Class 11 Chapter - 1 The Portrait of a Lady

Class 11th Subject English (2023)

Textual Question-Answers from Prose (Hornbill)

Chapter - 1 The Portrait of a Lady

I. Short Answer Type Questions

1. Mention the three phases of the author's

relationship with his grandmother before he leftt he country to study abroad.

Ans. The three phases of the author's relationship

with his grandmother are :

(i) First--When he lived in the village with his

grandmother and

shared a very good relationship with her.

(ii) Second-When they went to live in the city. They

shared the same room but interacted less.

(iii) Third When he went to the university. He was

given a separate room and their interaction stopped.

2. Mention three reasons why the author'sg randmother was disturbed when he started goingt o the city school.

Ans. The reasons why the grandmother was disturbed when he started going to the city school are:

(i) FirstShe did not like subjects like Science or English.

(11) Second There was no teaching about God andt he seriptures.

(iii) Third -She did not like music. She thought itw as not meant for gentle people but prostitutesa nd beggars.

3. Mention three ways in which the author's grandmother spent her days after he grew up.

Ans. The three ways in which the author's

grandmother spent her days after he grew up are:

(i) First She accepted her loneliness and lived alone

in her room.

(ii) Second-She spent her time in reciting prayers while spinning.

(iii) Third-She fed the birds.

Long questions answers

4. The author's grandmother was a religious person. What are the different ways in which we come to know this ?

Ans. The author's grandmother was aceply religious, She visited the temple daily and while the author Was in school. , She read her religious books. She counted the beads and sal prayers while doingt he routine work counted the beads and said prayers whike doing the routine work like getting the author ready to school, spinning the wheel, seeing him off at the railway statuon. She fed the birds and animals. She did not like the subjects taught in English schools as they were not about God or scriptures, She forgot her prayers the day before her death. As soon as she realised this, she stopped talking to anyone and started counting the beads and say prayers. She prayed till her last breath.

5. Describe the appearance of the writer's grandfather on the basis of his portrait.

Ans. There was a portrait of the writer's grandfather

in the drawing room. He wore loose clothes and a

turban. He looked hundred years old. It was equally

diticult to believe that he had a wife and children

once.

6. What was 'the happiest half hour of the day' for

the grandmother according to the writer ?

Ans. According to the writer, 'the happiest half hour

of the day' for his grandmother was the time she

fed the birds. They sat on her shoulders or her head.

7. What did the grandmother do when the author

returned from abroad after five years ? 

Ans. When the author returned from abroad after

five years, grandmother went to the railway station

to receive him.

8. What was the turning point in the friendship

between the grandmother and the author 

Ans. The turning point in their friendship came

when they shifted to the city. Now the author went

to an English school in a bus. Grandmother could

no longer accompany him to school. Although they

shared the same room, they saw less of each other.