CBSE Class 11 English The Portrait Of A Lady Khushwant Singh Worksheet Set 02

Extract-based Questions

Read the following extracts carefully and answer the questions that follow.

We stopped half-way in the courtyard. All over the verandah and in her room right up to where she lay dead and stiff wrapped in the red shroud, thousands of sparrows sat scattered on the floor. There was no chirruping. We felt sorry for the birds and my mother fetched some bread for them. She broke it into little crumbs, the way my grandmother used to, and threw it to them. The sparrows took no notice of the bread. When we carried my grandmother’s corpse off, they flew away quietly.

Question. The birds refused to eat the bread crumbs because:
(a) they were not hungry.
(b) they were mourning their friend’s death.
(c) they did not like it.
(d) they wanted something else to eat.
Answer: (b) they were mourning their friend’s death.

Question. What kind of a woman was the author’s grandmother?
Answer: The author's grandmother was a deeply religious, kind-hearted, and disciplined woman who possessed great inner strength and a deep love for animals and birds.

Question. What was the atmosphere of the house?
Answer: The atmosphere of the house was solemn, silent, and mournful, marked by the unusual silence of thousands of sparrows who gathered to pay their respects.

But that was not so. After five years I come back home and was met by her at the station. She did not look a day older. She still had no time for words, and while she clasped me in her arms I could hear her reciting her prayers. Even on the first day of my arrival, her happiest moments were with her sparrows whom she fed longer and with frivolous rebukes.

Question. Where was the author for five years?
Answer: The author was abroad for five years for his higher studies.

Question. How did the grandmother react when the author came back after five years?
(a) She was overwhelmed.
(b) She clasped the author in her arms and said prayers.
(c) She was least concerned.
(d) She got sentimental.
Answer: (b) She clasped the author in her arms and said prayers.

Question. How did the grandmother spend her happiest moments?
Answer: The grandmother spent her happiest moments in the afternoon feeding the sparrows with bread crumbs and "frivolous rebukes."

We felt sorry for the birds and my mother fetched some bread for them. She broke it into little crumbs, the way my grandmother used to, and threw it to them. The sparrows took no notice of the bread. When we carrid my grandmother’s corpse off, they flew away quietly. Next morning the sweeper swept the bread crumbs into the dustbin.

Question. Who are ‘we’ here? Why did they feel sorry for the birds?
Answer: ‘We’ refers to the author and his family members. They felt sorry for the birds because the sparrows were sitting silently in mourning and did not even chirrup or eat the bread offered to them.

Question. What do you feel about the character of the grandmother? 
(a) Emotional
(b) Strong
(c) Selfless
(d) Loving
Answer: (d) Loving

Question. Why were the bread crumbs thrown into the dustbin?
Answer: The bread crumbs were thrown into the dustbin because the sparrows had refused to eat them out of grief, and they remained scattered on the floor until the next morning.

Short Answer Questions 

Question. Grandmother never complained about anything. Her patience was beyond any measure. Elucidate.
Answer: The grandmother accepted every life change with stoic silence. Whether it was the author moving to a city school, going to university, or leaving for abroad, she never expressed her loneliness or resentment, instead finding solace in prayer and her spinning wheel.

Question. What would the author have experienced emotionally, when his parents left him with his grandmother and moved to the city?
Answer: The author likely felt a strong sense of security and companionship. While he might have missed his parents, the grandmother’s constant presence, her routine of waking him up, and her involvement in his daily life created a deep emotional bond of friendship.

Question. Was it appropriate of the author to ignore the fact that his grandmother was experiencing loneliness?
Answer: While it may seem insensitive, the author was caught up in the demands of his own growth and education. However, it highlights a common reality where the youth often overlook the emotional needs of the elderly as their lives take different directions.

Question. Give your opinion on the grandmother accepting her seclusion with resignation. Did she adopt the right attitude?
Answer: By accepting her seclusion with resignation, she demonstrated immense dignity. Rather than becoming a burden or complaining, she turned to spirituality and nature. This attitude helped her maintain her mental peace and self-respect in her final years.

Long Answer Questions

Question. What aspects of old people are highlighted in the chapter ‘The Portrait of a Lady’? 
Answer: The chapter highlights several poignant aspects of old age. Firstly, it portrays the physical frailty and the timeless appearance of the elderly, as seen in the grandmother who "could never have been young." Secondly, it emphasizes their deep-rooted connection to traditions, religion, and spirituality, which often puts them at odds with modern education. Thirdly, the story brings to light the inevitable loneliness that accompanies old age as the younger generation grows independent. Despite this loneliness, the grandmother shows that old age can be lived with dignity and grace through routine, prayer, and a connection with nature, such as her bond with the sparrows. It underscores the need for companionship and the quiet strength of the elderly who often suffer in silence.

Question. Describe the ups and downs of the relationship between the author and his grandmother. How could this separation have been avoided? 
Answer: The relationship began as a close friendship in the village, where they were inseparable. The first "down" occurred when they moved to the city; the author attended an English school, creating a gap as she could no longer help with his lessons. The bond further weakened when the author went to University and was given a separate room, snapping their "common link of friendship." Finally, his departure for five years abroad physicalized their emotional distance. This separation could perhaps have been avoided or mitigated if there had been more effort to bridge the generational gap. Including her in conversations about his studies or the family making a conscious effort to respect her traditional values while helping her adapt to the city lifestyle could have maintained their closeness.

Question. Do you believe that old age is always accompanied by loneliness? Elucidate. 
Answer: Old age is often accompanied by loneliness, but it is not an absolute rule. In the story, the grandmother’s loneliness stems from the "turning point" when the family moves to the city and the author grows up. As lifestyles change and the youth pursue careers and modern education, the elderly are frequently left behind in their traditional worlds. However, the grandmother illustrates that loneliness can be managed through inner strength and personal interests. She occupied herself with the spinning wheel, prayers, and feeding sparrows. Loneliness in old age is a social construct resulting from the lack of time and empathy from the younger generation. If families prioritize inclusive environments and emotional support, the sense of isolation in old age can be significantly reduced, making it a phase of peaceful reflection rather than lonely abandonment.

Short Answer Questions

Question. Do you think the author and his grandmother shared a very strong bond of friendship? When was their friendship at the peak in the story? 
Answer: Yes, the author and his grandmother indeed shared a very strong bond of friendship with each other. Their friendship was at the peak when they were living together in the village. She used to wake him up and get him ready for school. The author loved her voice when she used to sing the morning prayers. She also used to accompany him to the school.

Question. Why was it hard for the author to believe that his grandmother was once young and pretty?
Answer: The grandmother was very old and had wrinkles all over her face. Ever since the author was a child, he had been seeing her in this condition. When the grandmother told the author that she used to play games when she was a little girl, the very notion of his grandmother being young and pretty was quite absurd and unbelievable for him.

Question. What was the daily routine of the grandmother in the village?
Answer: Grandmother used to start her mornings by reciting prayers. After waking up early in the morning, she used to wake up the author, get him bathed and dressed for the school. Then both of them would march to the school on foot. After sending him off, grandmother would sit inside a temple, which was attached to the school, chanting and telling beads. In the evening, on their way back home from school, she used to feed the village dogs with stale chapattis.

Question. What was grandmother’s opinion about modern education?
Answer: Grandmother considered modern education to be irrelevant. She did not approve of the teaching methods in an English medium school due to many reasons. Moreover, she did not like the fact that the school only taught about science and technology, and nothing about God, the scriptures and spirituality. According to her, education should be religious.

Question. How did grandmother spend her lonely days without the author?
Answer: Grandmother accepted her loneliness quietly. She now lived alone in her room. She was now busy with her spinning wheel. She sat at her spinning-wheel all day long reciting prayers. She hardly talked to anyone. In the afternoon, she would feed the sparrows which was her only pastime.

Question. Why did the author think that the grandmother’s kiss was the last sign of physical contact between them?
Answer: When the author was going abroad for his higher studies, his grandmother went to the station to see him off. Although she did not utter a word, she bade him goodbye by kissing his forehead. The author thought this gesture to be the last physical contact between them, as his grandmother was growing older day by day, so he apprehended that he might not see her again on his return. He thought that death might take her away from him.

Question. Mention the odd way in which the author’s grandmother behaved just before she died.
Answer: Just before the day the grandmother died, a change came upon her. She did not pray in the evening. She got an old drum and started singing for her grandson, which went on for hours. Next morning, she was taken ill. The doctor thought nothing of it but the grandmother thought differently. She told everyone that her end was near and so she would spend the last of her living moments in prayer and would not waste her time in talking to anyone. She laid peacefully on the bed praying and before anyone could suspect, her lips stopped moving. She passed away peacefully.

Question. How did the sparrows mourn the death of the grandmother?
Answer: The day the grandmother died, thousands of sparrows came in the courtyard and the verandah where she lay dead and wrapped in a red shroud. They all scattered around her body. They sat there in utter silence, mourning the death of the grandmother. They took no notice of the bread crumbs thrown at them and flew away silenly after the corpse was taken away for the final rites.

Question. How did the grandmother celebrate the home-coming of her grandson?
Answer: The grandmother was really very excited and happy when the narrator returned from abroad. She celebrated his arrival by collecting the women of her neighbourhood in the evening. She continued beating an old drum and sang for hours. She even forgot to pray.

Question. The grandmother had a divine beauty. How does the author bring it out? 
Answer: The author brings out the inner beauty of the grandmother by comparing her to a snow covered winter landscape. This comparison shows her calmness and serenity. The author brings out the serenity and peacefulness that lit her face.

Question. How did the narrator’s grandfather appear in the portrait?
Answer: The narrator’s grandfather looked very old. He had a long white beard. His clothes were loose-fitting. He wore a big turban. He looked too old to have a wife or children. He looked at least a hundred years old. He could only have lots and lots of grandchildren.

Question. Which thought about the grandmother was often revolting and for whom?
Answer: The narrator’s grandmother was very old and wrinkled. She had stayed at this stage for the last twenty years. People said that once she was young and pretty. The narrator couldn’t even imagine her being young. So the thought was revolting for him.

Question. Grandmother has been portrayed as a very religious lady. What details in the story create this impression?
Answer: She visited the temple every morning and read the scriptures. At home, she always mumbled inaudible prayers and kept telling the beads of her rosary. She would repeat prayers in a sing-song manner while getting the narrator ready for school. All these details create the impression that she was a religious lady.

Question. “When people are pious and good, even nature mourns their death.” Justify with reference to the chapter.
Answer: When the grandmother passed away, thousands of sparrows clustered in the verandah and the room without chirruping. When the body was taken away, the birds left quietly, as if to declare that even nature acknowledges the godliness of a true benefactor.

Long Answer Questions

Question. The grandmother herself was not formally educated but was serious about the author’s education. Elucidate.
Answer: The grandmother was quite serious about the author’s education. She woke him up in the morning and got him ready for school. She washed his wooden slate. She plastered it with yellow chalk. She tied his earthen ink-pot and red pen into a bundle. She took him to school. She even waited for him in the temple, reading scriptures. In the city, the author went to an English school in a motor bus. When he came back, she would ask him what the teacher had taught him. She could not help him with his lessons. She did not believe in the things taught at the English school. She was distressed to learn that her grandson was being taught music. She considered it unfit for gentle folks.

Question. ‘The Portrait of a Lady’ partly dwells on the loneliness and insecurity of old age and the efforts of the old to fit in. Driven by such thoughts while reading the lesson, you think about the life of many old men and women in India, who lead a lonesome existence at the end of their life. Write an article on ‘Life of Old People.’ 
Answer: LIFE OF OLD PEOPLE
No one wants to become old, but everyone has to. While young, no one thinks of what life would be like in old age. The old, on their part, await attention from the young for their small and big needs. Life is difficult for the old in all ways. Their physical strength is low and they easily fall victim to diseases.
Their financial condition is poor. They have a small pension or limited income or no income. Most devastating of all is loneliness. Their sons and daughters are busy with their lives and are preoccupied with the young. The old feel neglected and irrelevant. Their dismal situation should not be allowed to exist. Various agencies, like government NGOs and social organisations should provide the elderly with financial and physical support. Families should have a place for the old. Nowadays, the law demands that the young take care of their aged parents.

Question. Khushwant Singh’s mother observed closely the behaviour of his grandmother when he returned home after studying abroad, her way of celebrating the occasion, her illness and death. Write an account of this on her behalf. 
Answer: This morning my son, Khushwant, returned from England after five years of studies. All of us were excited, including his grandmother. Unlike others, she kept her excitement under check. She insisted on going to the station to receive him. When he arrived, she hugged him silently, all the while saying her prayers.
In the evening, she took out an old drum and called the women of the neighbourhood. Together they sang for hours, celebrating the return of her grandson. I was anxious for her and implored her to stop and not tire herself unduly. This was the only time she was not praying. The next day, she was down with fever and exhaustion. We were anxious, because in spite of the doctor’s reassurance, she was sure her end had come. She stopped talking to us and lay quietly on the bed, telling the beads of her rosary. Her end came peacefully. We came to know only when her lips stopped moving.

Question. How did the grandmother receive the author when he returned from abroad?
Answer: When the author went abroad for higher studies, the grandmother went to the railway station to see him off. The author thought that it would be his last meeting with her. But he was wrong in his supposition. When he returned after five years, she had gone to the railway station to receive him. She celebrated his home-coming in a grand way.
In the evening, she collected the women of the neighbourhood, got an old drum and started singing for several hours, despite being told not to overstrain herself. Perhaps, all the pain she experienced upon being distanced from her grandchild snapped, when she saw him after so many years. The next morning, she was taken ill and she knew that her end was near. But she went on praying and telling her beads. Then her lips stopped moving and the rosary fell from her lifeless fingers. A peaceful pallor spread on her face and she was dead.

Question. Gradually the author and the grandmother saw less of each other and their friendship snapped. Was the distancing in the relationship deliberate or circumstantial?
Answer: Gradually, the author and his grandmother saw less of each other and their friendship was broken. This distancing was due to the circumstances and not deliberate. When they came to the city, the author was sent to an English school. His grandmother could no longer go to school with him as he used to go in a motor bus. Nor could she help him with his lessons as she did not know the things that they taught at the English school. She was concerned about what was being taught at school. For instance, she was shocked to learn that they were given music lessons at school.
According to her, music was not meant for gentle folk. Subsequently, there was a communication gap between them. They rarely spoke to each other, though they shared the same room. Then the author went to a university. He was given a separate room of his own. When the author went abroad for higher studies for a period of five years, the distance increased even further, and whatever was left in their relationship was snapped altogether.