Ami Talsania

Read the following passage carefully and answer the questions that
follow:
Madame Loisel now became acquainted with the horrors of extreme poverty.
She made up her mind to it, and played her part heroically. The appalling debt
had to be paid, and pay it she would. The maid was dismissed; the flat was
given up. She undertook all the rough house hold work and the odious duties
of the kitchen. Dressed like a working woman, she went with her basket on her
arm to the greengrocer, the grocer, and the butcher, bargaining, wrangling,
and fighting for every farthing.

Her husband spent his evening working at some tradesmen’s accounts, and at
night, he would often copy manuscripts at a cheap rate per page.
This existence went on for ten years.

At the end of that time, they had paid off everything to the last penny,
including the usurious rates and the accumulations of interest.

Madame Loisel now looked an old woman. She had become the typical poor
man’s wife, rough, coarse, hardbitten. Her hair was neglected, her skirts hung
awry, and her hands were red.

One Sunday, she went for a stroll in the Champs-Elysees, for relaxation after
the week’s work, and caught sight of a lady with a child. She recognised
Madame Forestier, who looked as young, as pretty and attractive as ever.
Madame Loisel felt greatly disturbed. Should she speak to her? Why not? Now
that the debt was paid, why should she not tell her the whole story? She went
up to her.
“Good morning, Jeanne.”Her friend did not recognise her and was surprised at
being addressed so familiarly by this homely person.
“I am afraid I do not know you-you must have made a mistake,” she said
hesitatingly.
“No. 1 am Mathilde Loisel.”
Her friend uttered a cry.
“Oh, my poor Mathilde, how you have changed!”
“Yes, I have been through a very hard time since I saw you, no end of trouble,
and all through you.”
“Through me? What do you mean?”
“You remember that diamond necklace that you lent me to wear to the ball at
the ministry!”
“Yes. Well?”
“Well, I lost it.”
“I don’t understand you brought it back to me.”
“What I brought you back was another one, exactly like it. And for the last ten
years, we have been paying for it. You will understand that it was not an easy
matter for people like us, who hadn’t a penny. However, it’s all over now. I
can’t tell you what a relief it is.”
Madame Forestier had stopped dead.
“You mean to say that you bought a real diamond necklace to replace
mine?”“Yes. And you never noticed? They were certainly very much alike.” She
smiled with igenuous pride and satisfaction.
Madame Forestier seized both her hands in great distress.
“Oh, my poor, deam Mathilde! Why, mine was only imitation. At the most it
was worth five hundred fiances!’

Give the meanings of the following words as given in the passage. One
word answers or short phrases will be accepted. [3]

(1) Appalling

(2) Accumulations

(3) Ingenous

Answer the following questions briefly in your own words.

Question 1.
What did Madame Loisel do to be able to repay her debts? [1]

Question 2.
How did Madame Loisel’s new life change her appearance and manners? [1]
Question 3.
Why was Madame Loisel disturbed at the sight of a lady with a child? [1]

Question 4.
Explain how Madame Forrester had become the cause of all troubles in Loisel’s
household. [3]

Question 5.
What was the difference between the necklace borrowed and the necklace
returned by Madame Loisel? [1]

Question 6.
Give the feelings of Madame Forrester and Madame Loisel at the end of the
story. [2]

Question 7.
In not more than 60 words, state the hardships faced by Madame Loisel and
how she was in for a terrible shock at the end of the story. [2]

Question 8.
Give a title to the passage and give a reason to justify your choice. [1]

Write an essay on the below topic,

Choose one event that happened recently (today, yesterday, or earlier in the week). Use all
five senses to describe the event in a vivid way in not more than 250 words.

Cherish: care about deeply

Bittersweet: both pleasant and painful or regretful

Valuable : very important, priceless