CBSE Class 10 English Bholi Important Questions Set 01

Extract Based Questions

Extract 1

(a). State any one inference about Bholi from the given context.
That was why she remained a backward child and came to be known as Bholi, the simpleton.
Answer: Bholi was considered intellectually slow or backward because of ‘brain damage’.

(b). State which of the options from (i) to (iv) can be applied with reference to the given question or context.
What do you think Bholi suffered from the most?
(a) Bholi did not have much family support.
(b) She was not fair and pretty.
(c) Her own family called her a simpleton.
(d) She was a victim of poor social attitudes or mindsets.
Answer: (d) She was a victim of poor social attitudes or mindsets.

(c). Why was Bholi shy and nervous to express herself? Elaborate in about 40 words, with reference to the extract.
Answer: Bholi was a slow child from the beginning. Her speech was not clear and she stammered while speaking, and the other children made fun of her. It affected her confidence, and the pockmarks added to her shyness and nervousness.

(d). Which word would correctly substitute ‘stammered’ in the given sentence from the extract?
Little Sulekha could not speak till she was five, and when at last she learned to speak, she stammered.
Answer: stuttered

(e). ‘She’ in the first line refers to:
(a) Champa
(b) Gudiya
(c) Bholi
(d) Mangla
Answer: (c) Bholi

(f). Sulekha’s father was:
(a) Numberdar Ramlal
(b) Numberdar Shymlal
(c) Numberdar Premlal
(d) Numberdar Kiranlal
Answer: (a) Numberdar Ramlal

(g). How many children did Ramlal have?
(a) Four
(b) Seven
(c) Five
(d) Six
Answer: (b) Seven

(h). How was Bholi different from her brothers and sisters?
(a) She was very intelligent.
(b) She was laborious.
(c) She obeyed everybody.
(d) She was a simpleton and had pock marks.
Answer: (d) She was a simpleton and had pock marks.

(i). What is the antonym of ‘damaged’?
(a) Spoiled
(b) Repaired
(c) Improved
(d) Both (a) and (b)
Answer: (b) Repaired

(j). What traditional family of the country did Bholi belong to?
Answer: Bholi belonged to the traditional, prosperous family of Numberdar Ramlal in a village.

(k). What is the cause of Bholi’s mental backwardness?
Answer: When she was ten months old she fell off the cot on her head, which perhaps damaged a part of her brain.

(l). Who brought changes in Bholi’s life?
Answer: Her teacher at the village school brought changes in Bholi’s life.

(m). How is Bholi like the other girl child of the country?
Answer: Like many girls in the country, she was neglected and considered a burden by her family.

(n). How can education prove an efficacious instruments in bringing the girl child like Bholi?
Answer: Education can give such girls confidence, self-respect and the courage to stand up against injustice, as it did for Bholi.

Extract 2

(a). State any one example of 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?”

(b). State which of the options from 1 to 4 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

(c). “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 the old dresses of her elder sisters. Nobody cared to mend or wash her clothes.
2. New clothes had never been made for Bholi, as she was neglected and no one expected her to be married.

(d). Which word 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

Extract 3

(a). 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.

(b). State which of the options from 1 to 4 can be applied with reference to the given question or context: True (T), False (F), Partially true (PT), Not applicable (NA).
What does the fact that Bholi could associate the colours in the pictures with the real animals prove?
1. She was not intimidated by the new environment.
2. She knew a good deal about animals and colours.
3. She was observant by nature.
4. She must have known every nook and corner in the village.
(a) 1 - T, 2 - PT, 3 - F, 4 - NA
(b) 3 - T, 1 - PT, 2 - F, 4 - NA
(c) 3 - T, 1 - F, 2 - PT, 4 - NA
(d) 1 - F, 3 - T, 4 - PT, 2 - NA
Answer: (c) 3 - T, 1 - F, 2 - PT, 4 - NA

(c). ‘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 kind and gentle to Bholi, who had never been treated like this by anyone. She recognised Bholi’s low confidence and told her that with practice she would become a learned person and speak without stammering. This filled Bholi with hope and changed the course of her life.

(d). Which phrase would correctly substitute ‘orchard’ in the given sentence from the extract?
“The parrot was green like the parrots she had seen in the mango orchard.”
Answer: fruit garden or plantation

Extract 4

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

(b). State which of the options from (i) to (iv) 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 to be 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

(c). The extract clearly mentions the reasons why Bishamber was considered a suitable groom for Bholi. What apprehensions did Ramlal and his wife have 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 pockmarks on her face and would therefore need a big dowry.

(d). Which word 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

Extract 5

(a). At birth, Bholi:
(a) was dark and ugly.
(b) had a deformed face.
(c) was very fair and pretty.
(d) had deformed feet.
Answer: (c) was very fair and pretty.

(b). Bholi had an attack of smallpox:
(a) at the age of five.
(b) at the age of three.
(c) at the age of two.
(d) at the age of seven.
Answer: (c) at the age of two.

(c). What kind of family was she born in?
(a) An educated family
(b) A poor family
(c) A prosperous family
(d) None of these
Answer: (c) A prosperous family

(d). What made her body ugly?
(a) A high fever
(b) Hard work
(c) Hunger
(d) Smallpox
Answer: (d) Smallpox

(e). What is the meaning of ‘mimicked’?
(a) Imitated
(b) Copied
(c) Aped
(d) All of these
Answer: (d) All of these

(f). Why did Bholi have deep black pock-marks all over her body?
Answer: When Bholi was two years old she had an attack of small-pox which left her entire body disfigured with deep-pock marks.

(g). Why did the other children make fun of Bholi?
Answer: Bholi could not speak till she was five years old, and when she started speaking, she used to stammer. This was why the other children made fun of her.

(h). Why do you think Bholi stammered?
Answer: When Bholi was ten months old she fell off the cot and this damaged a part of her brain. As a result she started speaking only when she was five years old and then she was stammering.

(i). Why did the author consider her a backward child?
Answer: Due to the fall Bholi was not as bright as other children of her age. This is why the author considered her a backward child.

(j). How did Bholi get her name?
Answer: Bholi was christened Sulekha when she was born, but due to a fall from the cot at the age of two, some part of her brain was damaged due to which she was backward in her growth. So she was named Bholi, the simpleton.

Extract 6

(a). Why did Ramlal call Bholi a fool? This was because:
(a) Bholi had become hysterical and was screaming.
(b) Bholi shouted in fear and pulled her hand away.
(c) Bholi was behaving foolishly and was running away.
(d) Bholi had been behaving very strangely with her father.
Answer: (b) Bholi shouted in fear and pulled her hand away.

(b). Pick the sentence that brings out the meaning of ‘decent’ as used in the extract.
(a) He gets a decent amount of salary.
(b) One must be decent when having a conversation with strangers.
(c) She was dressed in a decent manner for the interview.
(d) It was very decent of him to lend me some money.
Answer: (c) She was dressed in a decent manner for the interview.

(c). Pick the option that best describes how Bholi felt at the end of her first day in school.
(a) lost and scared
(b) calm and peaceful
(c) elated and peaceful
(d) hopeful and elated
Answer: (d) hopeful and elated

(d). Why was Bholi’s hair matted?
(a) It was entangled and oiled.
(b) It was never oiled or combed.
(c) It was not combed regularly.
(d) It was unkempt and oiled.
Answer: (b) It was never oiled or combed.

(e). What fear did Bholi have when she was told about being taken to school?
(a) She thought she was going to be neglected by her parents.
(b) She thought her parents were going to get rid of her.
(c) She felt that she would be thrown out of the house and sold.
(d) She thought her parents were thinking of ways to throw her out.
Answer: (c) She felt that she would be thrown out of the house and sold.

(f). Why did Bholi’s father say to let Bholi wear some decent clothes?
Answer: Bholi’s clothes were never mended nor cleaned. If she wore those clothes to school what would her teachers and school girls think of them. So, her father said to let her wear some decent clothes.

(g). How did Bholi’s hair get matted?
Answer: Bholi’s hair were never oiled or combed. Thus they became matted.

(h). Who asked Ramlal to send his daughter’s to school?
Answer: When the primary school for girls was opened in the village the Tehsildar who came to open the school told Ramlal that as a revenue official he was the representative of the government in the school so he should set an example to the village by sending his daughters to school.

(i). What type of dress was Bholi made to wear?
Answer: Bholi was given a clean dress to wear that day. The dress belonged to her sister Champa and it no longer fitted her as it had shrunk after many washings.

(j). Why did Bholi believe that she was being taken to a place better than her home?
Answer: Bholi got a clean dress to wear that day. She was also bathed and oil was rubbed into her dry and matted hair. That was why she believed that she was taken to a place better than her home.

(k). State TRUE or FALSE.
All of the terms (1)-(4) below can be applied to the question - Which of the given themes align with the information presented in the extract?
(1) Hope of new beginnings (2) Potential for positive change (3) Pressure to conform to societal standards (4) Theme of neglect
Answer: True

(l). What does the phrase "being taken to a place better than her home" imply about Bholi's expectations and feelings regarding going to school?
Answer: The phrase "being taken to a place better than her home" implies that Bholi's expectations and feelings regarding going to school were optimistic and hopeful. It shows that Bholi viewed education as an opportunity to escape the constraints and difficulties of her home life.

(m). Identify the theme of societal judgement and appearance in the extract.
Answer: The extract clearly addresses the issue of society judgement and pre-conceived notion of appearance. Ramlal worries about Bholi's appearance and how it would be perceived by others in her school. This shows the societal pressure to meet predetermined standards of appearance and the fear of being judged based on one's looks.

(n). What did Ramlal want his wife to do?
Answer: Ramlal asked his wife to get Bholi ready into some decent clothes than what she wears usually, so the teachers and other schoolgirls don’t think poorly of Bholi’s family.

(o). Why was Bholi scared of school?
Answer: Bholi was scared to go to school as she didn’t know what a school was like, what happens there, actually, she had no idea of a school altogether.

Extract 7

(a). Sulekha’s voice when she spoke was:
(a) stammering
(b) calm and steady
(c) wailing
(d) breaking
Answer: (b) calm and steady

(b). Sulekha planned to:
(a) sit at home.
(b) do social work.
(c) teach in the school she studied.
(d) help the villagers.
Answer: (c) teach in the school she studied.

(c). What trait of Bholi’s character is reflected in the above extract?
(a) Cowardice
(b) Selfishness
(c) Boldness and courage
(d) Self-sacrifice
Answer: (c) Boldness and courage

(d). Who has penned the above extract?
(a) K.A. Abbas
(b) Ruskin Bond
(c) Sinclair Lewis
(d) Mahatma Gandhi
Answer: (a) K.A. Abbas

(e). Give the verb form of ‘satisfaction’.
(a) Satisfactory
(b) Satisfy
(c) Satisfying
(d) Satisfactorily
Answer: (b) Satisfy

(f). Why did Sulekha tell her father not to worry?
Answer: Sulekha told her father not to worry as she had just broken off her marriage by refusing to marry the greedy bridegroom.

(g). What did Sulakha plan to do instead of getting married?
Answer: Sulekha planned to serve her parents in their old age and teach in the school where she had her education.

(h). Why was the teacher standing in a corner?
Answer: The teacher was standing in a corner because the wedding was a family event and she was participating in it as a guest.

(i). What was the drama that teacher was watching?
Answer: The teacher watched the drama of the bridegroom demanding five thousand rupees to marry Bholi and the girl’s defiant refusal to marry the greedy bridegroom.

(j). How did the teacher feel when Bholi refused to marry the greedy old man?
Answer: The teacher felt deep satisfaction just like an artist when or she has just completed a masterpiece

Extract 8

(a). The book Bholi will read is full of:
(a) colourful pictures of village fair.
(b) colourful pictures of plants and trees.
(c) big pictures of mountains.
(d) nice pictures of dog, cat, goat, house, parrot, tiger, etc.
Answer: (d) nice pictures of dog, cat, goat, house, parrot, tiger, etc.

(b). What greatest benefit will Bholi get after learning according to the extract?
(a) She will be highly educated.
(b) She will be the headmistress of the village school.
(c) She will get respect and speak fluently.
(d) She will be more beautiful than others in society.
Answer: (c) She will get respect and speak fluently.

(c). What central idea is expressed in the above extract?
(a) The significance of girl education
(b) The benefits of village life
(c) Compulsory education for all
(d) Words being black letters only
Answer: (a) The significance of girl education

(d). How is Bholi represented in the given extract?
(a) As an uncared child for having both in a patriarchal family
(b) An innocent child with a desire to get love and respect
(c) As a rustic and careless child
(d) As a neglected child for her physical defect
Answer: (b) An innocent child with a desire to get love and respect

(e). The extract uses the phrase ‘heart was throbbing. Which of these expressions is INCORRECT with respect to the expressions of ‘heart’?
HEART
(1) Beat
(2) Pump
(3) Raise
(4) Throb
(a) Option (1)
(b) Option (2)
(c) Option (3)
(d) Option (4)
Answer: (c) Option (3)

(f). Why did the teacher encourage Bholi for learning?
Answer: The teacher wanted Bholi to become learned so that no one would laugh at her and people would listen to her with respect.

(g). Why did the teacher advised Bholi to come to school early the next day morning?
Answer: She wanted Bholi to continue learning without losing time, as she had made a good start.

(h). What picture of Bholi’s dream life is visualised in the extract?
Answer: Bholi dreams of a life of respect, where she is learned, speaks without stammering and no one laughs at her.

(i). Besides a source of knowledge, what other picture of education is reflected in the extract?
Answer: Education is shown as a source of self-respect, confidence and dignity.

(j). What aspect of education is emphasised by the author in the extract?
Answer: The author emphasises that education gives a neglected girl hope, confidence and a new life.

(k). “Then I will give you a bigger book, then a still bigger one.’. Here the speaker’s intention is to _____.
(a) encourage the child to pursue studies regularly.
(b) lure the child to see the book only.
(c) tempt the child to get a big book.
(d) make the child realise the value of books.
Answer: (a) encourage the child to pursue studies regularly.

(l). Which among the following is the correct reason for the teacher insisting Bholi to become learned.
(a) People will become sensitive.
(b) Bholi would become confident and respected by the people.
(c) Bholi could speak with stammer.
(d) Villagers may realize their mistake.
Answer: (b) Bholi would become confident and respected by the people.

(m). Select the most appropriate option for (1) and (2). 1. When Bholi will be learned then no one will ever be able to laugh at her. 2. Everyone makes fun of Bholi.
(a) (1) is true and (2) is false.
(b) (2) is true and (1) is false.
(c) (2) furthers the meaning of (1).
(d) Both (1) and (2) cannot be inferred from the extract.
Answer: (c) (2) furthers the meaning of (1).

(n). From the options given below, identify the teacher’s character traits in the extract. 1. soft-spoken 2. indifferent 3. considerate 4. rude 5. caring
(a) (1), (2) and (3)
(b) (2), (3) and (4)
(c) (2) (4) and (5)
(d) (1), (3) and (5)
Answer: (d) (1), (3) and (5)

(o). Select the suitable word from the extract to complete the following: Hope: despair:: ________: wither
(a) respect
(b) throb
(c) blossom
(d) life
Answer: (c) blossom

Extract 9

(a). State any one inference about Bholi's mother from the given context: As it is, there is little chance of her getting married, with her ugly face and lack of sense. Let the teachers at school worry about her.”
Answer: Bholi’s mother was insensitive and practical-minded; she regarded Bholi as a burden and did not care about her education or happiness.

(b). Which phrase would correctly substitute ‘lack of sense' in the given sentence from the extract? "As it is, there is little chance of her getting married, with her ugly face and lack of sense."
Answer: foolishness (lack of intelligence)

(c). State TRUE or FALSE: None of the terms (1)-(4) below, can be applied to the question - What does Ramlal's wife mean when she says, "Let the teachers at school worry about her"? (1) She wants the teachers to take responsibility for Bholi's well-being. (2) She believes the school will provide guidance and support for Bholi. (3) She expects the teachers to help Bholi find a suitable husband. (4) She thinks the teachers will improve Bholi's appearance and intelligence.
Answer: False. Term (1) can be applied, as she does want the teachers to take responsibility for Bholi so that she herself need not worry about her.

(d). How would one describe the tone of Ramlal's wife when she says, "Are you crazy? If girls go to school, who will marry them?"
Answer: Her tone is dismissive and scornful.

Extract 10

(a). What did Sulekha later on come to be known as?
Answer: Bholi

(b). Why did children make fun of her?
Answer: Bholi’s speech was not clear; she stammered.

(c). What does the word ‘mimicked’ mean?
Answer: To imitate

Extract 11

(a). Who is ‘he’?
Answer: ‘He’ is Tehsildar Sahib.

(b). What example does he want Ramlal to set?
Answer: He wants Ramlal to send his daughters to school and set an example for the other villagers.

(c). What does the word ‘revenue’ mean?
Answer: Money/finance (income of the government)

Extract 12

(a). Who is ‘she’?
Answer: ‘She’ is Bholi.

(b). Where was she being taken to?
Answer: Bholi was being taken to school.

(c). What does the word ‘matted’ mean?
Answer: Tangled/unwashed

Extract 13

(a). Who is ‘she’?
Answer: ‘She’ is Bholi.

(b). Why were the girls laughing at her?
Answer: The girls had heard Bholi stammer while saying her name.

(c). What does the word ‘daring’ mean?
Answer: Being courageous/bold enough

Extract 14

(a). When Bholi was told about being taken to school, ____________.
(a) she thought she was going to be neglected by her parents.
(b) she thought her parents were going to get rid of her.
(c) she felt that she would be thrown out of the house and sold.
(d) she thought her parents were thinking of ways to throw her out.
Answer: (c) she felt that she would be thrown out of the house and sold.

(b). Choose the correct statements based on the given extract. 1. Bholi was not treated on a par with her siblings. 2. Bholi received new clothes on every occasion. 3. Bholi was excited and anxious to go to school. 4. Bholi was dressed in decent clothes because her father was conscious of his status.
(a) 1 and 2
(b) 2 and 4
(c) 2 and 3
(d) 1 and 4
Answer: (d) 1 and 4

(c). What does the phrase ‘Bholi’s hair matted’, suggests?
(a) It was entangled and oiled.
(b) It was never oiled or combed.
(c) It was not combed regularly.
(d) It was unkempt and oiled.
Answer: (b) It was never oiled or combed.

(d). Select the reason which made Bholi think that school would be a better place than home.
(a) She had been given a good description of the school.
(b) She would make many friends there.
(c) She was given a bath and clean dress.
(d) She was taken to the school by her father.
Answer: (c) She was given a bath and clean dress.

(e). Pick the sentence that brings out the meaning of ‘decent’ as used in the extract.
(a) He gets a decent amount of salary.
(b) One must be decent when having a conversation with strangers.
(c) She was dressed in a decent manner for the interview.
(d) It was very decent of him to lend me some money.
Answer: (c) She was dressed in a decent manner for the interview.

Extract 15

(a). When Bholi declared , “……….. I am not going to marry this man.” Her decision portrays her as______ girl.
(a) rude and shameless
(b) bold and assertive
(c) tongue-tied and mild
(d) sharp and sarcastic
Answer: (b) bold and assertive

(b). Choose the statements which are true according to the given extract: 1. Bholi had become self-reliant and was able to take decisions at the end of the story. 2. Bholi’s parents considered Bishamber as an unworthy bridegroom. 3. Bishamber had demanded extra money from her father. 4. Bholi refused to marry Bishamber and she demanded money from him. 5. Bholi know that Bishamber was a greedy man of ill-intent. 6. Villagers appreciated Bholi’s step of refusing to marry Bishamber.
(a) 1, 2 and 4
(b) 2, 4 and 6
(c) 4, 5 and 6
(d) 1, 3 and 5
Answer: (d) 1, 3 and 5

(c). Bholi had refused to get married because:
(a) her father couldn’t afford the dowry that was demanded.
(b) the bridegroom had been greedy.
(c) the bridegroom had insulted her father.
(d) her father was getting her married to a man older to her.
Answer: (c) the bridegroom had insulted her father.

(d). From the options given below, identify villagers’ character traits in the extract. 1. orthodox 2. helpful 3. understanding 4. conservative 5. gossip monger
(a) 1, 4 and 5
(b) 2, 3, and 4
(c) 1, 3 and 5
(d) 3, 4 and 5
Answer: (a) 1, 4 and 5

(e). Which word does ‘contemptible’ not correspond to?
(a) worthless
(b) shameful
(c) praiseworthy
(d) despicable
Answer: (c) praiseworthy