Day
Night

Chapter 1 A Letter to God

Textbook Questions and Answers

Oral Comprehension Check ( Page 51)


Question 1. 
What did Lencho hope for?
लेन्चो ने क्या आशा की थी?
Answer:
Lencho was a farmer. His field of ripe corn was full of flowers which gave him hope for a good harvest. The field needed irrigation. Lencho hoped for a downpour or at least a shower.

लेन्चो एक किसान था। पकी फसल का उसका खेत फूलों से भरा था जो एक अच्छी पैदावार होने की आशा देते थे। खेत को सिंचाई की आवश्यकता थी। लेन्चो ने एक भारी वर्षा या कम से कम एक बौछार की आशा की थी।

Question 2. 
Why did Lencho say the raindrops were like ‘new coins’? 
लेन्चो ने क्यों कहा कि वर्षा की बूंदें ‘नये सिक्के’ जैसी थीं?
Answer:
Lencho said the raindrops were like “new coins’ because these were fresh and round like coins. The good crop would bring money and prosperity:
लेन्चो ने कहा कि वर्षा की बूंदें ‘नये सिक्कों’ जैसी थीं क्योंकि वे सिक्कों के जैसे ताजा व गोल थीं। अच्छी फसल धन व सम्पन्नता लाती।


Question 3. 
How did the rain change? What happened to Lencho’s fields? 
वर्षा कैसे बदली? लेन्चो के खेतों का क्या हुआ?
Answer:
Suddenly a strong wind began to blow and along with the rain very large hailstones began to fall.
Lencho’s fields were white, as if covered with salt. The corn was totally destroyed. 

अचानक एक तेज पवन ने चलना आरम्भ कर दिया और वर्षा के साथ बहुत बड़े ओले गिरने आरम्भ हो गए।
लेन्चो के खेत श्वेत हो गए थे, जैसे कि नमक से ढक दिये हों। फसल पूर्णतः नष्ट कर दी गई थी। 

Question 4. 
What were Lencho’s feelings when the hail stopped? जब ओलों का गिरना समाप्त हुआ तब लेन्चो की क्या भावनाएँ थीं?
Answer:
When the hail stopped, Lencho felt very sad because everything was destroyed. He knew that they would have no corn so they would have to go hungry.

जब ओलावृष्टि रुक गई तो लेन्चो ने बहुत दु:ख अनुभव किया क्योंकि सब कुछ नष्ट हो चुका था। वह जानता था कि इस वर्ष उनके पास कोई अनाज नहीं होगा। इसलिए उन्हें भूखे रहना पड़ेगा। 


(Page 6)


Question 1. 
Who or what did Lencho have faith in? What did he do? लेन्वो की आस्था किसमें थी अथवा क्या थी? उसने क्या किया?
Answer:
Lencho had unbreakable faith in God. He believed that God couldn’t deny his request for help.
Lencho wrote a letter to God to send one hundred pesos to sow his field again and to live until the crop came. He waited for the response.

लेन्चो का भगवान में अटूट विश्वास था। उसे विश्वास था कि भगवान उसकी सहायता करने के उसके निवेदन को इनकार नहीं कर सकते थे।
लेन्चो ने भगवान को अपना खेत पुनः बोने और जब तक फसल न आ जाए तब तक जीवित रखने के लिए एक सौ पेसोज भेजने को पत्र लिखा व इसे प्रेषित कर दिया (भेज दिया)। उसने उत्तर का इन्तजार किया।


Question 2. 
Who read the letter? 
पत्र किसने पढ़ा? 
Answer:
The postmaster read the letter when a postman brought it to him. 
डाकपाल ने पत्र पढ़ा जब एक डाकिया इसे उसके पास लाया। 


Question 3. 
What did the postmaster do then? 
डाकपाल ने तब क्या किया?
Answer:
In order not to shake the faith of the writer in God, the postmaster asked for money from his employees and friends. He himself gave part of his salary for the act of charity. He could collect and send only a little more than half with a letter written only ‘God’.

लेखक का विश्वास परमात्मा में न हिलने देने के लिए, डाकपाल ने अपने कार्मिकों व मित्रों से धनराशि माँगी। उसने स्वयं के वेतन का भाग भी ‘दयालुता के कार्य के लिए दिया। वह आधे से कुछ अधिक ही एकत्रित कर सका व भेज सका एक पत्र के साथ जिस पर केवल ‘परमात्मा’ लिखा था। 

(Page 7)
 

Question 1. 
Was Lencho surprised to find a letter for him with money in it?
क्या लेन्चो उसके लिए पत्र के साथ धन-राशि पाकर विस्मित था? 
Answer:
No, Lencho wasn’t surprised to find a letter for him with money in it. He was sure that God would certainly send him money.
नहीं, लेन्चो उसके लिए पत्र के साथ धन-राशि पाकर विस्मित नहीं था। वह इसके लिए आश्वस्त था कि परमात्मा निश्चित रूप से उसे धन भेजेगा।


Question 2. 
What made him angry? 
उसे किस बात ने क्रोधित किया?
Answer:
He had requested for 100 pesos to God. He received only 70 pesos. He thought God couldn’t have made mistake or denied his request. The post office employees, a bunch of crooks, had cheated him. So, this made him angry.

उसने 100 पेसोज की प्रार्थना परमात्मा से की थी। उसे केवल 70 पेसोज मिले। उसने सोचा कि परमात्मा कोई भूल नहीं कर सकता था व न ही उसकी विनती को इनकार कर सकता था। डाक-घर के कार्मिक, बेईमानों का एक समूह, ने उसे ठग लिया था। अतः इसने उसे क्रोधित कर दिया।


Thinking about the Text

Question 1. 
Who does Lencho have complete faith in? Which sentences in the story tell you this?
लेन्चो की पूर्ण आस्था किसमें है? कहानी के कौनसे वाक्य आपको यह बताते हैं? 
Answer:
Lencho has complete faith in help of God. The following sentences tell us this : 
(i) ‘Lencho showed not the slightest surprise on seeing the money, such was his confidence.’
(ii) “God : Of the money that I asked for, only seventy pesos reached me. Send me the rest, since I need it very much.”
 

लेन्चो को परमात्मा की सहायता में पूर्ण आस्था है। निम्न वाक्य हमें यह बताते हैं : 
(i) ‘धन-राशि को देखकर भी लेन्चो ने हल्का-सा आश्चर्य नहीं दिखाया; उसका आत्मविश्वास ऐसा था।’
(ii) “हे ईश्वर : जो धन मैंने माँगा था उसमें से केवल 70 पेसोज मेरे पास पहुँचे। शेष धन-राशि भी मुझे भेज दें, क्योंकि मुझे इसकी अत्यधिक आवश्यकता है।”
 

Question 2. 
Why does the postmaster send money to Lencho? Why does he sign the letter ‘God’?
डाकपाल, लेन्चो को धन-राशि क्यों भेजता है? वह पत्र पर ‘भगवान’ हस्ताक्षर क्यों करता है?
Answer:
The postmaster sends money to Lencho because he doesn’t want to shake the writer’s faith in God.
He signs the letter ‘God’ because he opined that Lencho would think that only God, and none else, had sent him the money.

डाकपाल, लेन्वो को धन-राशि भेजता है क्योंकि वह नहीं चाहता कि लेखक का भगवान से विश्वास हिल जाए।
वह पत्र पर ‘भगवान’ हस्ताक्षर करता है क्योंकि उसने विचार किया कि लेन्चो सोचेगा कि भगवान ने ही यह धन-राशि भेजी थी किसी और ने नहीं।
 

Question 3. 
Did Lencho try to find out who had sent the money to him? Why/Why not? 
क्या लेन्चो ने यह पता लगाने का प्रयत्न किया कि उसे धन-राशि किसने भेजी है? क्यों/क्यों नहीं? 
Answer:
No, Lencho did not try to find out who had sent money to him.
He did so because he believed that God could not have denied Lencho what he had requested. Such was his confidence.

नहीं, लेन्चो ने पता लगाने का प्रयास नहीं किया कि किसने उसे धन-राशि भेजी थी।
उसने ऐसा इसलिए किया क्योंकि उसे विश्वास था कि भगवान लेन्चो को उससे इनकार नहीं कर सकता था जो उसने विनती की थी। उसका आत्मविश्वास ऐसा था।
 

Question 4.
Who does Lencho think has taken the rest of the money? What is the irony in the situation? (Remember that the irony of a situation is an unexpected aspect of it. An ironic situation is strange or amusing because it is the opposite of what is expected.)
लेन्वो क्या सोचता है, किसने उसकी शेष धन-राशि ले ली है? इस परिस्थिति में क्या व्यंग्य है? (ध्यान रखें कि किसी परिस्थिति का व्यंग्य इसका एक अप्रत्याशित पहलू है। एक व्यंग्यात्मक परिस्थिति विचित्र होती है या मनोरंजक होती है क्योंकि यह उसके ठीक विपरीत होती है जिसकी आशा की जाती है।)
Answer:
Lencho thinks that the post office employees have taken the rest of the money. There is irony of situation in it. He should have been indebted to the post office employees for their act of charity whereas he tags them a bunch of crooks’.

लेन्चो सोचता है कि डाक-घर के कार्मिकों ने शेष राशि ले ली है। इसमें परिस्थितिजन्य व्यंग्य है। उसको डाकघर के कर्मियों के प्रति उनके दयालुता के कार्य के लिए कृतज्ञ होना चाहिए था जबकि वह तो उनको ‘बेईमानों का एक समूह’ कहता है।
 

Question 5.
Are there people like Lencho in the real world? What kind of a person would you say he is? You may select appropriate words from the box to answer the question.
(greedy, naive, stupid, ungrateful, selfish, comical, unquestioning)
क्या वास्तविक संसार में लेन्चो जैसे व्यक्ति हैं? किस प्रकार का व्यक्ति, आप उसे कहेंगे कि, वह है? इस प्रश्न का उत्तर देने के लिए आप उपर्युक्त बॉक्स में से उचित शब्दों का चुनाव कर सकते हैं।
Answer:
Yes, there are people like Lencho in the real world.
Lencho is naive to the world, stupid to worldly ways, ungrateful not to thank God and unquestioning in his actions.
He isn’t greedy. He requests only 100 pesos. He isn’t selfish. He thinks about family. He hasn’t been comical.

हाँ, वास्तविक संसार में लेन्चो जैसे लोग हैं।  लेन्चो संसार के प्रति भोला-भाला है, सांसारिक तरीकों के प्रति मूर्ख है, भगवान को धन्यवाद न देकर कृतघ्न है, और अपने कार्यों में असंदिग्ध है।
वह लालची नहीं है। उसने केवल 100 पेसोज की ही विनती की है। वह स्वार्थी नहीं है। वह परिवार के बारे में सोचता है। वह कभी भी हास्यप्रद नहीं रहा है।

Question 6. 
There are two kinds of conflicts in the story : between humans and nature, and between humans themselves. How are these conflicts illustrated?
कहानी में दो तरह के विरोध हैं : मानवों व प्रकृति के मध्य तथा मानवों का आपस में। ये विरोध कैसे उदाहरण सहित समझाये गये हैं?
Answer:
There is conflict between humans and nature. Lencho with his sons works hard for a good harvest but the hailstones destroy the corn completely.
There is conflict between humans themselves. The postmaster, his employees and friends donate a part of their hard earned income to help Lencho whereas he calls them ‘a bunch of crooks’

मानवों व प्रकृति के मध्य विरोध है। लेन्वो अपने पुत्रों के साथ एक अच्छी फसल के लिए मेहनत करता है किन्तु ओले फसल को पूर्णतया नष्ट कर देते हैं।

मानवों में आपसी विरोध भी है। डाकपाल, उसके कार्मिक व मित्र लेन्चो की सहायता के लिए अपने कठिन परिश्रम से अर्जित आय में से दान देते हैं जबकि लेन्चो उनको ‘बेईमानों का एक समूह’ कहता है। 
 

Thinking About Language

There are different names in different parts of the world for storms, depending on their nature. Can you match the names in the box with their descriptions below, and fill in the blanks? You may use a dictionary to help you.

तूफानों की प्रकृति के अनुसार विश्व के विभिन्न भागों में इनके विभिन्न नाम हैं। क्या आप बॉक्स में दिये इनके नाम का नीचे दिये गए इनके विवरण से मिलान और रिक्त स्थानों की पूर्ति कर सकते हैं? अपनी सहायता के लिए आप शब्दकोश का उपयोग कर सकते हैं।

(gale, whirlwind, cyclone, hurricane, tornado, typhoon. 

1. A violent tropical storm in which strong winds move in a circle : – – c – – – – 
2. An extremely strong wind : – a – – 
3. A violent tropical storm with very strong winds : – – P – – – – . 
4. A violent storm whose centre is a cloud in the shape of a funnel : – – – n – – – 
5. A violent storm with very strong winds, especially in the western Atlantic Ocean : – – r – – – – – – 
6. A very strong wind that moves very fast in a spinning movement and causes a lot of damage : – – – – l – – – – 
Answer:
1. cyclone 
2. gale
3. typhoon
4. tornado 
5. hurricane
6. whirlwind.

II. Match the sentences in Column A with the meanings of ‘hope’ in Column
कॉलम A के वाक्यों में ‘hope’ के अर्थ जो कॉलम B में हैं, से मिलान कीजिए।

‘A’

‘B’

1. Will you get the subjects you want to study in college? I hope so.

(i) a feeling that something good will probably happen.

2. I hope you don’t mind my saying this, but I don’t like the way you are arguing.

(ii) thinking that this would happen(It may or may not have happened.)

3. This discovery ill give new hope to HIV/AIDS sufferers.

(iii) stopped believing that this good thing would happen.

4. We were hoping against hope that the judges would not notice our mistakes.

(iv) wanting something to happen(and thinking it quite possible)

5. I called early in he hope of speaking to her before she went to school.

(v) showing concern that what you say should not offend or disturb the other person : a way of being polite.

6. Just when everybody had given up lippe, the fishermen came back, seven days after the cyclone.

(vi) wishing for something to happen,although this is very unlikely.

Answer:
1. (iv) 2. (v).3. (i) 4. (vi) 5. (ii) 6. (iii) 
 

III. Relative Clauses 

Join the sentences given below using who, whom, whose, which, as suggested.

निम्न वाक्यों को who, whom, whose, which से निर्देशानुसार जोड़ें। 
1: I often go to Mumbai. Mumbai is the commercial capital of India. (which) 
2. My mother is going to host a TV show on cooking. She cooks very well. (who) 
3. These sportspersons are going to meet the President. Their performance has been excellent. (whose)
4. Lencho prayed to God. His eyes see into our minds. (whose) 5. This man cheated me. I trusted him. (whom)
Answer:
1. I often go to Mumbai, which is the commercial capital of India.
2. My mother, who cooks very well, is going to host a TV show on cooking.
3. These sportspersons, whose performance has been excellent, are going to meet the President.
4. Lencho prayed to God, whose eyes saw into our minds.
5. This man, whom I trusted, cheated me.

IV. Using Negatives for Emphasis

(जोर देने के लिए नकारात्मक शब्दों का प्रयोग)

Find sentences in the story with negative words, which express the following ideas emphatically.
कहानी में से नकारात्मक शब्दों के साथ दिये गये वाक्यों को ढूँढ़िए जो निम्न विचारों को प्रभावशीलता से अभिव्यक्त करते हैं।
1. The trees lost all their leaves.
2. The letter was addressed to God himself.
3. The postman saw this address for the first time in his career.
Answer:
1. Not a leaf remained on the trees.
2. It was nothing less than a letter to God.
3. Never in his career as a postman had he known that address.

V. Metaphors (HCG) –

In pairs, find metaphors from the story to complete the table below. Try to say what qualities are being compared. One has been done for you.
निम्न सारिणी को पूरा करने के लिए कहानी में से लक्षणा अलंकारों को जोड़ों में ढूँढ़िए। बताने का प्रयत्न करें कि कौनसे गुणों की तुलना की जा रही है। एक, आपके लिए किया गया है।
 

Object

Metaphor

Quality or Feature Compared

Cloud

Huge mountains of clouds

The mass or ‘hugeness’ of mountains

Raindrops

 

 

Hailstones

 

 

Locusts

 

 

 

 

An epidemic (a disease) that spreads very rapidly and leaves many people dead.

 

An ox of a man

 


Answer:

Object

Metaphor

Quality or Feature Compared

Cloud

Huge mountains of clouds

The mass or ‘hugeness’ of mountains

Raindrops

New coins

Size, shape and monetary value

Hailstones

frozen pearls

round, hard and shining as pearls

Locusts

A plague of locusts

A big group of large insects that destroy plants or crops of an area.

Plague

A plague of locusts

An epidemic (a disease) that spreads very rapidly and leaves many people dead.

Lencho

An ox of a man

hard working and strong as an ox.


Speaking 
 

Have you ever been in great difficulty, and felt that only a miracle could help you? How was your problem solved?‘Speak about this in class with your teacher.

क्या आप कभी अत्यधिक कठिनाई में रहे हैं, और महसूस किया है कि केवल एक चमत्कार ही आपकी सहायता कर सका? आपकी समस्या का हल कैसे किया गया था? इसके बारे में कक्षा में अपने अध्यापक महोदय के समक्ष बताइए। .
Answer:
When A Miracle Helped Me Once I was alone in the house. The main gate, by chance, remained unbolted. It was I had lighted a blow-lamp. At this moment, a sturdy lion made entry into the house. I thought my end was near. Suddenly, the blow-lamp fell down from its place. An idea flashed through my mind. I took hold of it and brandished it. The lion was afraid of the fire. It started receding. I was filled with courage. Then, the lion started to run. I, too, was running behind it. It was quite humorous and exotic. Thus, the fall of the blow-lamp was miracle which saved my life. 

Listening:

Listen to the letter (given under ‘In This Lesson’) read out by your teacher/ on the audio tape. As you listen fill in the table given below.
इस पत्र को सुनें (जो नीचे दिया गया है) जो आपके अध्यापक द्वारा पढ़कर सुनाया गया है या टेपरिकार्ड पर बजाया गया है। सुनने के बाद नीचे दी गई सारणी को भरें।
Given below is the passage for listening activity : 
Bhatt House 256, 
Circuit Road Kanpur, 
Uttar Pradesh,
India 25 January 2006 
Dear Arti,
How are you? I’m sorry I haven’t written to you for a very long time. I think I last sent you a birthday card in the month of September 2005.
We have just moved house (see our new address above). This is our new home. Sarah has just started going to school. We have admitted her to “Little Feet’ as this is very close to our new home.
I’m sitting here by the window sill, writing to you. There is a slight drizzle outside and I’m reminded of the good times we had together at Bangalore last year.
Do write back. Love. 
Jaya
 

The writer apologises (says sorry) because

 

The writer has sent this to the reader

 

The writer sent it in the month of

 

The reason for not writing earlier

 

Sarah goes to

 

Who is writing to whom?

 

Where and when were they last together?

 

Answer:

The writer apologises (says sorry) because

She has not written for a long time.

The writer has sent this to the reader

The birthday card

The writer sent it in the month of

September, 2005

The reason for not writing earlier

Shifting in new house

Sarah goes to

a school called ‘Little Feet’

Who is writing to whom?

Jaya is writing to Arti

Where and when were they last together?

At Bangalore, last year

Important Questions and Answers

Answer the following questions in about 80 words each :

Question 1.
Why did Lencho call the rain-drops “new coins”?
लेन्चो ने बरसात की बूंदों को ‘नये सिक्के’ कहकर क्यों पुकारा?
Answer:
Lencho lived with his family in a valley in which a river flowed. He was a farmer and his field of corn could be seen from his house situated on the top of a low hill. He badly needed a downpour or at least a shower for the crop of corn growing in his field. He had been looking at the north-east sky for any signs of rain. Luckily, rain-drops started falling. Lencho was greatly elated. He compared these drops to new coins falling from the sky. To him, the big drops of rain were ten cent coins and the little ones were five.

लेन्चो अपने परिवार के साथ एक घाटी में रहता था जिसमें एक नदी बहती थी। वह एक किसान था और उसके खेत को उसके घर से देखा जा सकता था जो एक नीची पहाड़ी की चोटी पर स्थित था। उसे भारी बरसात अथवा कम से कम एक बौछार की अत्यधिक आवश्यकता उसकी फसल के लिए थी जो उसके खेत में उग रही थी। वह काफी समय से उत्तर-पूर्व दिशा के आकाश की ओर देखता रहा था ताकि बरसात के कोई संकेत मिल सकें। सौभाग्य से, बरसात की बूंदें गिरना शुरू हो गईं। लेन्चो अत्यधिक प्रसन्न हो गया। उसने बरसात की बूंदों की तुलना ‘नये सिक्कों’ से की, जो आकाश से गिर रहे थे। उसके अनुसार, बरसात की बड़ी बूंदें दस सेंट के सिक्के थे और छोटी बूंदें पाँच सेन्ट के सिक्के ।

Question 2.
How was Lencho’s hope for a good crop dashed to the ground?
अच्छी फसल के लिए लेन्चो की उम्मीद किस प्रकार टूट गई?
Answer:
Lencho was waiting for a heavy rain or atleast a shower for his crop. He had been looking at the north-east sky all morning for signs or rain. Lencho hopefully predicted that they were going to get some water. They did get water. Big drops of rain began to fall. To Lencho, the big drops of rain were nothing less than new coins falling from the sky. However, God willed otherwise. Suddenly, a strong wind began to blow and along with the rain very large hailstones began to fall. The corn in his field was totally destroyed. His hope for a good crop was dashed to the ground.

लेन्चो अपनी फसल के लिए एक भारी बरसात अथवा कम से कम एक बौछार का इन्तजार कर रहा था। वह पूरी सुबह उत्तर-पूर्व के आकाश की ओर बरसात के संकेतों के लिए देखता रहा था। लेन्चो ने आशा के साथ भविष्यवाणी की थी कि उन्हें थोड़ी-बहुत बरसात मिलेगी। उन्हें पानी अवश्य मिला। बरसात की बड़ी बूंदें गिरने लगीं। लेन्चो के लिए बड़ी-बड़ी बरसात की बूंदें नये सिक्कों से कम नहीं थीं, जो आकाश से गिर रहीं थीं। तथापि ईश्वर की मर्जी कुछ और ही थी। अचानक एक जोरदार हवा बहने लगी और बरसात के साथ बड़े-बड़े ओले गिरने लगे। खेत में उग रही फसल पूरी तरह नष्ट हो गई। अच्छी फसल की उसकी आशा बिखर गई।

Question 3.
Why was Lencho’s soul filled with sadness?
लेन्चो की आत्मा उदासी से क्यों भर गई?
Answer:
Lencho wanted a good rain for his crops. Fortunately, he got the rain in the beginning and was excited. He called the rain-drops new coins of ten and five cents. However, he was soon disappointed. A strong wind began to blow and along with the rain fell hailstones. The hailstones fell for such a long time and in such a large amount that his whole crop was destroyed completely. The fact that the hailstones had left nothing for his family to eat and that all their labour had gone waste, made him sad.

लेन्चो को अपनी फसल के लिए एक अच्छी बरसात की चाह थी। सौभाग्य से, प्रारम्भ में उसे बरसात मिली और वह अत्यधिक प्रसन्न हो गया। किन्तु वह शीघ्र ही निराश हुआ। एक जोरदार हवा बहने लगी और हवा के साथ ओले गिरने लगे। ओले इतनी देर तक और इतनी मात्रा में गिरे कि उसकी सारी फसल पूरी तरह नष्ट हो गई। इस तथ्य ने कि ओलों ने उसके परिवार के लिए खाने हेतु कुछ भी नहीं छोड़ा था और कि उनकी सारी मेहनत बेकार चली गई थी, उसे उदास कर दिया।

Question 4.
What was Lencho’s only hope after his crop was ruined by the hailstones.
ओलों द्वारा उसकी फसल को नष्ट कर दिए जाने के बाद लेन्चो की एकमात्र उम्मीद क्या थी?
Answer:
After his crop was ruined totally by a hailstones, Lencho was heartbroken. The prospect of coming starvation made him full of sorrow and sadness. In such a situation, his only hope was, a help from God. He firmly believed in God’s grace towards a man in trouble. The saying “No one dies of hunger” gave him much-needed hope and encouragement. His faith in God’s help gave him so much courage that he wrote a letter to God to ask for his help.

ओलों के तूफान के द्वारा जब लेन्चो की फसल को पूरी तरह नष्ट कर दिया गया तो लेन्चो का दिल टूट गया। आगे आने वाली भुखमरी की सम्भावना ने उसे दु:ख एवं उदासी से भर दिया। ऐसी स्थिति में उसकी एकमात्र उम्मीद थी, ईश्वर से मदद। वह कष्ट में पड़े व्यक्ति के प्रति ईश्वर की कृपा में पूर्ण आस्था रखता था। इस कहावत ने कि, “कोई भी भूख से नहीं मरता”, उसे आवश्यक आशा एवं प्रोत्साहन प्रदान किया। ईश्वर की सहायता में उसकी आस्था ने उसे इतना साहस दिया कि उसने ईश्वर से सहायता माँगने हेतु पत्र लिख दिया।

Question 5.
How can you say that Lencho had an unflinching faith in God?
आप कैसे कह सकते हैं कि लेन्चो ईश्वर में अटूट श्रद्धा रखता था?
Answer:
When Lencho’s crop was completely ruined by the hailstones, he had nowhere to go for help. At such a moment, he remembered the dictum that no one dies of hunger. It meant that God provides for all his creatures. His only hope lay in God’s help. He wrote a letter to God describing the trouble he was in and asking for a hundred pesos in order to sow his field again. He received seventy pesos. He showed no surprise on seeing the money. This shows his unflinching faith in God. Not only this, he wrote another letter for the rest of the money.

जब लेन्चो की फसल को पूरी तरह से ओलों ने नष्ट कर दिया तो वह सहायता के लिए कहीं भी नहीं जा सकता था। ऐसे समय में उसे वह कहावत याद आ गई कि भूख से कोई नहीं मरता है। इसका तात्पर्य यह था कि ईश्वर अपने सभी प्राणियों का भरण-पोषण करता है। उसकी एकमात्र आशा थी, ईश्वर की सहायता। उसने ईश्वर के नाम एक पत्र लिख दिया जिसमें उसने अपने संकट के बारे में लिखा और अपने खेत की पुनः बुवाई करने के लिए एक सौ पेसोज की माँग की। उसे सत्तर पेसोज मिले। उसे धनराशि देखकर कोई आश्चर्य नहीं हुआ। इससे ईश्वर के प्रति उसकी अटूट श्रद्धा दिखाई देती है। इतना ही नहीं, उसने शेष राशि के लिए एक और पत्र लिख दिया।

Question 6.
Did Lencho receive any reply to his letter to God? What was it?
क्या लेन्चो को ईश्वर को लिखे उसके पत्र का कोई उत्तर मिला? यह उत्तर क्या था?
Answer:
Yes, he did received a reply to his letter to God. As soon as the postman opened the mailbox, he saw the letter and the address on it. He was surprised that the letter was addressed to God. He laughed heartily on the stupidity of the writer. The postmaster too, broke out laughing. But soon he became serious. He was greatly impressed by the faith of the writer in God. He was kind and amicable by nature. He read the letter and resolved to answer it. He wanted to keep the writer’s faith in God intact. He, his employees and friends collected 70 pesos and sent the amount to Lencho.

हाँ, उसे ईश्वर को लिखे गए उसके पत्र का उत्तर मिला। ज्योंही पोस्टमैन ने मेलबॉक्स को खोला, उसने पत्र तथा इस पर लिखे पते को पढ़ा। उसे आश्चर्य हुआ कि पत्र ईश्वर को सम्बोधित किया गया था। वह लेखक की मूर्खता पर दिल खोलकर हँसा। पोस्टमास्टर भी हँसा। लेकिन शीघ्र ही वह गम्भीर हो गया। वह पत्र-लेखक की ईश्वर में आस्था से अत्यधिक प्रभावित हुआ। वह मैत्रीभाव रखने वाला एवं दयालु व्यक्ति था। उसने पत्र को पढ़ा तथा इसका उत्तर देने का निश्चय किया। वह चाहता था कि लेखक की श्रद्धा ईश्वर में बनी रहे। उसने, उसके सहकर्मियों तथा मित्रों ने 70 पेसोज एकत्र किए और इस रकम को लेन्चो के पास भेज दिया।

Question 7.
How did Lencho react after receiving the money?
धन प्राप्त करने के बाद लेन्चो की क्या प्रतिक्रिया थी?
Answer:
After writing a letter to God, Lencho went to the post office to know if he had been answered. The postman gave him an envelope which contained money. On receiving the money, he did not show any surprise. He firmly believed that it was God who had sent him the money. When he counted the money, he found that it was only 70 pesos in place of a hundred pesos that he had asked for. Suspecting a human hand behind that mistake, he became angry. He wrote another letter to God to send him the rest of the money, not through mail as, he thought, the post office employees were a bunch of crooks.

ईश्वर को पत्र लिखने के बाद लेन्चो पोस्ट ऑफिस गया, यह जानने के लिए कि क्या उसके लिए उत्तर आया था। पोस्टमैन ने उसे एक लिफाफा दिया, जिसमें धनराशि थी। धनराशि प्राप्त करने पर उसने कोई आश्चर्य प्रकट नहीं किया। उसका दृढ़ विश्वास था कि ईश्वर ने ही उसे धनराशि भेजी थी। जब उसने धनराशि को गिना तो उसने पाया कि ये केवल 70 पेसोज थे, न कि 100 पेसोज जो उसने माँगे थे। इस गलती के पीछे किसी मनुष्य का हाथ होने का संदेह करते हुए वह क्रोधित हो गया। उसने ईश्वर को एक पत्र और लिख दिया कि वह शेष धनराशि भेज दे, डाक से नहीं, क्योंकि वह सोचता था कि पोस्ट ऑफिस के कर्मचारी बेईमान लोगों का एक समूह था।

Question 8.
What are the ironical situations in the story, ‘A Letter to God’?
कहानी ‘A Letter to God’ में विडम्बनात्मक परिस्थितियाँ कौन-कौनसी हैं?
Answer:
An ironical situation is one when what is expected as a matter of course is reverse and just the opposite takes place. Lencho expects and predicts a good rain for his corn. However, along with the rain come hailstones that destroy all his crop. Similarly, the postmaster resolves to help Lencho by sending him money on behalf of God and thus keep Lencho’s faith in God intact. However, instead of receiving any thanks from Lencho, he and his staff are labelled as crooks by Lencho.

एक विडम्बनात्मक परिस्थिति तब होती है जब अपेक्षित स्थिति के स्थान पर विपरीत स्थिति बन जाती है। लेन्चों एक अच्छी बरसात की अपेक्षा एवं भविष्यवाणी अपनी फसल के लिए करता है। किन्तु बरसात के साथं ओले गिर जाते हैं जो उसकी फसल को नष्ट कर डालते हैं। इसी प्रकार पोस्टमास्टर दृढ़ निश्चय करता है कि वह ईश्वर की ओर से धन भेजकर लेन्चो की मदद करेगा और इस प्रकार ईश्वर में लेन्चो की श्रद्धा को सुरक्षित बना देगा। किन्तु लेन्चो की ओर से कोई धन्यवाद पाने के स्थान पर उसे तथा उसके सहकर्मियों को लेन्चो बेईमान लोगों की संज्ञा दे देता है।

Question 9.
Draw a character-sketch of Lencho. लेन्चो का चरित्र-चित्रण कीजिए।

Answer:
Lencho is a hard working farmer who lives in a valley atop a low hill. He wishes for a good rain for his corn growing in his fields. Looking at the northeast sky, he predicts rain. The rain comes and Lencho welcomes it. However, the rain is accompanied by hail that destroys his crop totally. He seeks help from God by writing him a letter. The postmaster and his staff collect some money and help Lencho. But Lencho thinks that they had kept back a part of it with themselves and calls them a bunch of crooks. Lencho is thus a hard working man, a firm believer in God, but a poor judge of men.

लेन्चो एक परिश्रमी किसान है जो एक घाटी में एक नीचे पहाड़ी की चोटी पर रहता है। वह अपने खेतों में उग रहे अनाज के लिए अच्छी बरसात की कामना करता है। उत्तर-पूर्व के आकाश की ओर देखकर वह बरसात की भविष्यवाणी करता है। बरसात आती है और लेन्चो इसका स्वागत करता है। किन्तु बरसात के साथ ओले भी आते हैं जो उसकी फसल को पूरी तरह नष्ट कर देते हैं। वह ईश्वर से मदद माँगता है, उसे एक पत्र लिखकर। पोस्टमास्टर तथा उसके कर्मचारी कुछ पैसा एकत्र करते हैं और लेन्चो की मदद करते हैं। लेकिन लेन्चो सोचता है कि उन लोगों ने इस रकम का एक भाग स्वयं के पास रख लिया था और उन्हें बेईमान लोगों का समूह बता देता है। इस प्रकार, लेन्चो एक परिश्रमी व्यक्ति है, ईश्वर में दृढ़ आस्था रखता है, किन्तु मनुष्यों की परख उसे नहीं है।

Question 10.
Draw a character-sketch of the postmaster.
पोस्टमास्टर का चरित्र-चित्रण कीजिए।
Answer:
The postmaster is a fat, amiable fellow. When the postman brings to him the letter that Lencho had addressed to God, he breaksout laughing. But, soon he becomes serious. He is greatly impressed by Lencho’s faith in God. He resolves to keep it intact. He decides to answer Lencho’s letter. It is not an easy task. It is a matter of a hundred pesos. Lencho has asked God for this amount. The postmaster asks his employees and friends to donate ‘for an act of charity.’ He himself gives a part of his salary. Unluckily he with his staff is suspected by Lencho of having kept back a part of money sent by God.

पोस्टमास्टर एक मोटा, मिलनसार व्यक्ति है। जब डाकिया उसके पास उस पत्र को लेकर आता है जिसे लेन्चो ने ईश्वर को सम्बोधित किया था, वह हँस पड़ता है। किन्तु शीघ्र ही वह गम्भीर हो जाता है। वह ईश्वर में लेन्चो की आस्था से अत्यधिक प्रभावित हो जाता है। वह निश्चय कर लेता है कि वह इसे (आस्था को) सुरक्षित बनाए रखेगा। वह लेन्चो के पत्र का उत्तर देने का निश्चय कर लेता है। यह कोई आसान काम नहीं है। यह एक सौ पेसोज का मामला है। लेन्चो ने यह रकम ईश्वर से मांगी है। पोस्टमास्टर उसके कर्मचारियों तथा मित्रों से ‘दान के कार्य में धन दान करने का निवेदन करता है। वह स्वयं भी अपने वेतन का एक भाग दे देता है। दर्भाग्य से वह तथा उसके स्टाफ के लोगों पर लेन्चो संदेह करता है कि उन्होंने ईश्वर द्वारा भेजे गए धन के एक भाग को स्वयं के लिए रख लिया है।

Question 11.
Comment on the aptness of the title of the story ‘A Letter to God’. कहानी ‘A Letter to God’ के शीर्षक के औचित्य के बारे में एक टिप्पणी लिखिए।
Answer:
The title of the story ‘A Letter to God’ is apt. The protagonist of story (Lencho) writes a letter to God. Lencho, a hard working farmer, gets his crop of corn destroyed by hailstones. In his helplessness, he decides to write a letter to God, his only hope, to send him a hundred pesos. He drops the letter into the mailbox. Now the same letter to God falls into the hands of the postman and, later into the hands of the postmaster. Thus the post office staff also gets involved in the progress of the story. The postmaster resolves to help Lencho with money. The postmaster and his staff are able to collect only 70 pesos. Thus it is the letter that advances the story.

कहानी ‘A Letter to God’ का शीर्षक उपयुक्त है। कहानी का मुख्य पात्र लेन्चो ईश्वर को एक पत्र लिखता है। लेन्चो एक परिश्रमी किसान है और उसकी फसल ओलों से नष्ट हो जाती है। अपनी विवशता की स्थिति में वह ईश्वर को पत्र लिखने का निश्चय करता है। ईश्वर ही उसकी एकमात्र आशा है। वह ईश्वर से 100 पेसोज की रकम भेजने का निवेदन करता है। वह उस पत्र को लैटर बॉक्स में डाल देता है। यही पत्र पोस्टमैन तथा बाद में पोस्टमास्टर के हाथों में आ जाता है। इस प्रकार पोस्ट ऑफिस का स्टाफ भी कहानी के आगे बढ़ने में शामिल हो जाता है। पोस्टमास्टर धन से लेन्चो की मदद करने का निश्चय कर लेता है। पोस्टमास्टर तथा उसके सहकर्मी केवल 70 पेसोज ही एकत्र कर पाने में सफल होते हैं । इस प्रकार यह पत्र ही कहानी को आगे बढ़ाता है।

Comprehension Passages

Passage 1

“Now we’re really going to get some water, woman.”
The woman who was preparing supper, replied, “Yes, God willing”. The older boys were working in the field, while the smaller ones were playing near the house until the woman called to them all, “Come for dinner”. It was during the meal that, just as Lencho had predicted, big drops of rain began to fall. In the north-east huge mountains of clouds could be seen approaching. The air was fresh and sweet. The man went out for no other reason than to have the pleasure of feeling the rain on his body, and when he returned he exclaimed, “These aren’t raindrops falling from the sky, they are new coins. The big drops are ten cent pieces and the little ones are fives.”

Tick (✓) the correct answers :
 

Question 1.

(i) The women called the boys to—
(a) Come and play inside the house.
(b) Go’ and fetch water from the river.
(c) Come for dinner.
(d) Help her in the kitchen.
Answer:
(c) Come for dinner.

(ii) What had Lencho predicted? 
(a) He had predicted a good crop.
(b) He had predicted rain.
(c) He had predicted falling of new coins from the sky.
(d) All the above.
Answer:
(b) He had predicted rain.

Question 2.
(i) How did Lencho show his joy over the falling of rain?
(ii) How did Lencho show the importance of rain for him?
Answer:
(i) He went out of his house to feel the pleasure of falling rain on his body. Also, he called the raindrops new coins.
(ii) He showed the importance of rain for him by saying that falling raindrops were new coins of ten cents and five cents.

Question 3.
(i) Find out the word from passage which means—coming nearer to’.
(ii) Give the opposite of ‘fresh”.
Answers :
(i) approaching
(ii) stale

Passage 2

Not a leaf remained on the trees. The corn was totally destroyed. The flowers were gone from the plants. Lencho’s soul was filled with sadness. When the storm had passed, he stood in the middle of the field and said to his sons, “A plague of locusts would have left more than this. The hail has left nothing. This year we will have no corn
That night was a sorrowful one.
“All our work, for nothing.”
“There’s no one who can help us.”
“We’ll all go hungry this year.”

Tick (✓) the correct answers :

Question 1.
(i) Lencho’s soul was filled with ‘sadness because—
(a) Not a leaf remained on the trees.
(b) A plague of locusts had destroyed his corn.
(c) The storm had passed.
(d) The corn was totally destroyed by the hail.
Answer:
(d) The corn was totally destroyed by the hail.

(ii) What did Lencho fear after the corn had been destroyed
(a) He feared that his family would go hungry that year.
(b) He feared that locusts would destroy his corn the following year too.
(c) He feared that is friends would not help him.
(d) All the above.
Answer:
(a) He feared that his family would go hungry that year.

Question 2.
(i) What were Lencho’s feelings when the hail stopped?
(ii) Which two forces mentioned in the passage can destroy crops?
Answer:
(i) Lencho felt that all their work had come to nothing and that they would all go hungry that year.’
(ii) The two forces mentioned in the passage are hails and a plague of locusts.

Question 3.
(i) Find out the word from the passage which means-—’infestation of pest’.

(ii) Give an opposite word for ‘sadness’. 
Answers :
(i) Plague
(ii) Happiness or joyfulness


Passage 3

ll through the night, Lencho thought only of his one hope: the help of God, whose eyes, as he had been instructed, see everything, even what is deep in one’s conscience. Lencho was an ox of a man, working like an animal in the fields, but still he knew how to write. The following Sunday, at daybreak, he began to write a letter which he himself would carry to town and place in the mail. It was nothing less than a letter to God.
“God,” he wrote, “if you don’t help me, my family and I will go hungry this year. I need a hundred pesos in order to sow my field again and to live until the crop comes, because the hailstorm……”


Tick (✓) the correct answers :

Question 1.
(i) Whose help did Lencho hope for?
(a) The help of God.
(b) The help of his neighbours.
(c) The help of his friends.
(d) Nobody’s help.
Answer:
(a) The help of God.

(ii) What did Lencho do to get the help of God?
(a) He prayed to God to help him.
(b) He wrote a letter to God.
(c) He got a neighbour to write a letter to God on his behalf. ….
(d) He asked his friend whether he should write a letter to God or not.
Answer:
(b) He wrote a letter to God.

Question 2.
(i) What did Lencho need money for?
(ii) Who did Lencho have faith in? How did he prove his faith?
Answer:
(i) He needed money to sow his field again and to live until the crop came.
(ii) His only hope was, the help of God. He had full faith in God. He proved his faith by writing a letter to God to help him.

Question 3.
(i) ‘Write the word from the passage which means—“an inner sense of right and wrong’.
(ii) Give the opposite of – deep’.
Answers :
(i) Conscience
(ii) Shallow

Passage 4.

He wrote ‘To God’ on the envelope, put the letter inside and, still troubled, went to town. At the post office, he placed a stamp on the letter and dropped it into the mailbox. One of the employees, who was a postman and also helped at the post office, went to his boss laughing heartily and showed him the letter to God. Never in his career as a postman had he known that address. The postmaster—a fat, amiable fellow—also broke out laughing, but almost immediately he turned serious and, tapping the letter on his desk, commented, “What faith! I wish I had the faith of the man who wrote this letter. Starting up a correspondence with God!”

Tick (✓) the correct answers :

Question 1. 
(i) The postman went to his boss laughing heartily because
(a) He had heard a joke from Lencho.
(b) Someone had addressed a letter to God.
(c) He had seen a funny sight.
(d) None of the above.
Answer:
(b) Someone had addressed a letter to God.

(ii) What idea did the postmaster form about the writer of the letter?
(a) The writer had great faith in God.
(b) The writer did not know the correct address.
(c) The writer was mad.
(d) All the above.
Answer:
(a) The writer had great faith in God.

Question 2.
(i) What had the postman never known in his career?:
(ii) What impressed the postmaster about the writer of the letter?
Answer:
(i) The postman had never known in his carrier a letter addressed to God.

(ii) The postmaster was greatly impressed by the faith of the man who wrote that letter.


Question 3.
(i) Find out the word from the passage which means—“friendly and pleasant in temperament’.

(ii) Give the opposite of ‘serious’.
Answer :

(i) Amiable.
(ii) Playful or Jesting.

Passage 5.


So, in order not to shake the writer’s faith in God, the postmaster came up with an idea: answer the letter. But when he opened it, it was evident that to answer it he needed something more than goodwill, ink and paper. But he stuck to his resolution: he asked for money from his employees, he himself gave part of his salary, and several friends of his were obliged to give something for an act of charity’. It was impossible for him to gather together the hundred pesos, so he was able to send the farmer only a little more than half. He put the money in an envelope addressed to Lencho and with it a letter containing only a single word as a signature : God.

Tick (✓) the correct answers :

Question 1.
(i) What idea did the postmaster come up with?
(a) That he would answer the letter.
(b) That he would ignore the letter.
(c) That he would throw the letter into the dustbin.
(d) All the above.
Answer:
(a) That he would answer the letter.

(ii) Why did the postmaster need something more than goodwill, ink and paper?
(a) The writer had asked for a job which the postmaster did not have.
(b) The writer wanted to know the correct address of God. 
(c) The writer had demanded 100 pesos.
(d) None of the above.
Answer:
(c) The writer had demanded 100 pesos.

Question 2.
(i) What resolution did the postmaster stick to?
(ii) How much money was the postmaster able to gather together.
Answer:
(i) The postmaster stuck to his resolution of keeping the faith of the writer in God intact. He could do so by answering the letter and fulfilling the writer’s demand.
(ii) The postmaster was able to gather together only a little more than half the amount demanded.

Question 3.
(i) Bring out the word from the passage which means- obvious’ or ‘clear’.
(ii) Give an opposite word for— goodwill’.
Answers : 
(i) Evident.
(ii) Ill will or malevolence.

Passage 6.

The following Sunday Lencho came a bit earlier than usual to ask if there was a letter for him. It was the postman himself who handed the letter to him while the postmaster, experiencing the contentment of a man who has performed a good deed, looked on from his office.
his confidence—but he became angry when he counted the money. God could not have made a mistake, nor could he have denied Lencho what he had requested.

Tick (✓) the correct answers :
 

Question 1. 

(i) What did the postmaster experience when the postman handed the letter to Lencho?
(a) He experienced dissatisfaction.
(b) He experienced a sense relief.
(c) He experienced a feeling of disgust.
(d) He experienced contentment over the good deed he had done.
Answer:
(d) He experienced contentment over the good deed he had done.

(ii) Why did Lencho not show any surprise on seeing the money?
(a) Because he had great confidence in God’s goodness.
(b) Because God was bound to answer his request. ….
(c) Because he thought no man could help him.
(d) None of the above.
Answer:
(a) Because he had great confidence in God’s goodness.

Question 2.
(i) Why did Lencho become angry when he counted the money?
(ii) What satisfaction did the postmaster feel?
Answer:
(i) Lencho became angry when he counted the money because he found it shorter in amount than what he had requested God to give him. He suspected the post office staff for this shortage.
(ii) The postmaster felt the satisfaction of having performed an act of goodness.

Question 3.
(i) .Give a synonym of – ‘contentment’.
(ii) Give an antonym of – confidence’.

Answer:

(i) Satisfaction.
(ii) Diffidence.

Passage 7.
 

Immediately, Lencho went up to the window to ask for paper and ink. On the public writing-table, he started to write, with much wrinkling of his brow, caused by the effort he had to make to express his ideas. When he finished, he went to the window to buy a stamp which he licked and then affixed to the envelope with a blow of his fist.

The moment the letter fell into the mailbox the postmaster went to open it. It said: “God: Of the money that I asked for, only seventy pesos reached me. Send me the rest, since I need it very much. But don’t send it to me through the mail because the post office employees are a bunch of crooks. Lencho.”
 

Tick (✓) the correct answers :
 

Question 1.
(i) Why did Lencho go up to the window for paper and ink?
(a) He wanted to write a letter to his friend.
(b) He wanted paper and ink for use at home.
(c) He wanted to write another letter to God.
(d) He wanted to impress upon the post office people that he knew how to write.
Answer:
(c) He wanted to write another letter to God.

(ii) Why did Lencho ask God not to send him the rest of the money through the mail?
(a) Because he distrusted the post office employees.
(b) Because the post office employees were dishonest.
(c) Because the post office used to deliver letters etc late.
(d) All the above.
Answer:
(a) Because he distrusted the post office employees.

Question 2.
(i) What did Lencho request God for in his second letter?
(ii) Why did Lencho call the post office employees a bunch of crooks?
Answer:

(i) He requested God to send him the rest of the money as he needed it very much. 
(ii) He suspected that the post office employees had stolen 30 pesos from 100 pesos sent by God for him. Therefore, he called them bunch of crooks.
 

Question 3.

(i) ‘Write a synonym of – “crooks”.
(ii) Write an antonym of – public.
Answer:
(i) Swindlers or cheats. 
(ii) Private or personal.

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