Class 12):📘 Chapter 2: Deep Water.
Section A – Prose
AHSEC Class 12 English (Important Questions Only)
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1. Who is the author of Deep Water?
→ William Douglas
2. What fear did the author suffer from?
→ Fear of water (Hydrophobia)
3. At what age did the author visit the California beach?
→ 3 or 4 years old
4. What incident at the beach created fear in him?
→ A strong wave knocked him down and nearly drowned him.
5. Where did the drowning incident occur later in life?
→ YMCA swimming pool
6. How old was Douglas during the YMCA incident?
→ 10 or 11 years old
7. Who threw Douglas into the pool?
→ A big boy from the school
8. What was the depth of the deep end of the pool?
→ 9 feet
9. What did Douglas feel when he started to drown?
→ Panic and extreme fear
10. What did Douglas decide to do when he was drowning?
→ Jump up from the bottom and reach the surface
11. Was Douglas successful in his escape plan?
→ No
12. What happened when he tried to jump to the surface?
→ He felt paralyzed and sank again.
13. How many times did Douglas go down in the pool?
→ Three times
14. What happened after the third time?
→ He lost consciousness.
15. What was the long-term effect of the incident?
→ He developed a permanent fear of water.
16. What did Douglas do to overcome his fear?
→ Hired a swimming instructor
17. What kind of training did the instructor give?
→ Step-by-step: floating, breathing, kicking
18. How long did the training take?
→ Five days a week for nearly 3 months
19. After the training, where did Douglas test himself?
→ In a lake and a river
20. What did Douglas feel after overcoming the fear?
→ Freedom, joy, and victory
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✅ 2 Marks Questions & Answers – 20 Most Important (Final Exam Based)
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🔹 1. Why did Saheb’s family leave Dhaka?
→ Saheb’s family left Dhaka due to natural disasters like frequent storms and floods that destroyed their crops and homes. They moved to Seemapuri in search of food and a better life.
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🔹 2. What is the irony in Saheb’s full name?
→ Saheb’s full name is Saheb-e-Alam, meaning ‘Lord of the Universe’. Ironically, he is a poor ragpicker boy who doesn’t even own shoes, let alone the universe.
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🔹 3. Why was Saheb unhappy working at the tea stall?
→ Though he earned ₹800 and meals, Saheb was no longer his own master. He had lost his independence and freedom, which he earlier enjoyed as a ragpicker.
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🔹 4. How does garbage become ‘gold’ for Seemapuri children?
→ Garbage provides food and basic needs for survival. For children, it’s like treasure hunting — they might find coins, toys, or something valuable. It symbolizes hope.
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🔹 5. What does the author mean by ‘survival in Seemapuri means ragpicking’?
→ In Seemapuri, most people earn their livelihood by ragpicking. It is the only available work for them. Their lives revolve around garbage collection and selling.
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🔹 6. What kind of dreams do the ragpicker children have?
→ Some dream of wearing proper clothes or going to school, but most are unaware of other possibilities. Their dreams are limited due to poverty and lack of exposure.
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🔹 7. What does Anees Jung highlight through the life of Saheb?
→ She exposes the harsh reality of child labour, poverty, and the loss of childhood among slum children like Saheb, who are forced to work instead of going to school.
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🔹 8. Why is Mukesh’s dream significant?
→ Mukesh wants to be a motor mechanic, unlike others who follow the family tradition of bangle-making. His dream shows courage and a desire to break free from poverty.
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🔹 9. What is Firozabad famous for?
→ Firozabad is famous for its glass-blowing industry. It is known for producing bangles, but the workers live in poverty and unhealthy conditions.
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🔹 10. Why do bangle-makers in Firozabad continue their traditional work?
→ Due to lack of awareness, education, and fear of police and middlemen, they feel trapped. They think they are born to make bangles and accept it as destiny.
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🔹 11. What working conditions do bangle children face?
→ Children work in hot, dark, suffocating rooms with glass dust around. Many lose their eyesight at a young age due to constant exposure to heat and dust.
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🔹 12. What is the role of women in bangle-making families?
→ Women sit beside men and help in bangle-making. They suffer silently, working in poor conditions, and are equally trapped in the cycle of poverty and tradition.
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🔹 13. How is Mukesh different from other children?
→ Unlike other children who accept bangle-making as fate, Mukesh dares to dream of becoming a motor mechanic. He is determined and ready to work hard.
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🔹 14. What does the author say about Seemapuri’s living conditions?
→ Seemapuri is full of mud houses without drainage or running water. Yet people prefer it over starvation. They survive through ragpicking and live in temporary shelters.
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🔹 15. How does the story show that childhood is lost in poverty?
→ Children like Saheb and Mukesh are forced to work from a young age. Instead of going to school or playing, they collect garbage or make bangles — losing their childhood.
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🔹 16. Why does Saheb walk barefoot?
→ He has never owned a pair of shoes. He says his mother didn’t buy them, and he believes walking barefoot is a tradition, like many other poor children.
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🔹 17. Why does the author feel guilty when Saheb starts working?
→ The author once advised Saheb to take a job, and when he finally does, she sees him sad and burdened. She feels guilty because the job took away his freedom.
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🔹 18. What are the author’s feelings toward Mukesh?
→ The author admires Mukesh’s courage to dream beyond poverty. She respects his decision to become a mechanic and sees hope in his determination.
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🔹 19. What does ‘stolen childhood’ mean in the context of the story?
→ It means that children are forced to work due to poverty. They lose the right to education, fun, and innocence — which every child deserves.
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🔹 20. What is the central idea of “Lost Spring”?
→ The story highlights how poverty, social injustice, and exploitation steal the childhood of poor children. It calls for awareness and action to restore their rights.
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✅ 3 Marks Questions & Answers – 20 Most Important (Final Exam Based)
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🔹 1. What is the significance of the title “Lost Spring”?
→ “Spring” symbolizes childhood, joy, and freedom. The title Lost Spring refers to the stolen childhoods of poor children like Saheb and Mukesh, who are forced into hard labour due to poverty and social injustice. It highlights how these children are deprived of their basic rights.
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🔹 2. How did Saheb’s life change after taking a job at a tea stall?
→ Saheb earned ₹800 and meals, but he lost his freedom and joy. As a ragpicker, he was his own master, but now he works under someone and feels burdened. His spirit seems crushed, and he realizes that earning money doesn't always bring happiness.
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🔹 3. Describe the life and surroundings of Seemapuri.
→ Seemapuri is a slum on Delhi’s outskirts. It has mud houses without sewage, water, or sanitation. Migrants from Bangladesh survive by ragpicking. Despite the poor conditions, people prefer Seemapuri over hunger and homelessness in their native land.
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🔹 4. How is ragpicking a source of hope for Seemapuri children?
→ For children, ragpicking is not just survival — it's like a treasure hunt. They often find coins, toys, or other valuable things in garbage. It gives them hope and a reason to wake up every day, even though they don’t go to school.
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🔹 5. How is Saheb’s name ironic in the story?
→ Saheb’s full name is Saheb-e-Alam, meaning ‘Lord of the Universe’. Ironically, he is a barefoot ragpicker who lives in poverty, collecting garbage to survive. His name reflects dignity, but his life is full of misery and helplessness.
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🔹 6. What is the life of bangle-makers in Firozabad like?
→ Bangle-makers live in dark, unhygienic homes and work long hours with hot furnaces. They are underpaid and often lose their eyesight early. Generations have lived like this, stuck in poverty and unable to escape the family trade.
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🔹 7. Why does Mukesh stand out from the other children in Firozabad?
→ Unlike others who follow their family trade of bangle-making, Mukesh dares to dream. He wants to become a motor mechanic and is willing to work and learn. His courage and clarity of ambition make him different.
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🔹 8. What are the health hazards faced by bangle workers?
→ Bangle workers inhale glass dust and work near hot furnaces. Most of them suffer from poor eyesight or blindness. The environment is suffocating, and they lack proper ventilation, making their lives dangerous.
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🔹 9. How does poverty affect the dreams of children like Saheb and Mukesh?
→ Poverty forces children to work instead of going to school. Saheb gives up his freedom for a job, and Mukesh is born into a family where change is difficult. Their dreams are crushed or delayed by survival needs.
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🔹 10. How does tradition become a trap in Firozabad?
→ People in Firozabad believe they are born to make bangles. Even children grow up with the same mindset. This belief prevents change, progress, or education. Tradition becomes a chain that holds back generations.
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🔹 11. How does the author portray women in Firozabad?
→ Women work silently beside men in bangle-making. They live in poor conditions, suffer from health issues, and accept their fate. They represent silent suffering and are equally trapped in the cycle of poverty and tradition.
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🔹 12. What does garbage symbolize in the story?
→ Garbage is a symbol of both poverty and hope. For adults, it is a means of livelihood. For children, it is treasure — a chance to find something exciting or valuable. It represents survival, struggle, and lost opportunities.
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🔹 13. How is Mukesh’s dream different from his reality?
→ Mukesh dreams of becoming a motor mechanic, but he lives in a poor bangle-making family. His home is full of smoke and darkness, yet his dream shows light and hope. He wants to break free from poverty and tradition.
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🔹 14. How does “Lost Spring” criticize social injustice?
→ The story exposes how society fails poor children. Lack of education, awareness, government support, and systemic corruption all lead to child labour and stolen childhoods. The author calls for urgent change.
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🔹 15. What message does the author give through Saheb’s story?
→ The author shows that children like Saheb are trapped by poverty. Even when they find work, they lose something — like freedom or joy. The story calls for better opportunities and education for such children.
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🔹 16. Describe the living conditions of bangle-makers.
→ They live in crowded homes with no proper light, water, or air. The work environment is hot and dusty. They earn little and suffer from health issues. These conditions show their endless struggle.
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🔹 17. How does Anees Jung describe her interaction with Saheb?
→ The author observes Saheb daily and talks to him. She finds him curious and energetic. Later, she feels guilty when he gets a job, realizing that he lost his innocence and freedom in the process.
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🔹 18. What does Mukesh symbolize in the story?
→ Mukesh symbolizes hope, courage, and resistance. He is a young boy with a dream. He wants to change his life and break the cycle of poverty, showing that change is possible with determination.
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🔹 19. What role do middlemen play in the bangle industry?
→ Middlemen exploit workers by paying low wages and keeping them in debt. They control the market and prevent workers from becoming independent. This leads to lifelong poverty and no escape for the families.
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🔹 20. What is the central message of the story?
→ The story urges society to fight child labour, poverty, and social injustice. It asks us to give children their right to education and freedom. It’s a call to protect their “spring” — their childhood.
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✅ 4 Marks Questions & Answers – 20 Most Important (Final Exam Based)
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🔹 1. What is the message conveyed through “Lost Spring”?
→ Lost Spring conveys a powerful message about the harsh reality of child labour and poverty. It highlights how millions of children are forced to work, losing their right to education, dreams, and joy. Through the lives of Saheb and Mukesh, the author shows how society has failed its children. The story urges for reform, awareness, and empathy to protect the innocence of childhood.
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🔹 2. How does the story portray the condition of children in Seemapuri?
→ The children in Seemapuri live in slums with no proper shelter, sanitation, or education. They work as ragpickers from a young age, searching through garbage to survive. Though their lives are full of hardship, they still find hope and excitement in small things. Garbage becomes gold for them. The story reflects the harsh truth of how poverty destroys childhood.
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🔹 3. Describe how tradition and poverty trap the bangle-makers of Firozabad.
→ In Firozabad, generations of families are engaged in bangle-making. People believe it’s their fate to do so, and this tradition becomes a trap. Poverty forces them to accept poor wages, and fear of police and middlemen keeps them from protesting. They live in unhealthy conditions and don’t send their children to school. This cycle of exploitation and ignorance continues, trapping every generation.
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🔹 4. Compare and contrast the lives of Saheb and Mukesh.
→ Saheb is a ragpicker in Delhi who loses his freedom after joining a tea stall. He represents lost dreams and helplessness. Mukesh, on the other hand, is from a bangle-making family in Firozabad but dares to dream of becoming a motor mechanic. Saheb accepts his life silently, while Mukesh shows hope and courage. The two boys reflect two sides of the same issue — child labour.
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🔹 5. Why is Mukesh’s decision to be a motor mechanic significant?
→ In a community where children blindly follow their elders into bangle-making, Mukesh dares to dream differently. His choice represents change, awareness, and courage. He is ready to struggle for a better life and refuses to accept poverty as his destiny. His determination offers a ray of hope in an otherwise hopeless situation.
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🔹 6. How is childhood stolen in “Lost Spring”?
→ Children like Saheb and Mukesh are forced into labour instead of attending school. Saheb collects garbage; Mukesh makes bangles. They grow up in poverty, working to survive, with no time or chance for education, play, or dreams. Their childhood is not lived but endured. The story shows how poverty and social failure rob children of their most precious time.
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🔹 7. What are the working and living conditions of bangle-makers?
→ Bangle-makers live in overcrowded homes with no proper light or ventilation. They work in hot furnaces, inhaling harmful glass dust. Many lose their eyesight at an early age. They earn very little and are trapped in a system run by middlemen and fear. These conditions are unhealthy, unsafe, and inhuman.
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🔹 8. How does the author use irony in the story?
→ Saheb’s name means “Lord of the Universe,” but he is a poor boy picking garbage. Bangles, symbols of beauty and joy, are made in dark, suffocating homes by children who suffer. These ironies reveal the cruel contrast between appearance and reality and highlight the social injustice faced by the poor.
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🔹 9. What does the story say about the role of education in breaking poverty?
→ The story shows that lack of education keeps children in poverty. Saheb wants to go to school, but poverty stops him. Mukesh’s dream of becoming a mechanic shows that education and skill can change lives. The story argues that education is the only way out of the cycle of child labour and poverty.
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🔹 10. How do women suffer in the bangle-making industry?
→ Women work in the same poor conditions as men — in dark, hot rooms handling glass. They suffer silently, often developing eye problems or other health issues. Their lives are just as hard, with no respect or freedom. The story shows that they are also victims of poverty, tradition, and social neglect.
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🔹 11. How does Saheb’s story reflect modern-day child labour?
→ Saheb is one among many children in India who work to survive. He loses his chance at education and freedom. Though he gets a job, it brings no happiness. His story shows that even today, millions of children are stuck in poverty, working when they should be learning.
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🔹 12. How does the author create sympathy for the characters?
→ The author uses real stories, emotional language, and detailed descriptions. She doesn’t blame the children or their families but highlights their helplessness. By showing their dreams, struggles, and silent suffering, she creates deep sympathy in the reader’s heart.
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🔹 13. How is garbage both a symbol of hope and helplessness?
→ For children in Seemapuri, garbage means survival and a chance to find something useful. But it also shows their helplessness — the fact that they must depend on trash to live. It reflects both the little hope they have and the big failures of society.
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🔹 14. Why does the author feel guilty after Saheb takes a job?
→ The author had suggested that Saheb should work for a better life. But when he actually gets a job, he looks burdened and sad. She realizes that while he earns money, he has lost his freedom and joy. She feels guilty for unintentionally supporting his emotional loss.
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🔹 15. How does the story reflect the failure of society?
→ Society has failed to provide education, support, or fair work conditions to children like Saheb and Mukesh. It lets poverty, child labour, and injustice continue. Schools are out of reach, and government support is missing. The story shows how the system neglects its weakest members.
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🔹 16. What is the role of middlemen in keeping Firozabad poor?
→ Middlemen control the glass industry and keep families in debt. They give low wages and stop workers from becoming independent. People fear the police and are stuck in the system. This keeps Firozabad’s workers poor and powerless.
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🔹 17. How is hope reflected in the story despite poverty?
→ Despite harsh conditions, Mukesh dares to dream of becoming a mechanic. Children in Seemapuri still find excitement in garbage. Their small smiles, dreams, and efforts show that human spirit survives even in poverty.
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🔹 18. How does Anees Jung highlight the need for change?
→ The author uses real-life examples to show how poverty steals childhoods. She urges society to stop child labour, ensure education, and break harmful traditions. Her tone is emotional but powerful — she wants readers to act.
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🔹 19. Describe the author’s tone in “Lost Spring.”
→ The author’s tone is sympathetic, realistic, and critical. She feels for the children but also points out the failure of society. Her writing is emotional yet strong, aiming to create awareness and inspire change.
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🔹 20. Why is “Lost Spring” an apt title for the story?
→ “Spring” represents childhood, joy, and growth. In the story, children like Saheb and Mukesh lose their spring to poverty and hard labour. Their dreams and innocence are lost early. The title perfectly captures the central theme of stolen childhoods.
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✅ 5 Marks Questions & Answers – 20 Most Important (Final Exam Based)
(Long / Tika-type Answers – approx. 120–150+ words)
Author: Anees Jung
Section A – Prose
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🔹 1. What is the central theme of “Lost Spring”?
→ The story focuses on the tragic reality of child labour and poverty in India. It shows how children like Saheb and Mukesh are forced to work from a young age, losing their education, freedom, and innocence. “Spring” in the title symbolizes childhood, and the story explores how that beautiful time is lost to social injustice and survival struggles. The author urges readers to recognize the problem and support change for these children.
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🔹 2. Describe the life and struggles of Saheb in “Lost Spring.”
→ Saheb is a young ragpicker who migrated from Dhaka to Delhi due to poverty. He lives in Seemapuri, survives by collecting garbage, and walks barefoot. Though he once dreams of school, he ends up working at a tea stall for ₹800 a month and meals. His new job brings money but takes away his freedom. Saheb’s story reflects the reality of millions of poor children who are denied education and live without dreams or dignity.
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🔹 3. Compare the lives of Saheb and Mukesh. How are they different?
→ Both boys are victims of poverty and forced into child labour. Saheb is a ragpicker who eventually gets a job at a tea stall but loses his freedom and joy. He represents helpless acceptance. Mukesh, on the other hand, belongs to a bangle-making family but dares to dream of becoming a motor mechanic. He is determined to break the cycle of poverty. While Saheb’s story reflects lost childhood, Mukesh brings hope and resistance.
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🔹 4. How does Anees Jung present the social injustice faced by children?
→ Anees Jung uses real-life stories of poor children to expose the deep social injustice they suffer. Children like Saheb are forced to collect garbage, while Mukesh makes bangles in hazardous conditions. They lose their childhood to poverty, and society offers no help. Education is missing, and traditions and middlemen keep them trapped. The author strongly criticizes a system that allows this suffering and urges for reforms.
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🔹 5. What role does poverty play in destroying childhood in “Lost Spring”?
→ Poverty is the root cause of all the suffering in the story. It forces children like Saheb and Mukesh to work from an early age. They can’t afford school or basic necessities. Instead of learning and playing, they pick garbage or make bangles. Their dreams are limited by survival. The story shows how poverty steals not just their time but also their future.
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🔹 6. Explain how traditions act as a barrier to change in Firozabad.
→ In Firozabad, the bangle-making industry is passed down from generation to generation. People believe it is their destiny, and children grow up with the same mindset. They don’t dream of other careers, and even if they do, fear of police and middlemen holds them back. This tradition becomes a chain that traps families in poverty and prevents progress or education.
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🔹 7. What does the story reveal about the condition of women in bangle-making families?
→ Women work beside men in the same poor and hazardous conditions. They spend long hours handling glass in dark, hot rooms. Many lose their eyesight early. They are unpaid or underpaid and silently suffer. Their lives show not only the cruelty of poverty but also gender-based neglect in traditional roles.
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🔹 8. How does Saheb lose his innocence when he takes a job at a tea stall?
→ At first, Saheb roams freely as a ragpicker. Despite poverty, he has control over his time. But when he starts working at a tea stall, he becomes bound by responsibility. Though he now has an income, he loses his freedom, joy, and dreams. His posture, clothes, and expressions change. This shift shows how child labour steals not just time, but the spirit of childhood.
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🔹 9. What is the significance of the title “Lost Spring”?
→ “Spring” symbolizes youth, joy, and new beginnings. The title Lost Spring refers to how children like Saheb and Mukesh lose their childhood — their spring — to poverty and labour. It highlights that what should be a time of learning and playing becomes a period of suffering. The title is symbolic and perfectly captures the central idea of the story.
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🔹 10. How does Mukesh’s dream challenge the system?
→ In a place where everyone believes they are born to make bangles, Mukesh dares to dream of becoming a motor mechanic. He represents the voice of change. He is ready to struggle, walk long distances, and learn a skill outside his family’s trade. His ambition challenges tradition, poverty, and hopelessness. He is a symbol of resistance and courage.
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🔹 11. How does the author use contrast between appearance and reality in the story?
→ The author shows many ironies — Saheb’s name means “Lord of the Universe,” but he is a poor ragpicker. Bangles are symbols of happiness, yet the makers live in sorrow. Children should be in school, but they’re working. These contrasts reveal the deep gap between how things appear and how they actually are in the world of the poor.
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🔹 12. What does the story suggest about the role of education in ending child labour?
→ Education is shown as a powerful tool to break the cycle of poverty. Saheb never gets to go to school due to poverty. Mukesh, though uneducated, dreams of learning a new skill. The story suggests that education can give children choices, dreams, and dignity — things child labour takes away.
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🔹 13. How do middlemen and system corruption affect the lives of poor workers?
→ In Firozabad, middlemen control the glass industry. They exploit poor workers by giving low wages and keeping them in debt. Families fear the police and cannot break free. This corrupt system benefits a few while generations suffer in darkness and poverty. The story shows that poverty is not just natural — it is maintained by human greed.
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🔹 14. What are the dreams and hopes seen in the children of the story?
→ Despite poverty, children have dreams. Saheb once wanted to go to school and find happiness in garbage. Mukesh dreams of becoming a motor mechanic. These small dreams show that hope still exists. Their eyes carry ambition, even if their lives are full of hardship.
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🔹 15. How is the tone of the author in “Lost Spring”?
→ Anees Jung writes with a tone of empathy and concern. She doesn’t blame the children or their families, but the system that fails them. Her writing is emotional yet factual. She wants readers to see the truth and feel responsible. Her tone creates awareness without being preachy.
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🔹 16. Explain how “Lost Spring” is a reflection of real India.
→ The story reflects the side of India that often gets ignored — slums, child labour, poverty, and tradition-based exploitation. While one part of India advances, another is trapped in garbage heaps and glass factories. The story exposes this contrast and asks society to do better.
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🔹 17. How does the story create awareness about child labour?
→ By sharing real-life examples of Saheb and Mukesh, the author connects with the reader. The emotional yet simple narration shows how child labour steals dreams. The story reveals the causes — poverty, ignorance, tradition — and calls for attention and action.
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🔹 18. How do Saheb’s and Mukesh’s lives represent two different approaches to life?
→ Saheb accepts life as it is. He switches from ragpicking to working at a tea stall without protest. Mukesh, however, wants to change his life. He dreams, plans, and acts. Saheb shows submission; Mukesh shows hope and fight.
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🔹 19. How does the environment of Seemapuri and Firozabad affect the lives of people?
→ In Seemapuri, people live in temporary huts with no basic facilities. In Firozabad, they live in suffocating homes filled with glass dust. Both places lack education, healthcare, and safety. These environments reflect the physical and mental struggle of poor communities.
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🔹 20. What lessons can be learned from the story “Lost Spring”?
→ The story teaches us to care about child labour, question harmful traditions, and support education. It shows that dreams are powerful and that society must protect childhood. It reminds us that behind every working child, there is a story of loss — and we must change that.
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