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CBSE-Class XII

English-Vistas
Exam Practice Memories of Childhood

Short Answer Type Questions (3 marks each)

Note: These questions must ideally be answered in your own words, in


approximately 30-40 words each.

1. What were the many noises that Zitkala-Sa heard at breakfast time on her first day in
the land of apples?

2. What did Zitkala-Sa think about the Indian girls?

3. What did Zitkala-Sa mean by eating by formula?

4. What were the differences in the way Indian American girls would traditionally dress and
the way they were forced to dress?

5. What is shingled hair? Why was Zitkala-Sa determined not to get her hair cut?

6. What was the terrible warning that Zitkala-Sa got? Who gave it to her and how did the
informer know?

7. What did Judewin have to say about the situation? What was Zitkala-Sas reaction?

8. Describe Bamas attitude to life before she understood the reality of untouchability.

9. Oh, I could go on and on. What was Bama referring to?

10. What incident made Bama understand the reality of untouchability?

11. What was Annans advice to Bama? Do you think that the advice was laced with
cynicism and bitterness?

12. What reason did Annan give for not getting honour and dignity in society?

13. Why did Bama feel like shrieking with laughter at the sight of the elderly man?
Long Answer Type Questions (6 marks each)

Note:
i. This list takes care of extrapolatory, value-based and global comprehension
questions, as per the latest curriculum.
ii. These questions must ideally be answered in your own words, in approximately
120-150 words each.

1. The two accounts that you read are based in two distant cultures. Comment on the
commonality of theme in the two descriptions.

2. It may take a long time for oppression to be resisted, but the seeds of rebellion are
sowed early in life. Do you agree that injustice in any form cannot escape being noticed
even by children?

3. Bamas experience is that of a victim of the caste system. What kind of discrimination
does Zitkala-Sas experience depict? What are their responses to their respective
situations?

4. But this was not the hardest trial in that first day. What trials did Zitkala-Sa face on
that first day?

5. Zitkala-Sa describes herself as an animal driven by a herder. What does this statement
tell you about the attitude of the herders? Give examples to support your answer.

6. The victims in each of the stories grew up to be activists who raised a voice against the
injustices faced by their community. Discuss the role of education in bringing about this
empowerment.

7. The first half of Bamas story is a clever pen-picture of life in a small city as seen
through the eyes of innocence and delight of childhood, yet full of contradictions.
Comment.

8. The American Declaration of independence states, all men are created equal
Keeping this and secularity of India in mind, write a speech with reference to the lesson
Memories of Childhood on the veracity of this statement.

9. Imagine you are Bama. Your brother has told the truth about your status in society and
the prevalent discrimination against your community. Write a diary entry about why you
thought the actions of the elder were funny when you saw them and your resolve to
improve the lot of those like you.

Value Points for Short Answer Type Questions (3 marks)

Note:

The 3 marks for these questions are split as follows:


Content: 2 marks
Expression & Accuracy: 1 mark

1. What were the many noises that Zitkala-Sa heard at breakfast time on her first
day in the land of apples?

Value Points
Loud metallic sound of a bell.
Clatter of shoes on bare floors.
Clash of harsh noises.
Voices murmuring in an unknown language.

2. What did Zitkala-Sa think about the Indian girls?

Value Points
Seemed at ease in their tight-fitting clothes and stiff shoes.
Younger ones in sleeved aprons also at ease with themselves.
Not ashamed of their shingled hair.

3. What did Zitkala-Sa mean by eating by formula?

Value Points
Bells rang at intervals, as signals.
Indicated a particular action was to be performed like pulling out a chair, sitting,
picking up the fork and knife and then eating.

4. What were the differences in the way Indian American girls would traditionally
dress and the way they were forced to dress?

Value Points
traditionally covered shoulders with blanket and wore loose clothes
wore soft moccasins that made no sound when one walked
forced to wear tight-fitting clothes and stiff squeaky shoes
disallowed to cover shoulders with blankets

5. What is shingled hair? Why was Zitkala-Sa determined not to get her hair cut?

Value Points
Close-cropped hair of a woman who traditionally wears long hair.
Zitkala-Sa adamant to avoid getting hair cut; considered shameful.
Hair shingled of warriors captured by enemy.
in her culture, short hair worn by mourners and shingled hair by cowards.

6. What was the terrible warning that Zitkala-Sa got? Who gave it to her and
how did the informer know?

Value Points
learnt that their hair would be chopped; terrible because unacceptable in her culture
Zitkala-Sas friend, Judewin, understood some English; overheard one pale-faced
woman; hence warned her

7. What did Judewin have to say about the situation? What was Zitkala-Sas
reaction?
Value Points
advised Zitkala-Sa that it was futile to rebel; the staff was strong
Zitkala-Sa refused to submit; wished to struggle and resist to save her hair

8. Describe Bamas attitude to life before she understood the reality of


untouchability.

Value Points
happy and carefree, amused by the sights and sounds around her
dawdled on her way home, stopping to watch each new development with fascination

9. Oh, I could go on and on. What was Bama referring to?

Value Points
range of interesting sights on her way back home
list of the things and actions that fascinated Bama was endless

10. What incident made Bama understand the reality of untouchability?

Value Points
incident of elderly man carrying a small parcel of food for the landlord
understood untouchability when Annan explained why the elderly man carried food in
the supposedly ridiculous manner

11. What was Annans advice to Bama? Do you think that the advice was laced
with cynicism and bitterness?

Value Points
advised Bama to work hard and study well; people will know you by your worth and
not birth
accept reality and find the best way to deal with it
positive advice not laced with cynicism and bitterness

12. What reason did Annan give for not getting honour and dignity in society?

Value Points
discrimination against certain low castes
since they are born in that community, will always be deprived of dignity and respect

13. Why did Bama feel like shrieking with laughter at the sight of the elderly man?

Value Points
the manner in which the elder held a small packet of foodfound funny
seemed as if he held something that he was afraid of
held it by the string, the vadais could fall

Value Points for Long Answer Type Questions (6 marks)

Note:

The 6 marks for these questions are split as follows:


Content: 4 marks
Expression & Accuracy: 2 marks

1. The two accounts that you read are based in two distant cultures. Comment on
the commonality of theme in the two descriptions.

Value Points
marginalisation different standards for people from different communities
humiliation; deprived of dignity and forced to obey rules set down by the stronger
community example of dress and food customs
stereotypical interpretation and reaction to behaviour of the marginalised section;
white woman staring at Zitkala-Sa; Annans interrogation
insensitivity towards feelings, customs and traditions of the marginalised category
reduced to animals driven by a herder

2. It may take a long time for oppression to be resisted, but the seeds of rebellion
are sowed early in life. Do you agree that injustice in any form cannot escape
being noticed even by children?

Value Points
children more sensitive than adults, find it more difficult to understand injustice
Zitkala-Sas soul rebelled against submission to the strength; decided to run and
hide, protested and fought even though very afraid
Bama realised this childish amusement and delight at elders behaviour soon
turned to rebellion wished she could touch the vadais so that the landlord doesnt
eat them
angry at subjugation of her people and lack of humanity in the upper class
motivation to fight and rise above oppression

3. Bamas experience is that of a victim of the caste system. What kind of


discrimination does Zitkala-Sas experience depict? What are their responses to
their respective situations?

Value Points
Zitkala-Sas experience subjugation of people from a weaker, different culture;
experiences indifference and humiliation; felt like a herded animal
Zitkala-Sa aware that rebellion is futile, yet struggles against cutting of hair;
symbolic of cowardice; her attempt to retain her honour and dignity; loses spirit
when hair cut
Bama understands her situation angry and rebellious at first, questions injustice of
system.
understands best way to bring change is through education; is motivated to fight it
by rising above situation

4. But this was not the hardest trial in that first day. What trials did Zitkala-Sa
face on that first day?

Value Points
cold winter day; woke up to harsh sounds; felt trapped
blanket stripped from shoulders; suggestive of stripping of dignity
too embarrassed at breakfast to eat
scrutiny by white woman
trauma of hair cut; planned to fight; decided to run and hide
very afraid in unknown house; discovered and dragged out
resisted, kicked, scratched but overpowered and tied to a chair, when hair was
chopped off
lost her spirit to resist when hair cut off most humiliating of all her experiences

5. Zitkala-Sa describes herself as an animal driven by a herder. What does this


statement tell you about the attitude of the herders? Give examples to
support your answer.

Value Points
indifferent, insensitive, inhumane forcibly changed clothing, shoes
regimented procedures, no communication observed by white people for every
mistake made with no attempt to help
stereotyping of the Indian children - perception that they need to be treated harshly,
humiliated, tied, persecuted

6. The victims in each of the stories grew up to be activists who raised a voice
against the injustices faced by their community. Discuss the role of education
in bringing about this empowerment.

Value Points
Bamas studies helped her gain the respect of friends and society could later make
a place for herself
progressed in life to become a writer aware of rights and duties, and what one
needs to do to fight for and protect ones right
Zitkala-Sas education helped her to explore her talent and triumph against great
prejudice against Indian Americans
published articles against dogma and evils of oppression

7. The first half of Bamas story is a clever pen-picture of life in a small city as
seen through the eyes of innocence and delight of childhood, yet full of
contradictions. Comment.

Value Points
put together many images of cheerful activity
juxtaposition of activity and stillness the spinning wheels of the cyclist marking
time and the timeless existence of the temple with its bell
the pious Pongal offerings and the irreverence of a fish- stall near Gandhis statue
personification of the street light; imprisonment of animals
equating political speeches with plays, puppet shows and stunt performances
the laborious exploited class juxtaposed against the fat vadai-eating insensitive
landlord

8. The American Declaration of independence states, all men are created


equal Keeping this and secularity of India in mind, write a speech with
reference to the lesson Memories of Childhood on the veracity of this
statement.

Value Points
the statement hollow and meaningless native Americans marginalised treated as
second class citizens
case of Zitkala-Sa; her experiences in childhood; her articles criticising the Carlisle
Indian school, her fight against dogma and oppression
in India, inhuman treatment of the so-called lower castes and the marginalised
section of the untouchables
change of mind-set essential; understand that all are created equal
empowerment of marginalised people through education only way to bring about
change

9. Imagine you are Bama. Your brother has told you all about the truth about your
status in society and the prevalent discrimination against your community.
Write a diary entry about why you thought the actions of the elder were funny
when you saw them and your resolve to improve the lot of those like you.

Value Points
community elders actions strange and funny
revelation after talk with Annan; latter explains situation
strong feelings of sadness, anger, revolt
resolve to follow Annans advice about studying to rise above status, make a mark,
fight injustice and humiliation

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