The Little Girl - Q&A

I. Given below are some emotions that Kezia felt. Match the emotions in Column A with the items in Column B.

Column A
1. fear or terror
2. glad sense of relief
3. a "funny" feeling, perhaps of understanding

Column B
(i) father comes into her room to give her a goodbye kiss
(ii) noise of the carriage grows fainter
(iii) father comes home
(iv) speaking to father
(v) going to bed when alone at home
(vi) father comforts her and falls asleep
(vii) father stretched out on the sofa, snoring

Answer:
1. fear or terror:
(iii) father comes home
(iv) speaking to father
(v) going to bed when alone at home
(vii) father stretched out on the sofa, snoring

2. glad sense of relief:
(i) father comes into her room to give her a goodbye kiss (Note: The text indicates relief comes after he leaves, but the act of him leaving is associated with relief. However, she feared him during the kiss. The most direct link to relief is the carriage noise. Some interpretations include the kiss as a tense moment, but the carriage fading is the specific "glad sense of relief" mentioned in the text.)
(ii) noise of the carriage grows fainter

3. a "funny" feeling, perhaps of understanding:
(vi) father comforts her and falls asleep

1. Why was Kezia afraid of her father?

Kezia was afraid of her father because he was very strict, never played with her, and often scolded her. His physical appearance—large hands, neck, and mouth—also seemed terrifying to her, like a giant.

2. Who were the people in Kezia's family?

The people in Kezia's family were Kezia, her mother, her father, and her grandmother.

3. What was Kezia's father's routine

(i) before going to his office?

Before going to his office, he would come into Kezia's room and give her a casual goodbye kiss.

(ii) after coming back from his office?

After coming back, he would ask for his tea in the drawing-room, demand the newspaper, and ask Kezia to pull off his boots.

(iii) on Sundays?

On Sundays, he would stretch out on the sofa with a handkerchief on his face, his feet on a cushion, and sleep soundly and snore.

4. In what ways did Kezia's grandmother encourage her to get to know her father better?

Kezia's grandmother encouraged her by sending her down to the drawing-room on Sunday afternoons to have a "nice talk" with her parents. She also suggested that Kezia make a pin-cushion out of yellow silk as a birthday gift for her father.

1. Kezia's efforts to please her father resulted in displeasing him very much. How did this happen?

Answer:
Kezia wanted to make a birthday gift for her father upon her grandmother's suggestion. She decided to make a pin-cushion using a piece of beautiful yellow silk. After stitching three sides, she needed something to stuff it with.

In her search for stuffing, she went into her mother's room and found sheets of fine paper on the bed-table. Unaware of their importance, she tore them into small pieces and stuffed the cushion. Unfortunately, these papers contained her father's important speech for the Port Authority. By destroying his speech to make his gift, her effort to please him ended up making him extremely angry.

2. Kezia decides that there are "different kinds of fathers". What kind of father was Mr Macdonald, and how was he different from Kezia's father?

Answer:
Mr. Macdonald was a loving, playful, and cheerful father. Kezia saw him playing 'tag' with his five children in the evening. He laughed as his children hung onto his coat pockets and climbed on his shoulders. He treated his children with patience and joy.

This was completely different from Kezia's father, who was strict, disciplined, and never played with her. While Mr. Macdonald was accessible and fun, Kezia's father was distant, terrifying, and always seemed too tired or busy to show affection in the way she understood. This contrast made Kezia realize that not all fathers are the same.

3. How does Kezia begin to see her father as a human being who needs her sympathy?

Answer:
Kezia's perspective changed one night when she had a nightmare while her mother and grandmother were at the hospital. Her father heard her screaming, came to her room, and carried her to his bed. He tucked her in, lay down beside her, and allowed her to snuggle close to him for comfort.

As he fell asleep before she did, she realized how tired he was. She understood that he worked hard every day and was too exhausted to be like Mr. Macdonald. She saw him not as a terrifying giant, but as a "poor father" who had no one to look after him. She realized he had a "big heart," and her fear was replaced by understanding and sympathy.

I. Look at the following sentence.

There was a glad sense of relief when she heard the noise of the carriage growing fainter...
Here, glad means happy about something.
Glad, happy, pleased, delighted, thrilled and overjoyed are synonyms (words or expressions that have the same or nearly the same meaning.) However, they express happiness in certain ways.

1. Use an appropriate word from the synonyms given above in the following sentences. Clues are given in brackets.

(i) She was ________ by the news of her brother's wedding. (very pleased)

She was delighted by the news of her brother's wedding.

(ii) I was ________ to be invited to the party. (extremely pleased and excited about)

I was thrilled to be invited to the party.

(iii) She was ________ at the birth of her granddaughter. (extremely happy)

She was overjoyed at the birth of her granddaughter.

(iv) The coach was ________ with his performance. (satisfied about)

The coach was pleased with his performance.

(v) She was very ________ with her results. (happy about something that has happened)

She was very happy with her results.

2. Study the use of the word big in the following sentence.

He was so big - his hands and his neck, especially his mouth...
Here, big means large in size.
Now, consult a dictionary and find out the meaning of big in the following sentences. The first one has been done for you.

(i) You are a big girl now.

older

(ii) Today you are going to take the biggest decision of your career.

most important

(iii) Their project is full of big ideas.

ambitious / grand

(iv) Cricket is a big game in our country.

popular / significant

(v) I am a big fan of Lata Mangeskar.

ardent / enthusiastic

(vi) You have to cook a bit more as my friend is a big eater.

someone with a large appetite

(vii) What a big heart you've got, Father dear.

generous / kind

1. Underline the verbs of reporting in the following sentences.

(i) He says he will enjoy the ride.

He says he will enjoy the ride.

(ii) Father mentioned that he was going on a holiday.

Father mentioned that he was going on a holiday.

(iii) No one told us that the shop was closed.

No one told us that the shop was closed.

(iv) He answered that the price would go up.

He answered that the price would go up.

(v) I wondered why he was screaming.

I wondered why he was screaming.

(vi) Ben told her to wake him up.

Ben told her to wake him up.

(vii) Ratan apologised for coming late to the party.

Ratan apologised for coming late to the party.

2. Some verbs of reporting are given in the box. Choose the appropriate verbs and fill in the blanks in the following sentences.

were complaining     shouted     replied
remarked     ordered     suggested

(i) "I am not afraid," ________ the woman.

"I am not afraid," replied the woman.

(ii) "Leave me alone," my mother ________.

"Leave me alone," my mother shouted.

(iii) The children ________ that the roads were crowded and noisy.

The children were complaining that the roads were crowded and noisy.

(iv) "Perhaps he isn't a bad sort of a chap after all," ________ the master.

"Perhaps he isn't a bad sort of a chap after all," remarked the master.

(v) "Let's go and look at the school ground," ________ the sports teacher.

"Let's go and look at the school ground," suggested the sports teacher.

(vi) The traffic police ________ all the passers-by to keep off the road.

The traffic police ordered all the passers-by to keep off the road.

Form pairs or groups and discuss the following questions.

1. This story is not an Indian story. But do you think there are fathers, mothers and grandmothers like the ones portrayed in the story in our own country?

Answer:
Yes, absolutely. Even though the story is not set in India, the family dynamics portrayed are very universal and relatable to Indian households. We often see strict fathers who believe in discipline over affection, caring mothers who try to keep the peace, and supportive grandmothers who often act as a bridge between the child and the parents. The shift from fear to understanding is also a common theme in many Indian families as children grow up.

2. Was Kezia's father right to punish her? What kind of a person was he? You might find some of these words useful in describing him: undemonstrative, loving, strict, hard-working, responsible, unkind, disciplinarian, short-tempered, affectionate, caring, indifferent.

Answer:
No, Kezia's father was not right to punish her so harshly without listening to her explanation. He was a strict disciplinarian and short-tempered. While he was hard-working and responsible in providing for his family, he was initially undemonstrative and seemed indifferent to Kezia's feelings. However, he was not truly unkind; beneath his tough exterior, he was caring and loving, as seen when he comforted Kezia during her nightmare. He was simply too stressed and tired to show his affection openly.

Has your life been different from or similar to that of Kezia when you were a child? Has your perception about your parents changed now? Do you find any change in your parents' behaviour vis-à-vis yours? Who has become more understanding? What steps would you like to take to build a relationship based on understanding? Write three or four paragraphs (150-200 words) discussing these issues from your own experience.

Answer (Sample):
My childhood was somewhat similar to Kezia's. My father was also very strict about studies and discipline, which often made me scared to approach him. Like Kezia, I used to think he was angry and unapproachable. I would often run to my grandmother for comfort because she seemed to understand me better.

However, as I have grown older, my perception of my parents has changed significantly. I now realize that my father's strictness came from a place of concern for my future. I can see the hard work and sacrifices he made for the family, much like Kezia realized about her father. My parents have also changed; they are more open to listening to my opinions now than they were when I was younger.

I believe both sides have become more understanding. To build a stronger relationship, I plan to spend more time talking to them about my day and asking about theirs, rather than just discussing studies or work. Open communication is key, and I want to ensure they know I appreciate their efforts, just as I hope they respect my growing independence.