The Little Girl Class 9 Question Answer

The Little Girl Class 9 Question Answer

Textbook Questions

Thinking about the Text

I. Given below are some emotions that Kezia felt.
Match the emotions in Column A to the items in Column B.
कॉलम ‘A की भावनाओं को कॉलम ‘B’ की आइटम से मिलाओ।
Answer:

Short Answer type Questions

II. Answer the following questions in one or two sentences.
एक या दो वाक्यों में उत्तर दें।

Question 1.
Why was Kezia afraid of her father?
केजिया अपने पिताजी से क्यों डरती थी?
Answer:
Kezia was afraid of her father because he never spoke kindly to her. She did not understand him and looked upon him as a terrible person to be avoided.

Question 2.
Who were the people in Kezia’s family?
केजिया के परिवार में कौन-कौन थे?
Answer:
There were only three persons – her father, mother and grandmother.

Question 3.
What was Kezia’s father’s routine (i) before going to his office (ii) after coming back from his office (iii) on Sundays?
केजिया के पिताजी की दिनचर्या क्या थी-(i) दफ्तर जाने से पहले, (ii) दफ्तर से लौट कर घर आने पर, (iii) रविवार को?
Answer:

• Before going to office he came into Kezia’s room and gave her a casual goodbye kiss.
• After coming back home he would have his boots taken off. He demanded his tea, slippers and paper.
• On Sundays he stretched on the sofa, covered his face with a handkerchief, and went to sleep.

Question 4.
In what ways did Kezia’s grandmother encourage her to get to know her father better?
केजिया की दादी ने उसे अपने पिता को बेहतर समझने के लिए क्या किया?
Answer:
Grandmother knew that Kezia was afraid of her father. She felt if she talked to her father more often, she might get rid of her fear of him. So, every Sunday afternoon she would send her to the drawing-room to have a nice talk with her parents.

She also suggested Kezia to make a pin-cushion as a surprise gift to her father on his birthday.

Long Answer type Questions

III. Discuss these questions in class with your teacher and then write your answer down in two or three paragraphs each.
कक्षा में इन प्रश्नों पर अपने अध्यापक के साथ चर्चा करें और इन प्रश्नों के उत्तर दो या तीन अनुच्छेदों में लिखो।

Question 1.
Kezia’s efforts to please her father resulted in displeasing him very much. How did this happen?
केजिया ने अपने पिता को प्रसन्न करने का प्रयास किया परन्तु परिणाम उल्टा हुआ। ऐसा कैसे हुआ?
Answer:
Kezia was always scared of her father. She looked upon him as a terrible giant and tried to avoid him. Whenever she was near him, she looked miserable and stammered. This made things worse. Her father would speak harshly to her.

Kezia loved her grandmother. She encouraged her to understand her father better. One day grandmother suggested that she should give her father a surprise on his birthday. Kezia wanted to make a pin-cushion. She stitched a piece of yellow silk. She needed something to stuff into it. She found nice sheets of paper in her mother’s bedroom. She tore and stuffed them into the case. Then she stitched the fourth side too. The sheets of paper were important. Her father looked for them. It was found that Kezia was the culprit. He was angry and punished her.

Question 2.
Kezia decides that there are “different kinds of fathers.” What kind of father was Mr. MacDonald, and how was he different from Kezia’s father?
केजिया ने समझ लिया कि भिन्न प्रकार के पिता होते हैं। मि. मेक्डोनाल्ड किस प्रकार का पिता था और वह केजिया के पिताजी से कैसे भिन्न था ?
Answer:
Kezia’s father and Mr. MacDonald were poles apart in their nature.
Kezia’s father was strict, a disciplinarian and sought perfection in behaviour as T&ell as speech. He disapproved of Kezia’s stuttering and wanted mother to take her to the doctor for the treatment. He gave exemplary punishment to Kezia for taking something without permission. He was a busy man and found no time to play with his daughter as Mr. MacDonald did.

Mr. MacDonald on the other hand was an extrovert person. He was perhaps not so busy and often found enough time to play with his children. He was light-hearted and lenient. He did not scold his children for throwing water on him with a hose-pipe. He laughed and rather seemed to enjoy it.

But one thing was common in both the fathers. They loved their children and cared for them, though their ways were different.

Question 3.
How does Kezia begin to see her father as a human being who needs her sympathy?
केजिया ने कैसे जाना कि उसका पिता भी मनुष्य है और उसे उसकी सहानुभूति की आवश्यकता है?
Or
‘The Little Girl* is a story of a girl whose feelings for her father change from fear to understanding. How did this change come ?
‘द लिटल गर्ल’ कहानी एक ऐसी लड़की की है जिसकी अपने पिता के लिए भावनाएँ डर से बदलकर समझने के बारे में हैं। यह परिवर्तन किस प्रकार आया?
Or
What were Kezia’s feelings about her father at the end of the story ?
कहानी के अंत में, केजिया की भावनाएँ अपने पिता के प्रति क्या थीं?
Answer:
Once Kezia’s mother was hospitalised and grannie had to stay with her. At night Kezia had to sleep all alone in her room without the protective company of her grannie.

At night she had the same old nightmare of a butcher coming towards her with a rope and a knife and a vicious (dreadful) smile on his face and she could not move. She cried for her grannie. When she opened her eyes she saw her father standing with a candle in his hand. He blew off the candle and took her to his room. There he put away the newspaper from his bed, threw the half smoked cigar in the fire, tucked Kezia properly and lay beside her. He asked her to rub her feet against his legs for warmth.

Snuggled under her father’s protective arms she got rid of his fear. She changed her opinion (f’TTR) about her father. Perhaps her father became too tired after day’s work to be Mr. MacDonald. She liked the nice hardness of her father. She even realised that it was her mistake to tear his important paper that made him so angry. Now she understood that her father loved her but could not play with her. He was too tired after the day’s work. He needed her sympathy.

Thinking about Language

I. Look at the following sentence.
There was a glad sense of relief when she heard the noise of the carriage growing fainter…..
Here, glad means happy about something.
Glad, happy, pleased, delighted, thrilled and overjoyed are synonyms. (Words or expressions that have same or nearly same meaning.) However, they express happiness in certain ways.

Read the sentences below.
She was glad when the meeting was over.
The chief guest was pleased to announce the name of the winner.

Question 1.
Use an appropriate word from the synonyms given above in the following sentences. Some clues are given in brackets.
ऊपर दिए गए समानार्थ शब्दों में से नीचे दिए गए वाक्यों में उचित शब्द का प्रयोग करें। कुछ संकेत ब्रैकेट में दिए गए हैं।
Answer:

• She was overjoyed by the news of her brother’s wedding.
• I was thrilled to be invited to the party.
• She was delighted at the birth of granddaughter.
• The coach was pleased with her performance.
• She was very happy with her results.

Question 2.
Study the use of the word ‘big’ in the following sentence.
He was so big – his hands and his neck, especially his mouth
Here, big means large in size.
Now, consult a dictionary and find out the meaning of ‘big’ in the following sentences. One has been done for you.
Answer:

• older
• most important
• ambitious, of far-reaching consequences.
• popular
• devoted
• glutton, eating large quantity of food.
• large; magnanimous.

II. Verbs of Reporting:
Study the following sentences.

• “What!” screamed Mother.
• “N-n-no”, she whispered.
• “Sit up,” he ordered.

The italicised words are verbs of reporting. We quote or report what someone has said or thought by using a reporting verb. Every reporting clausfe contains a reporting verb.

For example:

• He promised to help in my project.
• “How are you doing ?” Seema asked.

We use verbs of reporting to advise, order, report statements, thoughts, intentions, questions, requests, apologies, manner of speaking and so on.

Question 1.
Underline the verbs of reporting in the following sentences:
Reporting verbs को रेखांकित करें।
Answer:

• He says he will enjoy the ride.
• Father mentioned that he was going on a holiday.
• No one told us that the shop was closed.
• He answered that the price would go up.
• “What’s the reason for your screaming ?” I wondered.
• Ben told her to wake him up.
• Ratan apologised for coming late to the party.

Question 2.
Some verbs of reporting are given in the box. Choose the appropriate verbs for the following sentences.
कुछ reporting verbs नीचे दिए गए हैं। उचित verb चुन कर वाक्यों में भरो।
Answer:

• “I am not afraid”, replied the woman.
• “Leave me alone,” my mother snarled.
• The children were complaining that the roads were crowded and noisy.
• “Perhaps he isn’t a bad sort of a chap after all,” remarked the master.
• “Let’s go and look at the school ground,” suggested the sports teacher.
• The traffic police ordered all the passers by to keep off the road.

IV. Very Important Examination Questions:

I. Extract-based Objective Type Questions

Read the extracts given below carefully and answer the questions with the help of the given options :

Question 1.
Laboriqusly, with a double cotton, the little girl stiched three sides. But what to fill it with? That was the question. The grandmother was out in the garden, and she wandered into mother’s bedroom to look for scraps. On the bed-table she discovered a great many sheets of fine paper, she gathered them up, tore them into tiny pieces, and stuffed her case, then served up the fourth side.

(i) Little girl’s grandmother was ________.
(a) in the kitchen
(b) in the bathroom
(c) in the garden
(d) in the bedroom
Answer:
(c) in the garden

(ii) She went into ________ bedroom.
(a) grandmother’s
(b) mother’s
(c) sister’s
(d) her own
Answer:
(b) mother’s

(iii) She noticed many sheets of fine paper.
She wanted the paper to ________.
(a) write
(b) tear it off
(c) to stuff Rer case
(d) paint
Answer:
(c) to stuff Rer case

(iv) The meaning of the word ‘wandered’ is ________.
(a) to set
(b) walk around slowly in a relaxed way
(c) to wonder
(d) to run fast
Answer:
(b) walk around slowly in a relaxed way

(v) Kezia could not ask her grandmother what to fill in the pin-cushion because she :
(a) was sleeping.
(b) was praying to God.
(c) out in the garden.
(d) gone to the market.
Answer:
(c) out in the garden.

(vi) Why did Kezia go to her mother’s bedroom?
(а) To seek the help of her mother for completing the pin-cushion.
(b) To find out some scraps to stuff in the pin-cushion.
(c) To show her pin-cushion to her.
(d) To ask her to stitch the fourth side for her.
Answer:
(а) To seek the help of her mother for completing the pin-cushion.

(vii) Kezia wanted the scraps to :
(a) stuff them in the pin-cushion.
(b) make a frill for the pin-cushion.
(c) decorate the pin-cushion.
(d) clean the pin-cushion.
Answer:
(c) decorate the pin-cushion.

(viii) What was the question?
Answer:
Kezia was making a pin-cushion, she stitched three sides but what to fill in it was the question.

(ix) Why did Kezia go to the mother’s bedroom?
Answer:
Kezia went to the mother’s bedroom to find something to fill the cushion with.

(x) What did she discover on the bed-side?
Answer:
She discovered a great many sheets of fine paper.

(xi) What did she do?
Answer:
She gathered them up, tore them into tiny pieces and stuffed her case.

Question 2.
On Sunday afternoons Grandmother sent her down to the drawing-room to have a “nice talk with Father and Mother”. But the little girl always found Mother reading and Father stretched out on the sofa, his handkerchief on his face, his feet on one of the best cushions, sleeping soundly and snoring.

(i) Kezia’s grandmother sent her down to drawing room on Sundays to :
(a) watch TV there.
(b) meet the guests.
(c) have a nice talk with her parents.
(d) enjoy sitting there.
Answer:
(c) have a nice talk with her parents.

(ii) She could not have a nice talk with her parents because she :
(a) made her father angry with her stutter.
(b) could not understand what her parents talked.
(c) found her father sleeping and mother reading.
(d) was afraid to talk with her parents.
Answer:
(c) found her father sleeping and mother reading.

(iii) When did the grandmother send Kezia to have a nice talk with her parents?
(a) Sunday morning.
(b) Sunday evening.
(c) Sunday afternoon.
(d) Saturday afternoon.
Answer:
(c) Sunday afternoon.

(iv) The noun form of stretched is :
(a) stretch.
(b) stretching.
(c) stretcher.
(d) stretchable.
Answer:
(c) stretcher.

(v) Why were Sunday afternoons special?
Answer:
On Sunday afternoons, Grandmother sent Kezia to the drawing-room to have a “nice talk with father and mother”. But she always found her mother reading and father, stretched out on the sofa, sleeping soundly and with snoring. She never got a chance to have a nice talk with them.

(vi) What did Kezia notice about her father?
Answer:
Kezia noticed her father had a big figure like a giant. His hands, neck and mouth, especially when he yawned, looked very big to her.

(vii) Why was Kezia afraid of her father?
Answer:
Kezia was afraid of her father because he never spoke kindly to her. She did not understand him and looked upon him as a terrible person to be avoided.

(viii) In what way did Kezia’s grandmother encourage her to get to know her father better?
Answer:
Grandmother felt if Kezia talked to her father more often; she might get rid of her fear of him. So, every Sunday afternoon she would send her to the drawing-room to have a nice talk with her parents. She also suggested Kezia to make a pin-cushion as a surprise gift to her father on his birthday.

Question 3.
Suddenly, one day, mother became ill, and she and grandmother went to the hospital. The little girl was left alone with Alice, the cook. That was all right in the daytime, but while Alice was putting her to bed she grew suddenly afraid, “What’ll I do if I have a nightmare” ? She asked. I often have night mares and then Grannie takes me into her bed – I can’t stay in the dark – it all gets ‘whispery’ ….”

“You just go to sleep, child,” said Alice, pulling off her socks, “and don’t you scream and wake your poor pa.”

(i) Kezia was left alone in the house because:
(a) she wasn’t with her mother.
(b) she was a small child.
(c) she was feeling fearsome.
(d) her mother had become ill and her grandmother had gone to the hospital along with her mother.
Answer:
(d) her mother had become ill and her grandmother had gone to the hospital along with her mother.

(ii) Kezia became suddenly afraid because :
(a) she knew that she had a nightmare.
(b) she didn’t know that she had a nightmare.
(c) she didn’t know what she would do if she had a nightmare.
(d) she was a little girl.
Answer:
(c) she didn’t know what she would do if she had a nightmare.

(iii) Alice told Kezia not to scream because:
(а) it would wake up her father.
(b) it would disturb her father.
(c) it would be worst for her.
(d) it would be useless for her.
Answer:
(а) it would wake up her father.

(iv) The word ‘nightmare’ means :
(a) mare of night
(b) a frightening dream during sleep
(c) a kind of mare
(d) a mare wanders at night
Answer:
(b) a frightening dream during sleep

(v) What did Alice ask her?
Answer:
Alice asked her not to scream or her father would wake up.

(vi) Why was Kezia left alone in the house?
Answer:
Kezia was left alone in the house because her mother had become ill and her grandmother had gone to the hospital along with her mother.

(vii) Why did Kezia become afraid?
Answer:
Kezia became afraid because she didn’t know what she would do if she had a nightmare.

(viii) What used to happen to Kezia at nights?
Answer:
Kezia used to have nightmares at night.

Question 4.
One day, when she was kept indoors with a cold, her grandmother hold her that father’s birthday was next week, and suggested she should make him a pin-cushion for a gift out of a beautiful piece of yellow silk. Laboriously with a double cotton the girl stitched three sides. But what to fill it with? That was the question.

(i) Kezia’s grandmother told her that ________.
(a) her father is angry with her
(b) her father’s birthday would be in the following week
(c) she was a lazy girl
(d) she never does her work in time
Answer:
(b) her father’s birthday would be in the following week

(ii) Her grandmother suggested Kezia ________.
(a) to do her work in time
(b) to be regular
(c) to make a pin-cushion for her father’s birthday gift
(d) not to do anything
Answer:
(c) to make a pin-cushion for her father’s birthday gift

(iii) Kezia was kept indoors because ________.
(a) she was suffering from cold
(b) she did not work
(c) she was a disturbing girl
(d) she did not read
Answer:
(a) she was suffering from cold

(iv) Find the word which means ‘with effort’:
(a) hardly
(b) tightly
(c) easily
(d) laboriously
Answer:
(d) laboriously

(v) One day Kezia was indoors because :
(а) it was raining outside.
(b) she had a cold.
(c) the door to go out was locked.
(d) she was punished to remain inside.
Answer:
(b) she had a cold.

(vi) Kezia’s grandmother asked her to make a pin-cushion :
(а) as she herself needed a pin-cushion.
(b) to gift it to her father on his birthday.
(c) it was a part of her school project.
(d) to keep her occupied.
Answer:
(b) to gift it to her father on his birthday.

(vii) Which cloth did grandmother suggest Kezia to use for the pin-cushion?
(a) red silk
(b) yellow silk
(c) blue velvet
(d) Red velvet
Answer:
(b) yellow silk

(viii) ‘Cold’ here refers to :
(a) weather
(b) mild sickness with running nose
(c) indifferent
(d) reserved
Answer:
(b) mild sickness with running nose

(ix) What did Kezia’s grandmother tell her?
Answer:
Kezia’s grandmother told her that her father’s birthday would be in the following week.

(x) What did she suggest Kezia?
Answer:
The grandmother suggested her to make a pin-cushion for her father’s birthday gift.

(xi) Why did Kezia made a pin-cushion?
Answer:
She made a pin-cushion for her father’s birthday.

(xii) Why was Kezia kept indoors?
Answer:
Kezia was kept indoors because she was suffering from cold.

Question 5.
But the same old nightmare came – the butcher with a knife and a rope who came nearer and nearer, smiling that dreadful smile. While she could not move, could only stand still, crying out. “Grandma! Grandma!” she woke.shivering to see Father beside her bed, a candle in his hand.
“What is the matter ?” he said.

(i) The nightmare was ________.
(a) the butcher with a knife and rope
(b) the butcher crying out loudly
(c) the horrible appearance of a butcher
(d) none of these
Answer:
(a) the butcher with a knife and rope

(ii) Kezia cried since ________.
(a) with a dreadful smile the butcher approached towards her
(b) it was the surprising scene
(c) it was not the soothing scene
(d) none of these
Answer:
(a) with a dreadful smile the butcher approached towards her

(iii) Kezia uttered ________.
(a) Father – Father
(b) Mother – Mother
(c) Grandma – Grandma
(d) none
Answer:
(c) Grandma – Grandma

(iv) Her father was there to help her. He asked her.
(a) why are you crying
(b) not to disturb him
(c) what the matter was
(d) all above
Answer:
(c) what the matter was

(v) What was the nightmare?
Answer:
The nightmare was that the butcher with a knife and a rope was coming nearer and nearer, smiling that dreadful smile.

(vi) Why did Kezia cry?
Answer:
Kezia cried because with a dreadful smile the butcher was proceeding towards her.

(vii) What did the father ask her?
Answer:
Father asked Kezia, why she was crying.

(viii) What did she see on waking up?
Answer:
She saw her father beside her, with a candle in hand.

Question 6.
“Here, rub your feet against my legs and get them Warm”. Said father tired out, he slept before the little girl. A funny feeling came over her. Poor father, not so big after all and with no one to look after him. He was harder than grandmother, but it was a nice hardness. And everyday he had to ‘work and was too tired to be a Mr. Mac Donald…. She had torn up all his beautiful writing. She stirred suddenly and sighed.
(i) What did father ask Kezia to do?
(ii) What was the funny feeling that comes over her?
(iii) What change came in Kezia?
(iv) What were Kezia’s final words for her father?
Answer:
(i) Father asked Kezia to rub her feet against her legs for warmth.
(ii) The funny feeling that comes over Kezia was her father’s hardness was really nice.
(iii) The change came in Kezia after realising her mistake in understanding her father.
(iv) Kezia’s final words for her father were that her father had a very big heart.

Question 7.
She never stuttered with other people had quite given it up – but only with father, because then she was trying so hard to say the words properly.
“What’s the matter ? What are you looking so wretched about ? Mother, I wish you teach this child not to appear on the brink of suicide — Here, Kezia, carry my tea cup back to the table carefully.”
He was so big – his hands and his neck especially his mouth when he yawned. Thinking about him alone was thinking about a giant.
(i) Why did Kezia stutter?
(ii) What did father look like to Kezia?
(iii) Why did Kezia not have good feelings for her father?
(iv) Which word in the passage mean the same as ‘extreme edge’?
Answer:
(i) Kezia stuttered because she was afraid of her father.
(ii) To Kezia, the father looked like a giant, who had big hands and big neck.
(iii) Kezia did not have good feelings for her father because he was very strict with her and never treated her lovingly.
(iv) ‘brink’

Short Answer type Questions

II. Answer the following questions in about 30-40 words :

Question 1.
What was the routine of Kezia’s parents on Sundays ? How did Kezia feel in the company of her parents?
केजिया के माता-पिता की रविवार को क्या दिनचर्या थी? अपने माता-पिता के साथ केजिया कैसा महसूस करती थी?
Answer:

Kezia’s mother was always busy in reading and the father stretched out on the sofa, his handkerchief was on his face, slept soundly and snored.
Kezia didn’t feel good in the company of her parents. She was mortally afraid of her papa. She tried to avoid him.

Question 2.
Did Kezia ever forget the incident of caning? How did she react on seeing her father?
क्या केजिया कभी छड़ी से पीटे जाने की घटना भूल पायी? अपने पिता को देखकर उस पर क्या प्रतिक्रिया हुई?
Answer:

Kezia could never forget the unkindness of her father.
On seeing her father, Kezia always put both her hands behind her back and a red colour flew into her cheeks.

Question 3.
What suggestions did grandmother give to Kezia for her father’s birthday gift?
केजिया की दादी ने उसके पिता के जन्मदिन पर उपहार देने के विषय में क्या सलाह दी?
Answer:
Kezia’s grandmother suggested her to make a pin-cushion for her father’s birthday. So, Kezia decided to make a pin-cushion out of yellow silk and presented it to her father as a surprise gift on his birthday.

Question 4.
Why did the little girl stammer in front of her father?
छोटी बच्ची पिता के समक्ष क्यों हकलाने लगी?
Or
Why did Kezia always stutter while talking to her father?
केजिया अपने पिता से बात करते समय क्यों हकलाती थी?
Answer:
This was because, Kezia was mortally afraid of her father. She tried to avoid him. She couldn’t speak to her father properly. Her father wanted her to speak flawlessly, with perfection. She would stutter due to nervousness and fear of her father. But, she never stuttered before anyone else.

Question 5.
How was Kezia punished for tearing some important papers of her father?
केजिया को जरूरी कागज फाड़ने के लिए क्या सजा मिली?
Or
Why was Kezia severely punished and beaten up by her father?
अपने पिता के द्वारा केजिया की जमकर पिटाई क्यों हुई एवं क्यों सजा दी गई?
Answer:
In order to make a pin-cushion for her father’s birthday gift, Kezia torn her father’s important papers unknowingly. This was an innocent mistake but her father neither listened nor tried to understand her. He gave her exemplary punishment with a ruler.

Question 6.
What did Kezia decide to give to her father on his birthday?
केजिया ने पिता को उनके जन्मदिन पर कौन-सा तोहफा देने का सोचा?
Answer:
Kezia decided to give a pin-cushion out of yellow silk to her father on his birthday. Heer grandmother suggested so. She wanted to give it to her father as a surprise birthday gift.

Question 7.
What happened to the papers on which father had written his speech for the Port Authority?
उन कागजों का क्या हुआ जिन पर पिता ने पोर्ट एथोरिटी के लिए भाषण लिखा था?
Answer:
Kezia had tom them into very small pieces to stuff the pin-cushion she was making for the father as a surprise gift on his birthday. Little did she know that those papers were very important for her father. He must have spent a lot of time and laboured hard to write them.

Question 8.
How was Kezia’s father different from
केजिया के पिता किस प्रकार मि. मैकडोनेल्ड से भिन्न थे?
Answer:
Kezia’s father and Mr. MacDonald were poles apart. Kezia’s father was introvert, strict, a disciplinarian and sought perfection in behaviour as well as speech. He disapproved of Kezia’s stuttering, gave her exemplary punishment for taking something without permission. He was a busy man and found no time to play with his daughter like Mr. MacDonald did.

Mr. MacDonald was extrovert, lenient, light-hearted and jolly. He did not mind his children throwing water on him and enjoyed playing with them.

Question 9.
Kezia made a birthday present for her father but it proved to be a disaster for her. How? Explain.
केजिया ने अपने पिता के जन्मदिन पर एक तोहफा बनाया परंतु वह भयानक साबित हुआ? कैसे? वर्णन करो।
Answer:
Kezia’s grandmother advised her to make a pin-cushion for her father’s birthday. Kezia stitched three sides of silk and needed something to stuff it with. She found some nice sheets of paper in her mother’s bedroom. She tore those sheets and stuffed them into the case. She did not know they were important papers. When her father learnt that she had taken away those sheets, he was furious. He punished Kezia and it proved to be a disaster for her.

Question 10.
How did Kezia make the pin-cushion?
केजिया ने पिन-तकिया कैसे बनाया?
Answer:
Kezia used a yellow silk-cloth to make the pin-cushion, a surprise-gift for her father’s birthday. Laboriously with a double cotton she stitched three sides. Then she brought fine sheets of papers from the bed-table of her mother’s bedroom, tore them into small pieces, stuffed the pin-cushion and sewed up the fourth side.

Question 11.
What was Kezia’s nightmare?
केजिया का बुरा सपना क्या था?
Answer:
In her nightmare Kezia saw a butcher with a wicked smile, a rope and a knife, coming towards her and she could not run.

Question 12.
How did Kezia start liking her father?
केजिया अपने पिता को कैसे पसंद करने लगी?
Answer:
One day Kezia’s mother fell ill and was hospitalised. Grandmother accompanied her. Kezia was left alone. At night, she had the same nightmare, felt too much scared and cried for grandmother. The father came and took her to his bedroom. He carefully tucked her up, lay beside her and asked her to rub her cold feet against his legs for warmth- all this changed her opinion about her father. She realised that he was strict but loving and caring. She started liking him and was not afraid of him anymore.

Question 13.
“Thinking about him alone was like thinking about a giant!” Why did Kezia think about her father so?
“उसको अकेला सोचना मतलब एक राकस के बारे में सोचना!” केजिया अपने पिता के बारे में ऐसा क्यों सोचती थी?
Answer:
Kezia’s father had a big figure. To a little girl he appeared to be too big, just like a giant. His hands, neck and mouth, specially when he yawned, looked very big to her.

Question 14.
‘On Sunday afternoon Grandmother sent Kezia to the drawing room to have a nice talk with Mother and Father.’ Why is Kezia not able to talk to her parents?
इतवार की दोपहर को दादी ने केजिया को बैठक में माता-पिता से बात करने भेजा। केजिया अपने माता-पिता से बात क्यों नहीं कर पाती?
Answer:
Every Sunday afternoon when grand¬mother sent Kezia to have a nice talk with them, she always found her mother reading and father, stretched out on the sofa, sleeping soundly and snoring. So, she never got a chance to have a nice talk with them.

Long Answer type Questions

III. Answer the following questions in about 100-150 words :

Question 1.
When and how does the little girl come to know about her father’s real self? Does she appreciate and understand the compassion her father has for her? Explain.
अपने पिता के असली रूप को छोटी-सी बच्ची कब और कैसे जान पायी? क्या वह अपने पिता की दयालुता को समझ पायी जो कि उसके पिता का उसके ही लिए था?
Answer:
(i) The little girl, Kezia came to know about her father’s real self after an incident. One day Kezia’s mother had to be taken to hospital. Grandmother also went with her. Kezia was left alone in the house upder the care of the cook, Alice. At night Kezia had to sleep. all alone in her room. She grew afraid. She often used to have bad dreams. That night she had the same old nightmare of a butcher coming towards her with a rope and a knife and a dreadful smile on his face. She cried out for grandmother. Her father came to her room with a caxldle and carried her to his own bedroom. Kezia put her head under his arm. Father told her to rub her feet with his legs and get them warm. Snuggled under her father’s protective arms, she got rid of his fear. Since then, she changed her opinion about her father.

(ii) Yes, she appreciates and understands the compassion her father has for her. She liked the nice hardness of her father. Now, she understood that her father loved her but couldn’t play with her as he was too tired after the day’s work. He needed her sympathy. She admitted that he was rightly angry because she had tom his important papers. She began to love him.

Question 2.
With the mother, the little girl felt at ease. She listened to her mother, trusted her and shared a healthy relationship. Do you think the mother loved her daughter more than the father? Why/Why not? Give reasons to support your answer.
अपनी माँ के साथ केजिया सहज महसूस करती थी। वह उसकी बात मानती थी, विश्वास करती थी और एक स्वस्थ रिश्ता साझा करती थी। क्या आप समझते हैं कि माँ अपनी पुत्री को पिता से अधिक प्यार करती थी? क्यों/क्यों नहीं। अपने उत्तर के सही ठहराने के लिए कारण बताएँ।
Answer:
The little girl, Kezia, shared a loving relationship with her grandmother and mother. She didn’t stutter in front of her mother, and was quite at ease with her grandmother, but was afraid of her father. However, I do not think that mother loved Kezia more than father. Both parents loved Kezia, but her father did not display his love for her. It was only eventually that even Kezia realised his affection. Kezia’s mother, in fact, despite having a good relation with the child, is portrayed as slightly indifferent, reading something when she comes to talk. The father, on the other hand is just too tired and sleeps. The reader, nonetheless, sees the gentle side of the father towards the end, and realises that both the parents love Kezia equally.

Question 3.
How did Mr. MacDonald treat his children? How was it different from the way Kezia’s father treated her?
मि. मैकडॉनेल्ड अपने बच्चों से किस प्रकार का व्यवहार करता था? वह किस प्रकार से केजिया के प्रति केजिया के पिता के व्यवहार से भिन्न था?
Answer:
MacDonalds were Kezia’s next door neighbours. Mr. MacDonald had five children. One day looking through the gap in the fence, Kezia saw them playing ‘tag’.’ The father with the baby on his shoulder. Two little girls hanging on to his coat pockets ran round and round the flower-beds, shaking with laughter. Once she saw the boys turn the hose on him and he tried to catch them all the time.

Kezia’s father had never played with her like that. In fact, she had never seen him laughing. He was harsh and strict. He always scolded her and never talked to her lovingly. His giant like figure and looks made her fear him. He was just the opposite of Mr. MacDonald.

Question 4.
Kezia thought that her father was a cruel father. Was she justified in her assessment? Why or why not?
केजिया सोचती थी कि उसके पिता एक क्रूर पिता हैं। क्या वह अपनी जाँच में सही थी? क्यों या क्यों नहीं?
Answer:
Kezia was a little girl. Her father was harsh and strict. He always scolded her. She never stuttered before anyone else except her father. She used to get nervous and afraid of him. He beat her cruelly on the palm with a ruler for tearing off his Port Authority speech that she had used to stuff the pin-cushion she was making for her father’s surprise birthday gift. He did not listen to her explanation.

She formed the image of a father as a cruel, harsh, unkind, hateful person. Kezia is not justified. In fact, like any other parent, her father wanted her to become a good perfect child in every aspect. He was a caring and loving father as she herself realised at the end of the sj;ory. Yes, he was strict and a disciplinarian and too busy to play with her like Mr. MacDonald. Moreover, he seems to be an introvert who could not show his affection for her explicitly.

Question 5.
Write a character-sketch of Kezia.
केजिया का चरित्र-चित्रण करो।
Write a brief character-sketch of Kezia. What do you learn from her character?
केजिया का चरित्र-चित्रण करो। उसके चरित्र से तुम्हें क्या सीख मिलती है?
Answer:
Kezia was a little girl. She feared her father. She felt a glad relief when he went away. She used to get nervous in his company and started stuttering.

Kezia loved her grannie and shared the room with her. Whenever she had a nightmare grannie’s presence gave her a protective relief. She used to share her feelings with her. When her father punished her without listening to her reason she asked grannie, “Why did God make fathers for ?”

She was innocent but understanding too. When she realised that her father loved her, though he never expressed it, she forgave him for his cruelty. She tried to justify his punishment.

So we see that Kezia was a loving innocent, forgiving little girl, but bold enough to confess her mistake.

Question 6.
Why does Kezia decide that there were different sorts of father?
केजिया ने यह निर्णय क्यों किया कि पिता भिन्न प्रकार के होते हैं?
Or
The little girl found the neighbour Mr. MacDonalds, father of five children very different from her own father. Bring out the difference between both the fathers in about 100-150 words.
नन्ही लड़की मि. मैकडोनल्ड्स को, जो कि पाँच संतानों के पिता थे, अपने पिता से सर्वथा भिन्न पाया। 100-150 शब्दों में दोनों पिताओं के अंतर स्पष्ट करें।
Answer:
Little girl, Kezia was afraid of her father. She stuttered before him due to nervousness and fear. Her father was strict, harsh and a disciplinarian. He beat her cruelly for tearing his Port Authority speech to stuff the pin-cushion. She thought all fathers were cruel and harsh like her father. That was why she asked, “Why had God made fathers for?”

Then, one day she saw Mr. MacDonald, his neighbour, laughing and playing with his children. He did not scold his children for throwing water on him. Then she thought there were different sorts of fathers.

When she had the nightmare, the way her father cared for her changed her opinion about her own father. She understood that her father also cared and loved her. Though he was strict but then, it was for her own good. He wanted perfection in her behaviour and speech. Also, it was her mistake to tear his important papers.

Question 7.
“Cruel and harsh attitude is not enough to inculcate values and discipline among the children.” Justify this statement in context of the lesson “The Little Girl”.
“क्रूर एवं तीखा व्यवहार बच्चों में नैतिक मूल्य एवं अनुशासन लाने के लिए पर्याप्त नहीं है?’ ‘द लिटल गर्ल’ पाठ के आधार पर इस कथन को सत्यापित कीजिए।
Answer:
The lesson includes numerous instances which show that cruel and harsh attitude is not enough to teach the children values and discipline. The father in the story was very strict and stern towards the little girl. He would give orders to the little girl to behave in a way that was morally correct and acceptable and to accomplish the tasks for him in time. He always expected a prompt service from Kezia. In the evenings, when he would return home from work, he would demand strict obedience from the little girl when it came to asking for tea, removing his boots or providing her newspaper.

The child was terribly afraid of her father. Due to her father’s rigid attitude, the girl would stammer while speaking to him. On one of the occasions, his father took her to task and beat her with a ruler for being careless and messing up with his important documents. The girl was terror-stricken and even his father’s kissing her on forehead every morning before going to work would not lessen her fears. The girl avoided her father as and when she could. Instead of developing respect for her father and realising that all that he was doing to her was to make her a responsible and confident child, she developed lowself esteem. At the end of the story, the father’s attitude towards his daughter changed from that of sterness to compassion. It was then the little girl realised and understood the real nature of her father. She took him as one with a big heart, and as a dutiful father.

I. Summary In English:

Kezia afraid of her father: Kezia was a little girl. She had her papa, mama, grandmother and a cook, named Alice, in the house. She was mortally afraid of her papa. She tried to avoid him. Every morning he came into her room to give her a kiss. But the kiss had no warmth. She also bade him good bye. She felt great relief when he left for office.

Kezia’s father: Father was a short-tempered person. He was so big. His hands, his neck and his mouth ll were big. He appeared like a giant to the little girl.

When father came home in the evening: In the evening, father came home and started giving orders. He asked for tea and his newspaper and his slippers. He demanded prompt service. Mother asked Kezia to take off her papa’s boots. But Kezia was so very afraid of him that she couldn’t speak properly. She would stutter. He asked her why she looked so miserable.

Sunday afternoons: On Sunday afternoons, the grandmother would send Kezia to the drawing room to talk with her parents. But Kezia always found the mother reading and her papa sleeping on the sofa. When awake, he would compare her to a brown owl.

Kezia made a pin-cushion for father’s birthday – stuffed with father’s important papers: One day her grandmother told her that her papa’s birthday was next week and she should give him a surprise gift. She could make a pin-cushion. Kezia worked hard. She got a piece of silk and stitched its three sides. The next step was to stuff it with some soft material. She looked for waste paper bits. She walked into her parents’ bedroom. She saw nice paper sheets on the table. She tore them all into tiny pieces and prepared the cushion. She had no idea how important those papers were. They had on them a speech of the father for the Port Authority.

Kezia punished for using father’s important papers: That night there was a hue and cry in the house. Everybody was looking for those important sheets of paper. Mother questioned Kezia about them. The little one admitted she had torn them to pieces. She was dragged down to the drawing room to face her papa. She was then put to bed. Father went into the room with a ruler. He gave a few cuts of cane on her rosy palms. She cried bitterly. She asked grandmother what God made fathers for. Grandmother tried to console her and make her forget the incident.

Effect of punishment on Kezia: But Kezia could never forget the unkindness of her father. On seeing him she always put both her hands behind her back.

Kezia saw Mr. MacDonald playing with children: One evening she saw the family of Mr. MacDonald who lived next door. He had five children. He was a very loving father who used to play with the little ones. He was very forgiving, tolerant and cheerful. This convinced Kezia that all fathers were not alike. Some were loving, others were cruel.

Kezia alone with father at home – saw butcher’s dream again: One day mother had to be taken to hospital. Grandmother also went with her. Kezia was left alone in the house under the care of the cook, Alice. She had no problem during the day time. But while she was put to bed, she grew afraid. She often used to have bad dreams. She would see a butcher, holding a knife, smiling dreadfully, and coming towards her. She cried out for Grandma. That night also she had such a fearful dream. Her father heard her cry. He came to her room with a candle. He lifted her and carried her to his own bedroom. Kezia crept close to him and put her head under his arm. Father told her to rub her feet with his legs and get them warm.

Kezia changed her opinion about father: Father was tired so he dozed off. But Kezia had a funny feeling of sympathy for her papa. She felt poor papa was not giant-like or hard. He worked hard all day. Being tired he could not be playful like Mr. MacDonald. He was rightly angry because she had torn his important papers. She forgave him and began to love him again. She told him that he had got a big heart indeed.

II. Complete Text With Hindi Translation:

Text (Page 32): To the little girl he was a figure to be feared and avoided. Every morning before going to work he came into her room and gave her a casual kiss, to which she responded with “Goodbye, Father”. And oh, there was a glad sense of relief when she heard the noise of the carriage growing fainter and fainter down the long road!

Vocabulary: figure (फिगर) person व्यक्ति; casual (कैज्यूल) careless लापरवाही युक्त; responded (रैस्पोन्डिड) answered प्रत्युत्तर देती; relief (रिलीफ) comfort राहत; carriage (कैरज़) car, wagon गाड़ी, घोड़ागाड़ी; fainter (फेन्टर) less loud मंद।

अनुवाद : उस छोटी लड़की के लिए पिता ऐसे व्यक्ति ये जिससे भय लगता है और दूर रहना ठीक है। हर प्रातः काम पर जाने से पूर्व वह उसके कमरे में आते तथा लापरवाहीपूर्वक उसे चुम्बन देते। इसके बदले में केजिया उन्हें ‘अलविदा, पापा’ कहती। और ओह, जब उनकी गाड़ी की आवाज लम्बी सड़क पर दूर जाते हुए मधाम होती जाती तो उसे बहुत खुशी भरी राहत होती।

Text (Page 32): In the evening when he came home she stood near the staircase and heard his loud voice in the hall. “Bring my tea into the drawingroom …… Hasn’t the paper come yet? Mother, go and see if my paper’s out there and bring me my slippers.”

“Kezia, Mother would call to her, “if you’re a good girl you can come down and take off father’s boots.” Slowly the girl would slip down the stairs, more slowly still across the hall, and push open the drawing-room door.

By that time he had his spectacles on and looked at her over them in a way that was terrifying to the little girl.

Vocabulary: staircase (स्टेयरकेस) steps सीढ़ियों; take off (टेक ऑफ) remove उतारना; slip (स्लिप) come down slowly धीरे उतरना; spectacles (स्पैक्टेकल्स) powered glasses ऐनक नजर की; terrifying (टैरीफाविंग) causing fear इराने वाली।

अनुवाद : शाम को जब वह घर लौटते, तो केजिया सीढ़ी के पास खड़ी रहती तथा हाल से आती ऊँची आवाज सुनती। “मेरी चाय ड्राइंगरूम में ले आओ….. | क्या.समाचार-पत्र अभी तक नहीं आया? केजिया की माँ, जाकर देखो क्या मेरा समाचार-पत्र बाहर पड़ा है तथा मेरी चप्पलें लाओ।”

“केजिया,” माँ उसे आवाज देती, “यदि तुम भली लड़की हो तो तुम नीचे आंकर अपने पापा के बूट उतार दो।” मंद गति से लड़की सीढ़ियों से नीचे उतरती, और अधिक मंद गति से हाल के दूसरी ओर जाती तथा ड्राइंगरूम का दरवाजा खोलती।

उस समय तक पापा ने अपना चश्मा लगा लिया होता था तथा वह लड़की की ओर इस प्रकार देखते थे कि वह डर जाती थी।

Text (Pages 32-33): “Well, Kezia, hurry up and pull off these boots and take them outside. Have you been a good girl today?
“I d-d-don’t know, Father.”
“You d-d-don’t know? If you stutter like that Mother will have to take you to the doctor.”
She never stuttered with other people – had quite given it up – but only with Father, because then she was trying so hard to say the words properly.

Vocabulary : hurry up (हरी अप) quick शीघ्रता करो; stutter (स्टर) stammer हकलाना; given up (गिवन अप) left छोड़ दिया था।

अनुवाद : “केजिया, जल्दी करो, तथा इन बूटों को उतार कर बाहर ले जाओ। क्या आज तुम अच्छी बच्ची बनी रहीं ?”
“मैं नहीं जानती, पापा।”
“तुम नहीं जानती ? यदि तुम इसी प्रकार रुक-रुककर बोलती रही तो तुम्हारी माँ तुम्हें डाक्टर के पास ले जाएगी।”
केजिया अन्य लोगों के साथ बात करते समय हकलाती नहीं थी-उसने यह आदत लगभग छोड़ दी थी-पर केवल पापा के साथ बात करते समय वह सही ढंग से नहीं बोल पाती थी क्योंकि उसे अपने शब्दों को सही ढंग से बोलने के लिए बहुत प्रयास करना पड़ता था।

Text (Page 33) : “What’s the matter? What are you looking so wretched about? Mother, I wish you taught this child not to appear on the brink of suicide….. . Here, Kezia, carry my teacup back to the table carefully.”
He was so big – his hands and his neck, especially his mouth when he yawned. Thinking about him alone was like thinking about a giant.

Vocabulary : wretched (रैचिड) miserable दु:खी, दीन brink (ब्रिक) edge किनारा; suicide (स्युसाईड) taking one’s own life आत्महत्या; yawned (यॉन्ड) to open the mouth involuntarily जम्हाई लेता।

अनुवाद : “क्या मामला है ? तुम इतनी घबराई हुई क्यों दिखाई देती हो? केजिया की माँ, मैं चाहता हूँ कि तुम इस बच्ची को सिखाओ कि वह आत्महत्या करने के निकट न दिखाई दे….. । केजिया, मेरी चाय का प्याला सावधानीपूर्वक मेज पर वापस रख दो।” पापा इतने भीमकाय ये-उनके हाथ तथा उनकी गर्दन, विशेषकर उनका मुख जब वह जम्हाई लेते थे। उनके बारे में सोचने का अर्थ था किसी दैत्य की कल्पना करना।

Text (Pages 33-34): On Sunday afternoons Grandmother sent her down to the drawing-room to have a “nice talk with Father and Mother”. But the little girl always found Mother reading and Father stretched out on the sofa, his handkerchief on his face, his feet on one of the best cushions, sleeping soundly and snoring.

She sat on a stool, gravely watched him until he woke and stretched, and asked the time – then looked at her.

“Don’t stare so, Kezia. You look like a little brown owl.”

Vocabulary : stretched out (Riss sitez) lying, spread out फेल कर लेटना; snoring (स्नोरिंग) breathe, making arough noise during sleep खरटि लेते हुए: gravely (ग्रेवली) seriously गंभीरतापूर्वक; starve (स्टाव) look hungry भूखा रहना।

अनुवाद : रविवार की अपरान्ह को दादी माँ लड़की को नीचे ड्राइंगरूम में भेजती थी ताकि वह अपने पापा-ममा से मीठी-मीठी बातें कर सके। पर छोटी बच्ची सदैव ही मों को कुछ पढ़ते पाती तथा पिता को सोफे पर पसरे हुए पाती, उनके चेहरे पर रूमाल पड़ा होता, उनकी टाँगें सबसे अच्छी गद्दी पर पड़ी होती और वह गहरी नींद में खरटे लेते हुए सो रहे होते।

केजिया एक स्टूल पर बैठ जाती, पापा के जगने तक गंभीरता से प्रतीक्षा करती, पापा हाथ-पाँव फैलाते तथा पूछते क्या समय हुआ और फिर बच्ची की ओर देखते। “इस प्रकार से भूखी-प्यासी मत दिखाई दो, केजिया । तुम तो छोटे-से भूरे रंग के उल्लू की तरह दिख रही हो।”

Text (Page 34): One day, when she was kept indoors with a cold, her grandmother told her that father’s birthday was next week, and suggested she should make him a pin-cushion for a gift out of a beautiful piece of yellow silk.

Laboriously, with a double cotton, the little girl stitched three sides. But what to fill it with ? That was the question. The grandmother was out in the garden, and she wandered into Mother’s bedroom to look for ‘scraps’. On the bed-table she discovered a great many sheets of fine paper, gathered them up, tore them into tiny pieces, and stuffed her case, then sewed up the fourth side.

Vocabulary: suggested (स्जस्टिड) advised सलाह दी; laboriously (लैबोरियसली) working very hard परिश्रम के साथ; stitched (स्टीच्ड) sewed सी दिया; wandered (वानडड) went about घूमती फिरी; seraps (सकैप्स) bits of paper/cloth कागज व कपड़े की कतरनें; discovered (डिस्कवड) found पाया; gathered (गैदड) collected इकडे किए: tiny (टाईनी) very small बहुत छोटे-छोटे; tore (टोर) past tense of tear फाड़ा; stuffed (स्टफ्ड) filled in भरा; case (केस) small box for holding pins पिन कुशन; sewed (स्यूड) stitched सी दिया।

अनुवाद : एक दिन जब केजिया को सर्दी-जुकाम था और उसे घर पर ही रखा गया तो उसकी दादी ने उसे बताया कि तेरे पापा का जन्मदिन अगले सप्ताह है, तथा सुझाव दिया कि तुम उनके लिए पीले रेशमी कपड़े के सुन्दर टुकड़े से उपहार स्वरूप एक पिन कुशन बनाओ।

बहुत परिश्रमपूर्वक, दोहरा सूती कपड़ा लेकर बव्धी ने तीन ओर सिलाई मार दी। पर उसमें भरे क्या ? यही प्रश्न था। दादी बाहर बगीचे में थी, और इसलिए बच्ची माँ के कमरे में टुकड़े एकत्रित करने गई। पलंग से सटी मेज पर उसे अच्छे कागज की शीट रखी मिल गई, उसने उन्हें समेटा, उन्हें फाड़कर छोटे-छोटे टुकड़े कर लिए, और उस थैली में भर दिए, फिर उसने चौथी ओर भी सिलाई कर दी।

Text (Page 34) : That night there was a hue and cry in the house. Father’s great speech for the Port Authority had been lost. Rooms were searched; servants questioned. Finally Mother came into Kezia’s room.
“Kezia, I suppose you didn’t see some papers on a table in our room?”
“Oh yes,” she said, “I tore them up for my surprise.”
“What!” screamed Mother. “Come straight down to the dining-room this instant.”
And she was dragged down to where Father was pacing to and fro, hands behind his back.
“Well ?” he said sharply.
Mother explained.
He stopped and stared at the child.
“Did you do that?”
“N-n-no,” she whispered.
“Mother, go up to her room and fetch down the damned thing see that the child’s put to bed this instant.”

Vocabulary: hue and ery (यू एण्ड क्राई) shouting and confusion शोर-गुल; finally (फाइनली) in the end अन्त में surprise (सरप्राईज) surprise gift अप्रत्याशित, जो सोचा न हो-ऐसा उपहारscreamed (स्क्रीम्ड) shouted चीखी; instant (इन्सटैन्ट) moment क्षण; dragged (ड्रैग्ड) pulled खींच कर लाई pacing to and fro (पेसिंग टू एण्ड फ्रो) walking backward and forward इधर से उधर चल रहा था; sharply (शार्पली) angrily गुस्से से, क्रोधपूर्वक; stared (स्टेयड) looked hard घूरा; fetch (फैच) bring लाना।

अनुवाद : उस रात घर में शोर-गुल मच गया। पापा का बंदरगाह प्रशासन के लिए तैयार किया गया भाषण खो गया था। कमरों में तलाशी ली गई, नौकरों से पूछताछ की गई। अंत में माँ केजिया के कमरे में आ गई। “केजिया, कहीं तुमने हमारे कमरे में मेज पर रखे कुछ कागज तो नहीं देखे?”
“जी हाँ,” वह बोली, मैंने उन्हें अपने उपहार के लिए फाड़ लिया।”
“क्या कहा!” माँ चीखी।
“इसी क्षण नीचे ड्राइंगरूम में आ जाओ और उसे घसीटकर वहाँ लाया गया जहाँ पापा आगे पीछे घूम रहे थे, उनके हाथ पीठ पीछे थे।
“क्या हुआ ?” उन्होंने आवेशपूर्वक पूछा। माँ ने स्थिति स्पष्ट की। वह ठहर गए तथा उन्होंने बच्ची की ओर घूर कर देखा। “क्या तुमने वह शैतानी की ?” “नहीं,” वह धीरे से बोली।
“केजिया की मौं, ऊपर इस बच्ची के कमरे में जाजो तथा उस थैली-(पिन कुशन) को ले आओ-तथा बच्ची को इसी क्षण उसके बिस्तर पर लिटा दो।”

Text (Page 35) : Crying too much to explain, she lay in the shadowed room watching the evening light make a sad little pattern on the floor.
Then Father came into the room with a ruler in his hands.
“I am going to beat you for this,” he said.
“Oh, no, no,” she screamed, hiding under the bedclothes.
He pulled them aside.
“Sit up,” he ordered, and hold out your hands. You must be taught once and for all not to touch what does not belong to you.”
“But it was for your b-b-birthday.” Down came the ruler on her little, pink palms.

Vocabulary : shadowed (शैडोड) reflections in dark अन्धेरे में छाया वाला; pattern (पैटन) design नमूने; ruler (सलर) cane छड़ी; hiding (डाइडिंग) keeping out of sight छिपते हुए; aside (असाइड) to one side एक ओर; hold out (होल्ड ऑउट) spread out फैलाओ; palm (पॉम) inner side of hand हथेली।

अनुवाद : वह इतना रो रही थी कि अपनी बात स्पष्ट न कर सकी। अंधेरे कमरे में पड़ी रही तथा शाम की रोशनी में फर्श पर बनते छोटे उदास नमूनों को देखती रही।
फिर पापा कमरे में हाथ में छड़ी लेकर आए।
“मैं तुम्हें उस शैतानी के लिए दण्ड दूंगा,” वह बोले।
“ओह, नहीं, नहीं,” बच्ची चीखी, तथा बिस्तर के नीचे छिपने लगी। पापा ने बिस्तर की चादरें एक ओर कर दी।
“उठकर बैठो,” उन्होंने आज्ञा दी, “और अपने हाथ बाहर फैलाओ। तुम्हें एक बार सदा के लिए पाठ सिखाना जरूरी है कि जो चीज तुम्हारी नहीं है उसे छूना नहीं चाहिए।”
“पर यह तो आपके जन्मदिन के उपहार के निमित्त था।”
बच्ची के छोटी गुलाबी हथेलियों पर छड़ी पड़ी।

Text (Page 35) : Hours later, when Grandmother had wrapped her in a shawl and rocked her in the rocking-chair, the child clung to her soft body.
“What did God make fathers for ?” she sobbed.
“Here’s a clean hanky, darling. Blow your nose. Go to sleep, you’ll forget all about it in the morning. I tried to explain to Father but he was too upset to listen tonight.”
But the child never forgot. Next time she saw him she quickly put both hands behind her back and a red colour flew into her cheeks.

Vocabulary: wrapped (tes) covered artz, rocked (रोक्ड) swung झुलाया; elung (क्लंग) lay very close चिपटी रही; sobbed (सोड) wept with jerks सिसकियाँ भर के रोना; hanky हिन्की) short form of handkerchief रूमाल: pet (पैट) dear, darling प्रिय; upset (अपसेट) disturbed, angry सुब्ध।

अनुवाद : घंटों पश्चात्, जब दादी माँ ने उसे शाल में लपेट लिया तथा उसे आरामकुर्सी पर झुलाया, तो बच्ची उनके मुलायम शरीर से चिपट गई।
“परमात्मा ने पापा लोगों को किस लिए बनाया ?” उसने सिसकी भरते पूछा।
“यह लो साफ रूमाल, मेरी लाड़ली। नाक साफ करो। सो जाओ। तुम प्रातः तक सब कुछ भूल जाओगी। मैंने तो तुम्हारे पापा को समझाने की कोशिश की थी पर वह इतने नाराज थे कि आज रात कुछ भी सुनने को राजी नहीं
पर बच्ची कभी भी भूल नहीं सकी। अगली बार जब उसने पापा को देखा तो उसने शीघ्रता से अपने दोनों हाथ पीठ पीछे कर लिए तथा उसके गालों पर लालिमा दौड़ गई।

Text (Page 35) : The MacDonalds lived next door. They had five children. Looking through a gap in the fence the little girl saw them playing “tag in the evening. The father with the baby, Mao, on his shoulders, two little girls hanging on to his coat pockets ran round and round the flower-beds, shaking with laughter. Once she saw the boys turn the hose on him and he tried to catch them laughing all the time.
Then it was decided there were different sorts of fathers.

Vocabulary : gap (प) small opening खाली स्थान; fence (फैन्स) boundary wall घेरा; shaking (शेकिंग) moving back and forth हिलाना-डुलाना; hose (हॉज) thick water pipe पानी की मोटी नली; sorts (सोर्टस) kinds, types प्रकार।

अनुवाद : मेक्डोनाल्ड परिवार पड़ोस में रहता था। उनके पाँच बच्चे थे। बाड़ में बने छेद से झाँककर केजिया ने उन्हें शाम को खेल खेलते देखा। पापा बच्ची माओ को अपने कंधों पर उठाए हुए थे, दो छोटी लड़कियों उनके कोट की जेब पकड़े फूलों की क्यारियों के चारों ओर भाग रही थीं, हँसी से वह हिलडुल रही थीं। एक बार तो केजिया ने देखा कि बेटों ने पापा के ऊपर पाइप से पानी छिड़क दिया और पापा ने हँसते-हँसते उन्हें पकड़ने का प्रयास किया।
तभी केजिया ने धारणा बना ली कि पिता भी अनेक प्रकार के होते हैं।

Text (Pages 35-36): Suddenly, one day, Mother became ill, and she and Grandmother went to hospital.
The little girl was left alone in the house with Alice, the cook. That was all right in the daytime, but while Alice was putting her to bed she grew suddenly afraid.
“What’ll I do if I have a nightmare ?” she asked. “I often have nightmares and then Grannie takes me into her bed – I can’t stay in the dark – it all gets ‘whispery’…”
“You just go to sleep, child,” said Alice, pulling off her socks, “and don’t you scream and wake your poor Pa.”

Vocabulary : nightmare (नाईटमेयर) dreadful dream डरावना सपना; scream (स्कीम) shout/ery चीखना; Pa (पा) father पिता जी को।
अनुवाद : अचानक एक दिन माँ अस्वस्थ हो गई, और दादी के साथ वह हस्पताल चली गई। बच्ची घर में भोजन पकाने वाली एलिस के साथ अकेली रह गई। दिन के समय सब ठीक-ठाक रहा, पर जब एलिस ने उसे पलंग पर लिटाया तो उसे सहसा डर लगने लगा।

“यदि मुझे बुरा सपना आया तो मैं क्या करूँगी ?” उसने पूछा । “मुझे अक्सर दुःस्वप्न आते हैं और फिर दादी माँ मुझे अपने बिस्तर पर ले जाती है-मैं अंधेरे में नहीं रह सकती-आवाजें सुनाई देने लगती हैं””””

“तुम सो जाओ, बच्ची,” एलिस बोली, बच्ची की जुराबें उसने उतार दी, “और तुम चीख मत मारना वरना पापा जग जाएँगे।”

Text (Page 37) : But the same old nightmare came the butcher with a knife and a rope, who came nearer and nearer, smiling that dreadful smile, while she could not move, could only stand still, crying out, “Grandma ! Grandma !” She woke shivering to see Father beside her bed, a candle in his hand.
“What’s the matter?” he said. “Oh, a butcher -knife-I want Grannie.”

Vocabulary : butcher (1) one who slays animals for meat Far: dreadful (get) frightening डरावना; still (स्टिल) motionless स्थिर; shivering (शिवरिंग) trembling कौंपते हुए।

अनुवाद : पर वही पुराना बुरा सपना बच्ची को आया-एक कसाई हाथ में चाकू तथा रस्सी पकड़े था, वह निकट आता जा रहा था, वह इरावनी मुस्कुराहट लिए होता, जब कि केजिया हिलइल भी नहीं पाती, स्थिर खड़ी रहती, चीख मारती, “दादी माँ, दादी माँ!” वह काँपती हुई जग गई और उसने पापा को हाथ में मोमबत्ती लिए बिस्तर के निकट खड़े पाया।
“क्या बात है ?” उन्होंने पूछा।
“ओह, एक कसाई-चाकू-मुझे दादा मी चाहिए।”

Text (Page 37) : He blew out the candle, bent down and caught up the child in his arms carrying her along the passage to the big bedroom. A newspaper was on the bed – a half-smoked cigar was near his reading-lamp. He put away the paper, threw the cigar into the fire-place, then carefully tucked up the child. He lay down beside her. Half asleep still, still with the butcher’s smile all about her it seemed, she crept close to him, snuggled her head under his arm, held tightly to his shirt.

Vocabulary : blew out (ब्लयू ऑउट) puff out फूंक मार कर बुझा दी; passage (पैसेज) narrow covered path गलियारा; tucked up (टक्ड अप) folded from corners कोनों से दबाना; crept (कैप्ट) moved, slipped खिसक सरक आई; snuggled (नग्लड) sheltered, concealed छिपा लिया; held (हैल्ड) caught पकड़ लिया; tightly (टाइटली) firmly कसकर।

अनुवाद : पापा ने मोमबत्ती फूंक मारकर बुझा दी, झुके, बच्ची को बाँहों में उठा लिया, अपने साथ उसे गलियारे से होकर बड़े शयन कक्ष में ले गए। उनके बिस्तर पर एक समाचार-पत्र पड़ा था-एक आधी पी गई सिगार लैंप के पास पड़ी थी, उन्होंने समाचार-पत्रं को अलग रखा, सिगार को अंगीठी में फेंक दिया, फिर संभालकर बच्ची को बिस्तर पर लिटा दिया। वे स्वयं बच्ची की बगल में लेट गए। अभी भी अधनींदी में केजिया थी, अभी भी उसे कसाई की मुस्कराहट अपने चारों ओर दिखाई दे रही थी, वह पापा के निकट खिसक गई, उनकी बाँहों के नीचे अपना सिर छिपा लिया तथा उनकी कमीज कसकर पकड़ ली।

Text (Page 37) : Then the dark did not matter; she lay still
“Here, rub your feet against my legs and get them warm,” said Father.

Tired out, he slept before the little girl. A funny feeling came over her. Poor Father, not so big, after all – and with no one to look after him. He was harder than Grandmother, but it was a nice hardness. And every day he had to work and was too tired to be a Mr. MacDonald… She had torn up all his beautiful writing… She stirred suddenly, and sighed.
“What’s the matter?” asked her father. “Another dream?”
“Oh,” said the little girl,”my head’s on your heart. I can hear it going. What a big heart you’ve got, Father dear.”

Vocabulary : did not matter (डिड नॉट मैटर) did not frighten her डर नहीं लगा; funny (फन्नी) strange, interesting विचित्र, मनोरंजक।

अनुवाद : फिर अंधेरे से उसे डर नहीं लगा, वह स्थिर लेटी रही। “लो, अपनी टाँगें मेरी टाँगों से रगड़ लो तथा उन्हें गर्म कर लो,” पापा बोले। थके होने के कारण वह बच्ची के सोने से पूर्व ही सो गए। बच्ची के मन में एक विचित्र भाव जगा। बेचारे पिता, इतने भीमकाय भी न थे-और फिर उनकी देखभाल करने वाला भी कोई न था। दादी माँ से उनका शरीर अधिक कठोर था, पर वह कठोरता भी अच्छी थी और हर दिन उन्हें काम पर जाना होता है, वह इतना थक जाते हैं कि मेक्डोनाल्ड नहीं बन सकते। उसने उनके लिखे कागजों को फाड़ दिया था। वह अचानक हिली, तथा उसने एक आह भरी। “क्या बात है ?” पापा ने पूछा। “क्या दूसरा सपना आया ?” “ओह,” बच्ची बोली, “मेरा सिर आपके हृदय पर रखा है, मैं आपके हृदय की धड़कन सुन सकती हूँ। आपका हृदय कितना विशाल है, प्रिय पापा।”

Class 9 English Question Answer