CBSE Class 12 English Lost Spring Worksheet Set C

SHORT ANSWER TYPE QUESTIONS :

Question. What is the condition of children working in the glass furnaces of Firozabad ?
Answer : About 20,000 children work in the glass furnaces of Firozabad. They have to work in very hot temperatures. They work in dingy cells without air and light. They have to work all day. Thus they lose the brightness of their eyes.

Question. What was Saheb wearing one winter morning ? Where did he get it ?
Answer : Saheb was wearing tennis shoes. Some rich boy had given these to him. They were discarded shoes. There was a hole in one of them. For Saheb, who walked barefoot, even these were a dream come true.

Question. Is it possible for Mukesh to realize his dream ? Justify your answer. 
Answer : Yes, he can realise his dream. He wants to be a motor mechanic. He can realise his dream through hard work and firm determination. He has determined to go to a garage and learn the job. The garage is a long way from his home. But he says that he will walk all that distance to realise his ambition.

Question. How did the writer come to recognise each of the ragpickers in her neighbourhood ? 
Answer : The writer had formed an acquaintance with Saheb who was a ragpicker. The other ragpickers were Saheb’s friends. They came every morning and disappeared at noon. The writer used to watch them with interest. Over the months, she came to recognise each of them.

Question. What does garbage mean to the elders and the children in Seemapuri ?
Or
What did garbage mean to the children of Seemapuri and to their parents ? 
Answer : Garbage to the elders is gold. It is their daily bread. It means a roof over their heads. But for the children, it is even more. For them, it is a thing wrapped in wonder. For the elders, it is a means of survival.

Question. What job did Saheb take up ? Was he happy ? 
Answer : Saheb took up the job of a helper at a tea stall. However, he did not feel happy there. Now he had lost his carefree look. He was no longer his own master. He was now merely a child labourer who had to obey all the commands of the shop owner.

Question. What promise had the writer made with Saheb ? What was it that embarrassed her ?
Answer : Saheb did not go to school. He said that there was no school in his neighbourhood. “If I start a school, will you come ?” asked the writer. “Yes,’’ said Saheb. But the writer had to feel small when, after a few days, Saheb asked her if her school was ready.

Question. What does Mukesh’s grandmother say about her husband ?
Answer : She says that her husband belonged to a family of bangle makers. She calls it a God-given lineage. It could not be broken. Her husband went blind with the dust from the polishing of bangles.
She calls it his karma.

Question. What does Saheb look for in the garbage ? 
Answer : Saheb is a poor ragpicker. Every morning, he comes to probe the garbage heaps in the author’s neighbourhood. He looks for anything that can get him some coins. His family has migrated from Dhaka because of the violence and poverty there. Now they are living in the Seemapuri area of Delhi.

Question. What does the reference to chappals in ‘Lost Spring’ tell us about the economic condition of the ragpickers ? 
Answer : The reference to chappals indicates the extreme poverty of the ragpickers. They had no chappals to wear. They went about barefoot. They had become used to it. Even if they had chappals, they looked for excuses not to wear them.

Question. What does the writer say about the boys and girls working in dark hutments ?
Answer : These boys and girls work with their fathers and mothers. They have flickering oil lamps in front of them. They weld pieces of glass into bangles. Their eyes get more used to the dark than to the light outside. Many of them lose their eyesight before they become adults.

Question. What kind of a locality does Mukesh live in ?
Answer : It is a very dirty locality. The lanes are stinking. They are choked with garbage. The homes look like hovels. Their walls are crumbling. They have wobbly doors. There are no windows. Men and aminals live in them together.

Question. What forces conspire to keep the workers in bangle industry of Firozabad in poverty ?
Or
Why does the author say that the bangle makers are caught in a vicious circle ? 
Answer : There are sahukars, middlemen, policemen, bureaucrats and politicians. All these form a vicious circle. Poor bangle makers have been trapped in it for generations. Now they have come to accept it as something natural.

Question. How does the author describe the area of Seemapuri ?
Answer : Seemapuri is a place on the periphery of Delhi. Those who live here are Bangladeshis. They came here in 1971. They live in structures of mud. They have roofs of tin and tarpaulin. They are all ragpickers. They have no sewage, drainage or running water.

Question. What had Saheb’s mother told him about their coming to the big city ?
Answer : Saheb’s mother had told him that their home used to be in the green fields of Dhaka. There were many storms. All homes and fields were swept away. So they left their country and came to the big city, looking for livelihood.

Question. Who was Mukesh ? What was his aim in life ?
Answer : Mukesh belonged to a family of bangle makers in Firozabad. He did not like the life of a bangle maker. He wanted to be his own master. His dream was to become a motor mechanic.

Question. Where have the people living in Seemapuri come from ? Why don’t they want to go back ?
Answer : These people have come from Bangladesh. Their land is beautiful. It has rivers and green fields. But the homes and fields are often swept away by floods. They get no corn to feed themselves and their children. That is why they don’t want to go back.

Question. ‘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 ? 
Answer : One world, which Anees Jung is here referring to, is the world of bangle-makers. These people are caught in the web of poverty. They are burdened by the stigma of caste to which they belong. The other world is the vicious circle of the money lenders, middle men, the policemen, the keepers of the law, the bureaucrats and the politicians.

Question. Who was Saheb ? What was his full name ? What was the irony about his name ? 
Answer : Saheb was a poor ragpicker. His full name was Saheb-e-Alam. It means lord of the universe. But the poor boy had not even shoes to wear. Thus there was a deep irony in his name.

Question. What makes the city of Firozabad famous ?
Answer : Firozabad is famous for its bangles. Every other family here is engaged in making bangles. It is the centre of India’s glass-blowing industry. It makes bangles for all the women of the land.

Question. What does the title, ‘Lost Spring’, convey ? 
Answer : Spring symbolises happiness. But the children living in slums have to work in miserable conditions. There is hardly any joy left in their lives. Thus through the title, ‘Lost Spring’, the writer wants to convey the dark and dreary life of the slum dwellers.

Question. How is Mukesh’s attitude to his situation different from that of his family ?
Or
Who is Mukesh ? What is his dream ? 
Or
How is Mukesh different from the other bangle makers of Firozabad ? 
Answer : Mukesh belongs to a family of bangle makers. These people think it a God-given lineage. But Mukesh wants to be his own master. He wants to become a motor mechanic. He wants to break away from the family tradition.

Question. Do you think Saheb was happy to work at the tea stall ? Answer giving reasons.
Answer : No, Saheb was not happy to work at the tea stall. He had lost his old carefree look. Though he was paid reasonably well, he was no longer his own master. Now he belonged to the man who owned the tea stall.

Question. Where did the writer see Saheb one winter morning ? What was he doing there ?
Answer : Saheb was standing by the gate of a club. He was watching two young men. The young men were dressed in white. They were playing tennis. Saheb told the writer that he liked the game.

Question. What is Saheb looking for in the garbage dumps ? Where has he come from and why ?
Or
What does Saheb look for in the garbage dumps ? 
Answer : Saheb is a poor ragpicker. Every morning, he comes to probe the garbage heaps in the author’s neighbourhood. He looks for anything that can get him some coins. His family has migrated from Dhaka because of the violence and poverty there. Now they are living in the Seemapuri area of Delhi.

Question. What explanations does the author give for the children not wearing footwear ?
Answer : The ragpickers were poor children. They always went about barefoot. They had become used to it. Even if they had shoes, they looked for excuses not to wear them. Some even said that going barefoot was a tradition among them.

Question. Who is Savita ? What is she doing ? What does the writer wonder about ?
Answer : Savita is a young girl. She is soldering pieces of glass. Her hands are moving mechanically. The writer wonders if she knows the sanctity of the bangles she is making. They symbolise an Indian woman’s suhaag.

Question. How, in your opinion, can Mukesh realise his dream ?
Answer : Mukesh wants to be a motor mechanic. He can realise his dream through hard work and firm determination. He will go to a garage and learn. The garage is a long way from his home. But he says he will walk all that distance to realise his dream.

Question. ‘Garbage to them is gold.’ Why does the author say so about the ragpickers ?
Answer : Garbage to the ragpickers is gold. It is the only source of their income. It is their daily bread. It also means a roof over their heads. Thus it is the most valuable thing in their life.

Question. ‘It is his Karma, his destiny.’ What is the attitude of Mukesh’s family towards their situation ?
Answer : Mukesh’s grandmother says that her husband belonged to a family of bangle makers. She calls it a God-given lineage. It could not be broken. Her husband went blind with the dust from the polishing of bangles. She calls it his karma.

Question. Why don’t the poor bangle makers organise themselves into a co-operative ?
Answer : There are cruel middlemen. They don’t let the bangle makers form any co-operative. They put the police after them. They are caught and beaten by the police. They are put into jail on false charges of illegal acts. The poor bangle makers have no leader to guide them.

Question. How did Saheb feel working at a tea stall ? What did he get there ?
Or
Is Saheb happy working at the tea stall ? Why / Why not ? 
Answer : Saheb did not feel happy there. He had lost his carefree look. He was paid 800 rupees and given all his meals. But he was no longer his own master. He belonged to the man who owned the tea shop.

Question. What does the writer mean when she says, ‘Saheb is no longer his own master’ ? 
Answer : Saheb had started working at a tea stall. But he was not happy there. He had lost his old carefree look. He was paid reasonably well, but he was no longer his own master. He now
belonged to the man who owned the tea stall.

LONG ANSWER TYPE QUESTIONS :

Question. What does the writer note about Savita and others in her home ?
Answer : The writer sees that Savita is a young girl. She is in a dull pink dress. An elderly woman is sitting beside her. She is probably Savita’s mother. Savita is soldering pieces of glass. Her hands are moving mechanically. She is making bangles but perhaps she does not know about their sanctity. They are the symbols of an Indian woman’s suhaag. Savita will come to know of it when she herself becomes a bride one day. Then her hands will be dyed red with henna. Red bangles will be rolled onto her wrists. The old woman became a bride many years ago. She still has her bangles on her wrist. But there is no light in her eyes. There is no joy in her voice. She says that she has not enjoyed even one full meal in all her life. Her husband is an old man. He has a flowing beard. He says that he knows nothing except bangles. However, he feels some consolation in saying that he has made a house for his family to live in.

Question. Describe the difficulties that the bangle makers of Firozabad have to face in their lives. 
Answer : The bangle makers of Firozabad have to face all that abject poverty, misery and helplessness can bring in one’s life. They have to work day and night in hot temperatures around the glass furnaces. They have to work in dingy cells without any air or light. Even little children have to do this soul-destroying job along with the elders of the family. Their eyes get more used to the dark than to the light outside. Many of them lose their eyesight even before they become adults. The houses they live in are more like hovels. They have crumbling walls, wobbly doors and no windows. The entire area is crowded with families of humans and animals living together in most dirty conditions. The stinking lanes remain choked with garbage. These poor people have no hope from any quarter. If ever they try to raise their voice, they are treated cruelly by the police. In fact, the difficulties faced by these people are horrifying.

Question. Where did the writer see Saheb one winter morning ? What was he doing there ?
Answer : Saheb was standing by the gate of a club. It was a fenced gate. Two young men were playing tennis there. They were dressed in white. Saheb said that he liked that game. But he was content to watch it from the outside. Sometimes there was no one around. Then the gatekeeper allowed him to use the swing. Saheb, too, was wearing tennis shoes. They were discarded shoes. Some rich boy gave these to him. There was a hole in one of them. But that did not bother Saheb. For him, it was a dream come true. He used to go barefoot, but now he was wearing tennis shoes. However, the game he was watching so lovingly was out of his reach.

Question. The bangle makers of Firozabad make beautiful bangles and make everyone happy but they themselves live and die in squalor. Elaborate. 
Answer : Firozabad is a dirty town. It is famous for its bangles. Every other family here is engaged in making bangles. It is the centre of India’s glass-blowing industry. For generations, families in Firozabad have been working around glass furnaces. They weld glass and make bangles for all the women in the land. But these people have always been very poor. They have to work in high temperatures. They have to work in dingy cells without air and light. About 20,000 children have to work in dark places all day long. Their eyes get more adjusted to the dark than to the light outside. Many of them lose their eyesight even before they become adults. The poor bangle makers lead a miserable life. Though they make everyone happy with their beautiful bangles, they themselves live and die in the dirty slums of Firozabad.

Question. Write a brief note on the town of Firozabad.
Answer : Firozabad is a dirty town. It is famous for its bangles. Every other family here is engaged in making bangles. It is the centre of India’s glass-blowing industry. For generations, families in Firozabad have been working around glass furnaces. They weld glass and make bangles for all the women in the land. But these people have always been very poor. They have to work in high temperatures. They have to work in dingy cells without air and light. About 20,000 children have to work in dark places all day long. Their eyes get more adjusted to the dark than to the light outside. Many of them lose their eyesight even before they become adults. The poor bangle makers lead a miserable life. They are exploited by middlemen, policemen, sahukars, bureaucrats and politicians.

Question. Reproduce briefly the story related to the man from Udipi.
Answer : The writer once met a man from Udipi. The man said that as a young boy, he would go to school past an old temple. His father was a priest at that temple. The boy would stop briefly at the temple. He would pray for a pair of shoes. The boy finally got a pair of shoes. Now the boy prayed, “Let me never lose them.” The goddess granted his prayer.
The writer says that she visited the town thirty years later. The temple had a new priest now. The new priest’s son was wearing a grey uniform. He was also wearing socks and shoes. The writer remembered the prayer another boy had made. She saw that boys like the son of the priest now wore shoes. But many others like the ragpickers in her neighbourhood were still shoeless.

Question. How is Mukesh’s attitude towards his situation different from that of Saheb ? Why ?
Answer : Saheb is a ragpicker. Many years back, he came with his mother from Bangladesh and settled in the slums of Seemapuri. He spends all his day looking for rags and other things in heaps of garbage. He does have his own ambitions, but he knows there is no way he can realise them. He wants to go to school, but there is none he can go to. In order to have a fixed income, he gives up ragpicking and starts working at a tea stall. But now he feels one difference. Previously, the bag of rags belonged to him, but now the steel container he has to carry, belongs to the man who owns the shop. Mukesh belongs to a family of bangle makers in Firozabad. Generations of his family have been engaged in this trade, but still they live in conditions of abject poverty. To Mukesh, the life of a bangle maker is worse than that of a slave. He says he wants to be his own master. “I will be a motor mechanic,” he says. We can say that Mukesh is a little more confident and imaginative than Saheb.

Question. What does the writer want Saheb to do ? Why has she to feel embarrassed about it later ?
Answer : Saheb is a poor ragpicker. The writer sees him every morning probing the garbage heaps in her neighbourhood. She asks Saheb why he doesn’t go to school. At this Saheb says, “There is no school in my neighbourhood. When they build one, I will go.”
The writer says half-jokingly, “If I start a school, will you come ?”
“Yes,” says Saheb, smiling broadly.
A few days later, Saheb sees the writer. He comes running to her, and asks, “Is your school ready ?”
The writer has to feel small. She had made a promise which she did not mean. Now she could only say, “It takes longer to build a school.”
Promises like these are often made with the poor but they are never fulfilled.

Question. What did the writer see when Mukesh took him to his home ?
Answer : The writer saw that it was in a slum area. The lanes were stinking. They were choked with garbage. The homes looked hovels. Their walls were crumbling. The doors were wobbly. There were no windows. The homes were crowded with humans and animals living together. Mukesh’s home was like a half-built shack. In one part of it, a firewood stove had a large vessel on it. A frail young woman was cooking the evening meal. She was the wife of Mukesh’s elder brother. When Mukesh’s father came in, she brought her veil closer to her face. The old man was a poor bangle maker. Even after long years of hard labour, he had failed to renovate his house. He could not send his two sons to school. Mukesh’s grandmother was also there. Her own husband had gone blind with dust from the polishing of glass bangles. She called it his karma.

Question. Describe the circumstances which keep the workers in the bangles industry in poverty. 
Answer : Poverty is like a bottomless well in which one can only fall deeper and deeper, and it is no different with the workers in the Firozabad bangle industry. Their abject poverty drives them deeper and deeper into the mire of misery from which they have no hope of ever being able to come out. If ever they try to raise their voice against the injustice they are subjected to, the police haul them up and beat them mercilessly. They are falsely booked for doing something illegal and then they are put into jail. Thus these poor people find no succour from anywhere and have to remain in the same state of poverty and misery from generation to generation. All their life and labour goes into keeping body and soul together.

Question. “Seemapuri, a place on the periphery of Delhi yet miles away from it, metaphorically.” Explain. 
Or
Give a brief account of the life and activities of the people like Saheb-e-Alam settled in Seemapuri.
Or
‘For the children it is wrapped in wonder; for the elders it is a means of survival.’ What kind of life do the ragpickers of Seemapuri lead ? 
Answer : Seemapuri is a slum area. About 10,000 ragpickers live here. They live in structures of mud. They have roofs of tin and tarpaulin. There is no sewage, drainage or running water. Those who live here came from Bangladesh in 1971. They have no identity or permits. But they have ration cards. They have their names on voters’ lists. To them, food is more important than anything else. They pitch their tents wherever they can find food. For them, ragpicking means survival. Garbage to them is gold. It is their daily bread. It is a roof over their heads. For children it is even more. For them, it is a thing wrapped in wonder. When they find a silver coin in a heap of garbage, they don’t stop probing it. They have always a hope of finding more.

Question. Mukesh is not like the others. His ‘dreams loom like a mirage amidst the dust of streets that fill his town Firozabad’. Justify the statement in the light of contrast in the mindsets of Mukesh and the people of Firozabad.
Answer : Mukesh lived in Firozabad. Firozabad is the centre of India’s glass-blowing industry. The town is famous for its colourful glass bangles. These bangles are lovingly worn by the ‘suhagins’ of the whole country. The people have been making bangles for generations. The old, the young, the women, the children all work in the bangle industry. The people have become complacent. They cannot think of coming out of their so-called ‘ancestral work’. But Mukesh has a different mindset. He wants to break the tradition and come outside to breathe fresh air. His wish is to become a motor mechanic and thus be his own master. For this, he goes on foot to a great distance to learn his desired work. Since he has the determination, he will be able to fulfil his cherished wish.

Question. The life of bangle makers of Firozabad is full of obstacles which force them to lead a life of poverty and deprivation. Discuss with reference to ‘Lost Spring’.
Answer : Every other family at Firozabad is engaged in making bangles. They have been doing this work for generations. But these people have always been very poor. They have to work in very high temperatures. They work in dingy cells without air and light. Many of them lose their eyesight even before they become adults. Even after working so hard, they remain poor. They are caught in the vicious circle of sahukars, middlemen, policemen, bureaucrats and politicians. If the bangle makers try to organize themselves into a cooperative, the police catch and beat them. They are put into jail on false charges of illegal acts. The poor bangle makers have no leader to guide them. Thus their life is full of obstacles which force them to lead a life of poverty and deprivation.

Question. ‘Lost Spring’ explains the grinding poverty and traditions that condemn thousands of people to live a life of abject poverty. Do you agree ? Why / Why not ? 
Or
‘Garbage to them is gold.’ How do the ragpickers of Seemapuri survive ?
Answer : ‘Lost Spring’ describes the pitiable condition of poor children who have to live in slums and work hard in very dirty conditions. They are never sent to school because their parents are too poor to pay for their education. In order to describe their lot, the writer first takes up the case of poor ragpickers who have settled in the Seemapuri area of Delhi. It is a slum area where about 10,000 ragpickers live in structures of mud. They have roofs of tin and tarpaulin. There is no sewage, drainage or running water. Those who live here came from Bangladesh in 1971. For them, ragpicking means survival. Garbage to them is gold. It is their daily bread. Then the writer takes up the case of the poor bangle makers who have been living for generations in the dingy town of Firozabad. These people have been exploited by all sections of society. Every other family here is engaged in making bangles. For generations, families here have been working around glass furnaces. They have to work in high temperatures. They have to work in dingy cells without air and light. About 20,000 children have to work in dark places all day long. Their eyes get more adjusted to the dark than to the light. Many of them lose their eyesight even before they become adults. The poor bangle makers lead a miserable life. They are exploited by middlemen, policemen, sahukars, bureaucrats and politicians.

EXTRA QUESTIONS :

Question. Mention the hazards of working in the glass bangles industry.
Answer : Workers in the glass bangles industry have to work in very high temperatures. They work in dingy cells without air and light. They don’t get any daylight. Thus they lose the brightness of their eyes. The powder from the polishing of bangles also blinds them.

Question. What forces conspire to keep the workers in bangle industry of Firozabad in poverty ?
Answer : They include sahukars, middlemen, policemen, bureaucrats and politicians.

Question. Is Saheb happy working at the tea stall ? Explain.
Answer : No, he is not happy working at the tea stall. Now he is no longer his own master.

Question. Why should child labour be eliminated and how ?
Answer : Child labour is a cruel practice. It should be eliminated by educating the children. It has already been banned by law.

Question. What explanations does the author offer for the children not wearing footwear ?
Answer : She says that the children are too poor to have any shoes. It could also be a tradition among them to go barefoot.

Question. What could be some of the reasons for the migration of people from villages to cities ?
Answer : Their fields and homes were swept away by frequent storms. They had nothing to eat. So they had to leave their homes and come to the cities.

Question. What makes the city of Firozabad famous ?
Answer : It is the centre of India’s glass-blowing industry.

Question. How, in your opinion, can Mukesh realise his dream ?
Answer : He can realise his dream by working at some garage and learning the job of a motor mechanic.

Question. How is Mukesh’s attitude to his situation different from that of his family ?
Answer : Mukesh wants to break away from the family tradition of making bangles. He wants to become a car mechanic.

Question. What is Saheb looking for in the garbage dumps ? Where is he and where has he come from ?
Answer : He is looking for some silver coin or currency note. It is no less than gold for him. He is in Seemapuri (Delhi) and he has come from Bangladesh.

Question. Would you agree that promises made to the poor children are rarely kept ? Why do you think this happens in the incidents narrated in the text ?
Answer : Promises made to the poor are rarely kept. It is because these people are not organised and can’t put any pressure on the government.

PASSAGES FOR COMPREHENSION :

‘‘Why do you do this ?’’ I ask Saheb whom I encounter every morning scrounging for gold in the garbage dumps of my neighbourhood. Saheb left his home long ago. Set amidst the green fields of Dhaka, his home is not even a distant memory. There were many storms that swept away their fields and homes, his mother tells him. That’s why they left, looking for gold in the big city where he now lives. ‘‘I have nothing else to do,’’ he mutters, looking away. ‘‘Go to school,’’ I say glibly, realizing immediately how hollow the advice must sound.

Question. What do the ragpickers search the garbage dumps for every morning ?
Answer : Gold.

Question. Name the lesson and the writer.
Answer : Lost Spring’ by Anees Jung.

Question. By what were Saheb’s home and green fields destroyed ?
Answer : Saheb’s home and green fields were destroyed by many storms.

Question. What is the meaning of the word ‘encounter’ here ?
Answer : Come across.

Question. Who is the narrator of the above passage ?
Answer : The narrator is Anees Jung.

After months of knowing him, I ask him his name. ‘‘Saheb-e-Alam,’’ he announces. He does not know what it means. If he knew its meaning — lord of the universe — he would have a hard time believing it. Unaware of what his name represents, he roams the streets with his friends, an army of barefoot boys who appear like the morning birds and disappear at noon. Over the months, I have come to recognise each of them.

Question. Who does Saheb roam with ?
Answer : He roams with his friends.

Question. Name the chapter from which these lines have been taken.
Answer : These lines have been taken from the chapter, ‘Lost Spring’.

Question. What is the meaning of ‘Saheb-e-Alam’ ?
Answer : Lord of the universe.

Question. Who is the author of these lines ?
Answer : Anees Jung.

Question. Did Saheb know the meaning of his name ?
Answer : No, he didn’t.

‘‘Even if she did he will throw them off,’’ adds another who is wearing shoes that do not match. When I comment on it, he shuffles his feet and says nothing. ‘‘I want shoes,’’ says a third
boy who has never owned a pair all his life. Travelling across the country I have seen children walking barefoot, in cities, on village roads. It is not lack of money but a tradition to stay barefoot, is one explanation. I wonder if this is only an excuse to explain away a perpetual state of poverty.

Question. Who shuffles his feet and why ?
Answer : A ragpicker; because the narrator points out that he is wearing shoes that do not match.

Question. Why, according to the writer, do children go barefoot ?
Answer : It is because of poverty.

Question. What would he throw off ?
Answer : His shoes.

Question. What explanation do the ragpickers give to stay barefoot ?
Answer : That it is a tradition among them.

Question. Where has the narrator seen children walking barefoot ?
Answer : In cities and on village roads.

My acquaintance with the barefoot ragpickers leads me to Seemapuri, a place on the periphery of Delhi, yet miles away from it, metaphorically. Those who live here are squatters who came from Bangladesh back in 1971. Saheb’s family is among them. Seemapuri was then a wilderness. It still is, but it is no longer empty. In structures of mud, with roofs of tin and tarpaulin, devoid of sewage, drainage or running water, live 10,000 ragpickers. They have lived here for more than thirty years without an identity, without permits but with ration cards that get their names on voters’ lists and enable them to buy grain.

Question. From where did the ragpickers come ?
Answer : They had come from Bangladesh.

Question. From which chapter have these lines been taken ?
Answer : These lines have been taken from the chapter, ‘Lost Spring’.

Question. Describe the homes of Seemapuri residents.
Answer : The houses are structures of mud. They have roofs of tin and tarpaulin.

Question. Where did the author’s acquaintance with the ragpickers lead her to ?
Answer : led her to Seemapuri, a place on the periphery of Delhi.

Question. How many ragpickers lived in Seemapuri ?
Answer : About 10,000.

They have lived here for more than thirty years without an identity, without permits but with ration cards that get their names on voters’ lists and enable them to buy grain. Food is more important for survival than an identity. ‘‘If at the end of the day we can feed our families and go to bed without an aching stomach, we would rather live here than in the fields that gave us no grain,’’ say a group of women in tattered saris when I ask them why they left their beautiful land of green fields and rivers. Wherever they find food, they pitch their tents that become transit homes. Children grow up in them, becoming partners in survival. And survival in Seemapuri means rag-picking. Through the years, it has acquired the proportions of a fine art. Garbage to them is gold. It is their daily bread, a roof over their heads, even if it is a leaking roof. But for a child it is even more.

Question. Where have the ragpickers lived for more than thirty years ?
Answer : They have lived in the Seemapuri area of Delhi.

Question. What is gold to the ragpickers ?
Answer : Garbage is gold to the ragpickers.

Question. Name the chapter and its author.
Answer : The name of the chapter is ‘Lost Spring’. The name of its author is Anees Jung.

Question. Find from the passage words which mean the same as :
(a) paining
(b) living.
Answer : (a) aching = paining
(b) survival= living.

Question. Why did the people leave their green fields behind ?
Answer : They left their green fields because those fields gave them no grain.

Saheb too is wearing tennis shoes that look strange over his discoloured shirt and shorts. ‘‘Someone gave them to me,’’ he says in the manner of an explanation. The fact that they are discarded shoes of some rich boy, who perhaps refused to wear them because of a hole in one of them, does not bother him. For one who has walked barefoot, even shoes with a hole is a dream come true. But the game he is watching so intently is out of his reach.

Question. What looks strange ?
Answer : The tennis shoes over Saheb’s discoloured shirt and shorts look strange.

Question. Name the chapter from which the above lines have been taken.
Answer : ‘Lost Spring’.

Question. What is a dream come true for Saheb ?
Answer : Even shoes with a hole is a dream come true for a poor boy like Saheb.

Question. Name the author of the chapter.
Answer : Anees Jung.

Question. Why did some rich boy discard the shoes ?
Answer : Because of a hole in one of the shoes.

 “I will learn to drive a car,” he answers, looking straight into my eyes. His dream looms like a mirage amidst the dust of streets that fill his town Firozabad, famous for its bangles. Every other family in Firozabad is engaged in making bangles. It is the centre of India’s glass-blowing industry where families have spent generations working around furnaces, welding glass, making bangles for all the women in the land it seems.

Question. What is the dream of ‘I’ ?
Answer : He wants to become a motor mechanic.

Question. Name the lesson from which this passage has been extracted.
Answer : This passage has been taken from the lesson, ‘Lost Spring’.

Question. Name the author of the passage.
Answer : Anees Jung.

Question. Who does ‘I’ refer to in the first line ?
Answer : It refers to Mukesh.

Question. What is Firozabad famous for ?
Answer : Firozabad is famous for making bangles.

As custom demands, daughters-in-law must veil their faces before male elders. In this case the elder is an impoverished bangle maker. Despite long years of hard labour, first as a tailor, then a bangle maker, he has failed to renovate his house, send his two sons to school. All he has managed to do is teach them what he knows — the art of making bangles.

Question. Who is the daughter-in-law mentioned in the above passage ?
Answer : Mukesh’s sister-in-law.

Question. What has the elder failed to do ?
Answer : He has failed to renovate his house, send his sons to school and end his poverty.

Question. What does custom demand ?
Answer : It demands that daughters-in-law must veil their faces before male elders.

Question. What art has the elder taught his two sons ?
Answer : The art of making bangles.

Question. Who is the male elder referred to in the passage ?
Answer : Mukesh’s father.

Savita, a young girl in a drab pink dress, sits alongside an elderly woman, soldering pieces of glass. As her hands move mechanically like the tongs of a machine, I wonder if she knows the sanctity of the bangles she helps make. It symbolises an Indian woman’s suhaag, auspiciousness in marriage. It will dawn on her suddenly one day when her head is draped with a red veil, her hands dyed red with henna, and red bangles rolled onto her wrists. She will then become a bride.

Question. Name the author of the chapter.
Answer : Anees Jung.

Question. What sanctity is attached to bangles ?
Answer : They symbolise an Indian woman’s ‘suhaag’.

Question. Name the chapter from which the above lines have been taken ?
Answer : ‘Lost Spring’.

Question. What job is Savita doing ?
Answer : She is soldering pieces of glass.

Question. What is Savita wearing ?
Answer : A drab pink dress.

Very Short Answer :

Question. “Can a God-given lineage ever be broken?” Why does Mukesh’s grandmother say so?
Answer : Yes, a God-given lineage can ever be broken. Mukesh’s grandmother says so because she thinks it can’t be broken. Fortune has to favour the brave

Question. Describe the importance of garbage in the life of residents of Seemapuri. 
Answer : Garbage has acquired the proportions of a fine art. For the elders, garbage is a means of survival and for the small children who scrounge heaps of garbage, it is wrapped in wonder. Sometimes they find a rupee or even a ten rupee note. This gives them hope of finding more. 

Question. “She still has bangles on her wrist, but no light in her eyes”, what does Anees Jung imply by his statement?
Answer : By this statement Anees Jung implies that the vicious circle of social customs and society have killed the capacity of the bangle-makers to take initiative. 

Question. Where does the author find Saheb one winter morning? What does a dream come true for him?
Answer : The author finds Saheb standing by the fenced gate of a neighborhood club. He is watching two young men, dressed in white playing tennis. He is wearing discarded tennis shoes. One of them has a hole. Having walked barefoot, even shoes with a hole is a dream come true. 

Question. What happens when the bangle makers in Firozabad try to get organized for their rights?
Answer : They are hauled up by the police, beaten and dragged to jail for doing something illegal. There is no leader among them.

Short Answer :

Question. As a reporter from The Hindustan Times prepare a report for your newspaper on inadequate civic amenities in the slum areas of Jodhpur.
Answer : Inadequate Civic Amenities in Slum Areas Jodhpur, 11 March 2018: There are inadequate civic amenities in the slum areas of Jodhpur, reveals the Social Welfare Department Report 2016. There are no sewerage and drainage in slum areas. There are no public urinals and lavatories. There are no main roads and streets roads. The paths are dusty and dirty. There are heaps of garbage. There are pools of dirty water. Children have to play in the garbage. Residents have to bear the foul smell. Stray animals worsen the situation. People face health hazards. Most of the residents are labourer and illiterate.

Question. What forces conspire to keep the workers in the bangle industry of Firozabad in poverty?
Answer : The workers in the bangle industry have remained in poverty and years of mind-numbing labour has destroyed their initiative and ability to dream. They cannot organize themselves into a cooperative as they have fallen into a vicious circle of middlemen who trapped their fathers and forefathers. The police beat them up if they get organized; there is no leader who can take up their cause. The author identifies the forces that conspire against them. They are the stigma of caste, a destructive cycle of the Sahukars, the middlemen, the policemen, the keepers of the law, the bureaucrats and the politicians.

Question. Describe the hazards of working in the glass bangle industries. 
Answer : The two hazards of working in the glass bangles industry are as follows:
(1) The working near the furnaces with high temperature leaves adverse effect on the health of the labourers.
(2) The labourers working in this industry finally lose their eye-sight. 

Question. Answer the following questions:
(1) Why was the steel canister heavier to carry for Saheb than his plastic bag?
(2) “I will be a motor mechanic.” Who said these words and why?
Answer : (1) The steel canister belonged to the owner of the tea-stall, whereas the plastic bag was his own. The steel canister was burdensome to him as it was to be carried as a compulsion. The plastic bag was his own, which is carried willingly.
(2) These words were spoken by Mukesh. His family had been making glass bangles for generations. They could do nothing else. They lived in terrible poverty. But Mukesh wanted to do something different and more paying. He wanted to be a motor mechanic

Question. Describe the Introduction of the Chapter “Lost Spring”. 
Answer : The story, “Lost Spring” describes the pitiable conditions of poor children who have been forced to miss the joy of childhood due to the socio-economic conditions that prevails in this man-made world. These children are denied the opportunity of schooling and forced into labour early in life. Anees Jung gives voice to eliminate child labour by educating the children and to enforce the laws against child labour by the governments strictly. The call is to end child exploitations and let the children enjoy the days of the spring that bring joy under their feet.

Long Answer :

Question. Mention the hazards of working in the glass bangles industry. 
Answer : Working in glass bangle industry is specially hazardous to eyes. The polishing of the glass of bangles produces dust which can cause blindness. Similarly, the welding of glass pieces sitting in dark rooms before flickering lamps is no less dangerous to the eyes. A worker’s eyes soon get adjusted to the darkness than the light of the day. Ultimately, he ends up losing his eyesight. Next, children like Mukesh have to handle the glass furnaces with high temperatures in dingy cells without air and light. They slog their daylight hours there. Moreover, the bangle-makers work in dingy and dark hutments with little ventilation. This further caused a great injury to their health. Thus the hazards of working in glass blowing industry are many.

Question. “The cry of not having money to do anything except carry on the business of making bangles, not even enough to eat, rings in every home. The young men echo the lament of their elders. Little has moved with time, it seems, in Firozabad.” Comment on the hardships of the bangle-makers of Firozabad with special emphasis on the forces that conspire against them and obstruct their progress.
Answer : The bangle-makers of Firozabad are born in poverty, live in poverty and die in poverty. For generations these people have been engaged in this trade-working around hot furnaces with high temperature, welding and soldering glass to make bangles. In spite of hard labour throughout the day, the return is meager. Some of them have to sleep with empty, aching stomachs. Others do not have enough to eat. Whatever they do get is not delicious or nourishing. The stinking lanes of their shanty town are choked with garbage. Their hovels have crumbling walls, wobbly doors and no windows. These are overcrowded with humans and animals. Poverty and hunger, social customs and traditions, stigma of caste and the intrigues of powerful lobby that thrives on their labour combine to keep them poor, uneducated and hungry. The money-lenders, the middlemen, the policemen, the keepers of law, the bureaucrats and the politicians-all are ranged against them. Children are engaged in illegal and hazardous work. Years of mind-numbing toil have killed all initiative and ability to dream. They are unable to organize themselves into cooperative due to lack of a leader and fear of ill-treatment at the hands of the police. They seem to carry the burden that they can’t put down. They can talk but not act to improve their lot.

Question. Saheb and Mukesh are two poor boys with no reasons. But their attitudes to life are entirely different. Comment. 
Answer : Saheb is rag-picker. Mukesh is the son of a poor bangle-maker. Both have no means to do anything different. But there is a difference in their attitudes to life. Saheb has no dream for the future. He carries his bag on his shoulders; walks bare-foot in search of garbage heaps and feels happy when he finds something valuable. He likes tennis, but it is only a dream for him. He starts working at a tea-stall. He is contented there. Mukesh dreams of becoming a motor mechanic. He wants to do something different which his caste does not allow. But he is determined. He must fight against all odds to reach his goal. Thus, he is different from Saheb is that he has dreams while Saheb hasn’t any.

Question. Compare and contrast the two families of bangle-sellers portrayed in ‘Lost Spring.’ Comment on the roles of individuals in highlighting the issues raised by the author.
Answer : One of the families is that of Mukesh’s. It comprises three males and two females: Mukesh, his brother, their father, their grandmother and the wife of Mukesh’s elder brother. The grandmother had watched her own husband go blind with the dust from polishing the glass of bangles. Mukesh’s father is a poor old bangle maker, who has failed to renovate a house and send his two sons to school. Mukesh and his brother make bangles. The wife of Mukesh’s brother is a traditional and daughter-in-law who follows the customs and cooks food for the family. The grandmother believes in destiny and caste. Only Mukesh shows some sparks of fighting the system and declares that he wants to be a motor mechanic. Savita, the elderly woman and her old, bearded husband from the other family. Young and innocent Savita works mechanically. The elderly woman highlights the plight of bangle makers who fail to enjoy even one full meal during the entire lifetime. The old man has an achievement to his credit. He has made a house for the family to live in. He has a roof over his head. The lifestyle, problems and economic conditions of the two families are similar. There is only a difference of degree but not of kind in their existence and response to life’s problems

Question. The beauty of the glass bangles of Firozabad contrasts with the misery of people who produce them. Mention the hazards of working in the glass bangle industry. Discuss the endless spiral of poverty, apathy, greed and injustice present there.
Answer : The lesson ‘Lost Spring’ describes the pathetic condition of the bangle-makers. On the one hand, it is the plight of the street children forced into labour early in life and denied the opportunity of studying in schools. The glass industry has its own hazards. The illegal employment of very young children and the pathetic working conditions leads to many children becoming blind. They work in glass furnaces with high temperatures. Their dingy cells have no light, nor any ventilation. Boys and girls work under these conditions while welding pieces of coloured glass to make bangles. Their eyes are more adjusted to the dark than to the light outside. They thus often lose their eyesight at a young age.
Over and above this, it is the apathy and callousness of society and the political class to the sufferings of the poor that makes us feel sympathetic towards these bangle makers. The poverty-stricken bangle makers also suffer because of the exploitation at the he hands of the middlemen and politicians. They do not improve their lot and instead get only beaten up by the police. They are unable to organize themselves. Hence, their life is full of sufferings i.e. physical and emotional.

Please click on below link to download CBSE Class 12 English Lost Spring Worksheet Set C