CBSE Class 11 English Lesson 1 The Summer of the Beautiful White Horse Question Answers (Important) from Snapshots Book
Class 11 English The Summer of the Beautiful White Horse Question Answers – Looking for The Summer of the Beautiful White Horse question answers (NCERT solutions) for CBSE Class 11 English Snapshots Book Chapter 1? Look no further! Our comprehensive compilation of important questions will help you brush up on your subject knowledge. Practising Class 11 English question answers can significantly improve your performance in the exam. Our solutions provide a clear idea of how to write the answers effectively. Improve your chances of scoring high marks by exploring Chapter 1: The Summer of the Beautiful White Horse now. The questions listed below are based on the latest CBSE exam pattern, wherein we have given NCERT solutions to the chapter’s extract based questions, short answer questions, and long answer questions.
Also, practising with different kinds of questions can help students learn new ways to solve problems that they may not have seen before. This can ultimately lead to a deeper understanding of the subject matter and better performance on exams.
- The Summer of the Beautiful White Horse NCERT Solution
- The Summer of the Beautiful White Horse Extract Based Questions
- The Summer of the Beautiful White Horse Short Answer Questions
- The Summer of the Beautiful White Horse Long Answer questions
The Summer of the Beautiful White Horse NCERT Solutions
Reading with Insight
1. You will probably agree that this story does not have a breathless adventure and exciting action.
Then what in your opinion makes it interesting?
Ans: The story did not have exciting action and breathless adventures’ yet it had suspense in the story which made it interesting for the readers. It was a good psychological narration and both the boys wanted to try something adventurous. As their family was poor and they both wanted to ride a horse. Mourad stole it and they both rode it for quite some time. After they were over their game play, they took it back to its original place and owner.
2. Did the boys return the horse because they were conscience-stricken or because they were afraid?
Ans: The boys returned the horse not because they were afraid but because of their conscience. Their family was known for its honesty yet they had stolen the horse months ago. When they met John Byro on his way to town, the horse was with them. He carefully examined it and shared that it looked exactly like the one he had just like a twin. It felt like it was his own horse but since he knew his parents, he didn’t believe it was his horse they were carrying. This struck the boys and they decided to take the horse back to the farmer’s vineyard to put it in the barn.
3. “One day back there in the good old days when I was nine and the world was full of every imaginable kind of magnificence, and life was still a delightful and mysterious dream…”The story begins in a mood of nostalgia. Can you narrate some incident from your childhood that might make an interesting story?
Ans: By reading those lines, no one can stop themselves from traveling back to the memory lane. I remember when I was twelve years old. I used to visit my grandparent’s home which was located at a hill station. I would spend my entire summer vacation with them. We would go to the market to eat delicious snacks, would go shopping and watch TV together. I remember once going to a summer camp for a month. They would drop me off to the place and would come to pick me up after the classes got over. Sometimes, my grandmother would bring a packed lunch for me. I would eat it as fast as we would go shopping after that. I always got sad whenever I had to go back to my home to go back to school.
4. The story revolves around characters who belong to a tribe in Armenia. Mourad and Aram are members of the Garoghlanian family. Now locate Armenia and Assyria on the atlas and prepare a write-up on the Garoghlanian tribes. You may write about people, their names, traits, geographical and economic features as suggested in the story.
Ans: Garoghlanian tribe is said to be a work of fiction by author William Saroyan in his book of the year 1940 ‘My name is Aram’. They were Armenian. They were poor people who hardly managed to gather food to feed their stomach every day but they were known for honesty. Hospitality is one of the important aspects of the tribe. Most of the Armenian people followed Christianity. They have a huge variety of food at social gatherings. They focussed on forgiveness of sins and on the spirit of tolerance.
Class 11 English The Summer of the Beautiful White Horse Question Answers Lesson 1 – Extract Based Questions
Extract-based questions are of the multiple-choice variety, and students must select the correct option for each question by carefully reading the passage.
A. One day back there in the good old days when I was nine and the world was full of every imaginable kind of magnificence, and life was still a delightful and mysterious dream, my cousin Mourad, who was considered crazy by everybody who knew him except me, came to my house at four in the morning and woke me up tapping on the window of my room.
1 Name the chapter.
A) The Summer of the Beautiful White Horse
B) The Address
C) Ranga’s Marriage
D) Albert Einstein at School
Ans. A) The Summer of the Beautiful White Horse
2 Who is the author of The Summer of the Beautiful White Horse?
A) Alphonse Daudet
B) Tishani Doshi
C) Jack Finney
D) William Saroyan
Ans. D) William Saroyan
3 Who is ‘I’ in the above lines?
A) Aram
B) Mourad
C) Uncle Khosrove
D) John Byro
Ans.A) Aram
4 Who woke up Aram at 4?
A) John Byro
B) Mourad
C) Khosrove
D) Ranga
Ans. B) Mourad
B. Mourad was sitting on a beautiful white horse. I stuck my head out of the window and rubbed my eyes. Yes, he said in Armenian. It’s a horse. You’re not dreaming. Make it quick if you want to ride. I knew my cousin Mourad enjoyed being alive more than anybody else who had ever fallen into the world by mistake, but this was more than even I could believe.
1 How is Mourad associated with Aram
A) Real Brother
B) Cousin
C) Father
D) Son
Ans. B) Cousin
2 What did Aram get to see?
A) His cousin was sitting on a dog
B) His cousin was sitting on a bike
C) His cousin was sitting on a horse
D) His cousin was sitting on a car
Ans. C) His cousin was sitting on a horse
3 Why could Aram not believe what he saw?
A) For they were rich and could afford a horse
B) For they were poor and could not afford a horse
C) For they were poor but could afford a horse
D) None of these
Ans. C) For they were poor but could afford a horse
4 Which tribe did Aram and Mourad belong to?
A) Steward
B) Crofter
C) Garoghlanian
D) Australian
Ans. C) Garoghlanian
C. We were poor. We had no money. Our whole tribe was poverty- stricken. Every branch of the Garoghlanian family was living in the most amazing and comical poverty in the world. Nobody could understand where we ever got money enough to keep us with food in our bellies, not even the old men of the family. Most important of all, though, we were famous for our honesty.
1) For what was the Garoghlanian family famous?
A) Dishonesty
B) Honesty
C) Stealth
D) None of these
Ans. B) Honesty
2) What financial condition was the Garoghlanian tribe undergoing?
A) They were extremely wealthy
B) They were extremely rich
C) They were extremely poor
D) Both 1 and 2
Ans. C) They were extremely poor
3) Why could no member of Garoghlanian steal?
A) For they did not know how to break laws
B) For they knew how to break laws
C) For they did not break anyone’s trust as they were known for their honesty
D) For they did not know how to break locks
Ans. C) For they did not break anyone’s trust as they were known for their honesty
4) What does the phrase ‘Keep us with food in our bellies’ mean?
A) To stay hungry
B) To stay thirsty
C) To stay satiated
D) To stay bewildered
Ans. C) To stay satiated
D. Every family has a crazy streak in it somewhere, and my cousin Mourad was considered the natural descendant of the crazy streak in our tribe. Before him was our uncle Khosrove, an enormous man with a powerful head of black hair and the largest mustache in the San Joaquin Valley, a man so furious in temper, so irritable, so impatient that he stopped anyone from talking by roaring. It is no harm; pay no attention to it.
1) What does the word ‘Furious’ mean?
A) Calm
B) Composed
C) Angry
D) Soothing
Ans. C) Angry
2) What was uncle Khosrove’s pet dialogue?
A) It is no harm; pay attention to them
B) It is no harm; pay no attention to it
C) It is no harm; pay no attention to them
D) It is no harm; pay attention to it
Ans. B) It is no harm; pay no attention to it
3) What superlative feature did uncle Khosrove have?
A) Largest head
B) Largest hair
C) Largest mustache
D) Largest brain
Ans. C) Largest mustache
4) What was the common feature between uncle Khosrove and Mourad?
A) Both were impatient
B) Both had crazy streak
C) Both repeated their own pet dialogues
D) All of these
Ans. D) All of these
E. I got down and my cousin Mourad kicked his heels into the horse and shouted, Vazire, run. The horse stood on its hind legs, snorted, and burst into a fury of speed that was the loveliest thing I had ever seen. My cousin Mourad raced the horse across a field of dry grass to an irrigation ditch, crossed the ditch on the horse, and five minutes later returned, dripping wet.
1) What does the phrase ‘hind legs’ mean?
A) Front legs
B) Back legs
C) Both 1 and 2
D) Neither 1 nor 2
Ans. B) Back legs
2) Where had Mourad got the horse from?
A) He had bought it from the market
B) He had stolen it abroad
C) He had stolen it from Byro’s barn
D) He had brought it up himself
Ans.C) He had stolen it from Byro’s barn
3) What happened when Aram tried to race the horse?
A) He raced it for five minutes
B) He fell down
C) He raced it across the field of dry grass
D) He forbade to sit on the horse
Ans. B) He fell down
4) Who was known for his dialogue “I have a way with”?
A) Aram
B) Khosrove
C) John Byro
D) Mourad
Ans. D) Mourad
Class 11 English The Summer of the Beautiful White Horse Question Answers (including questions from Previous Years Question Papers)
In this post we are also providing important short answer questions from Chapter 1 The Summer of the Beautiful White Horse for CBSE Class 11 exams for the coming session.
Q1. How was the ‘deed’ of taking away somebody else’s horse and hiding it without the owner’s knowledge not a theft according to the boys?
Answer. According to the boys, they stole the horse that actually belonged to John Byro in order to go on joy rides. It was not a ‘theft’ until they offered to sell the horse.
Q2. ‘I couldn’t believe what I saw.’ What was so incredible to the speaker? Who is the speaker here?
Answer. The speaker in this case is ‘Aram,’ the protagonist of the story. His cousin brother Mourad had come to invite him on a wonderful white horse one fine summer before daybreak. He did not own the horse. So the speaker was perplexed as to where Mourad had obtained that horse, as he could not be a thief.
Q3. What impression do you form about Khosrove?
Answer. Khosrove was Mourad and Aram’s uncle. He had acquired the special characteristic of the family i.e. the crazy streak. He was a massive man with a thick head of black hair. He had the biggest beard in the entire San Joaquin Valley. He was an irritable man who easily lost his cool when someone lamented his loss. His most frequently repeated words (in this situation) were. It causes no harm; disregard it.”
Q4. Who was John Byro? Why had he come to the narrator’s house?
Answer. John Byro was born in Assyria. He worked as a farmer but, out of loneliness, he had learned to speak Armenian. Perhaps he’d settled somewhere in Armenia, ten miles from the narrator’s house. He’d come to the narrator’s house to vent about the loss of his only horse. His horse had been missing for a month.
Q5.Why did the boys return the horse so early?
Answer. After a joy ride on the horse, the boys were returning it to its hiding place one morning. They met John Byro, the horse’s true owner. John swore that the horse was the twin of his own, and that anyone with a suspicious mind could mistake it for his own because its teeth and everything else looked the same. The boys became terrified at this point. Due to fear of disclosure of their dare deed, they hack the horse the next day at its real owner’s barn.
Q6. Why did the boys not want to return the horse immediately? Did their wish fulfill?
Answer. The boys did not want to return the horse right away because they both wanted to learn how to ride a horse properly. Mourad informed Aram that he planned to keep it for at least six months. However, alas! Their wish could not be granted.
Q7. Bring out the significance of the white horse in Saroyan’s story.
Answer. Saroyan’s story revolves around the beautiful white horse. Its entry emphasizes the cousins’ contrasting personalities. It adds excitement and action to the story. We kept reading to find out when and how the boys would return the horse, if at all. Finally, it is with its rightful owner. As a result, it dominates the entire story.
Q8. Why could Aram not believe what he saw that morning?
Answer. Aram followed the family tradition of being truthful. He was surprised and taken aback to see his cousin riding a beautiful white horse. He knew Mourad was as poor as him and couldn’t afford it. He even asked right away where Mourad had gotten it. He couldn’t believe Mourad’s daring act.
Q9.Why was the sight of Mourad’s horse both delightful and frightening for Aram?
Answer. Aram was a young man who was truthful and honest. He yearned to ride a horse, however. Naturally, he was overjoyed when Mourad invited him to ride the white horse. He was also terrified because he knew it was a stolen horse.
Q10 Mourad had a way and some sort of understanding with three creatures. Who were they?
Answer. Mourad was arrogant and self-assured. He knew how to handle a wild white horse, the farm dogs and an injured bird. Byro’s white horse improved in temperament. The dogs in Byro’s barn didn’t attack him. Mourad nursed the little-injured robin back to health, and it was able to fly again.
Class 11 The Summer of the Beautiful White Horse Long Answer Questions Lesson 1
Q1. Give a brief account of Mourad’s adventure with the white horse.
Answer. Mourad was a crazy daredevil boy. He enjoyed horse riding. So he stole John Byro’s beautiful white horse from his vineyard. He hid it in an abandoned barn and rode it every morning. One morning, he invited his cousin Aram to join him in his joy. He had a thing for wild horses. Because it was a stolen horse, Aram hesitated. Nonetheless, he accompanied his cousin and enjoyed the ride. Mourad also rode alone. He joyfully sang and roared. He let the horse run across a dry grass field to an irrigation ditch. He came back five minutes later. He warned Aram not to ride the horse alone because it was quite wild.
Q2. Compare and Contrast the characters of Mourad and Aram.
Answer. Mourad and Aram were cousins from the Garoghlanian tribe, which was known for its integrity. Mourad was thirteen, and Aram was nine. Both of them wished to ride a horse. But their family couldn’t afford to buy a horse. Both were thrill seekers. Both were aware that their family was well-known for its honesty and integrity. But Mourad couldn’t stop himself from stealing John Byro’s horse. Aram was honest and simple-hearted despite his craziness. Mourad was more gifted and daring than Aram. He domesticated John Byro’s wild horse. He repaired a robin’s injured wing; he knew how to handle a horse and how to calm a dog. Comparatively, Aram was timid and obedient. Therefore, Mourad could easily lie to John Byro about the horse. Aram could never do it.
Q3. Bring out some of the notable traits of Mourad’s character.
Answer. Mourad, Zorab’s son, was Aram’s 13-year-old cousin. Zorab was a practical man, but Mourad was the polar opposite. He was thought to be as insane as his uncle Khosrove. He was not as truthful as his family or tribe. He didn’t think twice about stealing John Byro’s horse. He enjoyed horseback riding as much as his cousin, but they lacked the funds to purchase a horse. He cleverly hid the horse in a deserted barn and took it out for a joy ride at dawn. He enjoyed both adventure and singing. He exuded incredible self-assurance. He boasted that he could talk to a horse, a dog, and a farmer. He flatly denied being a thief. When he realized that his theft was detected, he returned the horse to its owner John Byro, that was after about six weeks.
Q4. Narrate the story of the stolen white horse in not more than 100 words.
Answer. Mourad woke up his cousin Aram early in the morning. Aram jumped out of bed, unable to believe his eyes. He noticed Mourad riding on the back of a white horse. He was certain that Mourad had stolen the horse. Anyway, he went on a joyride with his cousin. Mourad hid it in Fetvajian’s deserted vineyard barn. He warned Aram not to tell anyone that they had started riding that morning in case they were discovered. The horse, in fact, belonged to John Byro who spoke about it in Aram’s house. Aram then informed Mourad about Byro. They continued riding for another two weeks.They ran into John Byro, who recognised his horse. But Mourad told a white lie about his horse’s name being My Heart. Because he claimed to know their family so well, John Byro pretended to believe them. Their family was well-known for its candor. He did, however, return the horse to Byro the next morning.
Q5 The narrator’s uncle Khosrove was known to be a crazy fellow. Give a few instances of his craziness.
Answer. Khosrove, the narrator’s uncle, was a massive man with a massive mustache. People who knew him, however, thought he was insane or capricious. He was naturally enraged. He was easily irritated. He was irritable. He would not allow anyone to speak to him. With his roar, he silenced everyone. His house was once on fire, and his son dashed to the barbershop to deliver the bad news. But he paid no serious attention to it and roared “It is no harm; pay no attention to it”. When John mentioned his stolen horse, he became irritated and walked out of the room. He was surely a peculiar character.
Q6. Aram did not think they had stolen the white horse even though they kept it with them for a long time. Why did Mourad steal the horse? Why did they return it?
Answer. Aram did not believe they had stolen the white horse, despite the fact that they had kept it with them for a long time, because stealing, in his opinion, would occur only when they intended to sell the horse for money or keep it with them indefinitely. As a result, they did not believe they had stolen the horse.
Mourad stole the horse because he loved riding but couldn’t afford to buy a horse. They returned the horse because their conscience commanded them to. Mourad’s mind and heart were changed by his meeting with John Byro. John Byro did not claim the horse, despite the fact that he believed it was his lost horse. He only spoke about the honesty of the boys’ family which prompted them to return the horse to its rightful owner.
Q7. What impression do you form of the narrator (Aram) after reading the story?
Answer. Aram, a nine-year-old Armenian boy, tells the story. He wishes he could take a horseback ride. He is the only character in the story who not only recounts incidents and actions, but also provides useful information about the other characters and their characteristics. He also describes the Garoghlanian tribe, their characteristics, and so on.
He finds it difficult to believe that Mourad stole a horse because he comes from a family that values honesty and is proud of it. Stealing a horse for a ride, in his opinion, is not the same as stealing something else, such as money.
By saying this, he convinces himself that it would become stealing if they offered to sell it. Aram enjoys horseback riding.
He cannot resist the temptation to ride a beautiful horse. Aram enjoys adventure, which is why he refuses to discuss the stolen horse.
Q8.The narrator mentioned ‘a crazy streak’ running in his family. Which two characters showed this streak in their behavior and words? Write briefly about them showing how they could be called crazy.
Answer. Mourad and Uncle Khosrove were the two characters with the most outlandish behavior. Mourad was a 13-year-old Armenian boy. He was from the Garoghlanian tribe. He enjoyed riding to the point of insanity. When he was riding a stolen horse, he sang for joy. He was confident in his ability to work with horses.
He was insane like his uncle Khosrove and was thought to be the natural descendant of his insane uncle. Uncle Khosrove was known for his rage and insanity. He was so impatient and irritable that he shouted, ‘It is no harm; pay no attention to it,’ to anyone who spoke.
He said this even when his son ran up to him and told him their house was on fire. When John Byro told him his horse had been stolen, he became irritated and snubbed him.
Q9. Do you think John Byro recognised his horse? Why did he not accuse the boys of stealing his horse?
Answer. Yes, John Byro knew who his horse was. When he met the boys while walking with his stolen horse, he asked its name and examined its teeth. He assumed it was the twin of his stolen horse. He stated that he trusted their family’s honesty and that he had no intention of making a scene or calling them thieves.
Despite the fact that he recognised his horse, he told them that he would not suspect them of stealing a horse. John Byro did not blame the boys and did not file a formal complaint about the theft of his horse. He only mentioned their family’s honor. This had the desired effect on the children, and the horse was returned.
Q10.“We had been famous for our honesty for something like eleven centuries,” the narrator describes his family in these words. Do you think it is possible to remain honest in modern times?
Answer. Yes. As seen in the story, it is possible to be honest in modern times as well. Mourad and Aram were also truthful. Mourad took the horse because he wanted to ride but couldn’t afford to buy one; he intended to return the horse. There are numerous examples of honest behavior; Gandhiji’s example inspired truthfulness. Satyameva Jayate (Truth alone triumphs) was adopted as India’s national motto on January 26, 1950.
Even in the modern world, honest people like Anna Hazare are willing to fast until death to maintain their integrity. Many such activists have risked their lives to fight for and defend the truth. Some have even sacrificed their lives.
Young people are idealistic and want to rid the world of corruption and dishonesty. Unfortunately, many of us find it difficult to pursue future gains at the expense of current difficulties, and as a result, we tend to take the easy way out. However, truth is like a bitter pill that, in the long run, is beneficial to our health.
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