CBSE Class 10 English The Necklace Important Questions Set 02

Extract Based Questions

Extract 1

(a). Why did Mme Loisel lead a horrible life of necessity?
(a) To save money for her future.
(b) To pay the debt that she had taken to buy the diamond necklace.
(c) To buy the diamond necklace for herself.
(d) To buy a house for her family.
Answer: (b) To pay the debt that she had taken to buy the diamond necklace.

(b). ‘She did her part, completely, heroically’. Here, the word ‘heroically’ implies that she:
(a) boldly accepted the hardship of life.
(b) fought with her husband.
(c) sadly performed her duties.
(d) played her part in a drama.
Answer: (a) boldly accepted the hardship of life.

(c). Select the option listing Mme Loisel’s characteristics, as revealed in the extract. 1. adjusting 2. stingy 3. courageous 4. hard-working 5. manipulative
(a) (2) and (3)
(b) Only (5)
(c) (1), (3) and (4)
(d) Only (2)
Answer: (c) (1), (3) and (4)

(d). Select the most appropriate option based on (1) and (2). 1. The debt had made Mme Loisel’s life miserable. 2. Mme Loisel did not want to pay the debt.
(a) (2) is true and (1) is false.
(b) (2) is the result for (1).
(c) (2) is the cause for (1).
(d) (2) is false and (1) is true.
Answer: (d) (2) is false and (1) is true.

(e). The literary device used in the phrase ‘the frightful debt’ is ________.
(a) alliteration
(b) transferred epithet
(c) personification
(d) hyperbole
Answer: (b) transferred epithet

Extract 2

(a). ‘Her friend’ did not recognize Matilda Loisel because Matilda _____
(a) was looking young and beautiful.
(b) was changed and looking older than her age.
(c) met her for the first time.
(d) behaved strangely to her.
Answer: (b) was changed and looking older than her age.

(b). Who was being blamed for the hard and the miserable days of the speaker?
(a) Mme Loisel
(b) M Loisel
(c) Mme Forestier
(d) the jeweler
Answer: (c) Mme Forestier

(c). Select the option listing the reactions of Mme Loisel’s friend after meeting her, as revealed in the extract: 1. surprised 2. unsure 3. unfriendly 4. confused 5. indifferent
(a) (1) and (2)
(b) (3) and (4)
(c) (3) and (5)
(d) (1), (2) and (4)
Answer: (d) (1), (2) and (4)

(d). Select the most appropriate option based on (1) and (2) 1. Mme Loisel had had hard days. 2. Mme Forestier was the cause of Matilda’s miserable life.
(a) (2) is true and (1) is false.
(b) Both (1) and (2) are true
(c) (2) is the cause for (1).
(d) Both (1) and (2) are false.
Answer: (b) Both (1) and (2) are true

(e). Select the option which displays an example of ‘a cry of astonishment’.
(a) While he was walking on the street, he saw a snake.
(b) He was watching a movie when he heard a weird noise.
(c) As she opened the door, she saw her long lost friend in front of her.
(d) A barking dog chased him on the road.
Answer: (c) As she opened the door, she saw her long lost friend in front of her.

Extract 3

(a). What did the husband hope for?
(a) That his wife will be happy.
(b) That his wife will be angry.
(c) That his wife will be surprised.
(d) That his wife will be crying.
Answer: (a) That his wife will be happy.

(b). Choose the option that lists the set of statements that are NOT TRUE according to the given extract. 1. Matilda was happy at the invitation. 2. Her husband hoped to see her happy at the invitation. 3. Matilda threw the invitation. 4. Matilda happily sang after seeing the invitation. 5. Matilda asked her husband what she supposed to do with the invitation. 6. Matilda threw the invitation out of the window. 7. Matilda didn’t know what to do with the invitation.
(a) 1, 2, 3
(b) 1, 3, 5
(c) 1, 4, 6
(d) 1, 6, 7
Answer: (c) 1, 4, 6

(c). Pick the option that correctly classifies fact/s (F) and myths (M) of the students below.
1. Matilda is unhappy at the invitation. 2. Matilda’s husband is happy to go to the party. 3. Both Matilda and her husband are an unhappy couple. 4. The invitation made Matilda happy.
(a) F – 1, 2 and M – 3, 4
(b) F – 1, 3 and M – 2, 4
(c) F –1, 4 and M – 2, 3
(d) F – 4 and M – 1
Answer: (a) F – 1, 2 and M – 3, 4

(d). What do you understand by the wife’s behaviour?
(a) Wife was unhappy.
(b) Wife was surprised.
(c) Wife was joking.
(d) Wife was busy.
Answer: (a) Wife was unhappy.

(e). Which of the following words means ‘speaking in a low voice’?
(a) Delighted
(b) Murmuring
(c) Spiteful
(d) Suppose
Answer: (b) Murmuring

Extract 4

(a). What was the cause of her inferiority complex?
Answer: Matilda thought that they are poor and all the other guests of the party belonged to the upper class. This was the cause for her inferiority complex.

(b). How would you prove that M. Loisel was a loving husband?
Answer: M. Loisel was a loving husband, as when his wife was enjoying the dance and gratifying her vanity through the admiration of the men-folk, he waited on her patiently.

Extract 5

(a). Which party is she referring to?
Answer: Matilda is referring to the party hosted by the Minister of Public Instruction for which her husband got an invitation to go to, along with her.

(b). Why did she not want to go to the party?
Answer: She was grieved for her poverty-stricken look. She felt that she did not have an appropriate dress and a jewel for the party.

Short Answer Questions

Question 1. What kind of a person is Mme Loisel? Why is she always unhappy?
Answer: Mme Loisel was a pretty young lady. She was an ambitious lady who dreamt of exquisite food served in marvellous dishes. She was always unhappy as she did not like her poverty. She was disappointed as she was married to a mere clerk who could not provide her a luxurious life.

Question 2. What kind of a person is her (Matilda’s) husband?
Answer: Mme Loisel’s husband is a simple man who was delighted by small things and was satisfied with his life.

Question 3. What fresh problem now disturbs Mme Loisel?
Answer: Mme Loisel was disturbed to know that she would have to go to the party without any jewellery. She felt she would look poverty-stricken among the rich women.

Question 4. How is the problem solved?
Answer: The problem was solved when M. Loisel suggested that Matilda borrow some jewels from her rich friend, Mme Forestier.

Question 5. What do Mr. and Mme Loisel do next?
Answer: They searched for the necklace in the folds of her dress and in the pockets, then M. Loisel went over the route they had taken. Later he informed the police, gave an advertisement in the newspapers offering a reward and even went to the cab offices, but all in vain.

Question 6. How do they replace the necklace?
Answer: The Loisels had eighteen thousand francs; the rest they borrowed from friends and moneylenders. Then they bought a necklace that looked exactly like the lost one for thirty-six thousand francs and gave it back to Mme Forestier.

Question 7. The course of the Loisels’ life changed due to the necklace. Comment.
Answer: Matilda Loisel was a very pretty girl married to a petty clerk. She was very ambitious and demanded too much from life. An invitation to a ball from the Minister elated M. Loisel but Matilda was unhappy as she did not have a proper dress and jewellery. On her husband’s advice, she borrowed a diamond necklace from her friend. She looked very beautiful that night and stole the show.
When they came back home, she found the necklace missing. From that very moment, her life took a turn towards ruin. The price of the necklace was beyond their reach. She sacrificed all her comforts and even her needs to repay the money borrowed for a new necklace. Because of overwork, tension and lack of care, she became a physical wreck. The happiness of one night changed her whole life. Wearing a necklace for one night held her by the neck for the rest of her life.

Question 8. What was the cause of Matilda’s ruin? How could she have avoided it?
Answer: Over-ambition and dissatisfaction were the causes of Matilda’s ruin. Matilda was an extremely beautiful girl who expected too much from life. She was married to a simple and ordinary man who could not provide all the luxuries she wanted. For a ball, she borrowed a necklace from her friend and ruined her married life, as the necklace was lost that very night. To pay for the necklace, she worked too hard and spoiled her whole life.
She could have avoided it if she had told her friend that she had lost the necklace. Her friend would have told her that it was not a real diamond necklace. By hiding the truth, she ruined her life.

Question 9. What would have happened to Matilda if she had confessed to her friend that she had lost her necklace?
Answer: The course of Matilda’s life would not have changed if she had confessed to her friend that she had lost her necklace. The life of Matilda and her husband was thoroughly changed just to give back the necklace. They sent away the maid to cut expenses and worked day and night. She lost her charm as a result of hard work.
She could have avoided all these miseries and sufferings over such a long period if she had confessed the loss to her friend.

Question 10. If you were caught in a situation like this, how would you have dealt with it?
Answer: If I were caught in a situation like this, I would have dealt with it differently. I would have revealed the truth to my friend at once to avoid the unwanted situation. Matilda and her husband ruined their life by hiding the truth.
By telling the truth to my friend and paying her the real cost of the necklace, I would have avoided all the miseries and mental agony that Matilda underwent.

Question 11. Why did Matilda not want to see her rich friends? (Delhi 2016)
Answer: Matilda did not want to see her rich friends because she did not have jewels or anything to adorn herself with. Besides, she did not have any suitable dress. She thought that without these valuable things she would have a poverty-stricken look in the midst of rich friends.

Question 12. Why did Matilda (Mme Loisel) leave the ball in a hurry? What does it show about her character? (CBSE 2018)
Answer: Matilda left the ball in a hurry because her husband had covered her with a modest wrap while the other women were covered with cosy furs. She did not want the other women to see her poor wrap and judge her for her poverty. This shows that Matilda was a woman of great desires who did not appreciate what she was provided with. Money and worldly desires tempted her and she wanted to fit in with the rich women.

Question 13. What changes came in the lifestyle of Matilda after she had lost the necklace?
Answer: After the loss of the necklace, Matilda had to sacrifice all her comforts and even her needs to repay the money borrowed to buy a new necklace for her friend. Because of overwork, tension and lack of care, she became a physical wreck. The happiness of one night changed her whole life.

Question 14. What were Matilda’s apprehensions when her husband brought her the invitation to the ball?
Answer: When her husband brought the invitation, Matilda had two apprehensions. Firstly, she didn’t have any suitable dress for the party. Secondly, she didn’t have any suitable jewel to adorn herself with. She thought that she would look poverty-stricken.

Question 15. How did Monsieur Loisel manage to repay the debt and when?
Answer: In order to repay the debt, Mr and Mrs Loisel had to go through several hardships. Mr Loisel worked overtime. Mrs Loisel did away with the maid and did all the household chores herself. The Loisels left their lodgings and lived in a rented attic room. The Loisels led a very miserable life and repaid the debt in ten years.

Question 16. What was Loisel’s reaction to her desire for a new dress?
Answer: Matilda wanted to buy a new dress, which would cost around four hundred francs. On hearing this, Loisel’s face turned pale. He had saved four hundred francs to buy a gun. The new dress would consume his entire savings, but he agreed to give her the money.

Question 17. How did Matilda get the jewels to wear to the ball?
Answer: She borrowed a diamond necklace from her wealthy friend Mme Forestier to wear to the ball. She went to her friend, who allowed her to choose what she liked from her collection.

Question 18. What efforts were made by the Loisels to look for the lost necklace?
Answer: After realising that the necklace had been lost, Mr Loisel went all over the route they had walked on foot. He went to report the matter to the police and to the cab offices. He also advertised in the papers.

Question 19. Why was Matilda unhappy in her early married life? (Delhi 2020)
Answer: Matilda was dissatisfied with her marriage to a petty clerk. She believed that she was born for all delicacies and luxuries. She dreamt of exquisite food served in marvellous dishes. She was filled with despair and disappointment. Therefore, she was unhappy.

Question 20. Why did Matilda think that she was born in a family of petty clerks by some error of destiny?
Answer: Matilda was a beautiful young lady with high dreams and aspirations. She had no dowry, no hopes, no fame and no wealth. She lost all hopes of marrying a man either rich or distinguished. She believed that she was born into a family of clerks only by some error of destiny. So, she allowed herself to marry a petty clerk in the office of the Board of Education.

Question 21. Do you think Mr Loisel had an enjoyable evening at the ball? Give reasons for you answer. (Delhi 2019)
Answer: He did not have an enjoyable evening at the ball. He was quite bored with the ball. He felt half asleep in a little salon with three men.

Question 22. What was the greatest mistake of Mrs Loisel that became the cause of their miseries? Could she have averted it?
Answer: The greatest blunder that Matilda committed was that she didn't take her friend into confidence. She should have told the whole story as it had happened. That would have pacified Madame Forestier quite easily as the necklace she lent to her friend was not of real diamonds but false ones.

Question 23. Why didn’t Matilda like to visit her rich friend?
Answer: Matilda or Mrs Loisel always dreamt of things that were beyond her means. She dreamt of a grand house, costly dishes, good dresses and jewels. She was disillusioned that she couldn't get them. When she visited her rich friend, she really suffered because she became intensely conscious of her poverty in the presence of her fortunate and rich friend. She suffered so much when she returned to her modest and miserable surroundings.

Question 24. Why did Mr Loisel had to put on his clothes to go out into the cold at night, minutes after returning from the ball? Did he succeed in getting what he searched for?
Answer: Matilda had lost the diamond necklace that she had borrowed from Madame Forestier, at the ball. When it was not found in the folds of her dress, in the folds of the cloak, in pockets, everywhere, Mr Loisel went out. He went over the track in search of the lost necklace. No, he didn't succeed in finding what he had been searching for in the cold night.

Question 25. Why was Matilda always unhappy? OR Why did Matilda suffer incessantly?
Answer: Matilda was always unhappy. She was not satisfied with what life and fate had given to her. She believed that she was born in a family of petty clerks through some error of destiny. She dreamt of a big and grand house, marvellous dishes, good dresses and jewels. She hated to give an image of poverty. But the harsh realities of life made her unhappy and dissatisfied with her lot.

Question 26. Why did Matilda throw the invitation card spitefully upon the table? OR Why did Matilda ask her husband to give the invitation card to some colleague?
Answer: One evening, Matilda’s husband returned home carrying in his hand a large envelope. She drew out a printed card quickly, but threw it on the table spitefully. It was an invitation for a ball arranged by the Minister of Public Instruction. She complained that she didn't have a suitable dress for that grand occasion. She asked him to give that invitation to some colleague whose wife was better fitted out than her.

Question 27. What and why did Matilda (Mrs Loisel) put up another demand after her husband gave her 400 francs for buying a pretty dress?
Answer: Mrs Loisel's demand of having a suitable costume was fulfilled and her dress was almost ready. But then, she put forward another demand. She was vexed not to have a jewel. She had nothing to adorn herself with. She didn't want to present a poverty-stricken look of herself amidst rich ladies. She ridiculed the idea of wearing natural flowers. She needed some jewels to adorn herself.

Question 28. How was Matilda's demand of adorning herself with jewels fulfilled?
Answer: Mrs Loisel was adamant on having some jewels to adorn herself for the ball. Her poor husband felt helpless. However, an idea struck him. He told her that she could borrow jewels from her rich friend, Madame Forestier. Madame Forestier easily agreed and placed her jewellery box before Matilda to make her choice. In the end, Matilda chose a superb diamond necklace and Madame Forestier happily gave the necklace to her friend.

Question 29. How did Mr and Mrs Loisel replace the lost necklace and gave that to Madame Forestier?
Answer: When they had lost all hopes of getting the lost necklace, Mrs and Mr Loisel decided that they must replace the jewel. In a shop, they found a necklace which seemed to them exactly like the one they had lost. They could get it for 36000 francs. Mr Loisel had 18000 francs which his father had left. They borrowed the rest of the money. The bought the new necklace and returned it to Madame Forestier.

Question 30. Why didn't Madame Forestier recognise Matilda? How did both the ladies look?
Answer: One day, Matilda was taking a walk in the Champs-Elysees. She suddenly saw a woman walking with a child. It was Madame Forestier. She was still young, pretty and still attractive. But Mrs Loisel looked just the different. Her face was telling her story. She had so much changed that Madame Forestier couldn't recognise her. She could only say, “Oh! my poor Matilda! How you have changed!”