EXTRACTS FO R C O M PR EH

EN SI O N
Ex tra ct- I: Read th e following
excerpt an d answer th e ques
tions brieOy.
Ali had been a clever shikari.
As his skill increased so did his
day without hunting. When Al love for the hunt, till at last it
i sighted the earth-bro~n partr was as impossible for him to
good as in his bag. His sharp ey idge, almost invisible to ot he r
es saw the hare crouchmg. Ev eyes, the poor bird, they said,
yellow-brown scrub, Ali's eyes en when the dogs failed to see
would catch the sight of his ea the creature cunningly hiddc
rs; and in another moment it •
was dead.
n Ill
[Based on CBSE 2024-25 Samp
QI. What does the description le Question 1'
of Ali's bunting skills in di ca te
about hi s ch ar ac te r tra its ? Ans. Th e imagery of hunti
ng, with its focus on
Ans. Th e description highligh ob se rv ati on and th e inevitable capt
ts Ali's precision, attention ure of the
detail, an d patience, showca to mi rro rs Al i's focused and hopeful waiting
sing his proficiency an d for the le
dedication, which ar e also su gg es tin g a life no w hunting for fragments of lov
reflected in his persistent co nn e
visits to the post office. ec tio n instead of game.

Q2. How does Ali's past as a hu Q4. W ha t does th e reference

nter contrast with his present to Ali's hu nt in g prowess S11191
NIII
situation? ab ou t hi s ch aracter and his current situatio
n?
Ans. Ali's pa st as a skilled hu Ans. Th e reference to Ali's
nt er co nt ra sts sharply with hunting prowess underscores
cu rre nt passive waiting at th his fo rm er capabilities an d sharp se
e po st office, symbolising a nses, which cont
shift from be in g active an d wi th his cu rre nt passive and hopeful wa
in co nt ro l of th e situations iting for a letter,
to a sta te of helplessness an su gg es tin g a sh ift fro m an active and controlling life to
d de pe nd en cy on external on e ma
factors. rk ed by waiting and dependency. Th
is change in
roles highlights a de ep er them
e of life's unpredictability
QJ. Analyse how the imager an d shifts in control, which on
y used in the de sc rip tio n of e may experience with age
hunting en ha nc es th e th em at an d changing circumstances.
ic co nt en t of th e story.
 ra tions briefly.
Ext ct-2: Read the follo'1t-ing excerpt and answer the ques
st of the mos t unin teresting buildings in the wor ld, beca me his place of pilgrimage. He always occupied a
The. P<> office, one men
ar ~eat in a particular corn er of the building, and whe n the people got to know his habit they laughed at him. The post
particul his name for the fun of seeing him
n thou gh there was no Jetter for him they wou ld call out
~ga n to make a game of him. Eve [Based on CBSE 2024-25 Sample Question Paper]
Jump up and come to the doo r.

QI. Identify the phrase that suggests the post offic

e has towards the elderly, showcasing societal insensitivity to
become a significant place in Ali's lire. the depth of their feelings and the seriousness of their
cates hopes and fears.
Ans. The phrase "became his place of pilgrimage" indi
the post office's importance to Ali, symbolising a sacred Q3. Why do the postmen call out Ali's name even when there
site where he seeks solace and hope. is no letter for him?
s
Q2. \\'hat does the reaction or the post office staff
to Ali Ans. The postmen call out Ali's name to amuse themselve
reveal about societal attitudes towards the elderly and by observing his reaction, displaying their disregard for
their emotions? his emotional state and exploiting his hope for their
respect entertainment.
Ans. The staff's actions reveal a lack of empathy and
 Extract-3: Read the following excerpt and answer the questions briefly.
"Police Superintendent," a voice called sharply. The old man started at the sound, but composed himself again to wait. But for
the faith and Jove, that warmed him, he could not have borne the bitter cold.
[Based on CBSE 2024-25 San1ple Question Paper]

Ql. What does the sharp call of "Police Superintendent" QJ. Explain how faith and love serve as motivators for Ali in
signify in this context? this harsh setting.
Ans. The sharp call signifies the routine operations within
Ans. Faith and love motivate Ali to endure the physical and
emotional harshness of his environmen~ suggesting
the post office, highlighting the contrast between the
that these feelings provide him with internal warmth
mundane administrative functions and the profound and strength against the cold indifference of the world
personal significance of each call to Ali. around him.
Q2. How does Ali's reaction to the voice reflect his state of Q4. Discuss the significance of the setting in enhancing the
mind? themes of hope and perseverance.
Ans. Ali's initial startle and quick composure reflect his tense Ans. The cold environment of the post office, where
anticipation and readiness to respond, showcasing his bureaucratic calls echo, serves as a backdrop that
emotional vulnerability and hope. enhances the themes of hope and perseverance by
contrasting the warmth of Ali's internal world with the
external coldness, emphasising the resilience required to
maintain hope in unwelcoming conditions.
 -
Extract-4: Read the followi ng excerpt and answer the questio ns brieOy.
"They will be useful to you, and they can never be to me. But will you do one thing?"
'
,,
"What.?
·'What do you see up there?" said Ali, pointin g to the sky. (CBSE 2018-1 9)

QJ. Identify the person spoken to. Q4. What opinion do you form of Ali on the basis of the given
Ans. The person spoken to by AJi is Lakshm i Das, the clerk at extract' ?
the post office. Ans. From the extract , AJi appear s to be a deeply reflect ive and
Q2. What does the word 'they' refer to? selfless individ ual. His actions demon strate a profou nd
Ans. The word 'they' refers to the five golden guinea s that Ali unders tanding of life's imperm anence and the lirn.ited
offers to Lakshm i Das. value of materi al wealth . His willing ness to give away
his possess ions for a cause he believe s in-eus uring his
Q3. Why did Ali say 'they' can never be useful to him?
daught er's letter reache s him after his death- shows his
Ans. Ali said 'they' can never be useful to him becaus e he dedica tion and uncond itional love for his daugh ter. This
was nearing the end of his life and realised that materia l speaks volume s about his charac ter and his priorit isation
possess ions like gold coins would no longer have any of emotio nal connec tions over materi al goods.
value or utility for him in the face of his impend ing
death.
 QI. You can feel other's pain only when 1ou ., throuP It
younelr. Valldale Ibis statement "'th 11
nee to the
re ere
story, "The Letter" and why It took pl~
Cn sE 2023-24)
••
Ans. In "The Letter", the pos.tma ster imta•a lly sho ffi
ws
.
indiffcrcnce to Ali's daily v1s1ts to the pos t o ice.
However when the postmaster expene . . own
nces his
an.liety ~ailing for the news about _his
sic~ da; ::,: :j
he suddenly understands Ali's pam•.
nu s. P • he
experience changes his perspective. nu
s vahdat.es ~in
statement that one can truly understand
another s p
only after experiencing similar distress.
Ql. What does the writer wish to con
vey via the use or the
metaphor for a false friend in the give
n line from "The
Letter''?
"... the cold used sleep to extend its swa
y over all thi~gs
even as a false friend lulls his chosen vidi
m with caressing
smiles" [CBSC 2023-24 Sample Question Paper]
Ans. Like a false friend, the cold init
ially seems harmless
and even welcoming, as it lulls its vict
ims into a false
sense of security with its "caressing smi
les". However,
as the metaphor suggests, the cold is not
a friend at all,
but rather a deceiver who ultimately seek
s to harm and
control its victims.
Q3. What made the postmaster underst
and Ali's pain later
on in the story, "The Letter"?
[CBSE 2019-20]
Ans. The postmaster's understanding
of Ali's pain comes
from his personal distress over not hea
ring from his
own daughter who is ill. This parallel situ
ation - his own
restless waiting for news - opens his eye
s to the anguish
Ali must have felt each day. This sha
red experience
of worry and helplessness is what fina
lly makes the
postmaster empathise with Ali.
Q4. In the story "The Letter", why did
Ali stop hunting even
though he was a skilled shikari?
[CBSE 2019-20 Compartment]
Ans. Ali stopped hunting because his
life underwent a
profound change after his daughter mo
ved away. The
story suggests that his passion for hun
he aged and his loneliness deepened.
ting waned• as
His focus shifted
I
1
from the sport of hunting to the emotio 1
nal longing for l
his daughter, leading him to spend his
days waiting for a I
letter from her instead of pursuing the
gan1e. i
i) QS. Why did Ali go to the post office daily? How I
! J

did the
postmen treat him?
[CBSE 2018 19]
Ans. Ali went to the post office daily
hoping to receive a letter
f~om his dau~hter, Mi~iam, ~ho lived far
away. This daily
ntual was dnven by lus longmg for con
nection with her.
The postmen, familiar with his routine
, often treated
 ._....,,
It biln 1'itb UJUP-e. re nce and SOfllC
t in callinl bis
round -~ ~ h li name
letter for billl, u. .-g--h ti n l their tack of el ll l, .. ., .
his situation.
WII did Ali atve fiv ineas to LalUIIII
e aolde• p II.
Q6. 1 (CBSE.&.u•-
Ali gave rave golden gu ineas to Lakshmi D as as a
Aas. of uust and de H did th at
sperati~n- :o u ld this to ensure
letter from his da be fo
ughte~ ct was A rw ar d~ to
even after his d~at li·s way _or seclllli
b•. ~ = u ~ te r, sh
conncction with ~ n g his
a . his h" ·m pc nd
p·-. "1- l~.- ./Jj
-

hope and has reaI" tiOD o f IS I ing mortabty.

asa w hen Ali visited
Q7. Describe the
earl)' mom in i scene
post office. {CBSE 2018-1
h n A li .._isitcd the post
An•• The early morning scene w_ o
c d w
wa~ quiet and sere_n e )'Cl ungc ith melancholy. It Wlli
'
cold, with stars sul . I in the dawn sk-y, su g g c.s~
l vi
both hope and th s~de reality of his solitude. A l
e co choing in the empt
walked alone, his f~ st y streets_
fl ct . his is
t
olataon an
cps ~ th e pe rs is te nt hope that
re e 1ng
brought hi m to the post O ffiic c a t such an hour.
e postm• ster realise the suffering of Alff
Q8. When did th
[<. 'R.\l.. 201.S-19]
ter rea r,se d the depth of Alfs suffer
Ans. The postmas
when he himse lf starte .. f I ina
about his own daug d an~iously w~1t1ng or t ,c, n ~
hter·s health. 11us
and fear made him persona\ aruu~ty
empathise with f\
the emotional toll li, undcrs!and1n
that waiting ao<l g
take on a person. not kn~w•~g can
This realisation ch
Ali from an anno anged has view of
yance to a fc\low
paternal love. su ffcrcr bound by
Q9. Who \\l lS Ali?
\\ b y did he go
daily to the pos
\
t office?
Ans. Ali was an l• _ 1- 1X (~11t,,,,a
elderly man who rznze11t1
but later became once enjoyed hu
consumed by long nting
daughter, ~tiriam ing for his distan
. He went to th t
driven by the hope e post office da
of receiving a lett ily,
daily visits represen er from her. His
ted his enduring ho
connection with hi pe and desire fo
s daughter, despit r
from her side. e the years o f sile
nce
)10. The postmas
b th ,,, Do ter says to Ali, "What a
ro er. you agree with . pest
for your anSl\·e r. the st at ement? G. you are,
ns. No, I do not • ive reasons
agree with the po
Calling Ali a pest st
overlooks the ma t ,
de s er s ~tatem
and longing he expe ent.
riences. Ali's dai~p
office were acts of v7'~otional pain
hope and love t y
nuisances. The po h_isits to the post
stmaster's com or
showed a lack of em is daughter, not
. pathy for Ali'm~nt
dnven by a fat her's was u
love and the a s snuatio nfa. ir and
n, Which
gony of separationwas
....
--'~~ )__... _ .
 Answer Questions :.-i

(to be answered in 150 wo

rd s ea ch )
Please note: Refer to the
section on lntertextual qucSt • 'or long an sw er qu es ,·o
t
ns across ch ap ter s.
Wn s J'
Q I. "The Letter" revo
lves around human re Q2 'Only the bearer kn ows w he re th e sh oe pinche
and the love and faith th lationships s!
at cements them. Discus • Elucidate the statemen
reference to the story. s with t with re fe re nc e to th e s~
ory, "l\e
Ans. In "The Letter",
[CBSE 2018-19] Letter'. (CB SC 2018-19 Sa m pl e Questton Pape,\
Dh umaketu explores the de Ans. Th e proverb 'Only th e be ar er knows w he h
human relationships thro pth of re t e shoe
Al i's life is bound by his lov
ugh the character of Al
i. pt.nches, IS
. VIV• I'dly t'llustrated in "T he ~
Le tte r through
e and faith in his daughter Ali's personal experienc •
Despite the lack of corresp . es. Th ro ug h? ut th e sto
ondence from her, Ali visits endures the silent pa in ry ,~
the post office daily. Thes an d su ff er in g of separa
e visits signify not just ho from his daughter. Th is is tion
but a steadfast belief in pe a feeling th at is invisible
the bond he shares with
his perhaps insignificant to th and
daughter. This ritual unde e ou ts id er s lik e th e po st
rscores his undying faith
in staff. Despite th ei r daily ob office
their relationship, which su se iv at io ns of A li' s rit ua l,
stains him emotionally. remain oblivious to th e de they
Moreover, the story pt h of hi s di st re ss . Th ey
culminates in a poig mock him without un de rs also
realisation by th e postmas nant ta nd in g th e em ot io na l bu
ter. H e comes to understa
nd he carries. rden
Ali's pain through his own
experience of anxious waiti
for the news of his daught ng This disconnect highlight
er. This narrative arc illus s ho w pe rs on al su ff er in g
how Jove an d faith ar e es trates hidden an d deeply pe rs on is often
sential for understanding al . It is un de rs to od fully
empathy. They ce m en t hu and by th os e who ex pe rie nc only
man connections even in e it. A li' s si tu at io n exem
absence of physical presen the this id ea completely. H plifies
ce. Th e story thus, beautif is qu ie t pe rs ev er an ce
portrays th at it is Jove an ully emotional weight he be ar an d the
d faith th at hold the pote s ar e kn ow n tru ly on ly
to bridge distances an d he ntial much like th e di sc om fo to him,
al wounds. This is what m rt kn ow n on ly to th e
them th e foundation upon akes suffers from an ill-fitting on e who
which relationships ar e bu sh oe . Th is te ac he s us ab
an d sustained. ilt ou t th e
~rofou~d privacy of pa in
an d th e im po rt an ce of
1n ou r m te ra ct io ns w ith em pa th y
ot he rs .