10th Class THE STOREYED HOUSE - 1 (Segment-2) Important Questions and Answers

10th Class THE STOREYED HOUSE - 1 (Segment-2) 

Important questions and answers for better comprehension

THE STOREYED HOUSE – 1

(Segment-2)

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Read the passage and answer the questions that follow:  

The coolie put his hand on a huge wooden box and shouted, 'Whose box is this?'

Bayaji, who was brushing away the dust from his body, answered, 'Oh, it's mine , please lower it down.'

The coolie heaved and grunted as he lowered the box which Bayaji caught with ease.

Bayaji had packed his entire household goods in this box. There was no longer any reason to hang around in Bombay. He had worked honestly for the past thirty-five years in the dockyard and had retired from service two months before. Not that he had held an important position. He had merely got an extension for two years; during that period, he had become a supervisor. Otherwise his entire life had been spent lifting heavy loads. He had worked very hard whenever he could, day and night.

Bayaji had crossed sixty but was in sound health. He had a sturdy frame right from birth, and hard work had given a well-formed shape to his strong body. He paid fifteen paise to the coolie, put the box, in which he had thrown pots and pans and sundry other things, on his own head and began to walk in the direction of his house.

As he reached Kadam's house, he saw Bhujaba coming towards him. Bhujaba was a known rascal of the village. Bayaji balanced the burden on his head. Straightening his neck, he said, 'Greetings to you, sir, how are things with you?'

Bayaji was a Mahar by caste and according to age-old custom he should have greeted Bhujaba with 'My humble salutations to you, sir, who are my father and mother.' So, when Bayaji merely said 'Greetings.' Bhujaba became furious and said, 'Do you think you can become a Brahmin merely by saying "Greetings"? Can you forget your position simply because you've turned a Buddhist?'

Bayaji was nonplussed. For a moment, he was tempted to knock him down with his box but realised that he couldn't afford to do so. Besides, now he had come back to his village for good. He was to spend the rest of his days on this soil and would be interred in the same soil. He would not be able to return to Pune or Bombay hereafter. It was not a good policy to incur the hostility of anyone in the village, least so of the Patil, the village headman.

So he said in a meek tone, 'Sir, why spring this on me even before I set foot on the soil of my forefathers? I have to stay here till the end of my life.'

'Why? Aren't you going back to your job?' asked Bhujaba. 'No sir, my service is over, I've turned sixty.' With this Bayaji lifted the load from his head a little to place it in position.

'Then you've collected your fund amount?' Bhujaba was taking his measure. 'Yes, sir', Bayaji replied with pride. 'How much?' Bhujaba asked greedily. 'Not much, what can a daily worker earn?' Bayaji answered. 'Why won't you mention the figure, man?' Bhujaba persisted artfully.

`'Some two and a half thousand rupees.' Bayaji gave the correct figure.

'Bayaji, you have a heavy load on your head. Go to your house first. We'll talk at leisure later.' Bhujaba said in mock sympathy.

'Yes, yes' Bayaji mumbled and walked in the direction of his house. At the moment, Bayaji was the proud owner of two and a half thousand rupees in cash, so it made no difference whether he was an untouchable or a Buddhist. If only one could swindle out of the untouchable Bayaji- or rather Buddhist, Bayaji- four or five hundred rupees, that was enough. With the thought in his mind, Bhujaba entered his wada, the big house.

 

Now answer these questions:

1.Whose was the huge wooden box?

The huge wooden box belonged to Bayaji.

2.Why do you think Bayaji got dust on his body?

As the bus came along the hills there might be dust on the way. Hence, he got dust on his body.

3.Why do you think the coolie grunted and heaved to lower the box?

The box was a heavy one and the coolie might be weak to lift it. So, he grunted and heaved to lower the box from the top of the bus.

4.Why do you think Bayaji caught the box with ease though the coolie heaved and grunted?

Bayaji had a sturdy frame and still strong enough to work hard, moreover he had been worked lifting loads in the past. Hence, he caught the box with ease though the coolie heaved and grunted.

5.What were there in the box?

Bayaji’s entire household goods were there in the box.

6.Why do you think the box was heavy?

Bayaji filled the box with all his household goods like pots, pans, sundry and other things. So, it was heavy.

7.Why did Bayaji pack his entire household goods?

Bayaji packed his entire household goods because he was retired from service and returned home for good.

8.Why did Bayaji return for good?

As Bayaji retired from service in Bombay dockyard, he returned his home village for good.

9.Why do you think there was no reason to hang around in Bombay for Bayaji?

Yes, Bayaji went to Bombay for work. But now he was retired from services and Bombay was not his native place. So, there was no reason to hand around in Bombay for him.

10.How long did Bayaji work in Bombay?

Bayaji worked for thirty-five years in Bombay dockyard.

11.Where did Bayaji work in Bombay?

Bayaji worked a dockyard in Bombay.

12.When did Bayaji retire from work?

Bayaji retired from service two months ago when he crossed sixty.

13.Why do you think Bayaji got an extension for two years more?

Bayaji might have worked honestly and had sturdy frame and got sound health. Hence, he got an extension for two years more in his service.

14.What was Bayaji when he retired?

Bayaji was retired as a supervisor.

15.How old was Bayaji?

Bayaji was over sixty.

16.How was Bayaji’s health when he retired?

When Bayaji was retired from services, he was in sound health.

17.Why do you think Bayaji was strong and healthy?

Bayaji had got sturdy frame from his birth and hard work gave him strong frame too.

18.How much did Bayaji pay to the coolie?

Bayaji paid fifteen paise to the coolie as he lowered the wooden box.

19.How did Bayaji go home from bus-stop?

Bayaji went to home on foot from bus-stop having the heavy wooden box on his head.

20.Who met Bayaji when he was on the way home?

When Bayaji was on the way home, he met Bhujaba Patil, the village headman.

21.What did Bayaji do when he met Bhujaba?

When Bayaji met Bhujaba, he simply greeted him, which was not the customary of the village.

22.What was the age-old custom mentioned in the passage?

It was the age-old custom to greet higher caste people in the village like this, “My humble salutations to you, sir, who are my father and mother.”

23.Why did Bhujaba become furious?

Bhujaba became furious as Bayaji didn’t greet him according to the age-old custom.

24.Who was nonplused when Bhujaba and Bayaji met? Why?

Bayaji was nonplused when Bhujaba became furious for simple greetings from Bayaji.

25.Why was Bayaji tempted to knock Bhujaba down?

When Bhujaba rebuked (scolded) for simple greetings, Bayaji tempted to knock him down.

26.What was Bayaji’s realization?

It was Bayaji’s realization that was not a good policy to incur the hostility of anyone in the village, least so of the Patil, the village headman. Because he came for good this time.

27.Why do you think Bhujaba enquire about Bayaji’s retirement benefits?

Bhujaba was a known rascal of the village. He wanted to swindle some amount from Bayaji. Hence, he enquired about Bayaji’s retirement benefits.

28.How much money Bayaji brought home?

Bayaji brought two and a half thousand rupees home from his retirement benefits.

29.What was the thought of Bhujaba when he left Bayaji?

Bhujaba thought of swindling four or five hundred rupees from Bayaji.

30.After having a chat with Bhujaba, Bayaji started towards his home. What would be his thoughts? Write the feelings of Bayaji.

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