Question

Read the given extract and answer the question given below.

And suddenly Bholi noticed that the teacher was standing by her side, smiling at her. “What’s your name, little one?” “Bh-Bho-Bho-.” She could stammer no further than that. Then she began to cry and tears flowed from her eyes in a helpless flood. She kept her head down as she sat in her corner, not daring to look up at the girls who, she knew, were still laughing at her. When the school bell rang, all the girls scurried out of the classroom, but Bholi dared not leave her corner. Her head still lowered, she kept on sobbing. “Bholi.” The teacher’s voice was so soft and soothing! In all her life she had never been called like that. It touched her heart.

1. What is the tone the teacher is UNLIKELY to have used in the line, “What’s your name, little one?”   (1)
   1. reassuring
   2. comforting
   3. settling
   4. calming
2. How does the author's use of Bholi 's perspective help build the narrative in the extract?   (2)
3. Fill in the blank with the correct word from the bracket.   (1)
   The word ‘flood’ in the line ‘...tears flowed from her eyes in a helpless flood.’ Indicates that Bholi was crying ______ (uncontrollably/unintentionally).
   
4. How does the teacher's comforting demeanour contrast with the behaviour of the other girls in the classroom?   (1)

Answer 1

1. settling
2. Through Bholi's perspective, readers gain direct access into her thoughts, emotions, and experiences, allowing them to grasp her fragility and distress. The author can effectively communicate the impact of the teacher's generosity and the pain of her classmates' laughter. Additionally, it brings readers into Bholi's world and enhances their participation with the story.
3. The word ‘flood’ in the line ‘...tears flowed from her eyes in a helpless flood.’ Indicates that Bholi was crying uncontrollably.
4. • the teacher's comforting demeanour contrasts with the behaviour of the other girls in the classroom
   • The other girls display insensitivity and cruelty by laughing at bholi's stammering and distress