Water Questions & Answers

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MCQs

1. ________according to the poet knows the ground’s incline in ‘Water’.

a) Untouchability b) Water   c) Wada     d) Jesus

 

2. Generations-old-strife in ‘Water’ refers to the dispute between ______.

a) leather and spool                             b) village and wada

c) Samaria woman and Jesus                 d) two states

 

3. Like the dampness on the well’s edge that never dries, it knows that _______ never  disappears.

a) strife              b) struggle        c) Wada     d) untouchability

 

4. ________ according to the poet never disappears in ‘Water’.

a) Strife b) Struggle between two nations  c) Dampness d) Untouchability

 

5. Water knows the difference of race between a Samaria woman and _____.

a) Karamchedu Suvarthamma                        b) Jesus the Jew 

c) centuries of social injustice                        d) the panchama

 

6. Water knows the ______ of the Panchama.

a) difficulties       b) agony         c) sub-caste difference d) righteous rage

 

7. Water knows the righteous rage of Karamchedu Suvarthamma who 

 opposed _______.

a) the Mahad struggle                  b) the Samaria woman

c) the kamma landlords             d) the weekly bath

 

8. The water is witness to centuries of ___________.

a) political instability                    b) the generations old-strife

c) social instability                       d) the mighty movement

 

9. The poet remembered how her wada would thirst all day ________.

a) for a drop of water                           b) a small puddle of water

c) for a glass of water                       d) for equality

 

10. For the people of the wada, water is ________.

a) just a drop of nectar                         b) a small puddle of water

c) a mighty movement                     d) struggle for equality

 

11. Water is the Mahad struggle _______.

a) at Malapalle                                   b) at the Chadar tank 

c) for several generations                      d) in a water pot

 

12. For the people of the wada, ________ flowed like streams.

a) inequality       b) water            c) pepsi              d) blood

 

13. For the people of the wada, blood flowed like streams, but they never 

managed __________.

a) to win even a small puddle of water

b) to oppose the kamma landlords

c) to know the generations old strife

d) to welcome their weekly bath

 

14. The people of the wada welcomed their ______.

a) daily bath b) weekly bath        c) monthly bath   d) fortnightly bath

 

15. The people of the wada walked miles to reach ________.

a) the rivers       b) the streams   c) the big canal        d) the ponds

 

16. _______ was burnt to ashes for want of a pot of water. 

a) The village                              b) Malapalle 

c) The Samaria woman                 d) The multinational market

 

17. Water can give life but it can also _______.

a) devour lives                         b) destroy lives

c) swallow lives                           d) ignite many struggles

 

18. Between one state and another, this water can ______.

a) reinstate friendship                  b) ignite many struggles

c) swallow lives                           d) quench thirst

 

19. Water can make blood run in streams but it can also sit innocently 

 in _______.

a) a pepsi bottle b) a water bottle   c) a Bisleri bottle d) a glass of water

 

20 Water is no mean matter, ________.

a) it’s a tsunami wave b) it’s a multinational market commodity

c) it’s a Bisleri bottle d) it contains the world

Questions and Answers

Comprehension I

1.       The expression ‘generations-old strife’ suggests

Ans: a. the bane of caste system.

2.       “It also knows the sub-caste difference between leather and spool.”

Ans: c. cobbler and weaver.

3.       How is water witness to the humiliation caused to the Dalits?

Ans: When the Dalits are exploited in the name of showing mercy.

4.       What does the speaker remember when she sees water?

Ans: She remembers her childhood, struggle, discrimination insult and humiliation.

5.       “circus feat” refers to

Ans: a. hardship to fetch water.

        d. struggle surrounding water.

6.       ‘Water’ is a

Ans: c. witness to strife.

        d. life giver and destroyer.

         f. profit making commodity.

Comprehension II

Common Introduction

 

Challapalli Swaroopa Rani is a noted Telugu writer. Her works portray her concerns towards social issues. She began writing about her personal experiences. Later, she started to focus on society. Her poetry consciously deals with the issues of gender and caste.

1.  Discuss the travails suffered by the Wada people while securing water.

 

Ans: The poet Challapalli Swarooopa Rani recounts her experiences as a girl in the wada. The people had to face severe discrimination from the village. Separated from the main village, they had to lead a subhuman life. The poet says that the strife between the village and the wada is generations old. “Like the dampness on the well’s edge that never dries,” the untouchability never disappears. The panchamas had to wait all day long near the well for a pot of water until a kind shudra arrived. He who would pour water from a distance would not mind touching the girl to exploit her. The people of wada would often thirst for a glass of water. They have shed their tears and blood over several generations for a drop of water. The poet remembers how they rejoiced their weekly bath while the whole village bathed luxuriously twice a day. They had to walk miles to fetch water straining their necks. Thus the wada people had to suffer humiliation, discrimination and social injustice.

 

2. 2.  ‘For us, water is not simply H₂O’, it is a symbol of struggle against discrimination.’

OR

      What does the contrast ‘some taking bath once a week and others twice a day’ connote?    

 

Ans: Water is used as a powerful symbol in this poem highlighting the evil practices of society: caste discrimination, untouchability and domination of the landlords. The poet states that water is not mere a chemical composition, it is rather a mighty movement. It embodies tears shed over several generations. There is much blood shed over several drops of water. For the people who have fought for their rights to water are not completely successful. The lower caste people would welcome their weekly bath while the entire village bathed luxuriously twice a day. This is in contrast with the privileged people of the village who belonged to higher castes. It is an inhumane practice of discrimination in which panchamas had to wait for the mercy of a shudra to get water from the well. This would often lead to exploitation. The untouchability remained like the dampness on the edge of the well. In the name of tradition, caste and custom people were separated. The lower caste people had to face humiliation and insult at the hands of the dominant castes. Thus, water is a mighty movement for some while it is luxury for others.

 

3. 3. Why does water become a matter of dispute?

OR

 Look at the expressions ‘many a circus feat’ and ‘dances its way into the Pepsi man’s bottle.’ What contrast do you notice between the two?

Ans: Water has been a bone of contention between village and wada, states and nations across the world. It is a basic commodity for everyone’s survival. Apart from that, water is needed for agriculture, industries and manufacturing. It is a determining factor from sustenance to business excellence. The states that have ample water resources maintain an edge over other states in terms of economic growth. The rivers that flow across the states and countries feeding vast areas of agricultural lands create disputes over sharing water. These issues never get resolved. The water makes rural and unprivileged women walk miles straining their muscles doing many a circus feat. This precious commodity is a million dollar business also. It dances its way into Pepsi man’s bottle as mineral water. Thus, everyone needs water in different proportions. Water creates need and greed. It raises disputes.

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