Class 9 English Chapter 9 Previous Year Questions - The Beggar

Very Short Answer Type Questions 

Q3: When did the narrator rescue his pet cat?
Ans: The narrator rescued his pet cat when she was a kitten.

Q4: When did the narrator’s father die?

Ans: The narrator’s father died when he was young.

Q5: What were the things the narrator’s mother trying to save from the fire?
Ans: The narrator’s mother was trying to save important documents, pictures, and letters of his father to keep his memories.

Q6: Who stopped the narrator from entering the house after his mother?
Ans: A fireman stopped the narrator from entering the house after his mother.

Q7: What was done with the narrator?
Ans: The narrator was wrapped in a blanket and made to sit inside the car by a fireman.

Q8: What had the fireman put on the narrator’s mother?
Ans: The fireman put an oxygen mask on the narrator’s mother.

Q9: What happened to the narrator’s mother?
Ans: She was caught in the fire and had inhaled a little smoke.

Q13: What kind of attention was the narrator not looking for?
Ans: After the burning incident, everyone in the narrator's school was sympathetic towards him. They all were giving special attention that the narrator was not actually looking for.

Short Answer Type Questions

Q1. What kind of work was given to Lushkoff initially? Why did he agree to do it?
Ans. Sergei refused to give alms to Lushkolf, the beggar. lie offered to give him work. He took him home and gave him the work of chopping wood. Lushkoff agreed to do this work, not because he was hungry and scanted work. He agreed to do it because of pride and shame and because he had been trapped by his own words.

Q2. How did Olga treat Lushkoff in the beginning? Why did she do this?
Ans. In the beginning, Olga treated Lushkoff callously. She called him a drunkard. She rebuked him. Then she would sit before him and grow sad. She looked into his face and wept. Then she chopped wood for him. She did so because she felt pity for him. Secondly, she wanted to put him on the right path.

Q3. Where did Sergei send Lushkoff? What advice did he give him?
Ans. Sergei wanted to give Lushkoff better, cleaner employment. His friend needed a copywriter. As Lushkoff was able to write, so Sergei sent him to his friend. Sergei advised him to work hard and not to drink. He asked him not to forget his advice

Q4. Where did Sergei see Lushkoff after two years? What work was he doing then?
Ans. One day, after two years, Sergei came across Lushkoff standing at the ticket window of a theatre, paying for a seat. He was wearing a coat collar of curly fur and sealskin cap. Sergei recognized him. Lushkoff told him that now he was a notary and was paid thirty-five roubles a month. 

Q4. What plea does Lushkoff make to Sergei when he appears at his yard?
Ans. Lushkoff pleads to Sergei to have pity on him. He says that he has not eaten anything for three days and does not have five copecks for lodging. He further tells Sergei that he had been a village school teacher for eight years and had lost his job due to scheming and lies.

Q5.Describe the physical appearance of Lushkoff when Sergei observes him in his yard.
Ans. Sergei observed Lushkoff closely when the latter came to his yard asking for alms. At that time, Lushkoff had a ragged appearance. He had worn a fawn-coloured overcoat and his eyes were dull and drunken. There was a red spot on either cheek. He looked every bit a disgusting beggar.

Q6. How did Sergei come to remember that he had met the beggar before?
Ans. A close look at the beggar’s face made Sergei think that he had seen the man somewhere before. Then his eyes fell on his overshoes, one of which was high and the other was low. This made Sergei remember suddenly that he had seen this beggar in Sadovya Street a couple of days before.

Q7. Why was the beggar taken aback when Sergei asked if he remembered having met him earlier?
Ans. The beggar was taken aback because he knew that his lies were going to be caught soon. The repercussions of extracting money by exploiting the sympathy of people could be very harsh for him. He could even be handed over to the police.

Q8. Who was the ‘pseudo-teacher’ and why did he sit on a log?
Ans. The ‘pseudo-teacher’ was the beggar Lushkoff. He sat on a log, lost in his thought as his frail health did not allow him to undertake the hard task of chopping wood but he could not get away from it either.

Q9. Describe Lushkoff’s attempt to chop wood.
Ans. In order to chop wood, Lushkoff irresolutely pulled a billet of wood towards him, set it up between his feet; and tapped it feebly with the axe instead of hitting it hard. As a result, the billet wavered and fell down. He again pulled it to him, blew on his freezing hands, and tapped it with his axe cautiously. The billet again fell to the ground without being chopped. 

Q10. Why did Lushkoff become embarrassed when he came to assist Sergei move to another house?
Ans. Lushkoff became embarrassed when he came to assist Sergei move to another house because he could not help in any way. He simply walked behind the wagons hanging his head and shivered in the cold. The other carters mocked at his idleness, feebleness and his tattered fancy over-coat.

Q11. Sergei says, “I am happy that my words have taken effect.” Why does he say so? Is he right in saying this?
Ans. Sergei says so because Lushkoff looked sober and seemed to have helped in the packing and hauling of furniture. He is partially right in saying this because his constant support had at least given Lushkoff an option to quit his disgusting life as a beggar.

Long Answer Type Questions

Q1. Describe the last meeting between Sergei and Luslikoff. How did Olga help Lushkoff to be a real man?
Ans. 

• One day, after two years, Sergei came across Lushkoff standing at the ticket window of a theatre, paying for a seat. He was wearing a coat collar of curly fur and a sealskin cap. Sergei recognized him. 
• Lushkoff told him that now he was a notary and was paid thirty-five roubles a month. Sergei was pleased to hear this. He congratulated Lushk off for standing on his own feet in life. 
• At this, Lushkoff disclosed something to him. He said that it was not because of him, but his maidservant Olga that he had reformed himself. 
• When he used to come to his house to chop wood, he could not do so because he was weak and inexperienced. Then Olga would take pity on him and chop the wood for him. 
• He told Sergei that he never chopped a single stick. It was all done by Olga. Her kindness transformed him. He stopped drinking and started earning his living by hard work. In this way, Olga’s kindness had changed his life. 

Q2. During their conversation, Lushkoff reveals that Sergei’s cook, Olga, is responsible for the positive change in him. How has Olga saved Lushkoff?
OR 
What values did Olga exhibit while saving the life of Lushkoff?
Ans. 

• Olga, Sergei’s seemingly ill-tempered cook, had been the main motivating factor behind Lushkoff’s positive change. 
• She saved him by rousing the positivity in him that had got suppressed due to his alcoholism. She scolded him, cursed him but also shed tears for him and suffered misery for his sake. 
• Outwardly she expressed disgust for Lushkoff but went out of her way to help him reform himself. She risked the displeasure of her master, Sergei, by hiding the truth about the odd jobs assigned to Lushk off. 
• She gave true humane affection to him and showed both pity and concern. Her affection is exhibited by the fact that she chops wood for him so that he can earn some money to feed himself and stay alive. 
• It is Olga’s sincere and selfless efforts that finally give Lushkoff a lease of life. Lushkoff too remembers her with gratitude for her kind words and her noble deeds.

Q3. 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,
Today is a day of pleasant surprises for me. I met Lushkoff, who I had sent to you two years ago with my letter of recommendation. I am extremely happy to share with you that he is now a notary who earns thirty-five roubles a month.
I met him by chance at the theatre and was delighted to see his transformed appearance. He was dressed well and looked good. During the course of our conversation, he made a surprising revelation. He told me that he had never cut a single stick of wood when I had assigned him that task. It was actually my cook, Olga, who would chop it for him. The noble deeds and kindness of the woman reformed him and he quit drinking forever. I salute the spirit of my cook Olga whose selfless service saved a precious life. Her values of humility and mercy have made me realise that compassion has greater worth than money. I must admit that I was a bit startled by this revelation. However, I am genuinely happy because I had honestly wanted Lushkoff to return to the right path.
May God bless the kind Olga for her noble deed!
Hoping to see you for Christmas this year.
Yours,
Sergei.

Q4. How can we help beggars/abolish begging?
Ans. 

• Most of the countries face the nuisance of begging especially in poor countries. Beggars can be seen in all public places. Some of the beggars have made it a business. It has become a serious problem. 
• Our society and the government should take the necessary steps to solve this problem. The global spread of education is required. Our government should pass strict laws against begging. 
• Beggars should be given an opportunity to work. Financial support can be provided to them in order to set up some work. Beggars may be turned into skilled labourers. 
• The government should set up a beggar’s home only for the handicapped. Begging is a bad practice and is an impediment in the way of progress. So, we should discourage begging and beggars.