Chapter 9- Bholi 10th English notes

Read and Find Out

1. Why is Bholi’s father worried about her?

Answer

Bholi’s father was worried about her as she had neither good looks nor intelligence. He did not know how he would find a suitable groom for her.

2. For what unusual reasons is Bholi sent to school?

Answer

Bholi is sent to school because there is little chance of her getting married, with her ugly face and lack of sense.

Read and Find Out

1. Does Bholi enjoy her first day at school?

Answer

Yes, Bholi enjoyes her first day at school as she was glad to find so many girls almost of her own age present there. She hoped that one of these girls might become her friend.

2. Does she find her teacher different from the people at home?

Answer

Yes, she finds her teacher different from the people at home as the teacher was polite and this touched her heart. 

Read and Find Out

1. Why do Bholi’s parents accept Bishamber’s marriage proposal?

Answer

Bholi’s parents accept Bishamber’s marriage proposal because if they don’t accept it, she will not be married for the rest of her life.

2. Why does the marriage not take place?

Answer

The marriage does not take place because the groom demands dowry.

Think about It

1. Bholi had many apprehensions about going to school. What made her feel that she was going to a better place than her home?

Answer

Bholi had many apprehensions about going to school. She remembered how their old cow, Lakshmi, had been turned out of the house and sold. When she got a clean dress, bathed and oil was rubbed into her dry hair, only then she felt that she was going to a better place than her home.

2. How did Bholi’s teacher play an important role in changing the course of her life?

Answer

Bholi’s teacher played an important role in changing the course of her life. She was polite and friendly which touched her heart. She encouraged her every time and was affectionate towards her and said to Bholi to put her fears of not being able to speak aside. The teacher transformed her into a confident person who could read, write, and speak clearly.

3. Why did Bholi at first agree to an unequal match? Why did she later reject the marriage? What does this tell us about her?

Answer

Bholi at first agreed to an unequal match because she was lucky to get a well-to-do bridegroom who owned a big shop, had a house of his own, and had several thousand in the bank. Moreover, he was not asking for any dowry. Bholi also heard her mother saying that he did not know about her pock-marks and her lack of sense. If the proposal was not accepted she might remain unmarried all her life. She later rejected the marriage because the bridegroom demanded five thousand rupees as dowry. On seeing the father pleading and humiliated she decided not to marry him.

This tells us that she has self-respect and knows what is right or wrong and is able to take a wise decision.

4. Bholi’s real name is Sulekha. We are told this right at the beginning. But only in the last but one paragraph of the story is Bholi called Sulekha again. Why do you think she is called Sulekha at that point in the story?

Answer

The word Bholi means a simpleton. Throughout the story, she had been a simpleton hardly expressing her opinion. The word Sulekha means a person with a beautiful sense of letters. In this story, this word has a larger meaning of being a literate, intelligent, and mature individual. After her education Bholi has really changed to Sulekha and her assertion during marriage is her announcement to the world that she is no more a Bholi but Sulekha.

Talk About It

Question 1.

Bholi’s teacher helped her overcome social barriers by encouraging and motivating her. How do you think you can contribute towards changing the social attitudes illustrated in this story?

We can contribute by saying no to taking or giving dowry. We must not discriminate between a boy and a girl. Both should be given equal rights and opportunities to grow. We must also learn to respect those who are differently abled and treat them at par.

Question 2.

Should girls be aware of their rights and assert them? Should girls and boys have the same rights, duties, and privileges? What are some of the ways in which society treats them differently? When we speak of ‘Human rights’, do we differentiate between girl’s rights and boy’s rights?

Yes, there is a differentiation between girl’s and boy’s rights. Although equal in the eyes of the law, society treats them differently. Parents spend more on a boy’s education than that of a girl. A girl is just trained to be a wife and mother. Boys have special privileges in matters of food, career, or freedom. Girls must be aware of their rights to exercise them. They must utilize their education to preserve their self–reliance and dignity. They must be ready to demand their due and even fight for it.

Question 3.

Do you think the characters in the story were speaking to each other in English? If not, in which language were they speaking? (you can get clues from the names of the persons and the non-English words used in the story.)

No, we do not think so. They spoke in Hindi. Several words like ‘numbsrdar, tehsildar sahib, izzat and pitaji’ are ample proof of that. Even the names of characters like ‘Randal’ and ‘Bholi’ support that.

MCQs

Question 1.

Who is the artist’s work of art?

(a) Bholi’s friend

(b) Bholi

(c) Bholi’s cow

(d) Bholi’s teacher

Answer

 (b) Bholi

Question 2.

What did he demand as dowry?

(a) money

(b) refrigerator

(c) television

(d) all of the above

Answer

 (a) money

Question 3.

What was in her eyes when the veil was pulled down the second time?

(a) hate

(b) fear

(c) contempt

(d) none of the above

Answer

 (c) contempt

Question 4.

What is the meaning of the word “envious”?

(a) jealous

(b) looking down on someone

(c) hatred

(d) none of the above

Answer

 (a) jealous

Question 5.

Why did Bholi’s parents accept Bishamber’s marriage proposal?

(a) he has a big shop

(b) he has a house

(c) he has good bank balance

(d) all of the above

Answer

 (d) all of the above

Question 6.

How did she leave school on the first day?

(a) sad

(b) with a ray of hope for new life

(c) depressed that she’ll stay where she is

(d) none of the above

Answer

 (b) with a ray of hope for new life

Question 7.

Who comforted Bholi?

(a) her friends

(b) her father

(c) her mother

(d) her teacher

Answer

 (d) her teacher

Question 8.

What did it take for Bholi to believe she was being taken to a place better than home?

(a) clean dress

(b) hair oiling

(c) a bath

(d) all of the above

Answer

 (d) all of the above

Question 9.

Why did she suggest they send Bholi to school?

(a) there was little chance of her getting married

(b) her husband couldn’t disobey Tehsildar’s orders

(c) she took it to teachers at school to worry about her

(d) all of the above

Answer

 (d) all of the above

Question 10.

What did the Tehsildar ask Ramlal to do?

(a) drop him back to the city

(b) have dinner with him

(c) send his daughters to school

(d) none of the above

Answer

 (c) send his daughters to school

Question 11.

How is the situation of the house described?

(a) poor

(b) miserable

(c) prosperous

(d) fine

Answer

 (c) prosperous

Question 12.

At what age did she begin to speak?

(a) 2

(b) 5

(c) 4

(d) 1

Answer

 (b) 5

Question 13.

What damaged some part of her brain?

(a) falling off a cot

(b) falling off the stairs

(c) falling off a verandah

(d) small-pox

Answer

 (a) falling off a cot

Question 14.

How many siblings did Bholi have?

(a) 1

(b) 2

(c) 4

(d) 6

Answer

 (d) 6

Question 15.

What do you mean by the word “simpleton”?

(a) simple

(b) foolish

(c) basic

(d) none of the above

Answer

 (b) foolish

Question 16.

Who is the author of the lesson’Bholi?

(a) Guy de Maupassant

(b) Claire Boika

(c) K.A. Abbas

(d) Sinclair Lewis

Answer

 (c) K.A. Abbas

Question 17.

What did Bishamber demand as dowry?

(a) two thousand rupees

(b) five thousand rupees

(c) ten thousand rupees

(d) twenty thousand rupees

Answer

 (b) five thousand rupees

Question 18.

How did Bholi find the teacher on her very first day in the school?

(a) cruel

(b) hard

(c) kind and loving

(d) all of the above

Answer

 (c) kind and loving

Question 19.

Who was Lakshmi?

(a) Bholi’s mother

(b) Bholi’s cow

(c) Bholi’s teacher

(d) Bholi’s classmate

Answer

 (b) Bholi’s cow

Question 20.

How was Bholi treated in the family?

(a) she was not given new clothes

(b) none cared to wash her clothes

(c) none cared to comb her hair

(d) all of the above

Answer

 (d) all of the above

Question 21.

What did the Tehsildar urge Ramlal about his daughters?

(a) send them to school

(b) marry them soon

(c) send them to the city

(d) all of the above

Answer

 (a) send them to school

Question 22.

Why did Tehsildar come to Ramlal’s village?

(a) to perform the opening ceremony of the girl’s school

(b) to attend Radha’s wedding

(c) to meet the village people

(d) all of the above

Answer

 (a) to perform the opening ceremony of the girl’s school

Question 23.

At what age did Bholi begin to speak?

(a) three

(b) four

(c) five

(d) six

Answer

 (c) five

Question 24.

How many children did Ramlal have?

(a) four

(b) five

(c) six

(d) seven

Answer

 (d) seven

Question 25.

How many daughters did Ramlal have?

(a) one

(b) two

(c) three

(d) four

Answer

 (d) four

Question 26.

What was Bholi’s real name?

(a) Champa

(b) Radha

(c) Mangla

(d) Sulekha

Answer

 (d) Sulekha