Arts (Hindi Medium) Class 12 [कक्षा १२] - CBSE Question Bank Solutions for English Core

Notice these words and expressions in the text.
Infer their meaning from the context. 

1. blew over                          2. was struck dumb
3. catapulted into                 4.  a coat of mail
5. played into their hands    6.  the favourite haunt
7. heard a bell ringing

What does the writer mean by 'the fiery misery' of those subjected to make-up'? 

What pleasure does a beautiful thing give us? Are beautiful things worth treasuring?

What is the example of national integration that the author refers to?

Do we experience things of beauty only for short moments or do they make a lasting impression on us?

The author has used gentle humour to point out human foibles. Pick out instances of this to show how this serves to make the piece interesting. 

You came across the words, plod, trudge, stagger in the story. These words indicate movement accompanied by weariness. Find five other such words with a similar meaning.

Notice the words in bold in the following sentence.

“The fire boy shovelled charcoal into the maw of the furnace with a great deal of clatter”. This is a phrase that is used in the specific context of an iron plant.

Pick out other such phrases and words from the story that are peculiar to the terminology of ironworks.

A crofter is a person who rents or owns a small farm especially in Scotland. Think of other uncommon terms for ‘a small farmer’ including those in your language.

What did the peasants pay the British landlords as rent? What did the British now want instead and why? What would be the impact of synthetic indigo on the prices of natural indigo?

Why do you think Gandhi considered the Champaran episode to be a turning-point in his life?

What was the attitude of the average Indian in smaller localities towards advocates of ‘home rule’?

How do we know that ordinary people too contributed to the freedom movement?

Discuss the following.

1. “Freedom from fear is more important than legal justice for the poor.”
Do you think that the poor of India are free from fear after Independence? 

Discuss the following.  

The qualities of a good leader.

 List the words used in the text that are related to legal procedures.

For example: deposition

List other words that you know that fall into this category.

Choose an issue that has provoked a controversy like the Bhopal Gas Tragedy or the Narmada Dam Project in which the lives of the poor have been affected.