NCERT English Class 9 | Chapter 1 | The Lost Child | Question Answer |

THINK ABOUT IT                                                                 PAGE 6

1. What are the things the child sees on his way to the fair? Why does he lag behind?

Answer: The child sees several things on his way to the fair. First, he sees the toys in the shops that line the way. Then, he comes across a mustard field where he sees a group of dragon-flies bustling about. He also sees little insects and worms teeming out of their hiding places and occupying the place along the footpath. Furthermore, he happens to witness a shower of flowers that falls upon him when he enters a grove on the way. He is also fascinated by the sight of the cooing dove, the sweetmeat seller, the colourful balloons, and the snake charmer. He lags behind his parents precisely because he takes the time to relish what he sees, spending time with nature and enjoying its beauty.

2. In the fair he wants many things. What are they? Why does he move on without waiting for an answer?

Answer: In the fair, the child wants burfi, which is his favourite sweet, some colourful balloons that allure him, and everything else that he sees. However, despite wanting them, he doesn’t tell his parents because he knows deep within his heart that they would give him a reason to avoid getting what he desires.

3. When does he realise that he has lost his way? How have his anxiety and insecurity been described?

Answer: He realises he has lost his way when he reaches the roundabout, observing men and women and children carried away in whirling motion. Upon realising that he has lost his way, the child grows tense. The anxiety and insecurity that the child experiences is described as 'a full, deep cry that rises within his dry throat.' Soon after, the child with a sudden jerk of his body runs from where he stands, crying in real fear,

4. Why does the lost child lose interest in the things that he had wanted earlier?

Answer: The child loses interest in the things that he had wanted earlier because he is gripped by fear, anxiety, and insecurity. He knows very well that the things he had desired were material possessions with a price tag attached to them. However, he was now a lost child, who had no idea where his parents were. Finding his parents naturally became the child’s priority after.

5. What do you think happens in the end? Does the child find his parents?

Answer: Whether the child ends up finding his parents or not is not mentioned, but as far as the story is concerned, it only seems that the child remains lost. He loses interest in everything and all he desires now is to find his parents. 

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5. The Happy Prince Question Answer	6. Weathering the Storm in Ersama Question Answer
7. The Last Leaf Question Answer	8. House Is Not a Home Question Answer
9. The Accidental Tourist Question Answer	10. The Beggar Question Answer