Hornbill, The textbook Solutions in English for H.S. First year (Core Course) Chapter 1: The portrait of a Lady understanding the text

Hornbill, The textbook Solutions in English for H.S. First year (Core Course)

Chapter 1: The portrait of a Lady understanding the text 

(Hornbill Class 11) Question 1:

The three phases of the author's relationship with his grandmother before he left the country to study abroad.

Answer:

The three phases of the author's relationship with his grandmother before he left the country to study abroad are-

        

           1. Childhood - When his parents left him with his grandmother and went to live in the city. His grandmother used to wake him up and get him ready for school.

          

           2. Boyhood - When he shared same room with his grandmother in the city but she no longer went to school with him and no longer help him in studies.

           3. Early adulthood - When he went to university and given a room of his own. 

(Hornbill Class 11) Question 2:

Three reasons why the author's grandmother was disturbed when he started going to the city school.

Answer:

The three reasons why the author's grandmother was disturbed when he started going to the city school are-

          1. She did not believe in the things taught at the English school.

          2. She was distressed that there is no teaching about God and the Scriptures.

          3. Music classes were also given in school. To her music had lewd associations. It was monopoly of harlots and beggars  and not meant for gentlefolk.

(Hornbill Class 11) Question 3:

Three ways in which the author's grandmother spent her days after he grew up.

Answer:

The three ways in which the author's grandmother spent her days after he grew up are-

          1. Grandmother accepted her separation from her grandson and she lived alone in her room.

       

          2. She sat by her wheel spinning and reciting prayers.

          3. In the afternoon she relaxed for a while and feed the sparrows.

(Hornbill Class 11) Question 4:

The odd way in which the author's grandmother behaved just before she died.

Answer:

A few hours before the close of the last chapter of her life she was not going to waste any more time unlike previous night's singing of home-coming warriors and beating drum. In spite of the protest she refused to talk and lay peacefully on her bed praying and telling her beads.

(Hornbill Class 11) Question 5:

The way in which the sparrows expressed their sorrow when the author's grandmother died.

Answer:

Thousands of sparrows sat scattered on the floor where the author's grandmother lay dead and stiff. There was no chirruping. The author's mother fetched some bread and broke it into little crumbs and threw it to them. The sparrows took no notice. When the grandmother's corpse was carried off, they flew away silently.