Questions Answers

Read and Understand

A. Choose the most appropriate option.

1. The wind hurried and passed through the ___________

a. apples and mangoes.

b. pines and deodars.

c. berries and cherries.

2. The market was ____________ away from the village.

a. 3 miles

b. 7 miles

c. 11 miles

3. Usha went to visit her ____________ house after shopping in the market.

a. Grand father’s

b. aunt’s

c. cousin’s

4. Usha took shelter in the ____________

a. ruins.

b. caves.

c. dens.

5. At dawn, the ____________ began to sing.

a. cuckoo

b. linnet

c. thrush

Answer : 1. b) pines and deodars 2. a) 3 miles 3. b) aunt’s 4. a) ruins 5. c) thrush

B.  Think and answer

1. Why was it a struggle for the children to dry their clothes?

The wind blew hard and the clothes fluttered in the wind. So it was a struggle for children to dry their clothes.

2. What story did grandfather tell them about the haunted hill?

Grandfather said that there were many ghosts in the ruins. A family in that house was killed during a storm a hundred years ago. There were two children among the those killed. At night, Grandfather had seen them playing in the moonlight.

3. What did Usha buy in the market? List them.

Usha bought soap and matches, spices and sugar. She bought a pipe stem for grandfather's hookah. She bought an exercise book and some marbles for Suresh. Usha bought for herself a necklace of amber-coloured beads and trinkets.

4. What scared Usha during the dark rainy night?

When lightning flashed, Usha saw two small figures, crouching in the fireplace. The ghostly figures looked up and stared back at Usha. This sight scared Usha.

5. How did the children react when they met each other at the ruins?

When Suresh shouted, Usha recognized his voice. They repeated each other's names and fell into each other's arms. They were surprised and relieved. They laughed, giggled and huddled together. They started chattering.

C.  Discuss in class.

“Was it just the wind?”– What do you think Usha thought it was? Why?

The three children came out of the ruin and set out for home. Usha looked back at the ruins. They said goodbye to the place. All of a sudden they heard the words 'goodbye' repeated. Usha felt that perhaps it was the wind. The noise of the wind was like echoing the word 'goodbye'.