Question

Q.2 Read the passage given below and answer the questions that follow:

1. A small American town where the March family resided lay covered and hushed under a

blanket of snow during the month of December. The little town was witnessing one of the worst

winters. Snow lay all over the countryside for weeks together. This miserable condition did not

help the cause of the women folk a bit. They were a sad lot. Sad because they sat lonely in the

dreary winter while their father was still away fighting in the terrible war.

2. They sat at home, knitting in the twilight, while the December snow fell quietly outside the

house, and the fire crackled cheerfully within. They were in a comfortable, simple and old room,

though the carpet was faded and the furniture was very plain.

3. ‚You know, Christmas won’t be Christmas without any presents,‛ grumbled Jo, who was lying

on the rug. ‚It’s so dreadful to be poor,‛ sighed Meg, looking down at her old dress. Little Amy

sighed and sniffed. ‚I don’t think it’s fair for some girls to have lots of pretty things, and other

girls nothing at all,‛ she added sadly.

4. ‚We have got father, mother and each other, anyhow,‛ said Beth from her corner. ‚We haven’t

got father and we will not have him around for a long time.‛ The four young faces darkened at

the words. Nobody spoke for a minute; then Meg said in an altered tone, "You know the reason

Mother proposed not having any presents this Christmas was because it is going to be a hard

winter for everyone; and she thinks we ought not to spend money for pleasure, when our men

are suffering so in the army. We can't do much, but we can make our little sacrifices, and ought

to do it gladly. But I am afraid I don't." And Meg shook her head, as she thought regretfully of all

the pretty things she wanted.2.1 On the basis of your reading the passage, answer any four of the following questions in about

30-40 words each.

a. Describe the winter that the little town was witnessing.

b. Why were the women folk sad?

c. Why were Jo and Amy grumbling?

d. What did Meg do to pacify her sisters?

2.2 On the basis of your reading the passage, fill any two of the following blanks with appropriate

words/phrases.

a) Sad because they sat lonely in the dreary winter _____________________________.

b) We can't do much, but we can make _________________________________________.

2.3 Find out words that mean the same as under.

a) sorrowful (paragraph 1)

i. miserable ii. witnessing iii. hushed iv. terrible

b) complained (paragraph 3)

i. grumbled ii. dreadful iii. sighed iv. sniffed​

Answer 1

Answer:

a. the little town was witnessing one of the worst winters . snow lay all over the country side for weeks together .

b. the women folk sad because she sat lonely in the dreary winter while their father was still away fighting in the terrible war .

c. ............

d. ..

2.3

a) hushed

b) sniffed