Question 2 - Chapter 3 - The Little Girl - Beehive - Chapters (Literature) - English Class 9

Read the extract and answer the following questions-

Extract:

She never stuttered with other people — had quite given it up — but only with Father, because then she was trying so hard to say the words properly.“What’s the matter? What are you looking so wretched about? Mother, I wish you taught this child not to appear on the brink of suicide... Here, Kezia, carry my teacup back to the table carefully.” He was so big — his hands and his neck, especially his mouth when he yawned. Thinking about him alone was like thinking about a giant.

(The Little Girl)

Question (i)

What was the problem that the little girl had with her speech?

• A) She spoke too fast
• B) She spoke too softly
• C) She stuttered
• D) She lisped

Answer:

Answer as written by the student:

C) She stuttered

Step-by-step explanation:

•  To answer this question, we need to look at the first sentence of the extract.
•  The sentence says that she never stuttered with other people — had quite given it up — but only with Father, because then she was trying so hard to say the words properly.
•  This shows that the little girl had a problem with her speech that made her repeat or prolong some sounds or syllables involuntarily. This problem is called stuttering or stammering.
•  Therefore, we can infer that the problem that the little girl had with her speech was stuttering.
•  Hence, the correct option is C .

Question (ii)

 Why did the little girl stutter only with her father? Answer in about 40 words.

Answer:

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Answer as written by the student:

 She stuttered only with her father because she was nervous and anxious around him. She wanted to impress him and say the words properly, but this made her more tense and unable to speak fluently.

Step-by-step explanation:

•  To answer this question, we need to look at the first sentence of the extract and also consider the context of the story.
•  The sentence says that she never stuttered with other people — had quite given it up — but only with Father, because then she was trying so hard to say the words properly.
•  This implies that she did not have a problem with stuttering in general, but only when she faced her father. This could be because she felt scared or intimidated by him, as he was a distant and authoritative figure in her life.
•   It could also be because she wanted to impress him and make him proud of her, but this put more pressure on her and made her more nervous and anxious. As a result, she could not speak fluently and stuttered.
•  Therefore, we can say that she stuttered only with her father because she was nervous and anxious around him. She wanted to impress him and say the words properly, but this made her more tense and unable to speak fluently.

Question (iii)

 Identify the word that means the same as 'wretched' in the context of the extract.

• A) Angry
• B) Miserable
• C) Stubborn
• D) Curious

Answer:

Answer as written by the student:

B) Miserable

Step-by-step explanation:

•  To answer this question, we need to know what the word 'wretched' means and how it is used in the context of the extract.
•  The word 'wretched' means very unhappy or unfortunate; miserable or pitiful.
•  In the context of the extract, the word 'wretched' is used by the father to describe his daughter's appearance. He says "What’s the matter? What are you looking so wretched about?" This shows that he noticed that she looked very unhappy or sad, probably because of his presence or his kiss.
•  Therefore, another word that could replace 'wretched' in this context is miserable, which means very unhappy or uncomfortable.

Question (iv)

 State TRUE or FALSE.

 The little girl admired her father's physical features.

Answer:

Answer as written by the student:

False

Step-by-step explanation:

• To answer this question, we need to look at the last sentence of the extract.
•  The sentence says that he was so big — his hands and his neck,
• especially his mouth when he yawned. Thinking
• about him alone was like thinking about a giant.
•  This shows that the little girl did not admire her father's physical features, but rather felt afraid or overwhelmed by them. She thought he was too big and his mouth was too wide when he yawned. She compared him to a giant, which is a mythical creature that is usually scary or dangerous.
•  Therefore, we can say that she did not admire her father's physical features, but rather felt afraid or overwhelmed by them.
•  Hence, the statement that she admired her father's physical features is false.

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