The Portrait of a Lady

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NCERT Class 11 English Core Chapter-wise Solutions

English core Part I (Hornbill)

• 1 :  The Portrait Of A Lady Summary
• 2 :  A Photograph Summary
• 3 :  We’re Not Afraid To Die…If We Can All Be Together Summary
• 4 : Discovering Tut: The Saga Continues Summary
• 5 : The Voice Of The Rain Summary
• 6 : The Ailing Planet: The Green Movement’s Role Summary
• 7 : The Browning Version Summary
• 8 : Childhood Summary
• 9 : Father To Son Summary

English core Part II (Snapshot)

• 1- The Summer of the Beautiful White Horse
• 2- The Address
• 3- Ranga’s Marriage
• 4- Albert Einstein at School
• 5- Mother’s Day
• 6- The Ghat of the only World
• 7- Birth
• 8- The Tale of Melon City

NCERT Solutions for class 11 English Core Hornbill The Portrait of a Lady

1.Notice these expressions in the text. Infer their meaning from the context.

i) The thought was almost revolting

ii) An expanse of pure white serenity

iii) A turning-point

iv) Accepted her seclusion with resignation

v) A veritable bedlam of chirrupings

vi) Frivolous rebukes

vii) The sagging skins of the dilapidated drum

1. Mention the three phases of the author’s relationship with his grandmother before he left the country to study abroad.

2. Mention three reasons why the author’s grandmother was disturbed when he started going to the city school.

1. Mention three ways in which the author’s grandmother spent her days after he grew up.

2. Mention the odd way in which the author’s grandmother behaved just before she died.

3. Mention the way in which the sparrows expressed their sorrow when the author’s grandmother died.

Talking about the Text

1. The author’s grandmother was a religious person. What are the different ways in which we come to know this?

2. Describe the changing relationship between the author and his grandmother. Did their feelings for each other change?

3. Would you agree that the author’s grandmother was a person strong in character? If yes, give instances that show this.

4. Have you known someone like the author’s grandmother? Do you feel the same sense of loss with regard to someone whom you have loved and lost?

Thinking about the Language

1. Which language do you think the author and his grandmother used while talking to each other?
2. Which language do you use to talk to elderly relatives in your family?
3. How would you say ‘a dilapidated drum’ in your language?

Working with Words

1. Notice the following uses of the word ‘tell’ in the text.
Ans. i). Her fingers were busy telling the beads of her rosary.
ii). I would tell herEnglish words and little things of Western science and learning.
iii). At her age one could never tell.
iv). She told usthat her end was near.

2. Given below are four different senses of the word ‘tell’. Match the meanings to the uses listed above.
i). make something known to someone in spoken or written words
ii). count while reciting
iii). be sure
iv). give information to somebody

1. Notice the different senses of the word ‘take’.
i). to take to something: to begin to do something as a habit
ii). to take ill: to suddenly become ill
Locate these phrases in the text and notice the way they are used.

2. The word ‘hobble’ means to walk with difficulty because the legs and feet are in bad condition. Tick the words in the box below that also refer to a manner of walking.

Answer : The words that also refer to a manner of walking are:
shuffle
stride
waddle
paddle
swagger
trudge
slog