Students get through the MP Board Class 12th English Important Questions Special English Chapter 8 The Beggar which are most likely to be asked in the exam.
MP Board Class 12th Special English Important Questions Chapter 8 The Beggar
A. Answer the following questions in about 50 – 60 words each:
Question 1.
Why was Lushkov, the beggar compelled to beg?
Answer:
When Lushkov approached Skvortsov for help he was caught in an unexpected situation. He told Skvortsov mat He was hungry. He had not tasted food for three days. He had not five-kopeck piece for a nignt s lodging. He added that he was once a school master in a village and had lost his post through a conspiracy.
He wanted to convince Skvortsov with his plea that he was a victim of false witness. He was out of place for a year. Now he had been offered a post in the kaluga province. But he had no means for the journey. Hence he was begging for help compelled by the situation.
Question 2.
Why did the beggar get a merciless scolding? (M.P. 2012)
Answer:
The beggar approached Skvortsov. He began to explain his helplessness and tried to convince him for help. But the narrator recollected that he was the man who just a day back was begging in the name of an expelled student. This time he was begging in the name of a school master.
He was using the name of a school master and a student in order to attract sympathy of people. It made the narrator angry and he scolded him mercilessly and also threatened to hand him over to police.
Question 3.
“I cannot get on without lying” said the beggar. Why did he say so? (M.P. 2010)
Answer:
The narrator was very angry with the beggar for he was using the name of a student or a village school master in order to exploit the sentiments of public. When he scolded him and threatened to call the police the beggar was scared. He immediately confessed that he was lying. But he said he had no option other than lying.
Whenever he neither a student nor a school master but was in a Russian choir and was turned out of it for drunkenness. Truth couldn’t give him food. He was dying of hunger and freezing in cold. So he was compelled to lying.
Question 4.
As soon as the beggar was offered a job, he refused it and made excuses. What were the excuses?
Answer:
Lushkov said that he was not able to get any job. Skvortsov offered him a job. As Lushkov was not willing to do labour he refused it by giving excuses. He said that he won’t get manual work. He couldn’t do shopman’s job or a trade’s job. As he was not of a class of house porter he won’t get this job. He was not a skilled person so he can’t do any work. Finally when Skvortsov gave him the job of wood chopping he said that it was not a regular one.
Question 5.
Olga behaved with the beggar very badly. Was her behaviour real? Justify your answer.
Answer:
Olga was the maidservant of Skvortsov, when Skvortsov offers the job of wood chopping to Lushkov he deputes. Olga to observe the work. Olga, feels irritated with Lushkov as he was a drunkard. He was always not in proper state of mind.
Olga abused him and talked to him in a rude manner saying that he was unlucky fellow with no gladness in life. These words were very hurting. But she also chopped the wood herself and told Skvortsov that Lushkov had done it. It shows that her rudeness was just to hurt Lushkov so that he could change himself. Finally it happened.
Question 6.
Did Skvortsov really succeed in reforming the beggar? Give reasons to support your answer.
Answer:
Skvortsov was a man of perfection. He scolded Lushkov for his begging. He wanted to reform that man. So he offered him job with a promise that he would give him regular work. Lushkov come to do wood chopping regularly. It impressed Skvortsov and he sent him to one of his friends of some office work. It changed Lushkov’s life completely. He came to a very good position. Had Skvortsov not helped Lushkov he would have been still begging. So Skvortsov succeeded in reforming the life of a beggar.
Question 7.
“It was the attitude, not the words that brought about a change in the beggar.” Explain. (Imp.)
Answer:
Skvortsov gave Lushkov the work of wood chopping and he deputed his maid-servant Olga to supervise his work. Olga used to get irritated very soon. When she saw a man-Lushkov-who was not in his proper mental condition. She got irritated. Lushkov was in drunken stage. He was feeble and weak.
He was not working properly. So Olga began, scolding him. She called him unlucky poor drunkard and said that he was a sorrowful creature and that he would go in hell. This was all for bringing about a change by hurting his heart and it worked well. Lushkov changed himself completely and got a good position and earnings.
First the words of Skvortsov who scolded him for begging later Olga’s words were very harsh and cruel. But the words were with good intention. So here the attitude behind the words were more important which changed Lushkov’s life pattern.
B. Answer the following questions in about 30 words each:
Question 1.
Why was Skvortsov angry with the beggar? (M.P. 2014, Imp.)
Answer:
This story, ‘The Beggar’ is about a man who was turned out of the Russian choir for drunkness and he took to lying and begging. While begging he meets Skvortsov, the narrator, and introduces him as a student expelled. Skvortsov was angry with the beggar because the very next day he saw the beggar, begging in the name of a school-master, to earn sympathy from people.
Question 2.
What was the reason that made Skvortsov feel ashamed and sore? (Imp.)
Answer:
Skvortsov felt ashamed and sore at the thought that he had found a pampered, drunken and sick man to do hard rough work in cold.
Question 3.
Why did Olga shed tears over the beggar?
Answer:
Olga shed tears over the beggar because she wanted to bring about a change in the beggar’s soul and his work attitude.
Question 4.
What made Skvortsov so happy when he met the beggar at the theatre? (M.P. 2015)
Answer:
Skvortsov became happy when he met the beggar at the theatre because he felt that it was because of his effort, the beggar was on the right path and also that he had remembered his words of advice for improving his conduct and career.