Chapter 3

The Little Girl


Question 1.
Why was Kezia afraid of her father?
Answer:
Kezia was scared of her father because he was always strict and rarely showed affection, which made her nervous around him.

Question 2.
Who were the people in Kezia’s family?
Answer:
Kezia lived with her father, mother, and her loving grandmother.

Question 3.
What was Kezia’s father’s routine?
Before going to his office?
He would give Kezia a quick kiss without saying much.
After coming back from his office?
He would ask for his tea and newspaper and rest in the drawing room.
On Sundays?
He would relax the whole day and usually sleep deeply on the sofa.

Question 4.
In what ways did Kezia’s grandmother encourage her to get to know her father better?
Answer:
Her grandmother asked her to talk to her father in his room every evening and suggested making a handmade birthday gift for him.

Question 1.

Kezia’s efforts to please her father resulted in displeasing him very much. How did this happen?

Kezia always wanted to make her father happy, even though she was quite afraid of him. Her grandmother suggested that she could make a pin-cushion as a birthday gift for her father. Kezia felt excited because it was a chance to do something nice for him and win his affection. She stitched a small cushion with some fabric, but she didn’t know what to fill it with.

Without understanding their importance, she took some important papers from her father's desk, tore them up, and used them as stuffing for the cushion. Unfortunately, those papers contained her father's important speech for the Port Authority. When her father discovered what had happened, he became extremely angry and punished her. Thus, what Kezia meant as a loving gesture ended up making her father very upset.

Question 2.

Kezia decides that there are “different kinds of fathers”. What kind of father was Mr Macdonald, and how was he different from Kezia’s father?

Kezia always thought of her own father as strict and unkind, someone who barely smiled or spent time with her. In her eyes, he was a figure to fear. But one day, when she saw Mr Macdonald, their neighbour, playing joyfully with his children, her idea about fathers changed. Mr Macdonald was cheerful and loving, playing games in the garden and laughing freely with his kids. He even let them climb on him and spray him with water from the hosepipe.

Compared to her own father, Mr Macdonald seemed like a dream parent—kind, fun, and friendly. Kezia was amazed at how freely the Macdonald children played around their father without any fear. It made her realise that not all fathers are the same. Some, like Mr Macdonald, are open and gentle with their children.

Question 3.

How does Kezia begin to see her father as a human being who needs her sympathy?

One night, Kezia had a frightening nightmare and screamed out in fear. Her usual fear of her father vanished when she saw him coming into her room holding a candle and showing genuine concern. Instead of scolding her, he comforted her, carried her to his room, and let her sleep beside him. He even told her to warm her feet by rubbing them against his legs, showing a softer and more caring side of himself.

This unexpected kindness made Kezia rethink her image of him. She realised that her father worked hard all day and came home tired. Perhaps he was not heartless, but simply had no energy left to express his love. That night, she felt safe beside him and began to understand that he too had emotions, struggles, and a caring heart hidden behind his stern face. For the first time, she felt sympathy and love for him.

Question 1.

Use an appropriate word from the synonyms given above in the following sentences. Clues are given in brackets.

  1. She was delighted by the news of her brother’s wedding. (very pleased)

  2. I was thrilled to be invited to the party. (extremely pleased and excited about)

  3. She was overjoyed at the birth of her granddaughter. (extremely happy)

  4. The coach was pleased with his performance. (satisfied about)

  5. She was very happy with her results. (happy about something that has happened)

Question 2.

Now, consult a dictionary and find out the meaning of ‘big’ in the following sentences. The first one has been done for you.

  1. You are a big girl now. → older / grown-up

  2. Today you are going to take the biggest decision of your career. → most important / crucial

  3. Their project is full of big ideas. → powerful / ambitious

  4. Cricket is a big game in our country. → famous / widely followed

  5. I am a big fan of Lata Mangeshkar. → devoted / strong admirer

  6. You have to cook a bit more as my friend is a big eater. → someone who eats a lot

  7. What a big heart you’ve got, Father dear. → kind / generous nature

Question 1.

Underline the verbs of reporting in the following sentences.

  1. He says he will enjoy the ride.

  2. Father mentioned that he was going on a holiday.

  3. No one told us that the shop was closed.

  4. He answered that the price would go up.

  5. I wondered why he was screaming.

  6. Ben told her to wake him up.

  7. Ratan apologised for coming late to the party.

📌 Note: Reporting verbs show who is speaking or expressing something, like say, tell, reply, suggest, etc.

Question 2.

Fill in the blanks with suitable reporting verbs from the box:
(were complaining, shouted, replied, remarked, ordered, suggested)

  1. “I am not afraid,” remarked the woman.

  2. “Leave me alone,” my mother shouted.

  3. The children were complaining that the roads were crowded and noisy.

  4. “Perhaps he isn’t a bad sort of a chap after all,” replied the master.

  5. “Let’s go and look at the school ground,” suggested the sports teacher.

  6. The traffic police ordered all the passers-by to keep off the road.

📌 Note: While choosing the verb, make sure it matches the tone or feeling of the sentence—like “shouted” for anger, or “suggested” for giving ideas.

Question 1.

This story is not an Indian story. But do you think there are fathers, mothers and grandmothers like the ones portrayed in the story in our own country?

Yes, definitely. Even though this story is set outside India, families like Kezia’s can be found in our country as well. In today’s fast-paced and competitive world, parents often get deeply involved in their jobs, striving to provide their children with all the comforts of life. However, in doing so, they sometimes overlook the emotional needs of their children. Kids don’t just need toys or clothes—they crave love, attention, and gentle communication.

While fathers may be busy and strict, and mothers may be caught up in household duties or careers, grandmothers often play the nurturing role. They provide comfort, warmth, and affection that children often miss from their parents. So yes, such family dynamics exist in many Indian homes too, making the story feel very relatable.

Question 2.

Was Kezia’s father right to punish her? What kind of a person was he?

No, Kezia’s father was not right to punish her. She was a little girl who made an innocent mistake, and instead of scolding or hitting her, he should have tried to understand her intentions. Children learn best through kindness, not fear. Mistakes should be gently corrected, especially when made out of love or innocence.

Kezia’s father was a strict and serious man. He didn’t smile often and didn’t spend much time with his daughter. At first glance, he seemed cold and unapproachable. But deep down, he was a responsible and loving person who worked hard for his family. The moment he comforted Kezia during her nightmare showed a different side of him—caring and protective. He may not have known how to express his love openly, but it was clear that he had a soft heart beneath his stern appearance.

Question 1

What was the daily routine of the father?
Every morning, Kezia’s father would enter her room before leaving for office, give her a quick kiss, and go off to work.

When did the daughter feel relief?
She felt a sense of relief when she heard the sound of the carriage fading away as her father left.

Trace a word from the passage which means “answered”.
Responded

Question 2

Why did she get the nightmare?
She got the nightmare because she was feeling lonely at home; her mother and grandmother were away at the hospital.

Where was the butcher?
The butcher appeared in her frightening dream.

Find a word from the passage that means “shake in fear and cold”.
Shivering

Question 3

Who is responding in the first line and before whom?
Kezia is replying to her father, trying to explain the reason behind her actions.

How did the father react?
He lost his temper and hit her soft hands with a ruler.

Find a word from the passage that means “wept”.
Sobbed

Question 4

Who was ‘she’ and why did the grandmother send her down?
‘She’ refers to Kezia. Her grandmother sent her downstairs to spend some quality time talking with her parents.

What did she notice about her parents?
She noticed that her father was deeply asleep and snoring on the sofa, while her mother was busy reading.

Trace a word that means “undisturbed”.
Soundly

Question 5

Who is Kezia watching gravely?
Kezia was quietly watching her father as he lay sleeping on the sofa.

Why was she sitting there waiting for him to wake up?
Her grandmother had asked her to talk to her father, but she found him asleep, so she waited silently.

Trace the word in the extract which means “seriously”.
Gravely

Question 1:

What orders were passed to Kezia in the evening when father returned home from office?
Every evening, when Kezia’s father returned from work, she had to remove his shoes and keep them outside. She was also expected to place his teacup properly on the tea table.

Question 2:

Why did Kezia avoid her father?
Kezia stayed away from her father because she felt he was strict and unapproachable. He never spoke kindly and often scolded her, which made her nervous around him.

Question 3:

Why did Kezia stammer in front of her father?
She stammered while speaking to her father because she was afraid of him. His stern tone and harsh expressions made her nervous and scared, affecting her speech.

Question 4:

Why was Kezia afraid of her father?
Kezia feared her father because he always appeared angry, spoke loudly, and never showed warmth or affection. His strict nature and scolding made her feel unsafe and small in front of him.

Question 5:

What made Kezia’s father punish her?
Kezia had unknowingly torn her father’s important speech papers to fill a pin-cushion she was making for his birthday. When he found out, he was furious and punished her.

Question 6:

“Father’s great speech for the Port Authority had been lost.” What had happened to father’s speech?
Kezia had accidentally torn the speech papers thinking they were useless. She used them to stuff a handmade cushion. As a result, her father lost his important speech.

Question 7:

Why did Kezia’s grandmother send her to the drawing room every Sunday afternoon?
Her grandmother believed that spending more time with her father would help Kezia overcome her fear. So, she encouraged Kezia to go and talk to him regularly.

Question 8:

What kind of a person was Kezia’s father?
He was a hard-working and responsible man, but also very strict. He wasn’t good at expressing his emotions, which made him appear distant and cold. However, deep down, he cared for his daughter.

Question 9:

What did Kezia find whenever on Sunday afternoons her grandmother sent her down to have a talk with her parents?
Whenever she went downstairs, she always found her mother quietly reading and her father asleep on the sofa with a handkerchief over his face, snoring peacefully.

Question 10:

How was Kezia’s father different from Mr. Macdonald?
Unlike Kezia’s father, Mr. Macdonald was cheerful and playful. He spent time laughing and playing with his children, whereas Kezia’s father was distant and hardly interacted with her.

Question 11:

How did the father comfort the little girl, Kezia, when she got scared in her sleep?
When Kezia had a nightmare, her father gently picked her up and brought her to his room. He lay beside her, told her to warm her feet against his legs, and stayed close until she felt safe.

Question 1:

How did Kezia’s negative attitude towards her father change?
Kezia used to think her father was harsh and frightening. But when her mother fell ill and her grandmother was away, she had to stay alone with her father. One night, after having a scary nightmare, she screamed in fear. Her father came to her, picked her up gently, and lay beside her to comfort her. She felt safe in his arms and realised that he did love her—he just didn’t know how to show it. This moment helped her understand his true nature and changed her opinion about him.

Question 2:

How did Kezia’s efforts to please her father result in upsetting him?
Kezia wanted to make a special birthday gift for her father—a pin cushion. She couldn’t find stuffing, so she unknowingly tore up some important papers of his to fill it. Those papers had his speech written on them. When he found out, he got very angry and punished her. Although Kezia tried to do something nice, it ended up making him furious, which made her feel worse.

Question 3:

How was Mr. McDonald different from Kezia’s father?
Mr. McDonald, their neighbour, was a cheerful and friendly father. He played with his kids in the garden and laughed with them. Kezia once saw him playing tag with his children, the baby on his shoulders and two girls hanging on to him. In contrast, her own father was serious, strict, and never played with her. He hardly talked to her and punished her for her mistakes. This made Kezia wish her father was more like Mr. McDonald.

Question 4:

Why was Kezia scared of her father and how did she overcome her fear?
Kezia was afraid of her father because he was strict, hardly smiled, and often scolded or ignored her. He seemed big and powerful, like a giant. But after her mother became ill and she had to stay alone with him, something changed. When she had a nightmare, her father comforted her and let her sleep beside him. This kindness helped Kezia realise that he cared about her, even if he didn’t show it all the time.

Question 5:

How did Kezia feel in the presence of her father?
Kezia always felt nervous and uncomfortable around her father. His large appearance and stern voice scared her. She even stammered when talking to him. One time, he beat her for tearing important papers, and that made her fear him even more. But later, when he cared for her during a nightmare, she felt safe. That moment made her see that he wasn’t cruel—just not very expressive.

Question 1:
Kezia in the story “The Little Girl” was afraid of her father because he never communicated with her. Imagine you are a parenting counsellor. Based on your reading of the story, write a paragraph advising the parents to make communication with their children a priority.

Answer:
In The Little Girl, Kezia’s fear of her father stems from a lack of open and affectionate communication. Her father was stern and emotionally distant, which made her feel lonely and scared in his presence. As a parenting counsellor, I would strongly advise parents to prioritize honest and empathetic communication with their children. Children need to feel heard, valued, and emotionally safe in their homes. Parents should take time to listen to their children, share their own thoughts, and create a warm atmosphere where feelings are freely expressed. A strong emotional connection builds trust and ensures that children grow up feeling supported and secure. It is through love, not fear, that discipline becomes meaningful.

Question 2:
Should the relationship between a parent and child be distant and formal, or should it be close and warm?

Answer:
A close and warm relationship between a parent and child is essential for the child’s healthy emotional and psychological development. A formal and distant relationship creates barriers, making it difficult for children to express their feelings and seek guidance. In today’s world, where children face various challenges, parents should act as companions and mentors. A nurturing bond filled with trust and openness helps children grow into confident, emotionally balanced individuals. When children are not afraid to approach their parents, it leads to better communication, stronger values, and deeper mutual respect. Therefore, warmth and closeness should define every parent-child relationship.