Page No 157:
Question 1:
1. This play has been translated into English from the Russian original. Are there any expressions or ways of speaking that strike you as more Russian than English? For example, would an adult man be addressed by an older man as my darling or my treasure in an English play?
Read through the play carefully, and find expressions that you think are not used in contemporary English, and contrast these with idiomatic modern English expressions that also occur in the play.
3. Look up the following phrases in a dictionary to find out their meaning, and then use each in a sentence of your own.
(i) You may take it that
(ii) He seems to be coming round
(iii) My foot’s gone to sleep
Answer:
1. Expressions not used in contemporary English
1. “my darling”, “my beauty”, “my precious”, “my angel”, “my beloved” (here, an older man is addressing an adult man)
2. “…and so on…” (here, it is used after a sentence in order to complete it)
3. “…and all that sort of thing.” (not explaining what it is, just leaving it as it is)
4. “…and all that.” (again leaving the sentence as it is)
5. “the scarecrow”, “the stuffed sausage”, “the wizen-faced frump” (In this way, they hurled insults at each other)
6. “And how may you be getting on?” (Here, Lomov is asking Chubukov about his well-being)
Modern English expressions
1. “Madam”, “my heart”, “honoured Natalya Stepanovna” (used by Lomov for Natalya)
2. “Honoured Stepan Stepanovitch” (used by Lomov for Chubukov)
3. “I beg your pardon…”
4. “My dear fellow” (Chubukov addressing Lomov)
5. “malicious, double-faced intriguer”, “fool” (Chubukov insulting Lomov)
3. (i)You may take it that I am lying, but in fact it will help you in the long run.
(ii) He seems to be coming round after the trauma of his father’s death.
(iii) After the three hour long yoga session, my foot’s gone to sleep.
Question 1:
What does Chubukov at first suspect that Lomov has come for? Is he sincere when he later says “And I’ve always loved you, my angel, as if you were my own son”? Find reasons for your answer from the play.
Answer:
At first, Chubukov suspected that Lomov had come to borrow money. He was not sincere when he told Lomov that he had always loved him and that he was like his own son. He had decided that he would not give Lomov any money if he tried borrowing from him. If he truly meant what he had said, then he would not have thought of not giving him money. He said so only because Lomov had come with the proposal to marry his daughter.
Question 2:
Chubukov says of Natalya: “… as if she won’t consent! She’s in love; egad, she’s like a lovesick cat…” Would you agree? Find reasons for your answer.
Answer:
Chubukov thought that Lomov was a good marriage prospect for his daughter. He had been waiting for this proposal. When Lomov expressed his doubt regarding Natalya’s consent to the proposal, Chubukov immediately told him that she was in love with him. However, this was not true. Natalya did not seem to be in love with Lomov at any point in the play. It seemed like she was more attached to her land, meadows and dogs than to Lomov. In fact, the way they kept getting into arguments about trivial matters suggests that neither Lomov nor Natalya was in love with the other.
Question 3:
(i) Find all the words and expressions in the play that the characters use to speak about each other, and the accusations and insults they hurl at each other. (For example, Lomov in the end calls Chubukov an intriguer; but earlier, Chubukov has himself called Lomov a “malicious, double faced intriguer.” Again, Lomov begins by describing Nayalya as “ an excellent housekeeper, not bad-looking, well-educated.”)
Answer:
(i) Several words and expressions have been used by the characters to describe each other. Some of them are as follows:
Chubukov: grabber; intriguer; old rat; Jesuit
Natalya: a lovesick cat; an excellent housekeeper; not bad-looking, well-educated
Lomov: a good neighbour; a friend; impudent; pettifogger; a malicious, double-faced intriguer; rascal; blind hen; turnip-ghost; a villain; a scarecrow; monster; the stuffed sausage; the wizen-faced frump; boy; pup; milksop; fool
Page No 158:
Question 2:
You mush have noticed that when we report someone’s exact words, we have to make some changes in the sentence structure. In the following sentences fill in the blanks to list the changes that have occurred in the above pairs of sentences. One has been done for you.
1. To report a question, we use the reporting verb asked (as in Sentence Set 1).
2. To report a declaration, we use the reporting verb __________.
3. The adverb of place here changes to ___________.
4. When the verb in direct speech is in the present tense, the verb in reported speech is in the ______________ tense (as in Sentence Set 3).
5. If the verb in direct speech is in the present continuous tense, the verb in reported speech changes to ______________tense. For example, ____________ changes to was getting.
6. When the sentence in direct speech contains a word denoting respect, we add the adverb _______________in the reporting clause (as in Sentence Set 1).
7. The pronouns I, me, our and mine, which are used in the first person in direct speech, change to third person pronouns such as____________, ___________, ___________ or __________in reported speech.
Answer:
1. To report a question, we use the reporting verb asked.
2. To report a declaration, we use the reporting verb declared.
3. The adverb of place here changes to there.
4. When the verb in direct speech is in the present tense, the verb in reported speech is in the past tense.
5. If the verb in direct speech is in the present continuous tense, the verb in reported speech changes to past continuous tense. For example, am getting changes to was getting.
6. When the sentence in direct speech contains a word denoting respect, we add the adverb respectfully in the reporting clause.
7. The pronouns I, me, our and mine, which are used in the first person in direct speech, change to second person pronouns such as he/she, him/her, their or his/hers in reported speech.
Page No 159:
Question 3:
Here is an excerpt from an article from the Times of India dated 27 August 2006. Rewrite it, changing the sentences in direct speech into reported speech. Leave the other sentences unchanged.
“Why do you want to know my age? If people know I am so old, I won’t get work!” laughs 90-year-old A. K. Hangal, one of Hindi cinema’s most famous character actors. For his age, he is rather energetic. “What’s the secret?” we ask. “My intake of everything is in small quantities. And I walk a lot,” he replies. “I joined the industry when people retire. I was in my 40s. So I don’t miss being called a star. I am still respected and given work, when actors of my age are living in poverty and without work. I don’t have any complaints,” he says, adding, “but yes, I have always been underpaid.” Recipient of the Padma Bhushan, Hangal never hankered after money or materialistic gains. “No doubt I am content today, but money is important. I was a fool not to understand the value of money earlier,” he regrets.
Answer:
90-year-old A.K. Hangal, one of Hindi cinema’s most famous character actors, laughingly asked why we wanted to know his age. If people knew he was that old, he would not get work. For his age, he is rather energetic. We asked him what the secret was. He replied that his intake of everything was in small quantities and he walked a lot. He said that he had joined the industry when people retired. He had been in his 40s. So he did not miss being called a star. He was still respected and given work, when actors of his age were living in poverty and without work. He said he did not have any complaints, adding that he had always been underpaid. Recipient of the Padma Bhushan, Hangal never hankered after money or materialistic gains. He said that no doubt he was content at present, but money was important. He said regretfully that he was a fool not to understand the value of money before.
The Proposal Extra Questions and Answers Class 10 English First Flight
Extract Rased Questions [3 Marks each]
Read the following extracts carefully and answer the questions that follow
Question 1.
What are you talking about? Oxen Meadows are ours, not yours!
(a) Who is the speaker here?
(b) Who is being referred to by ‘yours’?
(c) Find a word from the extract which means ‘a piece of grassland’.
(d) Who is being referred to as ours?
Answer:
(a) Natalya is the speaker here.
(b) Lomov is being referred by ‘yours’.
(c) ‘Meadows’ from the extract means ‘a piece of grassland’.
(d) Ours is referred Natalya and his father.
Question 2.
Hear me out, I implore you! The peasants of your father’s grandfather, as I have already had the honour of explaining to you, used to bake bricks for my aunt’s grandmother. Now my aunt’s grandmother, wishing to make them a peasant…
(a) Who is the speaker here?
(b) What did the peasants do?
(c) Find the exact word from the extract which means ‘to ask something in a very serious way’
(d) What is synonym of ‘high respect in the extract’?
Answer:
(a) Lomov is the speaker here.
(b) The peasants used to bake bricks for Lomov’s Aunt’s grandmother.
(c) ‘Implore’ from the extract means ‘to ask something in a very serious way’.
(d) The word is ‘honour’.
Question 3.
You may take it that I know whether I have the right or not. Because, young man, I’m not used to being spoken to in that tone of voice, and so on. I, young man, am twice your age, and ask you to speak to me without agitating yourself, and all that.
(a) Who is the speaker here?
(b) How did the speaker wanted Lomov to talk to him?
(c) Find the word from the extract which means ‘to disturb, excite or anger someone’.
Answer:
(a) Chubukov is the speaker here.
(b) Chubukov wanted Lomov to speak to him without agitating himself.
(c) ‘agitating’-from the extract means ‘to disturb, excite or anger someone’.
Question 4.
Never mind about my people! The Lomovs have all been honourable people, and not one has ever been tried for embezzlement, like your grandfather!
(a) Whom does the speaker say the above lines to?
(b) How did Lomov describes his people?
(c) Find the word from the extract which means ‘theft of funds’.
(d) Explain ‘Never mind about my People’.
Answer:
(a) Lomov (The speaker) said the above lines to Chubukov.
(b) Lomov described his people as honourable.
(c) ‘Embezzlement’ from the extract means ‘theft of funds’.
(d) Lomov said this line because his family members.
Question 5.
NATALYA : What proposal?
CHUBUKOV : Why, he came here to propose to you.
NATALYA : To propose? To me? Why didn’t you tell me so before?
CHUBUKOV : So he dresses up in evening clothes. The stuffed sausage!
The wizen-faced frump! [CBSE 2014]
(a) Who is being referred to as ‘he’?
(b) Why did he meet Chubukov?
(c) Find the word from the extract which means ‘Make an offer of marriage to someone’.
(d) Who was dressed in as a stuffed sausage?
Answer:
(a) Lomov is being referred to as ‘he’ in the extract.
(b) Lomov met Chubukov’s to ask for Natalya’s hand.
(c) ‘Propose’ from the extract means ‘make an offer of marriage to someone’.
(d) Lomov was dressed as a stuffed sausage.
Short Answer Type Questions [2 Marks each]
Question 1.
Which qualities are common in all three characters of the play ‘The Proposal’?
Answer:
All the characters in the play are argumentative, full of pride and possessiveness. They are always ready to argue for petty things.
Question 2.
How does Lomov come to Chubukov’s house? What for does he come? How is he received?[ CBSE 2012]
Answer:
Lomov came to Chubukov’s house in the evening dress with gloves on. He cames to propose to his daughter Natalya. He is received with all the respect by Chubukov.
Question 3.
How does Chubukov react when Lomov says that he has come to ask for the hand of his daughter?
Answer:
When Lomov says that he has come to ask for the hand of his daughter, Chubukov gets off balanced with joy. He embraces and kisses Lomov, sheds a tear of joy and calls for God’s blessing for Lomov and Natalya.
Question 4.
Why did Lomov want to get married?
Answer:
Lomov wanted to gel. married as he was already 35 years old. Moreover, he was suffering due to a weak heart and sleep- sickness and wanted company of someone to look after him.
Question 5.
What happens to Lomov when he is in an excited state?
Answer:
When Lomov is in an excited state his heart beat increases, lips tremble and there is a twitch in his right eyebrow. When he goes to sleep in such a state something pulls him from his left side and he jumps like a lunatic
Question 6.
How does Natalya excite Lomov to the point of verbal fighting?
Answer:
Natalya repeatedly insisted that Oxen Meadows are theirs and told Lomov that upto now she considered Lomov as a good neighbour and friend. This excited Lomov to the point of verbal fighting.
Question 7.
How does Lomov react when Chubukov says that he is not used to misbehaviour by a young man like Lomov?
Answer:
Lomov reacts by saying that Chubukov thinks that he is a fool. He says that he cannot talk to him calmly and politely as he is making a false claim to his property. He further accuses Chubukov of being a grabber.
Question 8.
Why does Natalya ask her father Chubukov to fetch Lomov in at once? Why does she accuse her father?
Answer:
Natalya asked her father to fetch Lomov at once as she
had come to know that Lomov had come to propose her. She accused Chubukov of driving Lomov out of their home.
Question 9.
How does Natalya react when she comes to know that Lomov had come to propose? CBSE2014
Answer:
When Natalya cames to know that Lomov had come there to propose her she was shocked. She wails, changes her stance and asks her father to fetch Lomov.
Long Answer (Value Based) Type Questions [8 Marks each]
Question 1.
The principle ‘forgive and forget’, helps a lot in maintaining cordial relations with our neighbors. Do you think Anton Chekov conveys this message in the play ‘The Proposal’ ?
Answer:
Anton Chekov does convey the message that the principle of ‘forgive and forget’ helps a lot in -maintaining cordial relationship with one’s neighbours. Initially, the neighbours in the play, Lomov, Natalya and Chubukov were fighting over petty issues. They were putting important issues behind them and wasting their time by arguing over small things. These arguments slowly developed into fights and they started hurling abuses at one another. This damaged their relationship with each other.
It was when Natalya came to know that Lomov had come to propose her that she left the topic of argument (Oxen Meadows) behind. She also asked for forgiveness from Lomov and requested him to come to the point. Hence it is mandatory to ‘forgive and forget’ if one wants to have cordial relationship with others.
Question 2.
The characters Natalya and Lomov lose their temper on trivial issues. It shows their poor skills at anger management. Suggest some ways that help you in maintaining cordial relationship with people around you.
Answer:
The way in which Lomov and Natalya lost their temper shows that how anger can easily effect a relationship. Thus, it becomes very important to have good anger management skills. Following are a few anger management skills that can be followed in one’s life. These would also help in building healthy relationships.
- Always follow the principle of ‘forgive and forget.’
- Try to understand the person to whom you are talking.
- Be helpful rather than being self-centric.
- Always have empathy towards others.
- irst listen and then speak.
- Be as courteous as possible to everyone.
- Don’t have the habit of always complaining about others.
Question 3.
Based on your understanding of the Play ‘The Proposal’ how do you think good relationships can be maintained? Why in today’s time we see so many people going away from each other?
Answer:
The play ‘The Proposal’ teaches us how anger and
arguments can easily ruin a relationship. Thus to maintain a good relationship, it is important to have a control over your anger. Having arguments over unimportant or small issues is extremely harmful and a waste of time. If someone commits a mistake, one should be ready to forgive and forget rather than being angry and arguing with the person endlessly. In today’s time people try to find only the positives in others and do not easily accept their negatives. Hence is becoming extremely difficult to maintain a good and cordial relationship with others.
Question 4.
It is a common observance that more attention is paid to unimportant issues at the cost of important ones. The play ‘The Proposal’ beautifully portrays this fact. Suggest some steps how we can avoid this unhealthy practice.
Answer:
It is true to an extent that people usually give more importance to the unimportant issues forgetting their priorities. Just like how Lomov came to propose Natalya but due to their argument that matter was left unaddressed. Thus, it becomes very important to set your priorities in life. One must ignore the unimportant issues. It is a waste of time to have discussions over them. One ’ should not pay too much attention on the trivialities. This energy can be saved on spending it over some useful and important issues that gives a fruitful result.
Question 5.
Neighbours must have a cordial relationship which Lomov and Natalya do not have. Describe the first fight between them. [CBSE 2015]
Answer:
Lomov and Natalya meet and rather than proposing her he gets off the point. He tells her how he inherited his land and how he respects her father. He also tells Natalya that his Oxen meadows touch Natalya’s Birchwood. On hearing this, Natalya says that Oxen Meadows are theirs. They start arguing about it. Lomov clarifies that he is talking about the Oxen Meadows that are between her Birchwoods and Burnt marsh. Natalya again insists that they are theirs.
Lomov refuses it. He tells her that his aunt’s grandmother gave those meadows to her father’s grand father. The peasants used the land for forty years and started regarding it as their own. Natalya’s father comes and also starts quarreling with Lomov. They get into a heated argument and resort to name-calling. After some time, Lomov leaves their house.
MCQ Questions for Class 10 English First Flight Chapter 11 The Proposal with Answers
Question 1.
What happens to Lomov when he is in an excited state?
(a) He started running
(b) His heart beat increases.
(c) His brain started working
(d) None of the Above
Answer
Answer: (a) He started running
Question 2.
Who is squeezed between Lomov and Natalya emotionally?
(a) Natalya’s father
(b) Natalya’s mother
(c) Natalya’s brother
(d) Natalya’s aunt
Answer
Answer: (a) Natalya’s father
Question 3.
How much are the meadows worth?
(a) 100 roubles
(b) 200 roubles
(c) 300 roubles
(d) 500 roubles
Answer
Answer: (c) 300 roubles
Question 4.
Who gave the meadows to Natalya’s father?
(a) Aunt’s grandmother of Lomov
(b) Aunt’s grandfather of Lomov
(c) Aunt’s sister of Lomov
(d) Aunt’s brother of Lomov
Answer
Answer: (a) Aunt’s grandmother of Lomov
Question 5.
What is the dispute over?
(a) Over Oxen Meadows
(b) Over Pigs
(c) Over Buffalo
(d) None of the Above
Answer
Answer: (a) Over Oxen Meadows
Question 6.
What defect does guess have?
(a) lame
(b) old age
(c) short in the muzzle
(d) all of them
Answer
Answer: (d) all of them
Question 7.
According to Lomov, what amount would be good enough for buying squeezer?
(a) 60 Roubles
(b) 35 Roubles
(c) 25 Roubles
(d) 40 Roubles
Answer
Answer: (c) 25 Roubles
Question 8.
The play is set in which country?
(a) India
(b) France
(c) Russia
(d) Japan
Answer
Answer: (c) Russia
Question 9.
What had Natalya been doing when Lomov called for her?
(a) cleaning the house
(b) washing clothes
(c) shelling peas
(d) cooking food
Answer
Answer: (c) shelling peas
Question 10.
What do they argue about after holding each other’s hands?
(a) dogs
(b) land
(c) marriage venue
(d) the cuisine
Answer
Answer: (a) dogs
Question 11.
What was the topic of the second arguement?
(a) the land
(b) the proposal
(c) the dogs
(d) none
Answer
Answer: (c) the dogs
Question 12.
How did Natalya react when her father told Lomov was here to propose her?
(a) she gets angry
(b) she sends her father to get him
(c) she’s amazed
(d) both 2 and 3
Answer
Answer: (d) both 2 and 3
Question 13.
What did Chubukov had to say about the land?
(a) they were his
(b) They were Lomov’s
(c) they were still disputed
(d) they belong to none of them
Answer
Answer: (a) they were his
Question 14.
Why was Natalya arguing about the land?
(a) she can’t stand unfairness
(b) it was worth a lot
(c) she was jealous of Lomov
(d) All of the above
Answer
Answer: (a) she can’t stand unfairness
Question 15.
Which land were they fighting about?
(a) Oxen Meadows
(b) Birchwoods
(c) Burnt Marsh
(d) All of the above
Answer
Answer: (a) Oxen Meadows
Question 16.
“And it’s impossible for me not to marry”. Why does he say so?
(a) He’s 35 already
(b) He suffer from palpitations
(c) He has troubled sleep
(d) All of the above
Answer
Answer: (d) All of the above
Question 17.
Why was Lomov wearing his evening dress?
(a) to pay New Year Eve’s visit
(b) ask for his daughter’s hand in marriage
(c) borrow money
(d) borrow land
Answer
Answer: (b) ask for his daughter’s hand in marriage
Question 18.
Who is the writer of the play “The Proposal”?
(a) Robert Frost
(b) Anton Chekov
(c) Carolyn Wells
(d) Robin Klein
Answer
Answer: (b) Anton Chekov