The Portrait of a Lady by Khushwant Singh

 

AHSEC board questions of the year 2018-2022 

2018

• Q: How does the author describe his grandmother in ' The Portrait of a lady'? (2 marks)

• A: The author describes his grandmother as a kind, gentle, and religious woman. She was always dressed in spotless white clothes and wore a rosary around her neck. She was a great cook and loved to feed the sparrows.

• Q: Give the author's views about the grandmother's apprehension for music. (2 marks)

• A: The author's grandmother was apprehensive about music because she believed that it was a distraction from religious studies. She also felt that music could be a source of temptation, especially for young people.

• Q: Have you known someone like the author's grandmother? (1 mark)

• A: Yes, I have known someone like the author's grandmother. She was a kind, gentle, and religious woman who loved to cook and feed the sparrows. She was also apprehensive about music because she believed that it was a distraction from religious studies.

2019

• Q: What is the difference between village school education and urban school education as brought out in the lesson ' The Portrait of a Lady'? (3 marks)

• A: The difference between village school education and urban school education is brought out in the lesson through the character of the author's grandmother. The author's grandmother was educated in a village school, where she learned the basics of reading, writing, and arithmetic. She also learned about religion and morality. The author, on the other hand, was educated in an urban school, where he learned a wider range of subjects, including science, history, and geography. He also had the opportunity to participate in extracurricular activities such as sports and music.

• Q: Three reasons why the author's grandmother was disturbed when he started going to the city school. (3 marks)

• A: The author's grandmother was disturbed when he started going to the city school for three reasons:

  • She was worried that he would forget his religious beliefs and practices.
  • She was concerned that he would be exposed to bad influences in the city.
  • She was afraid that he would not be able to cope with the demands of city life.

2020

• Q: The odd way in which the author's grandmother behaved just before she died. (2 marks)

• A: The author's grandmother behaved strangely just before she died. She started talking to herself and laughing out loud. She also refused to eat or drink anything. The author believes that his grandmother was seeing visions of her deceased relatives.

• Q: The way in which the sparrows expressed their sorrow when the author's grandmother died. (2 marks)

• A: The sparrows expressed their sorrow when the author's grandmother died by gathering in large numbers outside her house. They chirped loudly and fluttered their wings. The author believes that the sparrows were mourning the death of their friend.

2021

• Q: What is the significance of the title of the chapter ' The Portrait of a Lady'? (2 marks)

• A: The title of the chapter ' The Portrait of a Lady' is significant because it highlights the importance of grandmother in the author's life. She was a kind, gentle, and religious woman who loved him very much. She was also a source of strength and guidance for him. The title also suggests that the author is trying to capture the essence of his grandmother's personality in his writing.

• Q: How does the chapter ' The Portrait of a Lady' celebrate the bond between a grandmother and a grandchild? (3 marks)

• A: The chapter ' The Portrait of a Lady' celebrates the bond between a grandmother and a grandchild in several ways. First, the chapter shows how the author's grandmother loved him very much and was always there for him. Second, the chapter shows how the author loved his grandmother very much and was always grateful for her love and support. Third, the chapter shows how the author's grandmother and he shared a special bond that was based on love, respect, and understanding.