NCERT Solutions for Class 10 English Footprints Without Feet Chapter 7 The Necklace

The Necklace Extra Questions and Answers Class 10 English Footprints Without Feet

Extract Based Questions [3 Marks each]

Read the following extracts carefully and answer the questions that follow.
Question 1.
One evening her husband returned elated bearing in his hand a large envelope. ‘Here’, he said, “here is something for you.”
(a) Why was the husband elated?
(b) What was the reaction from ‘you’?
(c) Find the word from the extract that means the same as ‘wrapper’.
(d) What is the antonym of ‘elated’?
Answer:
(a) The husband was elated as he brought home an invite to the Minister’s residence. He knew it would make his wife happy.
(b) ‘You’ or his wife, unexpectedly, was not the least happy and she made her displeasure very obvious.
(c) ‘Envelope’ means the same as ‘wrapper’ from the extract.
(d) Its antonym is ‘sad’.

Question 2.
He threw around her shoulders that modest wraps they had carried whose poverty clashed with the elegance of the ball costume. She wished to hurry away…
(a) What precedes these fines?
(b) ‘She’ wished to hurry away. Why?
(c) Which word in the given extract is a synonym of ‘not expensive’?
(d) What is the opposite of ‘poverty’?
Answer:
(a) These lines follows Matilda’s success at the ball where she was idolised. Her beauty and elegance was praised by everyone.
(b) She, ‘Matilda’ did not wish to shatter the illusion of her grandeur that she had so successfully managed to convey others by putting on such a shabby wrap. So, she wished to hurry away to escape the notice of the rich women.
(c) ‘Modest’ is the synonym of ‘not expensive’ from the extract.
(d) Its opposite is ‘affluence’.

Question 3.
She learned the odious work of a kitchen… she seemed old now. She had become strong, hard woman, the crude woman of a poor household.
(a) Who seemed old now? .
(b) What had made her ‘crude’?
(c) Which word in the given extract is an antonym to ‘pleasant’?
(d) What part of speech is ‘crude’ in the extract?
Answer:
(a) Matilda seemed old now.
(b) Ten long years of poverty, and a constant struggle and strife for survival had made her ‘crude’.
(c) ‘Odious’ is the antonym of‘pleasant’ in the extract.
(d) It is an adjective.

Question 4.
Mme Forestier was touched and took both her hands as she replied, “Oh! My poor Matilda! Mine were false. They were not worth over five hundred francs.” [CBSE2015]
(a) Why was Mme Forestier touched?
(b) “Mine were false.” What does ‘mine’ refer to in these words?
(c) Find the word from the extract that means same as ‘agitated’.
(d) What is the opposite of ‘poor’?
Answer:
(a) Mme Forestier was touched by Matilda’s plight which could have been avoided if only Matilda had told the truth.
(b) ‘Mine’ refers to the diamond necklace that Mme Forestier had lent to Matilda.
(c) ‘Touched’ means the same as ‘agitated’ from the extract.
(d) Its opposite is ‘rich’.

Short Answer Type Questions [2 Marks each]

Question 1.
What would Matilda often dream of?
Answer:
Matilda would often dream of all the delicacies, luxuries, elegant dinners, marvellous dishes, rich silver, beautiful dresses, jewels, adoration and a life of glory. She would escape into her dreams from the dullness of her very humble existence.

Question 2.
Why did Matilda throw the invitation spitefully?
Answer:
Matilda was simply displeased when her husband showed the invitation. She felt humiliated and threw the invitation spitefully as she had nothing beautiful enough to wear to such a grand gathering.

Question 3.
Describe Mme Loisel’s success at the ball.
Or
Do you think M Loisel had an enjoyable evening at the ball? Give reasons for your answer. [CBSE 2014]
Answer:
Mme Loisel was the centre of attention at the ball. Her beauty, her grace, her joy and the gorgeous smile captivated all. Men sought to be presented to her. She danced happily at her conquest of all.

Question 4.
What excuse did Loisels put up to explain the delay in returning the necklace?
Answer:
Loisels had lost the necklace and needed time to find an identical one. Thus, Loisels wrote a letter to Mme Forestier with an excuse that the clasp of the necklace was broken and they needed time to get it repaired.

Question 5.
How did Loisels manage to pay for the necklace?
Answer:
The necklace cost Loisels thirty six thousand francs. Loisel had to chip in his entire inheritance of eighteen thousand francs and the rest he had to borrow from the usurers.

Question 6.
How did Mme Loisel now know the life of necessity? [CBSE 2016]
Answer:
To pay the debt of eighteen thousand francs, Loisels let go of their decent living. They lived in impoverished neighbourhood. Matilda had to cook, clean, wash, mend, bring water and bargain with the butcher and grocer. Her husband worked day and night to save every sou.

Question 7.
Describe Mme Loisel after ten years.
Answer:
Ten years of poverty and hardship steal away Matilda’s youth and beauty. She becomes a strong and hard woman, who is poorly dressed with untidy hair and red ragged hands.

Question 8.
What do you think of M Loisel as a husband? Cite instances from the text to support your answer.
Answer:
M Loisel was a caring and supportive husband. Fie sacrificed his wishes and the money he inherited from his father for his wife.

Question 9.
Why was Matilda’s friend astonished to see her at the end of the story? [CBSE 2012]
or
Why did Jeanne not recognise her friend, Matilda?
Answer:
Jeanne, Matilda’s friend, could not recognise her as she seemed an old and worn out poor woman. Matilda was no longer her former beautiful and Joyous self.

Question 10.
Comment on the use of irony in the text.
or
How had sacrifice of Mme Loisel’s been in vain?
Answer:
The irony in the story is based on the fact that the Loisels spend 10 years of toil and frugality paying for a necklace which turns out to be a cheap imitation.

Long Answer (Value Based) Type Questions [8 Marks each]

Question 1.
Mme Loisel’s disposition invites her doom. Comment in the context of the text you’ve read.
or
What kind of person is Matilda Loisel?
Support your answer giving examples from the story “The Necklace”.
Answer:
Mme Loisel belongs to a family of clerks. Her existence is quite average. They live on meagre income, enough for basic needs but not to fulfil aspirations. She gets married to a clerk and is so caught up with her dreams of wealth and pleasure that she is out of touch with the truths of her real life. In order to keep up appearances just to flatter her pride, she blows up four hundred francs on a gorgeous dress. And, not contented, she goes on borrowing a necklace from her friend. And, all of this is just to impress the wealthy and the rich with her beauty and glamour (even if on loan). No doubt, her pride is flattered and her wish of fine dining, expensive dresses and jewels satisfied but at a great price. Unfortunately, the necklace has lost and the couple has to cough up their entire inheritance and borrow as well to replace it. Repayment of the debt eats away the next ten years of their youth. They live poor. All the house hold chores and cares of a life of poverty visit them. Hence, her disposition invites her doom.

Question 2.
Mme Forestier proved to be a true friend. Elucidate. [CBSE2015]
Answer:
Mme Forestier turns out to be an interesting character. She plays a very vital role in the story. As a friend to Matilda, we find her to be really genuine as she helps Matilda in the hour of her need. When Mme Loisel needs to borrow jewels, she turns to Mme Forestier. Mme Forestier does not refuse. Displaying her generosity, she opens up the entire array of her jewels for Matilda to choose from. Also, she is considerate when Loisels delay the return of the necklace. Surprisingly, at the end of the story, she concludes the entire narrative.
Without even a moment’s hesitation, she reveals to Matilda that her necklace was just a fake. She is not at all worried in the light of the fact that she may have to return the necklace. It shows her honesty. Rather, she, like a true friend, feels bad for Matilda at her unnecessary suffering. We find her sympathising with Mme Loisel. She is indeed a gem of a friend.

Question 3.
Do you think the story is aptly titled? Justify your answer.
Answer:
The whole narrative of the story ‘The Necklace’ revolves around a young woman Matilda, who in her foolish pride borrows a necklace inviting misery and sorrow for herself as well as for her husband. The ‘necklace’ has lost and the Loisels fall into a tremendous debt. They spend the next ten years of their life in paying debt for the replacement of the lost necklace. Their entire life moves around impoverished everyday saga of misery and hunger and the necklace, in fact, changes the very course of their life. Also, it is against the back drop of the necklace that Matilda’s pride and dishonesty are highlighted. At the same time, the necklace serves a twist at the end as it turns out to be a fake one. The story is, hence, most aptly titled as the necklace is, in fact, the leading character of this ironic tale of desire, the doom and the tragedy.