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cBSE CLASS IX
ENGLISH STUDY MATERJAL VOL - I

3. The Little Girl

By Katherine Mansfield

chapter Sketch:
a stri ct father and his daughter.
This story is about the relationship between
hardworking and a stri ct
IJ1itiallY, the father is shown as a very
daughter crea tes an obs tacl e in
djsciplinarian, showing his anger when the
the end, the girl's per cep tion
his work without her .knowledge. However, in
hospitalized and her father tak es
of her father changes when her mother is
care of her with love and care.

sU?tfMARY:
Kezia's fears about her father
She avoided him . Before going to
Kezia's fath er was a figure of fear for her.
her a casu al kiss . But ' whe n he
work, he would com e to her. He would give
went, Kezia would feel a grea t relief.
the ·eve nin g
How did Kezia behave before h«r father in
Kezia would hea r his loud voice
In the even ing Kezia's fath er cam e hom e.
ia to be a good girl to take off her
calling for tea. Kezia's mot her would ask Kez
fath er's sho es. Wh en she would take off
his sho es, he would ask if she had
fied of him . She would stut ter due
been a good girl that day. But she was terri
she would hesi tate due to fear .
to fear. She , in fact, wou ld try to spea k. But
For Kezia, her fath er was like a gian t.
What happened on a Sunday afternoon?
d Kezia to hav e\ nice talk with her
On a Sun day afte rnoo n gran dmo ther aske
d hei- mot her read ing and fa ther
father and mot her. But Kezia always foun
con tinu ed star ing at her fath er.
snor ing. So, she waited for her father. She
den tally woke up , he asked her nor
She waited till he woke up . Whe n he acci
to star e . She looked like an owl. '

I l\'ARAYA NA GROUP OF SCHOOLS

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It.,_.. --~.. • ~trtt.~, ct.ft ro~--;~lh;, ----- ------..
·-...
d"' 1'c-~,.,, gra ndmothe r told
'\tlf' her that her father's birthday wa s ni::J<, ,·'
"'r,:-k ...,Sh " s ugges ted Kena · a pm-cush
· ·io n o f ye
· Uow s ilk· So 1
to make him Kezia ,'!-
n ,,d<"' l p 1 h .
' n -cus ion for father. She needed somethin g to stuff th e Pin.
\ u~h.1on So h
· s e gathered a few sheets of fine paper and put th em ·into it
Th~~ s h~ts ~-1 ·
uc onged to he r father. They had an importan t speech which he
"' ns lo deUver.
A hue •nd cry in the houae
Thot nigh t th
e re was a hue and cry in the house. Father's great speech for
th e Port Auth .
onty was lost. Rooms were searched . Servants were questione d .
Father went to K 21. , . .
e a s room . He asked her about them . Kezia didn't teU a he.
She told h · th
Father .,, _ _ Lm at she had torn those papers.
8
---.auon a Kezia and beata her
Father asked K ·
CZla to come to the drawing room. He was very angry. He was
pacing to and fro . Kezia was greatly frightened , He asked Kezia if she had
done that. She whispere d. Father asked her mother to go to Kezia's room and
fetch those torn papers. Meanwhile, he asked Kezia to hold out her hands,
He beat her on her hands. He did so to teach her not to touch anything that
didn't belong to her.
Kezia•a reactio n

Kezia heard this, she told him what she did for his birthday . Kezia wa.3
beaten on her hands, Hours later, her grandmo ther had wrapped Kezia in a
shawl. She clung to her when she was being rocked in the rocking chair. She ,
sobbed, "What did God make fathers for?" ~

The llacclon alda, Kezia'• neighbors

The Macdon alds lived next door to Kezia's house. They had five children.
Father played with the children . Kezia thought that there were different
fathers.

NARA YANA GROUP OF SCHOOLS '

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 CBSE CLASS IX ENGLISH STUDY MATERJAL VOL - I
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Kezia's mother and grandmother at hospital
One day Kezia's mother fell ill. She had to be hospitalized. Kezia's
grandmother was with her. Kezia was all alone with Alice, the cook. Kezia
asked Alice what would happen if she had a nightmare. But Alice asked her
to sleep. She also asked her not to scream and not to wake up her poor
father.
Kezia's nightmare
But Kezia had a nightmare. Sh_e saw a butcher with a knife and a rope. He
u .
came near Kezia but she couldn't move. She screamed and ¼oke up father.
Father came to her bed. He asked her what was the matter. After hearing
her, he took Kezia with him.
Kezia's changed opinion about her father
Kezia's father lay down beside her. Kezia crept close to him. He _asked Kezia
to rub her feet against his legs to get them warm. Kezia
,
felt a funny thing,.
She thought that father was harder than gr3!1dmother. But it was a nice .
Everyday he had to work harder. He got too tired to be a Mr. Macdonald . And
•
she had tom up his writing! She stirred. Father asked her what was the
matter. Kezia told him that her head was on his heart . She told him tha t hr I
' ..1~

had a big heart. It was beating. I

INGS
 ~ Sf (L ..\SS I\
ENG LI SH STUDY MATE RI AL VOL - I
{ ff .--· --------------- -----------·--
- -- --- - -- -- ---- - -- -------- -----·-- ------ --- --- --- ----
_,. ----t (ioWT1 s tooped
[>t'll

fi rt' pIll l'e a place for fire

1)1<:ke<i up pulled the bed cloths up

I
I ,,.....-rlled appeared
I ;:-<"

I crept dose moved closer

I

snoggled got close

I nghtlY held hard

still Calm, quiet

RUb to make fri ~tion

Tired out exhausted
To Jook after to take care of
Hardness state of being hard
Torn up tearing
Srirfed moved
Sighed took a deep breath

m. IMPORTANT PASSAGE FOR COMPREHENSION

Read the following passages and answer the questions that follow each other
1. To the little girl he was a figure to be feared and avoided . Every morning
before going to work he came into her room and gave her a casual kiss , to
which she responded with "Goodbye, Father". And oh, there was a gl;id sense
of relief when she heard the noise of the carriage growing fainter and fainter
, :-iwn the long road!(Page 32) (Imp.) (Cl3SE)
Comprehension Questions
1. How did the little girl look at her father?
2. Why did Kezia feel a great relief when her father went out?
3. What would Kezia do when her father return home?
4. Find a word from the passage which means 'replied '.
Answers
1. The little girl looked at her father with fear.

\.<\ RAYAXA GRO UP OF SCHOOLS Page 59

 ENGLISH STUDY MA TERI AL VOL - I
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t t Jt was so becau se sh·
2. Kezia felt a great relief when her father wen ou · t

was greatly afraid of him.

Vvnen her father would return home she would stand near th e Slairc3.h,:

and hear him.

4- Respond..
2. She: never stuttered with other people· ha.d 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, 1 wish
you taught this child not to appear on th• brink of suicide .... Here , Kezta ,

c.:arry my teacup back to the table carefully .··

He was so big- his hands and his neck, especially h is mouth whe n he
yawned.. Thinking about him alone was like thinking abou t a giant. (Page
33)

fV ~Imp J (C BSE)
Compreh ension Question s

1. Woy did Kezia stutter before he r father?

.2 . What did Kezia's father do after talkin g to hi s m oth e r?
3. HtrN did Kt,zia '1 father look?
4. Pmd a phrase from the passage which means 'a t th e edge·.

Anawera
3. Ke-zi.a '>tuttered before her father·becousc: s he wa " grro tly ufm1d of h 11 11

2. K~~ -, fath ,~r after talking LO hi o mother wou ld ns k K e1.10 to bri nl-' l
l•:a<;up to h im.
K•.zid -, father looked very big and heavy .
4 fJM l h r; hrinl-". or.
~ r, r r, ~r.<!.ay ;i/l~rn <><m" Gr andmothe r s<·nl her down to t1'-I,,. dr.:i win\, r<>< •'r
:-.;1 : •: ~J n u 1~lk with Father and Moth e r". But the little: v;rl al wa" 11 r, •,

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· Mother reacting and Fath er stretc hed~ ~;-~~ ~~-~ ~~~~ -~~ handk
· di .
face, his feet on one of the best cush ions , sl eepm g soun v and snon ng.
k .
She sat on a stool , grave ly watc hed him un til h e wo e and stretc heu, and
asked the time -then looke d at her.
"Don 't stare so, Kezia . You look like a little brm.vn owl"

eomp rehe nsion Que stion s

r on Sund ay
1. Why did Kezia's gran dmo ther send her to her fathe
after noon s?
2. How woul d Kezia find her fathe r?
ng up?
3. How woul d Kezia's fathe r look at her and spea k after waki
4. Find a word from the pass age whic h mean s 'Seri ously'.
Answers
woul d stop
1. Kezia's gran dmo ther sent Kezia to her fathe r so that she
feari ng him.
ng. He woul d
2. Kezia woul d find her fathe r sleep ing soun dly and snori
cove r his face with his hand kerc hief.
not to stare at
3. Whe n Kezia's fathe r woul d wa.Jee up he woul d ask her
him. He wou ldsay that she looked like a little brow n owl.
4. 'gravely'.
sides . But what
4. Laboriously, with a doub le cotto n, the little girl stitc hed three
to fill it with ? That was the ques tion. The gran dmo
ther was out in the gard en,
s. On the bed- ta ble
and she wand ered into Moth er's bedr oom to look for scrap
red them up, tore
she disco vered a grea t man y shee ts of fine pape r, gath~
the'f ourth side .
them into tiny piece s, and stuff ed her case , then sewe d up
grea t spee ch
That nigh t there was a hue and cry in the hous e . Fath er's
searc hed ; sf'rva n ts
for the Port Auth ority had been lost. Rooms were
'
ques tione d . Fina lly Moth er came into Kezia 's room .

Comprehension Que stion s.

r?
1. Why d id Kezia mak e a gift of a pin -cush ion fo r her fnthc
 ENG LISH STUDY MAT ERJAL V<>L 1
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2. Wh at for did she loo k for scr aps ?
er? tbt: G,a .r,..,0,1t: .L e
3. Wh at wer e the se she ets of fine pap
ch me ans 'noi se a nd con fus ion · ·wh isp er)' · ·
4· Fin d a phr ase from the pas sag e whi
An awe ra
d was l~ s cre:a..m and ,, :::z.,
on for fath er on his birt .h a y · 1t
1- Kez ia ma de a gift of a pin -cu shi
Bu t the s<:t. rOI:' •.

ple ase him . ca.r oe nea r~r :::.r

pin -cu shi on.
2. She loo ked for scr aps to fill in the
n1 Co lllp reh ecai ou Q,
she ets of fine pap er had act ual ly Kez ia's fath er's imp orta
3. The se Who wa~
1.
spe ech .
2. Wh a:t l b r:.
4. 'hu e and cry '
roc ked ht:, 3. Wh at ''' a.
had wra ppe d her in a sha wl and
5. Ho urs late r, wh en Gra ndm oth er Fin d a w
4.
ng to her sof t bod y.
in the roc kin g-c hai r, the chi ld clu
" she sob bed .
"W hat did God ma ke fath ers for?
'll forgt· AD .we n
w you r nos e. Go to slee p, pet : you
"He re's a cle an han ky, dar ling . Blo
too ups e }. Ali ce w 2
ut it m the mo rnin g. I trie d to exp lain to Fat her but he wa s
all abo ~
2. '17\The n
to list en ton igh t. ·
bot h hand- She cu
tim e she saw him she qui ckly put
Bu t the chi ld never forg,< ., . Nex t
3. The r.J!
flew into her che eks . (Pa ge 35)
beh ind her back! <8.Ild a red col our
bu; d:- e
Co mp reh ens ion Qu est ion s
p her in a sha wl?
1. Wh y did Kez ia's gra ndm oth er wra
2. Wh y did Kez ia hat e her fath er?
her fath er the nex t tim e? Why?
3. How did Kez ia rea ct wh en spe saw
ich me ans 'sti ck.
4. Fin d a wo rd from the pas sag e wh
Q. l "To the ti
An swe rs
ia in a sha wl bec aus e her fath
er hat Ke zia •a fa.
1. Kez ia's gra ndm oth er wra ppe d Kez
bea ten her wit h a rul er.
t her . "Th in.J tini
he spo ke har shly to her and bea
2. Kez ia hat ed her fath er bec aus e
. It we~ s. Ke zia U:u
she saw her fat her nex t tim e
3. Kez ia's fac e los t col our wh en
An a :Ke z1a ~
.
bec aus e she fea red him gre atly
a ca s un.·
4. 'clin g' '
NA RAY ANA GROUP OF SCHOOLS

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 t tt,f CLASS I X
ENG LISH STLrDy ,~
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What 'II I do if I hav e -------------------
e ··
·e tak es rn . . ght rna re? she ask d, I ofte. n have nightm a res and
the Gra nni e rn to her bed - 1 ,
· can t stay tn the dar k. it all
gets
'wh ispery ... :
.
"You j us t go to sle ep , child " .
' said Alice uJli Off her socks, "an d don ·t you
' p ng
scr eam and Wa k e Your Poor Pa...
_ .
But the sam e old nig htm are c
th ·
cam e nea rer and nea rer .. arne e but che r With a knife and a rope who

Comprehenafon Queatfona
1. Who wa s Alice?
2.
nig htm are s? How does she feel?
Wh at is don e to Kezia wh en she has
3.
Wh at wa s the nig htm are all abo ut?
4. rneans 'a horrible dream·.
Fin d a wo rd fro m the pas sag e which

Anawers
household of Kezia.
I. Alice wa s the ma id- ser van t in the
.
gra ndm oth er tak es her into her bed
2. Wh en Kezia has nig htm are s her
·
very sca ry due to stra nge whispers.
She can 't sta y in the dar k. It get s
nig htm are wa s all abo ut the but che r with a lmife and a rope. The
3. The
~
but che r cam e nea rer and nea rer .
4. 'nig htm are '

IONS
V. SH OR T ANSWER TYPE QUEST
(Word limit : 30- 40 words)
figure to be feared and avoided".Why was
Q.I "To the litt le gir l he was a
?
Kezia'a fat her suc h a figure for her
or
about a gia nt f"Whydid
"Thinking abo ut him alo ne was lik e thi nki ng
.
Kezia thi nk abo ut her father so?
fi ' h er . He spoke to her very
e of fear 1or little. He gave
•- . , k to bee with love .
....a:l(ez1a s fat her wa s a igu r . out of work. ,He never spo e
a cas ual kis s to h er before gom g
Page 63
NARAY AN A GROUP OF SCHOOLS
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1:1\'G LISII ~TVDY '-'iA T t~
----~---
&<1,..~
cs 51 on for he r. Sh e fo un d him a gja n t. So s he a·. 0
Ht l id t 1-11<•m cx pr
111m Sh r felt rel ief 111 his ab ~n ce .
th e e,,en.J.q af ter tJae
• oit ;
zi a'■ be Jla ye m
Q . ~ Ho w •o w d Ke
fa th er
~
·s fa th er wo uld s tan d ne ar th e sta irca ~ . He ..
An a : ln th e ev en ing Ke
zia
wo uld ask for h:;
d vo ice to ge t his tea in the dr aw ing ro om . He
:111x~ k 11 ::i lou
1
ne ws_pape
in g ho me . He wo uld als o as k his mo th er for the
~lipp<;r s of ter co m
au K em to do to be r fa th er af ter h e ~
Q .3 What di d Keria'■
m ot he r

ho me fro mW or k?
he ret~
ke d Ke zia to tak e off he r fat he r's sh oe s aft er
An a : Ke zw 's mo t he r as
day. B~•
he as ke d he r if sh e ha d be en a go od gir l tha t
fro m wo r k . After th a t
He was
. Sh e wo uld stu tte r be for e him du e to fea r.
Ke zw wa s ter rif ied of
him

lik e a gio nt to he r. ha ve ? (V.lmp.1

I e~ on a Su nd ay af te m oo n? Ho w di d Ke.zia be
I Q. 4. W ha t ha pp en to he r father
ern oo n Ke zia 's gr an dm oth er as ke d Ke zia to ta lk
I An a. On a Su nd ay aft wh o was
I Ke zia fou nd he r rea din g. Sh e wa ite d for fa th er
an d mo th er . Bu t d h~r
he n he wo ke up he as ke d he r no t to sta re . He tol
I s no rin g to wa ke up . W
owl.
/ th at s h e loo ke d Jjke an bir th da y?
id a'• gr an dm ot he r uk he r to do for he r ra th er '•
/ Q. 5. W ha t di d Ke

I W ha t clld eb e do ?
An s . Kezia 's gr an dm ot he
r as ke d Ke zia to m ~e a pin -cu sh ion of ye llo w sil
k for her
sh ion
fel l in the co mi ng we ek . So Kezia ma de a pin -cu 1

I fat h er 's bi rth da y wh ich '

r fat he r's im po rta nt
. Sh e stu ffe d it wi th fine pa pe rs wh ich ha d he
for him I
ab ou t it.
s pe ec h. Sh e djd no t kn ow e such ;
wa s a hu e an d cr y in th e ho u• e'. Wh y •a a th er
Q. 6. 'T ha t ni gh t th er
e (V .lm p.) .
I
e stu ffe d ii i '
a no ise ? . gift for he r fat he r's bir thd ay . Sh
. I,
. a , I
-cu sh Jo n as du e to de hv er \it for lh<" 1
An a . Kezia ma d e a pm f. h r's sp ee ch . He wa s
wi th pa pe rs. 'Th es e we re
he r at e a sked . So , du e to !
hed for it. Se rvan ts we n~
sc are
or ts Au t h o rity . Ro om s we re "
P ·n the ho u se .
d cry t
th is , th e re wa s "a hu e an

Page 64

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Q. 7. What did Kezia's father do to Kezia after the speech had been lost?
An•- Kezia 's father's speech had been lost. Actually Kezia had tom the papers into
small pieces. She stuffed these into the pin-cushi on. Kezia's father went to
her room. He asked her about it. Kezia told the rruth that she had torn those
papers.

1
Q. 8. What did Kezia'sfa ther do to her after Kezia told that she had torn his
speech?
Ans. Kezia's father was very angry. He asked his mother to bring those rem
papers. Meanwhi le, he asked Kezia to hold her hands out. He beat her on her ,
1
hands. He did so to teach her a lesson that she should not touch anything
that didn't belong to her.

Q. 9. How did Kaia react to her beating by her father? (V. Imp.}
Ans. Kezia replied that she tore those papers to stuff the pin-cushi on for his
birthday . Kezia 's father had beaten her before that. Her grandmo ther
wrapped Kezia in a shawl. She clurig to her grandmo ther. She wa s rocked in
the rocking chair. She sobbed and asked for what were.fath ers made.

I
Q. 10. What did Kaia tell Alice when her mother and grandmo ther were
athospit al? What did Alice ask her to do?
Or

What did Kezia usually see in the nightma res ? When would she get
them? What would her grandmo ther do to her?
Ana. Kez.ia asked Alice what would happen if she had nightrQ,ares in the\ absenN:'
of her mother and grandmo ther. She saw a butcher ~ith a knife and a rope
in the nightmar e. He came nearer her. When she had n ightmare her
grandmo ther would ta ke her into her bt"d . She couldn't stay in tht> dark .
'

\ARAYANA GROL'P OF SCHOOLS

 E'-'GLISH STL'DY MA TERI AL\ OL . :

Q· 11. Bow did Kea.a cb•ace her opinion about her father?
Or
Did Kem cbaqe her opinion about her father ? How? (CBS£
Aas. Kczia saw a different father in her father then. She felt sorry for he.r PClo:
fa ther who had no one to take care of him. he was really poor. He seemed tc
be harder than her grandmother but it was a nice hardness. He had to work
eve ry day and was too tired to be a Mr. Macdonald. And she had torn his
beautiful writing. Kezia sighed and she told her father that he had a big
heart .
Q. 12. What change came in Kezia's heart when she lay by the side of her ,
father? (V.lmp.}

Ana . Kezia lay by her father's side. She heard her father's heart beating. She had
a funny feeling when he asked her to rub her feet against his legsto make
them warm . She thought that he had to work hard everyday. He was too tired '
to be like Macdonald. And she tore his writing which was very important for '
him . Then Kezia told him that he had a big heart.
Q. 13. What is the moral of 'The Little Girl'? (Imp.)
Ana. The Little Girl ' n-as a beautiful moral. ~t teaches that parents can 't be bad as
the little girl Kezia thinks. When there is a problem parents come to their
help as Kezia's fatherdoes . Thus. the story teaches that children should
understand their parents. They should not form baseless opinions about
their parents.

VI. LONG ANSWER TYPE QUESTIONS

(Word limit: 100-120 wo rd5 ) \
h th
Q. 1. "She never stuttered with othe r people .•• but only wif fa e r... ·., Explain.
What (eelingdid ahe have about her father ? Why?
Or
~ ft re to be feared
Why did Kezia think that her father 'was a gu and

avoided'?
Paget/: '
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 CBSE CLASS IX ENGLISH STUDY MA TERI AL VOL - I
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(CBSE)

,Ans, She was Kezia, the little girl. She was afraid of her father. Unlike other
fathers he never played with her. He never showed his love for her. He never
spoke to her with affection. He found faults with her too often. She tried to
speak properly while talking to her father but always resulted in her
stuttering before him.

Once her father became very angry with her. He beat her. This was too
much for the little girl. She began to hate him. The fact was that in reality he
was not cruel to her. He also loved his daughter like any other father. But he
never showed his love for her. Kezia realized this at the end of the story.
Q. 2. Kezia decided that there were different sorts of fathers.How ? Which
kind do you consider better ? Why?
Or

How did Mr. Macdonald treat his children ? How was it different from
the way Kezia'• father treat her?
(CBSE)
Ans. Kezia found her father frightening . It was so because he always found faults
with the child. Out of fear, ~she could not · speak properly before him. She
stuttered. Once he even beat her. This made Kezia wonder why God made
fathers.
Then one day Kezia saw Mr. Macdonald playing with his children. She
concluded that there were different sorts of fathers: Mr. Macdonald showed
his love and affection by playing with his children. But Kezia 's father s~owed
it by working hard for the family. An ideal father should have a balance. He
should play with the children.
\
VII. VALUE BASED QUESTIONS
1. What happened with Kezia, happens with every child to some extent. Do you
agree that this is a normal phenomen on?
l-,

NARAYANA GROU P OF SCHOOLS Pa£, ~

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Answer
To some extent this is indeed a normal phenomeno n. Every child takes tirnt
to understand his parents. In fact the parents have the same problem
because every child is an individual who is different from all others. Havmg
said that, we must admit that the case of Kezia seems a little different. The
I
story suggests that until the final incident, she only dreaded her father. Her I
father was certainly not able to show that he loved her which indeed he did.
The little Kezia was a precocious child. She learnt from her experience. She
saw how her father was so different from Mr. Macdonald who played with his
children.
The moral of the story is that the parents should not take their children's
love for granted. They must show them from time and again how much they
love them.

3. Kezia says that there are "different kinds of fathers". Do you agree
? Give reasons for your answer.
Answer
1--
Kezia is right. There are different kinds o{ fathers just as there are different
types of human beings. However, there is one thing common in all fathers. It 1

is that they bother about their children. All of them want to see their children
happy in their present as well as future . But there starts the difference. Some
fathers worry about· the present happiness of their children so much that
they ignore their future. On the other hand there are fathers who worry so
much about the future of their children that they make their present
unhappy.
The innocent children can see only the present behavior. They judge\ their
parents from their present behavior as Kezia used to do.
3. The Little Girl' has certain values that strengthen the human relations hip and
re move any doubts that crop up in the hearts of the young towa rds the adult
How has this been brought about in ?

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An••er
11,e Little Girl' contains values of love, trust and understanding. These are
very important for a happy life for all. Kezia distrusts her father and is scared
of him every time. It is not entirely her fault but her father's behavior to some
extent is also responsible. It may be due to the pressure of his work . It makes
him irritating and serious. He should have been more considerate towards
Kezia like other fathers . This indifferent nature of her father created fear for
him instead of love in Kezia's heart. But when he shows love and concern to
her, she realizes his real fatherhood . Thus, it is love, trust and understanding
that becomes important. These strengthen any relationship. Kezia in the end
realizes this beautiful bond between a daughter and a father;.

VIII. EXERCISES FOR PRACTICE

A. Short Answer Type Questions
Answer the following questions in about 30-40 words each:
1. Why was Kezia afraid of her father?
2. Why did Kezia's father beat Kezia one day? How did Kezia react to it? (V. Imp.)
3. What had happened to the speech of Kezia'sfather ? H(?~ -pid he punish
1

Kezia?
How did the Macdonald family spend their time ? What did Kezia think of it?
(Imp.)
B. Long Answer Type Questions
Answer the following questions in about 100-120 words each:
1. What made Kezia fear her father? How did she show her fear?
2. Why did Kezia's father beat her? What did she think of after that? (V. Imp.)

htract Baaed Questions:

Read the passages given below and answer the questions that follow:
Q.l. To the little girl he was a figure to be feared and avoided. •Every morning
before going to work, he came into her room and gavl her a casJal kiss , to

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ere was a-- ---, .,

which she respo nded with 'Good Bye Fathe r · And ' glad Se:
of relief when she heard the noise of the carri age grow ing
faint er and fair.•~
down the long road !
i) What was the daily routine of the father?
ii) When did the daughter felt relief?
iii) Who la 'he' in the first line?
iv) Trace a word from the passage which mean s 'answered'
.
Ana, Ii) The daily routi ne of Kezia's fathe r was to visit her
daug ht er's room, mee,_
her and give her a kiss before leaving for work.
(ii) The daug hter felt relief when the carriage went away from
the house .
(iii) Her fathe r
(iv) Resp onde d
Q.2. On Sund ay aftern oon, Gran dmot her sent her down to
the drawing room to
have a 'Nice talk with Fathe r and Mother'. But the little
girl always found
moth er readi ng and fathe r stretc hed out on the sofa, his hand
kerch ief on his
face, his feet on one of the best cushi ons, sleeping soun dly
and snoring.
i) Who was 'she' and why did the grandmother sent her down
?
ii) What did she notic e about her parents?
~
iii) Was she happ y with her parents?
11
I
iv) Trace a word that mean s 'undisturbed'. I
Ans. (i) "She" is Kezia .Gran dmot her sent her down
to have a nice t;:ilk with her :
paren ts.
(ii) She noticed that her fathe r was sleeping and snori ng and
mother was
reading.
(iii) No, she was not happ y with her paren ts.
(iv) Soun dly.
t· \
Q.3. She sat on a stool, gravely watch ed him until he woke
and stretched and
asked the time - 1hen looked at
her. 'Don't stare so, Kezia. You look like a little brown owl'.

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C8SE CLASS IX E~GL ISH STUD Y MA T ERI AL VOL - 1
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....... ---- --- -·- -- ---- - - --- - - - ----- ------ ---- -------·---------
i, Whom ia Kezia watc hing grav ely?
u, Why wu 1he aitting there waituag for him to wake up?
ill) Who ■aid, 'Don't •tare so Kezia'?
iv) Trace the word in the extra ct whic h mean s 'seri ously '.
An•- (i) Kezia was watc hing her fathe r gravely.
a nice talk
(ii) On a sund ay afternoon, her grand moth er sent her to have
ing on the
with fathe r and mother. But Kezia always found her fathe r sleep
sofa.
(iii) Her father.
(iv) Gravely.
sides . But what
Q.4. Laboriously, with a double cotton, the little girl stitch ed three
out in the gard en ,
to fill it with? That was the question. The grand moth er was
On the bed table
and she wand ered into moth er's bedro om to look for scrap s.
up, tore them
she discovered a great many shee t of fine pape r, gathe red them
h side.
into tiny pieces, and stuffe d her case, then sewe d up the fourt
i) Who is the little girl?
ii, What did she do to fill the cush ion?
1,

iii) Where was the gran dmo ther?

ct.
iv) Trace the word, whic h mean s 'tiny piece s' in the extra
Ans. (i) Kezia
sewe d the
(ii) She tore them into tiny pieces, and stuff ed her case, then
fourt h side.
(iii) The gran dmot her was out in the garde n.
(iv) Scrap s ,
on her little , pink
Q.5. 'But it was for your b-b-b irthd ay'. Down came the ruler \
in a shaw l and
palms. Hour s later , when gran dmot her had wrhp ped her
body . Wha t did
rocked her in the rocking - chair, the child clung to her soft
God make fathe rs for ?' she sobb ed.
i) Who is resp ondi ng in the first"line and befor e whom ?
ii) How did the fathe r reac t?

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Ill) Sh e aobbed.Who la 'Sh e'?
iv) Fin d a word from the paaaag
e tha t me an s 'we pt' ·
Ana. (1) Kt'z in i~
res pondi ng before her fat her .
(ii) The fot htr bec ame a ngry and bea t her
pin k pal ms wit h a rul er.
(iii) K<'zir,
(iv) Sobbed
Q.6 . Bu l th,· sam e old nightm a re cam
e . The but che r wit h a kni fe an d a rop
e wh o
rn rnc- ntu rtr ond nearer, with tha t dre adf
ul smile, while she cou ld no t mo ve,
on ly 8tnntl s t ill , crying out 'Gr and
ma !'. Sh e woke shi ver ing to see fat
her
bts iclc her bed , a candle in his han d. 'W
hat is the ma tte r?' he sai d.
l) Why did ahe get the nig htm are ?
li) Where wa1 the bu tch er?
ill) What was the sta te of Kezia?
iv) Find a word from the pas sag e
tha t me an s 'sh ak e in fea r an d col d'.
An s. (i) She got the nightm are as she wa s alone
wit h her fat her at hom e an d he r
mo t her und gra nny we re in the
hos pit al.
(ii) The but cher wa s in her dre am .
(ii i) Kezia wa s tre mbling with fear.
(i v) Shivering