English First Flight Class 10 Chapter :1 A Letter to God

About the Author

Fuentes was born on Lanzarote in the Canary Islands. He first went to sea as a deck boy with his father when he was 10. As a teenager, he worked on cargo ships out of the Canary Islands to Trinidad and Puerto Rico and from the Spanish ports of Valencia and Sevilla to South America. He migrated permanently to Cuba when he was 22. He died from cancer in Cojimar in 2002 at the age of 104.

  Theme

“A letter to God” is a story of extreme faith in God. Through this story, the writer, G.L. Fuentes has tried to depict the invincible and insurmountable faith in God of a simple poor farmer. Lencho was a poor, honest and hard-working farmer. Hence, he wrote a letter to God and asked God to send him money.

Summary

Lencho was a dedicated agriculturist. He was expecting a decent harvest, yet sadly. A hail storm came and destroyed his harvest totally. Lencho was very sad, but he had strong belief in God. He was sure that God would definitely help him. He was an extremely straightforward man. He composed a letter to God. In the letter, he asks God to send him one hundred pesos. At that point, he went to the post office and put the letter into the post box.

The postman removed the letter from the letter-box. He read the address on it and laughed badly when he rushed to the postmaster and demonstrated to him that strange letter. The postmaster also chuckled in the same way, when he saw the address of God. When he read the letter, he got very serious. He lauded this man who had extraordinary confidence in God. He decided to help him. He asked the employees of the post office to give money. He gave a part of his salary. But they were able to collect only a little more than half the money requested by Lencho. The postmaster put the money in an envelope and addressed it to Lechno. Next Sunday, Lencho came again to the post office. He asked if there was any letter for him. The postmaster took out the letter and gave it to Lencho. Lencho was not surprised at seeing the money. But when he counted the money, he became angry. He thought that God could not have made the mistake. He took paper and ink, and wrote another letter to God. Then he put the letter into the letter-box.

After Lencho had gone, the postmaster and the employees read the letter. Lencho had complained to God that he had received only seventy pesos. This time, he requested God to send him the rest of the money. But he asked God not to send the money through mail. He wrote that the post-office employees were a bunch of crooks who might have stolen the money.

In Hindi

Lencho का घर एक पहाड़ी की शिखर पर था | जहां Lencho का घर था वहां कोई नहीं रहता था| Lencho का घर उचाई पर होने के कारण वह अपने अनाज( मकई) के खेतों को देख सकता था, जिनमें फूल भी आ गए थे| Lencho बहुत परिश्रमी किसान था, वह यह सोच रहा था कि इस बार उसकी खेती अच्छी होगी| Lencho के खेतों को जरूरत थी ,एक अच्छी बारिश की या कम-से-कम बौछार की जरूरत थी| पूरी मॉर्निंग Lencho जो अपने खेतों को जानता था , बड़े दिनों से उसने कुछ नहीं किया था| वह आसमान को बहुत देर से देख रहा था| वह यह सब कुछ सोच रहा होता है वह अपनी पत्नी से कहता है कि, अब हमें पानी मिलेगा| उसकी पत्नी शाम का खाना तैयार कर रही थी| Lencho की पत्नी ने जवाब में कहा, हां यदि भगवान की दया होगी तो, इस बार बारिश जरूर होगी और हमें अच्छी फसल मिलेगी| 

Lencho का बड़ा बेटा भी बहुत परिश्रमी था| वह Lencho  का हाथ बंटाता था| वह खेतों में काम कर रहा था और Lencho के छोटे बच्चे खेल रहे थे, जब तक की उनकी मां ने शाम के खाने के लिए नहीं बुलाया| खाना खाने का वक्त था कि Lencho ने जो सोचा था और जो आशा की थी कि बारिश होगी| वैसे ही आसमान से बड़ी-बड़ी बूंदे गिरना शुरू हो गई| हवा बहुत तेज थी और बहुत ही ताजी और सुहावनी थी| Lencho अपने घर से बाहर निकला | वह इसी खुशी को महसूस करना चाहता था| वह इतना खुश था कि लौटते वक्त उसने कहा कि यह बारिश की बूंदे नहीं जो आसमान से गिर रही हैं यह नए सिक्के हैं जो बड़ी बूंदें हैं वह 10 के सिक्के हैं जो छोटी बूंदें हैं या पांच के सिक्के हैं| वह इतना खुश था कि बूंदों को सिक्के के समान समझ रहा था| वह जानता था कि बारिश की बौछार उसकी खेत की जान थी| पूरे संतुष्ट भाव से उसने पूरे खेत को देखा जिसमें फूल भी थे| अचानक तेजी से हवा चलने लगी और बड़े-बड़े ओले पड़ना शुरू हो गए| उसके बड़े लड़के ने बाहर निकल कर देखा तो खेतों में ओले पड़े हुए थे| उसके बड़े लड़कों ने ओलो  को इकट्ठा करने लगे | 

Lencho दुखी होने लगा| उसने सोचा ओला पड़ना थोड़ी देर में बंद हो जाएंगे, लेकिन ओले पड़ना बंद नहीं हुए| पूरी पहाड़ी इलाका सफेद चादर से ढक गया सब कहीं सफेद, सफेद नजर आ रहा था| और वहां पर एक भी पत्ता ऐसी नहीं थी जो बची हो | Lenchoकी पूरी फसल बर्बाद हो गई| ओलो की मार से फसल के फूल टूट कर गिर गए,Lenchoबहुत दुखी था वह अपने परिवार के बारे में चिंतित था, क्योंकि यह एक ही  मात्र सहारा था| जब ओले पड़ना बंद हो गए तब वो खेत के बीचो बीच में खड़े होकर अपने लड़कों से कहा अगर खेतों में टिड्डिया लग गई होती, तब भी  हमारी फसल बच जाती लेकिन  इन ओलो ने कुछ भी नहीं छोड़ा| इस साल हमें फसल मकई नहीं मिलेगी| यह रात बहुत दुख भरी रात है| हमारी सारी मेहनत बेकार हो गई कोई नहीं जो हमारी मदद कर सके|| इस साल हम भूखे रह जाएंगे, लेकिन उन सब के दिल में जो उस पहाड़ी में अकेले रहते थे| उनके पास एक आशा  थी कि, उन्हें भगवान से मदद मिलेगी| वो कहता है कि इतना परेशान मत हो क्योंकि, कोई भूखा नहीं मरता| लोग भी ऐसा कहते हैं कि कोई व्यक्ति भूख से नहीं मरता| पूरी रात Lencho जो सिर्फ एक इसी उम्मीद में जागता रहा कि, भगवान की मदद मिलेगी क्योंकि, मैं जानता है कि भगवान सब को देखते हैं अगर किसी  के दिल में भी कोई अगर बात होती है तो भगवान उसको जान जाते हैं|

Lencho जो बहुत परिश्रमी था| वह खेत में  जानवरों की तरह  काम करता था लेकिन, वह लिखना जानता था | अगले संडे दिन निकलते उसने पत्र लिखना शुरु कर दिया| वह खुद शहर लेकर जाएगा मेल में डालेगा |  भगवान के लिए पत्र लिखा लेंचो ने! पत्र में कुछ इस तरह लिखा  भगवान अगर तुम मेरी मदद नहीं करोगे तो मैं और मेरा परिवार इस  साल भूखे रह जाएंगे| मुझे 100 रुपयें की जरूरत है इसलिए मैं आपसे विनती करता हूं की मेरा निवेदन सुनिए रुपयों की जरूरत इसलिए है क्योंकि, जिससे मैं दोबारा बीज लाकर खेतों में बो सकूं, बचे हुए रुपयों को जीवन जीने के लिए जब तक फसल ना आ जाए|  Lencho ने पत्र के ऊपर भगवान के लिए पत्र लिखा|  वह फिर शहर की तरफ चल दिया| पोस्ट ऑफिस में पहुच कर पत्र पर stampलगाया|पत्र post box में डाल दिया|

भगवान को पत्रएक कर्मचारी था,जो Postman था|वह Postoffice मे  सहायता करता था| वह पत्र लेकर बड़े अधिकारी के पास हंसता हुआ गया| अधिकारी को पत्र दिखाया, कि इस पर भगवान का नाम लिखा है| पोस्टमैन ने अपने पूरे कैरियर में इस Adress को कभी नहीं जाना था| Postmaster एक मोटा और बहुत फ्रेंडली था| वह भी हंसने लगा जल्दी ही वह गंभीर हो गया| उसने पत्र को मेज पर पटका और बोलो इतना विश्वास, काश मुझे भी भगवान पर इतना विश्वास होता| जितना इस व्यक्ति को है कि उसने भगवान को पत्र लिखना शुरु कर दिया| Postmaster नहीं चाहता था कि पत्र लिखने वाले व्यक्ति को का विश्वास टूटे इसलिए उसने एक आइडिया निकाला कि उसे  उसका जवाब मिलेगा |उसने पूरा पत्र खोलकर पढ़ा Postman ने जाना कि उसे भगवान की दया से ज्यादा भगवान से मिलने वाली मदद की आशा थी| पोस्ट मैंने  वहां के सभी कर्मचारियों से वार्तालाप की सभी से कुछ पैसों की मांग की| Postman ने भी अपनी Salary का कुछ हिस्सा दिया| सभी कर्मचारियों ने थोड़े- थोड़े रुपए दिए, लेकिन सौ रुपए इकट्ठे हुए क्योंकि यह कठिन काम था| पोस्टमैन ने पूरे रुपए के आधे से ज्यादा रुपए किसान को दिया| उसने रुपयो को लिफाफे में डाला फिर Lencho का  पता डाला| पोस्टमॉस्टर पत्र पर GOD साइन किया| 

अगली संडे Lencho Postoffice जल्दी पहुंच गया और पूछा कि उसके लिए कोई पत्र आया है वह Postmaster ही था जिसने Lencho को पत्र दिया जैसे ही Lencho पोस्ट ऑफिस से बाहर निकला| Postmaster Lencho को देख रहा था | Lencho रुपयों को देखकर बहुत खुश ना हुआ उसने रुपए गिने लेकिन उसमें से कुछ रुपए कम थे| Lencho ने सोचा कि भगवान यह गलती नहीं कर सकते| उन्होंने पूरे रुपए भेजे होंगे| जल्दी ही Lencho पोस्ट ऑफिस की खिड़की पर गया| उसने Paper और Ink  मांगी उसने वहां की मेज पर पत्र लिखना शुरु कर दिया| Lencho  अपनी eyebrow को सिकोड़ते हुए पत्र लिखा क्योंकि, वह इतना क्रोधित था कि उसके माथे पर गुस्से की रेखा दिखाई दे रही थी| पत्र लिखने के बाद वह खिड़की पर गया Stamp खरीदा और अपनी थूक से पत्र पर मुक्का मार कर चिपका दिया| Lencho ने उस पत्र को पोस्ट बॉक्स में डाल दिया| Lencho के जाने के बाद Postman, Lencho का पत्र पढ़ा उसमें लिखा था कि  भगवान मैंने आपसे जो रुपए मांगे थे उसमें से मुझे 70 रुपये ही मिले हैं बाकी बचे हुए रुपए मुझे भेज दीजिए क्योंकि मुझे इन रुपयों की बहुत जरूरत है भगवान इस बार आप मुझे बचे हुए रुपए डाक से मत भेजिएगा क्योंकि, यहां पोस्ट ऑफिस के सभी कर्मचारी बदमाशों का गुट है| बाद  ने Lencho ने अपना नाम लिख दिया|  इस तरह A letter to god  भगवान को पत्रकहानी खत्म होती है यह कहानी अत्यंत रोचक है एक किसान का भगवान पर विश्वास इस कहानी में दर्शाया गया है

1. What did Lencho hope for?
Lencho hoped for rains as the only thing his field of ripe corn needed was a shower.

2. Why did Lencho say that the raindrops were like ‘new coins’?
Lencho’s crops were ready for harvest. As raindrops would have helped in getting a better harvest, resulting in more prosperity, so Lencho compared them with ‘new coins’.

3. How did rain change? What happened to Lencho’s fields?
The rain was pouring down. But suddenly, a strong wind began to blow and very large hailstones began to fall along with the rain. All the crops in Lencho’s fields destroyed.

4. What were Lencho’s feelings when the hail stopped?
After the hail stopped, Lencho’s soul was filled with sadness. He could see a bleak future for himself and his family. He was worried about the lack of food in the coming year.

5. Who or what did Lencho have faith in? What did he do?
Lencho had complete faith in God. He believed that God’s eyes see everything, even what is deep in one’s conscience. So, he wrote a letter to God saying that he needed a hundred pesos to sow his field again.

6. Who read the letter?
The postmaster read the letter.

7. What did the postmaster do then?
The postmaster first laughed. But as he read the letter, he became serious. He was deeply moved by the farmer’s faith in God. He did not want to shake his faith. So, he decided to collect the money and send it to Lencho.

8. Was Lencho surprised to find a letter for him with money in it?
No, Lencho was not at all surprised to see the letter from God with money inside it. His confidence and faith in God was such that he had expected that reply from God.

9. What made him angry?
When he finished counting the money, he found only seventy pesos. But he had demanded a hundred pesos. He was confident that God could neither make a mistake nor deny him what he had requested for. Therefore, he concluded that the post office employees must have taken the remaining thirty pesos.

THINKING ABOUT THE TEXT 

1.  Who does Lencho have complete faith in? Which sentences in the story tell you this?

Ans: Lencho had complete faith in God. The sentences in the story that show this are as follows:

1.    But in the hearts of all who lived in that solitary house in the middle of the valley, there was a single hope: help from God.

2.    All through the night, Lencho thought only of his one hope: the help of God, whose eyes, as he had been instructed, see everything, even what is deep in one’s conscience.

3.    “God,” he wrote, “if you don’t help me, my family and I will go hungry this year”.

4.    He wrote ‘To God’ on the envelope, put the letter inside and, still troubled, and went to town.

5.    God could not have made a mistake, nor could he have denied Lencho what he had requested.

6.    It said: “God: of the money that I asked for, only seventy pesos reached me. Send me the rest, since I need it very much”.

2.  Why does the postmaster send money to Lencho? Why does he sign the letter ‘God’?

Ans: Postmaster was moved by Lencho’s complete faith in God. So, he decided to send money to Lencho. Moreover, the postmaster did not want to shake Lencho’s faith in God. So, he signed the letter ‘God’. It was a good ploy to convey a message that God had himself written the letter.

3.  Did Lencho try to find out who had sent the money to him? Why/Why not?

Ans: No, Lencho did not try to find out who had sent the money to him. This was because he had great confidence in God and never suspected that it could be someone else other than God who would send him the money. His faith in God was so strong that he believed that God had sent him the money.

4.  Who does Lencho think has taken the rest of the money? What is the irony in the situation? (Remember that the irony of the situation is an unexpected aspect of it. An ironic situation is strange or amusing because it is the opposite of what is expected.)

Ans: Lencho thinks that the post office employees have taken the money. But in reality, it was the post office people who send the money to Lencho. But, on the other hand, Lencho thinks that they have stolen his money. He calls them crooks. Thus, there is an element of irony in this situation.

5.  Are there people like Lencho in the real world? What kind of a person would you say he is? You may select appropriate words from the box to answer the question.

greedy   selfish   naïve   comical   stupid   unquestioning   ungrateful

Ans: I don’t think there can be any such people in the real world. Lencho is literate and yet, he doesn’t know how his letter will reach God without any address.

I would probably deem him naïve and unquestioning.

6. There are two kinds of conflicts in the story: between humans and nature, and between humans themselves. How are these conflicts illustrated?

Ans: The first conflict between humans and nature is aptly depicted by the destruction of Lencho’s crops by the hailstorm. As the crops fail, Lencho started feeling sad and gloomy. This appropriately projects the conflict between humans and nature.

The second conflict depicted in the story is between humans themselves. As a noble soul, the postmaster, along with the help of the other post office employees, sent Lencho the money that they could manage to collect. Though they were not related to Lencho or knew him personally, they acted kindly and selflessly. Even though they did a good deed, Lencho blamed them for taking away some amount of money. This shows that man does not trust his fellow humans, thereby, giving rise to the conflict between humans themselves

THINKING ABOUT LANGUAGE

There are different names in different parts of the world for storms, depending on their nature. Can you match the names in the box with their descriptions below, and fill in the blanks? You may use a dictionary to help you.

gale	whirlwind	cyclone
hurricane	tornado	typhoon

1.  A violent tropical storm in which strong winds move in a circle: _ _ c _ _ _ _ .

Ans: A violent tropical storm in which strong winds move in a circle: cyclone.

2.  An extremely strong wind: _ a _ _ .

Ans: An extremely strong wind: gale.

3.  A violent tropical storm with very strong winds: _ _ p _ _ _ _ .

Ans: A violent tropical storm with very strong winds: typhoon.

4.  A violent storm whose centre is a cloud in the shape of a funnel: _ _ _ n _ _ _ .

Ans: A violent storm whose centre is a cloud in the shape of a funnel: tornado.

5.  A violent storm with very strong winds, especially in the western Atlantic Ocean: _ _ r _ _ _ _ _ _ .

Ans: A violent storm with very strong winds, especially in the western Atlantic Ocean: hurricane.

6.  A very strong wind that moves very fast in a spinning movement and causes a lot of damage: _ _ _ _ l _ _ _ _ .

Ans:A very strong wind that moves very fast in a spinning movement and causes a lot of damage: whirlwind. 

Join the sentences given below using who, whom, which as suggested.

1.  I often go to Mumbai. Mumbai is the commercial capital of India. (which) 
Ans: I often go to Mumbai, which is the commercial capital of India.

2.  My mother is going to host a TV show on cooking. She cooks very well. (who) 
Ans: My mother, who cooks well, is going to host a TV show on cooking.

3.  These sportspersons are going to meet the President. Their performance has been excellent. (whose)

Ans: These sports persons, whose performance has been excellent, are going to meet the President.

4.  Lencho prayed to God. His eyes see into our minds. (whose)
Ans: Lencho prayed to God, whose eyes see into our minds.

5.  This man cheated me. I trusted him. (whom)

Ans:This man, whom I trusted, cheated me.

Find sentences in the story with negative words, which express the following ideas emphatically.

1.  The trees lost all their leaves.

Ans: Not a leaf remained on the trees.

2.  The letter was addressed to God himself.

Ans: It was nothing less than a letter to God.

3.  The postman saw this address for the first time in his career.

Ans:Never in his career as a postman had he seen that address. 

Additional Questions

Short Answer Questions 

1.  What were Lencho’s feelings when he found the letter with money in it? What did he do after opening the letter?

Ans: Lencho was not at all surprised to see the money in the letter as he was fully confident about it. He knew that God will send money to him. On opening the letter, he found seventy pesos instead of a hundred. So, he wrote another letter to God to send the rest of the amount too, but now not through the mail as the post office employees were crooks.

2.  Whom did Lencho write a letter? What did he ask for?

Ans: When Lencho’s annual crop was completely destroyed due to heavy rains and hailstorm, and there was no one to help him during the crisis, at that time, Lencho wrote a letter to God. He wrote the letter requesting Him to send hundred pesos, so that he could sow his fields again till the next crop.

3.  How far would you agree that one’s positivity can bring in a spark of brightness even in adverse circumstances’?

Ans: It is absolutely true that optimism can bring about a spark of brightness even in adverse situations. It was Lencho’s innocent optimism that eventually led to his getting seventy pesos. In fact, it was his positivity, despite the hailstorm that he even wrote a letter to God in the first place. His hope finally triumphed.

4.  What impression do you form about the postmaster after reading the story, ‘A Letter to God’?

Ans: The postmaster was a kind, generous, helpful, amiable and God-fearing man. He was generous, as he helped Lencho with seventy pesos. He also wrote a reply to Lencho’s letter in order to maintain his faith in God.

5.  Why was Lencho angry? What did he do?

Ans: Lencho had deep faith in God and hence wrote a letter to God asking for hundred pesos. But when he received seventy pesos instead of hundred, he was angry. He wrote another letter to God asking him to send the rest of the money, but not through the post office as they were a ‘bunch of crooks’.

6.  Lencho calls the raindrops ‘new coins’. Why does he call them so?

Ans: Lencho hoped to get good crops because of raindrops. He thought that he would earn good money, so he called them new coins. But raindrops soon turned into hailstones which destroyed all his crops and ruined his hopes.

7.  Why were Lencho and his family in distress? Whom did he ask for help?

Ans: Lencho’s crops were completely destroyed by the hailstones. He feared that he and his family would go hungry. He had no one to help, but he had full faith in God whose eyes see everything. He wrote a letter to God asking for hundred pesos to sow the crop and live until the next harvest.

8.  What are the raindrops compared to and why?

Ans: When it started raining, Lencho was very happy. He compared the big drops of rain to ten-cent pieces and the little ones to five-cent pieces. Lencho needed rain for good harvest. If he had good crops, he will get money. That is why, he compared the raindrops to coins.

9.  Did the letter reach God? Why did the postmaster send a reply to Lencho?

Ans: No, the letter did not reach God. The postman saw the letter addressed to God and took the letter to the postmaster. The postmaster did not want to shake Lencho’s faith in God. So he sent a reply to Lencho. He sent seventy pesos to him.

10.          Lencho describes the post office employees as “a bunch of crooks.” 

(i) Were they a bunch of crooks?

(ii) How would you describe them?

Ans: Lencho thought that the post office employees had cheated him. So he calls them “a bunch of crooks.” But they were not crooks. They were kind people. They wanted to help Lencho. So they collected seventy pesos and sent the money to Lencho by mail. 


Q. 1. Explain the qualities of the post office employees ?
Ans. The Employees were kind and helpful. 
The post office employees represented the people who believed in helping others. They were kind and helpful. They cooperated with each other and contributed to their best of the capability just to keep Lencho’s faith in God alive. They had love, concern, compassion and empathy for Lencho.

Q. 2. Why would you not agree with Lencho calling them ‘a bunch of crooks’ ?
Ans. Lencho was not at all justified in calling them ‘a bunch of crooks’ because they helped him by collecting money during his difficult time of his crop being spoilt by hail.
Lencho was not at all justified in calling them ‘a bunch of crooks’ because they helped him by collecting money and understanding Lencho’s unshakable faith in God. Each one of them parted with some money for the act of charity which ‘a bunch of crooks’ would never do.

Q. 3. Why was Lencho angry when he received the letter ? 
Ans. When Lencho received the letter, he opened the envelope. He, at once, became angry on counting the amount in it. There were only seventy pesos in the envelope, whereas he had asked for one hundred.

Q. 4. How did the postmaster help Lencho ? 
OR
What did the postmaster do to keep the faith of Lencho ? 
Ans. The postmaster collected money from the post office employees, he himself also contributed his share and sent the money-order to Lencho in God’s name to keep his faith.

Q. 5. Where was Lencho’s house situated ? Why did he sit seeing the sky ? 
Ans. Lencho’s house was situated on the crest of a low hill in the valley. The whole day he sat seeing the sky because he knew that his fields needed downpour or at least a shower and he was waiting to see the signs of rain.

Q. 6. What were Lencho’s feelings when the hailstorm stopped ? 
Ans. Lencho was filled with utter sadness when the hailstorm stopped. He was troubled to see the corn which was totally destroyed. Nothing was left in the fields. He and his family had to go hungry without corn.

Q. 7. How did Lencho’s hope change to despair ? 
Ans. Lencho was waiting for a shower of rain that his field needed. But his hope for good rain vanished when the wind changed into hailstorm. It destroyed everything. So, Lencho’s hope changed to despair as his family would face starvation.

Q. 8. What were Lencho’s feelings when he found the letter with money in it ? What did he do after opening the letter ?
Ans. In the beginning, Lencho was very happy and satisfied to receive the letter. But when he counted the money and found it less, he became very angry. He wrote another letter to God, demanding thirty more pesos.

Q. 9. Why did Lencho become angry when he counted the money ? 
Ans. Lencho became angry when he counted the money because the money was not hundred pesos which he had demanded. It was only seventy pesos. Lencho had firm faith in God. Moreover, he knew that God could not make a mistake or deny his request.

Q. 10. What did Lencho write in his second letter ? 
Ans. When Lencho found thirty pesos less, he wrote a second letter to God to send him the remaining amount, but not through the mail as he felt that the employees of the post office were a bunch of crooks.

Long Answer Questions (100-150 words: 8 Marks each)

1.  Lencho received the money and a letter from God but still, he was not happy. Was it not in his attitude to be happy with what he achieved? Did he not know the pleasure of being grateful to others?

Ans: Lencho had full faith in God and hence, had written a letter to God asking for hundred pesos. But when he received the money and the letter from God, he was not happy. It was not his attitude to be happy with what he received, nor was he ungrateful to God. He was angry because he had received seventy pesos instead of hundred. He did not doubt about God for it. He wrote another letter to God asking him to send the rest of the money but not through the post-office as they were a bunch of crooks. This shows that Lencho had full faith in God and was confident that his desire would be fulfilled. It was Lencho’s innocent optimism that eventually led to his getting seventy pesos. Optimism and faith can lead to a happy life.

2.  The postmaster represents such people who still believe in helping others. Mention those values of the postmaster which you would like to emulate in yourself.

Ans: The postmaster was a kind, generous, helpful, amiable and God-fearing man. He received a letter from Lencho which was written to God asking for hundred pesos, so that he could sow his fields again. The postman felt sympathetic towards Lencho. He decided to help Lencho. He gave up a part of his salary and asked all other employees to help. Even his friends were made to contribute for a cause of charity and he managed to collect seventy pesos. He sent the money to Lencho along with a reply. He did so in order to preserve the man’s faith in God. This shows the postmaster was a nice man at heart.

3.  “If you don’t help me, my family and I will go hungry this year.” Lencho had faith in God but he didn’t manage to solve the problem by himself. Did he lack the courage to resolve his matter by himself? What values did he lack?

Ans: Lencho was a hardworking farmer. He was completely dependent upon the crops of his fields. His annual crop was completely destroyed due to heavy rains and hailstorm. In the entire village, there was no one to help him during the time of financial crisis. He had firm belief in God and hence wrote a letter requesting Him to send hundred pesos, so that he could sow his fields again till the next crop. This act did not prove that he lacked the courage to resolve his problem, but shows that he did not have any option left for himself. He had a firm belief in God. He was an ox of a man but lacked money to stand again.

4.  “I wish I had the faith of the man.” Describe Lencho’s character in the light of the above statement.

Ans: Lencho was a hardworking farmer. He laboured like an ox. He had good knowledge of farming and knew his crop needed a downpour to give him good yield.

Lencho had great faith in God. He knew how to read and write. He wrote a letter to God for help when his crops were totally ruined by hailstones.

He was a simple and innocent farmer. He could not reason out things. He blamed the post-office employees for cheating him of thirty pesos and called them ‘a bunch of crooks’.

But Lencho was a caring head of the family. He got sad and worried that his family would have to go hungry.

5.  Answer the following questions :

What did the postmaster need to answer the letter? How did he collect it?

How did Lencho react to the help?

Ans: (i) Lencho’s crop had been destroyed. He needed God’s help. So he wrote a letter to God. He posted the letter. At the post-office, a postman took the letter out of the letter-box. He laughed on reading the address. He showed the letter to the postmaster. The postmaster also laughed. But he praised Lencho’s firm faith in God. He did not want to shake this faith. He was very kind. He decided to help Lencho. He and the postoffice employees collected some money. The postmaster gave a part of his salary. They put the money into an envelope and addressed it to Lencho.

(ii) The next Sunday, Lencho came to the post-office. He asked if there was any letter for him. The postman gave him the envelope. Lencho opened the letter. He found that the money was less than what he had requested for. He thought that God could not have made a mistake. He wrote another letter to God. He asked God to send him the rest of the money. But he should not send it through the mail as the post-office employees were a bunch of crooks.

6.  Write the story of Lencho’s faith in God.

Ans: Lencho was a simple farmer. He was very hard-working. But one year, his harvest was completely destroyed by the hailstorm. He had firm faith in God. He wrote a letter to God asking for a hundred pesos. The postmaster saw the letter. He decided to help Lencho. He collected money from his employees. He gave some part of his own salary also. But the money was less than what Lencho had asked for. The postmaster put the money into an envelope and addressed it to Lencho. Next Sunday, Lencho came to collect his letter. When he counted the money, he became angry. He wrote another letter to God. He asked God to send him the rest of the money. But he asked Him not to send the money through the mail as the employees of the postoffice were a bunch of crooks.

7.  Why did Lencho need God’s help?

Ans:Lencho was a simple farmer. He was very hard-working. His crops had always been good. One year, he wished that there should be some rain, so that his crop would be better. Lencho was sure that the rain would come. In the evening, it started raining. But soon the rain changed into a hailstorm. The hails fell on the house, the garden, the hillside and the corn-field. The field looked white as if it had been covered with salt. No leaves were left on the trees. The flowers were gone from the plants. Lencho’s crop was completely destroyed. His heart was filled with sorrow. But he had faith in God. He was sure that God would help him. He wanted God’s help for sowing seed and for living until the next harvest. 


Q. 2. Lencho seemed to be an impulsive man who felt suddenly elated at the rainfall and later became sad to see the destruction which the rain had caused. Did he lack tolerance? Did he not have the courage to face the challenges of life? Elucidate it discussing the values one must possess to face any type of situation in about 100-120 words.
Ans. Lencho was a hard working farmer. He had grown corn in his field and was anxiously hoping for a good rain. He was very happy to see the rain, but he became despaired on seeing the destroyed crop in his field by the storm. No doubt, he had tolerance and the courage to face the challenges in his life. He had a very firm and deep faith in God and after the destruction of his field, he was still hopeful that everything will be all right. Although Lencho was a very strong man and worked hard in his fields, but his firm faith in God made him write a letter to God. And the tolerance in him only kept him waiting for the reply. He asked for hundred Pesos from God and was confident of receiving the amount. He accepted seventy pesos and again faced the situation by writing a second letter, emanding for the rest of the thirty pesos. His faith in God was not shaken. He tackled the situation bravely. In the same way we should face all situations courageously, we should be tolerant and never loose faith in God.

Q. 3. The Post Master represents the people who still believe in helping others. Mention those values of the Post Master which you would like to emulate. Write it in about 100-120 words.
Ans. The postmaster represents a bunch of people like Lencho who have faith in God. And they believe in helping others. We learn from the story that still there are people like the Postmaster and the Post Office employees,who help others without any self interest. To keep Lencho’s faith in God intact, the postmaster co-operated with his employees and collected the amount. He had love and empathy towards Lencho when he knew about his situation. He was a compassionate man and even hid his identity in helping Lencho. He sent the amount to Lencho in the name of God. Even though none of the Post Office employees or Post Master were related to Lencho in any manner yet it was a pure act of humanity, kindness and selflessness on their part. The way they all helped Lencho in his hard times even restores our faith in humanity and motivates us to be a noble and kind
person like the Postmaster.

Q. 4. Why did Lencho say the raindrops were like new coins ? How did the same rain change the face of Lencho’s field ?
Ans. Lencho was a poor and hardworking farmer. He hoped for a good crop, but his fields needed rain or atleast a shower. He waited for the rain eagerly. The rain did come. One day it started drizzling. Lencho felt the falling rain drops as ‘new silver coins’. The big drops of rain, according to him, were ten cent coins and the little ones were that of five. He was quite satisfied with the rainfall. But suddenly the strong wind began to blow and with the rain very large hailstones began to fall. It fell for an hour. The rain, which till then, was a hope for better future, changed into destruction. It shattered all his hopes and changed the face of his fields. It destroyed his crop completely. Lencho’s soul was filled with sadness. He feared that he would go hungry for whole year unless someone helped them from imminent starvation.

Q. 5. Write a letter as Lencho to your friend and tell him about the destruction of your crops, about the letter you wrote to God and also about the reply with money that you received. Express your irritation about the Post Office employees also.

Ans. 

17A, Carter Road
Southern Valley
Madagascar
Spain
05th April, 20××
Dear Juan,
Hope this letter of mine will find you hale and hearty. This year I was waiting for good rain, which could shower my corn fields. The rain did come last week but it brought hailstones along with it. The rain had completely ruined my harvest. Me and my family were having nothing to eat. We thought, we will be starving soon. But I had not lost the hope, so I wrote a letter to God and asked him to send me 100 pesos for help. God did help me.After four days, I received a money-order from God. I got the money but not the full amount, which I had asked for. I got only 70 pesos. My 30 pesos are missing which I doubt these Post-Office employees, who are crooks must have kept it for themselves. I don’t trust them at all. Once again I have written a letter to God to send me the balance 30 pesos. I’m sure he will definitely help me again. I’m waiting for God’s reply. 
With love
Lencho.

Match the sentences in Column A with the meanings of ‘hope’ in Column B

A	B
1. Will you get the subjects you want to study in college? I hope so.	— a feeling that something good will probably happen
2. I hope you don’t mind my saying this, but I don’t like the way you are arguing.	— thinking that this would happen (It may or may not have happened.)
3. This discovery will give new hope to HIV/AIDS sufferers.	— stopped believing that this good thing would happen
4. We are hoping against hope that the judges would not notice our mistakes.	— wanting something to happen (and thinking it quite possible)
5. I called early in the hope of speaking to her before she went to school.	— showing concern that what you say should not offend or disturb the other person: a way of being polite
6. Just when everybody had given up hope, the fishermen came back, seven days after the cyclone.	— wishing for something to happen, although this is very unlikely

Ans:

A	B
1. Will you get the subjects you want to study in college? I hope so.	— wanting something to happen (and thinking it quite possible)
2. I hope you don’t mind my saying this, but I don’t like the way you are arguing.	— showing concern that what you say should not offend or disturb the other person: a way of being polite
3. This discovery will give new hope to HIV/AIDS sufferers.	— a feeling that something good will probably happen
4. We are hoping against hope that the judges would not notice our mistakes.	— wishing for something to happen, although this is very unlikely

Extract Based Questions (4 marks each)

Q. 1. Read the passage given below and answer the questions that follow:

In the north-east, huge mountains of clouds could be seen approaching. The air was fresh and sweet. The man went out for no other reason than to have the pleasure of feeling the rain on his body, and when he returned, he exclaimed, “These aren’t raindrops falling from the sky, they are new coins. The big drops are ten cent pieces and the little ones are fives.”

(a) Why did Lencho go out in the rain?

(i) to have the pleasure of feeling the rain on his body.

(ii) to bathe in the rain.

(iii) to collect his corns.

(iv) to cover the roof of his house.

(b) Lencho compared the rain drops to new coins because

(i) they were round in shape.

(ii) good rain means good money.

(iii) Both (i) and (ii)

(iv) they were as hard as coins.

(c) Which word in the extract means the same as ‘coming closer’?

(i) mountains of clouds

(ii) falling

(iii) went out

(iv) approaching      

(d) What are the raindrops compared to?

(i) clouds

(ii) fresh air

(iii) new coins

(iv) big drops

Q. 2. With a satisfied expression he regarded the field of ripe corn with its flowers, draped in a curtain of rain. But suddenly a strong wind began to blow and along with the rain very large hailstones began to fall.

(a) Who was satisfied ?

(i) Lencho

(ii) Postmaster

(iii) God

(iv) None

(b) Why was he satisfied?

(i) to see his crops.

(ii) to see the letter from God.

(iii) to see the rain falling.

(iv) to see the new coins.

(c) Which word in the extract means the same as ‘covered’ ?

(i) to cover

(ii) curtain

(iii) draped

(iv) ripe

(d) Suddenly ___________ began to fall.

(i) rain drops

(ii) snow

(iii) large hailstones

(iv) snow flakes

Ans.

(a) (i) Lencho

(b) (i) to see his crops.

(c) (iii) draped

(d) (iii) large hailstones

Q. 3. The moment the letter fell into the mail box, the post master went to open it. It said, “God :, of the money that I asked for, only seventy pesos reached me. Send me the rest, since I need it very much. But don’t send it to me through the mail because the post office employees are a bunch of crooks.

(a) What did Lencho mean by the ‘rest’?

(i) Fifty pesos

(ii) Forty pesos

(iii) Thirty pesos

(iv) Twenty pesos

(b) Who was in Lencho’s mind when he was writing the letter?

(i) The Post-office staff

(ii) God

(iii) His friend

(iv) His neigbour

(c) Find out a word opposite of ‘honest’ from the passage.

(i) Unhonest

(ii) Dishonest

(iii) Cheats

(iv) Crooks

(d) Who are denoted as a bunch of crooks?

(i) Visitors (ii) Post office employees

(iii) Cleaners of the Post-office

(iv) Passers-by

Ans.

(a) (iii) Thirty pesos

(b) (ii) God

(c) (iv) Crooks

(d) (ii) Post office employees

Q. 4. “God,” he wrote. “If you don’t help me, my family and I will go hungry this year. I need a hundred pesos in
order to sow my field again and to live until the crop comes, because the hail storm.....”

(a) Who is ‘he’ ?
(i) Postmaster
(ii) God
(iii) Lencho
(iv) None

(b) Why did the speaker need money?
(i) to save his family from hunger
(ii) to save his land
(iii) to buy a plough
(iv) to repay his loans

(c) How much money, did the speaker need?
(i) Five hundred pesos
(ii) Four hundred pesos
(iii) Two hundred pesos
(iv) One hundred pesos

(d) Who is ‘you’ in the passage?
(i) Post-master
(ii) Lencho
(iii) God
(iv) Post-office staff

Ans.
(a) (iii) Lencho
(b) (i) to save his family from hunger
(c) (iv) One hundred pesos
(d) (iii) God


Q. 5. So, in order to not to shake the writer’s faith in God, the postmaster came up with an idea : answer the letter.
But when he opened it, it was evident that to answer it, he needed something more than good will, ink and
paper. But he stuck to his resolution : He asked money from his employees.

(a) Who decided to answer the letter ?
(i) The clerk
(ii) The Post office employees
(iii) God
(iv) The Postmaster

(b) The Post master sought whose help to contribute money?
(i) God
(ii) The visitors
(iii) The Government
(iv) Post office employees

(c) Which word in the extract means the same as ‘firm decision’ ?
(i) evident
(ii) resolution
(iii) right decision
(iv) perfect decision

(d) Who is ‘he’ in the passage ?
(i) Clerk
(ii) Lencho
(iii) Post-master
(iv) God
Ans. (a) (iv) The Postmaster
(b) (iv) Post office employees
(c) (ii) resolution
(d) (iii) Post-master


Q. 6. The following Sunday, Lencho came a bit earlier than usual to ask if there was a letter for him. It was the postman himself who handed the letter to him while the postmaster, experiencing the ontentment of a man who has performed a good deed, looked on from his office. Lencho showed not the slightest surprise on seeing the money; such was his confidence – but he became angry when he counted the money. God could not have made a mistake, not could he have denied Lencho what he had requested.

(a) Was Lencho surprised on seeing the money?
(i) a little
(ii) not at all
(iii) very much
(iv) a sort of

(b) Lencho didn’t get 100 pesos from God, it was only __________.
(i) Eighty pesos
(ii) Fifty pesos
(iii) Seventy pesos
(iv) Sixty pesos

(c) Lencho’s belief in God was __________.
(i) strong
(ii) weak
(iii) somewhat strong
(iv) very weak

(d) Who handed the letter to Lencho?
(i) The Post master
(ii) The Clerk
(iii) The Postman
(iv) Stranger

Ans.
(a) (ii) not at all
(b) (iii) Seventy pesos
(c) (i) strong
(d) (iii) The Postman