CBSE Class 10 English Bholi Assignment Set 04

Short Answer Type Questions
 

Question. Why did Ramlal’s wife not agree to send Bholi to school?
Answer: Ramlal’s wife was prejudiced to send girls to school. She was illiterate and ignorant and she herself never went to school due to the then social barriers and lackadaisical attitude. She was very conservative and thought that nobody would marry girls if they were sent to school. It was against the tradition and norms of the then society. Hence, Ramlal’s wife did not agree to send Bholi to school.

Question. When did Bholi begin to believe that she was going to a better place than her home?
Answer: When Ramlal decide to send Bholi to school and asked her to come to school along with him, she was frightened because she did not know anything about school. She refused to go school. But, when she was dressed up properly with a clean dress, bathed and oiled her hair, she thought that she was going to a place better than her home.

Question. When did Bholi realize that she was going to a better place than her home?
Answer: When Bholi went to school, she realized that it was a better place than her home. She saw many other girls of her age and felt happy and comfortable. She thought that she will get good friends and good teacher who will love her. However, after getting a book full of pictures, she becomes more happy in the school.

Question. What do you know about Sulekha from the text ?
Answer: Sulekha was a simple and introvert girl. She had pock marks on all over her body which made her ugly. She had slow mind and learnt speaking at the age of five. She used to stammer. She remained a mentally backward child. She was hard worker and devoted herself to her aim.

Question. Give the details of Ramlal’s family.
Answer: Ramlal and his wife had seven children. They had three sons who studied in colleges in a city. Their eldest daughter, Radha had already been married. The marriage of their daughter Mangla had also been settled. Champa was their next daughter. Bholi was the youngest of their children.

Question. Why did Ramlal not send all his daughters to school?
Answer: Ramlal had four daughters. Their names were Radha, Mangla, Champa and Bholi. The Tehsildar had asked Ramlal to send his daughters to school. Ramlal dared not disobey the Tehsildar. However, Ramlal did not send all his daughters to school because three of them were already married.

Question. How did Bholi react when her father caught her by the hand to take her to school?
Answer: Bholi’s father caught her by the hand to take her to school. Bholi was scared. Bholi did not know what a school was like. She remembered how their old cow had been turned out of the house and sold. Therefore, she was frightened and was reluctant to go to school with her father. She shouted in terror and pulled her hand away from her father’s grip.

Question. In what respect was Bholi different from her sisters?
Answer: Bholi was the weakest and youngest child of Ramlal. Bholi had ugly looks and absence of brain. Her sisters Radha, Mangla and Champa were healthy, strong and good looking. They had been happily married.

Question. Why was Bholi frightened to go to school?
Answer: Bholi did not know what a school was like. On top of that, she remembered how four days ago their old cow, Lakshmi had been turned out of the house and later sold. She was frightened to go to school because she thought that the same thing might happen to her.

Question. Why were new and decent dresses given to Bholi when she started going to the school?
Answer: Bholi was the youngest daughter of the revenue official Ramlal. He was worried about the reputation of his family in front of the teachers and other school girls, if Bholi was not sent to the school properly dressed. Because of this reason, Bholi was given dresses she had never worn before.

Question. How did Bholi feel on the first day at school?
Answer: Bholi felt disheartened on her first day at the school. At the school, she could not even speak her name properly without stammering. Tears flowed down from her eyes due to her helplessness and she felt that the girls were laughing at her. But at the same time, she was glad to see so many girls of her age in the class because she hoped that one of those girls might become her friend.

Question. How did Bholi’s teacher encourage her to speak without stammering?
Answer: Bholi’s teacher encouraged her by trying to convince her that one day she would be the most learned one in the village, if she kept on studying. Then people would not laugh at her but listen to her with respect, at that time she would also be able to speak without the slightest stammer.

Question. What were the reasons given by Ramlal’s wife for accepting Bishamber’s marriage proposal for Bholi?
Answer: Ramlal’s wife was in favour of Bishamber’s marriage proposal because he had a big shop, his own house and several thousand rupees in the bank. Secondly, he did not know about Bholi’s pockmarks and her lack of sense. Thirdly, he was not demanding dowry. Fourthly, Bholi would never have a better marriage proposal than this one, according to her mother.

Question. Why were the relatives surprised when Bholi started speaking and refused to marry Bishamber?
Answer: Bholi was not able to speak properly and had stammered since her childhood. But that day, she had spoken in a clear and loud voice asking Bishamber to return the five thousand rupees. Moreover, her courage in refusing to marry Bishamber for being greedy and humiliating her father, startled everybody.

Question. Why was Bholi reluctant to go to school with her father?
Answer: Bholi had no idea what a school was like. So, she was reluctant to go to school with her father because she compared herself to their old cow Lakshmi, who was taken out of the house and was later sold. She felt that the same thing would happen to her at the school.

Question. What did Bholi relate the pictures in the school wall to ?
Answer: There were a lot of pictures on the school wall. Bholi related the picture of a horse with that of the Tehsildar’s horse, the picture of a goat with the goat in her neighbourhood, the picture of parrot she related to the parrots she had seen in the mango orchards and the cow looked like their cow Lakshmi.
 

Long Answer Type Questions

Question. Give the character-sketch of Ramlal.
Answer: Ramlal was a man of about fifty years. He had three sons and four daughters. They had a prosperous farmer’s household. They had enough to eat and drink. Theirs was a status family. His sons studied in colleges in the cities. He was the Numberdar or revenue official of the government in his village. Even the Tehsildar had high expectations from him for the smooth running of the newly-opened primary school. He was a considerate father. He got ready even to pay five thousand rupees to Bishamber to see his daughter happy. He was a man of honour. He put his honour at stake but did not compel his daughter to marry a mean coward. He was a practical man.

Question. Give the character-sketch of Bholi’s teacher.
Answer: Bholi’s teacher was a gem. Such teachers are very rare. She gave congenial atmosphere to Bholi who was handicapped. She had full sympathies with Bholi who was suffering from physical disability as well as mental infirmity. She provided all possible help and assistance to her. She made her feel at home. She encouraged and inspired her to get over her stammer. She treated her like her daughter. She was her true guide.
She inculcated the qualities of confidence, and daring in her. She never scoffed at Bholi whom all the other girls mimicked. She urged her to make persistent efforts to get over her handicap. She enabled Bholi to challenge the dowry-seeker.

Question. The chapter Bholi highlights the discrimination against the girl child. Analyse.
Answer: Nature does not discriminate, but society does. From time immemorial the world has discriminated against the girl child. The chapter, ‘Bholi’ throws up many such instances. Ramlal’s sons go to school and college. His daughters are not educated but married off.
Her mother does not think it necessary to take Bholi’s consent for her marriage. The groom is old and lame. Still he demands dowry. Her father is ready to pay him also.
It is the girl herself who raises her voice against this marriage. She is criticised and humiliated for standing up for her dignity. But she is firm and decides the course of her life.

Question. “Love and encouragement make the impossible possible.” Justify it in the light of Bholi’s story.
Answer: Bholi was one of the seven children of Ramlal Numberdar. She had pock marks and looked weak and ugly. She was mentally slow. She stammered while speaking. She was not cared and loved. She wore the old dresses of her sisters. Even her mother did not like her. She was sent to school as she was the most useless member of the house. She liked colours on the wall of the school and wanted someone to be her friend. She got a loving and caring teacher in school who helped her to gain self-confidence and taught her reading and writing. She brought new hopes into her otherwise ill-fated life, encouraged and inspired her to get over her stammer. She treated her like her daughter. She was her true guide.
She inculcated the qualities of confidence, and daring in her. She never scoffed at Bholi whom all the other girls mimicked. She urged her to make persistent efforts to get over her handicap. She enabled Bholi to challenge the dowry-seeker.

Question. Bholi has multiple handicaps. She is a girl. She has pock-marks, she stammers. How can we change the social attitudes towards the differently abled?
Answer: Bholi is physically challenged. She is a slow girl. She has pock-marks and also stammers. What difference does it make? She is a human being and she should also be treated and honoured like other human beings. If a person lacks something on the one hand, he or she is compensated on the other by God. We see so many examples and instances in the society where disability of any kind is not an obstacle in one’s life. Helen Keller was blind but proved to be a successful writer at the end. Sudha Chandran is an example of indomitable will, who, despite losing one leg, became a dancer of world-fame. The social attitude towards these people should not be one of pity. They should be appreciated that in spite of one’s weakness, they are struggling hard to survive. The society will have to change its attitude towards differently abled people.

Question. “But Ramlal was worried about Bholi.” Why was Ramlal worried about his daughter Sulekha or Bholi?
Answer: Sulekha, also called Bholi, was the fourth daughter and the youngest child of Numberdar Ramlal. All his children, except Bholi, were healthy and strong. But Ramlal was worried about Bholi. It was because she had neither good looks nor intelligence. At birth, she was very fair and pretty. But when she was ten months old, she had fallen off the cot on her head. Perhaps, this accident had damaged some part of her brain. Due to this, she remained a backward child and came to be known as Bholi, the simpleton. Also, when she was two years old, she had an attack of small-pox. Because of this, her entire body had been permanently disfigured by deep black pockmarks. On top of that, she could not speak properly and even stammered.

Question. Do you think Bholi’s mother treated her well?
                                                  ​​​​​​​Or
What kind of treatment is given to Bholi by her parents? Is it justified?
Answer: No, Bholi’s mother did not treat her nicely. She had more love for Bholi’s sisters than for her. Ever since her childhood, she regarded Bholi as a girl with an ugly face and for having a lack of sense.
When Bholi was seven years old, Bholi’s mother wanted to put all the responsibility of Bholi on her teachers. Even new clothes were not given to Bholi and she had to use the clothes discarded by her older sisters. The worst part was that, Bholi’s mother readily agreed to accept Bishamber’s proposal. Bishamber was almost a fifty year old man with grown-up children. But even then, Bholi’s mother wanted to marry Bholi to him because she thought that Bholi could never have anything better than that man. Thus, we can say that she did not treat Bholi properly like a mother does.

Question. After reading the story, what impression do you form about Bholi ?
Answer: Bholi was a neglected child in the family. Due to her deep black pockmarks, impaired speech and lack of sense, she was considered backward and a simpleton. The day she was brought to school, she avoided other girls, who made fun of her and she could not even understand their language.
But due to her teacher’s encouragement and sympathetic treatment, she became a bold girl. Moreover, she turned out to be a good and understanding person who was submissive to her parents’ wishes. She yielded to the wish of her parents to marry her off to Bishamber, a man who was lame, old enough to be the age of her father and had grown-up children. But later, she even had the courage to reject her marriage because she did not want a husband who disrespected her father.

Question. Narrate Bholi’s experience in the class. How was she treated by the teacher ?
Answer: Bholi was a simple girl. At first, she was reluctant to go to school due to her inner fear. But she was glad to find so many girls of her age in the school. She was fascinated by the colours on the wall later filled with pictures of goats, parrot, mango orchard and cow. Coupled with the teacher’s encouragement and her own courage, Bholi was able to say her full name. The teacher was happy over her achievement and patted her with affection, a treatment Bholi rarely received. The teacher also asked Bholi to come to the school regularly, and therefore played a vital role in shaping a simpleton into a bold and brave girl. Her teacher told Bholi that after reading bigger books over the years, she would be more learned than anyone else in the village. A fact she proved at the end.

Question. “What a shameless girl! We all thought she was a harmless dumb cow.” Do you agree with this statement about Bholi ?
Answer: Due to her peculiar problems, Bholi was considered to be a dumb cow from her childhood. On top of that, she got least attention in the family and was neglected. She always cowed before the will of others. She could hardly speak when she was sent to school. She even stammered and could not stand before anyone to talk or otherwise. But her teacher’s encouragement and psychological treatment, instilled a new hope and a new life in her. Throughout the story, she remained quite submissive and respectful towards her parents. For their sake, she even agreed to marry a man of her father’s age who had grown-up children. But, when Bishamber demanded five thousand rupees as dowry, she could not stand the humiliation of her father. She rightly refused to marry Bishamber. So, we can say that at the end of the story she was a courageous and an educated girl who was no more a dumb cow.

Question. How does Bholi become so confident ? What did she do? Explain the role of education in shaping the life of a child with respect to the lesson ‘Bholi’.
Answer: Bholi becomes so confident because of education and the encouragement given to her by her teacher, to study and speak boldly. When Bholi’s parents had arranged her marriage to an elderly widower, she had agreed to marry the man just because it was her parents’ wish. But when she saw how the bridegroom was demanding five thousand rupees as dowry just because she had pockmarks on her face, she got angry and felt disgusted.
She was even more furious when her father placed his turban at the bridegroom’s feet and requested him to take two thousand rupees, but the greedy groom refused to do so and even threatened to leave. Having no other choice, with tears streaming down his face, her father went inside the house, counted the notes and placed the five thousand rupees bundle at his feet. At that moment, Bholi threw the garland from the groom’s hands and even her veil, and refused to marry Bishambar, a man who had humiliated her father.
In front of all the people, she spoke about her opinion confidently, boldly and without stammering. Education had transformed her and made her a courageous girl. Further, she promised to look after her parents and said that she would teach in the same school from where she had learnt so much. We can, through her actions, say that education had made her capable of taking the right decisions.
 

Extract Based Questions

1. Read the extract given below and answer the questions that follows :
“N-n-n-n NO, no-no-no,” she shouted in terror and pulled her hand away from her father’s grip. “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 schoolgirls think of us when they see her?”

Question. State any one example about social pressure from the given extract.
Answer: “Let her wear some decent clothes today or else what will the teachers and the other schoolgirls think of us when they see her?

Question. State which of the options from (a) to (d) can be applied with reference to the given statement or context: True (T), False (F), Partially true (PT), Not applicable (NA). “What’s the matter with you, you fool?” shouted Ramlal “I am only taking you to school” Bholi behaved like ‘a fool’ because:
1. she had never stepped out of home.
2. she thought that her father would beat her up.
3. she suspected that her family was abandoning her.
4. she feared that she will be forcibly married.
(a) 1 - T, 2 - PT, 3 - F, 4 - NA
(b) 3 - T, 1 - PT, 2 - F, 4 - NA
(c) 4 - T, 1 - F, 2 - PT, 3 - NA
(d) 1 - F, 3 - T, 4 - PT, 2 - NA
Answer: (d) 1 - F, 3 - T, 4 - PT, 2 - NA

Question. “Let her wear some decent clothes today, or else what will the teachers and the other schoolgirls think of us when they see her?” Why didn’t Bholi have any decent clothes? Give two reasons. Elaborate in about 40 words, with reference to the extract.
Answer:
1. Bholi was given old dresses of her older sisters. This was an acceptable social practice that was widely prevalent for both genders.
2. New clothes had never been made for Bholi. Typically, in olden times the youngest children would get new clothes only when they grew up and got married.

Question. Which phrase would correctly substitute ‘grip’ in the given sentence from the extract? “N-n-n-n NO, no-no-no,” she shouted in terror and pulled her hand away from her father’s grip.
Answer: grasp

2. Read the extract given below and answer the questions that follows :
“Yes, certainly,” his wife said. “Bholi will be lucky to get such a well-to-do bridegroom. A big shop, a house of his own and I hear several thousand in the bank. Moreover, he is not asking for any dowry.” “That’s right, but he is not so young, you know — almost the same age as I am — and he also limps. Moreover, the children from his first wife are quite grown up.”

Question. State any one inference about Bishamber from the given context. “Moreover, he is not asking for any dowry.”
Answer: For Bholi’s family, that had many daughters, Bishamber was a good catch.

Question. State which of the options from (a) to (d) cannot be associated with social maladies as mentioned in the given extract?
(a) Remarriage for men was an option but not for women.
(b) A rich man could marry a girl young enough for his daughter.
(c) A physical or other handicap didn’t matter in a man’s marriage.
(d) The more ordinary a girl, the bigger the demand for dowry
Answer: (d) The more ordinary a girl, the bigger the demand for dowry

Question. The extract clearly mentions the reasons why Bishamber was considered a suitable groom for Bholi. What apprehensions did Ramlal and his wife had other than those mentioned in the extract? Elaborate in about 40 words, with reference to the extract.
Answer: Bholi’s father was worried about her as she had neither good looks nor intelligence. He did not know how he would find a suitable groom for her. Her mother thought she was a burden because she had pock-marks on her face and would therefore, need a big dowry.

Question. Which phrase would correctly substitute ‘limps’ in the given sentence from the extract? That’s right, but he is not so young, you know — almost the same age as I am — and he also limps.
Answer: hobbles