Reference to The Context

(1)Thus they talked about half forgotten incidents, forgetting about matters of greater importance, and often it would get very late.

Q(a):   Who does ‘they’ refer to? What would they talk about ?

Ans. :   They referred to Ratan and the Postmaster. They would talk about Ratan’s family.Postmaster used to ask Ratan if she remembered her matter and their conversation would start.

Q ( b  ):   What happened when it got very late?

Ans. :    If they got very late the postmaster would feel too lazy to cook and Ratan would quickly light a fire and toast some unleavened bread.This along with the cold leftover of the morning meal was enough for this supper.

Q ( c ):   What does ‘forgetting about matters of greater importance’ mean here?

When postmaster and Ratan would strike up a conversation they would forget that the dinner needed to be cooked.

(3)  It got late, but he never called out for her. Slowly she entered the room and found him stretched out on the bed.

Q (  ):   

Ans. :   

Q ( 3-a  ):   Why was Ratan waiting outside for the call ?

Ans. :   Ratan was waiting outside for the call of the postmaster because postmaster was teaching her to read and write .The little student was waiting for the call of her master so tha she could start her daily class.

Q (3-b ):   Why do you think he never called out for her ?

Ans. :   The postmaster was not feeling well .He was sick so he did not call Ratan.

Q ( 3-c ):   How did she responded when he called out to her ? What does this tell out about her nature ?

Ans. :   Ratan thought that the postmaster was asleep. So she tip-toed her way out of the room. Then she heard him call her.She asked the postmaster if he was sleeping. It tells us Ratan was introvert and she never stepped into a place where she was not wanted. She knew her position and never disobeyed her master.

(4)  Relieved from her nursing duties , Ratan once gain took up her old place outside the door ,but now she no longer heard the familiar call.

Q ( 4-a ):   Who was Ratan nursing and why?

Ans. :    Ratan was nursing the postmaster because the postmaster was sick and he had no one there to look after him.

Q ( 4-b  ):   How had the illness affected her patient ? What did he do as a result of it ?

Ans. :   The postmaster was depressed due to his illness. He remembered his mother and sister and missed the comfort of their presence. As a result of this, postmaster applied for his transfer.

Q ( C ):   How did their routine change due to this?

Ans. :    Ratan stepped into the roll of mother and nursed the postmaster . She called the village doctor, gave him medicine and cooked his meal .After postmaster recovered,Ratan once again took up her own place outside the door. But she was no longer called by the postmaster.

Q ( D ):   Wht was Ratan no longer called for ? What had happened?

Ans. :   The postmaster had applied for his transfer .He was very eagerly waiting for a response to his application .So Ratan was not called. Postmaster was highly tensed if his application would he accepted or not.He was absent minded and spent more of his time sitting on his chair or lying on his bed.

(5 )  Ratan asked no further questions.

Q ( a ):   Who did Ratan not question further and why?

Ans. :   Ratan did not asked any further question to the postmaster because she was shocked to hear about the final departure of the postmaster from the villege .Morepver, she tried to stay within her limits .As a maid servant it was not possible for her to ask any further question.

Q ( b  ):   Did Ratan get an explanation ?

Ans. :   Yes, Ratan got an explanation .The postmaster of its own accord , went on to tell her how he had applied for a transfer and his application had resigned and was going home.

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(6) Dada ,will you take me home with you?

Q ( a ):   What led Ratan to ask this question?

Ans. :    The postmaster had resigned from his job and was going back home.Ratan,an orphan girl , had statred depending on the postmaster and thought herself as a member of his family .If postmaster leaves,she would become alone again.So, she had asked this question.

Q ( b  ):   What response did she get?

Ans. :    What response did she get? Ans:In response to her question ,she was taunted by the postmaster.The postmaster laughed and said that it was not possible to take her alon with him.But he did not find it necessary to explain to her why it was an impossible idea.

Q ( c  ):   Having heard the reply ,how did she fed?

Ans. :    Ratan herself felt humiliated .All through the night ,she could not sleep properly .In her dream, the postmaster’s laughing reply haunted her.