Carrier of Words Class 9 Extra Questions and Answers English Chapter 7

Carrier of Words Extra Question Answer

Question 1.

What physical evidence shows the heavy toll Khetaram's job has taken on his body over the years?

Answer:

Khetaram's left shoulder is permanently slumped from carrying a heavy mailbag for the past 15 years.

Question 2.

Why does Khetaram sometimes have to postpone his mail deliveries until after sundown?

Answer:

He postpones deliveries when the severe heat of the desert becomes unbearable and forces him to wait for cooler temperatures in the evening.

Question 3.

How does Khetaram protect himself from the extreme weather of the Thar desert?

Answer:

His khaki turban and uniform serve as his only protection against the scorching summer winds and swirling sandstorms.

Carrier of Words Short Question Answer

Question 4.

Why is the temperature often recorded as 49.9 degrees Celsius even when it crosses 50 degrees?

Answer:

Recording the temperature at exactly 50 degrees Celsius would officially mean a state holiday, halting deliveries, so it is recorded as 49.9 degrees.

Question 5.

What is the essential criterion for someone to be selected as a Gramin Dak Sewak (GDS)?

Answer:

The essential criterion for GDS selection is that the person must have an access to another means of livelihood.

Question 6.

Why did the villagers reject the proposal to replace the GDS with patwaris (village record keepers)?

Answer:

The villagers, like elder Budh Singh, rejected the idea because they knew the patwaris would not be able to do the physically demanding and dedicated job that the GDS does.

Question 7.

How do the villagers react when Khetaram brings them good news, such as birth or a wedding?

Answer:

The villagers offer Khetaram a piece of jaggery to celebrate the auspicious news.

Question 8.

Why is the money order so critical for the survival of families in Khetaram's region?

Answer:

In this dry region, famine is common, and farming usually produces only one crop of bajra in a good year. Because of this, people partly depend on money sent by their relatives to survive.

Carrier of Words Class 9 Extra Question Answer

Question 9.

How did the mandate of the Indian Postal System change after independence?

Answer:

Unlike the British system that relayed company "dak" between administrative centres, India Post's mandate after independence was to bring the entire population within the mailing ambit.

Question 10.

What technological advancement is Khetaram waiting for, and how will it change his role?

Answer:

He is waiting for the arrival of phone lines, which would allow him to become a Gramin Sanchar Sewak whose duty will entail carrying a cell phone along with the post.

Carrier of Words Long Question Answer

Question 1.

Describe the extreme climatic and geographical challenges Khetaram faces daily. How does he demonstrate extraordinary resilience?

Answer:

Khetaram operates in the harshest desert of India, the Thar, just 2.5 km short of the Indo-Pakistan border. He walks up to 20 km a day carrying a mailbag that can weigh up to 28 kilos. He bravely faces temperatures that cross 50 degrees Celsius and swirling sandstorms that turn him into a 'walking sandman'. Despite this, he remains grateful for his job and is always ready to serve the people.

Question 2.

Khetaram is not merely a postman but an integral part of the village's social fabric. Justify this statement with examples from the text.

Answer:

Khetaram's role goes far beyond delivering envelopes. Because he is highly trusted, he comfortably dwells on any threshold to read private letters to the villagers and draft their replies in his shaky handwriting. He shares in their joys, receiving jaggery for good news, and handles their grief with profound sensitivity, ensuring bad news is read outside and then physically destroyed.

Question 3.

Compare and contrast the postal system during the British era with the objectives of India Post after independence.

Answer:

The British postal system in India was primarily set up to relay company "dak" strictly between administrative centres. In stark contrast, after independence, the mandate of India Post shifted to inclusivity, aiming to bring the entire population within the mailing ambit. This resulted in immense growth, expanding from 25,000 post offices in 1947 to over a lakh and a half today.

Question 4.

"Bad news must be destroyed." Explain the context of this statement. What does it reveal about Khetaram's character?

Answer:

Khetaram is afraid of delivering letters with a torn right corner because they bring news of someone's death. He believes such bad news should not be taken inside a home. So, he stands outside, reads the letter aloud to the family, and then tears it up. This shows that Khetaram is kind, understanding, and respectful of the villagers' feelings and traditions.

Question 5.

Describe the economic hardships of the region where Khetaram works. How does the Gramin Dak Sewak job serve as a lifeline for his own family?

Answer:

The region is an arid land where famine is a way of life. Even during a good year, the land only yields a single crop of bajra, which is insufficient to feed Khetaram's family of five. The GDS job acts as a lifeline because it provides an assured income and allows him to work up to the age of 65, ensuring that his family does not starve.

Carrier of Words Extract Based Questions and Answers

Extract 1

"For the last 15 years, he has been a trusted link between the people attached to this Rajasthani village post office and their families. Defying all elements of the harshest desert of India, the Thar, he is the lone face of the state who reaches the far-flung hamlets, or dhaanis, of this remote area just 2.5 km short of the Indo-Pakistan border."

(a) Who is 'he' referred to in these lines?

Answer:

'He' refers to Khetaram, the Gramin Dak Sewak.

(b) What are 'dhaanis'?

Answer:

'Dhaanis' are the far-flung hamlets or small settlements in the desert.

(c) Which desert does he traverse daily?

Answer:

He traverses the Thar desert.

(d) Which word in the extract means 'severest'?

Answer:

harshest

Extract 2

"The essential criterion for GDS selection is access to another means of livelihood. They are required to work only five hours in a day and are also allowed to serve after the age of 60, till the age of 65. All this is so that they can be paid a salary to enable them to have an assured income."

(a) What is the main condition to be selected as a Gramin Dak Sewak?

Answer:

The candidate must have an access to another means of livelihood.

(b) How many hours a day is a GDS required to work?

Answer:

They are required to work only five hours a day.

(c) Up to what age is a GDS allowed to serve?

Answer:

They are allowed to serve till the age of 65.

(d) Why does the postal department apply these specific conditions?

Answer:

These conditions are applied so the department can retain a large workforce to serve remote outposts while providing the workers with an assured supplementary income.

Multiple Choice Questions

Question 1.

What is the maximum weight a Gramin Dak Sewak's load is stipulated to carry?

(a) 15 kilos

(b) 20 kilos

(c) 28 kilos

(d) 35 kilos

Answer:

(c) 28 kilos

Question 2.

What does a letter with a torn right corner signify in Khetaram's village?

(a) A wedding invitation

(b) News of a birth

(c) A money order

(d) News of a death

Answer:

(d) News of a death

Question 3.

What is Khetaram offered when he brings good news to the village?

(a) A cup of tea

(b) A piece of jaggery

(c) A silver coin

(d) A new turban

Answer:

(b) A piece of jaggery

Fill in the Blanks

Question 1.

Khetaram's left shoulder is ............ from years of carrying a mailbag.

Answer:

slumped

Question 2.

Till 2001, Khetaram was known as a ............ before being accepted as a Gramin Dak Sewak.

Answer:

delivery agent

Question 3.

Khetaram is waiting for the arrival of phone lines so he can become a Gramin ............ Sewak.

Answer:

Sanchar

True or False

Question 1.

The British postal system was designed to bring the entire Indian population within the mailing ambit.

Answer:

False (It was set up to relay company dak between administrative centres. India Post adopted the goal of reaching the entire population after independence).

Question 2.

Gramin Dak Sewaks are required to work for eight hours a day.

Answer:

False (They are required to work only five hours in a day).

Question 3.

Gramin Dak Sewaks constitute more than 50 per cent of the total workforce of India Post.

Answer:

True

Question 4.

Khetaram's agricultural land provides enough food to easily feed his family of five all year round.

Answer:

False (In a good year, he gets one crop of bajra which cannot feed his family of five, meaning they would starve without his job).

Class 9 English Extra Questions