KSEEB Solutions for Class 10 English Prose Chapter 2 There’s a Girl by the Tracks!

Students can Download English Lesson 2 There’s a Girl by the Tracks! Questions and Answers, Summary, Notes Pdf, Activity, KSEEB Solutions for Class 10 English helps you to revise the complete Karnataka State Board Syllabus and to clear all their doubts, score well in final exams.

Karnataka State Syllabus Class 10 English Prose Chapter 2 There’s a Girl by the Tracks!

There’s a Girl by the Tracks! Questions and Answers, Summary, Notes

Check Your Understanding:

Question 1.
“It’s a regular scene”. What was regular about the scene? (para 1)
Answer:
The sight of commuters swarming out and into the twelve packed coaches of the Mumbai suburban electric train when it made its 20-second halt was regular about the scene.

Question 2.
“Roma Talreja tried to settle into a corner near the door in the train”. Was she right in doing this? What would you have done, if you were there?
Answer:
No, she was not right to settle into a comer especially near the door. The train was crowded and people were not able to stand safely. Space is less. If I was there, I adjust myself and go inside as much as possible.

Question 3.
“There’s a girl by the tracks”, the voices cried out. Whose voices do you think those were?
Answer:
It was the voices of the passengers of another train moving in the opposite direction.

Question 4.
Baleshwar was impulsive in taking a decision because ________________
(Fill in the blank appropriately) (para 3)
Answer:
He grabbed the train’s red emergency chain and pulled it down frantically. He must be one of those who does not think twice about helping others.

Question 5.
The dictionary says ‘callous’ means ‘unconcerned’. In this situation, who do you think were ‘callous’ towards the accident?
Answer:
The passengers of the trains in which Roma and Baleshwar were traveling.

Question 6.
Baleshwar rushed to help the girl’. His movement has been described with verbs like ‘shoved’. Identify two more such verbs / verbal phrases in para 5.
Answer:
Jumped off, sprint back.

Check Your Understanding:

Question 1.
Where did Baleshwar find Roma at last?
Answer:
Baleshwar found Roma sprawled by the side of the tracks.

Question 2.
“Behenji, aap theek hai?” But there was no response and no help in sight. Why was it so? Read paragraph 6 and answer.
Answer:
When Roma fell on the tracks, she had a deep cut behind her head and the blood flowing out. She lost her consciousness. So she was not able to respond. Generally, the people are not walking between the tracks so no help in sight. Roma had Men from the train on the tracks which was far of five kilometers apart. The place was deserted.

Question 3.
Fill in the table with appropriate details.

Answer:

Check Your Understanding:

Question 1.
Who volunteered to help Baleshwar?
Answer:
A tempo-truck driver, a middle-aged man who spoke Gujarati.

Question 2.
“Roma stirred and her eyes fluttered open”. What could have made her react so?
Answer:
When the vehicle lurched forward, the sudden movement might have made Roma regain her consciousness.

Question 3.
Some details of Roma’s brother are given in paragraph 12. Read and fill in the columns appropriately.

Answer:

Check Your Understanding:

Question 1.
“Oh, I couldn’t thank him”, Baleshwar thought. Who do you think he couldn’t thank?
Answer:
Baleshwar couldn’t thank the tempo-truck driver who had helped Baleshwar in bringing Roma to the hospital.

Question 2.
Why did Baleshwar revisit the spot where Roma had fallen?
Answer:
Baleshwar revisited the spot to look for Roma’s belongings as Roma’s brother had told Baleshwar that her cell phone and handbag were missing.

Question 3.
Baleshwar got some assurance from a railway employee. What was that?
Answer:
A railway employee assured Baleshwar that some of Roma’s belongings had been found.

Question 4.
Roma said, “I think it’s astonishing”. What was astonishing?
Answer:
It was astonishing that a total stranger could jump off the train, risking his own life to save the life of another.

Think about the Text:

Question 1.
Some incidents relating to Roma Talreja are given below. Put them in the right order.
n) Roma lost her foothold.
b) The train hurtled ahead.
c) Roma was thrown out of the coach.
d) Roma was jammed between two women.
e) Roma panicked.
Answer:
b. The train hurtled ahead.
d. Roma was jammed between two women.
a. Roma lost her foothold.
e. Roma panicked.
c. Roma was thrown out of the coach.

Question 2.
Baleshwar jumped into action to save the girl. His actions in doing so are given in a jumbled manner. Set them in the right sequence, as in the text.
a) Baleshwar crossed the track.
b) He carried the girl.
c) He saw the girl bleeding.
d) He requested motorists to help him.
e) He prayed silently.
Answer:
a. Baleshwar crossed the track. (Please note that in the lesson it is given that Baleshwar ran back between the tracks. He crossed the track only after lifting the girl. However, in rearranging the sentences into a paragraph, the sentence with the proper noun should come before the sentences with the pronoun. Hence we have to take ‘a’ as the opener.)
c. He saw the girl bleeding, e. He prayed silently.
b. He carried the girl.
d. He requested motorists to help him.

Question 3.
Write briefly the personal details such as qualification and profession of Roma Talreja and Baleshwar Mishra after discussion with your classmates.
Answer:
Roma Talreja was a 21 year old B.Com. graduate who worked for a call centre. Baleshwar Mishra was a high school dropout who was on a job hunt. If Roma hailed from Pune, Baleshwar was from Mirzapur. Thus we see that there wasn’t a single aspect which was common to both. Yet fate connected the two of them in a strange way.

Question 4.
“Take the girl to Airoli”, suggested the cop. But Baleshwar disagreed. Why did he do so?
Answer:
Though the cop suggested taking the girl to Airoli, Baleshwar disagreed because Airoli is 10 kilometers away from that place.

Question 5.
Some incidents mentioned in paragraph 12 are given in a jumbled order below. Arrange them sequentially.
a) The on-duty physician advised Baleshwar to take Roma to a nearby hospital.
b) Baleshwar and Roma Talreja arrived at a small hospital.
c) The nurses in the hospital helped Baleshwar to take the young woman in.
d) The hospital lacked the facility and personnel to treat Roma.
Answer:
b. Baleshwar and Roma Talreja arrived at a small hospital.
c. The nurses in the hospital helped Baleshwar to take the young woman in.
d. The hospital lacked the facility and personnel to treat Roma.
a. The on-duty physician advised Baleshwar to take Roma to a nearby hospital.

Question 6.
Was Baleshwar right in asking Roma her name while she lay in a critical condition? Justify your answer.
Answer:
Yes, though she lay a critical condition, it is absolutely necessary to know her family members, etc., because he should inform them about her.

Question 7.
“Baleshwar had a good memory”. Do you agree? Give examples to support your view.
Answer:
Yes, when Roma gave him her brother’s name and phone number, Baleshwar was not in a position to take down the details. Yet, he was able to call Dinesh on his phone after borrowing the cell phone of the tempo-truck driver as he had memorized the name and the number.

Question 8.
The doctor at the Divine Multi-Speciality Hospital admitted Roma without any formalities. What made him do so?
Answer:
Roma had severe injuries on her head, and the blood was flowing from the cut. So the doctor understood the critical condition of the situation and admitted her without any formalities.

Question 9.
If Baleshwar had not come forward to help Roma, what would have happened to her?
Answer:
If Baleshwar had not come forward to help Roma, her condition could have become worse. She had a deep cut behind her head and bleeding and she had lost her consciousness. At that stage she needed help. If there is no help she would have bleed to death.

Question 10.
How did the truck driver help Baleshwar?
Answer:
The tempo-truck driver volunteered to help Baleshwar. He came forward and assisted Baleshwar to lift Roma, to the back of his truck. He drove them to the hospital in his truck.

Question 11.
Baleshwar felt that the people of Mumbai were afraid. What were they afraid of, in his opinion?
Answer:
Baleshwar felt that Mumbai people were afraid, they had fear of getting trapped in the courts or with the police.

Question 12.
The Dalai Lama says, “Love and compassion are the true religions to me. But to develop this, we do not need to believe in any religion”. Does this relate to the lesson ‘There is a Girl by the Tracks’? How?
Answer:
When Baleshwar jumped off the train to save Roma, he only knew that there was a girl by the track. He had absolutely no idea of her age, caste, status etc. It was just one human being’s instinct to help another. It shows that love and compassion are the true religious values to be followed. When people fight in the name of religion, they should remember such acts of kindness and nobility.

Enrich your vocabulary:

Task 1: Verbs related to different actions are given below. Pick them and put them in their respective columns. Note that some words may fit into more than one column. Refer to a dictionary if necessary.

tell, grab, pray, squeeze, glance, hurtle, observe, chat, snatch, plead, peep, utter, beg, shove, talk, clutch, implore, rush, stare, hold, appeal, dash, gaze, articulate, run.

Answer:

Task 2: Use the above words meaningfully to fill in the blanks in the following sentences. You can change the form of the word if required. One example is given.

Five of us squeezed ourselves into the back seats.
English people love to________ about the weather.
Arun ________ Shaila close and wiped away her tears.
I haven’t ________ to Steve about all this.
All club members have been ________ to attend the annual meeting.
Sudha ________ over her shoulder.
The thief ________ away her purse and ran.
Would you mind ________ to fetch the kids from school?
Veena ________ at me in disbelief.
Many people are unable to ________ the unhappiness they feel.

Answer:

squeezed.
chat
held
talked
implored
peeped
snatched
going
stared
articulate

Task 3: A paragraph is given below based on the text. Some words are underlined. Substitute these words with phrases and idioms making use of the clues given in brackets with necessary changes or additions.

Baleshwar Mishra was a bold young man. Even when his life was at risk (face-to-face death), he never had a second thought. Rather he determined (make ________ mind) to save the life of the girl. He was doing all he could, while others stood watching him silently (tongue-tie). None supported (back. ________ up) except a tempo-truck driver. After a while, he carried the girl to a hospital and forced (arm-twist) the duty doctor to admit the girl. What can we make out of this incident? Some people like Baleshwar remain undisturbed (keep cool) in moments of crisis.

Note the words given in brackets in the task above. What is the underlying or common feature of all the idioms and phrases? (e.g.: face-to-face with death, made up his mind)
even when he was face-to-face with death.
rather he made up his mind to save the life of the girl,
while others stood watching him tongue-tied.
none backed him up
and arm-twisted
like Baleshwar keep cool.
All the idioms and phrases refer to the parts of the human body.

Read and respond:

Task 1: Look at the picture in column ‘A’. Some statements are made in column ‘B’ about the actions as seen in ‘A’. Some of the statements are wrong, and some of them are right. If they are wrong, correct them. If they are right mark (✓).

Answer:

Wrong. A woman is walking with a child.
Right.
Wrong. Two cows are seen in the picture.
Right.
Right.
Wrong. There is no river in the picture.
Wrong. In the background, there are only trees; not a forest.

Task 2: Look at the picture. Try to describe what you see in the picture. Some clues are given. One is done for you.

Answer:

There are many people in the picture
Some people are marching in a procession
A child is drawing a bow.
Two women are chatting,
Some children are running.
A man is selling balloons.

Practice writing:

Task 2: Work in pairs and write a letter to the editor column, focusing on the problems of your locality.

Ramachandra Bhat
26, 14th main, K.V. Layout
Bangalore 560 076
12 August 2019
The Editor
Times of India
Bangalore

Dear Editor,
Through the columns of your esteemed newspaper, I wish to draw the attention of the authorities concerned to the insanitary conditions in our area; K.V. Layout.

In our area the sweepers are very careless. They do not sweep the roads, streets and lanes regularly. Heaps of refuse and garbage can be seen everywhere. Flies settle on them and they have become the perfect breeding places for mosquitoes.

Gutters are overflowing and the dirty water gives off very nasty smell. Pools of dirty water are causing a lot of trouble to the residents. If immediate steps are not taken for the cleanliness of this area, dangerous diseases such as cholera, malaria and typhoid may break out. . Not to mention the condition of the roads here. After the roads were relaid about two years ago, nothing has been done for its upkeep. Though the municipal workers fill the potholes now and then, the effect is only temporary. There are potholes every few metres. During the rainy season, these become muddy pools of water. Driving on the road, especially at night, is dangerous. A few accidents have occurred already.

I hope the authorities concerned will see the gravity of the matter and some measures will be adopted to relieve the residents of mental agony.

Thank you
Yours faithfully
___________

Task 3: Prepare a questionnaire.

Imagine you are a correspondent of an English daily and you have to interview the following persons on the issue ‘Safety measures taken with regard to traffic and the public response’.

Superintendent of Police
Traffic Inspector and
Local MLA.

Prepare a set of questions to interview each one of the above. One example is done for you.
Note: Only questions for the interview are given, not the replies.

First set: Superintendent of police:

Good morning Sir / Madam. I’m Kumar. I’m a reporter from an English daily.
Sir / Madam, I’ve some questions. Could you spare some time for me, please?
In recent days, traffic is usually heavy. Accidents are on the increase. May I know what measures have been taken in this regard?
There are potholes on roads almost everywhere. How do you think we can prevent accidents?
Well, Sir / Madam, what do you suggest to the public to maintain road safety?
Banners, buntings and advertisements are a nuisance in maintaining safety on roads. Your comments please.
Youths, especially teens, drive erratically. What advice would you like to give them?
Sir / Madam, on behalf of our media I’m highly thankful to you.

Second set: Traffic Inspector

Good morning Sir. I’m Gayathri Singh from the Times of India. Hope I’m not disturbing you.
May I request you to spare a few minutes of your valuable time to answer a few questions in the interest of the public?
Sir, all of us know that traffic in Bangalore has reached a critical situation and unless totally radical measures are introduced, the situation will not change. Lives will be lost for a toss. May I know what steps your department has taken in this regard?
The projects that you have mentioned would incur huge expenses. Is the department ready to shell out such a big amount?
What will be the source of this amount?
Will it be a joint project with any other department?
To which company have you given the contract?
May we know by when your projects will get completed?
Thank you Sir. Can I click your picture for publication?
Thank you once again.

Third set: Local MLA

Good morning Sir. Thank you for agreeing to give an interview despite your busy schedule.
Sir, you have always been known for your innovative ideas. What innovative ideas do you have, to ensure the safety of the citizens with regard to traffic?
Sir, you are a visionary. So, I’m interested in knowing if your vision of the safety of our citizens with regard to traffic is positive or negative.
Sir, your answer shows that you are an optimist. But the public will rest assured only when they come to know of a concrete, time-bound action plan. Could I know whether you will be tabling one in the meeting this evening?
Sir, can I have a copy and do I have your permission to publish it in tomorrow’s newspaper?
Thank you sir for being so forthcoming in your answers unlike other politicians who prevaricate. We now hope for some effective measures.

Learn Grammar through Communication

Task 2: Choose the correct verb out of the two given in brackets:

Neither he nor you __________ wrong, (is / are)
His father and uncle __________ their own business, (has / have)
The first innings __________ very interesting, (was / were)
Either Amrutha or her friends __________ taken it.(has / have)
Every one of the boys __________ sitting silent in the hall. (was / were)
Every leaf __________ fallen from this tree, (has / have)
Each of the boys __________ done his homework, (has / have)
He, as well as you, __________intelligent, (is / are)
Bread and butter __________ his daily diet, (were / was)
Either you or he __________ done it. (has / have)
One of the boys punished, (was / were)
Neither the children nor their mothers admitted to hospital, (were / was)

Answer:

is
have
was
have
was
has
has
is
was
has
was
were

Task 3: Read the following paragraph. A blank is given after each number. If the underlined word is correct write (C) in the blank. If the underlined word is wrong, write the right form of the word in the blank.

Everyone who have (1) e.g., has ever been to a graduation ceremony know (2) __________ how exciting it can be for the graduates. In our town, nearly the whole population comes (3) __________ C __________each year. There are (4) __________ one thing that both graduates and guests eniov (5) __________ the awarding of scholarships. This ceremony, along with the concluding exercises makes (6) __________ attending the graduation worthwhile. Several of the students who receives (7) ________ awards plan (8) __________ to attend the community college. Many former graduates is (9) __________ grateful for opportunities that such an award provides (10) __________ to them.
Answer:

has
knows
C
is
C
C
receive
C
are
C

Make Reference:

Task 1: Some sentences are given below. In each sentence, the word ‘compose’ is used. Identify the meaning given below and write the corresponding number in the boxes.

Compose (verb)

1. consist of
2. combine together to form
3. make up
4. write a piece of music
5. write a letter or poem
6. try hard to become calm after feeling very angry, upset or excited
7. to arrange the parts of a painting, photograph or scene in a way that achieves a particular result.

1. Nayana sat at the desk, taking several deep breaths to compose herself. ( 6 )
2. Water is composed of hydrogen and oxygen. ( ) ,
3. A.R. Rahman has composed music for the film ‘Kocchadian’. ( )
4. The legal system is composed of people and people make the legal system. ( )
5. More than 17.6 million firms compose the business sector of our economy. ( )
6. I like the way Ravi composes his photographs. ( )
Answer:
1.(6), 2.(3), 3.(4), 4.(1), 5.(2), 6.(7).

There’s a Girl by the Tracks! Additional Questions and Answers

Answer the following questions in a word or a sentence each:

Question 1.
Which is the metropolis being referred to?
Answer:
Mumbai.

Question 2.
What is a regular scene in Mumbai?
Answer:
Commuters swarming in and out of trains is a regular scene in Mumbai.

Question 3.
How old was Roma Talreja?
Answer:
Twenty-one.

Question 4.
How did Roma land up on the tracks?
Answer:
Roma had slipped in the compartment and been thrown off the train.

Question 5.
How old was Baleshwar Mishra?
Answer:
Twenty years old.

Question 6.
When did the incident narrated take place?
Answer:
On December 10, 2010.

Question 7.
Where did Roma Talreja work?
Answer:
Roma Talreja worked at a call centre.

Question 8.
What was the name of Roma’s fiance?
Answer:
Vijay.

Question 9.
Where was Baleshwar Mishra from?
Answer:
Baleshwar Mishra was from Mirzapur in Uttar Pradesh.

Question 10.
Why do you think Baleshwar’s job hunt proved fruitless?
Answer:
Baleshwar was a high-school dropout and in the present time when well-educated people find it hard to find a job, it would be next to impossible for Baleshwar to find one.

Question 11.
Who helped Baleshwar take Roma to the hospital?
Answer:
A tempo-truck driver who spoke Gujarati.

Question 12.
Where did the policeman suggest that the girl be taken?
Answer:
To a hospital in Airoli.

Question 13.
Why did Baleshwar not take the girl to Airoli?
Answer:
Baleshwar did not take the girl to Airoli as it was at least ten kilometers away and also because he knew of a hospital much closer.

Question 14.
What was the name of Roma’s brother?
Answer:
Dinesh Talreja.

Question 15.
Where was Dinesh employed?
Answer:
Dinesh was in a marketing job at a retail outlet in Ulhasnagar.

Question 16.
In which hospital was Roma finally admitted?
Answer:
At the Divine Multi-speciality and Research Centre in Ghansoli.

Question 17.
Who was the Medical Director of Divine Multi-speciality and Research Centre?
Answer:
Dr. Anil Agarwal.

Question 18.
Why did Baleshwar revisit the spot where Roma had fallen?
Answer:
Baleshwar revisited the spot looking for her belongings, that is, her cell phone and handbag.

Question 19.
Why was Roma astonished?
Answer:
Roma was astonished because a complete stranger had risked his life to save her.

Question 20.
Why are the people of Mumbai afraid, according to Baleshwar?
Answer:
According to Baleshwar, people are afraid of getting involved, of getting trapped in the courts or with the police.

Answer the following questions in 2-3 sentences each:

Question 1.
What happened to Baleshwar as he jumped off the still-moving train?
Answer:
When Baleshwar jumped off the still-moving train, he fell and hurt his ankle. The force with which he fell could be surmised from the fact that part of the sole of his rubber slipper was torn off. Fortunately there was no real damage though a burst of pain shot up his ankle. However, Baleshwar ignored his own pain to go in search of the fallen girl.

Question 2.
What were the difficulties faced by Baleshwar after he found Roma?
Answer:
When Baleshwar found Roma, she was unconscious and did not respond to him. Baleshwar had to carry the 50 kilo heavy Roma across the tracks. Even after he reached the road, no one stopped by to help him. For Baleshwar it must have been a both mentally and physically agonizing experience. He had to carry the bleeding girl in his arms and he himself was hurt. However, Baleshwar did not lose confidence.

Question 3.
What does the phrase ‘treading water’ mean? Who is said to be treading water? Why?
Answer:
The phrase ‘treading water’ is an idiom. Someone who is treading water is not doing anything to make progress. Here Baleshwar is said to be treading water because his job hunt had proved fruitless.

Question 4.
Why do you think the truck driver slipped away?
Answer:
After helping Baleshwar admit the girl to a hospital, the truck driver quietly disappeared from the scene. It is possible he was one of those who did things without expecting anything in return or probably he was afraid of getting involved with the police case.

Question 5.
Why did Baleshwar want to thank the truck driver?
Answer:
As Baleshwar stood on the road holding the bleeding girl in his arms, no one helped him take her to the hospital. Just when he had begun to lose hope, a tempo-truck pulled over and, its driver, a middle-aged man who spoke Gujarati, stepped out and helped Baleshwar take her to the hospital. But before Baleshwar could thank him for the noble deed, the man had disappeared, having done his duty.

Question 6.
How did Roma fall by the tracks?
OR
Why had Roma fallen by the tracks?
Answer:
Roma managed to squeeze herself into the crowded ladies compartment of a Mumbai local train and tried to settle into a corner near the door. Suddenly she got pushed, lost her foothold and was thrown out of the coach.

Question 7.
What did Baleshwar Mishra do as soon as he saw the girl lying by the tracks?
Answer:
On seeing the girl by the tracks, Baleshwar immediately pulled the red emergency chain of the train. As the train slowed, he asked the other passengers to come with him to help the girl. No one came forward. Then Baleshwar bravely jumped off the still-moving train and rushed towards the girl.

Question 8.
Who volunteered to help Baleshwar? How did he help him?
Answer:
A tempo truck driver stopped when he saw Baleshwar standing by the road holding the injured girl in his arms. He helped Baleshwar to lay the girl down in the back of his truck and drove them to a small hospital, but it lacked facilities. So he drove them to a bigger hospital where she could be treated well.

Question 9.
How did the doctors at Divine Multi-Specialty Hospital treat Roma?
Answer:
The Medical Director of the hospital saw the extent of Roma’s injuries and immediately admitted her to the ICU without any paperwork. X-rays were taken and the doctors found that she needed surgery. She was taken care of very well and recovered soon.

Question 10.
Why did Baleshwar revisit the spot where Roma had fallen?
Answer:
Roma’s brother, Dinesh, had told him that her cell phone and handbag were missing. So Baleshwar revisited the spot where Roma had fallen. With the help of a railway employee, he was able to recover some of the belongings.

Question 11.
After Roma’s recovery, what did she say about Baleshwar?
Answer:
Roma was amazed to hear about the manner in which she had been rescued. She wondered how a stranger could jump off a train and risk his life for her. She could not imagine what would have happened to her if Baleshwar had not been there. She felt that she could never repay him for what he had done.

Answer the following questions in 5-6 / 8-10 sentences each:

Question 1.
How did the two hospitals respond to Roma when she was taken there?
Answer:
It’s heartening to see that the hospitals didn’t respond in a disgraceful manner. Sometimes even hospitals are indifferent to accident victims and refuse to help. But, fortunately for Roma, if the first hospital gave her first aid, the bigger hospital offered treatment without standing on formalities. However, one question stands unanswered. Why did Baleshwar have to take Roma in the same truck to the next hospital? Shouldn’t the first hospital have arranged for an ambulance? Luckily Roma survived. But the story could have been different if her injury had been of a more serious nature. That is why it’s necessary that we, as citizens of India, impress upon our government the need to revamp the legal implications of helping an accident victim.

Question 2.
After Roma made a full recovery, Baleshwar met her. Briefly describe how Roma thanked him, and what Baleshwar said in reply.
Answer:
After she had made a full recovery, Roma was amazed to know the manner in which she had been rescued and said that she could not imagine what would have happened to her if Baleshwar hadn’t been there. She said that it was astonishing that a stranger would jump off a train and risk his life to save her. She added that she could never repay him. Baleshwar said that though he was new to Bombay he had noticed that the people were afraid of getting involved, of getting trapped in the courts or with the police. Asked why he had helped Roma, he simply answered that she needed help. He added that on that day it was Roma and tomorrow it could be anybody, by the tracks bleeding and alone.

Question 3.
How did Baleshwar save Roma?
OR
How did Baleshwar help the girl on the tracks?
OR
How did Baleshwar manage to take the girl to Divine Multi-Speciality Hospital?
Answer:
As soon as Baleshwar saw a girl lying by the side of the tracks, he pulled the chain, jumped off the train, and ran back to where she had fallen. He found her unconscious, with a gash in the head. He carried the bleeding girl across the tracks. But, even after he reached this road, no one stopped to help him. Fortunately, a tempo truck driver helped Baleshwar take the girl, whose name he learn’t was Roma when she regained consciousness for a brief while, to a nearby hospital. On coming to know that the hospital lacked the required equipment and personnel to treat the girl, the truck driver took them to another bigger hospital, the Divine Multi-Speciality Hospital at Ghansoli. The doctor admitted her immediately without standing on formalities and gave her first aid. As the doctor said, although the injury was not of a very serious kind, if no one had bothered to help Roma, she could have bled to death.

Question 4.
Baleshwar felt that people of Mumbai were afraid. What were they afraid of, in his opinion?
Answer:
Baleshwar felt that people of Mumbai were afraid of getting involved and getting inconvenienced. Baleshwar’s first and natural instinct on seeing a girl by the track was to pull the chain of the train so that he could help the girl. But when he looked at other people, he realized that they were all wary and didn’t want to help the girl. However, this didn’t discourage Baleshwar from helping the girl. He jumped out of the train even as it was moving so that he could reach the girl sprawled on the tracks and help her.

Question 5.
According to the Dalai Lama, ‘Love and compassion are the true religions’.
How does this relate to the lesson ‘There’s a Girl by the Tracks!’?
OR
The Dalai Lama says, “Love and compassion are the true religions to me. But to develop this, we do not need to believe in any religion.”
How can this be related to the lesson ‘There’s a Girl by the Tracks!’? Justify.
Answer:
By caring for a total stranger Baleshwar shows that his religion is of love and compassion. When all the other passengers remained inactive, Baleshwar jumped out of the moving train so as to reach the girl by the tracks before it was too late to help her. In spite of being an uneducated and unemployed youth, Baleshwar showed more refinement than all the others in the train.

He hurt himself and went through a lot of hardship as he carried the girl across the tracks and ran looking for help. After many motorists had driven away showing no concern for the grievously injured girl, a tempo-truck driver showed the same nobility as Baleshwar and helped him get medical help for the girl. Thus we see that two gentlemen who save the life of a girl show that there is still goodness in humanity.

Read the following extracts and answer the questions given below them:

Question 1.
“Now he was treading water, and had resigned himself to the fact that he was running out of options.”
a) What does the phrase ‘treading water’ mean?
b) Who is referred to here?
c) Why is he said to be ‘treading water’?
Answer:
a) Someone who is treading water is not doing anything to make progress.
b) Baleshwar.
c) He is said to be treading water because his job hunt had proved fruitless. He was a high school dropout and in the present time when well-educated people find it hard to find a job, it was next to impossible for Baleshwar to find one.

Question 2.
“There’s a girl by the tracks!”
a) Who cried out?
b) Why was she by the tracks?
c) Who came to her rescue?
Answer:
a) The train passengers.
b) She had lost her balance and was thrown out of the train. She fell by the tracks and in the process lost her consciousness.
c) Baleshwar Mishra.

Question 3.
Let’s go and help her.
a) Who made this cry?
b) Why did she need help?
c) Nobody volunteered to help her. Why?
Answer:
a) Baleshwar.
b) She had lost her balance and fallen off the train. She was lying unconscious by the tracks.
c) According to Baleshwar, people are afraid of getting involved, of getting trapped in the courts or with the police.

Question 4.
I hope I’m not too late.
a) Who is the T referred to?
b) What did he have to do?
c) Why did he hope so?
Answer:
a) Baleshwar.
b) He had to take her to the doctor.
c) He knew that she was hurt badly. He hoped he could help her.

Question 5.
Please help me take her to a hospital.
a) Who requested for help? OR Who is the speaker? OR Who does ‘me’ refer to?
b) Whom did the speaker request for help?
c) Why did the speaker want help?
Answer:
a) Baleshwar.
b) He requested the motorists who drove by.
c) Baleshwar wanted to take the girl who had fallen off the train and was lying unconscious by the tracks, to the hospital.

Question 6.
I can’t imagine what would have happened if Baleshwar hadn’t been there.
a) Who is the ‘I’ mentioned here?
b) What had Baleshwar done?
c) What would have happened?
Answer:
a) Roma Talreja.
b) Baleshwar had saved her life.
c) There are many possibilities. Probably she could have bled to death if he had not helped her.

Question 7.
They fear getting trapped in the courts or with the police.
a) Who said so?
b) Who is ‘they’?
c) What do they fear?
Answer:
a) Baleshwar Mishra.
b) ‘They’ refers to the people.
c) The people fear because they may have to go to the court or police station several times to give witness.

Question 8.
“I can never repay Baleshwar”.
a) Who said this?
b) Who is Baleshwar?
c) Why can’t she repay?
Answer:
a) Roma Talreja.
b) Baleshwar is the young man who helped Roma.
c) Baleshwar had risked his life jumping off the moving train to save her life.

Question 9.
“Chacha, can I borrow your mobile?”
a) Who is referred to as chacha?
b) Who is the speaker?
c) Who did he want to speak to?
d) Why did he want the mobile? OR What did the speaker want to tell him?
Answer:
a) The truck driver.
b) Baleshwar.
c) Roma’s brother, Dinesh.
d) He wanted to inform Dinesh about the accident. So he asked the truck driver for his mobile.

Question 10.
“I think it is an astonishing thing that a stranger jumped off a moving train
and risked his life for me.” ‘
a) What happened to Baleshwar as soon as he jumped off a moving train?
b) Who is the stranger referred here?
c) How did Baleshwar help Roma Talreja?
d) What would have happened if Baleshwar had not come to her help?
Answer:
a) When Baleshwar jumped off the still-moving train, he fell and hurt his ankle.
b) Baleshwar.
c) Though no one came forward to help, Baleshwar carried a bleeding Roma to the hospital.
d) There are many possibilities. Probably she could have bled to death if he had not helped her.

Question 11.
“There’s a closer place I know of,”
a) Who is the speaker?
b) Why did he choose that place?
c) What happened after going to that place?
Answer:
a) Baleshwar Mishra.
b) The cop suggested that Baleshwar take Roma to Airoli which was at least 10 kilometers away. Roma was bleeding profusely and had to be given immediate medical help. So Baleshwar decided to take her to a place which was closer.
c) The hospital lacked the facility and personnel to treat Roma. The on-duty physician advised Baleshwar to take Roma to a nearby hospital.

Question 12.
“I am on my way”
a) Who is ‘I’?
b) Where was he going?
c) Why was he going there?
Answer:
a) Dinesh, Roma’s brother.
b) To Divine Hospital in Ghansoli.
c) His sister had fallen off a train and had been admitted thereby Baleshwar.

Question 13.
“Whom can I call?” he asked quickly, fearing that she would black out once more.
a) Who does ‘V refer to?
b) What did the listener answer?
c) What do you mean by ‘blackout’ here?
Answer:
a) Baleshwar.
b) Dinesh Talreja.
e) Become unconscious.

Question 14.
“I’m new to Mumbai, but I’ve noticed that people here are afraid”.
a) Who was new to Mumbai?
b) Why had he come to Mumbai?
c) What made him feel that the people of Mumbai were afraid?
Answer:
a) Baleshwar Mishra.
b) He had come to Mumbai in search of a job.
c) When Roma was in danger, nobody volunteered to help her and also nobody came forward to help Baleshwar to shift her to the hospital.

Question 15.
“Take the girl to Airoli” suggested the cop. “There’s a hospital there”.
a) Who was to be taken to Airoli?
b) Why did he suggest so?
c) Why did Baleshwar not agree to this?
Answer:
a) Roma Talreja.
b) Because Roma was bleeding profusely.
c) The cop suggested that Baleshwar take Roma to Airoli which was at least 10 kilometres away. Roma was bleeding profusely and had to be given immediate medical help. So Baleshwar decided to take her to a place which was closer.

Question 16.
“Please help me take her to a hospital.”But no one stopped.
a) Who is the speaker?
b) Who does ‘her’ refer to?
c) Why didn’t they stop?
Answer:
a) Baleshwar Mishra.
b) Roma Talreja.
c) People didn’t stop to help Baleshwar because they were afraid of getting involved with court or police.

Question 17.
“Whom can I call?” he asked quickly.
a) Who asked this question?
b) Why did he ask quickly?
c) What was the reply?
Answer:
a) Baleshwar Mishra.
b) Because he feared she (Roma) would blackout or become unconscious again.
c) She replied, ‘My brother Dinesh’.

Multiple Choice Questions

Question 1.
Baleshwar and Roma were alone between two stations in
A) Mumbai.
B) Thane district.
C) Pune district.
D) Mirzapur.
Answer:
B) Thane district.

Question 2.
Baleshwar was a
A) call centre executive.
B) high school dropout.
C) B.Com. graduate.
D) marketing salesman.
Answer:
B) high school dropout.

Question 3.
Baleshwar Mishra came from
A) Thane.
B) Mumbai.
C) Mirzapur.
D) Airoli.
Answer:
C) Mirzapur.

Question 4.
The traffic policeman
A) asked them to pay a fine.
B) told them to take the girl home.
C) asked them what had happened to the girl.
D) told them to take the girl to Airoli.
Answer:
D) told them to take the girl to Airoli.

Question 5.
Baleshwar decided to take the girl
A) home.
B) to Airoli.
C) to a doctor close by.
D) to a hospital close by.
Answer:
D) to a hospital close by.

Question 6.
When Baleshwar asked her whom he could call, Roma told him to call
A) her mother.
B) her father.
C) her sister.
D) her brother.
Answer:
D) her brother.

Question 7.
Dinesh, Roma’s brother, worked in
A) Thane.
B) Pune.
C) Ulhasnagar.
C) Ghansoli.
Answer:
C) Ulhasnagar.

Question 8.
Dinesh Talreja was a
A) call center executive
B) hight school dropout
C) B.com. graduate
D) marketing salesman.
Answer:
D) marketing salesman.

Question 9.
Baleshwar and the tempo-truck driver took Roma to a hospital in
A) Airoli.
B) Ghansoli.
C) Ulhasnagar.
D) Mirzapur.
Answer:
B) Ghansoli.

Question 10.
When Roma finally opened her eyes that night,
A) Roma was alone.
B) Baleshwar was by her side.
C) her brother and fiance were by her side.
D) her parents were by her side.
Answer:
C) her brother and fiance were by her side.

Question 11.
When Baleshwar came to meet Roma the next morning,
A) she was still unconscious.
B) she was sleeping. ,
C) she was partly sedated.
D) she had been discharged.
Answer:
C) she was partly sedated.

Question 12.
Roma was amazed to learn
A) that she had survived.
B) that she had fallen off a train.
C) of the manner in which she had survived.
D) of the manner in which she had been rescued.
Answer:
D) of the manner in which she had been rescued.

Question 13.
Roma said that she
A) would repay Baleshwar.
B) would never repay Baleshwar.
C) could never repay Baleshwar.
D) could repay Baleshwar.
Answer:
C) could never repay Baleshwar.

Question 14.
Where did Baleshwar find Roma at last?
A) By the side of the tracks
B) By the side of the road
C) By the side of the building
D) On the road
Answer:
A) By the side of the tracks

Question 15.
One of the persons who helped Roma was
A) a truck driver
B) an autorickshaw driver
C) a car driver
D) a motorist.
Answer:
A) a truck driver

Question 16.
Roma’s belongings had been found by
A) Baleshwar Mishra
B) Dinesh Talreja
C) a railway employee
D) the truck driver.
Answer:
C) a railway employee

Question 17.
“There’s a girl by the tracks”, the voices cried out. The voices were of
A) railway employees
B) train passengers
C) truck drivers
D) railway police.
Answer:
B) train passengers

Question 18.
The other passengers did not volunteer to help Baleshwar because
A) they thought one man was enough
B) the train was moving too fast
C) they were afraid to get involved
D) they did not know Baleshwar.
Answer:
C) they were afraid to get involved

Question 19.
“Oh, I couldn’t thank him”, Baleshwar thought. The ‘him’ refers to the
A) traffic policeman
B) on duty doctor
C) railway employee
D) tempo truck driver.
Answer:
D) tempo truck driver.

Question 20.
Baleshwar had revisited the spot to
A) investigate
B) look for her belongings
C) get assurance
D) meet someone.
Answer:
B) look for her belongings

Question 21.
Roma’s fall from the train could not be heard as
A) people were talking loudly
B) the train made a loud sound
C) she fell unconscious
D) the people in the train were busy.
Answer:
B) the train made a loud sound

There’s a Girl by the Tracks! Summary in English

‘There’s a Girl by the Tracks’ is a moving account of how Baleshwar Mishra saved the life of Roma Talreja. The lesson places before us a real-life incident that took place in the busy metropolitan city of Mumbai.

It was on the fateful day of December 10th, 2010 that a twenty-one-year-old B.Com. graduate by the name Roma Talreja was on her way home after finishing her shift at a call centre where she worked as executive. She was commuting by an electric train when she lost her foothold and got pushed out of the moving train.

She fell on the ground with a thud and it was witnessed by Baleshwar, a twenty-year-old unemployed high school dropout, and his fellow passengers, commuting by another train, which was going in the opposite direction. Probably, people who shrieked in horror would have continued to talk about the horrible incident without trying to do anything about it, but for the impulsive act of Baleshwar. He appealed to others to help the girl, but on getting no response, he didn’t sit idle. He pulled the chain, jumped off the train and uncaring of his ankle that he had hurt while jumping down, ran backward between the tracks to find Roma sprawling by the tracks.

The rest of the people continued on their life’s journey as though nothing had happened! Baleshwar could find no help by the tracks as the spot was somewhere between two stations five kilometers apart in Thane district. Even on reaching the road, Baleshwar was the victim of apathy from others. None cared for either the boy carrying the bleeding girl in his arms or the unconscious girl who needed immediate medical attention. Even a cop on duty did nothing more than suggest that the girl be taken to a hospital at Airoli, 10 kilometers away from where they were.

However, as if to show that there are at least a few others who have goodness of heart as Baleshwar himself, a tempo truck driver took them to a nearby hospital. He also lent his phone so that Baleshwar could inform the girl’s brother whose telephone number Baleshwar got from the girl when she temporarily regained consciousness. On coming to know that the hospital lacked the required personnel and equipment to treat the girl, the driver took them to another bigger hospital and after the girl got the doctor’s attention, he quietly disappeared from the scene.

Maybe he was one of those who did things without expecting anything in return or maybe he too was afraid of getting involved with the police case. Anyway, we should appreciate the fact that he had the noble instinct to save the life of another human being. As stated by the doctor, although the injury was not of a very serious kind, if no one had bothered to help Roma, she could have bled to death. If not for Baleshwar mainly and the driver to some extent, a young girl, who was engaged to be married, would have left her parents, brother and fiance simply because no one bothered to care for the girl by the tracks.

There’s a Girl by the Tracks! Summary in Kannada

Glossary:

suburban: of a place outside a city
commuter: one who travels into a city to work each day
swarm (v): rush
hurtle: move fast
tenuous: weak or shaky
panic: suddenly feel frightened
clattering: making a loud sound
muffled: silenced
thud: low sound
gasp: a deep breath taken when surprised
emanate: come from
impulsively: without any thinking
frantically: with no hope
wary: worried (here)
shove: push roughly
sprint: run very fast
sprawled: lie stretched
gash: a deep cut
gingerly: nervously
implore: request
fiance: the man that a woman is engaged to
lanky: tall and thin
treading water: making no progress
personnel: staff
lurched: moved unsteadily
fluttered: opened slightly
to grind out: to say something with some effort
black out: to become unconscious
wrap up: close the day’s business
outlet: a shop (here)
hang around: wait
suture: a stitch that is used to sew a wound together
barely speak: not able to speak
partly sedated: half awake due to drugs