1. Velu stood on the platform, but he felt "as if he was still on a moving train". Why?
Ans:- Velu had gotten off the train lately being tired, hungry, and weak, so he felt that he was still on a moving train. It was also his first experience of a train journey.
2. What made him feel miserable?
Ans:- Velu saw numerous people on the platform moving with their luggage. It looked the same as it was in his village fair. He was greatly confused about what to do because he was tired and hungry. He had no money to purchase anything to satisfy himself.
3. (i) Velu traveled without a ticket. Why?
Ans:- Velu had no money to buy the ticket, so he traveled without a ticket.
(ii) How did he escape the ticket collector's attention?
Ans:- By the grace of God the ticket collector did not visit the unreserved compartment in which Velu was traveling. Now Velu was fortunate enough to escape his attention.
4. Why had Velu run away from home?
Ans:- Velu belonged to a poor family. He and his sister worked on the farm to earn a little money. His father wanted to take all of their earnings. He used to beat him if he was not ready to give him. He used to drink and beat both Velu and his sister. As a result, he was not able to bear the trouble created by his father now and then. Ultimately he decided to run away from his home.
5. Why did he decide to follow the 'strange' girl?.
Ans:- Velu was very hungry and had no money to buy his food. A strange girl asked about his well-being and promised to provide him food. So he decided to follow the ‘strange girl’.
Comprehension Check (page-13)
1. Can Velu read Tamil and English? How do you know?
Ans:- Velu was not able to read the huge signboards written in English. So it is quite clear that he cannot read and understand English. He was able to understand only the signs of Tamil which he read.
2. "If you are not careful, you will soon be counting bars there, "the girl said.
(i) What is she referring to?
Ans:- The strange girl is referring to the Central Jail.
(ii) What does she mean when she says "If you are not careful...."?
(She says something a little later which means the same. Find that sentence.)
Ans:- The girl says, “Just don’t get caught, that’s all”. She wanted Velu to understand that doing wrong will provide the opportunity for the police to arrest him. So he should be careful of wrongdoings.
3. (i) Where did the girl lead Velu to?
Ans:- The girl led Velu to a wedding hall.
(ii) What did they get to eat?
Ans:- They got to eat the leftover food thrown in the big rubbish bin.
4. What work did she do? Think of a one-word answer.
Ans:- Rag-collection.
Comprehension Check (page-15)
1. (i) What material are the 'strange' huts made out of?
Ans:- The Strange Huts are made out of plastic, tires, wood, bricks, and metal sheets.
(ii) Why does Velu find them strange?
Ans:-Velu has seen the houses made of only mud and palm leaves, so he finds them strange.
2. What sort of things did Jaya and children like her collect and what did they do with those things?
Ans:- Jaya and the children like her collect rubbish like paper, plastic, and glass to sell them.
3. Is Velu happy or unhappy to find work? Give a reason for your answer.
Ans:- Velu is not familiar with the job like rag-picking. He is not happy at all. He does not want to do such works until or unless he is compelled to do so. And so, he wants to get some other jobs.
Discuss the following questions in small groups. Write their answers afterward.
1. Is Velu a smart boy? Which instances in the text show that he is or isn't?
Ans:- Velu is a smart boy because he left his home evading the torture of his father. He does not want the works like rag-picking. He is ready to do so until he gets another good job.
2. Do you think that Jaya is a brave and sensitive child with a sense of humor/Find instances of her courage, kind nature, and humor in the text.
Ans:- Jaya is a brave and sensitive child. This is seen in her behavior. She stays alone, but she is very conscious of her earning and food and so, she is very punctual in her works of rag-picking. She insisted Velu to do the same so that he could at least get his food. Velu was helped by her in finding his ready-made food. Humour is seen in her activities when she asked Velu about the difference between a village and a town.
3. What one throws away as waste may be valuable to others. Do you find this sentence meaningful in the context of this story? How?
Ans:- The habit of throwing leftover foods in our country is a very sensitive problem. People should take the quantity of food in their dishes that can satisfy them. They should not take more than they require. If it is done the needy will get the foods, or those who are starving can be satisfied by the foods. Therefore, it is very important to know that what one throws away as waste may be valuable to others.
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