A Letter to God|Important Questions|NCERT Solutions 2021
L-1 A Letter to God -First Flight|NCERT Class 10 Solutions | Literature
These questions have been taken from Literature Question Bank released by CBSE for 2021 Board exam.
(Don’t Worry) Answer Key is given at the bottom of the page.
Q3 Multiple Choice Questions based on an extract
1st Extract
(A) The house- the only one in the entire valley -sat on the crest of a low hill. From this height, one could see the river and the field of ripe corn dotted with the flowers that always promised a good harvest. The only thing the earth needed was a good downpour or at least a shower. Throughout the morning Lencho -who knew his fields intimately- had done nothing but see the sky towards the north-east.
i Based on the detail of the house’s location, how can it best be described?
a) majestic
b) imposing
c) solitary
d) unique
ii The field of corn dotted with flowers means that
a) not a single flower was bigger than a dot
b) the flowers were scattered across.
c) the flowers were shaped like dots.
d) the flowers had shrunk in size.
iii Lencho wished for a downpour or a heavy shower. Pick the option that correctly lists the correct match for kinds of rain.
a) 1-ii,2-iv,3-v,4-i,5-iii
b) 1-iv,2-i,3-iii,4-v,5-ii
c) 1-v,2-iii,3-iv,4-ii,5-i
d) 1-iii,2-v,3-i,4-ii,5-iv
1.Heavy Rain
(i) light rain that falls in very fine drops
2.Thunderstorm
(ii) very heavy rain, tropical rain
3.Drizzle
(iii) it’s coming down quite strong and you get wet very quickly
4.Torrential Rain
(iv) really heavy rain that comes very suddenly
5.Downpour
(v) violent short-lived weather disturbance associated with lightning, thunder and gusty winds
iv Based on the given extract, what is Lencho NOT likely to think while looking at his field?
v Which quote supports the idea in the given extract?
a) “Farming is a profession of hope.”
b) “I would rather be on my farm than be emperor of the world.”
c) “Farming looks mighty easy when your plough is a pencil, and you’re a
thousand miles from the cornfield.”
d) “Those too lazy to plough in the right season will have no food at the
harvest.”
Answer Key- (A) (i) C (ii) b (iii) d (iv) d (v) a
2nd Extract
(B) When he finished, he went to the window to buy a stamp which he licked and then affixed to the envelope with a blow of his fist. The moment the letter fell into the mailbox the postmaster went to open it. It said: “God: Of the money that I asked for, only seventy pesos reached me. Send me the
rest, since I need it very much. But don’t send it to me through the mail
because the post office employees are a bunch of crooks. Lencho.”
i ‘…bunch of crooks.’ Pick the option that DOES NOT collate with ‘bunch of’, correctly.
a) option (i)
b) option (ii)
c) option (iii)
d) option (iv)
ii What was the most likely response that the postmaster expected in
Lencho’s second letter?
i) sorrowful
ii) gratitude
iii) disappointment
iv) elation
v) shock
a) ii and v
b) i and iii
c) ii and iv
d) iii and v
iii Pick the option that lists the option corresponding to-’with a blow of his fist.’
a) Option (i)
b) Option (ii)
c) Option (iii)
d) Option (iv)
iv Lencho’s letter included
a) details of his problems.
b) description of the post office.
c) belief of being looted.
d) List of further demands.
v Pick the most suitable quote for this extract.
a) “It is easier to fool people than to convince them that they have been
fooled.” — Mark Twain
b) “Real knowledge is to know the extent of one’s ignorance.”- Confucius
c) “You see a person’s true colours when you are no longer beneficial to
their life.”- anonymous
d) “True generosity means accepting ingratitude.” — Coco Chanel
Answer key- (B) (i) d (ii) c (iii) d (iv) d (v) d
Q10 Answer in 20–30 words
Q1. People get support from family and friends during bad times. How does Lencho’s family behave after the harvest is ruined?
Ans 1. After the harvest is ruined, Lencho’s family consoles him by saying that no one dies of hunger and God would take care of them.
Q2. ‘Lencho was an ox of a man, working like an animal in the fields, but still, he knew how to write.’ What does this line tell us about the norm amongst such farmers, then?
Ans2. This line tells us that normally the farmers working in the fields are hard-working but uneducated. But, Lencho could read and write.
Q3. What, according to you would have been the likely reaction of Lencho’s wife upon knowing about him writing an actual letter to God?
Ans3. According to me, she would have been happy knowing that Lencho had informed God about their loss and help would reach them soon. She had a deep faith in God.
OR
According to me, Lencho’s wife would have scolded him for doing a stupid act of writing a letter to God. She would explain to him that God can’t be reached through a letter.
Q4. Lencho waited eagerly for a reply to his letter to God. Do you think the postmaster was also very keen to know Lencho’s reaction upon receiving the ‘reply’?
Ans4. The postmaster was very keen to know Lencho’s reaction. As soon as Lencho left the post-office, the postmaster opened the envelope to read his reply.
Q11 Answer in 40–50 words
i ‘ The field was white as if covered with salt.’ This is how the field is
described after the hailstorm. The pelting hailstones could have been easily seen as sugar cubes. Do you think comparing it with sugar would have been more appropriate? Why/ Why not?
Ans. A hailstorm can be compared to small balls of anything that is white in colour. But, here, the comparison to salt is much better than sugar cubes. As sugar symbolises sweetness or happiness, whereas excess salt signifies the spoilt taste. The hailstorm spoiled Lencho’s fields totally that’s why it is said that the field was white as if covered with salt.
ii Lencho and his family knew the implications the hailstorm would have on their lives. Write a conversation between Lencho and his wife as they watched the downpour turned to a hailstorm.
Ans. Lencho and his wife might talk like this-
Wife: If this storm does not stop here, we will die of hunger.
Lencho: Yes, our hard work will go to waste. It must stop now.
Wife; We will have no corn left this year.
Lencho: Don’t worry, God can see everything and He will not let us die of hunger.
iii Lencho did not bother exploring any other means to resolve his situation but just turned to God. Do you feel that his approach was justified? Why/Why not?
Ans. I do not justify his approach of relying solely on God’s help. It was totally illogical. Sorrow and happiness are two phases of life that we must always prepare to face. Besides, praying to God for his mental calmness he should have approached his relatives for help and work hard again.
Q12 Answer in 100–120 words (beyond text and across texts)
i The people at the post-office contribute to put together whatever they can manage, for Lencho.
(a) What do you think was the main reason behind their help? Would you have done the same if you were one of the employees?
(b) As an employee, write about your perspective and reason(s) for
contributing to the fund. The fact that you don’t want to say ‘no’ to a cause initiated by your boss, can also be an equally compelling reason!
Answer: The main reason behind their help could be empathy. If I were in the place of one of the employees I would have definitely helped Lencho by giving out some money. “Many a little makes a mickle”. One rupee donated by 100 people would make up to 100 rupees without making much difference to the donor. However, it would be a big help for the donee.
ii Read the given anecdote and analyse the similarities and differences with reference to ‘A Letter to God’.
A very poor woman called-in a radio station asking for help from God. A
non-believer, also listening to this radio program, decided to make fun of
the woman. He got her address, called his secretary and ordered her to buy
food and take it to the woman. However, the instruction was: “When the woman asks who sent the food, tell her that it’s from the devil.”
When the secretary arrived at the woman’s house, the woman was very
happy and grateful for the help. The Secretary then asked her, “Don’t you
want to know who sent the food?”
The woman replied, “No, I don’t even care because when God orders, even
the devil obeys!
Answer: The given anecdote is similar to the lesson in verifying that God listens to the people, by any means, who trust him. But the intentions of the people helping the victim are different in both the stories.
iii The postmaster was a representative of God. Evaluate this statement in the context of your understanding of ‘A Letter to God”.
Answer: The postmaster is rightly depicted as a representative of God because he managed to collect money for Lencho who was helpless at that time. As God can’t be physically present everywhere to help his children. People believe that He relieves their sufferings through the representatives.
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Originally published at https://essayshout.com on February 15, 2021.
