DEHRADUN PUBLIC SCHOOL

CLASS- XII
ASSIGNMENT 2018-19
SUBJECT-ENGLISH

FLAMINGO
CHAPTER NO-1
THE LAST LESSON
Short Answer Questions:
1. What did the narrator observe as he passed the town hall? Why did the sight trouble him?
2. What was the implication of the blacksmith’s remark? How did Franz respond to his remark?
3. What does M. Hamel mean when he says, ‘We’ve all a great deal to reproach ourselves with”?
Long Answer Question
The story “The last lesson” is all about ‘linguistic chauvinism’. Comment.
CHAPTER NO-2
LOST SPRING
Short Answer Questions:
1. How is Saheb’s name full of irony?
2. What instances in the chapter reveal that infrastructurally, Firozabad is a neglected city?
3. “Listening to them, I see two distinct worlds…” In the context of Mukesh, the bangle maker’s son,
which two worlds is Anees Jung referring to?
Long Answer Question
Slums are the ugly underbelly of all big cities the world over. Describe the contrasting world of ‘haves’
and ‘have-nots’ inhabiting these two worlds.
CHAPTER NO-3
DEEP WATER
Short Answer Questions:
1. What impact did the incident at California beach have on little Douglas?
2. ‘I jumped with everything I had’. Why did Douglas jump? Did the jump make any difference?
3. What intensified Douglas’ will to live?
Long Answer Question
Fear is something that we must learn to overcome if we want to succeed in life. How did Douglas get over
his fear of water?
CHAPTER NO-4
THE RATTRAP
Short Answer Questions:
1. How did the tramp make his living? What idea do you get about him from the way he earned to
keep his body and soul together?
2. Generally speaking, how did the world treat the tramp?
3. What did the ironmaster plan to do for the so called Captain?
Long Answer Question
What made the peddler finally change his ways?
CHAPTER NO-5
INDIGO
Short Answer Questions:
1. Why did Gandhiji visit Muzzafarpur on his way to champaran? Who received him there?
2. How were the britishers shown that their dreaded and unquestioned authority could be
challenged by the Indians?
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 3. Though the sharecroppers of Champaran received only one-fourth of the compensation, how can
the Champaran struggle still be termed as a huge success and victory?
Long Answer Question
Why did Gandhiji’s casual visit to Champaran get extended to over a year?
CHAPTER NO- 6
GOING PLACES
Short Answer Questions:
1. Sophie did not approve of her own world. What kind of a world did she dream of?
2. What is referred to as ‘the weekly pilgrimage for the family’? Why?
3. What place did Sophie choose to have a date with Danney Casey and why?
Long Answer Question
In one’s approach to life one should be practical and not live in a world of dreams. How is Jansie’sattitude
different from that of Sophie?
POETRY
POEM -1
MY MOTHER AT SIXTY SIX
Short Answer Questions:
1. How did the face of Kamala’s mother betray her thoughts?
2. What is the significance of the images, ‘sprinting trees’ and ‘merry children spilling out of their
homes’ in the poem “My Mother at Sixty-six”?
3. What childhood fear do you think Kamala speaks of?
4. What does the poet’s smile in the poem “My Mother at Sixty-six“show?
5. Do you think the poem reflects on the escapist tendency of the poet?
POEM-2
AN ELEMENTARY SCHOOL CLASSROOM IN A SLUM
Short Answer Questions:
1. How does the young and sweet boy unnoticed in the class differ from the most of other slum
children?
2. In what ways are the slum children unsung fighters?
3. What modern imagery has been used in the poem?
4. How does the poet visualize the present status of the slum children?
5. What does the poet mean by saying, ‘let their tongues run naked into books’?
POEM-3
KEEPING QUIET
Short Answer Questions:
1. How would man be together in a ‘sudden strangeness’?
2. What kind of wars does the poet refer to in the poem?
3. What does the poet mean when he says that a chemical war will result in a ‘victory with no
survivors’?
4. On what note does the poet conclude the poem?
5. Whom is the poet addressing and what does he want them to be?
POEM-4
A THING OF BEAUTY
Short Answer Questions:
1. What images does the poet use to describe the beautiful bounty of the earth?
2. How does beauty leave an indelible imprint on our mind?
3. How, according to the poet, does the darkness and despair of life wither away?
4. What philosophy of life is highlighted in the poem?
5. How does the poem highlight the poet’s immense faith in the Divine?
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 POEM-5
AUNT JENNIFER’S TIGERS
Short Answer Questions:
1. What do ‘Tigers’ symbolize in the poem?
2. Where does Aunt Jennifer seek refuge on being victimized by the male world? Does she find her
freedom?
3. Do you think Aunt Jennifer is both a victim and an oppressor? Comment.
4. Do you find any element of surprise in the poem?
5. What ideology does the poem propound?
VISTAS
CHAPTER NO-1
THE TIGER KING
Short Answer Questions:
1. How did the ‘Duraisani’ behave on receiving the gifts? What idea do you form about her from her
behavior?
2. What considerations influenced the Tiger King to get married?
3. What is the significance of child’s utterance “Let tigers beware”? Do you find some oddity here?
Long Answer Question
The title of the Maharaja reflected grandeur but his death was an anticlimax. Justify.
CHAPTER NO-2
THE ENEMY
Short Answer Questions:
1. What reasons would you ascribe to the General beating his wife?
2. Why do you think Hana believes that the man is a “menace, living or dead”?
3. Why did Sadao and Hana not marry heedlessly in America?

Long Answer Question

How would you explain the reluctance of the soldier to leave the shelter of the doctor’s home even when
he knew he couldn’t stay there without risk to the doctor and himself?
CHAPTER NO-3
SHOULD WIZARD HIT THE MOMMY?
Short Answer Questions:
1. How do the woodland creatures ultimately accept Skunk?
2. How was Jo affected by Jack’s story telling?
3. Why was story telling “especially fatiguing” for Jack on Saturdays?

Long Answer Question

What makes Jack feel caught in an ugly middle position?
CHAPTER NO-4
ON THE FACE OF IT
Short Answer Questions:
1. Why is one green, growing plant is called ‘weed’ and another ‘flower’? What does Mr.Lamb mean
by this statement?
2. Why does Derry’s mother not want him to go back to Mr. Lamb?
3. How have people been sermonizing to Derek about his burnt face? How does Derek feel about this
sermonizing?
Long Answer Question
What are your personal views on the statement, “Blind people only ought to be with other blind people”?

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 CHAPTER NO-5
EVANS TRIES AN O-LEVEL
Short Answer Questions:
1. Why do you think Evans does not become conversant with German in spite of having been taught
for more than six months?
2. Knowing fully well how sharp Evans is, shouldn’t Jackson have told him to remove his ‘bobble hat’
in his presence?
3. Which article in McLerry’s suitcase played perhaps the most significant role in Evans’ escape and
how?
Long Answer Question
What could the Governor have done to securely bring back Evans to prison when he caught him at the
Golden Lion? Does that final act of foolishness really prove that ‘he was just another good-for-a-giggle,
gullible Governor, that was all’?
CHAPTER NO-6
MEMORIES OF CHILDHOOD
Short Answer Questions:
1. In the words of the author “… eating by formula was not the hardest trial in that first day.” What
other ordeal was in store for her?
2. How would you interpret the author’s statement “…. Now I was only one of many little animals
driven by a herder”.
3. While describing the activities going on under the supervision of the landlord, the girl adds “Our
people were hard at work…” How would you interpret the expression “Our people”?
Long Answer Question
What discrimination did Bama experience her childhood? How did she respond to her respective
situation?
NOVEL
THE INVISIBLE MAN
Long Answer Questions:
1. Why did Mrs. Hall regret having taken in the stranger as her guest in the “Coach and Horses”?
2. Narrate the events that led to the stranger’s revealing his secret about invisibility.
3. While talking to Dr. Kemp, what was referred to as the ‘first stroke of luck’ by the Invisible Man?
Was ‘it’ really a stroke of luck?
4. How far do you find the title of the chapter ‘The Hunter Hunted’ appropriate?
5. What problems did the stranger’s invisibility cause him? How did he turn this peculiarity to his
advantage?
6. How do you perceive Dr. Kemp based on his interaction with Griffin?
7. “Misdirected and self-serving ambition essentially remains an exercise in futility.” Describe
Griffin’s character in the light of the above statement.
8. Discuss the major thematic concern of the writer in the novel “The Invisible Man”.

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