NCERT Solutions for Class-9 English Chapter 1 THE LOST CHILD | English Moments
THE LOST CHILD
NCERT Solutions for Class-9 English Chapter 1 THE LOST CHILD | English Moments
Summary: Mulk Raj Anand, a famous story writer writes “The Lost Child”. In this story a boy who went to a fair with his parents. Many people including men, women and children new clothes in a happy mood were going to join the fair. The boy was very happy and excited. He demanded the sweets and toys displayed in the shops. He felt attracted towards many things so he lagged behind time and again. When the boy demanded a toy, his father poked at him red-eyed in his familiar tyrant's way. The boy tried to catch the dragon-flies in the mustard field on the way and again was left-behind. Then his parents called him again. Then his parents took rest for a while under a banyan tree and after some time they reached the fair. The boy lost his mind in the whirlpool of the fair. Then he suddenly listened to the loud voice of a sweet seller and slowly murmured 'I want that Burfi'. But he did not do so for fear of his father. He also eagerly watched gulmohur flower, balloons. Then the boy boldly requested his parents to let him have a ride on a roundabout and turned back to look them. But to his surprise no sign of them was there. A full, deep cry rose within his dry throat and with a sudden jerk of his body he ran from where he stood, crying in real fear : 'Mother, Father'. Now the boy had been separated from his parents. The poor child struggled to make his way between the feet of people but was knocked to and from by their brutal movements. He might have been trampled underfeet, had he not shrieked at the highest pitch of his Voice ; 'Mother, Father'. The boy was able to find his parents anywhere.
Then suddenly a man lifted up the boy in his arms to console the boy. That man took the boy to a flower-seller, balloon-seller, snake-charmer, juggler and for joy-ride also. He cried and sobbed, "I want my mother, I want my father !”
NCERT Solutions for Class-9 English Chapter 1 THE LOST CHILD | English Moments
TEXTUAL QUESTIONS & ANSWERS
NCERT Solutions for Class-9 English Chapter 1 THE LOST CHILD | English Moments
THINK ABOUT
Q. 1. What are the things the child sees on his way to the fair?
Ans. On his way to the fair the child sees toys, balloons of different colours, garland of gulmohur, a swmg and a snake-charmer playing a flute. He gets attracted towards all these things. So he lags behind.
Q.2 In the fair he wants many things What are they? Why does he move on without waiting for an answer?
Ans:- The child wants many things in fair. He is willing to have toys, different sweets, garland balloons of different colours and has a keen desire to enjoy the roundabout. He moves on with waiting for an answer because he knows that his parents will not buy all these things for him.
Q.3. When does he realise that he has lost his way? How have his anxiety and insecurity been described?
Ans:- The child sees a roundabout in the fair and gets attracted to it. He wants to have a ride on it. He asks his parents for permission to enjoy it. Having no response on the part of his parents he realises that he has lost his way. He start crying bitterly at once and runs here and there in search of them.
Q.4. Why does the lost child lost interest in the things that he had wanted earlier?
Ans. The lost child lose interest in the things he had wanted earlier because he loses his parents in the fair. Nothing is more important than parents for a child. So, he wants them first.
NCERT Solutions for Class-9 English Chapter 1 THE LOST CHILD | English Moments
Q.5. What do you think happens in the end? Does the child find his parents?
Ans:- I think the child finds his parents at last. The kind hearted person must have tried his best to find his parents. On the other hand the parents of the child must have left no stone unturned to find their child.
Q.6.How to ensure not to get lost.
Ans:- It is very common that children get lost in faire and crowds. Hardly a day passes when no child gets lost. It is the duty of both the parents and the children to ensure not to get lost. The parents need to be vigilant and more careful at crowded places. Before entering a crowded place the parents should fix a point where the child should wait in case of getting lost. They should roake the child memories home address and telephone number. They should put or pin up a note on the pocket of the child with full details. They should attend to the need of the child and never leave him behind in case he happens to stand at some shop.
On the other hand the child should hold the hands of his parents at a crowded place. He should keep an eye on hid parents so as not to lose sight of them. In case of any emergency the help of police, help centres and media can be taken.
Q.7.How did the boy try to catch the dragon fly?
Ans. The boy saw a group of dragon-flies in a flowering mustard-field. Fascinated by this group of dragon-flies he followed them. One of the dragon-flies stilled and rested its wings. As soon the boy tried to catch it, it went fluttering, flapping and up into the air.
Q. 8. What happened when the child entered the grove and what was his reaction?
Ans. As the child entered the grove, a shower of young flowers fell upon him. He was so fascinated that he forgot his parents and started gathering flowers. On hearing the cooing of a dove he rushed towards his parents. The petals dropped from his hands.
Q. 9. What was the child's reaction when they neared the village?
Ans. The child saw many other footpaths which led to the fair. There was a big crowd all around. Everyone was in a hurry to enjoy the fair. There was a lot of noise everywhere. The child was very happy
and excited. In such a condition the child got fascinated at once but soon repelled as he had never seen such a crowd earlier.
Q. 4. What was the reaction of-the child when he saw a flower-seller?
Ans. The child saw a flower-seller with a basket full of flowers. In order to sell these flowers he was hawking, "A garland of gulmohur, a garland of gulmohur. The child had a liking for the garland and wanted to have it. But he well knew the attitude of his parents. So he moved on.
NCERT Solutions for Class-9 English Chapter 1 THE LOST CHILD | English Moments
Q. 10. How did the father divert the boy from the toy shops?
Ans. The boy had fascination towards the toys placed in the shops. As soon as he demanded his father looked at him in a rude manner. Being familiar with that particular look of his father, she boy understood at once that he could not get the toys. So the diverted his attention to the new thing.
Q. 11. Enlist the things the boy asked his parents to buy for him.
Ans. There were several things in the fair that the boy wanted to have. He liked to have weets, a garland of gulmohur and balloons. Apart from all these things the boy had keen interest in the roundabout and wanted to enjoy the music played by the snake-charmer.
Q. 12. What did the child see at the corner of the entrance of the fair? What was his reaction?
Ans. The child saw a sweet seller hawking----“gulab-jaman, rasagulla, burfi, jalebi” and a crowd around his counter. There were coloured sweets, decorated with leaves of silver and gold. On seeing the sweets his mouth watered and wanted to have bufi. But he moved on as he knew that if he demanded burfi his parents would consider him greedy .
Q. 13. What was the child s reaction on seeing a man holding a pole with yellow, red, green and purple balloons?
Ans. The man had balloons of different colours. The sequence and arrangements of colours gave the impression of a rainbow. It was things, alluring glory of rainbow that attracted the child most. Being aware of his parents' behaviour he suppressed his desire to get them and proceeded further.
Q. 14. How did the child feel seeing the snake-charmer ? Why did he go away from him?
Ans. While moving in the fair the child heard a flute played by the snake-charmer. He felt Very happy to see the snake-charmer playing a flute and a snake with its head bent gracefully. He was willing to enjoy the graceful music but he went away as he knew that his parents would forbid him to listen such a coarse music.
Q. 15. The child made a bold request : "I want to go on the roundabout, please, Father, Mother". What was the response of his parents ?
Ans. The child was willing to go on the roundabout. For a while, he kept watching it moving in a whirling motion. On watching men, women and children enjoying he could not help making a bold request. But
here the situation was different. There was no response on the part of his parents. They were not around him.
NCERT Solutions for Class-9 English Chapter 1 THE LOST CHILD | English Moments
Q. 16. What did the child do when he got no response on the part of his parents? What was his condition ?
Ans. The child turned to look at his parents but they were not to be seen around. He was filled with fear and ran here and there for them. He was panic-stricken and tears rolled down from his eyes. His yellow turban came untied and his clothes became muddy.
Q. 17. Who helped the child after losing his parents ? What did he offer to buy?
Ans. A kind-hearted man lifted him up. The man had a soft corner for the child. So he wanted to soothe him. He took him to the roundabout and asked his willingness for a ride on the horse. He offered him to buy flowers, balloons, sweets and many other things. But the child had no interest in all these things except his parents.
Q. 18. How was the child lost in the fair ?
Ans. The child on the parents took him to the fair. He was attracted by many charming things on the way. He stood at one place and went on looking at things. The child saw a roundabout.
NCERT Solutions for Class-9 English Chapter 1 THE LOST CHILD | English Moments
LONG ANSWER TYPE QUESTIONS
Q. 1. Describe the scene of fair
Ans. The fair was organised to' celebrate the festival of spring. The scene of fair was full of excitement. It was a crowded place. People from different parts of society visited the fair. The atmosphere was quite noisy. There were many decorated shops. There were toys, balloon of different colours, garland of gulmohar, swing and the special things that attracted the people. Children with the parents enjoyed the swing. There was enjoyment all around. In the fair, there was hustle and bustle. Many groups of men, women and children could be se diversity of different cultures looked united.
Q. 2. Discuss the behaviour of the child before and after his separation from the parents.
Ans. The child looked happy when he entered the fair. He was fascinated towards all things he saw. He was willing to have sweets, a garland of gulmohur and balloons. Apart from all these things the child had keen interest in roundabout and wanted to enjoy the music played by the, snake-charmer. Though his demands were not fulfilled yet he enjoyed the fair.
But when he was separated from his parents, his mood was totally different. He filled with fear and became restless. Tears started rolling down from his eyes. A kind-hearted man lifted him up. He took him to the roundabout and offered him other things. But the child had no interest in all these things.
Q. 3. Write a character-sketch of the Lost child
Ans. A child visited the festival of spriflg with his parents. He had keen interest in different things. He wanted to have them so he demanded for the same. The child knew that his parents would not accept his request. He kept following his parents quietly. He wanted to enjoy the roundabout. So he stood near it. But when he moved back he found his parents nowhere. He became panic-striken and cried for them. A man from the crowd tried to help him by offering him different things. The child didn't show any interest in these things. The sole desire of the child was to see his parents. He thought his world was lost. The child was obedient and sincere. He never forced his parents to buy different things.
Q. 4. Justify the title 'The Lost Child'.
A ns. The title 'The Lost Child' is quite appropriate. The whole story revolves round the lost child. From the beginning to end the child is at the centre. The title The Lost Child' give two meanings. First meaning is quite apparent that the child is lost in the fair. The hidden meaning moment and indicates towards the inner state of mind of the child. His senses enjoyed every moment and the child got attracted towards things. As soon as he saw anything attractive nearby him he got lost in his memory. It is quite vivid that the parents did not satisfy the need of the child. If I that sense he kept lost himself in all those things he saw. When he stood near the roundabout and found his parents nowhere he was actually lost. Hence, the title is quite convincing.
Q. 5. Describe what attracted the child on his way to the fair.
Ans. On his way to the fair the child saw toys, balloons of different colours, garlands of gulmoluir, the swing and a snake-charmer playing a flute. He got attracted towards all these things. But his parents were poor. They could not get these things for their child. Dragon-flies fluttering on the mustard flowers attracted him. He wanted to catch them. The child also got fascinated towards the little insects and worms. He wanted to eat sweets and get other things. He made bold request for riding but there was no response on the part of his parents. The whole atmosphere of fair was quite fascinating. He had never seen such a huge crowd. He enjoyed every moment.