ENGLISH

CLASS-XI
TEXT BOOK- SNAPSHOT
CHAPTER 1- THE SUMMER OF BEAUTIFUL WHITE HORSE
SHORT ANSWER TYPE QUESTIONS (30 TO 40 WORDS)
1.Which tribe did Aram and his cousin Mourad belong to? What was their tribe known for?
Ans. Aram and Mourad were cousins. They belonged to the Garoghlanian family. This large family
was extremely poor. Yet, they were famous for their honesty. They were proud, honest and just. No
member of the family could ever think of stealing.
2. What did people say about Mourad? Who had he inherited that weakness from?
Ans. Mourad enjoyed being alive. He was fond of adventures. He too had a streak of craziness. He had
got it naturally from Uncle Khosrove. He used to say that he had a way with horses, dogs and farmers.
3. Why did Mourad wake up Aram? How did Aram react to what he saw?
Ans. Mourad woke up Aram in order to give him a chalice to enjoy horse riding. Aram could not
believe his eyes when he saw the beautiful white horse. He knew that Mourad did not have the means
to buy a horse. So, it must have been a stolen one.
4. What did Aram think about Mourad’s action of riding a stolen horse? How did he justify Mourad’s
action?
Ans. Aram too was very crazy about horse riding. But riding a stolen horse both delighted and
frightened him. He justified Mourad’s action saying that taking out a horse just for a joy-ride could not
be called steal ing until they offered to sell it.
5. What was common between Mourad and Aram? In what respect did they differ from each other?
Ans. Mourad and Aram were cousins belonging to the Garoghlanian family. Both had a common craze
for horse riding. But Aram was more honest and straight forward than his cousin. Mourad had a streak
of craziness. He could tell lies. He was boastful. Aram was simple-hearted.
6. Why did the sight of Mourad’s horse both delightful and frightening for Aram?
Ans. Aram was just a young lad, truthful and honest. But he had a longing for riding a horse.
Naturally, he was delighted when Mourad asked him to sit on the white horse. But he was also
frightened because he knew that it was a stolen horse.
7. Who was Uncle Khosrove? What were some of the notable traits of his character?
Ans. Uncle Khosrove was widely known to be crazy. He was short-tempered and impatient as well.
He stopped others from talking by shouting at them. His stock saying was: it is no harm, pay no
attention to it. ‘Mourad had got that craziness from Uncle Khosrove’.
8. Who was John Byro? What did he first lose but finally recover?
Ans. John Byro was an Assyrian farmer and lived in the neighbourhood. He was a frequent visitor to
Aram's house. His white horse has stolen a few weeks ago. He recognised his horse being led by
Mourad. But he did not create a scene. Mourad returned it to him when he realised that his family's
honour was at stake.
LONG ANSWER TYPE QUESTION:
1. Jokes and pranks add spice to life. But they should be in a limit. What do you think?
Ans. Life is dull because of stark realities. It thus re mains unthrilling. Jokes and pranks play the role
of spice and make life enjoyable. But if pranks and jokes pinch and hurt others, the very spice
becomes poisonous. If they are at somebody else’s cost, they leave a bitter taste. So one should not
play pranks or jokes to annoy somebody. Above all pranks should not also harm other people. If
somebody appears, before a weak-hearted person, in the disguise of a ghost, that can kill the person.
Pranks should set right moods and banish enmity. A man should remain sensitive while trying to
create lighter moments. The horse could have created trouble for Mound and Aram. The horse taken
away just for a joy-ride might have thrown them on the ground. John Byro, whose horse Mourad had
stolen, was a tactful man. He pricked the conscience of the boys by saying that he knew that they were
honest boys who belonged to an honourable family and they could not be thieves. Eventually,
Mourad’s conscience pricked him and he returned the horse. Pranks and jokes should be mild and
innocent.