Extracts of Bholi | Class 10 | English | NCERT |

Extracts of Bholi | Class 10 | English | NCERT |

Stanza 1

At birth, the child was very fair and pretty. But when she was two years old, she had an attack of small-pox. Only the eyes were saved, but the entire body was permanently disfigured by deep black pockmarks. Little Sulekha could not speak till she was five, and when at last she learnt to speak, she stammered. The other children often made fun of her and mimicked her. As a result, she talked very little.

Q1. Name the chapter.

Ans : Bholi

Q2. Who is the author of Bholi?

Ans : K.A. Abbas

Q3. What does the word ‘Stammer’ mean?

Ans : It means to speak haltingly.

Q4. Why did the other children make fun of Bholi.

Ans : Bholi was ridiculed by other children for she stammered  a lot while talking.

Stanza 2

That night when Ramlal consulted his wife, she cried, “Are you crazy? If girls go to school, who will marry them?” But Ramlal had not the courage to disobey the Tehsildar. At last his wife said, “I will tell you what to do. Send Bholi to school. As it is, there is little chance of her getting married, with her ugly face and lack of sense. Let the teachers at school worry about her.”

Q1. What made Ramlal’s wife angry.

Ans : When Ramlal consulted his wife of sending their daughter to school, she got angry. According to latter, no body would marry their daughter if she was sent to school.

Q2. Why was Ramlal left with no option except sending his daughter to school?

Ans : Tehsildar had asked Ramlal to send his daughter to school being a government’s representative of his village in order to set a good example in front of others who had daughters. Ramlal had no courage to disobey Tehsildar’s order. Therefore he was left with no option except sending his daughter to school.

Q3. Why did Ramlal’s wife agree to send Bholi to school.

Ans : Bholi was ugly and had pockmarks on her face. Bholi’s mother thought that no one would get ready to marry her. Therefore, she decided to send her to school.

Q4. Find out the synonym of the word ‘Displeasing’ from the extract?

Ans : Ugly

Stanza 3

The lady teacher who was in the class was saying something to the girls but Bholi could understand nothing. She looked at the pictures on the wall. The colours fascinated her — the horse was brown just like the horse on which the Tehsildar had come to visit their village; the goat was black like the goat of their neighbour; the parrot was green like the parrots she had seen in the mango orchard; and the cow was just like their Lakshmi. And suddenly Bholi noticed that the teacher was standing by her side, smiling at her.

Q1. Which literary device has been used in ‘Like the parrots’?

Ans : Simile

Q2. What attracted Bholi the most in the class?

Ans : Bholi got attracted towards the different colours such as the colour of horse, goat and parrot.

Q3. Why could Bholi not understand anything in the class?

Ans : Bholi had never been to school before. Therefore, she had no idea whatsoever about the things happening there. Moreover, it was her first day in the school.

Q1. Find out the synonym of ‘Grove’ from the extract?

Ans : Orchard

Stanza 4

“In one month you will be able to read this book. Then I will give you a bigger book, then a still bigger one. In time you will be more learned than anyone else in the village. Then no one will ever be able to laugh at you. People will listen to you with respect and you will be able to speak without the slightest stammer. Understand? Now go home, and come back early tomorrow morning.” Bholi felt as if suddenly all the bells in the village temple were ringing and the trees in front of the school-house had blossomed into big red flowers. Her heart was throbbing with a new hope and a new life.

Q1. Who is the speaker of the first line?

Ans : Bholi’s Teacher

Q2. What made Bholi hopeful and optimistic towards life?

Ans : When Bholi was encouraged by her teacher that she could do better with a passage of time, she became optimistic and hopeful.

Q3. Find out the synonym of the word ‘Pounding’ from the extract.

Ans : Throbbing

Q4. How could Bholi get respect in the society according to her teacher?

Ans : Bholi was motivated a lot by her teacher. She told her that the only way to get respect in the society comes through education. 

Stanza 5

Bishamber Nath was a well-to-do grocer. He came with a big party of friends and relations with him for the wedding. A brass-band playing a popular tune from an Indian film headed the procession, with the bridegroom riding a decorated horse. Ramlal was overjoyed to see such pomp and splendour. He had never dreamt that his fourth daughter would have such a grand wedding. Bholi’s elder sisters who had come for the occasion were envious of her luck.

Q1. Who was Bishamber Nath?

Ans : Bishamber Nath was a grocer who was going to get married to Bholi.

Q2. Why were Bholi’s sisters jealous of her?

Ans : Bholi hailed from a poor family wherein everyone expected that she would not get married for she was ugly and had pockmarked face. Seeing the grand reception of her wedding, they were envious of her.

Q3. Find out the synonym of the word ‘Jealous’ from the extract?

Ans : Envious

Q4. How much was demanded Bishamber Nath for getting Bholi married?

Ans : Bishamber Nath demanded Rs. 5000 for getting Bholi married.

Stanza 6

Bholi turned violently on the old woman, “Yes, Aunty, you are right. You all thought I was a dumb–driven cow. That’s why you wanted to hand me over to this heartless creature. But now the dumb cow, the stammering fool, is speaking. Do you want to hear more?” Bishamber Nath, the grocer, started to go back with his party. The confused bandsmen thought this was the end of the ceremony and struck up a closing song.

Q1. Who has been called ‘Heartless creature’ in this extract?

Ans : Bishamber Nath

Q2. Why did Bholi decide not to marry Bishamber Nath?

Ans : Seeing the greedy face of Bishamber Nath and her father crying, Bholi turned violent and refused to get married to such a greedy man.

Q3. What made everyone surprised on the wedding day?

Ans : Everyone was startled for they were hearing Bholi speaking without even the slightest stammering. She had made it clear confidently that she would not marry such a greedy and coward man.

Q4. What made Bholi angry with that old woman?

Ans : When Bholi refused to marry Bishamber Nath, the old woman started criticizing Bholi calling her a harmless dumb cow. Having seen the reaction of a woman towards another, she got angry with her and made it clear that she was not going to marry such a coward like him no matter however she criticizes her.

We would love your reading of The Making of a Scientist, Madam Rides the Bus, The Sermon at Benares, Glimpses of India, The Proposal, Bholi, The Necklace, The Hack Driver, Amanda, Animals & The Tale of Custard The Dragon for better understanding of the chapters/poems and scoring higher.

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