Class-10 Chapter-5 The Hundred Dresses-I- Extra Questions and Notes

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Chapter- 5 English Language and Literature- First Flight (Latest 2018-19)

­­­­ The Hundred Dresses-I

 By El Bsor Ester  

El Bsor Ester – A Short Biography

About the Authoress

El Bsor Ester edumantra.net 1Eleanor Estes (May 1906-July 15, 1988) was an American children’s author and a children’s librarian. Her book, ‘Ginger Pyre’ won the Newfry Medal. Eleanor based the story ‘The Hundred Dresses’ on her real-life experience as the girl who received Peggy’s hand-me-down dresses.

Introduction of the lesson- The Hundred Dresses-I

 INTRODUCTION

This is a beautiful story about a small girl Wanda by El Bsor Ester. Wanda used to go to school on foot and sit next to the last bench in one corner of her room. All the girls in her class used to make fun of her poverty and funny name. She never quarrelled with anyone. She was always calm. When a drawing competition was held in her school, Wanda took part in that competition. He made the design of one hundred dresses. All the designs were very beautiful. She was selected for the first prize. This surprised everyone very much.

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( यह वाण्डा नाम की एक छोटी-सी लड़की के बारे में  El Bsor Ester द्वारा लिखित एक सुंदर कहानी है I वाण्डा पैदल  स्कूल जाया करती थी और अपने कमरे के कोने में आखिरी सीट से पहले वाली सीट पर बैठा करती थी  I उसकी कक्षा की सभी लड़कियाँ उसकी गरीबी और उसके मजाकिया नाम का उपहास उड़ाया करती थीं I वह  कभी किसी के साथ झगड़ा नहीं करती थी I वह हमेशा शांत रहती थी I जब उसके स्कूल में चित्रकारी प्रतियोगिता का आयोजन किया गया तो उसने भी इस प्रतियोगिता में हिस्सा लिया I उसने एक सौ पोशाकों के चित्र बनाए I सभी चित्र बहुत ही सुंदर थे I उसे प्रथम पुस्कार के लिए चुना गया I उसकी इस उपलब्धि से प्रत्येक बहुत हैरान था I )

Plot/ Theme / Central Idea of the Lesson/ Literary Analysis of The Hundred Dresses-I/ Main Idea

The theme of the Story

The story ‘The Hundred Dresses’ is based on Eleanor’s real-lifedownload edumantra.net 2 experience. It is the story of a girl who received Peggy’s hand-me-down dresses. She felt very guilty for not having defended the character, Wanda in real life. She wrote the story in order to assuage her guilt and to encourage others to stand against bullies.

Important Word-Meanings of difficult words from the lesson- The Hundred Dresses-I

WORD-MEANINGS

[PAGE 63] : Possessions = wealth/things kept (दौलत/पास रखी वस्तुएँ) ; enduring = long lasting (देर तक चलने वाली); account = detail (विस्तार); judged = assessed (मूल्यांकन किया); encyclopedia = book dealing with all branches of knowledge (विश्वकोश); immigrants = settlers in another country (प्रवासी); occurred = took place (घटित हुआ); identified = recognised (पहचाना); ethnicity = pertaining to race (जाति संबंधी); treat = behave with (व्यवहार करना); notable = famous (प्रसिद्ध); suburbs = outskirts of the city (बाहरी बस्ती); discriminated = made discrimination (भेदभाव किया);  census = counting of people (जनगणना) I

[PAGE 64] : Rough = (here) indisciplined (अनुशासनहींन); scuffling of feet = creating noise by thumping shoes (पैर पटककर शोर करना); roars = cries (शोर/चीखें); on the contrary = on the other hand (इसके विपरीत); rarely = very seldom (बहुत कम); twisted = moved (हिले); crooked sort = awkward (बेढंगी); caked with = covered with (से ढकी हुई); curly hair = wavy hair (घुँघराले बाल) I

 [PAGE 65] : Faded = dim coloured (मद्दम रंग की); hang right = fit properly (सही ढंग से फिट होना ); ironed = pressed with iron (प्रेस करना); surrounded = encircled (दायरा बनाना); hopscotch = a kind of game (एक प्रकार का खेल); courteous = polite (विनम्र); nudge = a gentle push (हल्का – सा इशारा करना) I

 [PAGE 66] : Incredulously = showing disbelief (अविश्वास प्रकट करते हुए); velvet = a kind of cloth (मखमल); stolidly = without showing any feeling (बिना भावना के); peals of laughter = loud laughter (जोरदार हँसी); obviously = apparently (स्पष्ट रूप से); exaggerated = enhanced (बढ़ा–चढ़ाकर कहना); greeted = welcomed (स्वागत किया); inseparable = that which cannot be separated (अभिन्न); hitching = catching (पकड़ना); protected = saved (बचाया); bullies = those who frighten the weaker persons धोंसिया); cruel = unkind (क्रूर) I

 [PAGE 67] : Mocking = making fun of (मज़ाक उड़ाना); embarrassed = ashamed of शर्मसार होना ) exactly = correctly (सही ढंग से); invented = discovered (आविष्कार किया); teasing = bothering (परेशान करना);  absent-mindedly = without thinking much (बिना सोचे –समझे); paused = stopped (रुकी), shuddered = trembled (काँपने लगी); target = person chosen for attack (निशाना); disguise = conceal (छुपाना) I

 [PAGE 68] : Trimmings = ornamentation of a dress (पोशाक की सजावट); accord = wish (इच्छा); blonde hair = golden hair (सुनहरी बाल); scarcely = hardly (मुश्किल से ही); brilliant = shining (चमकता हुआ ); sash = scarf (स्कार्फ); pretended = false (झूठ); admiration = praise (तारीफ); probably = perhaps (शायद); announce = declare (घोषणा करना); drizzling = light rain (बूँदा-बाँदी) I

 [PAGE 69] : Eagerly = with eagerness (उत्सुकता से); gasped = breathed with open mouth (खुले मुँह से साँस लेना); ledge = outer part (बाहरी भाग); windowsill = lower portion of a window (खिड़की का नीचे का भाग); dazzling = shining (चमकता हुआ); lavish = grand (भव्य); wrapping = outer cover of something wrapped (बाहरी कवर); contest = competition (प्रतियोगिता); murmured = muttered (बुड़बुड़ाना); admiringly = in a praising manner (प्रशंसात्मक रूप से ); assembled = gathered (इकठ्ठे हुए) exhibition = on show (दिखाना); sketches = drawings (ड्राइंग) I

 [PAGE 70]: Unfortunately = unluckily (दुर्भाग्यपूर्ण); applause = praise (तारीफ); exquisite = beautiful (सुंदर); stamp = strike floor with feet (पैरों से फर्श थपथपाना); whispered = spoke in a low voice (काना – फूसी करना) I

Summary in English- The Hundred Dresses-I

DETAILED SUMMARY

This is a story about a Polish girl. Her name was Wanda Petronski. Her family had immigrated to America. She studied in a school with other American students. She belonged to a very poor family. Daily she came to school in a faded blue dress. It was clean but not properly ironed. She used to sit in the corner of room number thirteen in the last row. This was a corner where the rough boys, who did not make good marks, sat. images edumantra.net 18They made a lot of noise. There was the most noise of the feet when some fun occurred. Wanda did not sit there because she was rough and noisy. On the contrary, she was very quiet. But she came on foot from Boggins Heights area and brought a lot of dirt with her shoes.

She was an introvert girl and did not speak much in the class. No one had ever heard her laugh. Nobody really thought much about Wanda. Students thought of Wanda only outside the school hours. They waited for her while she was going to or coming from home. They waited for her in order to have fun with her. Two girls of her class, Peggy and Maddie, often talked to her and made fun of her. Peggy was the most popular girl in the school. She was pretty and had curly hair. She belonged to a rich family. She had many pretty clothes. Maddie was her closest friend.

Peggy and Maddie were not bad girls but they used to have some fun with Wanda Petronski. The students in Wanda’s class found her name funny. Wanda was always alone in her class. Wanda did not have any friend but a lot of girls talked to her. They surrounded her in the schoolyard. Peggy made fun of Wands and asked her how many dresses she had in her closet. Wanda replied that she had one hundred dresses. These dresses were of different colours and designs. Then Peggy would ask her whether the dresses were of silk or velvet. Wanda would reply that she had dresses of velvet as well as silk. The girls would ask her how many pairs of shoes she had. At this Wanda would tell them that she had sixty pairs of shoes. The girls would suppress their laugh when talking to her. But as soon as Wanda’s back was turned, they would burst into peals of laughter.

Peggy was rich but she was not arrogant. She was not cruel. On the other hand, she saved younger girls from bullies. But she and other girls could not understand why Wanda told a lie about her dresses and shoes. But the girls only made fun of Wanda. They never made her cry.

 Maddie herself was a poor girl. She used to wear clothes given by other persons. So she was sympathetic to Wanda. She and Peggy were fast friends. That is why she never said anything when Peggy made fun of Wanda. But she herself never laughed at Wanda. She did not like Peggy’s asking Wanda about the dresses. Whenever Peggy mocked at Wanda, Maddie felt bad. She wished that Peggy would stop teasing Wanda Petronski. Maddie decided to write a note for Peggy asking her to stop making fun of Wanda but she could not muster the courage to do so.

 Wanda did not come to school on Monday. But nobody missed her. She did not come on Tuesday also. But when she missed the school on Wednesday also, Peggy and Maddie noted her absence. They wondered why she had not come to school. Maddie remembered Wanda talking about one of her dresses which was pale blue with coloured trimmings. Then Maddie thought about the drawing and colour contest in the school. The girls were to design dresses and the boys were to design motorboats. Maddie thought that Peggy would win the contest as she was very good at design.

 Next day it was drizzled. Peggy and Maddie hurried to their school as Miss Mason would announce the results of the drawing contest. They did not wait for Wanda. When the girls reached their school they were surprised. There were hundreds of designs of dresses displayed in the room. Then Miss Mason announced the names of the winners. Jack Beggles had won for the boys. She said that all the hundred designs of dresses had been made by one girl and she had won the Medal. Her name was Wanda Petronski.

But Wanda was absent. The children clapped their hands in joy. Maddie asked Peggy to look at the blue dress about which Wanda had told them earlier. They appreciated the drawings made by Wanda.

SHORT SUMMARY (2)

  1. Wanda Petronski in the class: Wanda Petronski sat in the seat next to the last seat in the last row in Room No. thirteen. Only ‘rough boys’ who didn’t get good marks sat there. It was this corner where there was most scuffing of feet and most roars of laughter when anything funny was said. It was also the corner where one could find most mud and dirt on the floor.
  2. Very Quiet and Lonely: Nobody knew why she chose to sit in the last row. Perhaps she came from a place Boggins Heights. It was the place where poor immigrants lived. Her feet were usually covered with dry mud. Nobody really thought much about Wanda when she was in the class. Today she was not in her seat but no one noticed her absence.
  3. Wanda Petronski—an Object of Fun: Her schoolmates thought of Wanda only when she was outside. Only outside the school, they waited for Wanda to have fun with her. After two days, Peggy and Maddie noticed that Wanda was not there in the class. Peggy was the most popular girl in school. She had pretty clothes and her hair was curly.
  4. Funny Name: Wanda Petronski was rather a strange name for the children in Room No. thirteen. They didn’t have names like that. They had names easy to say, like Thomas, Smith or Allen. Wanda didn’t have friends. She came to school alone and went home alone. She always wore a faded blue dress. It was clean but never ironed properly.
  5. Peggy Making Fun of Wanda: Peggy would always try to make fun of Wanda in a most courteous manner. She would ask, “How many dresses did you say you had hanging up in your closet?” Wanda would answer, “A hundred”. Then Peggy would ask in a teasing but polite manner, “All silk, I bet”. Wanda would reply that they were all silk and of all colours. Then before Wanda had gone very far, all the girls would burst into shrieks and peals of laughter. The only dress Wanda wore was a blue one. “What a story” they would say meaning that she was telling a lie. They would again ask Wanda teasingly “How many shoes…?” Wanda would reply, sixty pairs.
  6. Maddie was Different: Maddie was not like Peggy. She didn’t like ‘this business’ of asking Wanda how many dresses, shoes and hat she had’. Maddie was poor herself. She often wore old clothes usually given by someone else. She felt embarrassed when Peggy questioned Wanda in a mocking polite voice. She wished Peggy would stop teasing Wanda Petronski. She pictured herself in the schoolyard, a new target for Peggy and the girls. Peggy might ask her where she got the dress that she had on. Maddie would have to say it was one of Peggy’s old dresses that she was wearing.
  7. Drawing & colouring contest: Maddie began to wonder who was going to win the drawing and colouring contest. For girls, this contest consisted of designing dresses. Peggy was the favourite as she drew better than anyone else in the room. Everybody thought that Peggy would win the prize. The next day, when they entered the classroom, they found there were drawings all over the room. There must have been a hundred of them. They were all lined up. Miss Mason announced the winners. She told them that one girl drew one hundred &tops—all different and in beautiful colours. She declared that Wanda Petronski was the winners of the girl’s medal. Wanda had been absent from school for some days and was not there to receive the prize. Miss Mason asked the children to file around the room quietly and look at Wanda’s beautiful drawings. Peggy and Maddie noticed that particularly two blue and green dresses which Wanda used to talk about were displayed there.

Main Points of the Story

  1. Wanda Petronski usually sat in the last row in Room No. 13.
  2. Only ‘rough boys’ who never scored good marks and made a lot of noise used to sit there.
  3. Wanda was a very quiet girl who rarely said anything to anybody.
  4. She had no friends and came to school and went home alone.
  5. Peggy was the most popular girl in the class.
  6. She was pretty, had many dresses and curly hair.
  7. Wanda was a poor girl who always wore a faded blue dress which was never ironed properly.
  8. Her name Wanda Petronski was difficult to pronounce and looked funny to the children.
  9. Maddie was poor and wore old clothes given to her by Peggy.
  10. She didn’t like Peggy’s questioning of Wanda about her hundred dresses, shoes and hats.
  11. She wished Peggy would not tease and mock Wanda in such an insulting manner.
  12. Everyone was waiting for the winner of the drawing and colour competition.
  13. Everybody thought that Peggy would be the winner as she could draw better than anyone in the class.
  14. Next day, when they entered the room 13, they found drawings all over the room.
  15. Miss Mason declared that where only one or two sketches were sent by most of the girls, one girl sent a hundred drawings, all different and beautiful.
  16. Miss Mason declared that Wanda Petronski was the winner of the girls’ medal.
  17. Unfortunately, Wanda was not present to hear the applause that was due to her.

Summary in Hindi – The Hundred Dresses-I- Full Text

SUMMARY IN HINDI

 यह एक पोलिश (पोलैंड के मूल की) लड़की की कहानी है I उसका नाम वाण्डा पेट्रोंसकी था I उसका परिवार अमेरिका में आकर बसा हुआ था I वह एक स्कूल में अन्य अमेरिकी छात्रों के साथ पढ़ती थी I वह एक बहुत गरीब घर की लड़की थी I वह हर रोज स्कूल में मंद पड़े नीले रंग की पोशाक पहनकर आती थी I यह साफ –सुधरी होती थी मगर इस पर सही तरीके से इस्त्री नहीं की होती थी I वह कमरा नंबर तेरह की आखिरी पंक्ति में एक कोने में बैठती थी I यह वह कोना था जहाँ पर ऐसे लड़के बैठते थे जो या तो बहुत बातूनी थे या पढ़ाई में कमजोर थे I वे बहुत अधिक शोर मचाते थे I जब कोई मजाक की बात होती थी तो पैरों का बहुत अधिक शोर होता था I वाण्डा वहाँ इसलिए नहीं बैठती थी क्योंकि वह पढ़ाई में कमजोर और ज्यादा शोर मचाती थी I इसके विपरीत वह बहुत शांत थी I मगर वह बोगिंस हाईट्स के इलाके से पैदल आती थी और अपने पैरो साथ अधिक मिट्टी लाती थी I

वह एक अंतर्मुखी लड़की थी और  कक्षा में अधिक नहीं बोलती थी I किसी ने उसे कभी हँसते हुआ नहीं देखा था I कोई भी वाण्डा के बारे में अधिक नहीं सोचता था I छात्र वाण्डा के बारे  में केवल स्कूल के समय के बाद सोचते थे I जब वह घर को जा रही होती थी या घर से आ रही होती थी तो वे उसका इंतजार करते थे I वे उसका मजाक उड़ाने के लिए उसका इंतजार करते थे I उसकी कक्षा की दो लड़कियाँ, पेग्गी और मैडी, अकसर उससे बात करती थी और उसका मजाक उड़ाती थी पेग्गी स्कूल की सबसे लोकप्रिय लड़की थी I वह सुंदर थी और उसके बाल घुँघराले थे I वह एक अमीर परिवार से थी I उसके  पास बहुत-सी अच्छी –अच्छी पोशाकें थी I मैडी उसकी सबसे पक्की सहेली थी I

पेग्गी और मेडी  बुरी लड़कियाँ नहीं थी मगर वे वाण्डा पेट्रोंसकी  का कुछ मजाक उड़ाया करती थीं I वाण्डा की कक्षा  के छात्र  सोचते थे कि उसका नाम मज़ाकिया है I वाण्डा  कक्षा में सदा अकेली थी I वाण्डा का कोई मित्र नहीं था I मगर उससे बहुत – सी लड़कियाँ बातें करती थी I वे उसे स्कूल के प्रांगण में घेर लेती थी I पेग्गी  वाण्डा का मजाक उड़ाती थी और उससे पूछती थी कि उसकी अलमारी में कितनी पोशाकें है I वाण्डा उत्तर देती थी कि उसके पास एक सौ पोशाकें है I ये  पोशाकें  अलग – अलग रंगों और डिज़ाइनों की थी I तब पेग्गी उससे पूछती थी कि क्या पोशाकें रेशम की हैं या मखमल की I वाण्डा उत्तर देती थी कि उसकी पोशाकें रेशम की और मखमल दोनों की है I लडकियाँ उससे पूछती थी कि उसके पास कितने जोड़ी जूते है I इस पर वाण्डा  उन्हें बताती कि उसके पास साठ जोड़े जूते है I लडकियाँ उससे बात करते समय अपनी हँसी को दबाए रखती थीं I मगर ज्यों ही वाण्डा  की पीठ मुड़ती, वे जोर–जोर से हँस देती थीं I

पेग्गी अमीर थी मगर वह घमंडी नहीं थी I वह क्रूर भी नहीं थी I इसके विपरीत वह छोटी लडकियों को धोंसिया लडकियों से बचाती थी I मगर वह और अन्य लड़कियाँ यह नहीं  समझ पाती थी I कि वाण्डा  अपनी पोशाकों  और जूतो के बारे में झूठ क्यों बोलती थी I मगर लड़कियाँ वाण्डा का केबल मजाक उड़ाती थीं I वे उसे कभी भी रुलाती नहीं थी I

मैडी स्वयं एक गरीब लड़की थी I वह अन्य लोगों के द्वारा दिए गए कपड़े पहनती थी I इसलिए वह वाण्डा के प्रति सहानुभूतिपूर्ण थी I वह और पेग्गी पक्की सहेलियाँ थीं I इसलिए जब पेग्गी वाण्डा का मजाक उड़ाती थी I तो वह कुछ नहीं बोलती थी I मगर वह स्वयं कभी भी वाण्डा पर नहीं हँसती थी I वह इस बात को पसंद नहीं करती थी कि पेग्गी वाण्डा से उसकी पोशाकों के बारे में पूछे I जब भी पेग्गी वाण्डा पर हँसती थी तो मैडी को बुरा लगता था I  वह चाहती थी कि पेग्गी वाण्डा पेट्रोंसकी को तंग करना बंद कर दे I मैडी ने फैसला किया कि वह पेग्गी को एक चिट्टी लिखेगी और उससे कहेगी कि वह वाण्डा का मजाक उड़ाना बंद कर दे मगर वह ऐसा करने का साहस नहीं जुटा पाई I

वाण्डा सोमवार को स्कूल नहीं आई I मगर किसी को भी उसकी अनुपस्थिति खली नहीं  I वह मगलवार को भी नहीं आई I मगर जब वह बुधबार को भी स्कूल नहीं आई तो पेग्गी और मैडी को उसकी अनुपस्थिति का आभास हुआ  I उन्हें इस बात पर हैरानी हुई कि वाण्डा स्कूल क्यों नहीं आई I मैडी को याद आया कि वाण्डा ने एक ड्रैस के बारे में कहा था जो हल्के नीले रंग की थी और जिसमे रंगीन सजावट लगी हुई थी I तब मैडी ने स्कूल में हुए ड्राइंग और रंग के मुकाबले के बारे में सोचा I लड़कियों ने पोशाकों के डिज़ाइन बनाने थे और लड़कों ने मोटरबोटों के चित्र बनाने थे I  मैडी ने सोचा कि पेग्गी मुकाबले को जीतेगी क्योंकि वह डिज़ाइनिग में बहुत अच्छी थी I

    अगले दिन बूंदा-बाँदी आरंभ हो गई I पेग्गी और मैडी स्कूल जल्दी-जल्दी गई क्योकि मिस मेसन ने ड्राइंग के मुकाबले  के परिणाम घोषित करने थे I उन्होंने वाण्डा  का इंतजार नहीं किया I जब लड़कियाँ  अपने स्कूल में पहुँची तो वे हैरान हो गई I  कमरें में पोशाकों  के सैकड़ों डिज़ाइन प्रदशित किए हुए थे I तब मिस मेसन ने विजेताओ के नाम घोषित किए I लडकों की तरफ से जैक बेग्गल्ज़ ने इनाम जीता था I उसने कहा कि पोशाकों के सभी सौ डिज़ाइन एक ही लड़की ने बनाए थे और उसी ने इनाम जीता है I उसका नाम है  वाण्डा पेट्रोंसकी I

मगर वाण्डा  अनुपस्थित थी I बच्चो ने खुशी से तालियाँ बजाई I मैडी ने  पेग्गी से कहा कि उस नीली पोशाक को देखे जिसके बारे में वाण्डा  ने पहले उन्हें बताया था I उन्होंने वाण्डा  के द्वारा बनाए गए चित्रों की सराहना की I

Main Characters of the Story-  The Hundred Dresses-I

Character Sketch

Peggy: Peggy was not really a cruel girl. In fact, she protected small children from bullies. She was a sensitive girl. She cried for hours if she saw an animal mistreated. She asked Wanda questions about her dresses and shoes. But her intentions were not bad. She simply wanted to have some fun. She was the most popular girl in the class. She was a pretty girl.

Following is the complete question bank for  The Hundred Dresses-I-

 The Hundred Dresses-I Extra Questions and Answers

MULTIPLE CHOICE QUESTIONS/ Quiz-  The Hundred Dresses-I

MULTIPLE CHOICE QUESTIONS

1.Who was Wanda?

 (A) a Polish girl                                  (B) a French girl

 (C) an American girl                          (D) an English girl

 Ans. (A) a Polish girl

2. Who was the most popular girl at the school?

 (A) Wanda                                          (B) Peggy

 (C) Maddie                                         (D) Miss Mason

 Ans. (B) Peggy

3. Who was Peggy’s closest friend?

 (A) Wanda                                          (B) Maddie

 (C) both (A) and (B)                            (D) none of the above

 Ans. (B) Maddie

4. Wanda’s class used to sit in Room No. :

 (A) ten                                                            (B) eleven

 (C) twelve                                           (D) thirteen

 Ans. (D) thirteen

5. Where did Wanda Petronski live?

 (A) Poland                                          (B) Boston

 (C) Boggins Heights                           (D) London

 Ans. (C) Boggins Heights

6. On which particular day was Wanda’s absence noticed?

(A) Sunday                                           (B) Monday

 (C) Tuesday                                        (D) Wednesday

 Ana. (D) Wednesday

7. How did the other girls treat Wanda?

 (A) they made fun of her                               (B) they helped her in studies

 (C) they sympathised with her                       (D) all of the above

 Ans. (A) they made fun of her

8. What was the contest for the boys?

 (A) dress designs                                            (B) motorboats

 (C) motorbikes                                               (D) all of the above

 Ans. (B) motorboats

9. Who was the first winner among the boys?

 (A) Thomas                                                     (B) Smith

 (C) Jack Beggles                                             (D) Bounce

 Ans. (C) Jack Beggles

10. What was the contest for the girls?

 (A) dress designs                                            (B) motorboats designs

 (C) both (A) and (B)                                        (D) none of the above

 Ans. (A) dress designs

11. Who was the first winner among the girls?

 (A) Peggy                                                        (B) Wanda

 (C) Maddie                                                     (D) Miss Mason

 Ans. (B) Wanda

12. Who decides to write a note to Peggy?

 (A) Maddie                                                     (B) Wanda

 (C) Smith                                                        (D) Jack Beggles

Ans. (A) Maddie

13. Who was Wanda’s friend in the school?

 (A) Peggy                                                        (B) Maddie

 (C) both (A) and (B)                                        (D) she had no friend in the school

 Ans. (D) she had no friend in the school

14.Who did Peggy protect small children from?

(A) bullies                                                        (B) clever

 (C) foolish                                                       (D) teacher

 Ans. (A) bullies

15. Where were Wanda’s designs at the display?

 (A) Room No. Ten                                          (B) Room No. Eleven

 (C) Room No. Twelve                                     (D)) Room No. Thirteen

 Ans. (C) Room No. Twelve

  

IMPORTANT PASSAGES FOR COMPREHENSION

 Read the following passages and answer the questions that follow :

PASSAGE 1

Today, Monday, Wanda Petronski was not in her seat. But nobody, not even Peggy and Madeline, the girls who started all the fun, noticed her absence. Usually, Wanda sat in the seat next to the last seat in the last row in Room Thirteen. She sat in the corner of the room where the rough boys who did not make good marks sat, the corner of the room where there was most scuffling of feet, most roars of laughter when anything funny was said, and most mud and dirt on the floor.

Wanda did not sit there because she was rough and noisy. On the contrary, she was very quiet and rarely said anything at all. And nobody had ever heard her laugh out loud. Sometimes she twisted her mouth into a crooked sort of smile, but that was all. I

[H.B.S.E. March 2017 (Set-B)]

 Word-meanings : Rough = indisciplined (अनुशासनहीन); scuffing of feet = creating noise by thumping shoes (पैर पटककर शोर करना); on the contrary = on the other hand   (इसके विपरीत); roars = cries (चीखें); rarely = very seldom (कभी –कभार); crooked sort = awkward (बढ़ेंगी)  l

Questions :

 (a) Where did Wanda Petronski usually sit?

 (b) Did Peggy and Madeline notice Wanda’s absence?

 (c) How did most of the boys create fun in the classroom?

 (d) What kind of a girl was Wanda?

 (e) Find words or phrases from the passage which mean the same as :

 (i) on the other hand, (ii) very seldom.

 Answers :

 (a) She usually sat in the corner next to the last seat in the last row.

 (b) No, Peggy and Madeline did not notice Wanda’s absence.

 (c) They created fun by scuffling their feet on the ground and laughing loudly.

 (d) Wanda was a quiet and calm girl.

 (e) (i) on the contrary, (ii) rarely.

PASSAGE 2

 Nobody knew exactly why Wanda sat in that seat unless it was because she came all the way from Boggins Heights and her feet were usually caked with dry mud. But no one really thought much about Wanda Petronski, once she sat in the corner of the room.

 The time when they thought about Wanda was outside of school hours — at noon-time when they were coming back to school or in the morning early before school began, when groups of two or three, or even more, would be talking and laughing on their way to the school yard.

 Then, sometimes, they waited for Wanda — to have fun with her.

 Word-meanings: Caked with = covered with (से ढके होना): exactly = correctly (सही –सही) I

Questions :

 (a) Where did Wanda come from?

 (b) What happened after Wanda sat in the corner of the room?

 (c) When did classmates think of Wanda?

(d) Why did they wait for Wanda?

(e) Find a word in the passage which means ‘precise’.

 Answers :

(a) Wanda came from Boggins Heights.

(b) After she sat in the corner of the room nobody thought much of her.

(c) They thought of her outsides of school hours.

(d) They waited for her to have fun with her.

(e) exactly.

PASSAGE 3

The next day, Tuesday, Wanda was not in school, either. And nobody noticed her absence again.

 But on Wednesday, Peggy and Maddie, who sat down front with other children who got good marks and who didn’t track in a whole lot of mud, did notice that Wanda wasn’t there. Peggy was the most popular girl in school. She was pretty, she had many pretty clothes and her hair was curly. Maddie was her closest friend. The reason Peggy and Maddie noticed Wanda’s absence was because Wanda had made them late to school.

 They had waited and waited for Wanda, to have some fun with her, and she just hadn’t come.

 They often waited for Wanda Petronski — to have fun with her.

 Word-meanings: Track = walk (चलना); popular = famous (प्रसिद्ध); curly hair = wavy hair (घुँघराले बाल)  I

 Questions :

 (a) Did Wanda come to school on Tuesday?

 (b) Where did Peggy and Maddie sit?

 (c) Who was the most popular girl in the school?

 (d) Why did Peggy and Maddie think of Wanda?

 (e) Which word in the passage means ‘famous’?

 Answers :

 (a) No, Wanda did not come to school on Tuesday.

 (b) Peggy and Maddie sit in the front where other children who got good marks sat.

 (c) Peggy was the most popular girl in the school.

 (d) They thought of Wanda because she had made them tale for school.

 (e) popular.

PASSAGE 4

Wanda didn’t have any friends. She came to school alone and went home alone. She always wore a faded blue dress that didn’t hang right. It was clean, but it looked as though it had never been ironed properly. She didn’t have any friends, but a lot of girls talked to her. Sometimes, they surrounded her in the school yard as she stood watching the little girls play hopscotch on the worn hard ground.

 “Wanda,” Peggy would say in a most courteous manner as though she were talking to Miss Mason. “Wanda,” she’d say, giving one of her friends a nudge, “tell us. How many dresses did you say you had hanging up in your closet ?”

 “A hundred,” Wanda would say.

 “A hundred!” exclaimed all the little girls incredulously, and the little ones would stop playing hopscotch and listen.

 Word-meanings: Didn’t hang right = not fit properly (ठीक से न आना); ironed = pressed with iron (प्रैस करना); surrounded = circled (घेरा बनाया); hopscotch = a kind of game (एक प्रकार का खेल); incredulously = showing disbelief (अविश्वास दिखाना)

 Questions :

 (al What kind of dress did Wanda wear?

 (b) How did Peggy make fun of Wanda?

 (c) Did Wanda have many friends?

 (d) What would Wanda say when Peggy questioned her about dresses?

 (e) Find a word from the passage which means ‘polite’.

 Answers :

 (a) She wore a faded blue dress.

 (b) Peggy made fun of Wanda by asking a question about how many dresses she bad at home.

 (c) No, Wanda did not have many friends.

 (d) Wanda would say that she had a hundred dresses lined up in her closet.

 (e) courteous.

PASSAGE 5

 Peggy was not really cruel. She protected small children from bullies. And she cried for hours if she saw an animal mistreated. If anybody had said to her, “Don’t you think that is a cruel way to treat Wanda?” she would have been very surprised. Cruel? Why did the girl say she had a hundred dresses? Anybody could tell that that was a lie. Why did she want to lie? And she wasn’t just an ordinary person, else why did she have a name like that? Anyway, they never made her cry.

 As for Maddie, this business of asking Wanda every day how many dresses and how many hats, and how many this and that she had was bothering her. Maddie was poor herself. She usually wore somebody’s hand-me-down clothes. Thank goodness, she didn’t live up on Boggins Heights or have a funny name.

 Word-meanings: Bullies = those who frighten the weaker persons (धौंस देने वाले); mistreated = behaved cruelly (क्रूरतापूर्ण व्यवहार); cruel = unkind (निर्दयी); ordinary = simple (साधारण) I

 Questions :

 (a) How did Peggy react when she saw an animal mistreated?

 (b) How would Peggy react if someone said that she was cruel towards Wanda?

 (c) What did Peggy and Maddie think of Wanda?

 (d) How do you know that Maddie was also poor?

(e) Find a word from the passage which means ‘people who frighten weaker persons’.

Answers :

 (a) When she saw an animal mistreated, she would cry for hours.

 (b) She would be surprised.

 (c) She thought that Wanda wasn’t just an ordinary person.

 (d) Maddie wore somebody’s hand-me-down clothes. This shows that she was also poor.

 (e) ‘bullies’.

PASSAGE 6

Sometimes, when Peggy was asking Wanda those questions in that mocking polite voice,  Maddie felt embarrassed and studied the marbles in the palm of her hand, rolling them around and saying nothing herself. Not that she felt sorry for Wanda, exactly. She would never have paid any attention to Wanda if Peggy hadn’t invented the dresses game. But suppose Peggy and all the others started in on her next? She wasn’t as poor as Wanda, perhaps, but she was poor. Of course, she would have more sense than to say she had a hundred dresses. Still, she would not like for them to begin on her. She wished Peggy would stop teasing Wanda Petronski.

 Word-meanings: Mocking = making fun of (मजाक उड़ाना) embarrassed = ashamed of (शर्मसार होना); invented = discovered (आविष्कार करना); teasing = bothering (परेशान करना) I

 Questions :

 (a) When did Maddie feel embarrassed?

 (b) When would Maddie never have paid any attention to Wanda?

 (c) What additional benefit did Maddie think she had than Wanda?

 (d) What did Maddie wish?

 (e) Find a word from the passage which means ‘satirical’.

 Answers :

(a)Maddie felt embarrassed when Peggy asked Wanda questions about her dresses.

(b)She never has paid any attention to Wanda if Peggy hadn’t invented the dresses game.

(c)She thought that she had more sense to say about her dresses.

(d)Maddie wished that Peggy would stop teasing Wanda.

(e)’mocking’.

PASSAGE 7

Today, even though they had been late to school, Maddie was glad she had not had to make fun of Wanda. She worked her arithmetic problems absent-mindedly. “Eight times eight—let’s see …” She wished she had the nerve to write Peggy a note because she knew she never would have the courage to speak right out to Peggy, to say, “Hey, Peg, let’s stop asking Wanda how many dresses she has.” When she finished her arithmetic she did start a note to Peggy. Suddenly she paused and shuddered. She pictured herself in the schoolyard, a new target for Peggy and the girls. Peggy might ask her where she got the dress that she had on, and Maddie would have to say it was one of Peggy’s old ones that Maddie’s mother had tried to disguise with new trimmings so no one in Room Thirteen would recognise it.

 Word-meanings: Absent-mindedly = without thinking much paused-stopped (रुके बिना सोचे –समझे); shuddered = trembled (काँपने लगना): target = mark (निशाना); disguise = conceal (छुपाना) I

Questions :

 (a) Why was Maddie glad?

 (b) How did Maddie want to ask Peggy not to make fun of Wanda?

 (c) What made Maddie feel ‘shuddered’?

 (d) How did Maddie think Peggy would humiliate her?

 (e) Find a word from the passage which means ‘trembled’.

 Answers :

 (a) Maddie was glad she had not had to make fun of Wanda.

 (b) She wanted to ask Peggy not to make fun of Wanda by writing a note to her.

 (c)  She shuddered when she thought that Peggy would find Maddie a new target for making fun of her.

(d)  She thought that Peggy would humiliate her by pointing out that she was wearing a dress given to her by her (Peggy’s) mother.

 (e)  ‘shuddered’.

PASSAGES FOR PRACTICE (UNSOLVED)

 PASSAGE 8

 As for Wanda, she was just some girl who lived upon Boggins Heights and stood alone in the schoolyard. She scarcely ever said anything to anybody. The only time she talked was in the schoolyard about her hundred dresses. Maddie remembered her telling about one of her dresses, pale blue with coloured trimmings. And she remembered another that was brilliant jungle green with a red sash. “You’d look like a Christmas tree in that,” the girls had said in pretended admiration.

 Word-meanings : Trimmings = ornamentation of a dress (पोशाक की सजावट); brilliant = shining (चमकदार); sash = scarf (स्कार्फ); pretended = false (झूठी); admiration = praise (प्रशंसा) I

 Questions :

 (a) Who lived on Boggins Heights?

 (b) How did Pegg make fun of Wanda?

 (c) What were Wanda’s drawings about”

 (d) What did Maddie remember one of her dresses 7

 (e) Find a word from the passage which means ‘shining’

PASSAGE 9

 The minute they entered the classroom, they stopped short and gasped. There were drawings all over the room, on every ledge and windowsill, dazzling colours and brilliant, lavish designs, all drawn on great sheets of wrapping paper. There must have been a hundred of them, all lined up. These must be the drawings for the contest. They were! Everybody stopped and whistled or murmured admiringly.

 As soon as the class had assembled, Miss Mason announced the winners. Jack Beggles had won for the boys, she said, and his design for an outboard motor was on exhibition in Room Twelve, along with the sketches by all the other boys.

 Word-meanings: Gasped = breathed with open mouth (हाँफना); dazzling = shining (चमकदार); lavish = grand (भव्य); murmured = muttered (बुड़ाबुड़ाना); exhibition = on the show (दिखाना); the  sketches = drawings (चित्रण)

 Questions :

 (a) What was there in the room?

 (b) How did they react to the drawings?

 (c) Who won the contest meant for girls?

 (d) Who won the contest meant for the boys?

 (e) Find a word from the passage which means ‘gathered’.

 Passage-10: (Page 64)

Today, Monday, Wanda Petronski was not in her seat. But nobody, not even Peggy and the girls who started all the fun, noticed her absence. Usually, Wanda sat in the seat next seat in the last row in Room Thirteen. She sat in the corner of the room where the rough did not make good marks sat, the corner of the room where there was most scuffling of roars of laughter when anything funny was said, and most mud and dirt on the floor.

Word-Meaning: Row—line, tired  Scuffling—noisy and dragging movements of the feet on the ground, Roars—loud noise of laughter, Funny—humorous Mud—wet earth’s mixture

Questions:

(a) Today, why was Wanda Petronski not in her seat?

(b) Who were Peggy and Madeline?

(c) Where did Wanda usually sit in the class?

(d) What kind of boys sat in that corner?

Answers:

(a) Today Wanda Petronski was absent from the class. Actually, she has left school forever.

(b) Peggy and Madeline were close friends and classmates of Wanda.

(c) Wanda usually sat in the seat next to the last seat in the last row.

(d) Rough boys who did not get good marks sat in the last row.

Passage-11: (Page 64)

Wanda did not sit there because she was rough and noisy. On the contrary, she was very quiet and rarely said anything at all. And nobody had ever heard her laugh out loud. Sometimes she twisted her mouth into a crooked sort of smile, but that was all.

Word-Meaning: Contrary—opposite, Quiet—silent, Rarely—hardly, Twisted—bent indifferent direction, Crooked(here) bent,

Questions:

(a) Why did Wanda sit in the seat next to the last seat in the last row?

(b) What kind of girl was Wanda?

(c) Did anybody hear her laugh?

(d) Did she have any close friend in the class to talk with?

Answers:

(a) Nobody knew exactly why Wanda sat in that seat. She might be sitting there because her feet were usually covered with dry mud.

(b) She was very quiet and rarely said anything at all.

(c) No, no one heard her laugh loudly.

(d) No, she didn’t have any close friend in the class to talk with.

Passage-12: (Pages 64 & 65)

But on Wednesday, Peggy and Maddie, who sat down with other children who got good marks and who didn’t track in a whole lot of mud, did notice that Wanda wasn’t there. Peggy was the most popular girl in the school. She was pretty, she had many pretty clothes and her hair was curly. Maddie was her closest friend. The reason Peggy and Maddie noticed Wanda’s absence was because Wanda had made them late to school. They had waited and waited for Wanda, to have some fun with her, and she just hadn’t come. They often waited for Wanda Petronski—to have fun with her.

Word-Meaning: Track- path Popular—famous Pretty —beautiful  Curly —rounded

Questions:

(a) Did Wanda come to the school the day before Wednesday?

(b) What did they notice?

(c) How was Peggy?

(d) How did Maddie make fun of Peggy?

Answers:

(a) No, Wanda had been absent from the school for the last three days.

(b) They noticed that Wanda was not there in her seat.

(c) Peggy was the most popular girl in school. She was pretty, had many clothes and had curly hair.

(d) Maddie used to make fun of Wanda by asking how many dresses she had.

Passage-13: (Page 65)

Wanda Petronski. Most of the children in Room Thirteen didn’t have names like that. They had names easy to say, like Thomas, Smith or Allen. There was one boy named Bounce, Willie Bounce, and people thought that was funny, but not funny in the same way that Petronski was.

Word-Meaning: Funny—strange,

Questions:

(a) Who was Wanda Petronski?

(b) Where did she live?

(c) What did people think about Willie Bounce?

(d) How was Willie Bounce different from Wanda Petronski?

Answers:

(a) Wanda Petronski was one of the students who sat in Room Number Thirteen.

 (b) She lived in Boggins Heights.

(c) People thought that Willie Bounce’s name was quite funny.

(d) Willie Bounce’s name was not as funny as that of Wanda Petronski.

Passage-14: (Page 65)

Wanda didn’t have any friends. She came to school alone and went home alone. She always wore a faded blue dress that didn’t hang right. It was clean, but it looked as though it had never been ironed properly. She didn’t have any friends, but a lot of girls talked to her. Sometimes, they surrounded her in the schoolyard, as she stood, watching the little girls play hopscotch on the worn hard ground.

Word-Meaning: Faded(here) discoloured, dull, Didn’t hang right—didn’t fit properly, Ironed—pressed with an iron, Lot of—many, Hopscotch—a game in which children hop into and over squares marked on the ground,

Questions:

(a) Why do you think Wanda didn’t have any friends?

(b) How did she come to school and go home?

(c) Why did she always wear a faded blue dress?

(d) How did she stand on the worn hard ground?

Answers:

(a) Wanda didn’t have any friends perhaps because she was reticent and had an inferiority complex.

(b) She came to school and went home alone.

(c) She belonged to a poor family, so she didn’t have more dresses to be worn for school.

(d) She stood there watching the little girls play hopscotch on the worn hard ground.

Passage-15: (Page 66)

Peggy was not really cruel. She protected small children from bullies. And she cried for hours if she saw an animal mistreated. If anybody had said to her, “Don’t you think that is a cruel way to treat Wanda?” she would have been very surprised. Cruel? Why did the girl say she had a hundred dresses? Anybody could tell that was a lie. Why did she want to lie? And she wasn’t just an ordinary person, else why did she have a name like that? Anyway, they never made her cry.

Word-Meaning: Bullies—those who show their strength to frighten weaker people, Mistreated—gave ill-treatment, Ordinary—common

Questions:

(a) Why do you think Wanda always told a lie that she had a hundred dresses?

(b) If anybody called her cruel for treating Wanda badly, how did Peggy feel?

(c) What did Peggy think about Wanda?

(d) According to the children, what sort of name did Wanda have?

Answers:

(a) She thought that if she told them that she was very poor and had only one dress, they would look down upon her.

(b) Peggy felt surprised if anybody called her cruel at her treatment of Wanda.

(c) Peggy thought Wanda was telling lies that she had a hundred dresses.

(d) They considered her name to be difficult and funny.

 Passage-16: (Pages 67 & 68)

She pictured herself in the schoolyard, a new target for Peggy and the girls. Peggy might ask her where she got the dress that she had on, and Maddie would have to say it was one of Peggy’s old ones that Maddie’s mother had tried to disguise with new trimmings so no one in Room Thirteen would recognise it.

Word-Meaning: Disguise—hide, Trimmings (here) decoration of a lace,

Questions:

(a) How would Maddie become a new target for Peggy and other girls?

(b) What could Peggy ask her?

(c) Why did Maddie wear Peggy’s old clothes?

(d) What did Maddie’s mother do and why?

Answers:

(a) If Maddie said to Peggy not to make fun of Wanda, she herself would become the new target of Maddie and other girls as she wore Peggy’s old clothes.

(b) Peggy might ask her where she got the dress that she was wearing.

(c) Maddie was a very poor girl. So she had to wear Peggy’s old dresses.

 (d) Maddie’s mother tried to disguise the old dress with new trimmings so that no one in Room Thirteen would recognise it.

Passage-17: (Page 68)

As for Wanda, she was just some girl who lived upon Boggins Heights and stood alone in the schoolyard. She scarcely ever said anything to anybody. The only time she talked was in the schoolyard about her hundred dresses. Maddie remembered her telling about one of her dresses, pale blue with coloured trimmings. And she remembered another that was brilliant jungle green with a red sash. “You’d look like a Christmas tree in that,” the girls had said in pretended admiration.

Word-Meaning: Scarcely—hardly, Brilliant(here) shining, Pretended—false act, Admiration—praise,

Questions:

(a) What kind of people live on Boggins Heights?

(b) Did Wanda talk too much?

(c) What did she only talk about?

(d) Why did the girl say in pretended admiration?

Answers:

(a) Generally, poor immigrants lived in Boggins Heights.

(b) No, she hardly said anything to anybody.

(c) She talked only about her hundred dresses.

(d) She was mocking and making fun of Wanda Petronski.

Passage-18: (Page 69)

The minute they entered the classroom, they stopped short and gasped. There were drawings all over the room, on every ledge and windowsill, dazzling colours and brilliant, lavish designs, all drawn on great sheets of wrapping paper. There must have been a hundred of them, all lined up. There must be the drawings for the contest. They were! Everybody stopped and whistled or murmured admiringly.

Word-Meaning: Gasped—opened mouth in surprise, Ledge-edge, Lavish(here) many, Wrapping paper—paper used for wrapping, Murmured-uttered silently, Admiringly—in praise,

Questions:

(a) Why did Peggy and Maddie stop short and gasp?

(b) Why were there so many drawings all over the room?

(c) How many of them were there?

(d) How did everybody react after seeing the drawings?

Answers:

(a) They stopped short and gasped when they saw so many drawings everywhere.

 (b) It was a drawing and colouring contest in the school, that is why there were so many drawings all over the room.

(c) They were more than a hundred all lined up there.

(d) Everybody stopped, whistled or murmured admiringly after watching the drawings.

Passage-19: (Page 69)

“As for the girls,” she said “although just one or two sketches were submitted by most, one girl—and Room Thirteen should be proud of her—this one girl actually drew one hundred designs—all different and all beautiful. In the opinion of the judges, any one of the drawings is worthy of winning the prize. I am very happy to say, that Wanda Petronski is the winner of the girls’ medal. 

Word-Meaning: Sketches—drawings, Submitted—handed over, Opinion-view,

Questions:

(a) How many sketches were submitted by most of the girls?

(b) How many drawings did one particular girl submit?

(c) Who was that girl?

(d) Who does ‘I’ refer to here?

Answers:

(a) Most of the girls submitted just one or two sketches.

(b) One particular girl submitted one hundred designs.

(c) Wanda Petronski was the girl who submitted one hundred designs.

(d) Here ‘I’ refers to their teacher Miss Mason.

Passage-20: (Page 70)

Unfortunately, Wanda has been absent from school for some days and is not here to receive the applause that is due to her. Let us hope she will be back tomorrow. Now, class, you may file around the room quietly and look at her exquisite drawings. The children burst into applause and even the boys were glad to have a chance to stamp on the floor, put their fingers in their mouths and whistle, though they were not interested in dresses.

Word-Meaning: Unfortunately—unluckily, Applause—the sound of cheers, Exquisite—extremely beautiful and well made, Burst into applause—spontaneous clapping of-of hands,

Questions:

(a) What was so unfortunate?

 (b) What did the teacher hope?

(c) Was her hope fulfilled?

(d) Why were the boys not interested in dresses?

Answers:

(a) It was quite unfortunate that the winner of the girls’ medal, Wanda Petronski was not present to receive the honour which was due to her.

(b) The teacher hoped that Wanda would be present the next day.

(c) No, her hope that Wanda would come to school the next day was not fulfilled.

(d) The boys were not interested in the dresses because they were all girls dresses. Besides they were told to draw and colour motorboats in the contest.

Read the extracts and answer the questions that follow.

1. She protected small children from bullies. And she cried for hours if she saw an animal mistreated. If anybody had said to her “Don’t you think that is a cruel way to treat Wanda?” she would have been very surprised. “Cruel? Why did the girl say she had a hundred dresses”?

(a) Who is ‘she’ in the above extract?

(b) What impression do you form about her nature?

(c) Why does Peggy get surprised if anybody told Peggy that she had been cruel to Wanda?        

 (d) What cruel way of treating is being referred to here?

Ans. (a) Peggy

(b) The statement shows that she was very kind to animals.

(c) This was because she thought it was Wanda who should be condemned for telling lies.

(d) This is making fun of Wanda about her having a hundred dresses.

2. As for Wanda, she was just some girl who lived upon Boggins Heights and stood alone in the schoolyard. She scarcely ever said anything to anybody. The only time she talked was in the schoolyard about her hundred dresses. Maddie remembered her telling about one of her dresses pale blue with coloured trimmings.

(a) Why did Wanda scarcely ever say anything to anybody?

 (b) What were Wanda’s drawings about?

(c) How did Peggy make fun of Wanda?

(d) What was the game of a hundred dresses?

Ans. (a) Wanda scarcely said anything to anybody because she was from Boggins Heights which was a place for the poor.

(b) Her drawings wore about a hundred dresses—all different and all beautiful.

(c) Peggy made fun of Wanda by asking how many dresses she had in her closet.

(d) Just to tease Wanda when Peggy once asked her how many dresses she had. She replied that she had a hundred dresses.

3. As for Maddie, this business of asking Wanda every day how many dresses and how many hats, and how many this and that she had was bothering her. Maddie was poor herself. She usually wore somebody’s hand-me-down clothes. Thank goodness, she didn’t live up on Boggins Heights or have a funny name.

(a) Who asked whom “How many dresses do you have”?

(b) What was the intention of the speaker?

(c) How was Wanda different from Maddie?

(d) How did Maddie feel about Wanda when Peggy and other girls used to tease her about a hundred dresses?

Ans. (a) Peggy asked so from Wanda.

(b) Peggy wanted to tease Wanda because she was poor.

(c) Both were poor but Maddie was not as poor as Wanda. Wanda wore the same faded blue dress every day but Maddie wore different dresses.

(d) Maddie used to feel very uncomfortable and uneasy.

4. She sat in the corner of the room where the rough boys who did not make good marks sat, the corner of the room where there was most scuffling of feet.

(a) Why did Wanda sit in the corner of the room at the back?

 (b) What kind of boys sat around Wanda?

(c) Who is ‘she’ in the first sentence?

(d) Where in the classroom does Wanda sit?

Ans. (a) Because her shoes used to be caked with mud.

(b) Rough and noisy boys who did not score good marks.

(c) This is Wanda.

(d) Wanda used to sit in the next to the last seat in the last row in room thirteen in the corner where the rough boys used to sit.

5. The reason Peggy and Maddie noticed Wanda’s absence was because Wanda had made them late to school. They had waited and waited for Wanda, to have some fun with her, and she just hadn’t come.

(a) What relationship had Peggy and Maddie?

(b) Why were they late to school on Wednesday?

(c) Why did they wait for Wanda?

 (d) When and why do Peggy and Maddie notice Wanda’s absence?

Ans. (a) They were close friends.

(b) Because they waited for Wanda who did not come that day.

(c) This was because they wanted to have some fun with her.

(d) Peggy and Maddie noticed Wanda’s absence on the third day of her absence when they waited for her to have sonic fun with her.

6. “Don’t you think that is a cruel way to treat Wanda? She would have been very surprised. Cruel? Why did the girl say she had a hundred dresses? Anybody could tell that that was a lie.

(a) Who does ‘she’ refer to in the first sentence?

(b) Why does Peggy surprised if anybody told Peggy that she had been cruel to Wanda?

(c) What cruel way of treating is being referred to here?

(d) Why is Maddie embarrassed by the questions Peggy asks Wanda?

 Ans. (a) Peggy.

(b) Because she thought it was Wanda who should be condemned for telling lies.

(c) Making fun of Wanda about her having a hundred dresses.

(d) Maddie felt embarrassed by the questions Peggy used to ask Wanda because she was also poor and used to wear somebody’s hand-me-down-clothes.

Extra Very Short Answer Type Important Questions

Q.1. Where did Wanda Petronski live?

 Ans. She lived at Boggins Heights.

 Q.2. Where did Wanda use to sit in the class?

 Ans. She used to sit in the seat next to the last.

 Q.3. Who was Peggy’s best friend?

 Ans. Maddie was Peggy’s best friend.

 Q.4. Who was Miss Mason?

 Ans. She was Peggy’s class teacher.

 Q.5. Why were Wanda’s shoes always mud caked?

 Ans. Wanda’s shoes were always mud caked because she had to come on foot all the way from Boggins Height to the school.

 Q.6. What was strange about Wanda’s name?

 Ans. She had a long name which was a funny one.

 Q.7. What was the attitude of the other children toward Wanda?

 Ans. They often made fun of her.

 Q.8. What was Wanda’s response to Peggy’s question about dresses?

 Ans. She said that she had one hundred dresses, all lined up in her closet.

 Q.9. How did Peggy react when she saw an animal mistreated?

 Ans. When Peggy saw an animal mistreated, she would cry for hours.

 Q.10. What kind of dress did Wanda wear?

 Ans. She always wore a faded blue dress.

Short Answer Type Important Questions

Answer the following questions in 30-40 words:

1. How did Peggy and Maddie try to amend their behaviour towards Wanda?

Ans. Both Peggy and Maddie felt guilty for their behaviour towards Wanda. Maddie felt very sad to know that Wanda and her family were leaving the town. Both of them wrote a friendly letter to Wanda telling her that she had won the contest. They asked her if she liked the place where she was living. They wanted to say sorry to her.

2. Why was Maddie sure Peggy would win the dress designing contest?

Ans. Maddie was sure that Peggy would win the dress designing contest because according to her, and everyone in the class, Peggy was the best artist in class.

3. How did Peggy make fun of Wanda Petronski?  

Ans. Peggy would wait to make fun of Wanda at school. She would most courteously ask her, how many dresses she had hanging in her closet. Wanda would reply that there were a  hundred. Peggy would then ask about the dress material, and when Wanda walked away, would burst into laughter, sarcastically making fun of her.

4. What kind of girl was Wanda? Where did she usually sit in the class?

Ans. Wanda was a quiet girl who rarely laughed out loud. She didn’t have any friend and always come to school, and went home alone. She usually sat in the corner of the room, where those who didn’t get good marks sat, and which was the noisiest and dirtiest area in the room.

5. How was Wanda treated at school?

Or

Why did children make fun of Wanda?                                         

Ans. Children made fun of Wanda because she had a funny name. And also because she came to school wearing the same faded blue dress although she claimed she had a hundred dresses—all of the different designs, colours and a variety of clothes—silk and velvet.

6. Did Wanda have a hundred dresses? Why did she say so and how did she prove that?

Ans. No, she did not have the actual dresses. She had only the drawings of a hundred dresses on papers. All had different designs and colours. She had lined them up in her closet. She proved herself right by submitting a hundred drawings of dresses in the drawing and painting competition of her school.

7. Why did Maddie write a note to Peggy and then tore it?

Ans. Maddie wanted Peggy to stop teasing Wanda. She thought it was cruel. She could not dare to say all this verbally so she wrote a note to Peggy. But then she pictured herself as a new target for Peggy and other girls, making fun of her for wearing hand-me-down clothes. She shuddered and tore the note.

8. Who was Maddie?

Ans. Maddie belonged to a poor family. She wore old clothes which were given by others, her parents were not rich. They lived in a simple house.                                       

9. What was the opinion of the judges about Wanda?

Ans. Wanda had drawn one hundred designs of dresses, which were all different and all beautiful. In the Opinion of the judges, any one of the drawings was worthy of winning the prize. So she was declared the winner of the girl medal.

10. How can you say that Peggy was a soft girl?

 Ans. Peggy was not really cruel. She protected smaller children from bullies. If she saw an animal mistreated, she would cry for hours.

11. Maddie wrote a note for Peggy but she tore it away. Why?

Ans. Maddie wanted that Peggy should stop teasing and making fun of Wanda. So she wrote a note to Peggy. But she lacked the courage to give that note to Peggy fearing lest she should lose Peggy’s friendship. So she tore the note.

12. What kind of girl Peggy was?

Ans. Peggy was not really a cruel girl. In fact. she protected small children from bullies. She was a sensitive girl. She cried for hours if she saw an animal mistreated. She asked Wanda questions about her dresses and shoes. But her intentions were not bad. She simply wanted to have some fun. She was the most popular girl in the class. She was a pretty girl.

13. Did Wanda Petronski sit in that corner near the last row because she was rough and noisy?

Ans. No, Wanda Petronski did not sit in that corner because she was rough and noisy like the boys who sat there. She was always quiet and rarely uttered a word. Only sometimes she twisted her mouth into a crooked sort of smile. She sat there because she didn’t feel comfortable with other girls in the front row. They made fun of her. She had no friends and didn’t feel comfortable in the company of other girls.

14. What did they think about Wanda and why? Wanda’s classmates?

Ans. Generally, particularly girls usually didn’t notice Wanda’s presence or absence in the class. Only outside the school when they came to school or went home they would talk to her. They would be talking and laughing on their way to the schoolyard. Girls like Peggy would ask mockingly how many dresses Wanda had lined up in her closet. They spoke politely but only to make fun of her.

15. What did her classmates and Maddie think about Peggy?

Ans. Peggy was decided by the most popular girl in the class. She was pretty. She had many pretty clothes. Her hair was curly they thought that she could draw better than other girls. She handed down her old clothes to her closest friend Maddie. Maddie wished that Peggy would not embarrass Wanda by asking uncomfortable questions about her dresses and shoes.

16. Was Peggy really cruel? Why did she make fun of Wanda Petronski by asking questions about her dresses and shoes?

Ans. No, Peggy was not really cruel. She protected small children from bullies she cried for hours if she saw an animal mistreated. But in Wanda’s case, she thought differently. She thought that Wanda was telling a lie about her hundred dresses and sixty pairs of shoes. She had always seen Wanda wearing a faded blue dress. Moreover, she didn’t like the place, Boggins Heights where Wanda lived. She also found the Polish name Wanda Petronski rather difficult and funny.

17. Why didn’t Maddie like Peggy asking Wanda how many dresses, hats and shoes she had? How did she feel at such times?

Ans. Maddie was quite poor. She depended on Peggy’s generosity who handed down her old clothes to her. However, she didn’t like Peggy embarrassing Wanda by asking uncomfortable questions related to her dresses and shoes. She couldn’t stand up against her closest friend and benefactor Peggy. She wished Peggy would not ask such embarrassing questions.

18. Why did Maddie feel that she could be the next target of Peggy and all other girls? What did she wish?

Ans. No doubt, Peggy was her closest friend and benefactor. However, Maddie knew that she herself was a poor girl. She wore old clothes given up by Peggy. Peggy and all others could ask her where she had got the dress from which she was wearing. She would have to answer that it was Peggy’s old ones. She could be the next target of Peggy and the other girls. She wished Peggy would stop teasing Wanda Petronski.

19. Why did Maddie think of writing a letter to Peggy? Why did she tear it into bits?

Ans. Maddie didn’t like Peggy teasing Wanda Petronski. But she could not muster up the courage to say it to Peggy. Peggy was her closest friend. She gave her old clothes to Maddie. So, she thought of writing a letter asking Peggy not to tease Wanda again. But Maddie tore into bits the letter she had started. She thought that Peggy could not possibly do anything that was really wrong.

20. Why did Maddie and other girls think that Peggy would win the drawing and colouring competition?

Ans. Not only Maddie but others also believed that Peggy would win the drawing and colouring competition. Peggy drew better than anyone else in the class. She could copy a picture of some film star’s head in a magazine. Moreover, Wanda’s skills in drawing and designing had not been revealed yet.

21. Why did Peggy and Maddie stop short and gasp when they entered the classroom?

Ans. The moment they entered the classroom, Peggy and Maddie stopped short and gasped as there were drawings all over the room. Even every ledge and windowsill had them. There were designs with dazzling colours. They were drawn on wrapping paper. More than a hundred of them were there all lined up all over the room.

22. How did Miss Mason announce Wanda Petronski’s name as the winner of the girls’ medal in the drawing and colouring contest?

Ans. As soon as the class assembled, the teacher, Miss Mason announced the winners. Jack Beggles won for the boys. As for the girls, most of the girls submitted one or two sketches. One girl submitted one hundred designs. All of them were different and beautiful. Anyone of the drawings was worthy of winning the prize. She announced that Wanda Petronski was the winner of the girls’ medal.

23. How did Peggy, Maddie and other girls react to Wanda’s drawing winning the girls’ medal in the drawing and colouring contest? Did the boys react differently?

Ans. All applauded when Wanda was announced as the winner of the girls’ medal. All of them filed around the room to look at the paintings. Maddie showed Peggy one beautiful blue dress that Wanda told them about. Peggy was surprised to see the green one she used to talk about. The boys were not interested in dresses but found time for enjoying and whistling.

24. Why did Wanda Petronski sit in the last row?

Ans. Wanda Petronski had no friends. She came to school and went home alone. She had a Polish name which looked funny to her classmates. She lived at Boggins Heights, a place that was not particularly liked by the people and her classmates. Her shoes were covered with dry mud and she always wore a faded blue dress. So, she didn’t feel comfortable with other girls and preferred to sit in the last row with ‘rough boys’.

Important Long/ Detailed Answer Type Questions- to be answered in about 100 -150 words each

 Answer the following questions in 100-120 words:

1. Wanda had no friends and nobody liked to talk to her. Do you think such an attitude of children towards Wanda is justified? Is it right to judge people on the basis of their social status? If no, then what values should such people imbibe?

 Ans. Wanda was a quiet girl who rarely laughed out loud. She didn’t have any friend and always come to school and went home alone. Children made fun of her because she had a funny name. And also because she came to school wearing the same faded blue dress. Although, she claimed she had a hundred dresses. (i) This type of attitude is not justified. (ii) It is not at all right to judge people on the basis of their social status. Although Wanda did not have the actual dresses she had the drawings of the dresses on papers. All of different colours and designs. (iii) She proved herself by submitting a hundred drawings of dresses in the drawing and painting competition of her school. People who judge others with their socio-economic background, need to learn that such things are not the parameters to judge a person’s capabilities. They should respect others.

2. Maddie loathed the business of asking Wanda about her dresses but she found it difficult to stop Peggy to do so. Why could she not stop Peggy? Was she afraid of losing the friendship of Peggy? Write about the values one must possess in a true friendship in about 100-120 words.

Ans. Meddle did not approve of Peggy’s teasing of Wanda because she was as poor as Wanda was. But she could not stop Peggy as she did not have the courage to do so because Peggy was her best friend and thought that if she asked her to do so she might lose her friendship. Secondly, she thought that once the students stop teasing Wanda. they might ask her similar questions. I think a true friend should stop his/her friend of doing wrong things. She should guide him/her in the right direction.

3. Though Peggy and Maddie were good friends, they differed greatly in their thinking. Substantiate giving references from the story The Hundred Dresses’.

Ans. Peggy and Maddie were classmates and close friends. Peggy was rich, pretty and the most popular girl in her class. Maddie was poor and wore hand-me-down clothes mostly of Peggy with a little innovation. Other students knew her because she was always with Peggy. Peggy used to enjoy teasing Wanda a Polish girl by asking her about her hundred dresses. Maddie would become a part of the fun unwillingly. She used to feel uncomfortable, perhaps it reminded her of her own poverty. She remained silent as she feared that Peggy might pick on her if she opposed. Thus, Peggy and Maddie’s inseparable friends had different personalities.

4. What made Maddie feel uncomfortable and uneasy when Peggy and other girls made fun of Wanda Petronski?                                                                

Ans. Peggy and other girls used to make fun of Wanda by asking her about her hundred dresses. In fact, Wanda said that she had a hundred dresses but wore the same faded blue dress every day. Maddie who was herself poor and wore hand-me-down clothes mostly of Peggy with a little alteration, felt uncomfortable when others teased Wanda. Perhaps it reminded her of her own poverty. She could not see Wanda in that miserable condition. She thought it was cruel to make fun of anyone’s poverty. She used to feel uneasy but remained a silent spectator. She feared that if she opposed she could be the next target.

5. What does this story tell us about Wanda Petronski?

Ans. Wanda Petronski was a Polish girl. Her family had immigrated to America. She studied in a school with other American students. She belonged to a very poor family. Daily she came to school in a faded blue dress. It was clean but not properly ironed. She used to sit in the corner of room number thirteen in the last row. This was a corner where the rough boys, who did not make good marks, sat. Wanda did not sit there because she was rough and noisy. On the contrary, she was very quiet. But she came on foot from Boggins Heights area and brought a lot of dirt with her shoes. She was a reserved girl and did not speak much in the class. No one had ever heard her laugh.

6. Who were Peggy and Maddie? How did they and other girls make fun of Wanda?

Ans. Peggy and Maddie were the two classmates of Wanda. Peggy was the most popular girl in the school. She was pretty and had curly hair. She belonged to a rich family. She had many pretty clothes. Maddie was her closest friend. Peggy and Maddie were not bad girls but they used to have some fun with Wanda

Petronski. The students in Wanda’s class found her name funny. Wanda was always alone in her class. Peggy made fun of Wanda and asked her how many dresses she had in her closet. Wanda replied that she had one hundred dresses. Then Peggy would ask her whether the dresses were of silk or velvet. Wanda would reply that she had dresses of velvet as well as silk. The girls would ask her how many pairs of shoes she had. At this Wanda would tell them that she had sixty pairs of shoes. The girls would suppress their laugh while talking to her. But as soon as Wanda’s back was turned, they would burst into peals of laughter.

7. What do you know about Maddie?

Ans. Maddie was one of the classmates of Wanda. She was Peggy’s best friend. Maddie herself was a poor girl. She used to wear clothes given by other persons. So she was sympathetic to Wanda. She and Peggy were fast friends. That is why she never said anything when Peggy made fun of Wanda. But she herself never laughed at Wanda. She did not like Peggy’s asking Wanda about the dresses. Whenever Peggy mocked at Wanda, Maddie felt bad. She wished that Peggy would stop teasing Wanda Petronski. Maddie decided to write a note for Peggy asking her to stop making fun of Wanda but she could not muster the courage to give the note to her.

8. When did Peggy and Maddie notice Wanda’s absence from school?

Ans. Wanda did not come to school on Monday. But nobody noticed her. She did not come on Tuesday also. But when she missed the school on Wednesday also. Peggy and Middie noted her absence. They wondered why she had not come to school. Maddie remembered Wanda talking about one of her dresses which was pale blue with coloured trimmings. Then Maddie thought about the drawing and colour contest in the school. The girls were to design dresses and the boys were to design motorboats. Muddle thought that Peggy would win the contest as she was very good at design.

9. Describe the scene where Wanda’s dress drawings are displayed? Who won the drawing contest for the girls?

Ans. The next day it was drizzling. Peggy and Maddie hurried to their school as Miss Mason would announce the results of the drawing contest. They did not wait for Wanda. When the girls reached their school they were surprised. There were hundreds of designs of dresses displayed in the room. Then Miss Mason announced the names of the winners. Jack Beggles had won for the boys. She said that all the hundred designs of dresses had been made by one girl and she had won the Medal. Her name was Wanda Petronski. But Wanda was absent. The children clapped their hands in joy. Maddie asked Peggy to look at the blue dress about which Wanda had told them earlier. They appreciated the drawings made by Wanda.

 10. What did Peggy and other girls think about Wanda Petronski? How was she different from other girls?

 Ans. Peggy and other girls hardly noticed Wanda Petronski’s presence or absence in the class. Wanda sat in the seat next to the last seat in the last row in the class. Only ‘rough boys’ who never got good marks and made a lot of noise sat in that corner. A lot of dirt and mud could be found on the floor there. Nobody knew why she sat there. Perhaps she lived at Boggins Heights and brought a lot of dry mud with her from there. Girls found her coming to school and going home alone. She had no friends. Peggy, Maddie and others talked to Wanda only when she was outside the class. Peggy particularly enjoyed having fun with her. In mocking tone, she teased Wanda asking her uncomfortable questions about her hundred dresses and sixty pairs of shoes No one believed that a poor girl who. usually wore a faded blue dress could have a hundred dresses. Peggy thought that Wanda was telling a lie. So, she teased her by asking such embarrassing questions about her dresses. Maddie was different. She didn’t like Peggy making fun of Wanda. She wished Peggy would stop teasing Wanda in that manner.

11. Why did Peggy tease Wanda Petronski with uncomfortable and embarrassing questions about her one hundred dresses? Was she really cruel?

Ans. Peggy and Maddie didn’t notice Wanda’s presence in the class. Wanda rarely uttered even a word in the classroom. Only outside, they would wait for Wanda on the corner of Oliver Street to have some fun with her. They found her Polish name quite funny. Sometimes, they surrounded her in the schoolyard. Peggy would tease Wanda by asking. “How many dresses did you say you had hanging up in your closet?” Wanda would say: “A hundred. They were of all colours and all were of silk”. When Peggy asked: “How many shoes did you say you had?” Wanda would reply: “Sixty pairs.”

Peggy was not actually cruel. She protected small children from bullies. She cried hours if she saw an animal illtreated. But Wanda’s case was different. Peggy could never believe that a poor girl living at Boggins Heights could have a hundred dresses and 60 pairs of shoes. Wanda was always seen in a faded blue dress. So Peggy had her own reasons to believe that Wanda was telling a lie.

12. Compare and contrast two friends, Peggy and Maddie. Why couldn’t Maddie stop Peggy from teasing Wanda Petronski?

Ans. Peggy and Maddie were two close friends. They came from two different financial and cultural backgrounds.

Peggy was pretty. She had many pretty clothes. Her hair was curly. Madeline or Maddie, on the other hand, belonged to a poor family. Peggie used to hand down her old clothes to Maddie. Maddie’s mother tried to disguise those old clothes with new trimmings. She did it so that her classmates would not recognise them. Peggy was the most popular girl in the class. Both of them sat in the front row where only those who got good marks sat. Peggy was very good at drawing. Everybody thought that Peggy would win the girls’ medal in the drawing and colouring competition.

 Maddie knew that Peggy was not really cruel. She protected small children from bullies. But in the case of Wanda, she was different. She teased and embarrassed her by asking uncomfortable questions about her hundred dresses. Maddie wished Peggy would stop teasing Wanda. She couldn’t muster the courage to stop her from doing so. Being a poor girl, she realised that one day she could become a target of Peggy and other girls. But Maddie became helpless before her closest friend and benefactor, Peggy.

13. What was the drawing and colouring contest? Who was the favourite and who won the girls’ medal in the contest? How did it affect boys and girls in the class?

Ans. The class organised a drawing and colouring contest for boys and girls separately. For girls, the contest consisted of designing dresses. For boys, the contest consisted of designing motorboats. Everyone thought that Peggie would win the prize among girls. She drew better than anyone else in the class. She could copy a picture in a magazine. She could draw the head of some film star and anyone could tell who it was. Maddie was sure that Peggy would win.

 The next day when Peggy and Maddie entered the room, they were highly surprised. There were drawings all over the room. As soon as the class assembled, the teacher, Miss Mason announced the winners. Jack Beggles had won for the boys. For the girls, most of them had sent one or two sketches. Only one girl submitted a hundred drawings. They were all of different designs and colours. In the opinion of the judges, any one of the drawings was worthy of winning the prize. Wanda Petronski was declared the winner of the girls’ medal. Miss Mason was sad that Wanda was not in the class to receive the honour. The students filed around the room to look at the drawings. The boys were not interested in dresses. They enjoyed the occasion by whistling. Peggy and Maddie could spot the blue and the green dresses there which Wanda used to talk about.

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