Bholi

Read and Find Out

(Page 54)

Question 1.
Why is Bholi’s father worried about her?
Answer:
Bholi was not like other children. She fell off a cot as a child due to which her brain
was slightly damaged. She learnt to speak very late and used to stammer. Her face
and whole body was covered with pockmarks. Thus, her father was worried about
her marriage prospects.

Question 2.
For what unusual reason is Bholi sent to school?
Answer:
As Ramlal was a government official and the Tehsildar had asked Ramlal to send his
daughters to the new school in his village, Bholi was sent to school just to satisfy the
Tehsildar. As Randal’s wife felt that sending girls to school affected their marriage
prospects adversely, she did not want to send any of her daughters to school.
However, Bholi, with her pock-marked face and dull brain would not be possible to
get married anyway, so Bholi’s parents decided to send her to school to satisfy the
Tehsildar.

Page 55
Question 1.
Does Bholi enjoy her first day at school?
Answer:
Bholi was afraid at first. She even wept when the teacher asked her name. She just
sat in a corner. But, the beautiful pictures on the clttssroom wall attracted her. The
gentle, kind and loving manner of her teacher made her comfortable. She was
looking forward to her new life by the time the first day ended. Thus, although initially
she did not enjoy it, but by the time she went home she had liked school.

Question 2.
Does she find her teacher to be different from the people at home?
Answer:
Bholi had been a neglected child at home. She was never bathed nor her clothes
washed. She was criticised and everyone made fun of her. But, she found her
teacher to be entirely different. Her teacher did not make fun of her ugliness or her
stammering. She encouraged her tenderly. Her affection deeply touched Bholi’s
heart.

Page 58
Question 1.
Why do Bholi’s parents accept Bishamber’s marriage proposal?
Answer:
Bholi’s parents accepted Bishamber’s marriage proposal as he was a well-to-do
grocer and had not asked for any dowry.

Question 2.
Why does the marriage not take place ?
Answer:
At the time of marriage, Bishamber asked for a dowry of five thousand rupees
because he saw Bholi’s pock-marked face. Ramlal had no choice but to pay. But,
Bholi refused to marry the greedy man. She asserted her rights and dignity. Thus the
marriage party was turned away.

Think About It (Page 62)

Question 1.
Bholi had many apprehensions about going to school. What made her feel that she
was going to a better place than her home?
Answer:
The day she was going to school forced her parents to dress her nicely. She was
bathed and her hair was properly done. Until then she was not being taken care of.
The special treatment she received made her feel that she was going to a better
place.

Question 2.
How did Bholi’s teacher play an important role in changing the course of her life?
Answer:
Bholi stammered and was just a bundle of nerves when she attended school in the
beginning. Her teacher treated her kindly and encouraged her to have confidence
and be bold. She taught her to read and write and made her an independent girl who
was aware of her rights. Thus, she changed her life.

Question 3.
Why did Bholi at first agree to an unequal match? Why did she later reject the
marriage. What does this tell about her?
Answer:
Bholi agreed to the match at first to fulfil her parents’ wishes. Later on, she rejected
the marriage when the bridegroom asked for dowry. This tells us that Bholi was not a
timid – and dumb girl. She was aware of her rights. She also knew how to fight for
her own dignity and feared no one.

Question 4.
Bholi’s real name is Sulekha. We are told this right at the beginning. But only in the
last but one paragraph of the story is Bholi called Sulekha again. Why do you think
she is called Sulekha at that point in the story?
Answer:
The word Bholi means a simpleton. Throughout the story she had been a simpleton
who hardly expressed her opinion on any matter. The word Sulekha means ‘a person
with a beautiful sense of letters’. In this story this word has a larger meaning of
being a literate,_ intelligent and mature individual. After her education, Bholi has
really changed to Sulekha and her assertion at the time of her marriage is her
announcement to the world that she is no more a Bholi, but is a Sulekha.

Talk About It (Page 62)

Question 1.
Bholi’s teacher helped her overcome social barriers by encouraging and motivating
her. How do you think you can contribute towards changing the social attitudes
illustrated in this story ?
Answer:
We can contribute by saying no to taking or giving dowry. We must not discriminate
between a boy and a girl. Both should be given equal rights and opportunities to
grow. We must also learn to respect those who are differently abled and treat them
at par.

Question 2.
Should girls be aware of their rights and assert them? Should girls and boys have the
same rights, duties and privileges? What are some of the ways in which society
treats them differently? When we speak of ‘Human rights’, do we differentiate
between girl’s rights and boy’s rights?
Answer:
Yes, there is a differentiation between girl’s and boy’s rights. Although equal in the
eyes of law, society treats them differently. Parents spend more on a boy’s
education than that of a girl. A girl is just trained to be a wife and mother. Boys have
special privileges in matters of food, career or freedom. Girl’s must be aware of their
rights to exercise them. They must utilise their education to preserve their self –
reliance and dignity. They must be ready to demand their due and even fight for it.

Question 3.
Do you think the characters in the story were speaking to each other in English? If
not, in which language were they speaking? (you can get clues from the names of
the persons and the non-English words used in the story.)
Answer:
No, we do not think so. They spoke in Hindi. Several words like ‘numbsrdar, tehsildar
sahib, izzat and pitaji’ are ample proof of that. Even the names of characters like
‘Randal’ and ‘Bholi’ support that.

The Book that Saved the Earth

Read and Find out
(Page 63)

Question 1.
Why was the twentieth century called the ‘Era of the book’?
Answer:
There were books for everything, from anteaters to Zulus. Books taught people what
to do, how to do, when to do and why to do. They explained, educated, directed and
decorated. No wonder that it was called the eta of books.

Question 2.
Who tried to invade the Earth in the twenty first century?
Answer:
Martians tried to invade the Earth in the twenty first century.

Page 65
Question 3.
What guesses are made by Think-Tank about the books found on Earth?
Answer:
Think-Tank first guesses them to be sandwiches. Then he calls them communication
devices. After that he thinks them to be some kind of eye communication devices
that have to be devices watched.

Think About It
(Page 74)
Question 1.
Noodle avoids offending Think-Tank but at the same time he corrects his mistakes.
How does he manage to do that?
Answer:
Noodle avoids offending Think-Tank while correcting his mistakes by presenting his
own thoughts, but referring to them as being of no particular importance. Whenever
he had to say something contrary to what Think-Tank said, he would do this. In this
way he would correct Think-Tank’s errors without making Think-Tank feel that he
was being corrected.

Question 2.
If you were in Noodle’s place, how would you handle Think-Tank’s mistakes?
Answer:
If I were in his place, I would do the same. I would politely and gently suggest the
corrections.

Question 3.
Do you think books are being replaced by the electronic media? Can we do away with
books altogether?
Answer:
Yes, these days online reading has replaced traditional books to a large extent.
Internet, facebook, twitter etc. have decreased interest in reading. But, the truth is
that books cannot be totally replaced. Books can never go out of life although they
may exist in a different form.
Question 4.
Why are books referred to as a man’s best companion? Which is your favourite book
and why? Write a paragraph about that book.
Answer:
A book is a man’s best companion because it is always there. It never leaves us
alone. It is there with us even when everyone else is gone. Books ‘ guide us, instruct
us, make us laugh, inform us, inspire us and are always true to us. My favourite book
is Peter Pan. It is a fairy tale. I love the character of Peter. He lives in fantasies. He is
a child who never wants to grow up and he never does’ He enjoys thrills and
adventures and even takes the kids from Earth on a merry adventure. The book
inspires as it snows that one can remain a child at heart forever. The sense of
wonder, innocence, purity and joy and a ‘ capacity to dream can stay in the human
heart forever.

Talk About It
(Page 74)
Question 1.
In what ways does Think-Tank misinterpret innocent nursery rhymes as threats to
the Martians? Can you think of any incidents where you misinterpreted a word or an
action? How did you resolve the misunderstanding?
Answer:
The words like ‘shell’ and ‘silver’ make Think-Tank think that humans grew them in
farms. Then, there js a line about ‘cow’ and ‘ ‘moon’. Also, the picture of Humpty-
Dumpu and the rhyme of‘great fall’ make Think- ink think that humans were about to
invade Mats. Yes, I had a similar misunderstanding wirh a friend. But, I was fortunate
as I got to know the actual truth just in time. I did not believe what 1 had heard
earlier.

Question 2.
The aliens in the play speak English. Do you think this is their language? What could
be the language of i.e aliens?
Answer:
No, English was not their language. If it had been so, they would not have
misinterpreted the- nursery rhymes. They could be speaking some Martian language.