The Rocking-horse Winner - Explanation - Summary - Q&A - Solved

Table of Contents

• Explanation and Analysis of 'The Rocking Horse Winner'
• Summary of  The Rocking Horse Winner
• Understanding the Expressions in the story The Rocking Horse Winner
• UNDERSTANDING THE TEXT(Q&A)
• APPRECIATION
• Multiple Choice Questions on The Rocking Horse Winner

Poem 01 - The Peacock - English Elective Class XI Notes - Woven Words

Poem 01 - The Peacock

POEM COMPLETE TEXT

His loud sharp call

seems to come from nowhere.

Then, a flash of turquoise

in the pipal tree.

The slender neck arched away from you

  as he descends,

and as he darts away, a glimpse

  of the very end of his tail. 

I was told

that you have to sit in the veranda

  and read a book,

preferably one of your favourites

  with great concentration.

The moment you begin to live

inside the book

a blue shadow will fall over you.

The wind will change direction,

The steady hum of bees

In the bushes nearby

Will stop.

The cat will awaken and stretch.

Something has broken your attention;

And if you look up in time

You might see the peacock

turning away as he gathers in his tail

to shut those dark glowing eyes,

violet fringed with golden amber.

It is the tail that has to blink

for eyes that are always open.

THEME

The theme of this poem is the beauty of nature and the importance of being present in the moment to fully appreciate it. The peacock is used as a symbol of this beauty and is described in vivid detail, capturing the reader's attention and encouraging them to take notice of the world around them. The poem also suggests that we need to let go of distractions and be fully immersed in the present moment in order to truly appreciate the beauty that surrounds us.

SUMMARY OF THE POEM

At the outset of the poem, the poet portrays the peacock's grandeur and loveliness. Throughout the verses, the poet anthropomorphizes the peacock as a male entity, referring to him as 'he.' The bird's piercing cry is difficult to locate, as it appears to emanate from an indiscernible source. The sound actually comes from the peacock, which can effortlessly fly to the top of a pipal or peepal tree, where it is often hidden. Against the verdant background of the pipal tree, the peacock's distinct turquoise hue (a combination of blue and green) glimmers. When it senses a human watching it, it moves its slim neck and darts away, leaving behind only a fleeting glimpse of its tail.

The poet now describes a small ritual for seeing a peacock that she has been advised to follow. One should sit on the veranda and immerse themselves in a book, preferably a cherished favorite. Once the reader is fully absorbed in the book's world, a blue shadow will descend upon them, and the wind will shift, subtly drawing attention to the surroundings. The atmosphere grows tranquil ("The steady hum of bees /In the bushes nearby will stop").

The peacock's cry, similar to that of a cat, will be audible ("The cat will awaken and stretch"), drawing attention. If spotted in time, the observer may catch a glimpse of the peacock. The peacock gracefully turns away, its tail feathers closed like shut eyelids, revealing violet borders and golden amber fillers. "It is the tail that has to blink" (the motion of the tail swaying is likened to blinking), but "the eyes are always open," and the patterns never fade. The observer will feel a sense of inner radiance and stillness that is deep and profound.

The scene's depiction highlights the difficulty of seeing a peacock (underscoring the bird's significance), as peacocks are revered, sacred birds that are not frequently encountered in the world. In Indian culture, peacocks are considered celestial and symbolize beauty and power.

UNDERSTANDING THE POEM

1. Comment on the lines that make you visualise the colourful image of the peacock.
   
   
   The lines which help us visualise the colourful image of the peacock are as follows:
   “a flash of turquoise”, “A blue shadow will fall over you", “To shut those dark glowing eyes”, “Violet fringed with golden amber”.
   These lines give us a clear picture of the magnificent bird in all its glory.
2. What are the cues that signal the presence of the peacock in the vicinity?
   
   
   A loud sharp call, flash of turquoise, a disappearing tail end, a blue shadow, the wind changing its direction and the awakening of the cat and its stretch are an indication that a peacock is in the vicinity.
3. How does the connection drawn between the tail and the eyes add to the descriptive detail of the poem?
   
   
   The pattern on the tail of a peacock looks like eyes, but these eyes cannot be blinked. Rather the tail when contracted appears to give an illusion of blinking a lot of eyes together. This adds to the descriptive details of the poem.
4. How does the poem capture the elusive nature of the peacock?
   
   
   The poem captures the elusive nature of the peacock by describing its activities that signal its presence indirectly. For example in the opening line of the poem we hear “His loud sharp call”, or we get a “glimpse of the very end of his tail” in the last line of the first stanza.
   If someone tries his best to get a glimpse of the elusive bird, he “might see the peacock turning away as he gathers his tail”.
   Such a description presents a very elusive nature of the peacock.
5. The peacock is a colourful bird. How does the poem capture the various colours that its plumage displays?
   
   
   The poem captures the various colours of the peacock’s plumage by use of expressions like “turquoise”, “blue shadow”, “dark glowing eyes” and “Violet fringed with golden amber”. These expressions as we can see present the colours associated with peacocks very beautifully.

Poem-02 - Let Me Not to the Marriage of True Minds - English Elective Class XI Notes - Woven Words

Poem-02 - Let Me Not to the Marriage of True Minds by William Shakespeare

Let me not to the marriage of true minds
Admit impediments. Love is not love
Which alters when it alteration finds,
Or bends with the remover to remove:
O no; it is an ever-fixed mark,
That looks on tempests, and is never shaken;
It is the star to every wandering bark,
Whose worth's unknown, although his height be taken.
Love's not Time's fool, though rosy lips and cheeks
Within his bending sickle's compass come;
Love alters not with his brief hours and weeks,
But bears it out even to the edge of doom.
If this be error and upon me proved,
I never writ, nor no man ever loved.

PARAPHRASE OF THE POEM

Let me not declare any reasons why two true-minded people should not be married. Love is not love which changes when it finds a change in circumstances, or bends from its firm stand even when a lover is unfaithful: Oh no! it is a lighthouse that sees storms but it is never shaken; Love is the guiding north star to every lost ship, whose value cannot be calculated, although its altitude can be measured. Love is not at the mercy of Time, though physical beauty comes within the compass of his sickle. Love does not alter with hours and weeks, but, rather, it endures until the last day of life. If I am proved wrong about these thoughts on love, then I recant all that I have written, and no man has ever [truly] loved.

Explanation

The poem is titled "Sonnet 116" and is a sonnet written by William Shakespeare. It is a love poem that celebrates the power and endurance of true love.

The poem begins with the speaker stating that true love is not hindered by external forces or impediments. The love described is not a love that changes with circumstances or that is affected by external influences. Instead, it is an "ever-fixed mark" that remains constant even in the face of adversity.

The speaker then goes on to compare true love to a star that guides wandering ships, emphasizing the importance and value of this type of love. The poem suggests that true love is a force that is not easily swayed by time or external factors.

The next stanza refers to the inevitable effects of time and aging, represented by "rosy lips and cheeks / Within his bending sickle's compass come." However, the speaker argues that true love is not subject to the same limitations and that it endures even in the face of aging and death.

Finally, the poem concludes with the speaker stating that if he is wrong in his beliefs about true love, then he has never written anything of value and no one has ever truly loved. This line reinforces the strength and conviction of the speaker's beliefs about love.

Overall, the poem celebrates the power and endurance of true love, emphasizing that it is a force that remains constant even in the face of adversity and the passing of time.

Imagery Used in the Sonnet 116

Sonnet 116 uses a variety of powerful and vivid imagery to convey the idea of enduring, true love.

In the first quatrain, the speaker uses the metaphor of a "marriage of true minds" to describe the nature of true love. This image evokes the idea of two people who are deeply connected and united in their love for one another.

The second quatrain uses a nautical metaphor to describe true love as an "ever-fixed mark / That looks on tempests and is never shaken." The image of a fixed mark or beacon that guides ships through storms suggests that true love provides stability and direction in difficult times.

The third quatrain compares true love to a star that guides lost ships, suggesting that love is a guiding force that leads people through the challenges of life. The image of the star is also associated with beauty and wonder, emphasizing the idea that true love is a precious and valuable thing.

In the final quatrain, the speaker uses the metaphor of Time as a "bending sickle" that inevitably takes away youth and beauty. However, the speaker argues that true love "bears it out even to the edge of doom," suggesting that it is an enduring force that remains steadfast in the face of aging and death.

Overall, the imagery used in Sonnet 116 emphasizes the strength, endurance, and guiding qualities of true love. By comparing love to enduring symbols such as a fixed mark, a star, and a beacon, the speaker creates a powerful image of love as a guiding force that can lead people through the challenges of life.

NOTES 

marriage...impediments (1-2): T.G. Tucker explains that the first two lines are a "manifest allusion to the words of the Marriage Service: 'If any of you know cause or just impediment why these two persons should not be joined together in holy matrimony'; cf. Much Ado 4.1.12. 'If either of you know any inward impediment why you should not be conjoined.' Where minds are true - in possessing love in the real sense dwelt upon in the following lines - there can be no 'impediments' through change of circumstances, outward appearance, or temporary lapses in conduct." (Tucker, p. 192). 

bends with the remover to remove (4): i.e., deviates ("bends") to alter its course ("remove") with the departure of the lover. 

ever-fixed mark (5): i.e., a lighthouse (mark = sea-mark).

Compare Othello (5.2.305-7): 

Be not afraid, though you do see me weapon'd;

Here is my journey's end, here is my butt,

And very sea-mark of my utmost sail. 

the star to every wandering bark (7): i.e., the star that guides every lost ship (guiding star = Polaris). Shakespeare again mentions Polaris (also known as "the north star") in Much Ado About Nothing (2.1.222) and Julius Caesar (3.1.65). 

Whose worth's unknown, although his height be taken (8): The subject here is still the north star. The star's true value can never truly be calculated, although its height can be measured. 

Love's not Time's fool (9): i.e., love is not at the mercy of Time. 

Within his bending sickle's compass come (10): i.e., physical beauty falls within the range ("compass") of Time's curved blade. Note the comparison of Time to the Grim Reaper, the scythe-wielding personification of death. 

edge of doom (12): i.e., Doomsday. Compare 1 Henry IV (4.1.141): 

Come, let us take a muster speedily:

Doomsday is near; die all, die merrily. 

_____ 

Sonnet 116 is about love in its most ideal form. The poet praises the glories of lovers who have come to each other freely, and enter into a relationship based on trust and understanding. The first four lines reveal the poet's pleasure in love that is constant and strong, and will not "alter when it alteration finds." The following lines proclaim that true love is indeed an "ever-fix'd mark" which will survive any crisis. In lines 7-8, the poet claims that we may be able to measure love to some degree, but this does not mean we fully understand it. Love's actual worth cannot be known – it remains a mystery. The remaining lines of the third quatrain (9-12), reaffirm the perfect nature of love that is unshakeable throughout time and remains so "ev'n to the edge of doom", or death. 

In the final couplet, the poet declares that, if he is mistaken about the constant, unmovable nature of perfect love, then he must take back all his writings on love, truth, and faith. Moreover, he adds that, if he has in fact judged love inappropriately, no man has ever really loved, in the ideal sense that the poet professes. The details of Sonnet 116 are best described by Tucker Brooke in his acclaimed edition of Shakespeare's poems: 

[In Sonnet 116] the chief pause in sense is after the twelfth line. Seventy-five per cent of the words are monosyllables; only three contain more syllables than two; none belong in any degree to the vocabulary of 'poetic' diction. There is nothing recondite, exotic, or metaphysical in the thought. There are three run-on lines, one pair of double-endings. There is nothing to remark about the rhyming except the happy blending of open and closed vowels, and of liquids, nasals, and stops; nothing to say about the harmony except to point out how the fluttering accents in the quatrains give place in the couplet to the emphatic march of the almost unrelieved iambic feet. In short, the poet has employed one hundred and ten of the simplest words in the language and the two simplest rhyme-schemes to produce a poem which has about it no strangeness whatever except the strangeness of perfection. (Brooke, p. 234)

UNDERSTANDING THE POEM

1. ‘Constancy’ is the theme of the poem. Indicate the words, phrases and images that suggest the theme.
   
   
   "an ever-fixed mark", "never shaken"; "Love’s not Time’s fool", "Love alters not", "bears it out even to the edge of doom" are some of the expressions that suggest the theme that love is permanent.
2. Why do you think the poet has used so many ‘negatives’ to make his statement?
   
   
   ‘negatives’ are an effective tool to prove one’s point. It highlights the other side of the coin to bring home the positive points of the statement very effectively. In this case the poet puts forward all the negative aspects that love is taken for, and then argues that love is something permanent and beyond physical beauty.
3. What does the line ‘I never writ, nor no man ever loved’ imply?It implies that if the poet is proved wrong about these thoughts on love, then he will recant all that he has written, and no man has ever [truly] loved.

Poem 06 - Mother Tongue - English Elective Class XI Notes - Woven Words

Poem - 06 Mother Tongue

• ANALYSIS OF THE POEM 'MOTHER TONGUE'
• SUMMARY OF THE POEM 'MOTHER TONGUE'
  
• UNDERSTANDING THE POEM (Q&A)
• Comprehension Questions for "Mother Tongue" by Padma Sachdev

ANALYSIS OF THE POEM 'MOTHER TONGUE'

The poem "Mother Tongue" by Padma Sachdev expresses the poet's deep connection with her native language, Dogri. In the poem, the speaker asks a reed for a quill (a writing instrument), symbolizing the need to write in her mother tongue. The reed responds by questioning why the poet needs another quill, hinting at the rarity and preciousness of the act of writing in Dogri.

Through this conversation, the poet personifies the reed, giving it human qualities to emphasize how the natural world is also connected to her language. The reed eventually agrees to give the quill, acknowledging that it, too, serves the poet's mother tongue.

The poem conveys a sense of urgency and pride in preserving the Dogri language. The poet’s mother tongue is portrayed as a “Shahni,” a wealthy and powerful figure, symbolizing the language’s importance and the numerous people who serve it, including the poet herself. This highlights the emotional attachment and respect the poet has for her language.

At a deeper level, the poem touches upon the loss of the original Dogri script, Sharade, which has been replaced by Persian and Devanagari scripts. This symbolizes the changes and challenges that languages face over time, and the poet's effort to continue writing in Dogri reflects her commitment to keeping the language alive.

In simple terms, the poem is about love, respect, and the need to preserve one’s language, even in the face of change.

SUMMARY OF THE POEM 'MOTHER TONGUE'

The poem "Mother Tongue" by Padma Sachdev is about the poet's deep love and respect for her native language, Dogri. She asks a reed for a quill to write in Dogri, and the reed questions why she needs another one so soon. The poet explains that she writes for her mother tongue, which she compares to a kind and powerful lady. The reed then gives her a quill, saying it too serves Dogri. The poem highlights the poet's strong emotional connection to her language and the importance of preserving it.

UNDERSTANDING THE POEM (Q&A)

1. The quill is the central element in the poem—what does it symbolise?
   
   The quill symbolises the Sharade script. A script is central to propagate and preserve any language. In this case the poet is eager to make a point for her mother tongue Dogri which was originally written in Sharade script but for reasons unknown happened to be written in Devanagari script. So she personifies the reed and requests it to give a quill and the reed instantly agrees to do so saying that it is also the servant of the Shahni like the poet herself and ready to serve her.
   
   
2. You notice a sense of urgency in the poet’s request—what is the reason for this?
   
   The reason for the sense of urgency shown in the poem is because of fast depleting base of Dogri language in its native speakers and the influence of other languages/scripts on it. The poet is concerned that if the Dogri speaking population is not ready to serve the Shahni(Dogri) then it will be too late to save the language.
   
   
3. How has the poet brought out her emotional attachment to her mother tongue?
   
   The poet has brought out her emotional attachment to her mother tongue in the form of this beautiful poem wherein she treats her mother tongue as Shahni(Queen) and the poet herself as a maid to the service of the queen. The emotional height is reached when the reed instantly agrees to cut its hand and give it away for the service of Shahni in the form of a quill.
   
   
4. Personification is a figure of speech that attributes human qualities to inanimate things and abstract ideas. How has it been used in this poem?
   
   The poet has beautifully used the tool of personification for her mother tongue Dogri and its script Sharade. Dogri has been personified as Shahni(The Queen) and Sharade script has been personified as the queen’s maid in the form of a quill. The dramatization of the reed cutting its hand to offer for the service of the queen animates the entire poem and rouses the reader to stand up for the greater cause of saving/serving one’s mother tongue.

L-2 A Pair of Mustachios - English Elective Class XI Notes - Woven Words

Table of Content

• SUMMARY OF 'A PAIR OF MUSTACHIOS'
• UNDERSTANDING THE TEXT
• TALKING ABOUT THE TEXT
• APPRECIATION
• LANGUAGE WORK
• MCQs on "A Pair of Mustachios" by Mulk Raj Anand
• Download PDF of 'A Pair of Mustachios'

Word Meaning of 'A Pair of Mustachios'

1. Nouveau riche: People who have recently gained wealth, often perceived as lacking the refinement of old-money families.

2. Commercial bourgeoise: Middle-class people involved in business or trade, typically seen as focused on material wealth.

3. Blue blood: People from noble or aristocratic families.

4. The bluff of a rascal: A false or deceptive act by someone who is cunning or mischievous.

5. Asked sourly: Asked in a rude or unpleasant way.

6. Goods and chattels: Personal belongings or property, especially movable items.

SUMMARY OF 'A PAIR OF MUSTACHIOS'

The story "A Pair of Mustachios" by Mulk Raj Anand humorously portrays class distinctions in society through the symbolism of different mustache styles. In a village, a moneylender named Seth Ramanand adopts a mustache style resembling that of Khan Azam Khan, a proud nobleman clinging to his family's aristocratic legacy. Khan, outraged by the moneylender's imitation of his "tiger mustache," demands that Ramanand revert to the "goat mustache" appropriate for his lower status.

Despite initial compliance, the moneylender cunningly manipulates Khan by leaving one tip of his mustache upturned. This drives Khan to pawn his possessions in exchange for Ramanand lowering the other tip. Ultimately, Ramanand outwits Khan, making him give up all his belongings while subtly mocking Khan's obsession with status.

Through this light-hearted narrative, Anand critiques the rigid social hierarchies and the absurdity of placing excessive importance on superficial symbols of class.

UNDERSTANDING THE TEXT

1. What do you understand of the natures of Ramanand and Azam Khan from the episode described?
   
   
   Ramanand, the grocer and the money lender, is quiet cunning and possess a servile nature that is fit for his business of selling groceries and money lending. He never gets angry but prevails on his customers like Azam Khan with cleverness and by provoking the so called pride. It is also evident that Ramanand regards his customers as always right at least in principle. So he always keeps his business first and pride secondary.
   
   
   Azam Khan on the other hand is a victim of so called pride. He is still lost in the past glory of his forefathers. He is arrogant, full of anger and short sighted. He is ready to sell all his property for the sake of keeping Ramanand’s moustaches down, which was suitable to his(Ramanand) class. Obviously Azam Khan is living in his past. He is impractical, short tempered and doesn’t know what is good or bad for him.
   
   
2. Identify instances in the story that show the business acumen of Ramanand.
   
   
   Ramanand is a good businessman. His business acumen is evident from the fact that he readily agrees to lower his moustache on Azam Khan’s request. But he lowers only one tip of his moustache just to cleverly provoke Khan to bring in more of his property for mortgage. Unlike Khan he never gets angry and keeps his business interests above all his priorities.
   
   
3. Both Ramanand and Azam Khan seem to have very fixed views. How does Ramanand score over Azam Khan towards the end of the story?
   
   
   Ramanand and Azam Khan have a fixed view regarding themselves and each other. They are part of the social milieu that believes in the categorization of people on the basis of their moustaches. Ramanand belonged to goat class while Khan sahib belonged to tiger class moustache. They are both in harmony with the fact that they should not trespass into each other’s boundaries.
   
   
   Ramanand scores over Azam Khan at the end of the story by turning up the tip of his goat moustache so that it looked like a tiger moustache. This enrages Azam Khan and he is tricked into selling all his property to Ramanand.

TALKING ABOUT THE TEXT

Q1. The episode has been narrated in a light vein. What social mores does the author seem to ridicule?

A1. The author ridicules the rigid social class distinctions and the exaggerated importance placed on symbols like mustaches to signify status. Mulk Raj Anand uses humor to highlight how vanity and obsession with appearance lead to absurd conflicts, pointing out the silliness of such conventions.

Q2. What do you think are the reasons for the references made to the English people and the British monarchy?

A2. The references to the English people and British monarchy underscore the influence of colonial rule on Indian society. They also serve as a parallel to highlight that, like the British, Indian society is similarly fixated on maintaining social hierarchies and formal distinctions, even under foreign rule.

Q3. What do you think is the message that the author seems to convey through the story?

A3. The story conveys a message about the futility of holding onto outdated social symbols and norms. By showing how a minor issue like mustache style can escalate into a major conflict, the author criticizes the irrational pride people attach to their social identity, suggesting the need to abandon such meaningless divisions.

APPRECIATION

1. Comment on the way in which the theme of the story has been introduced.
   
   
   The theme of the story-mustachios has been introduced in a scientific but light manner. The opening lines describe the rigid habit of various sections of Indian society regarding wearing moustaches according to their class.
   
   
   The writer is actually ridiculing the social mores which force people to live within false pride and put their honor and property at stake for something that has no value in the modern world.
   
   
   The writer then moves on to narrate a story from his own village about Azam Khan and Ramanand. Azam Khan represents that class of society which is still living in the world of yore. Whereas Ramanand is the representative of the business class, which is always bent upon leeching people out of their money and property by hook or crook.
   
   
2. How does the insertion of dialogue in the story contribute to its interest?
   
   
   Inclusion of dialogues in a story enables the writer to express things in their actual perspective. It allows him to include words and expressions which a writer normally would not write on his own. For example when Azam Khan gets angry he says to Ramanand: “You know what I mean, seed of a donkey!” or “I tell you, turn that tip down or I shall wring your neck.
   
   
   Such dialogues add a dramatic effect in the story and make it more lively and interesting.

LANGUAGE WORK

Q1. Nouveau riche and bourgeoise are French words. Collect from newspapers, magazines, and other sources some more French words or expressions that are commonly used in English.

A1. Some commonly used French words and expressions in English include:

• Déjà vu (feeling of having already experienced something)
• Fiancé/Fiancée (engaged person)
• Cliché (an overused expression or idea)
• Bon appétit (enjoy your meal)
• Entrepreneur (a person who starts a business)
• Rendezvous (a meeting or appointment)

Q2. Locate expressions in the text which reflect the Indian idiom, for example, the pride of the generations of his ancestors.

A2. Expressions from the text reflecting the Indian idiom include:

• "Seed of a donkey!"
• "The pride of the generations of his ancestors"
• "The insignia of my order"
• "Lentil-eating moneylender"
  These expressions carry cultural significance and reflect common Indian linguistic habits.

Q3. We ‘draw up a deed’. Complete the following phrases with appropriate words.

a. Keep one’s word

b. Make one’s will

c. Make ends meet

d. Take out a loan

e. Turn a deaf ear to

MCQs on "A Pair of Mustachios" by Mulk Raj Anand

1. What does the mustache symbolize in the story?
a) Personal grooming
b) Social status
c) Religious beliefs
d) Age of the person

2. What type of mustache does Khan Azam Khan wear?
a) Goat mustache
b) Lion mustache
c) Tiger mustache
d) Sheep mustache

3. Who is Seth Ramanand in the story?
a) A landlord
b) A nobleman
c) A moneylender
d) A priest

4. Why is Khan Azam Khan offended by Ramanand's mustache?
a) It looks better than his own
b) It resembles a tiger mustache, a symbol of nobility
c) It is not well-groomed
d) It is too long

5. What action does Khan Azam Khan take after seeing Ramanand's mustache?
a) He compliments Ramanand
b) He walks away quietly
c) He demands Ramanand to lower the tip of his mustache
d) He offers him money

6. What is the symbolic significance of Khan Azam Khan’s tiger mustache?
a) His wealth
b) His noble ancestry
c) His profession
d) His religious belief

7. How does Ramanand initially respond to Khan Azam Khan's demand?
a) He refuses outright
b) He insults Khan Azam Khan
c) He agrees to lower one tip of his mustache
d) He laughs at the demand

8. What item does Khan Azam Khan first pawn to Ramanand?
a) A necklace
b) His ancestral house
c) His wife’s gold nose ring
d) A family heirloom

9. How does Ramanand manipulate Khan Azam Khan after lowering one tip of his mustache?
a) He raises the other tip
b) He increases the interest on the pawn
c) He insults Khan Azam Khan
d) He refuses further dealings

10. What does Khan Azam Khan eventually offer to get both tips of Ramanand's mustache lowered?
a) His entire property
b) More jewelry
c) His pride
d) His son’s inheritance

11. What role do the villagers and elders play in the story?
a) They encourage Khan Azam Khan
b) They mock both Khan Azam Khan and Ramanand
c) They act as witnesses to the agreement
d) They remain silent

12. How does Khan Azam Khan feel after he pawns his possessions?
a) He is satisfied
b) He regrets his actions
c) He feels victorious
d) He is indifferent

13. What is Ramanand's attitude toward Khan Azam Khan throughout the story?
a) Submissive
b) Mocking but cunning
c) Fearful
d) Sympathetic

14. What is the final outcome of the conflict between Khan Azam Khan and Ramanand?
a) Khan Azam Khan gets his way
b) Khan Azam Khan loses all his possessions
c) Ramanand is forced to leave the village
d) The elders resolve the conflict peacefully

15. What does the story criticize through its use of humor?
a) The banking system
b) The British rule
c) The obsession with social status
d) Religious intolerance

16. Who claims that Khan Azam Khan is an impostor?
a) The peasants
b) The landlord and Ramanand
c) The village priest
d) The five elders

17. What item is passed down through Khan Azam Khan’s family for seven generations?
a) His ancestral home
b) A gold necklace
c) A tiger mustache insignia
d) A family sword

18. What does Ramanand mutter as Khan Azam Khan walks away?
a) “My father was a Sultan.”
b) “I will never lose.”
c) “You will regret this.”
d) “No one can defeat me.”

19. What is Khan Azam Khan's primary motivation throughout the story?
a) To regain his lost wealth
b) To protect the honor of his family’s mustache
c) To prove himself better than the landlord
d) To become richer than Ramanand

20. How does the story end for Khan Azam Khan?
a) He regains his wealth
b) He is ridiculed by the villagers
c) He loses his possessions but keeps his pride
d) He reconciles with Ramanand

---

Answer Key:

1. b) Social status
2. c) Tiger mustache
3. c) A moneylender
4. b) It resembles a tiger mustache, a symbol of nobility
5. c) He demands Ramanand to lower the tip of his mustache
6. b) His noble ancestry
7. c) He agrees to lower one tip of his mustache
8. c) His wife’s gold nose ring
9. a) He raises the other tip
10. a) His entire property
11. c) They act as witnesses to the agreement
12. b) He regrets his actions
13. b) Mocking but cunning
14. b) Khan Azam Khan loses all his possessions
15. c) The obsession with social status
16. b) The landlord and Ramanand
17. b) A gold necklace
18. a) “My father was a Sultan.”
19. b) To protect the honor of his family’s mustache
20. c) He loses his possessions but keeps his pride