NCERT English Class 9 | Chapter 8 | A House Is Not a Home | Question Answer |

THINK ABOUT IT                                                                 PAGE 54

1. What does the author notice one Sunday afternoon? What is his mother's reaction? What does she do?

Answer: The author notices smoke pouring in through the seams of the ceiling one Sunday afternoon. His mother, who initially steps out with the author after the fire engulfs the roof, runs back into the house in a crazed state. She was not going to let the late author's father's letters and pictures go up in flames.

2. Why does he break down in tears after the fire?

Answer: The author breaks down in tears after the fire because he starts to feel that with the new school, the disappearance of the cat, and the house destroyed in a fire, he is suffering a great loss.

3. Why is the author deeply embarrassed the next day in school? Which words show his fear and insecurity?

Answer: The author is deeply embarrassed the next day in school because the clothes he is wearing look weird, he has no books or homework, and his backpack is gone. The question, 'Was I destined to be an outcast and a geek all my life?' that he asks himself, show his fear and insecurity.

4. The cat and the author are very fond of each other. How has this been shown in the story? Where was the cat after the fire? Who brings it back and how?

Answer: That the cat and the author are very fond of each other is clearly mentioned in the story. The author starts missing the cat soon after it goes missing. He values it so much that he says the things he misses are his house, his friends, and the cat. The cat had actually run away after the fire. It was brought back by a woman who in all likelihood stayed a mile away from the author's home. The author is overjoyed upon seeing the cat and the cat too purrs happily.

5. What actions of the schoolmates change the author's understanding of life and people, and comfort him emotionally? How does his loneliness vanish and how does he start participating in life?

Answer: The kind gesture of his schoolmates - that of taking up a collection and bringing him school supplies, notebooks, and all kinds of different clothes — change the author's understanding of life and people. Also, the author was surprised to find people whom he had never interacted with before coming to him and introducing themselves. He realises he has made friends, and his loneliness thus vanishes. He starts participating in life the way he used to before.

6. What is the meaning of "My cat was back and so was I"? Had the author gone anywhere? Why does he say that he is also back?

Answer: The author had not gone anywhere physically, but mentally he was away. His mind was almost always occupied with thoughts of the cat. He says he is also back after finding his cat because now he knows that he need not brood over what had happened to her the day the house was destroyed by fire.  

1. The Lost Child Question Answer

2. The Adventures of Toto Question Answer

3. Iswaran the Storyteller Question Answer

4. In the Kingdom of Fools Question Answer

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


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