Question Bank — Footprints 2 — The Thief’s Story

Section A — MCQs (10 questions, 1 mark each)

1. Who does the narrator refer to as “I” in the story?
   a) Anil
   b) Hari Singh
   c) A wrestler
   d) The publisher

2. What is Hari Singh “a fairly successful hand” at?
   a) Cooking
   b) Writing
   c) Stealing
   d) Wrestling

3. Why does Hari Singh change his name every month?
   a) To impress Anil
   b) To stay ahead of the police and former employers
   c) Because he dislikes his real name
   d) To get a new job

4. Assertion (A): Hari Singh finds it difficult to rob Anil.
   Reason (R): Anil is a careless and trusting person who may not even notice the theft.
   a) Both A and R are true and R is the correct explanation of A.
   b) Both A and R are true but R is not the correct explanation of A.
   c) A is true but R is false.
   d) A is false but R is true.

5. What does Hari Singh usually earn extra while buying supplies?
   a) Five rupees
   b) About a rupee a day
   c) Nothing
   d) Fifty rupees

6. Assertion (A): Hari Singh decides to return the stolen money.
   Reason (R): He realises that learning to read and write will help him become a respected man more than stealing.
   a) Both A and R are true and R is the correct explanation of A.
   b) Both A and R are true but R is not the correct explanation of A.
   c) A is true but R is false.
   d) A is false but R is true.

7. How much money does Hari Singh steal from under the mattress?
   a) 500 rupees
   b) 600 rupees in fifties
   c) 1000 rupees
   d) 300 rupees

8. What reaction does Hari Singh expect from Anil after the theft?
   a) Anger
   b) Fear
   c) Only a touch of sadness
   d) Acceptance

9. Why does Anil give Hari Singh a fifty-rupee note the next morning?
   a) He has discovered the theft
   b) He has sold a book and wants to pay Hari regularly
   c) He wants to test Hari
   d) He needs change

10. Which quality of Anil makes robbing him difficult for Hari Singh?
    a) Greed
    b) Carelessness and complete trust
    c) Poverty
    d) Strictness

Section B — Reference to Context (3 extracts, 4 marks each)

Extract 1

“I was still a thief when I met Anil. And though only 15, I was an experienced and fairly successful hand.”

a) Who is the speaker?
b) What does the speaker mean by “fairly successful hand”?
c) Identify the literary device used in the phrase “fairly successful hand”.
d) What does this line tell us about the speaker’s character?

Extract 2

“It’s easy to rob a greedy man, because he can afford to be robbed; but it’s difficult to rob a careless man — sometimes he doesn’t even notice he’s been robbed and that takes all the pleasure out of the work.”

a) Who is the speaker and to whom is he speaking?
b) Explain the meaning of the extract.
c) Identify the literary device in “it’s difficult to rob a careless man”.
d) What inference can be drawn about the speaker’s attitude towards theft?

Extract 3

“Whole sentences, I knew, could one day bring me more than a few hundred rupees. It was a simple matter to steal — and sometimes just as simple to be caught. But to be a really big man, a clever and respected man, was something else.”

a) Who is the speaker and what has just happened?
b) What does the speaker realise about education?
c) Identify one literary device used in the extract.
d) Why does the speaker decide to return to Anil?

Section C — Short Answer (5 questions, 3 marks each)

1. Why does Hari Singh lie about his name and cooking ability when he first meets Anil?
2. How does Anil earn his living and what does this tell us about his nature?
3. Why does Hari Singh feel that robbing Anil is difficult?
4. What thoughts make Hari Singh return the stolen money?
5. How does Anil behave the morning after the theft? What does this reveal about him?

Section D — Long Answer (2 questions, 6 marks each)

1. Draw a character sketch of Hari Singh in 100–120 words.
2. “Trust and education can reform a thief.” Justify the statement with reference to the story “The Thief’s Story” in 100–120 words.

Section E — Language and Writing (2 questions, 4 marks each)

1. From the story, fill in the blanks with the correct form of the words given in brackets:
   Hari Singh was an _ (experience) thief. He used _ (flatter) to make friends. Anil was a _ (trust) person who wanted to _ (education) the boy.

2. Write a diary entry (80–100 words) from Hari Singh’s point of view on the night he returns the money, expressing his conflict and final decision.