CBSE Class 10 English Bholi Assignment Set 03

Short Answer Type Questions
 

Question. Why was Sulekha nicknamed Bholi?
Answer: When ten months old she fell off from the cot. Head and some part of her brain got damaged, stammered. She remained a backward child and came to be known as Bholi, the simpleton.

Question. How did Bholi console her father in the end?
                                                  Or
How did Bholi console her father after she had refused to marry Bishamber?
Answer: Bholi consoled her father that even if she did not get married, she would take care of her parents in their old age. She also tells them that she would teach in the same school where she had learnt so much.

Question. Draw a conclusion as to why Bholi’s teacher felt 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. Give two points to demonstrate that Bholi’s wedding was a grand one.
Answer: Bholi’s marriage was fixed with Bishamber who had a big shop, his own house and several thousand in the bank. It was a grand marriage. A brass-band playing a popular tune from an Indian film headed the procession. Secondly the bridegroom was riding on a decorated horse. He came there with a big party of friends and relatives which looked like a procession.

Question. What two actions did Bholi take to stop her marriage to Bishamber ?
Answer: Bholi’s marriage was going to take place with Bishamber who himself was forty five or fifty years old. He also limped and had two children from his first wife. Even then he demanded 5000 rupees as dowry. Bholi stopped the marriage by throwing away the garland in the fire. She threw away the veil and asked her father to take back the money and refused to marry Bishamber.

Question. Why do Bholi’s parents accept Bishamber’s marriage?
Answer: Bholi had a slow mental growth, had pock marks of small pox. Parents were much worried because of their daughter’s shortcoming. Moreover, Bishamber was well-to-do bridegroom and he was also not demanding any dowry from them.

Question. Why did Bishamber’s marriage with Bholi not take place?
Answer: Bishamber’s marriage with Bholi did not take place because at the time of garland ceremony, he saw pock-marks on Bholi’s face and demanded five thousand rupees. At this Bholi refused to marry such a greedy person and threw the garland into the fire.

Question. What filled Bholi, a dumb cow, with a new hope?
Answer: There is no doubt that Bholi was like a dumb cow, a simpleton before going to school. In fact, in the school, the teacher’s love, affection and inspiration changed Bholi’s life. She asked her to put fear out of her heart and speak like everyone else. She also gave her a book of knowledge. In time, she would be learned more than anyone in the village. Thus, Bholi got a new hope and a new life at school.

Question. What kind of mother was Ramlal’s wife?
                                           Or
What kind of a mother, do you think, Ramlal’s wife was?
Answer: Ramlal’s wife, mother of Bholi, was quite indifferent to Bholi. She thought that she was a burden on them. Secondly, her consent to Bholi’s marriage with greedy Bishamber, shows that she was blind to social evils due to her illiteracy and ignorance.

Question. Give examples from the text to show that Bholi was a neglected child?
Answer: In the text, Bholi is shown as a neglected child. There are examples galore. First, since her childhood everyone called her Bholi, the simpleton, because she remained a deformed child after the accident. Secondly, she had neither good looks nor intelligence. Finally, she was called a dumb cow because she stammered.

Question. How did the teacher build up Bholi’s confidence on her first day at school?
Answer: On the first day at school, Bholi was very frightened. When her teacher asked her name, she only stammered. At this, other children laughed at her, but her teacher motivated her to speak affectionately. At last she was able to speak her name to her teacher. Thus, the teacher built up Bholi’s confidence on her first day at school.

Question. Why was Ramlal worried about Bholi and not about his other children?
Answer: Numberdar Ramlal was worried about his fourth child Bholi because her entire body was permanently disfigured by deep black pock-marks due to the attack of small pox. Secondly, she had neither good looks nor intelligence, and stammered from childhood due to her accident. Lastly, he was worried about her marriage because of her ugly face and lack of sense.

Question. Bholi’s first day at school gave her a new hope and a new life. How was she able to have these feelings?
Answer: Truly, Bholi’s first day at school gave her a ray of new hope and a new life to change her hateful life into respectful life. It was her teacher who played an important role to change Bholi, a simpleton, into Sulekha, an intelligent and brave girl. Everybody hated her, called her a ‘dumb cow’ because she only stammered. Her teacher encouraged her to speak and come to school daily so that she could speak properly. She assured her that one day she would be the most educated girl in the village, and no one would dare to hate her and laugh at her. At this, Bholi was highly motivated and confident to take challenge in her life. Thus, her heart throbbed with a new hope and a new life.
 

Long Answer Type Questions

Question. Demanding dowry is an evil practice. Describe how Bholi, a dumb cow girl fought against this evil.
Answer: Bholi was considered a dumb cow girl. She was sent to school just to obey the orders of Tehsildar. Her teacher played an important role in changing her life from Bholi to Sulekha. Now she became confident, educated girl but nobody noticed any change in her personality because she was no one for her family. She got engaged with a fifty years old lame man for which she agreed silently. But when he demanded five thousand rupees as dowry Bholi at once stood up against it. She refused to marry him. She gave her consent for a mismatch marriage but she did not support dowry. She called Bishamber a mean, greedy and contemptible coward. She was no more a dumb driven cow. She set an example for the society and became the role model for all the girls.

Question. ‘And in her smiling eyes was the right of deep satisfaction that an artist feels when he is contemplating the completion of his masterpiece.’ Imagine you are Bholi’s teacher. You are overwhelmed with a sense of satisfaction to see the conversion of ‘Bholi’ to ‘Sulekha’. Express your feelings in the form of a diary entry.
Answer:
Diary Entry
11.04.20XX
Today I felt very much satisfied as I got success in changing Bholi to Sulekha. As her name signifies Bholi was really a simple girl. I cannot forget her first entry in my class. A frightened, confused and a simple girl was her first appearance. She used to stammer while speaking. But my two words of affection filled her with confidence. She left stammering and became a confident, determined girl. She was determined to learn everything silently. In her family, nobody noticed the changes that took place in her personality, and got her engaged to a fifty years old lame man with two children. She kept the honour of her parents and agreed to this marriage. But she could not stand with the demand of dowry. She threw away her garland in the fire and asked her father to take back the money. She raised her voice against dowry. She asked the ladies of the village why girls should be treated like dumb cow.
This was the change I always wanted to see in her personality. Today, I feel I have completed my masterpiece without any error. Today she signified her real name Sulekha.

Question. ‘Don’t you worry, Pitaji! In your old age I will serve you and mother.’ Through this statement the narrator wants to highlight the moral values Bholi was imbued with. Based on the reading of the lesson, what made Bholi aware of her rights and how did she use them?
Answer: ‘Don’t you worry, Pitaji! In your old age I will serve you and mother.’ Through this bold statement of Bholi (now Sulekha), we understand her sense of responsibility, courage and confidence in life.
It is the teacher of her school who inculcated a sense of responsibility in Bholi and taught her how to lead a respectable life. She made her aware of her rights in the society in order to change social norms.
Bholi is the narrator’s voice in story that represents the drama of her life. Once she was a simpleton - a dumb cow, now a responsible, fearless and intelligent woman to perform her basic rights. In the context, Bholi refused to marry greedy Bishamber, and proved the woman’s rights, assuring her parents that she would shoulder their responsibility.

Question. Bholi was believed to be a ‘dumb cow’. What turned her into a fearless, bold and confident girl?
Answer: There is no doubt that Bholi was believed to be a ‘dumb cow’. Everybody used to call her Bholi, the simpleton, because she stammered. But, the teacher’s love, inspiration and affection impressed her a lot. The teacher taught her how to lead a respectable life. She motivated her to be the most educated person in the village. So, Bholi got a new hope and a new life at school. It is her teacher who changed her life and brought a sea change in her personality.
In the end of the story we see that Bholi’s refusal to marry greedy Bishamber proved that she was courageous enough and could distinguish between right and wrong. Thus, it is her education and the teacher’s help that turned her into a fearless, bold and confident girl.

Question. ‘Put the fear out of your heart and you will be able to speak like anyone else.’ These words of encouragement from the teacher highlight that change of social attitude and encouragement can help a child like Bholi to become confident and face the world bravely. Taking help from the lesson, ‘Bholi’ write how the social attitude towards Bholi made her an introvert. What should be done to help such children to face the world bravely?
Answer: ‘Put the fear out of your heart and you will be able to speak like anyone else,’ are the words of Bholi’s teacher to ignite Bholi’s heart with a new hope and a new life. These words also motivated her to become confident and face the world bravely. It also helped her overcome social barriers, otherwise the result would be opposite as we see in the end of the story.
Bholi challenged the social evils and attitudes by her power of education and inspiration of her teacher who showed her the path to be self-confident and respectable in the society. Simpleton Bholi converted herself into an extrovert who now understands her rights in the society. It is her education that helped her to revolt against male domination. Hence, education is the power of children like Bholi to face the world bravely.

Question. The story, ‘Bholi’ throws light on some social evils being practised in our society. Bholi took a stand and succeeded in overcoming social barriers. What can you contribute to change the social attitudes illustrated in the story?
Answer: In our society, we find that social evils are being practised due to illiteracy and ignorance. In the story, we see that Bholi is a classic example of how the social evils deprived her of getting equal opportunities. The social attitudes, particularly in Indian villages, are making the girls underprivileged and discriminated against to get their rights in the society.
In the story, we see that Bholi’s teacher helped her overcome social barriers by encouraging and motivating her to understand her rights in the society. Bholi took a stand and succeed in overcoming social barriers, challenging the age-old superstitions - dowry and child marriage.
We can challenge these social barriers like dowry and male domination by empowering the women through spreading the light of education among them. We can contribute towards changing the social attitudes illustrated in the story by educating the people, especially girls because education makes them self-confident, courageous, responsible and intelligent.

Question. What social attitudes are presented in the story, ‘Bholi’? How does Bholi’s teacher help her overcome these barriers?
Answer: In the story ‘Bholi’, social attitudes of the prevailing society are portrayed through characterizing Bholi as the neglected child, called ‘simpleton’. It also delineates the real picture of the Indian village. Villagers were prejudiced about their daughters’ education and believed in child marriage. They were reluctant to send their daughters to school. In the story, Bholi’s mother said to Ramlal, ‘Are you crazy? If girls go to school, who will marry them?’
So, this is a social evil and attitude that existed in the then society due to illiteracy and ignorance. In Bholi’s case, her school teacher helped her overcome social barriers by educating her and inculcating a sense of responsibility into her. She taught her how to lead a responsible life. Bholi became confident and showed courage to change social norms. She became fearless and refused to marry greedy Bishamber.

Question. Why did Bholi react when her father caught her by the hand to take her to school? How did her fear disappear after she had gone to school?
Answer: When Bholi’s father caught her by the hand to take her to school, Bholi was frightened and did not want to go to school. In fact, she did not know what a school was like. She also remembered an incident how a few days ago, their old cow had been turned out of the house and sold. She apprehended that the same incident might repeat in her case. So, she shouted in terror and pulled her hand away from her father’s grip.
After Bholi had gone to school, she was glad to find so many girls, almost of her own age. She hoped that one of these girls might become her friend. Her lady class teacher helped her to remove her fear by encouraging her to speak without any fear as she stammered.

Question. On the basis of your understanding of the story, sketch the character of Bholi and describe the role the teacher played in her life.
                         ​​​​​​​                         ​​​​​​​Or
Bholi was known to be "dumb cow". How did she turn out to be an outspoken and fearless girl ?
                         ​​​​​​​                         ​​​​​​​Or
On the basis of your understanding of the story, sketch the character of Bholi.
                         ​​​​​​​                         ​​​​​​​Or
Write a character sketch of Bholi.
                         Or
How did the teacher transform Bholi into a confident girl?
Answer: Bholi was a simpleton. She lacked sense, her body was disfigured with the pockmarks and she looked ugly. Moreover, she stammered while speaking. That is why, she was ignored and was often laughed at. Therefore, she suffered from inferiority complex and felt ashamed of herself.
But with the encouragement and affection of her teacher, her entire life changed for the better. It was her education which moulded her into a bold and courageous girl. She could now take her own decisions and could not be cowed down by anyone. She refused to marry the man, who humiliated her father. On top of that, she did not stammer anymore and spoke clearly. It was all due to the role her teacher played in her life, which transformed her into a girl who was bold enough to take independent decisions. At the end, she was determined to be a teacher in the school from where she had gained a lot.

Question. How was Bholi like a ‘dumb cow’? How did she become a confident person?
                         ​​​​​​​                         Or
Bholi was known to be a ‘dumb cow’. How did she turn out to be an outspoken and fearless girl?
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. Write a character sketch of Bishamber.
Answer: Bishamber was a rich grocer in the neighbouring village where Bholi lived. He was forty-five or fifty years old and lame also. He had a greedy nature. Bishamber demanded five thousand rupees from Bholi’s father, Ramlal and threatened not to marry Bholi if he did not get that amount. This shows that Bishamber was a mean-minded, greedy, heartless fellow.
Moreover, Bishamber was not an equal match for Bholi. He had also grown-up children from his first wife. He is a morally degraded person because his conscience did not strike him to marry such a poor girl of tender age. Although Bishamber did not take any dowry from Bholi’s parents, but at the garland ceremony he demanded five thousand rupees. This proves that Bishamber was a crooked, dishonest fellow who is very dangerous for the human being.

Question. God created this world but teachers create human beings. How does Bholi’s teacher succeed in changing the course of her life?
Answer: It is true that God created this world but teachers create human beings. No doubt, man is the best creation of God in this world but it is the teacher, a true guru, who shows or guides his or her disciple to the right path in life. So, the disciple’s success in life depends on the teacher’s love, inspiration and proper guidance.
In the story ‘Bholi’, the author shows that Bholi’s teacher plays a great role in changing the course of her life. When Bholi came to school, she was very shy and timid. All students made fun of her because she tried to speak but could not, and only stammered. The teacher realised the cause of her stammering. She encouraged her to speak with affection and told her if she (Bholi) would come to school daily, she could speak properly. She also said “Put the fear out of your heart and you will be able to speak like everyone else”. Bholi got excited with these words. She also said, “In time you will be more learned than anyone else in the village, no one would dare to laugh at you”. These words motivated Bholi very much. Thus, her teacher succeeded in changing the course of her life through her inspiration, encouragement and love.

Question. Why did Bholi at first agree to an unequal match? Why did she later reject the marriage? What does this tell us about her?
Answer: At first, Bholi agreed to marry Bishamber, an aged grocer, not because of her own choice and consent but because of her parents’ choice. She knew that it was absolutely an unequal match. Even then Bholi agreed and said, “I was willing to marry this lame old man for the sake of izzat of my parents.”
Bholi later rejected the marriage because she came to know that Bishamber was greedy, mean and contemptible. She was not a dumb cow, a stammering fool. She could speak well. She understood the social evils - the injustice to a backward girl. So, she threw the garland into the fire. Bholi proved herself to be a fearless, intelligent, responsible and confident girl. Bholi’s example shows that social barriers and attitudes towards girls can be challenged through proper education.
 

Extract Based Questions

1. Read the extract given below and answer the questions that follows :
Ramlal was thunderstruck. The guests began to whisper, “So shameless! So ugly and so shameless.” “Bholi, are you crazy?” shouted Ramlal. “You want to disgrace your family? Have some regard for our izzat!”

Question. Why was Ramlal ‘thunderstruck’?
Answer: Ramlal was ‘thunderstruck’ because Bholi had refused to marry Bishamber.

Question. State true or false. None of the terms (a)-(d) can be applied to the statement — Bholi refused for the marriage because Bishamber had demanded dowry.
(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 hyperbole - exaggerated statements or claims not meant to be taken literally
(d) A premise - a proposition that forms the basis of an argument
Answer: True

Question. What had Bholi done to make the guests react in this manner?
Answer: Bholi had stopped her marriage by throwing the garland that Bishamber was going to place round her neck into the fire. She also threw away her veil and asked her father to take back his money as she was not going to marry Bishamber. All this made the guests react in this manner.

Question. Which word would correctly replace ‘mad’, in the given sentence from the extract? Vinayak acted in a mad manner by throwing articles at his boss.
Answer: crazy

2. Read the extract given below and answer the questions that follows :
Bholi was seven years old when Mangla was married. The same year a primary school for girls was opened in their village. The Tehsildar Sahib came to perform its opening ceremony. He said to Ramlal, “As a revenue official you are the representative of the government in the village and so you must set an example to the villagers.”

Question. When did the Tehsilder come to Bholi’s Village?
Answer: The Tehsildar Shahib had come to the village to open the primary school for girls.

Question. Which kind of example must be set by Ramlal as per the Tehsildar?
Answer: As per the Tehsildar, Ramlal must set an example by sending his daughter to school.

Question. Why did the Tehsildar came to Ramlal’s village?
Answer: The Tehsildar came to Ramlal’s village to perform the opening ceremony of a girls school.

Question. How was this event significant for Bholi?
Answer: Due to the opening of a primary school in her village, Bholi was sent to the village school. This transformed her into a bold girl. Her teacher’s hope and affection gave her a new hope and new life. As a result of this, she became a sharp, outspoken and fearless girl.