At the high school

PARAGRAPH - 1

1. What is a biography? What is an autobiography?

Ans: A biography is the story of a person’s life, written by another person. But an autobiography is the story of a person’s life, written by that person himself.

2. Is this lesson a biography or an autobiography? Support your answer with reasons.

Ans: This lesson is an autobiography. Because this lesson is written by Gandhiji himself.

3. Was Gandhi good at studies? How will you support your answer?

Ans: Gandhi was not good at studies. In the opening line we get this idea, when he says that he was not regarded as a fool at the high school.

4. Did his teachers like him?

Ans: Yes, his teachers liked him.

5. What sorts of certificates were sent to his parents?

Ans: Certificates of progress and character were sent to his parents.

6. When did he win prizes?

Ans: He won prizes after he passed out of the second standard.

7. Which standards did he get scholarships, in?

Ans: In fifth and sixth standards he got scholarships.

8. What were the amounts of his scholarships?

Ans: In fifth and sixth standard, the amount of scholarship were four and ten rupees respectively.

9. Who did he thank more for his scholarship- himself or his good luck?

Ans: He thanked more to his good luck for his scholarship.

10.  What do you know about Gandhi as a person?

Ans: Gandhi as person was an epitome of truth and non-violence. He is not just the father of our nation, but he is the voice of entire human conscience.

PARAGRAPH – 02

11.  What was he very much careful about?

Ans: He was very much careful about his character.

12.  How did he react when blamed?

Ans: Gandhiji were so careful about slightest mistakes that even little blemish drew tears in his eyes.

13.  What was more important for Gandhi-winning prizes or building character?

Ans: Building character was more important for Gandhi.

14.  Why did he get physical punishment?

Ans: He got physical punishment which he didn’t deserve for a mistake.

15.  Who was the headmaster?

Ans: Dorabji Edulji Gimi was the headmaster.

16.  Was he popular? Why?

Ans: Yes he was popular. Because he was disciplinarian, a man of method, and a good teacher.

17.  What was made compulsory for upper standard boys?

Ans: Gymnastics and cricket were made compulsory for upper standard boys.

18.  I disliked both. What does ‘both’ refer to?

Ans: Here both refers to ‘Gymnastics’ and ‘Cricket’.

19.  What was the reason for Gandhi’s dislike for cricket and gymnastics?

Ans: Gandhi’s shyness was the reason of his dislike for cricket and gymnastics.

20.  Was the headmaster a lover of games?

Ans: Yes, the headmaster was a lover of games.

21.  What false idea did Gandhi have about games?

Ans: Gandhi had the false idea about games that they had nothing to do with education.

22.  What were his views on games later?

Ans: Later he realised that physical training should have much place in the curriculum as mental training.

PARAGRAPH – 03

23.  What was the special reason for Gandhi’s dislike for gymnastics?

Ans: The special reason for Gandhi’s dislike for gymnastics was his keen desire to serve as nurse to his father.

24.  Compulsory exercise came directly in the way of this service. What was the service?

Ans: The service was to serve as nurse to his father.

25.  Did the headmaster grant his request? Why?

Ans: No, the headmaster didn’t grant his request. Because he was a strict disciplinarian.

26.  Why did he get to school late?

Ans: He didn’t have any watch. The clouds in the sky deceived him. So he got to school late.

27.  Clouds deceived him. How?

Ans: Clouds in the sky deceived him by hiding the sun, thus not allowing him to know the time.

28.  Did the headmaster believe what he said?

Ans: No, the headmaster didn’t believe what he said.

29.  How much was he fined?

Ans: He was fined one anna or two.

30.  What was he accused of? Was the accusation proper?

Ans: He was accused of remaining absent in the gymnastics class. No, the accusation was not proper.

31.  What pained him so much?

Ans: Though he told the truth, he was accused of lying. That pained him so much.

PARAGRAPH – 04

32.  What lesson did he learn from it?

Ans: He learnt the lesson that a man of truth must be a man of care.

33.  Was he careless in school later?

Ans: No, he was not careless in school later.

34.  Did he really have to play the fine?

Ans: No, he succeeded in getting the fine remitted.

35.  How was the fine exempted in the end?

Ans: The exemption from exercise was of course obtained as Gandhi’s father wrote a letter to the headmaster saying that he wanted him at home after school.

PARAGRAPH – 05

36.  What was the other neglect Gandhi talked about?

Ans: The other neglect Gandhi talked about was his handwriting.

37.  What was his earlier notion on handwriting?

Ans: His earlier notion on handwriting was good handwriting was not a necessary part.

38.  When and where did he realise that his notions were wrong? What made him think so?

Ans: When he went to England and South Africa he realised that his notions were wrong. In south Africa, he saw the beautiful handwriting of lawyers and young men born and educated in South Africa. This made him think so.

39.  What were his views on handwriting?

Ans: He viewed that bad handwriting should be regarded as a sign of an imperfect education.

40.  What was his advice to young men and women in this regard?

Ans: He advised young men and women to learn from his example and understand that good handwriting is a necessary part of education.

PARAGRAPH – 06

41.  Why did Gandhi consider Sanskrit harder than geometry?

Ans: Gandhi considered Sanskrit harder than geometry, because in geometry there was nothing to memorise. Where as in Sanskrit everything had to be learnt by heart.

42.  Which class was Sanskrit introduced in?

Ans: Sanskrit was introduced in class four.

43.  What did Gandhi say about the Sanskrit and Persian teachers?

Ans: According to Gandhi, the Persian teacher was lenient. The Sanskrit was a hard taskmaster and anxious to force the boys.

44.  Where they on good terms? Quote the sentence from your text in support of your answer.

Ans: No, they were not on good terms. The line “There was a short of rivalry going on between the Sanskrit and the Persian teachers.” Shows this.

45.  What tempted him to sit in the Persian class?

Ans: The ‘easiness’ tempted him to sit in the Persian class.

46.  How did the Sanskrit teacher feel about it?

Ans: The Sanskrit teacher grieved on this matter.

47.  Why did he think it necessary for Gandhi to study Sanskrit?

Ans: He thought it necessary for Gandhi to study Sanskrit because he was the son of a Vaishnava father and Sanskrit was the language of his own religion.

PARAGRAPH – 07

48.  Did he come back to Sanskrit class? Why?

Ans: Yes, he came back to Sanskrit class. Because the kindness of his Sanskrit teacher put him to shame and he could not disregard his teacher’s affection.

49.  What put him to shame?

Ans: The kindness of his Sanskrit teacher put him to shame.

50.  Who was his Sanskrit teacher?

Ans: Mr. Krishnashankar Pandya was his Sanskrit teacher.

51.  How did the study of Sanskrit help him later?

Ans: Sanskrit helped him later in taking interest in the sacred books.

52.  What feelings did Gandhi have for his teachers?

Ans: Gandhi feels grateful for his teachers.