Class 9 Moments Supplementary Reader Chapter 1 Question Answers - The Lost Child

Q1. Where did the child go with his parents? What did he want there?

Ans: The child went to a fair with his parents to celebrate the festival of spring. At the fair, he wanted:

• Sweets, especially burfi
• Garlands of flowers
• Balloons in various colours
• To see the snake charmer's show
• To ride on a roundabout

Despite his wishes, he knew his parents would not buy these items for him.

Q2. Was the fair popular with people in general? Give reasons.

Ans: The fair was very popular with people for several reasons:

• Visitors left their daily routines to enjoy the spring festival.
• Many dressed in their best clothes, adding to the festive atmosphere.
• Families gathered together, creating a sense of community.
• The stalls and rides attracted large crowds, enhancing the overall experience.

Q3. Parents were in a hurry to reach the fair, but the child was delaying them. How?

Ans: The child was easily distracted on the way to the fair. His behaviour included:

• Stopping at toy shops to admire the toys.
• Chasing after butterflies and insects.
• Gathering flowers that fell around him.

As a result, his parents had to frequently pause and call him to walk alongside them.

Q4. What are the things that the child sees on his way to the fair? Why does he lag behind?

Ans: The child sees several things on his way to the fair:

• Toys
• Insects
• Worms
• Flowers

He is captivated by these items and often stops to admire them. As a result, he struggles to keep up with his parents and ends up lagging behind.

Q5. How did the child’s father react to hearing the child say, “I want that toy.”?

Ans: The child was accustomed to his parents, particularly his father, often denying his wishes. When he expressed his desire for a toy, his father responded with a red-eyed glare, resembling a tyrant. This look conveyed a clear and rude ‘no’.

Q6. How can you say that the child was scared of his father?

Ans: The child showed signs of being scared of his father through his behaviour. Although he desired many things, he expressed his wishes in slow murmurs. This indicates that he felt intimidated and unable to voice his demands confidently, unlike other children.

Q7. How did the mother distract the child’s mind from the toy seller?

Ans: The child's mother redirected his attention to the flowering mustard field to distract him from the toy seller. In this vibrant setting, he noticed:

• Colourful dragonflies with striking purple wings
• Black bees and butterflies fluttering around

He watched them as they danced in the air, captivated by their movements.

Q8. How did the child enjoy the beauty of nature on his way to the fair?

Ans: On his way to the fair, the child enjoyed the beauty of nature by:

• Stopping to admire a flowering mustard field.
• Watching insects and worms emerge from their hiding spots.
• Gathering the petals of falling flowers.
• Running joyfully in circles around a banyan tree.

Q9. Why did the child stop to watch the insects and what were his parents doing at that time?

Ans: The child stopped to watch the insects and worms along the footpath because they were coming out to enjoy the warmth of the sun. Meanwhile, his parents were resting under the shade of the trees.

Q10. What happened when the little child entered the grove? How did he enjoy it there?

Ans: Upon entering the grove, a shower of young flowers fell on the child. He became so enchanted that he forgot about his parents and started gathering the petals.

As he played, he heard the cooing of doves and excitedly ran back to his parents, dropping the flowers he had collected.

His parents called out to him, and he joyfully ran around the banyan tree, continuing to gather the petals that had fallen.

Q11. Why did the child feel both repelled and fascinated by the fair?

Ans: The child felt both repelled and fascinated by the fair for several reasons:

• The large crowd at the fair made him feel confused and slightly afraid.
• He was captivated by the natural sights, food stalls, rides, games, and toys.
• The vibrant atmosphere created a mix of emotions, drawing him in while also overwhelming him.

Q12. What did the child see at the sweetmeat shop? How did he react to this sight?

Ans: At the sweetmeat shop at the fair's entrance, the child saw a stunning display of colourful sweets that made his eyes widen and his mouth water. He craved his favourite burfi but instinctively knew his parents would not buy it for him. So, he moved on without waiting for a response.

Q13. Why didn’t the child wait for an answer after he had pleaded for sweets?

Ans: The child saw his favourite sweet, burfi, and eagerly murmured, "I want that burfi." However, he did not wait for a response because:

• He anticipated his parents would refuse.
• He feared they would call him greedy.

Thus, he moved on without expecting an answer.

Q14. Why couldn’t the child get a garland of flowers for himself?

Ans: The child wanted a garland of Gulmohar flowers but spoke in a half-murmur. He was aware that his parents would likely refuse, claiming the flowers were cheap.

Q15. How did balloons fascinate the child? Was he able to buy any? Why/Why not?

Ans: The child was captivated by the sight of colourful balloons soaring from a vendor's pole. His heart swelled with a strong desire to own them all. However, he refrained from asking his parents to buy any because he feared they would say he was too old for such things.

• The balloons mesmerised him with their vibrant colours.
• He felt a deep longing to possess them.
• He did not ask his parents due to the fear of a negative response.
• His parents would likely deem him too old for balloons.

Q16. How did the sight of a snake-charmer leave the child spellbound?

Ans: As the child walked away from the balloon-seller, he spotted a snake-charmer playing a flute to a snake. He was captivated by the snake's hood, which swayed gracefully like a swan's neck. The enchanting music mesmerised both the snake and the boy.

Q17. Why didn’t the child ask his parents to show him the snake charmer’s act even though he wanted to?

Ans: The child did not ask his parents to see the snake charmer because he was aware that they considered the charmer's music to be coarse. He felt there was no point in requesting something he knew they would refuse.

Q18. In the fair, the child wants many things. What are they? Why does he move on without waiting for an answer?

Ans: The boy desires several things at the fair:

• Toys
• Burfi (a type of sweet)
• A garland of flowers
• Balloons
• To hear the snake charmer's music
• To ride on the roundabout

He moves on without waiting for an answer because he anticipates that his parents will refuse his requests, citing various reasons.

Q19. What did the child find difficult to resist? What did he do?

Ans: The child found it difficult to resist the roundabout, where men, women, and children were whirling around, shrieking with excitement. He watched them closely and, unable to hold back, made a bold request to his parents:

• "I want to go on the roundabout, please, Father, Mother."

Q20. What plea did the child finally make to his parents? Was his plea heard?

Ans: The child finally pleaded with his parents to let him go on a ride on the roundabout. Unfortunately, his plea went unheard because his parents were not nearby at that moment. He had become separated from them, which meant they could not hear him.

Q21. The fair lost all its charm and attraction for the child. When did this happen?

Ans: Tempted by the sights of a sweetmeat seller, a balloon-seller, a flower-seller, a snake-charmer, and finally the roundabout, the child became distracted and lost track of his parents. This separation filled him with panic, leading him to lose interest in the fair.

Q22. Where did the lost child meet a kind-hearted person at the fair?

Ans: The lost child met a kind-hearted person near the shrine. The man noticed the child in the crowd, who was at risk of being trampled. Hearing the child's cries, he quickly came to help and lifted him up.

Q23. How did the child react when there was no sign of his parents?

Ans: Upon realising he had lost his parents, the child felt confused and panicked. Unable to find them in the large crowd, he:

• Ran around, calling out for his mother and father.
• Felt lonely and afraid, leading him to cry inconsolably.
• Experienced tears rolling down his flushed face, overwhelmed by fear.

His distress escalated as he searched in every direction, feeling lost and desperate.

Q24. What happened when the lost child reached the temple door?

Ans: Upon reaching the temple door, the lost child found himself caught in the crowd. The people were jostling to enter the shrine, and he was knocked down.

He would have been trampled if a kind man had not heard his loud cry and rescued him.

Q25. Who rescued the lost child? What did he offer to buy?

Ans: A kind man in the shrine heard the child's cry and lifted him into his arms. To comfort the distressed child, he offered to buy:

• sweets from the sweet shop
• balloons in bright colours
• flowers to make a garland

However, the child only wanted his mother and father.

Q26. Why did the man offer to buy things for the child?

Ans: The child was crying uncontrollably in the arms of the man who had rescued him from being trampled at the shrine. The man offered to buy him things to:

• Calm the child down.
• Make him feel secure.
• Inquire about his parents and home.

Q27. Why did the lost child refuse to take his favourite things in the fair after losing his parents? OR Why does the lost child lose interest in the things that he had wanted earlier?

Ans: The child refused to take his favourite things at the fair after losing his parents because he was overwhelmed with fear and panic. His mind was solely focused on finding his parents, causing him to lose interest in everything else, including the items he had previously wanted.

Q28. What was the child’s response to the many offers made by the man?

Ans: The child's response to the man's offers was one of deep distress:

• He wailed inconsolably, unable to be comforted.
• Amidst his sobs, he repeatedly cried, "I want my mother, I want my father!"
• He refused to look at the various items the man presented, showing no interest in them.

Q29. What kind of person was the man who rescued the child?

Ans: The man who rescued the child was a kind-hearted individual. His actions were a blessing in disguise for the lost child. Without his help, the vulnerable child could have been trampled and seriously harmed.

Q30. What do you think happens in the end? Does the child find his parents?

Ans: The lost child was lucky to be found by a kind stranger. This man made a special effort to locate the child's parents and successfully reunited them.

Q31. How can you say that the child was an obedient boy?

Ans: The child was captivated by the fair, showing interest in many attractions. However, he did not pressure his parents to buy anything. Instead, he followed them closely, demonstrating his obedience. Although he desired various items, he refrained from voicing his wishes, knowing his parents would likely refuse.

Q32. Where did the child’s parents stop and why?

Ans: The child’s parents stopped under the shade of a grove to rest for a while during their journey to the fair.

Q33. How did the father try to distract the child’s mind from the toy seller?

Ans: The child saw a toy-seller at the fair and expressed his desire to buy toys. However, his father, known for his strictness, looked at him with anger. Understanding his father's usual refusal, the child refrained from insisting on buying the toys.

Q34. Why did the parents forbid the child from listening to the snake charmer’s music?

Ans: The parents forbade the child from listening to the snake charmer's music because they deemed it coarse. Despite his desire to hear the flute, the child suppressed his feelings and continued on his way.

Q35. How did the child react to seeing the sweet-seller?

Ans: At the fair, a man was selling a variety of sweets, including Gulab-Jamun, Rasgulla, Burfi, and Jalebi. The display was enticing, and when the child saw the sweets, his mouth began to water.

His favourite sweet was Burfi, so he expressed his desire to his parents, saying he wanted it. However, he knew they might not agree, as they often thought he was being greedy.