Read the extracts and answer the questions.
(1) When I was at college, I regularly spent my summer vacation in Dehra, at my grandmother’s place. I would leave the plains early in May and return late in July. Deoli was a small station about 50 km from Dehra. It was on the border of the heavy jungles of the Indian Terai.
1Where did the author spend his summer vacation?
Ans. The author spent his summer vacation at his grandmother’s place in Dehra.
2. When would the author go to Dehra and return from there?
Ans. The author would go to Dehra early in May and return late in July.
3. Where was Deoli?
Ans. Deoli was about 50 km from Dehra, on the border if the heavy jungles of the Indian Terai.
(2) I decided that one day I would get off the train at Deoli and spend the day there. I was eighteen, visiting my grandmother and the night train stopped at Deoli. A girl came down the platform selling baskets.
Question - What did the author see when the train stopped at Deoli?
Ans. When the train stopped at Deoli, the author saw a girl, who was selling baskets, coming down the platform.
(3) It was a cold morning and the girl had a shawl across her shoulder. Her feet were bare and her clothes were old. She was a young girl, walking gracefully towards me.
Question -
Describe the girl’s appearance.
Ans. The girl was young and she wore old clothes, with a shawl across her shoulder.
(4) When she came to my window, she stopped. She saw that I was looking at her intently, but at first she pretended not to notice. She had a pale skin, shiny black hair and dark eyes. And then those eyes, searching and lively, met mine.
1) How did the author react when he saw the girl for the first time?
Ans. When the author saw the girl for the first time, he could not stop staring at her.
2) Describe the young girl.
Ans. The girl had a pale skin, shiny black hair and dark eyes.
3) What did the girl see? What did she pretend?
Ans. The girl saw that the author was looking at her intently, but she pretended not to notice it.
4) What does the author say about the girl’s eyes?
Ans. The author says that the girl’s eyes were dark, searching and lively.
She noticed me at the door, and stood waiting on the platform. I walked across to the tea stall. A kettle was boiling on a small fire. The girl followed me behind the stall.
1. What did the author do when the girl moved on?
Ans. When the girl moved on, the author left his seat and ran to the carriage door.
2. What did the girl do when she saw the author at the carriage door?
Ans. When the girl saw the author at the carriage door, she stood waiting on the platform.
(7) The guard blew his whistle; she said something, but it was lost in the clanging of the bell and the hissing of the engine. I had to run back to my compartment. I watched her as the platform slipped away. She was alone on the platform and did not move, but she was looking at me and smiling. I watched her until the signal-box came in the way, and then the jungle hid the station. I could still see her standing there alone.
1) What was the girl doing when the train left the platform?
Ans. When the train left the platform, the girl was standing alone there and looking at the author and smiling.
2) Why could the author not hear what the girl said?
Ans. The author could not hear what the girl said because it was lost in the clanging of the bell and the hissing of the engine.
3) How long did the author keep watching the girl?
Ans. The author kept watching the girl till the signal-box came in the way and then the jungle hid the station.
