Contents
The Lost Child, Class 9 English, Moments Supplementary Book
Detailed explanation of “The Lost Child”, including definitions of difficult words. In addition, the explanation is followed by a lesson summary. Also, NCERT Question and Answers are also provided to help students understand this Chapter and do well in their exams.
Introduction
In the story The lost child’, the author highlights a child’s love for his parents. It is a story about a young child who gets attracted by things around him, on the way to the fair. In the fair, he wants many things. He knows that his parents would refuse and so he moves ahead. When he gets separated from his parents, all those things do not tempt him.
Summary
It was the festival of spring. Everyone was going to the spring fair. The child was going to the fair with his parents. The child was very happy and excited. He was attracted by many things around him especially, the toys. The child was also attracted by the purple dragon flies, a black bee and butterfly fluttering over the mustard flowers. He wanted to catch one of them but his mother called him. He was also attracted by small insects and worms along the footpath. He also collected the petals in the grove. He also heard the cooing of doves and ran round the banyan tree.
The parents and the child entered the fair passing through the mustard fields. In the fair, the child heard the sweet meat seller selling sweets like Gulab jamuns, Rasgulla, Burfi, jalebi, etc.
The child was attracted towards Burfi that was his favourite sweet and wanted it. But he know that if he asked for it, his parents would call him greedy. So without waiting for their answer, he moved on. Then, the child was attracted towards the garlands of Gulmohar and he also wanted a garland. But, this time also, he knew that his parents would call it cheap and would refuse to buy so he moved on. Further, the child saw a balloon seller and desired to buy all the colourful balloons. But, he knew that his parents would call him too old to play with them, so, he walked away.
As the child walked, he saw a snake charmer. He was playing a flute to the snake. He went towards it but then remembered that his parents had told him not to hear such music. So, he moved away. Then he saw a roundabout. He requested his parents to ride the roundabout. However, there was no reply. The child looked back around to search for his parents, but couldn’t find them. He, then realised that he was separated from his parents and was lost.
As the child realised that he was lost, he started crying. He was filled with panic and called out for his parents. He looked around in all directions with the hope of finding them. However, he could not see them. His clothes were now muddy and his yellow turban was untied. He ran quickly to a shrine which was crowded by the people. There was a huge rush of people near the temple. The child struggled to search his parents in the crowd but he was pushed back by the crowd.
A man picked up the child in his arms when he heard his cry in the crowd. He asked the child about his parents and how he reached there. But the child only said that he wanted his mother and father. The man took the child to roundabout. He asked him to have a ride but the child continued crying for his parents. The man offered many things to the child to divert his attention. The man took him to the place where snake-charmer was playing the flute and asked the child to listen to the music. The man also took him near the balloons and offered him a balloon. He also took him to the flower seller and offered the child a garland to put round his neck. He further took the child to the sweet shop and offered him sweets. But the child had no fascination for all these things. He only wanted his parents and cried for them.
Extra Questions
(1) Where did the child go with his parents? What did he want there?
(2) What was the mood of child when he passed through the mustard fields?
(3) Why was the child always lagging behind his parents?
(4) How did the child enjoy in the lap of nature?
(5) How did the child realize his parents were not with him? How did he behave?
(6) How does the child react when he realizes that he had lost his parents?
(7) What was the immediate reaction of the child after he couldn’t find his parents?
(8) How does the child react when he realizes that he has lost his parents?
(9) What happened when the child was called by the parents from the edge of a well?
(10) What made the child so much interested in the roundabout?
(11) How was the child nearly trampled underfoot?
(12) Describe what attracted the child on his way to the fair?
(13) How was the child separated from his parents?
(14) Describe how the child behaved after he separated from his parents?
(15) How did the mother distract the child’s mind from the toy seller?
(16) What happened when the lost child entered the grove and how did he enjoy there?
(17) What were the things which fascinated the child as he entered the fair?
(18) How can you say that the child was scared of his father?
(19) What happened when the lost child reached the shrine?
(20) Who rescued the lost child?
(21) How do you know that the lost child was a nature lover?
Word Meaning |
|
| lingering on | to stay on some place longer than usual because of reluctance to leave |
| receding | moving away |
| tyrant’s way | strict and harsh manner |
| melted | to become softer (in feeling) |
| free spirit | happy mood |
| gaudy | bright |
| intercepting | interfering with |
| still its wings | stop flying |
| teeming out | coming out in large numbers |
| wild capers | uncontrolled running |
| throngs | large number of people |
| converging | coming together |
| whirlpool | center of attraction |
| half knew | thought that he knew |
| hawked | tried to sell by calling out |
| stole into | passed into |
| flushed | excited |
| convulsed | to shake violently |
| hither and thither | in various directions, especially in a disorganized way. |
| range of running | running due to panic |
| filmy eyes | film of tears on the eye |
| trampled underfoot | walked over |
| stooping | bending |
| steered clear | moved away |
| double pitched strain | a forceful cry |
Leave a Reply