‘Karma’ by Khuswant Singh, questions and answers(S.A.Q.), class – 11, WBCHSE

1)Where did Sir Mohan Lal wait before the train arrived? [Class 11 – 2014]

Ans.  Sir Mohan Lal waited in the first-class waiting room of a railway station before the train arrived.

2)Where was the mirror in which Mohan Lal looked at himself?

Ans.  The mirror was in the first-class waiting room of a railway station.

3)How did Sir Mohan smile at the mirror?

 Ans.  Sir Mohan smiled at the mirror with an air of pity and patronage.

4)‘You are very much like everything else in this country’ – who said this and to whom?

Ans.  Sir Mohan Lal said this to the mirror.

5)‘You are a bit of all right, old chap.’ – who said this who is the old chap?

Ans.  The mirror said this and Sir Mohan Lal was the old chap.

6)What is the condition of the mirror?

Ans.  The mirror was in a wretched condition as the red oxide at the back of it had come off at several places.

7)Where did Sir Mohan have his suit from? [Class 11 – 2020]

Ans.  Sir Mohan had his suit was from Saville Row.

8)How was sir Mohan’s moustache? [Class 11 – 2018]

Ans. Sir Mohan’s moustache was neatly trimmed.

9)What did Sir Mohan have in the buttonhole of his shirt? [Class 11 – 2017]

Ans. Sir Mohan had a carnation in the buttonhole of his shirt.

10)‘There was still time for quick one.’ – What do you mean by the expression ‘quick one.’

Ans. – By this expression ‘quick one’, we mean enjoying a quick drink.

11)‘Koi  Hai’ – who shouted the call and who responded?

Ans.  Sir Mohan Lal shouted the call and a bearer with a white livery responded to the call.

12) Who was Lachmi?

Ans.  Lachmi was the wife of Sir Mohan Lal.

13)How old was Lady Lal?

Ans.  Lady Lal was in her middle forties.

14)Where did Lachmi sit at the railway station?

Ans.  Lachmi sat on a small grey steel trunk outside the first class waiting room.

15)What was Lachmi doing while waiting for the train?

Ans.  Lachmi was chewing a betel leaf and was fanning herself with a newspaper.

16)‘Where does the zenana stop?’ – What does the speaker want to know by this question?

Ans.  The speaker wants to know where the lady’s compartment stops.

17)‘Where does the zenana stop?’ – Who asked this and to whom?

Ans.   Lachmi asked this to passing railway coolie.

18)Where does the zenana stop?

Ans.  The zenana stops at the end of the platform.

19)Are you travelling alone sister?’ – Who asked this question and to whm?

Ans.  The railway coolie asked this question to Lachmi.

20)Why did the railway coolie flatten his turban?

Ans.  The railway coolie flattened the turban to make a cushion to carry the steel trunk of Lachmi.

21) “Lachmi chatted away merrily.” – With whom did Lachmi chat away merrily? [Annual Exam. – 2022]

Ans.  Lachmi chatted away merrily with a coolie.

22)Why did Lady Lal stop at a hawker’s stall?

Ans.  Lady Lal stopped at the hawker’s stall to replenish her betel leaf case.

23)What did Lachmi take out from the brass carrier? [Class 11 – 2014, 2020]

Ans.  Lachmi took out from her brass carrier a bundle of cramped chapattis and some mango pickles from the brass carrier.

24)What did lady Lal eat as tiffin?

Ans.  Lady Lal ate chapattis and mango pickle as tiffin.

25)How was Lachmi clad? Or What was the dress of Lachmi?

Ans.  Lachmi was clad in a dirty white sari with a red border.

26)What was Sir Mohan Lal’s profession? [Class 11 – 2019]

Ans.  Sir Mohan Lal was a vizier and a barrister by profession.

27)In what language did Sir Mohan Lal speak? [Class 11 – 2016]

Ans. Sir Mohan Lal spoke in English but used anglicised Hindustani to Indians.

28)What was Lady lal fond of?

Ans.  Lady Lal was fond of a little gossip.

29)Why was Lady Lal fond of gossip?

Ans.  Lady Lal was fond of gossip because she had no one to talk to at home.

30)Why did the relatives of Lady Lal never come?

Ans.  The relatives of Lady Lal never came because Sir Mohan Lal did not like her poor illiterate relatives hanging around his bungalow.

31)Where did Lady Lal live in her house?

Ans.  Lady Lal lived in the upper storey of her house.

32)What was the coolie doing when Lachmi was eating?

Ans.  When Lachmi was eating, the coolie was drawing lines in the gravel with his finger.

33)Why did Lachmi thank god?

Ans.  Lachmi thanked god for the favour of a filling meal.                                                            

34)What announced the arrival of the train?

Ans.  The clanging of the bell announced the arrival of the train.

35)How was the zenana compartment?

Ans.  The zenana compartment was almost empty.

36)How much did Lachmi pay the coolie? [Class 11 – 2017]

Ans.  Lachmi paid two annas to dismiss the coolie.

37)Where was the interclass zenana compartment?

Ans.  The inter-class zenana compartment was next to the guard’s van.

38)What could not disturb Sir Mohan Lal’s sangfroid?

Ans.  The arrival of the train could not disturb the sangfroid of Sir Mohan Lal.

39)What do you mean by ‘sang froid’?

Ans.  Sangfroid means keeping mental stability or composure in the time of difficulty.

40)What does the expression ‘tickety boo’ means?

Ans.  The expression ‘tickety boo’ means everything in order.

41)What according to Mohan Lal were the exhibitions of bad breeding?

Ans.  Excitement, bustle and hurry were the exhibitions of bad breeding.

42)How many years did Mohan Lal stay in England? [Annual Exam. – 2022]

Ans.  Sir Mohan Lal stayed five years in England.

43)What had Sir Mohan Lal acquired during his five years abroad?

Ans.  During five years abroad Sir Mohan Lal had acquired the manners and attitudes of the upper class.

44)What were Sir Mohan’s favourite subjects of conversation?

Ans.  He could talk about any subjects, books, politics or people.

45)Which newspaper did Mohan Lal keep with him?

Ans.  Sir Mohan Lal used to keep with him ‘The Times.

46)What did he do with ‘The Times’?

Ans.  He did with the crossword puzzle.

 47)What would Mohan Lal do if his Balliol tie or ‘The Times’ failed to impress people?

Ans.  He would order scotch whiskey if his Balliol tie or The Times failed to impress people.

48)When was Sir Mohan dismayed?

Ans.  Sir Mohan was dismayed when he found the compartment empty.

49)Why was Sir Mohan’s face lit up?

Ans.  Sir Mohan’s face was lit up because he saw two English soldiers.

50)Whom did Sir Mohan meet in the compartment of the train? [Class 11 – 2015, 2018]

Ans. Sir Mohan met two English soldiers named Bill and Jim in the compartment of the train.

51)What were the two English soldiers carrying?

Ans.  The two English soldiers were carrying haversacks.

52)What were the names of the two English soldiers?

Ans.  The two English soldiers were Bill and Jim.

53)‘Ere, Bill’, he shouted, ‘one ere’. – Who said this and what is the actual word ‘ere’?

Ans.  Jim said this and the actual word is ‘here’.

54)Why was Sir Mohan Lal half smiling and half protesting?

Ans.  Sir Mohan Lal was half smiling because he found two English soldiers for his journey and he was half protesting as he was called a nigger by them.

55)‘Ek Dum Jao  – get out.’ – Who said this?

Ans.  Jim said this.

56)When did the soldiers pause?

Ans.  The soldiers paused when Sir Mohan protested in his Oxford accent.

57)‘Get the nigger out’ – Whom does the word ‘nigger’ refer to? [Class 11 – 2015]

Ans. The word ‘nigger’ refers to Sir Mohan Lal.

58)What things of Mohan were flung upon the platform?

Ans.  Sir Mohan’s suitcase, thermos flask, briefcase, bedding and ‘The Times’ were flung upon the platform.

59)‘I ‘ll have you arrested’ –  who said this and why?

Ans. Sir Mohan Lal said this because he was angry with the two English soldiers for throwing his belongings out of the train.

60)Who struck Sir Mohan Lal on his face? [Class 11 – 2019]

Ans.  The soldier, Jim struck Sir Mohan on the face.

61)What did the two English soldiers do with Sir Mohan Lal at last?

Ans.  At last, the two soldiers flung Sir Mohan out of the train.

62)What was Lachmi’s mouth bloated with?

Ans.  Lachmi’s mouth was bloated with betel saliva.

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