Q1. [5]
There was a fifty rupee note between his fingers. My heart sank. I thought I had been discovered. "I made some money yesterday," he explained. "Now you'll be paid regularly." My spirits rose. But when I took the note, I saw it was still wet from the night's rain. "Today we'll start writing sentences," he said.
He knew. But neither his lips nor his eyes showed anything.
Read the given extract and answer the questions.
- (i) In the context of the given extract :
What was the feelings UNLIKELY to have been on seeing 'a fifty rupee note between his fingers'? [1]
- (A) joyous
- (B) sad
- (C) unhappy
- (D) worried
- (ii) How does the prospect of being paid regularly affect the narrator's motivation and hope for the future? Answer in about 40 words. [2]
- (iii) Fill in the blank with the correct word from the bracket :
The person spoken about did not let the narrator realise that his act of stealing was caught. It reflects the ________ (nobility / dishonesty) of his character. [1]
- (iv) Compare the meanings of the expressions :
"My heart sank", and "My spirits rose". [1]
Previously asked in CBSE board exam
2025 2/6/1 Q6(b)
Generated by claude-sonnet-4-6 · 2026-06-15 07:16 · grounding stimulus+chapter
Model Answer
(i) (A) joyous
(ii) When Anil promised to pay the narrator regularly, his hopes and motivation were instantly revived. The prospect of a steady income meant stability and continuity — he could keep learning to read and write, which he now valued as the path to becoming "a really big man, a clever and respected man."
(iii) nobility
(iv) "My heart sank" means the narrator felt sudden fear and despair — he believed he had been caught stealing. In contrast, "My spirits rose" means his mood lifted with relief and happiness upon hearing Anil's explanation. The two expressions are opposite in meaning, showing a rapid shift from dread to hope.
Source: The Thief's Story, The Theft and Its Aftermath
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Explanation
- (i) "Joyous" is the UNLIKELY feeling — the narrator's heart sank, meaning he felt worried/afraid, not joyous.
- (ii) Link the regular pay to the narrator's motivation to learn; use evidence from the passage/story. ~40 words needed.
- (iii) Anil knew but said nothing — this is an act of nobility (generosity/forgiveness), not dishonesty.
- (iv) Examiners want a clear contrast: "sank" = negative emotion, "rose" = positive emotion, with a brief explanation of each. One mark, so keep it tight.
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