CBSE Class 12 English HOTs The Lost Spring Set 03

I Want to Drive a Car

“I will learn to drive a car,” he answers, looking straight into my eyes. His dream looms like a mirage amidst the dust of streets that fill his town Firozabad, famous for its bangles. Every other family in Firozabad is engaged in making bangles. It is the centre of India’s glass-blowing industry where families have spent generations working around furnaces, wielding glass, making bangles for all the women in the land it seems. Mukesh’s family is among them. None of them know that it is illegal for children like him to work in the glass furnaces with high temperatures, in dingy cells without air and light; that the law, if enforced, could get him and all those 20,000 children out of the hot furnaces where they slog their daylight hours, often losing the brightness of their eyes. Mukesh’s eyes beam as he volunteers to take me home, which he proudly says is being rebuilt. 

Question. Identify the lines that indicate of the legality of occupations.
Answer: “It is illegal for children like him to work in glass furnaces with high temperature, in dingy cells without air and light .......”

Question. Select the correct option from those given in brackets to fill in the blank.
‘I will learn to drive a car,’ he answers, looking straight into my eyes. This sentence highlights Mukesh was ___________ . (ambitious/sincere)
Answer: ambitious

Question. Complete the sentence suitably.
The simile ‘dream looms like a mirage amidst the dust of streets’ indicates that his dream was _________ .
Answer: illusory and indistinct

Question. Do you think that Mukesh will be able to fulfill his dream?
Answer: Yes, I think that Mukesh will be able to fulfill his dream because he seems to possess the courage required to fight the boundations put on him by his family to join the family profession.

Question. Which of the following statements is not true with reference to the extract?
(a) Children work in badly lit and poorly ventilated furnaces.
(b) The children are unaware that it is forbidden by law to work in the furnaces.
(c) Children toil in the furnaces for hours which affects their eyesight.
(d) Firozabad has emerged as a nascent producer of bangles in the country.
Answer: (d) Firozabad has emerged as a nascent producer of bangles in the country.

Question. Every other family in Firozabad is engaged in making bangles. What does this indicate?
(a) Bangle-making is the only industry that flourishes in Firozabad.
(b) The entire population of Firozabad is involved in bangle-making.
(c) Majority of the population in Firozabad is involved in bangle-making.
(d) Bangle-making is the most loved occupation in Firozabad.
Answer: (c) Majority of the population in Firozabad is involved in bangle-making.

And in dark hutments, next to lines of flames of flickering oil lamps, sit boys and girls with their fathers and mothers, welding pieces of coloured glass into circles of bangles. Their eyes are more adjusted to the dark than to the light outside. That is why they often end up losing their eyesight before they become adults.

Question. What can be said about the tone of the given extract?
Answer: The tone of the given extract is dismal as it presents the hazards of the bangle-making industry.

Question. Select the correct option from those given in brackets to fill in the blank.
‘Flickering oil lamps’ suggests a lack of ___________ (electricity/day).
Answer: electricity

Question. Complete the sentence with reference to the extract.
Their eyes are more adjusted to the dark than to the light outside because _________ .
Answer: they used to spend their entire day working inside in darkness.

Question. Why do the bangle makers lose their eyesight before they become adults?
Answer: The bangle-makers lose their eyesight before they become adults as they work in dim light for most part of their day.

Question. Which of the following would not be true?
(a) The hutments were shining and inviting.
(b) The children’s lives were as bleak as their surrounding.
(c) There were no electricity connections.
(d) The boys and girls had got used to the dark.
Answer: (a) The hutments were shining and inviting.

Question. Which of the following most nearly means ‘adjusted’ in the context of the extract?
(a) Conditioned
(b) Favoured
(c) Accepted
(d) Reconciled
Answer: (a) Conditioned

She still has bangles on her wrist, but no light in her eyes. “Ek waqt se bhar khana bhi nahin khaya.” She says, in a voice drained of joy. She has not enjoyed even one full meal in her entire lifetime-that’s what she has reaped! Her husband, an old man with a flowing beard says, “I know nothing except bangles. All I have done is make a house for the family to live in.” Hearing him one wonders if he has achieved what many have failed in their lifetime. He has a roof over his head! The cry of not having money to do anything except carry on the business of making bangles, not even enough to eat, rings in every home. The young men echo the lament of the elders. Little has moved with time, it seems in Firozabad, years of mind-numbing toil have killed all initiative and the ability to dream. 

Question. Why is there no ability to dream in the town of Firozabad?
Answer: There is no ability to dream in the town of Firozabad because all those dreams are oppressed by the authorities who make people work endlessly and punish those who revolt or take initiative.

Question. Select the correct option from those given in brackets to fill in the blank.
The tone of the man when he says ‘All I have done is to make a house for the family to live in’ is ___________ (regretful/dreadful).
Answer: regretful

Question. Complete the sentence appropriately.
‘He has a roof over his head!’ The tone of the author is ___________ .
Answer: optimistic

Question. ‘Years of mind-numbing toil have killed all initiative and the ability to dream.’ What does this show?
Answer: The given expression shows that the drudgery of work has destroyed their willingness to improve their lives.

Question. ‘She still has bangles on her wrist, but no light in her eyes.’ This implies that
(a) she is married but has lost the charm in her eyes.
(b) she is a married woman who has lost her grace and beauty.
(c) though she is married, her eyes are devoid of happiness.
(d) she is a married woman who has lost her eyesight.
Answer: (c) though she is married, her eyes are devoid of happiness.

Question. Which term best matches the statement “The young men echo the lament of their elders”?
(a) Acceptance
(b) Reflection
(c) Reiteration
(d) Doubtfulness
Answer: (c) Reiteration

Listening to them, I see two distinct worlds-one of the family, caught in a web of poverty, burdened by the stigma of caste in which they are born; the other a vicious circle of the sahukars, the middlemen, the policemen, the keepers of law, the bureaucrats and the politicians. Together they have imposed the baggage on the child that he cannot put down. Before he is aware, he accepts it as naturally as his father. To do anything else would mean to dare. And daring is not part of his growing up. When I sense a flash of it in Mukesh I am cheered. “I want to be a motor mechanic,” he repeats. He will go to a garage and learn. But the garage is a long way from his home. “I will walk,” he insists. “Do you also dream of flying a plane?” He is suddenly silent. ‘No,’ he says, staring at the ground.

Question. Which two worlds has the narrator divided the people of Firozabad?
Answer: The narrator has divided the world of Firozabad into the world of the exploited and the exploiters.

Question. Select the suitable word from the extract to complete the following analogy.
Disdain : Respect :: Honour : ___________
Answer: Stigma

Question. Complete the sentence with an appropriate explanation, as per extract.
The given extract holds importance with respect to the larger picture of Firozabad because ___________ .
Answer: it shows hope in the form of Mukesh who dares to dream. This dream and its success can initiate further dreams and change the state of Firozabad.

Question. “Before he is aware, he accepts it as naturally as his father.” Explain.
Answer: The given line indicates that the profession of bangle-making has been naturalised in the community of Firozabad. Children now do not even think of any other profession and only work in the bangle-making industry.

Question. Select the correct option to fill in the blank.
The first step towards change is ___________ .
(a) to file a complaint
(b) to dare to dream
(c) to talk to the person
(d) to be the change
Answer: (b) to dare to dream

Question. What is the role of Sahukars?
(a) To establish to bangle industry
(b) To employ the people
(c) To lend money on higher rate of interest
(d) To share the burden of the working class
Answer: (c) To lend money on higher rate of interest

Short Answer Type Questions

Question. Describe the irony in Saheb’s name.
Answer: Saheb is a poor ragpicker who lives in Seemapuri. His full name is ‘Saheb-e-Alam’, which means ‘Lord of the Universe’. The irony lies in the meaning of his name itself. According to his name, he should be a king and he should enjoy all the luxuries of life. But unfortunately, he is a barefoot ragpicker, who lacks even the basic necessities of life.

Question. Ragpickers like Saheb had migrated to Seemapuri. Elucidate.
Answer: Once Saheb's parents and many other ragpickers lived in Bangladesh, amidst the green fields of Dhaka. There were many storms that swept away their fields and homes. That’s why they migrated to Delhi and settled down in Seemapuri looking for an occupation.

Question. Explain the sentence “an army of barefoot boys who appear like the morning birds and disappear at noon.” 
Answer: The given sentence implies that the boys are a large, unified group who are energetic and move around quickly and unpredictably. Due to their unfortunate circumstances, they couldn’t afford shoes or slippers so they roam around barefoot. And they get up early in the morning to search for food and shelter and have to scatter away when it gets crowded during noon time.

Question. What did garbage mean to the children of Seemapuri and to their parents? Or In what sense is garbage gold to the ragpickers?
Answer: Garbage means ‘gold’ to the poor ragpickers because some of it can be sold for cash, thus, becoming a means of survival for the children of Seemapuri and for their parents. It essentially provides them their daily bread and a roof over their heads.

Question. The description of Seemapuri creates a very dismal picture. Explain. 
Answer: The given statement stands true as Seemapuri, though exists at the periphery of Delhi, is very far from it in terms of facilities and opportunities. It is a home to poverty stricken ragpickers who live together in slums without any proper sanitation or drainage facilities and without any educational or employment opportunities.

Question. What kind of gold did the people of Seemapuri look for in the garbage?
Answer: The people of Seemapuri look for items in the garbage which can be traded for money so that they are able to earn their daily bread and have a roof over their heads.

Question. For Saheb, how was work at the tea stall different from rag-picking? 
Answer: When Saheb started working at the tea stall, his face lost the carefree look which he used to have when he was a ragpicker. He was no longer his own master now. He had to do what the owner of the tea stall asked him to do. He carried heavy metal canisters, instead of light plastic bags. He was not happy working at the tea stall as he had lost his freedom.

Question. Why does Anees Jung spend a significant portion of ‘Lost Spring’ talking about shoes? Explain any one reason in 30-40 words with relevant examples from the story. 
Answer: Anees Jung spends a significant portion of ‘Lost Spring’ talking about shoes to highlight the difference between the rich and the poor and how differently they respond to basic necessities. It also shows the level of challenges faced by the poor people like Saheb. The rich take their shoes for granted but poor people have to come up with justifications for not having shoes. Anees Jung tries to highlight how shoes are a luxury to Saheb and his friends who either don’t own them or wear them only occasionally.

Question. Describe Mukesh as an ambitious person.
Answer: Mukesh is an ambitious person because he wants to become a motor-mechanic by breaking free from the vicious web of generations of families being involved in bangle-making. He has the courage to dream of becoming a motor-mechanic, thus breaking free from destiny.

Question. How bad were living conditions in which Mukesh and his family survived? 
Answer: Mukesh and his family were living in terrible conditions with extreme poverty. They work in high temperature in badly lit and poorly ventilated glass furnaces. There was no development or progress in their lives. But they had no choice but to work in such inhuman conditions.

Question. Identify an instance of hope or resilience in ‘Lost Spring’ and analyse how it reflects one of the story’s themes. 
Answer: An instance of hope or resilience that can be found in Saheb’s story is his continued search in the garbage. His search is driven by the occasional discovery of a rupee or a ten-rupee note, symbolising his hope and resilience against his harsh life. This reflects the theme of the human spirit’s capacity to dream and hope, even amidst poverty and destitution or the terribly dire circumstances.

Question. In spite of despair and disease pervading the lives of the slum children, they are not devoid of hope. How far do you agree? 
Answer: In spite of growing up amidst despair and disease, children who live in slums have the desire to achieve something big in life. This shows that they are not devoid of hope. Saheb, a ragpicker, is eager to go to a school and learn. Mukesh, who works in dark, dingy cells making-bangles, dreams of becoming a motor-mechanic against his family tradition.

Question. What does the title ‘Lost Spring’ convey?
Answer: Spring is associated with childhood. Just as spring is the season when flowers bloom, similarly, childhood is the period when an individual blooms and grows. Anees Jung here presents the horrific truth about the life of children in India who are victims of child labour and are not allowed to grow and bloom freely. Their childhood or springtime is lost.

Question. Why do you think Mukesh is content to dream of cars and doesn’t dream of flying a plane? 
Answer: Mukesh is content only to dream of cars because he knows that his journey towards becoming a mechanic is a difficult one. To go any further than that is a thing that he has not thought of. As a realistic boy, he dreamt of something that he could achieve. His dream of becoming a motor-mechanic is reasonable. Thus, he doesn’t dream of flying a plane.

Question. What do we come to know about the author of ‘Lost Spring’ Anees Jung, through her interactions with Saheb and Mukesh? 
Answer: From the stories presented in ‘Lost Spring’, we get an idea of observant and compassionate nature of Anees Jung- the author. Anees is observant for she observes her surroundings and the behaviour of the ragpicker boys and the bangle-makers to come to her own conclusions which we, as readers, know are truths. She is very sensitive and empathetic as the plight of the poor affects her deeply and she feels helpless about her inability to do anything for them.

Question. How do you think the author’s life might have been impacted after her interactions with the children and their families mentioned in ‘Lost Spring’? 
Answer: The author’s life may have been severely impacted after her interactions with the children and their families mentioned in ‘Lost Spring’. She must have realised the depth to which poverty had impacted the Indian society. Jung must have developed an urge to do something for the betterment of the downtrodden and underprivileged people. Her writing of the chapter ‘Lost spring’ is itself an endeavour by her to bring their miserable conditions to light. She also raised the issues that are responsible for not improving their life.

Question. Despite the difficulties that Mukesh’s family goes through, his grandmother believes that their occupation is their destiny. What could be the reason behind this belief? State your response in 30-40 words with evidence from the text ‘Lost Spring’. 
Answer: The reason behind Mukesh’s grandmother’s belief that their occupation is their destiny is their means of justifying their way of life. Their poverty and lack of awareness about other occupations prevent them from doing anything else. The belief is a denial of their cruel reality wherein they are conditioned to believe that bangle making is the only thing they are capable of doing. We can find many evidence from the text to prove this. One of the main evidence is a woman’s husband says that he knows nothing besides making bangles. Mukesh’s grandmother also saw her husband go blind from polishing glass.

Question. Years of mind-numbing toil have killed all initiative and the ability to dream. In the above line from ‘Lost Spring’, why has bangle-making been described as ‘mind-numbing toil’? Answer in 40-50 words. 
Answer: In the given line, bangle making has been described as a ‘mind-numbing toil’ because it is mindless work that doesn’t require any intellectual engagement. Since the bangle makers have no need of creativity or even thinking, their minds go numb from under-use as their actions grow automated due to muscle memory.

Long Answer Type Questions

Question. “Seemapuri, a place on the periphery of Delhi, yet miles away from it, metaphorically.” Explain.
Answer: Seemapuri is a place on the outskirts of Delhi where 10,000 ragpickers and their families live. The people living there are squatters who migrated from Bangladesh in 1971. The ragpickers live in structures of mud with roofs of tin and tarpaulin devoid of sewage, drainage or running water. No one can imagine that such a place exists on the periphery of Delhi, the capital of India. It stands in stark contrast to the metropolitan city of Delhi. The main city of Delhi, and Seemapuri at its periphery provide an exemplary case of contradiction. In Delhi, there is luxury and affluence, a host of opportunities and dreams and in Seemapuri there is squalor, hopelessness and despair. There is no chance for the inhabitants of this area to strive towards the attainment of the prospects offered by Delhi. Thus, although Seemapuri is located at the periphery of Delhi, in the real sense, it is many miles away from Delhi.

Question. ‘Saheb is no longer his own master.’ Comment.
Answer: It is true to say that when Saheb is working in the tea stall, he is no longer his own master. Earlier as a ragpickers, he was free to do whatever he wanted. Rummaging through garbage did not only provide him with a regular income but also gave him freedom. He has all the liberty in the world to roam with his friends in the streets without any worries to bother him. Also, he could hunt for ‘gold’ in the garbage dumps. It provided him a hope and a thrill every day in the form of a rupee or a ten-rupee note. In contrast, the job he takes up at a tea stall enslaves him. He is now not free to roam aimlessly in the streets. His new occupation binds him to serve somebody else. He has regular income and food. However, the steel canister took away the joy and freedom he had as a ragpicker.

Question. “It is his karam, his destiny” that made Mukesh’s grandfather go blind. How did Mukesh disprove this belief by choosing a new vocation and making his own destiny?
Answer: Mukesh disproved this belief that bangle-making was his destiny by choosing a new vocation and making his own destiny. He decided to become a motor-mechanic and learn to drive a car. As he had seen his parents and others suffer because of the vicious circle of poverty and exploitation by the sahukars, middlemen, politicians and the police, he did not want to remain in the bangle-making profession. He had the courage to break free from the family lineage of bangle-making and was ready to walk a long distance to reach a motor garage to learn the vocation of car mechanic. He had even thought that he would request the garage owner to hire him initially as a helper and learn the trade. Finally, he also wanted to learn to drive a car. Thus, Mukesh was ready to make his destiny by choosing a new vocation and break the age old belief.

Question. ‘Lost Spring’ explains the grinding poverty and traditions that condemn thousands of people to a life of abject poverty. Do you agree? Why/why not? 
Answer: Yes, I do agree that ‘Lost Spring’ narrates the grinding poverty and traditions to which thousands of people have succumbed. The story written by Anees Jung revolves around the pitiable condition of poor children who have been forced to live in slums and work hard in conditions which endanger their health. The first part gives the writer’s impression about the life of poor ragpickers who have migrated from Bangladesh but now are settled in the Seemapuri area of Delhi. The second part narrates the miserable life of the bangle-makers in Firozabad. The stark reality of these families is that, in spite of back-breaking hard work that they put in, they cannot even afford two square meals a day. Besides, false and blind belief in traditions does not let their children take up other respectable and better paying jobs which will improve their financial situation.

Question. Most of us do not raise our voice against injustice in our society and tend to remain mute spectators. Anees Jung in her story, ‘Lost Spring’ vividly highlights the miserable life of street children and bangle-makers of Firozabad. She wants us to act. Which qualities does she want the children to develop?
Answer: Anees Jung wants the children to become free from the vicious cycle of poverty into which they have fallen due to the middlemen, sahukars and law enforcement officials. She wants them to be bold enough to raise their voice against their oppressors. She wants them to be fearless and optimistic so that they can dream of taking up other occupations, just like Mukesh who wants to be a motor-mechanic. She wants them to become free from their traditional occupation so that they can realise their life’s ambitions. She sees the spark of such a quality in Mukesh who is willing to go to any lengths to become a motor-mechanic. She wants some people to help them develop these qualities so that they can be free from injustice and exploitation, take up other respectable and better paying jobs which will improve their financial condition.

Question. How do the stories ‘The Last Lesson’ by Alphonse Daudet and ‘Lost Spring’ by Anees Jung illustrate the impact of socio-political factors on education? 
Answer: Both ‘The Last Lesson’ by Alphonse Daudet and ‘Lost Spring’ by Anees Jung highlight the profound impact of socio-political factors on education, though in different contexts. In ‘The Last Lesson’, the Franco-Prussian War leads to the imposition of German in Alsace and Lorraine, replacing French in schools. This sudden policy shift deprives students like Franz of their linguistic and cultural identity, making them realise the value of education only when it is too late. The story emphasises how political power can control and restrict access to education. Similarly, ‘Lost Spring’ explores the harsh realities of poverty and child labour that prevent underprivileged children from receiving an education. The story of Saheb, a ragpicker, and Mukesh, a child labourer in the bangle industry, illustrates how systemic poverty and exploitation force children into labour, depriving them of learning opportunities. Both stories underline how war, oppression, and economic disparity act as barriers to education, limiting the future of young minds.

Question. Analyse how freedom is curbed in the context of Franz in ‘The Last Lesson’ and Saheb in ‘Lost Spring’.
Answer: In ‘The Last Lesson’, Franz experiences the curbing of freedom when the Prussian authorities impose German as the mandatory language in Alsace and Lorraine. His right to learn and use his mother tongue, French, is taken away, symbolising the loss of cultural and personal identity. This sudden imposition makes him realise the value of education, which he had previously taken for granted. Similarly, in ‘Lost Spring’, Saheb’s freedom is restricted by poverty and socio-economic constraints. Born into a family of ragpickers, he is deprived of education and the right to dream beyond his circumstances. Although he aspires to a better life, he is forced into child labour, first as a ragpicker and later as a servant at a tea stall. His loss of independence and dignity reflects the harsh reality of child exploitation. Both Franz and Saheb suffer from different forms of oppression-one through political control and the other through economic hardship-limiting their freedom and choices in life.