Q1. [5]
Lomov : But you can see from the documents, honoured Natalya Stepanovna. Oxen Meadows, its true were once the subject of dispute, but now everybody knows they are mine. There's nothing to argue about. You see my aunts grandmother gave the free use of these Meadows in perpetuity to the peasants of your father's grandfather, in return for which they were to make bricks for her. The peasants belonging to your father's grandfather had the free use of Meadows for forty years, and had got into the habit of regarding them as their own, when it happened that…………….
Natalya : No, it isn't at all like that ! Both grandfather and great grandfather reckoned that their land extended to Burnt Marsh - which means Oxen Meadows were ours. I don't see what there is to argue about, its simply silly.
Read the extract given below and attempt the questions that follow :
- (i) The subject of dispute was regarding [1]
- (a) free use of Meadows.
- (b) making of bricks.
- (c) peasants using Meadows.
- (d) ownership of Meadows.
- (ii) Find the word from the extract which means 'continuance' : [1]
- (a) dispute
- (b) perpetuity
- (c) belonging
- (d) reckoned
- (iii) Lomov's aunt's grandmother gave Oxen Meadows to Natalya's father's grandfather in lieu of ………. [1]
- (iv) According to Natalya why did Oxen Meadows belong to them ? [1]
- (v) Fill in the blank with ONE WORD only :
The peasants had free use of Meadows for ………….. years. [1]
Previously asked in CBSE board exam
2023 2/4/1 Q6(B)
Generated by claude-sonnet-4-6 · 2026-06-15 07:18 · grounding stimulus+chapter
Model Answer
(i) (d) ownership of Meadows.
(ii) (b) perpetuity
(iii) Lomov's aunt's grandmother gave Oxen Meadows to Natalya's father's grandfather's peasants in lieu of making bricks for her.
(iv) According to Natalya, Oxen Meadows belonged to them because both her grandfather and great grandfather reckoned that their land extended to Burnt Marsh, which included Oxen Meadows.
(v) The peasants had free use of Meadows for forty years.
Source: The Proposal, Extract passage
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Explanation
- (i) The core dispute is about who owns the Meadows, not merely their use or brick-making.
- (ii) Perpetuity means "forever/continuance" — a standard vocabulary question; look for the word that fits the meaning given.
- (iii) Copy the reason directly from Lomov's speech: peasants were to make bricks in return.
- (iv) Use Natalya's own words about the land extending to Burnt Marsh — that is her entire argument.
- (v) The number forty is stated explicitly in Lomov's dialogue — never guess.
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