her self-worth and independence. This act of defiance not only marks her complete transformation but also challenges societal norms.
Bholi’s journey from a neglected child to an assertive woman underscores the impact of education and personal growth on an individual’s self-esteem and their ability to challenge and change their circumstances. Her story is a testament to the power of resilience and the importance of finding one’s voice.

Question. Education is always a great asset in the life of a woman. How did Bholi, an educated girl, face the challenge posed by Bishamber’s greed?
Answer: It is true that education is always a great asset in the life of a woman. Bholi was an educated girl and this helped her swim through the challenge posed by her fiancé Bishamber Nath. He was a wealthy landlord who had grown-up children from his first marriage. Bholi’s parents agreed to marry her to him only because they thought Bholi could never get married due to her appearance and dull mind.
On the day of wedding, Bishamber asked a huge amount of dowry from Bholi’s father as a compensation for marrying their pock-marked face daughter. Bholi instantly rejected marrying Bishamber, knowing his greed. She decided not marry ever and serve her village by teaching the children. All of this was possible due to Bholi’s education, which made her aware of her rights and made her independent enough to make her own life’s decision.

Question. You and your friend have a conversation about prevalent discrimination between boys and girls, even today. Write the dialogue. You may begin like this:
Friend: I don’t think discrimination in terms of gender is a thing of the past.
You: ………………………………………
Friend: Hmmm. Yes, I agree, though we are in the 21st century it continues blatantly in many parts of the country.
You: ………………………………….......
Answer:
Friend : I don’t think discrimination in terms of gender is a thing of the past.
You : No, we are living in the 21st century where girls and boys are treated equally.
Friend : Hmmm. Yes, I agree, though we are in the 21st century it still continues blatantly in many parts of the country.
You : Exceptions are always there. Some states of India still face gender discrimination. I think our government is doing a lot to curb this practice. The 100% equality can be brought in only when the public participates.
Friend : What can we do?
You: We should educate our children and spread awareness among adults to stop discrimination among boys and girls.
Friend: I think you are right.

Question. After reading Bholi’s story you decide to write a blog on the importance of educating the girl child and how it empowers her. Write that blog expressing your views.
Answer:
Power of Education
Yesterday, I read the story of Bholi, a neglected child. It provoked me to rethink the importance of education; especially for a girl child. They say, “A teacher affects eternity, you never know how much the impact lasts”. Additionally, a mother is the first teacher of a child. If a mother is educated she can make a difference to the whole family’s thought process. Education broadens her intellect and awareness. Thus, she safeguards herself from dominating men in society. Bholi’s parents were marrying her off to a lame, greedy and middle-aged man. But, the power of education made her capable of raising her voice against it. Besides, she was confident enough to face the consequences of challenging the age-old stereotypes. Today, women can work in any field and earn money equal to their male counterparts. We must try to narrow the gap of gender discrimination by educating our girl children.

Question. Imagine you are Bholi and you have been invited by a girl’s secondary school in another village to address a group of students about being independent, fearless and breaking stereotypes. Write that speech.
Answer:
Hello students!
It is an honour to stand here and share my life experiences with you. Today, you find me a confident and self-dependent girl. But it was totally opposite before I joined a school. I was fearful, dependent, ignorant and a stammerer. But, my school helped me to get educated and my teacher supported me in bringing out my hidden confidence.
Education is a weapon. You get a chance to explore your latent talents and capabilities through education which makes you fearless. A confident person can distinguish between right and wrong. You must think twice before accepting the stereotypes laid down by society for us. Through education, I could muster up the courage to refuse to marry a greedy man who disgraced my parents. Today, I can earn like my brother and give financial support to my old parents. In the end, I want to say that you must educate yourself and show your real worth to the world.
Good Luck to all of you!

Question. Why did Ramlal agree to accept Bishamber as husband for Bholi? How would he have felt about the events that took place at the wedding?
Answer: Ramlal was the revenue officer of the village. He was a prosperous farmer and had seven children. He was orthodox. He did not believe in the ideology of sending girls to school as it would be difficult to find a good match for them. Ramlal was worried about Bholi. She had neither good looks nor intelligence. The proposal of Bishamber for her marriage was a pleasant surprise for him. His wife gave her acceptance to this unequal match. She felt that Bholi was lucky to have such a rich bridegroom. He had a big shop, his own house and several thousand rupees in the bank. Moreover, he was not asking for dowry. The bridegroom, Bishamber was happy and excited about the wedding day. He has come with a large party of friends and relatives with him for the wedding.
A brass-band headed the procession. Ramlal was overjoyed to see such pomp and splendour. When the groom saw that Bholi’s face was covered with pock-marks, he declared that he would marry her only if her father would pay him a dowry of five thousand rupees. Ramlal had to give the money in order to save both his family’s honour and his daughter's marriage. Bholi could not bear all this and refused to marry a greedy old man. The wedding party returned. Her father was surrounded by grief and said that now no one would marry her and worried about her future. Bholi consoled her father that she would serve them in their old age and she said that she would teach in the same school where she got the education.

Question. “I am only one but, I am one. I cannot do everything but I can do something. And I will not let what I cannot do interfere with what I do.” Bholi’s evolution from ‘dumb cow’ to a ‘masterpiece’ supports the given quote. Justify.
Answer: Bholi was initially referred to as a dumb cow due to her lack of sense and stammering. She fell from the cot when she was ten months old damaging a part of her brain. Therefore, she was called Bholi the simpleton.
But her life changed as she started going to school. She got such an encouraging teacher who helped her to build her self confidence and self-esteem that helped her to overcome the problem of stammering. Gradually she was transformed from a dumb cow to a masterpiece.
Hence from this we can say that quote stands true on all basis for Bholi. She did not make her fear of speaking her weakness but made it as her strength through confidence. And this was the reason she was able to make a wise decision of not marrying such a greedy mean and self centred man. Instead stand on her own legs and serve her parents life long.

Question. What do you know about Bishamber Nath? Why did Bholi refuse to marry him?
Answer: Bishamber Nath was a middle aged man. He was a well-to-do grocer and lived in another village. He was a widower and had children from his first wife. He was of the same age as Bholi’s father and was a rich man. He owned a house, a shop and much money in the bank. When he showed his willingness to marry Bholi, her parents were more than happy that she would get married to someone who was not asking for any dowry.
Bholi too agreed to the match at first to fulfil her parents' wishes. Later on, she rejected the marriage when the bridegroom asked for dowry. This tells us that Bholi was not a timid and dumb girl. She was aware of her rights. She also knew how to fight for her own dignity and feared no-one. She had become confident and bold after being educated. So she refused to marry a lame, old, greedy man, Bishamber Nath.

Question. Bholi is a child different from others. This difference makes her an object of neglect and laughter. Elaborate.
Answer: Society does not tolerate difference very easily. Bholi is not like others. She is slow for her age. She stammers when she speaks. Small pox leaves her all covered with pock-marks. As a result, she has to suffer a lot.
Her parents do not even bathe her. She is ignored and neglected. They take her only as a burden. People laugh at her. Children imitate her when she speaks. So, she remains silent most of the time. She has no confidence or self esteem.
Society must realise that it must accept those who are different. They must be treated with the same love and respect as others.

Question. Education is always a great asset in the life of a woman. How did Bholi, an educated girl, face the challenge posed by Bishamber’s greed?
Answer: Education is always a great asset in the life of a woman. It is one of the most critical areas of empowerment for women. Bholi, an educated girl, at first agreed to marry an old man because her father’s honour was at stake; thereby she placed her family’s interest over her own. However, later she refused to marry him because she saw how greedy and contemptible he was. By demanding a hefty dowry, Bishamber took advantage of her bad looks and the desperateness of her father to get her married. That’s the reason why she rejected the marriage and shut the mouth of her detractors who called her shameless. All this was possible because education gave her the confidence needed to face a situation boldly.

Question. School education turned Bholi from a dumb cow into a bold girl. How did she save her father from a huge expense and become his support in his old age?
Answer: There is no doubt that school education turned Bholi from a dumb cow into a bold girl. The school teacher inculcated a sense of responsibility into Bholi and taught her how to lead a respectable life. She became confident and showed the courage to change social norms.
Thus, Bholi became fearless and refused to marry Bishamber, an aged grocer, who demanded five thousand rupees from her father. She saved her father from this huge expense. She also assured her father that she would support him in his old age by teaching in the same school where she learnt so much.

Question. The teacher plays an important role in changing the course of a person’s life especially that of a young woman. What role did Bholi’s teacher play in bringing about a change in her life?
Answer: It is true that the teacher plays an important role in changing the course of a person’s life especially that of a young woman. In the story, Bholi is the burning example.
When Bholi came to school and met her teacher, she was very shy and innocent. She did not know anything about hardships of life. She could not speak properly, she muttered. Everybody made fun of her. But, her teacher was very affectionate to her. She encouraged her to speak and asked her to come to school daily. She also told when Bholi would be most educated in the village, no one could dare to laugh at her.
These words of the teacher motivated Bholi very much. Thus, her teacher brought about a change in her life.
 

Extract Based Questions

1. Read the extract given below and answer the questions that follows :
The lady teacher who was in the class was saying something to the girls but Bholi could understand nothing. She looked at the pictures on the wall. The colours fascinated her-the horse was brown just like the horse on which the Tehsildar had come to visit their village; the goat was black like the goat of their neighbour; the parrot was green like the parrots she had seen in the mango orchard; and the cow was just like their Lakshmi. And suddenly Bholi noticed that the teacher was standing by her side, smiling at her

Question. State any one inference about Bholi from the given context. The lady teacher who was in the class was saying something to the girls but Bholi could understand nothing.
Answer: She was overwhelmed by everything in school: the pictures, the students, and the teacher.

Question. State TRUE or FALSE. None of the options from (a)-(d) can be applied with reference to the given question or context: What does the fact that Bholi could associate the colours in the pictures with the real animals prove?
(a) She was not intimidated by the new environment.
(b) She knew a good deal about animals and colours.
(c) She was observant by nature.
(d) She must have known every nook and corner in the village.
Answer: False

Question. And suddenly Bholi noticed that the teacher was standing by her side, smiling at her’ this changed something in Bholi. Elaborate in about 40 words, with reference to the extract.
Answer: The teacher was polite and kind to Bholi who had never been treated like this by anyone. She recognized Bholi’s low confidence and told her that with practice she could become a learned person who could speak without stammering. This filled little Bholi with hope and led to a change in the course of her life.

Question. Which word or phrase would correctly substitute ‘orchard’ as given in the extract? The parrot was green like the parrots she had seen in the mango orchard.
Answer: fruit garden or plantation.

2. Read the extract given below and answer the questions that follows :
He came with a big party of relations with him for the wedding. A brass-band playing a popular tune from an Indian film headed the procession, with the bridegroom riding a decorated horse. Ramlal was overjoyed to see such pomp and splendor. He had never dreamt that his.

Question. The given extract depicts an Indian wedding about to happen. Whose wedding is it? Does the wedding take place? Elaborate in about 40 words with reference to the extract.
Answer: It is the day of Bholi’s wedding to Bishambher. No, the wedding doesn’t take place. As soon as Bishambher saw Bholi’s face, he threatened to not marry her if not given a dowry of 5000. Ramlal pleads to him and arranges the money but seeing all this, Bholi refuses to marry.

Question. What had Ramlal never dreamt?
Answer: It is the day of Bholi’s wedding to Bishambher. No, the wedding doesn’t take place. As soon as Bishambher saw Bholi’s face, he threatened to not marry her if not given a dowry of 5000. Ramlal pleads to him and arranges the money but seeing all this, Bholi refuses to marry.

Question. State TRUE or FALSE. None of the terms (a)-(d) can be applied to the statement - He came with a big party of relations with him for the wedding.
(a) A hypothesis - a proposed explanation for a phenomenon
(b) An assumption - something that is assumed to be true without proof or taken for granted
(c) A hyperbole - exaggerated statements or claims not meant to be taken literally
(d) A statement - a definite or clear expression of something in speech or writing
Answer: False

Question. Which phrase would correctly substitute ‘splendor’ in the given sentence from the extract? Ramlal was overjoyed to see such pomp and splendor.
Answer: Magnificent appearance

3. Read the extract given below and answer the questions that follows :
“What’s the matter with you, you fool? Shouted Ramlal. “I am only taking you to school.” Then he told his wife, “Let her wear some decent clothes today or else what will the teachers and the other school girls think of us when they see her? New clothes had never been made for Bholi. The old dresses of her sisters were passed on to her. No one cared to mend or wash her clothes. But today she was lucky to receive a clean dress which had shrunk after many washings and no longer fitted Champa. She was even bathed and oil was rubbed into her dry and matted hair. Only then did she believe that she was being taken to a place better than her home! When they reached the school, the children were already in their classrooms.”

Question. Why was Bholi’s hair matted?
Answer: Bholi’s hair was matted because it was never oiled or combed.

Question. State TRUE or FALSE. None of the terms (a)-(d) can be applied to the statement - What’s the matter with you, you fool?
(a) A hypothesis - a proposed explanation for a phenomenon
(b) An assumption - something that is taken for granted or assumed to be true
(c) A statement - a definite or clear expression of something in speech or writing.
(d) A premise - a proposition that forms the basis of an argument
Answer: True

Question. Bholi had many apprehensions about going to school. What made her feel that she was going to a better place than her home? Answer in about 40 words.
Answer: Bholi had many apprehensions about going to school because the day she was going to school she was forced by her parents to dress nicely. She was bathed and her hair was oiled. She was even given a clean dress to wear. The special way in which everyone treated her made her feel that she was going to a better place.

Question. How did Bholi feel at the end of her first day in school?
Answer: Hopeful and elated