Solutions

NCERT Solutions for Class 10 English First Flight Chapter 7 Glimpses of India

Part I A Baker from Goa

Question 1.
What are the elders in Goa nostalgic about?

Answer:
The elders in Goa are nostalgic about the good old Portuguese days and their love of bread and loaves. The writer says that the eaters of loaves have left but the makers still exist

Question 2.
Is bread-making still popular in Goa? How do you know?

Answer:
Yes, bread making is still popular in Goa. This is very clear from the narrator statement that the eaters have gone away leaving the makers behind. There are mixers, moulders and the ones who bake the loaves. The time tested furnaces still exist there

Question 3.
What is the baker called?

Answer:
The baker is called a pader in Goa

Question 4.
When would the baker come everyday? Why did the children run to meet him?

Answer:
The baker would come twice a day-once early in the morning and the second time when he returned after selling his stuff.
The children would run to meet him as they wanted to have bread-bangles

Question 1.
Match the following. What is a must?
as marriage gifts? - cakes and bolinhas
for a party or a feast? - sweet bread called bol
for a daughter engagement? - bread
for Christmas? - sandwiches

Answer:

as marriage gifts - sweet bread called bol
for a party or a feast - bread
for a daughter engagement - sandwiches
for Christmas - cakes and bolinhas
Question 2.
What did the bakers wear?
In the Portuguese days
When the author was young

Answer:

The bakers were usually dressed up in a peculiar dress called kabai. It was a single piece long frock reaching down to the knees
During his childhood days, the author saw the bakers wearing a shirt and trousers which were shorter than full length ones and longer than half pants
Question 3.
Who invites the comment - "he is dressed like a pader" Why?

Answer:
Any person who is wearing a half pant which reaches just below the knees invites this comment. This is because the baker, known as a pader, used to dress like that

Question 4.
Where were the monthly accounts of the baker recorded?

Answer:
Monthly accounts of the baker were recorded on some wall in the house with a pencil

Question 5.
What does a jackfruit-like appearance mean?

Answer:
It means having a plump physique, like a jackfruit

Thinking About the Text

Question 1.
Which of these statements are correct?
The pader was an important person in the village in old times
Paders still exist in Goan villages
The paders went away with the Portuguese
The paders continue to wear a single-piece long frock
Bread and cakes were an integral part of Goan life in the old days
Traditional bread-baking is still a very profitable business
Paders and their families starve in the present times

Answer:

Correct
Correct
Incorrect
Incorrect
Correct
Correct
Incorrect
Question 2.
Is bread an important part of Goan life? How do you know this?

Answer:
Yes, bread is an important part of Goan life. It is needed for marriage gifts, parties and feasts. Bread is also needed by a mother for preparing sandwiches during her daughter engagement. Thus, it is necessary to have breads for every occasion, because of which the presence of a baker furnace in the vi .age is very important

Question 3.
Tick the right answer. What is the tone of the author when he says the following?
The thud and the jingle of the traditional baker s bamboo can still be heard in some places, (nostalgic, hopeful, sad)
Maybe the father is not alive but the son still carries on the family profession, (nostalgic, hopeful, sad)
I still recall the typical fragrance of those loaves, (nostalgic, hopeful, naughty)
The tiger never brushed his teeth. Hot tea could wash and clean up everything so nicely, after all. (naughty, angry, funny)
Cakes and bolinhas are a must for Christmas as well as other festivals, (sad, hopeful, matter-of-fact)
The baker dnd his family never starved. They always looked happy and prosperous, (matter-of-fact, hopeful, sad)

Answer:

Nostalgic
Hopeful
Nostalgic
Funny
Matter-of-fact
Matter-of-fact

Part II Coorg
Thinking About The Text

Question 1.
Where is Coorg?

Answer:
Coorg or Kodagu is the smallest district of Karnataka. It is situated midway between Mysore and the cbastal town of Mangalore

Question 2.
What is the story about the Kodavu people descent?

Answer:
The fiercely independent people of Coorg are descendents of Greeks or Arabs. A section of Alexander army moved South along the coast and settled here only when they were unable to return to their country. These people married among the locals. This is the story about the descent of Kodavu people

Question 3.
What are some of the things you now know about?
the people of Coorg
the main crop of Coorg?
the sports it offers to a tourists?
the animals you are likely to see in Coorg
its distance from Bangalore and how to get there

Answer:

They are fiercely independent people and have descended from the Greeks or the Arabs.
Coffee is the main crop of Coorg.
It mostly offers adventure sports which include river rafting, canoeing, rappelling, rock climbing and mountain biking.
The animals likely to be seen in Coorg are macaques, Malabar squirrel, langurs, slender loris, elephants etc.
By road, it is around 250 - 260 kilometres from Bangalore.
Question 4.
Here are six sentences with some words in italics. Find phrases from the text that have the same meaning. (Look in the paragraphs indicated)?
During monsoons it rains so heavily that tourists do not visit Coorg. (Para 2)
Some people say that Alexander army moved south along the coast and settled there. (Para 3)
The Coorg people are always ready to tell stories of their son and father valour. (Para 4)
Even people who normally lead an easy and slow life get smitten by the high energy adventure sports of Coorg. (Para 6)
The theory of the Arab origin is supported by the long coat with embroidered waist-belt they wear. (Para 3)
Macaques, Malabar squirrels observe you carefully from the tree canopy. (Para 7)

Answer:

to keep visitors away
As one story goes
are more than willing to recount
The most laidback individuals become converts to
draws support from
keep a watchful eye

Thinking About Language

Certain words go together. Such word friends are called collocations. The collocation of a word is the company it keeps. For example, look at the paired sentences and phrases below. Which is a common collocation, and which one is odd? Strike out the odd sentence or phrase. How old are you
How young are you? a pleasant person a pleasant pillow
The odd sentence is How young are you
The odd phrase is a pleasant pillow
Here are some nouns from the text, culture monks surprise experience weather tradition Work with a partner and discuss which of the nouns can collocate with which of the adjectives given below. The first one has been done for you. unique terrible unforgettable serious ancient wide sudden?
Question 1.

culture : unique culture, ancient culture
monks : _____________
surprise: ___________
experience: __________
weather: ___________
tradition: ___________

Answer:

serious monks, unique monks
unique surprise, sudden surprise, unforgettable surprise, terrible surprise
unique experience, terrible experience, unforgettable experience, sudden experience
terrible weather, unforgettable weather
unique tradition, ancient tradition

Question 2.
Complete the following phrases from the text. For each phrase, can you find at least one other word that would fit into the blank?
Missing Alternate word tales of
__________ ___________ coastal
__________ ___________ a piece of
__________ ___________ evergreen
__________ ___________ plantations
__________ ___________ bridge
__________ ___________ wild
___________ ___________

Answer:

Missing Alternate word valour
bravery town
belt, village heaven
cake rainforests
jungle coffee
tea, banana rope
steel, concrete creatures
animals

Part III Tea from Assam

Question 1.
Look at these words: upkeep, downpour, undergo, dropout, walk-in. They are built up from a verb (keep, pour, go, drop, walk) and an adverb or a preposition (up, down, under, out, in). Use these words appropriately in the sentences below. You may consult a dictionary?

A heavy _____ has been forecast due to low pressure in the Bay of Bengal
Rakesh will _____ major surgery tomorrow morning
My brother is responsible for the ____ of our family property
The ____ rate for this accountancy course is very high
She went to the Enterprise Company to attend a _____ interview

Answer:

downpour
undergo
upkeep
dropout
walk-in

Question 1.
Now fill in the blanks in the sentences given below by combining the verb given in brackets with one of the words from the box as appropriate. over by through out up down

The Army attempted unsuccessfully to ____ the Government, (throw)
Scientists are on the brink of a major _____ in cancer research, (break)
The State Government plans to build a ____ for Bhubaneswar to speed up traffic on the main highway, (pass)
Gautama ____ on life changed when he realised that the world is full of sorrow, (look)
Rakesh seemed unusually _____ after the game, (cast)

Answer:

overthrow
breakthrough
bypass
lookout
downcast

Question 3.
Notice how these -ing and -ed adjectives are used?

Chess is an interesting game.
I am very interested in chess
Going trekking in the Himalayas this summer is an exciting idea.
We are very excited about the trek
Are all your School books this boring?
He was bored as he had no friends there.
The -ing adjectives show the qualities that chess, trekking or these books have: they cause interest, excitement, or boredom in you. The - ed /-en adjectives show your mental state or your physical state: how you feel in response to ideas, events or things

Question 1.
Think of suitable -ing or -ed adjectives to answer the following questions. You may also use words from those given above?
How would you describe

a good detective serial on television? ____
a debate on your favourite topic Homework Should Be Banned? ____
how you feel when you stay indoors due to incessant rain? ____
how you feel when you open a present? ____
how you feel when you watch your favourite programme on television? ____
the look on your mother face as you waited in a queue? ____
how you feel when tracking a tiger in a tiger reserve forest? _____
the story you have recently read, or a film you have seen? _____

Answer:
(Sample answers are given; you may have a different answer.)

exciting
interesting
bored
excited
interested
disappointed
thrilled
thrilling

Question 2.
Now use the adjectives in the exercise above, as appropriate, to write a paragraph about Coorg?

Answer:
Do it yourself

Important Question

NCERT CBSE for Class 10 English First Flight Chapter 7 Glimpses of India Important Questions

Question 1.
What do the elders of Goa remember nostalgically?
Year of Question:(2013)

Answer:
They remember nostalgically the old Portuguese days and the loaves of bread.

Question 2.
What are the time tested things which still exist in Goa?
Year of Question:(2019)

Answer:
The furnaces of the bakers of Goa are time tested things which still exist there.

Question 3.
When did the baker come daily?
Year of Question:(2015)

Answer:
He came daily twice. Once in the morning when he set out for his selling and the other time after selling the bread.

Question 4.
What was the baker’s place in Goa is the author’s childhood days?
Answer: In those days the baker was the friend, companion and guide.

Question 5.
How is the entry of the baker described?
Year of Question:(2016)

Answer:
The entry of the baker is described as musical.

Question 6.
What did the author and the other children do to look into the baker’s basket?
Year of Question:(2009)

Answer:
They would climb a bench or the parapet to look into the baker’s basket.

Question 7.
What is the name of the dress worn by the baker in olden days?
Year of Question:(2006)

Answer:
It was known with the name of kabai.

Question 8.
What is the baker called in Goa?
Year of Question:(2007)

Answer:
Baker is called ‘pader‘ in Goa.

Question 9.
What is the financial status of a baker of Goa?
Year of Question:(2010)

Answer:
A baker of Goa is mostly in a sound financial position.

Question 10.
What is a kabai?
Year of Question:(2009)

Answer:
A kabai is a type of frock made out of a single piece of cloth.

Short Answer Type Questions

Question 1.
What did the baker mean to the narrator during his childhood? How many times did he pay a visit?
Year of Question:(2017)

Answer:
The baker or pader was an important person in the author’s life. He was treated like a friend. He used to come twice a day, once in the morning to sell bread and then while returning after emptying his basket. The author used to run to meet him in order to take the bread-bangles. He chatted and gossiped with him.

Question 2.
What were the bakers called? Describe their peculiar dress.
Year of Question:(2008)

Answer:
The bakers were known as pader. These bakers wore a peculiar dress known as the ‘kabai’. It was a single piece long frock reaching down to the knees.

Question 3.
What was Kabai ? Give a brief description.
Or
What did the bakers wear - (i) in the Portuguese days? (ii) When the author was young?
Year of Question:(2006)

Answer:
Kabai wants a particular dress - a single-piece long frock reaching down the knees which the bakers used to wear in the old days. Later it was replaced by a shirt and trousers which were longer than the shorts and shorter than the full length.

Question 4.
What are the elders in Goa nostalgic about?
Year of Question:(2004)

Answer:
In Goa, the elders are nostalgic about the good Old Portuguese days as well as the Portuguese and their famous loaves of bread.

Question 5.
How can you say, ‘bread-baking is still popular in Goa’?
Year of Question:(2005)

Answer:
Bread making is still very popular in Goa. Still, we can see the mixers, molders and those who bake the loaves. Most of their festivals and other occasions are meaningless without the loaves of bread.

Question 6.
"Even today any person with a jackfruit-like physical appearance is easily compared to a baker." Explain.
Year of Question:(2002)

Answer:
Bakers had a plump physique which meant they were happy and prosperous and hence, even today, any person with a jackfruit like physical appearance is compared to a baker.

Question 7.
Baking was, indeed, a profitable profession’. Justify the statement with reference to the extract ‘A Baker from Goa’.
Or
Explain with examples that baking used to be a profitable profession.
Year of Question:(2002)

Answer:
Baking was indeed a profitable profession in the old days. The baker and his family never starved. He, his family and his servants always looked happy and prosperous. Their plump physique was an open testimony to this.

Question 8.
How did the baker attract the children?
Or
How does the writer know about the arrival of the baker? Why are they anxiously waiting for him?
Or
What role did the baker play in the childhood of the narrator?
Year of Question:(2009)

Answer:
The children would know about his arrival from the ‘jhang, jhang’ sound of his bamboo stick. They would run to meet and greet him. They tried to surround the basket but were pushed aside until the bread was delivered to the maid. Then they were allowed to choose their bread-bangles.

Question 9.
How did the baker make his entry?
Year of Question:(2019)

Answer:
The baker made his musical entry with the ‘jhang, jhang’ sound of his specially made bamboo staff One hand supported the basket on his head and the other banged the bamboo on the ground. He would greet the lady of the house and then place the basket on the bamboos.

Question 10.
How were the baker’s accounts maintained?
Year of Question:(2004)

Answer:
The monthly records/accounts of the baker were maintained on some wall in pencil.

Question 11.
Is bread an important part of Goan life? How do you know this?
Year of Question:(2002)

Answer:
Bread is still an important part of Goan life. Marriage gifts are meaningless and a party or a feast loses its charm without bread. Sandwiches are important for a daughter’s engagement. That is what that explains the fact that the bread makers are still there.

Question 12.
What marks of the Portuguese way of life can still be seen in Goa?
Year of Question:(2009)

Answer:
Goa was once occupied by the Portuguese. They were famous for preparing the loaves of bread. They left Goa long ago. But the traditional work of the bakers can still be seen in Goa. The furnaces in which the bread was baked still exist there.

Question 13.
What does the author recall about the visit of the baker to his village?
Year of Question:(2018)

Answer:
The author recalls that a baker used to visit the village twice a day. He used to be the author’s friend and guide. He used to carry a bamboo stick. The sound of this stick used to wake up the author and others from sleep.

Question 14.
How was the village baker very important for special occasions in the village?
Year of Question:(2012)

Answer:
The village baker was especially important for festive occasions. The villagers were much fond of the sweet bread known as ‘bol’. Marriage gifts were meaningless without these sweetbreads. Sandwiches, cakes, and Bolin has been a must for Christmas as well as other festivals. These were made with the bread.

Question 15.
Describe the bread-sellers dress.
Year of Question:(2015)

Answer:
The baker or the bread-seller wore a special, peculiar dress. It was known as the ‘kabai . It was a single-piece long frock. It reached down to his knees. During the narrator’s childhood, Bakers wore trousers which were shorter than full-length and longer than half pants.

Question 16.
When did the baker collect his bills? What showed that the bakers were prosperous?
Year of Question:(2012)

Answer:
The baker usually collected his bills at the end of the month. In the household, the baker’s monthly accounts used to be recorded on some wall in pencil. Baking was a profitable business in those days. Their families never starved. Their plump bodies showed that they were prosperous.

Question 17.
When would the baker come every day? Why did the children run to the baker?
Year of Question:(2016)

Answer:
The baker would come twice a day. Once in the morning when he set out on his selling round, and then again after emptying his basket. In the morning the children ran to him to have bread-bangles.

Question 18.
How did the baker make his entry in the morning?
Year of Question:(2012)

Answer:
In the morning the baker made his musical entry on the scene with the ‘jhang-jhang’ sound of his specially made staff. One hand supported the basket on his head and the other hanged the bamboo on the ground.

Question 19.
What are the childhood memories described by the author in this extract?
Year of Question:(2013)

Answer:
The author passed his childhood days in Goa. In this extract, he remembers his old days in Goa when the village baker occupied an important place in life. Although, with the passage of time, people do not eat so much bread, yet the sillage bakers are still there.

Question 20.
What do the elders reminisce about and why?
Year of Question:(2015)

Answer:
The elders reminisce nostalgically about the good old Portuguese days and the Portuguese loaves of bread. The loaves of bread were an integral part of Goan’s life. Marriages were meaningless without sweet bread. The lady of the house must prepare sandwiches on her daughter’s engagement. Christmas and other festivals must have cakes and bolinhas. They still remember the jingling thud of the baker in the morning.

Question 21.
How can you say that the makers of the famous Goan loaves are still there?
Year of Question:(2012)

Answer:
Many of those eaters of loaves might have died but their makers still exist. The mixers, moulders and those who bake the loaves are still there in Goa. The fire in the furnace has not yet been extinguished and the thud and jingle of the baker’s bamboo can still be heard in the morning in some places. These bakers, known as padres, exist in Goa even today. The family profession is still carried on.

Question 22.
How did the baker make his musical entry on the scene in the morning?
Year of Question:(2011)

Answer:
The baker made his musical entry in the morning. The jingling thud of his bamboo woke up the people in the morning. He used to come at least twice a day. The children ran to meet and greet him. For children, it was not just for the love of the loaf but for the love of the jingling music.

Question 23.
Why was the baker, the friend, companion and guide of the children?
Year of Question:(2015)

Answer:
For children, the very sight of the baker was quite exciting. He was their friend, companion and guide. The jingling thud of his bamboo put them in rapture. They ran to meet and greet him. It was not so much for the love of the loaf What they longed for were the bread-bangles. Sometimes they liked the sweet bread of special make.

Question 24.
What importance did the baker’s furnace have in the village in Goa?
Year of Question:(2017)

Answer:
The loaves of bread had become an important and integral part of the lives of the people in Goa. Marriages were meaningless without the sweet bread or the bol. No party or feast was possible without bread. The lady of the house would prepare sandwiches on the engagement ceremony of her daughter. Cakes and sweetbreads were a must for Christmas and other festivals. The presence of the baker’s furnace was absolutely essential in the village.

Question 25.
Describe the changes in the dress of the baker or the pader with the passage of the time?
Year of Question:(2016)

Answer:
In good old days during the Portuguese rule, the baker or bread seller had a peculiar dress. It was known as Isobar. It was a single piece long frock reaching down to the knees. These days a pader wears a shirt and trousers which are shorter than full-length ones and longer than half pants.

Question 26.
What was the attitude of the baker towards
(i) the lady of the house
(ii) the children
(iii) the maidservant?
Year of Question:(2015)

Answer:
(i) First of all, the baker would greet the lady of the house with "Good morning" and then place his basket on the vertical bamboo before her.
(ii)He would push aside the children with a mild rebuke.
(iii)The loaves were delivered to the maid-servant.

Question 27.
How did the children behave when they have pushed aside with a mild rebuke by the pader?
Year of Question:(2001)

Answer:
The baker would push aside the children with a mild rebuke. But the kids would not give up. They would climb a bench or the parapet and peep into the basket. They longed for the bread-bangles. Actually, the jingling thud of the baker or the pader fascinated them.

Question 28.
Why would the children didn’t even care to brush their teeth or wash their mouths properly?
Year of Question:(2004)

Answer:
The jingling thud of the pader and his musical entry in the morning would wake up the children from their sleep.
They would run to greet and meet him. They didn’t even care to brush their teeth or wash their mouths. The tiger never brushed their teeth. There was no need of doing any such thing. Hot tea could wash and clean up everything so nicely, after all.

Question 29.
When did the baker collect his bills and how did he record his monthly accounts?
Year of Question:(2002)

Answer:
The pader usually collected his bills from his customers at the end of the month. He didn’t have a notebook to record his monthly accounts. Monthly accounts used to be recorded on some wall in pencil.

Question 30.
How would you prove that baking was a profitable profession in the old days in Goa?
Year of Question:(2009)

Answer:
Baking was quite a profitable profession in Goa in the old days. The baker and his family never starved. Even his servants could meet both the ends easily. He and his family always looked happy and prosperous. Their plump physique was an open testimony of their happiness and prosperity.

Long Answer Type Questions

Question 1.
Why was it absolutely essential to have a "baker’s furnace" in a Goan village?
Year of Question:(2006)

Answer:
The Portuguese and their famous loaves of bread had made a permanent impact on Goan soil. The eaters of those loaves might have vanished but the makers of the loaves - the bakers still have an important place in the society. The Goan village still has the mixers, moulders and those who bake the loaves. There are also the age-old time-tested furnaces which exist till date. The bakers are still important in the village. The lady of the house must Prepare sandwiches on the occasion of her daughter’s engagement. Cakes and bolinhas are a must for Christmas as well as other festivals. Thus, the presence of the baker’s furnace in the village is still essential.

Question 2.
Give a pen-portrait of a baker in Goa.
Year of Question:(2008)

Answer:
A baker had an important place in the village life of Goa. Marriage gifts were meaningless without bol or sweet bread, cakes and bolinhas at Christmas and other festivals. In the old days, the bakers used to wear a peculiar dress - kabai - a single-piece long frock reaching down the knees. Later they started wearing a shirt and trousers which were longer than the shorts and shorter than the full-length pants. They used to be prosperous. They, their family and servants never starved. Their plump physique was a testimony of their prosperity and good income.

The baker used to be a good friend, companion and guide for the author. He would come twice a day and then, the children of the house would crowd around his basket to choose the bread-bangles. Even today, baking and bakers are famous in Goa. They still use traditional furnaces to bake bread and cakes. These bakers are known as paders in Goa.

Question 3.
Describe the childhood memories of the author’s life in Goa and his fondness for bread and cakes.
Year of Question:(2001)

Answer:
The author’s childhood memories are full of fun. He remembers them and gets nostalgic. The pader or baker was an important person in the Goan village as well as in the author’s life. He used to mix, mold and bake loaves of bread in age-old, tested furnaces. He used to come twice a day, once in the morning to sell bread and then while returning after emptying his basket. He made his musical entry with the jhang, jhang’ sound of his bamboo staff. The author with other children used to run to meet him in order to take the bread-bangles or sometimes the sweet bread of special make. He chatted and gossipped with him.

Question 4.
How is the effect of the traditional bread bakers can still be seen in Goa of today?
Year of Question:(2004)

Answer:
The author remembers his old days in Goa when the village baker occupied an important place in life. Bread eating was very common in those days. Apart from eating bread daily, bread held an important place at the time of Christmas, marriages and other functions. Although, with the passage of time, people do not eat so much bread today, yet the village bakers are still there. The Portuguese were famous for earns the loaves of bread. They left Goa long ago. But the traditional work of the bakers can still be seen in Goa. The furnaces in which the bread was baked still exist there. The sound of the traditional bakers’ bamboo can still be heard. These bakers are known as Pader in Goa even today.

Question 5.
What was the importance of the baker in the village? What kind of dress did wear?
Year of Question:(2008)

Answer:
The village baker was especially important for all occasions. The villagers were much fond of the sweet bread known as ‘Bor. Marriage gifts were meaningless without these sweetbreads. Sandwiches, cakes and bolinhas were a must for Christmas as well as other festivals. These were made with the bread. Thus the presence of a baker’s furnace was very essential in each village. The baker or the bread-seller wore a special, peculiar dress. It was known as the ‘kabai‘. It was a single-piece long frock. It reached -down to his knees. During the narrator’s childhood bakers wore trousers which were shorter than full-length and longer than half pants. Even today if someone wears a half pant, he is said to be dressed like a pader.

Question 6.
Give a pen-portrait of a Goan village baker.
Year of Question:(2009)

Answer:
A Goan village baker used to sell all kinds of bread loaves. He used to come in the morning with a basket of bread loaves on his head. He made a musical entry on the scene with the jhang-jhang‘ of his bamboo stick. He used to wear a peculiar dress known as the ‘kabai‘. It was a single-piece long frock reaching down to the knees. The baker usually collected his bills at the end of the month. Baking was indeed a profitable profession in the old days. The baker always looked happy and prosperous. He had a plump physique.

Question 7.
What do our elders are often heard reminiscing nostalgically about in Goa? Did the old profession of making the famous loaves of bread end with the Portuguese?
Year of Question:(2019)

Answer:
Our elders in Goa are often heard reminiscing nostalgically about the good old Portuguese days. They are often heard saying nostalgically about their famous loaves of bread. Many eaters of loaves might have vanished but the makers are still alive. The profession of baking loaves of bread has not died with the end of the Portuguese rule. Goa still has the mixers, molders and the bakers of those loaves. The furnaces still bake those unique loaves of bread. Even today one can hear the thud and jingle of the traditional baker’s bamboo in the morning. Marriages, feasts, Christmas and other festivals are meaningless without the sweet bread known as bol. The baker’s presence in even Goan village is absolutely essential. Baking was indeed a profitable profession in good old days. However, the tradition hasn’t died completely yet.

Question 8.
Describe the author’s experience during his childhood in Goa? Why was the baker or the pader the guide of children in Goa?
Year of Question:(2020)

Answer:
The author remembers fondly his childhood days in Goa. He recalls how the baker used to be the friend, companion and guide of the children. The thud and jingle of the traditional baker’s bamboo woke them from their sleep. It heralded the arrival of the baker or the pader in the morning. He used to come at least twice a day. Once, he used to set out in the morning on his selling round. Then he returned after emptying his huge basket.

The children ran to meet and greet him. It was not for the love of the loaf. They longed for the bread-bangles. Sometimes it was sweet bread of special make. The children especially liked the musical entry on the scene with the ‘jhang, jhang’ sound of his specially made bamboo staff. He would greet the lady of the house with good morning but put the children with a mild rebuke. The children would not give up. They would climb a bench and peep into the basket. The author still recalls the fragrance of those loaves. The children would become crazy at the sight of the pader. They would forget even to brush their teeth.

Question 9.
Baking was a profitable profession in the old days in Goa. Prove it by giving examples from the text.
Year of Question:(2021)

Answer:
Baking was indeed a profitable profession in the old days in Goa. The people of Goa were used to the refreshing fragrance of loaves of bread. On all occasions and ceremonies, they needed them. Marriage gifts were meaningless without the sweet bread or the bol. No party was complete if bread was not served in it. The lady of the house must prepare sandwiches on the engagement ceremony of her daughter. Christmas and other festivals must have bolinhas during their celebrations. The presence of the baker’s furnace Was absolutely necessary for every, GNP village. The baker usually collected his bills at the end of the month. The baker and his family never starved. They always looked happy and prosperous. Their plump physique was an open testimony to their happiness and prosperity.

Question 10.
Give a pen-portrait of the baker or the pader highlighting the changes that came in his fortune and dress with the passage of the time?
Year of Question:(2019)

Answer:
The baker or the pader used to be an essential part of the Goans’ life. The baker or bread seller had a peculiar dress during the Portuguese days. It was known as the kabai. It was a single piece long frock reaching down the knees. With the passage of time, he started wearing a shirt and trousers which were just longer than the short pants.

The baker and his family always looked happy and prosperous in the good old days. Their plump physique was an open testimony of their happiness and prosperity. However, as the time changed, the bakers continued their profession but with their reduced fortune and importance. The thud and jingle of the traditional bamboo of the baker are still heard in the streets of Goa even now. Sweetbread or the boys are still the part of feasts, marriages and Christmas in Goa. However, the old charm and craze have become rather dim in recent days.

Important Questions and Answers

Question1.
What are the elders in Goa nostalgic about?

Answer:

  • Elders in Goa reminisce about the Portuguese days
  • They remember the famous loaves of bread made during that time
  • The bread-making tradition continues, even though the Portuguese have left
Question2.
Is bread-making still popular in Goa? How do you know?

Answer:

  • Yes, bread-making is still popular in Goa
  • Bakers (paders) still exist, and the traditional furnaces used for baking bread are still active
  • The morning thud of the bakers bamboo announcing his arrival can still be heard
Question3.
When would the baker come every day? Why did the children run to meet him?

Answer:

  • The baker would come twice a day-once in the morning to deliver bread, and again in the afternoon after emptying his basket
  • Children ran to meet him not for the loaves of bread but for the bread-bangles and sweet bread he brought for them
Question4.
What is the bakers dress in Goa?

Answer:

  • During the Portuguese days, bakers wore a single-piece long frock known as the kabai
  • Later, bakers wore shorts and shirts that were longer than half-pants but shorter than full trousers
Question5.
What does a jackfruit-like appearance mean?

Answer:

  • A jackfruit-like appearance refers to a person with a plump physique
  • Bakers were often described this way because they were always well-fed and appeared happy

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