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3. Why is the author deeply embarrassed the next day in school? Which wor ds show her, fear and insecurity?, , Ans. The author and her mother had moved to their grandmother's house after the tragedy,, She had no clothes or shoes to wear as everything was swallowed by the fire. Her mother, would not allow her to stay at home, so she went to school wearing clothes in which she, looked weird. She felt embarrassed because of this, and also because she did not have a, bag or books to work with. She expresses her insecurity by saying, “Was I destined to be, , ae I just wanted to curl up and die”. All the security,, she had known, had been ripped away., , 4. The cat and the author are very fond of each other. How has this been shown in the, story? Where was the cat after the fire? Who brings it back and how?, , Ans. The author would go every day while the rubble was being cleared in the hope that, she would find her vulnerable little kitten. She was recollecting their interaction every, morning and missing her immensely. One day, as she sat with her friends on the curb,, she noticed a lady coming up with a kitten in her hand. The author leapt up and grabbed, her off the lady’s arms, and hugged her. The little one had run off because of the fire,, The lady enquired, who the cat belonged to, and returned her to the rightful owner., , 5. What actions of the schoolmates change the author’s understanding of life and people,, and comfort her emotionally? How, does her loneliness vanish and how does she start, participating in life?, , Ans. The author had gone to the school with a lot of bitterness and hesitation. She was, however in for a great surprise, when all her schoolmates had donated school supplies,, notebooks, and different kinds of clothes, when they got to know about the tragedy. Zan, was overwhelmed, and it felt like Christmas. It would not be wrong to say that the fire had, ironically brought a positive change in the child. She developed a better understanding, of life, and people. She gathered friends and began living life to its fullest. The actions, of her schoolmates created a very significant change in her., , 6. What is the meaning of “My cat was back and so was I”? Had the author gone anywhere?, Why does she say that she is also back?, , Ans. As the author sat with her friends and the cat curled up in her lap, all the overwhelming, feelings of loss and tragedy seemed to diminish. She felt grateful for her life, her new, found friends, the kindness of the lady, who rescued her cat, and the purr of her beloved, four legged friend, her cat. The line above means that she had secured and recovered, her original identity once more. She was once again the junior school girl who loved life., She had not gone anywhere physically, but mentally had got lost in a lonely world with, depression as her only companion. With the arrival of her cat, she feels that she has als0, come back to being herself in every sense., , ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS, , Short Answer Questions (30-40 words: 2 Marks act), 1. Is it normal to feel lost and lonely in new surroundings?, , Ans. It is normal for one to feel lost and depressed in unfamiliar surroundings. Just like Zan, did, when she moved from her junior school to the higher school She felt detached, from everyone, and probably did not make an attem ;, with her peers as she should have. It needed a major, , her life., , Pt to interact and communica!’, tragedy to change the course ®