Class 9 Moments Supplementary Reader Chapter 9 Question Answers - The Beggar

Q.1. Describe the first meeting between Sergei and Lushkoff. How did Sergei take pity on Lushkoff?
Ans. 
One day, advocate Sergei encountered a beggar dressed in shabby, worn-out clothes. The beggar, named Lushkoff, pleaded with Sergei for help, claiming that he had a job offer in Katuga but lacked the money to travel there. Sergei, however, recognized the beggar from an earlier encounter on Sadovya Street, where Lushkoff had lied about being a student expelled for not paying his fees.

Upon being confronted, Lushkoff confessed that he made a living by lying. He revealed that he was unemployed and had resorted to begging. Although Sergei refused to give him alms, he offered him work instead. Lushkoff was brought to Sergei's home to chop wood, though it was clear he was physically weak and unwilling to work. Sergei's maidservant, Olga, oversaw the task, and eventually, Sergei paid Lushkoff for the work. Despite Lushkoff's reluctance, Sergei's act of offering work showed his pity and desire to help Lushkoff in a dignified way.

Q.2. Sergei brought Lushkoff home to get some wood chopped. How did he help Afterthought?
Ans. 
After Lushkoff chopped wood, Sergei felt satisfied, believing he had reformed a beggar. He invited Lushkoff to return on the first of every month to earn money by chopping wood. Despite being frail and barely able to stand, Lushkoff came regularly and performed various tasks, including shoveling snow, organizing the woodshed, and beating dust out of mattresses. For these tasks, he received small payments ranging from twenty to forty kopecks.

Eventually, when Sergei moved to a new house, he hired Lushkoff to help with packing and moving furniture. During this time, Lushkoff appeared more silent and sober. Sergei, impressed by his improvement, wrote a letter of recommendation for Lushkoff to a friend, securing him a job as a copier. Sergei took pride in helping Lushkoff find a more stable occupation and lead a better life.

Q.3. Describe the last meeting between Sergei and Luslikoff. How did Olga help Lushkoff to be a real man?
Ans. 
Two years later, Sergei encountered Lushkoff at a theatre, where Lushkoff was purchasing a ticket. He looked well-dressed, wearing a coat with a fur collar and a sealskin cap. Lushkoff informed Sergei that he was now a notary, earning thirty-five roubles a month. Sergei was delighted to see Lushkoff standing on his own feet.

During their conversation, Lushkoff revealed a surprising truth: it wasn’t Sergei who had reformed him, but Olga, Sergei’s maidservant. Lushkoff admitted that he never chopped any wood during his visits; it was always Olga who did the work for him. Her compassion and silent support inspired him to quit drinking and turn his life around. Olga’s kindness, patience, and selfless actions played a pivotal role in Lushkoff’s transformation.

Q.4. What values did Olga exhibit while saving the life of Lushkoff?
Ans. 
Olga, Sergei’s cook, demonstrated profound compassion, kindness, and selflessness in helping Lushkoff. Though outwardly harsh and scolding, she sympathized with his plight and silently did the hard work he was too weak to perform. Her tough exterior masked a deep concern for his well-being.

Despite Lushkoff’s dishonesty and alcohol addiction, Olga took pity on him and chopped wood on his behalf, ensuring he could still earn some money. By doing so, she protected his dignity while offering him a second chance at life. Her actions were a testament to the power of kindness and selfless service, which ultimately helped Lushkoff reform and find his path to success.

Q.5. Sergei’s sympathy was as important as Olga’s noble deeds that reformed Lushkoff. Discuss.
Ans. 
While Lushkoff credited Olga for his transformation, Sergei’s sympathy and intervention were equally important. Instead of turning Lushkoff over to the authorities or dismissing him as a liar, Sergei chose to offer him work. By doing so, Sergei provided Lushkoff with a dignified way to earn money, which was a crucial first step toward his rehabilitation.

Sergei’s genuine concern for Lushkoff led him to assign small jobs and eventually recommend him for better employment. If not for Sergei’s initial kindness, Lushkoff may have continued down a destructive path. Moreover, Sergei’s decision to bring Lushkoff into his home allowed Olga to play her crucial role in his reformation. Thus, Sergei’s sympathy and efforts were key to Lushkoff’s transformation, just as Olga’s actions were.

Q.6. How was Lushkoff, the beggar different from Lushkoff, the notary?
Ans. 
Lushkoff, the beggar used to resort to lies in order to get sympathy and money from people:

• He had a repulsive and disgusting appearance.
• He wore a ragged fawn-coloured overcoat and his eyes were dull and drunken.
• Each of his cheeks had a red spot.
• One of his overshoes was higher than the other.
• He was hated for his dishonesty and swindling.
• He was very weak, both physically and emotionally because of alcoholic habits.
• He did not have any self-respect or dignity and quietly took all the jeering from others.

Lushkoff, the notary, in contrast, looked like a gentleman:

• He wore a coat collar of curly fur and a worn sealskin cap.
• He was paid thirty-five roubles a month for his ‘clean employment’.
• He was a respectable and responsible person now, not the alcoholic who had stooped to telling lies and begging alms for survival.
• He now had both a reformed soul and an improved life.

Q.7. What are the different ways in which the writer refers to Lushkoff? Why?
Ans. The writer uses various derogatory terms to describe Lushkoff, such as beggar, mendicant, swindler, scarecrow, and pseudo-teacher. These labels highlight Lushkoff’s miserable condition and the depths to which he had fallen due to his addiction to alcohol.

By emphasizing his pitiable state, the writer contrasts it with his eventual reformation. These negative terms serve to amplify the dramatic change in Lushkoff’s life, showing how he transformed from a hopeless beggar into a respectable and responsible man. The use of such contrasting language underlines the message that even the most downtrodden individuals can change when shown kindness and compassion.

Q.8. Imagine you are advocating Sergei. You meet Lushkoff after a gap of two years and are happy to see him as a reformed man. Write a letter in about 150 words to your friend Antonio Banderas to whom you had sent Lushkoff with a letter of recommendation.
In your letter you should write:

• When and where you met Lushkoff.
• What revelation he made about Olga.
• How you felt after learning the truth.
  

Ans.

(Date)
(Address)

Dear Antonio,

I hope this letter finds you well. I have some wonderful news to share. Today, after two years, I ran into Lushkoff, the man I had sent to you with a recommendation letter. To my delight, he has completely transformed. He now works as a notary and earns thirty-five roubles a month! I saw him at the theatre, dressed well and looking healthy.

During our conversation, Lushkoff revealed something surprising. He told me that he never chopped a single piece of wood when I assigned him that task. It was actually my cook, Olga, who did the work for him. Her quiet compassion and selfless actions motivated him to quit drinking and change his life.

I am incredibly grateful to Olga for her kindness, which saved Lushkoff’s life. Her humble deeds have taught me the value of empathy and the power of small acts of kindness.

Looking forward to catching up soon!

Warm regards,
Sergei

Q.9. How can we help beggars/abolish begging?

Beggars in IndiaAns. 
Begging has become a serious problem in many parts of the world, especially in poorer countries. Some beggars have turned it into a business, creating a nuisance in public places. To address this issue, society and governments must take proactive steps.

Education plays a key role in reducing begging. Governments should implement strict laws to curb begging and create opportunities for beggars to work. Providing financial support or vocational training can help transform beggars into skilled laborers. Special homes should be established for the disabled and those unable to work.

Begging is a barrier to progress, and as a society, we should encourage rehabilitation instead of charity, helping beggars regain their dignity and become self-sufficient.

Q.10. ‘It is better to help one by giving work than giving alms’. Comment with the help of the character Sergei in the Beggar’.
Ans. 
Begging is a social issue that often perpetuates laziness and dependency. Simply giving money to a beggar does not improve their situation. In the story, Sergei chooses to help Lushkoff not by giving him money but by offering him work.

Although Lushkoff was unfit for physical labor due to his poor health, the work opportunity provided by Sergei, along with Olga's silent support, helped him regain his self-respect. Sergei’s decision to offer work rather than alms eventually led to Lushkoff’s reformation. This demonstrates that empowering people to earn a living through honest work is far more effective than giving handouts.

Q.11. Compassion and pity can bring positive changes in human beings. How did Olga prove it?
Ans. 
Yes, it is true that compassion and pity can bring positive changes in human beings. Olga noticed Lushkoff’s poor condition and realized that his bad habits and unfortunate circumstances had led him astray.
Out of kindness, Olga secretly helped Lushkoff by doing the work assigned to him. Her compassion had a profound impact on Lushkoff, motivating him to change. Over time, he transformed into a successful person.
In general, even a hardened individual can be reformed through love and compassion. When someone receives empathy, it stirs a desire to improve and acknowledge their mistakes. This self-reflection often leads to positive change.
Olga’s caring attitude was much more effective in reforming Lushkoff than harsh punishment would have been.

Q.12. Every man must work to make a living. Explain this idea with respect to the story still 'The Beggar'.
Ans. 
Lushkoff, once part of a Russian choir, was not a born beggar. He lost his job due to his drinking habits and chose to beg rather than work hard.
Sergei played a crucial role in changing Lushkoff’s life by offering him work. Initially, Lushkoff chopped wood at Sergei’s house and later found better jobs, thanks to Sergei’s recommendation.
This helped Lushkoff earn thirty-five roubles a month and ultimately become a notary. The story demonstrates that meaningful work provides a person with dignity and a stable life, as seen in Lushkoff's transformation.

Q.13. Olga’s affectionate nature was instrumental in making Lushkoff to give up drinking and reform himself. Do you agree?
Ans. 
Yes, I agree. Lushkoff was a beggar who often lied about his past to gain sympathy. One day, Sergei discovered his deceit and offered him work chopping wood.
Though Lushkoff did not enjoy the job, Olga’s tough love and compassion changed him. She treated him with care, often doing his work herself but making sure he received payment.
Olga’s firm yet caring attitude inspired Lushkoff to respect her and, in turn, her advice. He gave up drinking, changed his habits, and eventually became a successful man. Her affection was key to his transformation.

Q.14. To reform a person, it is important to use both strictness and love. Discuss with reference to the lesson ‘The Beggar’.
Ans. 
In the story, Sergei uses strictness to confront Lushkoff about his lies, forcing him to reveal the truth. Lushkoff was once a singer in a Russian choir but had been expelled due to his drinking.
Sergei then asked Olga to provide Lushkoff with work. Although Olga appeared harsh, her actions were rooted in kindness and compassion. Seeing that Lushkoff was weak, she often did his work for him.
Her outward strictness was balanced by her inner kindness, which had a lasting impact on Lushkoff. This balance of love and firmness helped reform him, allowing him to rejoin society and live a dignified life.