A. Answer these questions briefly:
1.
Ans: The carved wooden box contained a handful of Indian Earth. The aunt gave it to the girls in case they got homesick during their voyage.
2.
Ans:The aunt was apprehensive and fearful about the girls' journey, but she tried to hide her fears and shared stories of her own exciting trip abroad.
3.
Ans:The warnings were about the drabness, dullness, seasickness, and the possibility of an attack by an enemy submarine during the voyage.
4.
Ans:The two categories of passengers on the ship were officers and troops. The Polish refugees belonged to the troop class, while the rest of the passengers were assigned to the officer class.
5.
Ans:The military friend brought each of the girls a metal kangaroo and a wooden boomerang as souvenirs from Australia.
6.
Ans:The narrator felt ashamed because she had been speaking curtly to the soldier and initially didn't admit her homesickness, but the soldier remained friendly and interested in her.
7.
Ans:The soldier thought the narrator was not an Indian because she spoke English well, which surprised him. He assumed that she might be from the United States because of her language proficiency.
B. Answer these questions with reference to the context.
1.
a.
Ans: The narrator has herself in mind when she says "so confidently and fearlessly."
b.
Ans: The event in her life that she is referring to is the voyage that she and her sister are about to embark on.
c.
Ans: By "such circumstances," the narrator means the wartime conditions, including the risks of enemy submarine attacks and the absence of recreational facilities on the ship.
2.
a.
Ans: The narrator's aunt, Krishna Hutheesing, says this advice to the narrator and her sister.
b.
Ans: When the speaker gives this advice, she means that appearing helpless can often lead others to offer assistance, but it is important to remain capable and self-reliant.
c.
Ans: The speaker gives this advice before the voyage begins, while they are still in Bombay harbor.
3.
a.
Ans: The narrator says this at some point during their journey.
b.
Ans: The use of "but" implies that the speaker had lower expectations or hopes, and the use of "even" suggests that seeing any land, no matter how small, was a source of joy and excitement.
c.
Ans: The speaker caught a glimpse of some land, but the specific location or name of the land is not mentioned in the given context.
C. Answer these questions.
1.
Ans: The question that baffled the narrator was why she lacked the courage and discipline that her parents had. She pondered on this because she felt inadequate compared to her parents and wondered why she didn't possess the same traits as them.
2.
Ans: The aunt helped the girls before their journey by assisting them with last-minute shopping and making the necessary arrangements for their travel during wartime. She saw them off at the dock, provided them with garlands of flowers, placed a red tilak on their foreheads, and gave them coconuts for good luck. Additionally, she gave them a little box of carved wood containing Indian Earth as a gesture in case they felt homesick. Despite her own apprehensions about the journey, she tried to hide her fears and shared her own exciting travel stories to reassure them.
3.
Ans: "The ship's heaving rhythm" refers to the motion and movement of the ship as it sways and rolls on the ocean waves. It describes the repetitive and rhythmic pattern of the ship's motion, which can cause a feeling of instability and disorientation.
4.
Ans: The narrator entertained herself on the ship by leaning over the railings on deck and feeling the salt spray on her face, observing the changing panorama of the ocean, and engaging in conversations with the other passengers. She didn't have access to traditional forms of entertainment like deck tennis, swimming, dancing, or cinema shows, so she found joy in the simple pleasures of observing the sea and interacting with fellow travelers.
5.
Ans: The wide assortment of passengers on the ship consisted of individuals from different nationalities and backgrounds who had been brought together by the circumstances of the war. There were Polish refugees, military officers, elderly missionary ladies, a young Chinese student, and people from various other nationalities. Despite their diverse backgrounds, most of them were friendly and companionable, sharing conversations, arguments, and laughter as they navigated the voyage together.
6.
Ans: The two sisters, Lekha and the narrator, have contrasting personalities. Lekha is depicted as efficient and practical, while the narrator appears more helpless and dreamy. For example, the aunt advised them to look helpless but be efficient, and Lekha was forced to be efficient because the narrator always looked helpless. Lekha also scolded the narrator for arriving late to the deck during the precautionary drills, emphasizing the importance of safety over appearances. These examples highlight Lekha's practicality and responsibility compared to the narrator's tendency to daydream and prioritize her appearance and morale.
7.
Ans: The narrator initially had a difficult experience on the ship before she started enjoying the trip. She struggled with seasickness and found it challenging to adjust to the ship's motion. The small cabin, stale odors, and lack of fresh air contributed to her discomfort. Additionally, the narrator felt lonely and homesick, longing for the familiar harbor of Bombay. These factors, combined with the initial sense of drabness and warnings of submarine attacks, made the beginning of the journey less enjoyable for the narrator.
8.
Ans: The precautionary drill held on the ship every day was an "abandon ship" drill. When the ship's megaphone announced, "All hands abandon ship," all passengers were required to immediately stop their activities and rush to the assigned deck. This drill was intended to prepare them for the possibility of an enemy submarine attack.
9.
Ans: To prepare herself for the drill, the narrator would go to her cabin and rebraid her long hair, ensuring it was neat and tidy before heading to the deck. She saw this act as a way to maintain her morale and personal appearance. On the other hand, her sister, Lekha, reacted with concern and questioned the narrator's priorities, emphasizing the importance of safety rather than appearance during the drill.
10.
Ans: The encounter between the narrator and the young soldier takes place on the deck of the ship. The narrator, feeling lonely and homesick, is standing in a corner, looking out at the lights of Melbourne harbor and wishing to go ashore. The young soldier approaches her, surprising her with a friendly greeting and asking if he scared her. The narrator admits to her homesickness, feeling ashamed to admit it to a stranger.
