NCERT Solutions for Class 12 English Lost Spring
Categories: NCERT Solutions Intermediate class
NCERT Solutions for Class 12 English
Lost Spring
Q1: What is Saheb looking for in the garbage dumps? Where is he and where has he come from?
Answer: Saheb is looking for coins, rupee notes and any other useful objects in the garbage dumps. Saheb and his family have migrated to Seemapuri, a slum area on the outskirts of Delhi, looking for a source of living after they were uprooted from their native village in Dhaka, Bangladesh.
Q2: What explanations does the author offer for the children not wearing footwear?
Answer: The author comes across many shoeless rag-picker children in her neighbourhood. According to her, one explanation of this habit of remaining barefoot is that it is a tradition among the poor children of this country. However, the author quickly mentions that calling it a tradition could be just a means of justification of the utter destitution.
Q3 : Is Saheb happy working at the tea-stall? Explain.
Answer : Saheb is not really happy working at the tea-stall because working for a master meant sacrificing his freedom and his "carefree look". Even though the job at the tea-stall pays him 800 rupees and all his meals, he seems less contented than before. The weight of his master's steel canister seems heavier than his rag-picking plastic bag.
Q4: How, in your opinion, can Mukesh realise his dream?
Answer : Mukesh was different from the others of his community. By daring to dream, he has already taken the first step towards a big change. He wants to become a motor mechanic and drive a car. He can realise this dream with determination and hard work. There might be many obstacles on his way but a strong willpower will help him move towards the way to success. The fact that he is willing to walk a long distance in order to learn the vocation, underlines his firm resolve. The only thing left for him to do is to make that first journey to that garage and request the owner to take him in and guide and direct him on his journey as a mechanic.
Q5: What makes the city of Firozabad famous?
Answer : Firozabad is famous for its glass bangles. The place is the centre of India's glassblowing industry.
Q6: What could be some of the reasons for the migration of people from villages to cities?
Answer : There are many factors that cause the migration of people from villages to cities. Some villagers voluntarily move to the cities in search of jobs and better civic and health facilities, etc. Others are forced to migrate when natural disasters like floods, storms, droughts, famine, etc. destroy their houses and properties. History has records of large-scale migrations caused by wars. Also, many villagers who are better off than others manage to send their children to study in the cities. In the lesson 'Lost Spring', Saheb and his family migrate to Seemapuri from Dhaka after their houses were destroyed in the storms.
Q7: Would you agree that promises made to poor children are rarely kept? Why do you think this happens in the incidents narrated in the text?
Answer: Yes, the promises made to poor children are seldom kept. Often, they are not taken seriously or have been made on the pretext of retaining a child's fancy for something. This keeps the child hoping for a better possibility till he/she realises the truth. It is difficult for people to shatter the children's dreams; while it is also painful to see these children thrive of false hopes given to them. Once, while interacting with Saheb, the narrator ends up encouraging him to study and jokingly talks about opening a school herself. At that time she fails to realise that unknowingly she has sown a seed of hope in Saheb's heart. She becomes conscious of her mistake when, after a few days, Saheb approaches her, enquiring about her school. Her hollow promise leaves her embarrassed.
Q8: Mention the hazards of working in the glass bangles industry.
Answer: The impoverished workers in the glass bangles industry toil in potentially hazardous working conditions while welding. The furnaces they work in have extremely high temperatures and lack proper ventilation. Persistently working in low light conditions, without any protective eye gear, leaves them blind. Even burns and cuts are quite common. The workers are quite prone to ailments such as lung cancer.