A House is not a Home Class 9 Worksheet English Moments Chapter 8

Q.1. My first year of high school felt awkward. After leaving junior high at the head of my class with all the seniority the upper grade levels could afford me, it felt strange starting over as a freshman. The school was twice as big as my old school, and to make matters worse, my closest friends were sent to a different high school. I felt very isolated. I missed my old teachers so much that I would go back and visit them.

(i) Why was the narrator feeling awkward?

The narrator was feeling awkward as it was his first day in high school and he was alone.

(ii) Why did the narrator feel strange?

He was feeling strange because he was new at the high school and was unsure of what would happen there.

(iii) Why was the author sent to a new school?

He was sent to a new high school as he had completed his junior school.

(iv) How would his old teachers encourage him?

His old teachers encouraged him to participate in school activities and make new friends there.

Q.2. What did the author and his mother do on seeing the fire?

On seeing the fire, both of them got worried and rushed here and there. The author requested the neighbors to call the firemen. His mother rushed into the house and tried to save the important documents and letters and pictures of her husband, who had died.

Q.3. The author felt isolated and sad in his new school. Why?

The author felt sad and isolated in high school because all his friends from junior school had moved to some other schools and he was all alone and was unsure of what would happen there.

Q.4. How did his old teachers encourage and advice the narrator?

The narrator was still haunted by the memories of his old school. He missed his friends and old teachers badly. The teachers would encourage and advise him to adjust according to the environment and make new friends at high school.

Q.5. Describe the reaction of the author and his mother on seeing the fire?

One day while doing his homework, the author noticed smoke coming out of his house. The whole house was filled with smoke because of fire. He and his mother rushed out. The fire spread quickly. He requested the neighbors to call the firemen. His mother went inside the house and came out with a metal box that had their important documents in it. She threw the box there and rushed back again. The author was terrified on seeing this. But he also knew that his mother had gone inside to save the memories of his father who had died when he was very young. The author tried to run after his mother but the fireman stopped him from doing so. Another fireman brought his mother out of the house safely. Both of them got worried on seeing their house on fire because they had lost everything.

Q.6. My mother. then ran out of the house carrying a small metal box full of important documents. She dropped the case on the lawn and, in a crazed state, ran back into the house. I knew what she was after. My father had died when I was young, and I was certain that she was not going to let his pictures and letters go up in flames. They were the only things that she had to remember him by. Still I screamed at her, “Mom! No!”

(i) What happened to the author’s house?

The author’s house caught fire and everything was destroyed.

(ii) Why did the author love his cat so much?

He had rescued the cat when it was a kitten and brought it home. Gradually he got attached to the cat.

(iii) Why did his mother run out of the house?

His mother ran out of the house carrying a metal box which had some important documents. She wanted to save the important things from the fire.

(iv) What things did she want to save from the fire?

She wanted to save the letters and pictures of her husband who had died. She had only those things as a memory.

Q.7. Why did his mother rush back to the house?

She had already carried a metal box which had all the important documents. But she rushed back again to save the memories of her late husband from getting destroyed in the fire.

Q.8. What did the author notice when he was sitting in the dining room?

The author, while doing his homework, noticed the smoke pouring in through the seams of the ceiling. Soon the room was filled with smoke. He along with his mother rushed out to save their lives.

Q.9. What did the author get from his new schoolmates?

Everyone in the new high school got to know about the fire incident that happened with the narrator. His schoolmates helped him in every possible way . They provided him books, bag, food and clothes.

Q.10. How did the author’s friends help him in rebuilding his life?

The author’s friends played a vital role in rebuilding his life which was destroyed because his house caught fire. The author had already lost his father when he was very young. His mother looked after him. They lost everything in that fire. The author joined a new high school but did not feel good there as he missed his old friends and teachers. He kept visiting his old teachers who, in return, would encourage him to be active in his new school. After the fire incident, when he went to school, he found everybody behaving strangely. But to his surprise, his schoolmates had arranged every necessary item that he needed. They had come to know about his situation so they wanted to help him in every possible way. The author felt happy again and lost his feelings of isolation and insecurity and was happy once again.