ABK –SSJ Class X
CH-9 The Proposal
CLASS X :ENGLISH LITERATURE :FIRST FLIGHT
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ABK -SSJ
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1. Chubokov the suspicious one accused Lomov when he comes to his house. Explain. (CBSE 2009, 2011,2023)
Or
Why does Chubukov suspect Lomov when he comes to his house?
Ans. Chubukov is surprised at Lomov's sudden and unexpected visit. He wonders why Lomov is dressed so formally.
Chubukov pretends to be polite to him and he thinks Lomov must have come to borrow some money from him.
2. Why does Ivan Lomov come to meet Stepan Chubukov? What does Chubukov think he has come for? How do
you know? (CBSE 2008)
Ans. Ivan Lomov comes to meet Stepan Chubukov to ask for his daughter, Natalya's hand in marriage. But
Chubukov thinks that Lomov has come to borrow money from him. We know because Chubukov himself voices this
reason for Lomov's coming to meet him.
3. Why is Chubukov surprised at Lomov's wearing of a formal evening dress when Lomov comes to meet him?
(CBSE 2008)
Ans. Lomov is Chubukov's neighbour and he gives Chubukov a surprise visit. So, Chubukov is surprised at his
formal evening attire and wonders why Lomov has come in this formal get-up to his house even though Chubukov
has not invited him for a formal get-together.
4. How did Chubukov react when Lomov asked for the hand of his daughter in marriage? (CBSE 2023)
Ans. Chubukov is very happy to know that Lomov has come to ask for the hand of his daughter in marriage. He
embraces and kisses Lomov and says he had been hoping for this for a long time. He even sheds a tear and tells
Lomov he had always loved him as if he were his own son.
5. What was Lomov's opinion about Squeezer? (CBSE 2004)
Ans. Lomov considered Squeezer an overshot, which meant that the dog was a bad hunter. He was sure that the
dog's lower jaw was shorter than the upper. He thought a dog like Squeezer would be found under almost every
bush.
6. Justify, in brief, the title of the play "The Proposal"? (CBSE 2009)
Ans. The title of the play 'The Proposal' is justified because essentially the theme of the play is about Lomov's
marriage proposal to Chubukov's daughter Natalya. He does end up in a silly argument with the father and daughter
but the moment his intention about the proposal is revealed everything becomes normal.
7. The quarrel over Green Meadows is finally resolved. Explain. (CBSE 2023)
Ans. Both Lomov and Natalya claim ownership over Green Meadows. Chubukov and Natalya insult Lomov and the
latter stomps out of their house. However, when Natalya gets to know that Lomov had come to propose to her, she
relents and sends her father to bring Lomov back, thus resolving their quarrel.
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8. Chekov has used humour and exaggeration in his play to comment on marriage and courtship in his Ans. times.
Illustrate with examples from the lesson "The Proposal". (CBSE 2016)
Ans. The play 'The Proposal' is all about Lomov's marriage proposal to Chubukov's daughter, Natalya. Chekov has
used stereotypes such as Lomov, a physically weak and mentally unstable man, the shrewd Natalya, who is an
excellent housekeeper but also stupid and quarrelsome and her hypocrite father, Chubukov to create humour.
Exaggerated actions with little common sense are shown in the play, for instance, Lomov who gulps down water,
puts his hand over his heart, runs to the door and staggers out. The change of feelings from cordiality to hurling of
insults, Lomov calling Chubukov a 'Swindle' and his returning insult to Lomov terming him 'intriguer'. There is no
serious issue of dispute between Lomov and Natalaya. They quarrel over the petty issue of the ownership of the
Oxen Meadows, to a trivial matter like the superiority of their respective dogs. Elements of exaggeration and
absurdity mar the relationship involving love and romance.
9. What is the play 'The Proposal' about? Do you feel that there is any serious issue of dispute? Which negative
traits in the characters may be changed for the better in your point of view? (CBSE 2009,2012)
Ans. The play 'The Proposal' is all about two landowners, Chubukov and Lomov and Lomov's marriage proposal to
Chubukov's daughter, Natalya and how it gets sidetracked twice due to the quarrelsome attitudes of the would be
life partners. There is no serious issue of dispute between Lomov and Natalya. They first quarrel over the petty issue
of the ownership of the Oxen Meadows. Then they quarrel over the superiority of their respective dogs. Both the
issues are unimportant as Lomov and Natalya get married eventually. Lomov appears to be a physically weak and
mentally unstable man. Natalya is an excellent housekeeper but also stupid and quarrelsome. If Lomov was a strong
and determined man he would not have let the argument go out of hand. Had Natalya been smart and intelligent she
would have handled the entire situation rationally.
10. Neighbours must have a cordial relationship which Lomov and Natalya do not have. Describe the first fight
between them. (CBSE 2016)
Ans. Lomov and Natalya are next-door neighbours. Lomov comes to Natalya's place to propose to her. But in their
very first meeting itself we get to see a glimpse of things that are to be expected in their married life. In spite of
being rich they quarrel over a small piece of land, 'Oxen Meadows'. Lomov says his aunt's grandmother gave the free
use of these Meadows to the peasants of Natalya's father's grandfather in return for which they were to make bricks
for her. Natalya does not agree with Lomov and offers to make a present of it to Lomov who outrightly rejects her
suggestion. The would-be couple are rather materialistic and do not possess the qualities of tolerance and
compassion for the other person's feelings.
11.Give the character sketch of Natalya. (CBSE 2008)
Ans. Natalya was Chubukov's twenty-five year old daughter. She is rather talkative and extremely concerned about
her family's honour and possessions. She is good at arguing and leaves no stone unturned to prove to Lomov that
Oxen Meadows rightfully belongs to her family. She says she can't stand unfairness and believes Lomov is being
unfair to them by claiming his right over Oxen Meadows. She loses her cool with Lomov but the moment she comes
to know that Lomov had come to propose marriage to her she gets frantic to call him back as she is desperate to
marry him.
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Extract Based Questions
12.Read the following extract and answer the questions that follow : (CBSE 2023)
Lomov :But you can see from the documents, honoured Natalya Stepanovna. Oxen Meadows, its true were once the
subject of dispute, but now everybody knows they are mine. There's nothing to argue about. You see my aunts
grandmother gave the free use of these Meadows in perpetuity to the peasants of your father's grandfather, in return
for which they were to make bricks for her. The peasants belonging to your father's grandfather had the free use of
Meadows for forty years, and had got into the habit of regarding them as their own, when it happened that.............
Natalya : No, it isn't at all like that! Both grandfather and great grandfather reckoned that their land extended to
Burnt Marsh - which means Oxen Meadows were ours. I don't see what there is to argue about, its simply silly.
(i)The subject of dispute was regarding
(a) free use of Meadows.
(b) making of bricks.
(c) peasants using Meadows.
(d) ownership of Meadows.
Ans. (d) ownership of meadows
(ii)Find the word from the extract which means 'continuance':
(a) dispute
(b) perpetuity
(c) belonging
(d) reckoned
Ans. (b) – perpetuity
(iii)Lomov's aunt's grandmother gave Oxen Meadows to Natalya's father's grandfather in lieu of ................
Ans. (c)making bricks for Lomov’s aunt’s grandmother.
(iv) According to Natalya why did Oxen Meadows belong tothem?
Ans. her grandfather and great grandfather thought oxen meadows extended to Burnt Marsh.
(v)Fill in the blank with ONE WORD only:
The peasants had free use of Meadows for________________years.
Ans.forty
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