Short Questions : The Room on the Roof

 Short Questions : The Room on the Roof 

A. Answer the following questions :

1. What kind of rain was falling at the beginning of the story?

2. What feelings and sensory impressions did the rain bring to the boy?

3. Where did the long winding road come from, and where did it end?

4. Why was the bazaar described as a "baffling place"?

5. How far outside Dehra was the boy walking?

6. Why was the boy not very happy while walking on the road?

7. Describe the physical appearance and facial features of the boy.

8. Why did the boy appear deceptively tired to onlookers?

9. What was the boy's mental state while walking in the rain?

10. What sound first broke the boy's daydreaming on the road?

11. How was the cyclist observing the boy as he rode beside him?

12. What was the boy wearing when the cyclist met him?

13. Why was a European boy no longer a common sight in Dehra?

14. What initial offer did Somi make to the boy?

15. Why did the boy refuse the cyclist's first offer to give him a lift?

16. Where did the boy claim to live, and what opinion did he express about people living in town?

17. Describe the physical appearance and personality traits of Somi.

18. Where did the boy sit on Somi’s bicycle?

19. What changes in the landscape appeared as they rode away from the hills?

20. Why did the boy remain silent when Somi asked if he lived with his parents?

21. What did Somi assume about the boy's background when discussing Dehra?

22. Which two Indian cities or places did the boy mention having lived in or visited?

23. Who was the burly youth Somi hailed on the road?

24. How did Somi introduce Ranbir to the boy?

25. Why did the boy suddenly feel lost and jealous when Ranbir joined them?

26. Describe the chaotic scene caused by the third boy standing in the middle of the road.

27. How does the narrator describe Suri’s appearance and cunning nature?

28. Why was it unusual to see Suri outside the town?

29. Where did Suri sit on the bicycle, and how did that affect Somi’s riding?

30. What witty remark did Ranbir make when Suri complained that the ride hurt?

31. Why was the bicycle forced to gather dangerous speed going downhill?

32. How did Somi react to the reckless downhill descent compared to Suri?

33. Whom did the boy choose to put his faith in during the wild downhill ride?

34. What caused the bicycle ride to come to an abrupt stop?

35. What happened to Suri when Somi skidded the bicycle to a halt?

36. Where did Somi invite the boy to eat after the ride?

37. What excuse did the boy give for turning down Somi’s meal invitation?

38. Where did Somi tell the boy he could always find them in the bazaar?

39. What was the boy's name, and when did he finally reveal it?

40. What conflicting emotions did Rusty experience as he watched the bicycle leave?

41. How did the missionary’s wife react when a large white butterfly landed on her?

42. How did Mr. John Harrison view the missionary's wife and her cheerful nature?

43. What request did Mr. Harrison make to the missionary’s wife before leaving?

44. Why was Mr. Harrison anxious about Rusty having finished his schooling?

45. Where did Mr. Harrison announce he was traveling to on business?

46. Describe the physical appearance, habits, and demeanor of Mr. John Harrison.

47. What fearsome object kept in the drawing-room glass cupboard terrified Rusty?

48. What was the exact familial relationship between Mr. Harrison and Rusty?

49. Describe the sweeper boy Rusty watched from his bedroom window.

50. Why did the elderly European community choose to remain in Dehra after Indian independence?

Answer Key

1. A light spring rain was falling on the wind at the beginning of the story.

2. The rain brought an exhilarating freshness, the smell of earth, the scent of flowers, and a smile to the boy's eyes.

3. The long winding road came from the mountains and ended somewhere in the Dehra bazaar.

4. The bazaar was a baffling place because its roads were easily lost.

5. The boy was walking three miles out of Dehra.

6. The boy was not very happy because he was walking homewards toward Dehra.

7. The boy had pale skin, blue-grey eyes, fair hair, a rough face, and a loose lower lip.

8. His habit of walking with hands in pockets and head down gave him a deceptively tired appearance.

9. The boy was daydreaming with his mind far away while enjoying the rain.

10. The soft swish of bicycle wheels broke the boy's daydreaming on the road.

11. The cyclist was observing the boy closely by taking in every visible detail of his clothing and posture.

12. The boy was wearing an open-necked shirt, flannel trousers, sandals, and a thick hide belt.

13. Most European families had already left India following the country's independence.

14. Somi offered the boy a ride on his bicycle into town.

15. The boy refused the first offer because he liked walking alone in the rain.

16. The boy claimed to live outside town, stating that nice people did not live in town.

17. Somi possessed long athletic legs, glowing golden skin, fine features, and an easy, friendly smile.

18. The boy sat on the crossbar of Somi’s bicycle.

19. Open fields, tea gardens, orchards, and scattered houses replaced the dense jungle.

20. The boy remained silent because he considered the question too personal for a stranger.

21. Somi assumed that the boy had arrived from England.

22. The boy mentioned Dehra and Delhi as the only places he had known.

23. Ranbir was a sturdy youth who was walking toward the town.

24. Somi introduced Ranbir as the best wrestler in the local bazaar.

25. The boy felt lost and jealous because Somi and Ranbir began conversing rapidly in Punjabi.

26. A boy stood in the middle of the road frantically waving his arms and shouting.

27. Suri looked owlish and pale, possessing a cunning mind that sought out private gossip.

28. His presence outside town was unusual because his interests were strictly confined to town gossip.

29. Suri sat on the handlebar, which obscured Somi’s vision and unbalanced the bicycle.

30. Ranbir remarked bitingly that the bicycle was not a luxurious Rolls-Royce.

31. A steep downhill slope combined with poor brakes forced the bicycle to gain rapid speed.

32. Somi enjoyed the thrilling ride with ringing laughter, while Suri screamed in terror.

33. The boy put his faith primarily in Somi during the dangerous descent.

34. Their arrival near the level residential outskirts of the town ended the wild bicycle ride.

35. Suri shot off the handlebar directly into a muddy sidetrack.

36. Somi invited the boy to share a meal with them nearby.

37. The boy gave the excuse that people were expecting him at home.

38. Somi stated that someone would always be present at the chaat shop in the bazaar.

39. The boy revealed his name as Rusty just before they parted ways.

40. Rusty experienced sudden loneliness and regret for not joining Somi into town.

41. The missionary’s wife felt flattered and let the white butterfly rest on her bosom.

42. Mr. John Harrison felt pure contempt for the lady’s cheerful spirit despite showing a polite smile.

43. Mr. Harrison asked the missionary’s wife to keep Rusty occupied with tasks during his absence.

44. Mr. Harrison worried because Rusty had finished school and spent too much time daydreaming.

45. Mr. Harrison announced that he was traveling to Delhi on business.

46. Mr. Harrison was a stern, tidy man with close-cropped hair, stained smoking fingers, and a ginger moustache.

47. A supple malacca cane kept in the drawing-room cupboard terrified Rusty.

48. Mr. Harrison was a cousin of Rusty’s late father.

49. The sweeper boy was a barefoot, low-caste youth who carried water buckets in a simple loincloth.

50. The elderly Europeans stayed because they were too old to face life abroad without domestic servants or warm sunlight.