1.5 Livelihood, Money Orders and Village Trust

Last updated at July 14, 2026 by

NCERT Questions (from the Textbook)
Extract-Based Questions

(From "Critical Reflection") See full Critical Reflection section

Extract-Based Questions
Read the extract and answer the questions: "Akaal or famine is a way of life here. In a good year, I get one crop of bajra. That cannot feed my family of five. We would starve without this job."
How to answer: Answer each subpart separately. Use the extract’s economic details: famine, bajra, family of five and money orders.
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(i) One crop of bajra makes a little difference for people like Khetaram because it cannot feed a family of five for the whole year.

(ii) He calls famine a way of life because drought and crop scarcity are common in his arid region.

(iii) He had to take up the GDS job because farming alone could not support his family.

(iv) Other families: Money orders :: Khetaram: GDS job / assured income .

(v) A good year would signify a year with enough rain to produce one crop of bajra.

Practice Board Pattern Questions Mapped to Exam Format

Extract from the Text

Khetaram says famine is a way of life in his region and one crop of bajra cannot feed his family. His GDS job gives him assured income. For many families, survival partly depends on money orders sent by relatives.

Summary in Bullet Points

  • Khetaram’s job is both service and survival. new lease of life = the job gives him a renewed chance to support his family.

    "New lease of life" — yaar Khetaram ke liye yeh sirf job nahi, ek nayi shuruat hai. GDS job ne unhe survival diya. Service aur survival — dono ek hi kaam mein. Ekdum dual purpose hai.

  • Money orders show the financial role of the post office. social significance = the post office carries money, not just words.

    Money order = ghar wale bahar se paise bhejte hain post office ke zariye. Bank account nahi, ATM nahi — sirf post office. Yaar millions ke liye post office hi ek financial system hai — iska social importance zyada hai jitna hum sochte hain.

  • Villagers trust Khetaram enough to let him read letters and draft replies. trust = privacy is placed in his hands because he is respected.

    Anpad log Khetaram ko apni private letters padhne dete hain — itna trust hai. Privacy sirf wahi share karte hain jis pe poora bharosa ho. Yaar, postman se zyada ek stranger ko itna trust kab karte ho?

Hinglish explanation: Khetaram ke liye job sirf duty nahi, family survival bhi hai. Famine aur ek bajra crop se ghar nahi chal sakta. Villagers ke liye post office money order aur savings ka reliable system hai. Khetaram par trust itna hai ki log private letters bhi usse padhwaate hain.

Fill in the Blank. 1 mark
Khetaram says one crop of __________ cannot feed his family of five.
How to answer: Use the crop named in Khetaram’s statement.
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The correct answer is bajra .

Bajra — Khetaram ne bajra mention kiya. Desert area mein bajra hi basic crop hoti hai. Family of five ko sirf bajra ki ek fasal se nahi chal sakta.

MCQ. 1 mark
What do money orders reveal about the post office in the chapter?
How to answer: Think beyond letters: what does the post office help families receive?
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A. it is only a place for stamps
B. it is also a financial support system for rural families
C. it replaces farming completely
D. it is used only by the BSF
The correct answer is B. it is also a financial support system for rural families .

Money orders reveal karte hain ki post office sirf letters ke liye nahi — financial lifeline bhi hai. Jo banks tak nahi pahunch sakte unke liye post office hi bank hai yaar.

Short Answer. 2 marks
How does Khetaram’s ability to read and write letters increase villagers’ trust in him?
How to answer: Use two actions: reading letters and drafting replies.
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Villagers trust Khetaram because he handles their private words with care. He reads out letters and writes replies for people who need help, so he becomes a trusted personal link, not just an official messenger.

Anpad log letters nahi padh sakte — Khetaram padh ke sunaate hain. Yeh privacy share karna hai — sirf trusted person ke saath. Trust = jo kaam system nahi kar sakta woh relationship karta hai.

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