English SAQ Suggestion : Prose Section
Welcome, HS 2026 aspirants! To secure a top-tier score in the West Bengal Board Semester 4 English Exam, mastering the Prose section is essential. This unit carries a total of 10 marks, consisting of Short Answer Questions (2 marks each) and Descriptive Type Questions (6 marks each).
Below is a high-quality, exam-focused analysis of the two prescribed stories: 'Alice in Wonderland' (Chapter: Down the Rabbit-Hole) and 'Three Questions'.
Prose 1 : 'Alice in Wonderland' (Down the Rabbit-Hole) by Lewis Carroll
Introduction
Lewis Carroll’s 'Alice in Wonderland' is a masterpiece of literary nonsense. The chapter "Down the Rabbit-Hole" introduces Alice’s transition from the mundane world to a realm of illogical wonders. For the Semester 4 exam, students should focus on Alice's curiosity, her physical transformations, and the dream-like sequence of her fall. This story tests your ability to analyze character reactions in extraordinary situations.
Top 10 Exam-Oriented SAQs (2 Marks Each)
Answer: Alice was sitting by her sister on the bank, feeling very bored as she had nothing to do and found her sister's book uninteresting because it had no pictures or conversations.
2. What was so remarkable about the White Rabbit that Alice saw?
Answer: The rabbit was not only talking to itself but also took a watch out of its waistcoat-pocket, looked at it, and then hurried on, which triggered Alice’s curiosity.
3. How did Alice enter the rabbit-hole?
Answer: Driven by burning curiosity, Alice ran across the field after the Rabbit and popped down a large rabbit-hole under the hedge without thinking about how she would get out again.
4. Describe Alice’s experience while falling down the well.
Answer: The fall was very deep and slow, allowing Alice plenty of time to look about her, wonder what would happen next, and observe the cupboards and bookshelves lining the sides of the well.
5. What did Alice manage to take from a shelf during her fall?
Answer: She took down a jar labeled "ORANGE MARMALADE," but to her great disappointment, it was empty. She placed it into one of the cupboards as she fell past.
6. Who is Dinah, and why does Alice mention her?
Answer: Dinah is Alice’s pet cat. Alice mentions her because she feels lonely and hopes the people at home will remember to give Dinah her saucer of milk at tea-time.
7. What did Alice find on the three-legged glass table?
Answer: She found nothing but a tiny golden key, which she hoped might fit one of the doors in the hall.
8. What did Alice see through the small door behind the curtain?
Answer: After opening the fifteen-inch door with the golden key, she saw the loveliest garden she had ever seen, filled with bright flowers and cool fountains.
9. What happened after Alice drank from the bottle labeled "DRINK ME"?
Answer: Alice began to shrink rapidly until she was only ten inches high, a size she felt was perfect for fitting through the little door into the garden.
10. Why could Alice not enter the garden even after shrinking?
Answer: Although she was the right size, she had forgotten the little golden key on the glass table and was now too short to reach it.
Top 10 Exam Suggestions for 'Alice in Wonderland'
- Analyze Alice’s character as a curious and imaginative child.
- Discuss the significance of the "White Rabbit" as a catalyst for the plot.
- Describe the setting of the "Hall of Doors" and its symbolic meaning.
- Comment on the theme of "Literary Nonsense" found in Alice’s internal monologues.
- How does Carroll use physical size changes to represent the challenges of growing up?
- Analyze Alice’s fall down the rabbit-hole as a transition from reality to a dream world.
- Explain the importance of the "tiny golden key" and the "loveliest garden".
- Discuss Alice’s feelings of loneliness and her attachment to Dinah.
- Describe the irony of Alice’s situation after she drinks from the bottle.
- What does Alice’s attempt to "curtsey as she fell" tell us about her upbringing and manners?
Prose 2 : 'Three Questions' by Leo Tolstoy
Introduction
Leo Tolstoy’s 'Three Questions' is a profound moral parable that explores the essence of wisdom, duty, and the present moment. The story follows a Tsar’s quest to find the answers to three vital life questions. For HS students, this prose is critical for understanding the values of empathy and mindfulness. It is a highly "sticky" topic for exams because of its structured narrative and philosophical conclusion.
Top 10 Exam-Oriented SAQs (2 Marks Each)
1. What were the three questions that occurred to the Tsar?
Answer: The three questions were: What is the right time to begin everything? Who are the right people to listen to? and What is the most important thing to do?
2. Why did the Tsar want the answers to these questions?
Answer: The Tsar believed that if he knew the answers to these three things, he would never fail in anything he might undertake.
3. How did the learned men answer the first question?
Answer: Their answers varied; some suggested drawing up a table of days, months, and years, while others believed only magicians could know the right time for every action.
4. Why did the Tsar decide to consult a hermit?
Answer: Dissatisfied with the conflicting answers of the learned men, the Tsar decided to seek the advice of a hermit widely renowned for his wisdom.
5. How did the Tsar approach the hermit?
Answer: To show humility, the Tsar dressed in common clothes, left his bodyguard behind, and approached the hermit’s cell on foot while the hermit was digging the ground.
6. What task did the Tsar perform for the hermit?
Answer: Seeing that the hermit was frail and tired, the Tsar took the spade and dug the seed-beds himself for several hours.
7. Who was the wounded man who came running out of the wood?
Answer: The man was the Tsar’s enemy who had planned to ambush and kill the Tsar, but was instead wounded by the Tsar’s bodyguard.
8. How did the Tsar show mercy to the wounded man?
Answer: The Tsar washed and bandaged the man's wound repeatedly until the bleeding stopped, and gave him fresh water to drink.
9. What did the wounded man promise the Tsar?
Answer: Feeling grateful for having his life saved, the man repented, asked for forgiveness, and promised to serve the Tsar as his most faithful slave.
10. What were the final answers given by the hermit?
Answer: The hermit explained that the most important time is Now; the most important person is the one you are with; and the most important pursuit is to do good for that person.
Top 10 Exam Suggestions for 'Three Questions'
- Discuss 'Three Questions' as a moral parable or a short story with a message.
- How did the Tsar’s experience with the hermit and the wounded man help him find his answers?
- Describe the character of the Tsar as a seeker of truth and a man of action.
- Analyze the hermit’s philosophy of "the present moment".
- What is the significance of the wounded man’s transformation from an enemy to a friend?
- Comment on the learned men’s failure to provide satisfactory answers.
- Explain the theme of "Service to Humanity" as presented in the story.
- Discuss the importance of the setting—the hermit’s cell in the woods.
- Analyze the structure of the story: Question, Quest, and Revelation.
- Why is "Now" considered the only time when we have any power?
Teacher's Tips for Semester 4 Prose
- Focus on Character Evolution: Note how Alice changes from being bored to being active, and how the Tsar changes from a ruler to a servant.
- Analyze the 'Message': HS exams often ask for the moral of 'Three Questions' or the 'Nonsense elements' in Alice. Prepare these as 6-mark answers.
- SAQ Precision: Keep your 2-mark answers concise but complete. Always mention the character and the specific incident clearly.
- Keywords: Use literary terms like Parable, Monologue, Allegory, and Anthropomorphism to impress the examiner.
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