How is Mukesh’s attitude to his situation different from that of his family?
Mukesh had a different sense of opinion and determination than his family. His ancestors were working there in bangle industries so they also wanted him to do that work. But he was different from them as he wanted to achieve his dream of becoming a good motor mechanic.
Is Saheb happy working at the tea-stall? Explain.
Would you agree that promises made to poor children are rarely kept? Why do you think this happens in the incidents narrated in the text?
Mention the hazards of working in the glass bangles industry.
What is Saheb looking for in the garbage dumps? Where is he and where has he come from?
What forces conspire to keep the workers in the bangle industry of Firozabad in poverty?
What could be some of the reasons for the migration of people from villages to cities?
How, in your opinion, can Mukesh realise his dream?
What explanations does the author offer for the children not wearing footwear?
Why should child labour be eliminated and how?
What makes the city of Firozabad famous?
What was Franz expected to be prepared with for school that day?
What is the “misadventure” that William Douglas speaks about?
From where did the peddler get the idea of the world being a rattrap?
Strike out what is not true in the following.
a. Rajkumar Shukla was
(i) a sharecropper.
(ii) a politician.
(iii) delegate.
(iv) a landlord.
b. Rajkumar Shukla was
(i) poor.
(ii) physically strong.
(iii) illiterate.
What does the writer mean by ‘the fiery misery’ of those subjected to make-up’?
What are some of the positive views on interviews?
Where was it most likely that the two girls would find work after school?
What did Franz notice that was unusual about the school that day?
What were the series of emotions and fears that Douglas experienced when he was thrown into the pool? What plans did he make to come to the surface?
Why was he amused by this idea?
How would you describe the character and temperament of Sophie’s father?
What was distinctive about Eco’s academic writing style?
Did Umberto Eco consider himself a novelist first or an academic scholar?
What is the reason for the huge success of the novel, The Name of the Rose?
Which was the only occasion when she got to see Danny Casey in person?
Sophie and Jansie were class-mates and friends. What were the differences between them that show up in the story?
Why did Sophie like her brother Geoff more than any other person? From her perspective, what did he symbolise?
Who, in today’s world, is our chief source of information about personalities?
What had been put up on the bulletin-board?
Does Geoff believe what Sophie says about her meeting with Danny Casey?