Chapter 1: A Letter to God

Important questions — the ones the board asked most (18)

1. Q1Short answer12 marksAsked: 2026

   8. Answer ANY FOUR of the following five questions, in about 40-50 words each : 4x3 = 12 I. Lencho's last letter to God depicts astute faith on one level and irony on the other. Bring about the element of faith and irony in the situation. (A Letter to God) II. "Mijbil the Otter" sensitises human beings especially city people to wildlife. What emotions are conveyed through the association of Mijbil and Maxwell ? III. What is the contribution of the extended metaphor in the poem "Fog" ? IV. How does "Madam Rides the Bus" bring alive Valli's attributes and experiences through its narrative style ? V. Explain why time is probably one of the most valuable possessions that one intensely regrets losing. (The Ball Poem)

   

   Medha Ma’am

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   Model answer · Literature short answers, First Flight

   1. 1.Lencho's faith was so firm that when he received seventy pesos he was not at all surprised, because he was sure that God had sent the money. He even wrote again asking God to send the rest. The irony is that he suspected the post office employees, who had actually collected the money for him, called them 'a bunch of crooks' and asked God not to send the rest by mail.3 marks
   2. 2.The association of Mijbil and Maxwell conveys love, care, trust and companionship. Maxwell looked after Mij like a child, and Mij soon became attached to him, playing with him and following him. Maxwell suffered when Mij was distressed in the box during the journey. This shows that wild animals respond to love and deserve understanding and humane treatment.3 marks
   3. 3.In 'Fog' Carl Sandburg compares the fog to a cat throughout the poem. The fog 'comes on little cat feet', sits looking over the harbour and city 'on silent haunches' and then moves on. This extended metaphor vividly shows how silently and stealthily the fog arrives, stays for a while and leaves, and it binds the whole short poem together.3 marks
   4. 4.(IV) The story is narrated in the third person but stays close to Valli's thoughts and feelings, with lively dialogue and gentle humour. Through this we see her curiosity about the bus, her careful planning and saving of sixty paise, her confidence in dealing with the conductor and passengers, her independence, her joy at the sights on the way and her sadness at seeing the dead cow on the way back. OR (V) In 'The Ball Poem' the boy loses his ball, and the poet says buying another ball is worthless. The boy must learn that money is external; what is lost, like the ball and the happy moments linked with it, can never be bought back. Time is like that: once lost, it is gone for ever, so we regret losing it most.3 marks

   Marks split from a structure derived from past papers (checked twice); not CBSE’s official scheme

2. Q2Short answer12 marksAsked: 2024

   Answer any four of the following five questions, in 40-50 words each : (i) What idea does the Postmaster come up with ? What did he do to stick to his resolution ? (A Letter to God) (ii) Briefly bring out the contrast between the young seagull's initial attempts to fly and his first successful flight. (His First Flight) (iii) Explain why Amanda wants to be an orphan. Refer to the given lines, from the text - I am an orphan, roaming the street. I pattern soft dust with my hushed, bare feet. The silence is golden, the freedom is sweet. (Amanda) (iv) The baker and his family never starved. Elaborate. (Glimpses of India) (v) Ogden Nash's 'The Tale of Custard The Dragon' is a humorous ballad - a song on a poem that tells a story. Justify.

   

   Medha Ma’am

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   Model answer

   1. 1.The postmaster was touched by Lencho's faith and decided to answer the letter so that this faith would not be shaken. Since that needed money, he asked his employees and friends to contribute and gave part of his own salary. He collected a little more than half the amount, seventy pesos, and sent it to Lencho in an envelope signed simply 'God'.3 marks
   2. 2.At first the young seagull was afraid to fly. Whenever he ran to the edge of the ledge, the sea looked miles below and he felt his wings would never support him, so he stayed behind alone. Later, weak with hunger, he dived at the fish his mother held out, fell, then spread his wings and flew. He soared and dived joyfully and finally landed on the sea.3 marks
   3. 3.Amanda is tired of being constantly nagged and told what to do and what not to do. So she imagines herself as an orphan roaming the street, patterning the soft dust with her bare feet. For her, 'the silence is golden, the freedom is sweet', because there would be no one to scold or instruct her.3 marks
   4. 4.(iv) Baking was a profitable profession in Goa. Bread was needed every day, and the sweet bread 'bol', cakes and bolinhas were a must for marriages, feasts and festivals like Christmas. So the baker, his family and his servants never starved and always looked happy and prosperous; their plump physique was an open testimony to this. OR (v) The poem is a ballad because it tells a story in rhyming stanzas. Ogden Nash makes it humorous through funny names like Ink, Blink, Mustard and Custard, playful words such as 'realio, trulio', and exaggeration ('brave as a barrel full of bears'). The irony adds fun: Custard, mocked as a coward, fights and gobbles up the pirate, while the 'brave' Belinda and her pets run away.3 marks

   Marks split from a structure derived from past papers (checked twice); not CBSE’s official scheme

3. Q3Short answer12 marksAsked: 2024

   Answer any FOUR of the following questions in 40-50 words each. (i) Explain the irony in the chapter, "A Letter to God". (ii) "During our childhood in Goa, the baker used to be our friend, companion and guide." What does this statement imply in relation to the character of the baker? (Glimpses of India) (iii) It is our attitude towards a situation that makes it positive or negative. Do you agree with it? Express your views with reference to the poem, 'Dust of Snow'. (iv) Belinda and other animals have been described as brave. But on seeing the pirate they behaved in a cowardly way. How did they react? (A Tale of Custard, The Dragon) (v) Flying is a natural act in birds. Then why was the young seagull 'exhausted by the strange exercise'? Justify the given statement with reference to baby seagull's fear. (His First Flight)

   

   Medha Ma’am

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   Model answer · irony, baker, attitude, cowardly animals

   1. 1.The irony is that the postmaster and his employees collected money only to keep Lencho's faith in God alive. But when Lencho received seventy pesos instead of a hundred, he was sure that God could not make a mistake. So he suspected the very post office employees who had helped him and called them 'a bunch of crooks'.3 marks
   2. 2.The statement shows that the baker was a friendly, cheerful and familiar figure in the children's lives. They eagerly waited for him, woke up to the jingling thud of his bamboo staff and ran to meet him, hoping for the bread-bangles. He was a part of their daily life, which made him their friend and companion.3 marks
   3. 3.Yes, I agree. In 'Dust of Snow' the poet was in a sad, regretful mood. A crow, thought to be a bad omen, shook down dust of snow on him from a hemlock tree, which is poisonous. Yet this small act changed his mood and saved part of a day he had rued. So a positive attitude can turn even a negative moment into a happy one.3 marks
   4. 4.(iv) The 'brave' ones behaved like cowards when the pirate climbed in. Belinda paled and cried, 'Help! Help!' Mustard fled with a terrified yelp, Ink trickled down to the bottom of the household, and little mouse Blink strategically mouseholed. Only Custard, the so-called coward, jumped up, fought the pirate and gobbled him up. OR (v) Flying is natural for birds, but the young seagull's fear had kept him from ever trying. He felt his wings would never support him, so he had never practised. When hunger at last made him dive at the fish and fly, the flapping, diving and soaring were completely new and strange to him. He was also weak with hunger, so this first flight exhausted him.3 marks

   Marks split from a structure derived from past papers (checked twice); not CBSE’s official scheme

4. Q4Short answer12 marksAsked: 2023

   Answer ANY FOUR of the following in about 40-50 words each : (a) Why did the night after the rains turn sorrowful for Lencho ? (A letter to God) (b) Describe the young seagull's first flight. (Two stories about flying) (c) Who are paders and why are they friends of children ? (Glimpses of India) (d) How did Valli save money to travel by bus ? (Madam rides the bus) (e) What character trait is revealed of Custard when he accepts that the other animals are braver than him. (The tale of Custard the Dragon)

5. Q5Long answer6 marksAsked: 2026

   Answer any one of the following two questions, in about 100-120 words : (A) How does Lencho’s faith in God, as shown in ‘A Letter to God’ contrast with the skepticism of Kisa Gotami in ‘Sermon at Benares’. Support your answer with details from the two texts. OR (B) Analyse how Amanda in the poem ‘Amanda’ and the dragon in the poem ‘The Tale of Custard the Dragon’ yearn for acceptance and a life free from criticism.

   How the model answer begins

   1. Lencho's faith in God is complete and unquestioning, while Kisa Gotami looks for the answer herself. When the hailstorm destroyed his corn and "the hail has left nothing", Lencho turned to God in his crisis, because…

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6. Q6Long answer6 marksAsked: 2025

   Answer any one of the following two questions in 100 - 120 words : (a) Analyse and evaluate the role of faith in ‘A Letter to God’ and ‘The Sermon at Benares’. OR (b) Explore the contrasting images of the tiger in ‘A Tiger in the Zoo’ and the tiger in ‘How to Tell Wild Animals’.

   How the model answer begins

   1. (a) Faith guides both stories, but in different ways. In 'A Letter to God', Lencho has a staunch, deep-seated faith in God. A hailstorm destroys his crops, but he is not disheartened. His single hope is help from God,…

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7. Q7Long answer6 marksAsked: 2026

   Answer any one of the following two questions in 100 – 120 words : (a) How do Lencho in ‘A Letter to God’ and Kisa Gotami in ‘The Sermon at Benares’ respond to their experiences of suffering and loss ? How did they overcome their respective losses ? OR (b) How does the contrast between the pilot’s fear in ‘The Black Aeroplane’ and Custard’s initial cowardice in ‘The Tale of Custard the Dragon’ highlight that courage can be found in the most unexpected characters when circumstances demand it ? Discuss with reference to the two.

   How the model answer begins

   1. (a) When the hailstorm destroyed his entire crop, Lencho was deeply grieved, but his faith in God remained unshaken. So he wrote a letter to God asking for a hundred pesos to sow his field again. OR (b) Caught in the…

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8. Q8Long answer6 marksAsked: 2024

   Answer any one of the following two questions in 100 - 120 words. (a) Grief or sadness is an emotion natural to all types of loss or significant change. You have been asked to present an analysis of the approaches of Lencho and Kisa Gotami in dealing with their respective losses. Write this presentation draft including your insights, and comparing the approaches of both. You may begin like this : One acknowledges that Lencho had unwavering faith in God whereas Kisa Gotami in her grief, believed that her son ............... however ................. . OR (b) You have been chosen to address the school assembly on the occasion of Women's Day. You choose to speak on the resilience and indomitable spirit of the young girls : Anne Frank and Valli. Prepare the speech draft, with reference to the commonality and contrast in the situations and circumstances of both the girls. You may begin like this : Good morning everyone. Today, I'd like to express my insights on the resilience of two young girls ............... . You may end this way : To conclude I'd like to say that ............... . Thank you.

   How the model answer begins

   1. One acknowledges that Lencho had unwavering faith in God, whereas Kisa Gotami, in her grief, believed that her son's death was her sorrow alone; however, she learnt that death comes to all. Lencho's soul was filled with…

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9. Q9Case-based5 marksAsked: 2026

   Read the following extracts and answer the questions for any one of the given two, (a) or (b) : (a) The postmaster — a fat, amiable fellow — also broke out laughing, but almost immediately he turned serious and, tapping the letter to his desk, commented, “What faith! I wish I had the faith of the man who wrote this letter. Starting up a correspondence with God!” So, in order not to shake the writer’s faith in God, the postmaster came up with an idea: answer the letter. (A Letter to God) (i) Justify the following statement : What faith! I wish I had the faith of the man who wrote this letter. (ii) Fill in the blank with a correct word from the brackets. The postmaster turned serious on seeing the letter addressed to God because he realized that the writer had ________ (immense/limited) faith in God. (iii) Examine the portrayal of the postmaster in the given extract. (iv) Why did the postmaster initially laugh on seeing the letter ? (A) It was a blank sheet of paper. (B) He lacked faith in God. (C) He had received such letters earlier. (D) He had never known such an address. OR (b) OMEGA : Yes, sir. (She reads with great seriousness.) Mistress Mary, quite contrary. How does your garden grow? With cockle shells and silver bells And pretty maids all in a row. OOP : Ha, ha, ha. Imagine that. Pretty maids growing in a garden. THINK-TANK : (alarmed) Stop! This is no time for levity. Don’t you realise the seriousness of this discovery? The Earthlings have discovered how to combine agriculture and mining. They can actually grow crops of rare metals such as silver. And cockle shells. They can grow high explosives, too. Noodle, contact our invasion fleet. NOODLE : They are ready to go down and take over Earth, sir. (The Book that Saved the Earth) (i) What can we infer from the given statement, “This is no time for levity” ? (ii) Think-Tank thinks that Earthlings have reached a high level of civilisation. Why does he think so ? (iii) Complete the sentence appropriately : The piece of information that Noodle provides to Think-Tank is ________. (iv) What is the tone of Omega while reading the rhyme ? 1. happy 2. optimistic 3. serious 4. pessimistic 5. sarcastic Select the correct option : (A) Only 1 (B) 4 and 5 (C) Only 3 (D) 1 and 2

   How the model answer begins

   1. (a) (i) The statement is justified because the postmaster was surprised at the staunch faith Lencho had in God. Lencho wrote a letter addressed to God himself, sure that God would read it and help him. The postmaster…

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10. Q10Short answer5 marksAsked: 2025

    Read the following extracts and answer the questions for any one of the given two, (a) or (b) : (a) Not a leaf remained on the trees. The corn was totally destroyed. The flowers were gone from the plants. Lencho's soul was filled with sadness. When the storm had passed, he stood in the middle of the field and said to his sons, "A plague of locusts would have left more than this. The hail has left nothing. This year we will have no corn." That night was a sorrowful one. "All our work, for nothing." "There's no one who can help us." "We'll all go hungry this year." (A Letter to God) (i) Why were there no leaves left on the trees ? (A) The locusts ate them up. (B) An earthquake had occurred. (C) There was a hailstorm. (D) The animals grazed on them. (ii) Fill in the blank with the correct word from the brackets. Lencho felt ________ (jubilant/devastated) when he saw his destroyed corn fields. (iii) When Lencho says, "All our work, for nothing," what does he refer to ? Explain in about 40 words. (iv) Why would Lencho have preferred a plague of locusts to a hailstorm ? OR (b) Later, he patted me on the head and said never mind, he'd teach me to cook. He also taught me to write my name and said he would soon teach me to write whole sentences and to add numbers. I was grateful. I knew that once I could write like an educated man there would be no limit to what I could achieve. It was quite pleasant working for Anil. I made the tea in the morning and then would take my time buying the day's supplies, usually making a profit of about a rupee a day. I think he knew I made a little money this way but he did not seem to mind. (The Thief's Story) (i) What does the following line tell us about the character of Anil ? "I think he knew I made a little money this way but he did not seem to mind." (ii) Which of the following best describes the realization Hari Singh had while working for Anil ? (A) that he would become a rich person one day (B) that Anil was a very intelligent master but a miser (C) that he would be able to accomplish a lot if he gets educated (D) that Anil made a lot of money from his job (iii) What did Anil promise to teach Hari Singh, and how did Hari Singh feel about the opportunity to learn ? Answer in about 40 words. (iv) Fill in the blank with the correct word from the brackets. The narrator earned extra money by making a/an ________ (profit/investment) of about a rupee a day.

    How the model answer begins

    1. (a) (i) (C) There was a hailstorm.

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11. Q11Short answer3 marksAsked: 2025

    Why did Lencho not trust the post office employees ? (A Letter to God)

    How the model answer begins

    1. Lencho did not trust the post office employees because he had asked God for a hundred pesos, but only seventy pesos reached him. He had complete faith in God and was sure that God could not have made a mistake. So he…

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12. Q12Short answer3 marksAsked: 2024

    What idea does the Postmaster come up with ? What did he do to stick to his resolution ? (A Letter to God)

    How the model answer begins

    1. The postmaster came up with the idea to answer Lencho's letter to God. He was moved by Lencho's faith and wanted to help him, so that the writer's faith in God would not be shaken. Answering the letter needed more than…

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13. Q13Short answer3 marksAsked: 2023

    Who read the letter sent by Lencho ? What did he do then ?

    How the model answer begins

    1. The postmaster read the letter that Lencho had written to God.

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14. Q14Short answer3 marksAsked: 2023

    What did Lencho hope for and why ?

    How the model answer begins

    1. Lencho was an experienced farmer who knew his fields intimately, and his field was full of ripe corn dotted with flowers that always promised a good harvest. He badly needed rain for his crop to grow well.

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15. Q15Short answer3 marksAsked: 2023

    In what way would writing a letter to God help Lencho tide over his crisis ?

    How the model answer begins

    1. Writing a letter to God would help Lencho tide over his crisis because he believed in God completely. After the hailstorm destroyed his corn, his single hope was help from God, whose eyes, he had been taught, see…

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16. Q16Short answer3 marksAsked: 2023

    The postmaster had mixed emotions while opening the letter. Explain.

    How the model answer begins

    1. The postmaster had mixed emotions because Lencho's letter was addressed 'To God', an address the postman had never known in his whole career. In the beginning, the postmaster laughed at it, just as the postman had…

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17. Q17Short answer3 marksAsked: 2023

    Why did the night after the rains turn sorrowful for Lencho ? (A letter to God)

    How the model answer begins

    1. The night after the rains was sorrowful for Lencho because his crops were destroyed by hailstones. The rain he had hoped for turned into a hailstorm, and for an hour hailstones fell on his cornfield. The corn was…

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18. Q18Short answer3 marksAsked: 2023

    What are the raindrops compared to and why?

    How the model answer begins

    1. Lencho compares the raindrops to new coins. When big drops of rain began to fall, he exclaimed, "These aren't raindrops falling from the sky, they are new coins." The big drops are ten cent pieces and the little ones…

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Questions parents and students ask

How many marks does "A Letter to God" carry in CBSE Class 10 English?

In the CBSE papers of 2023–2026, this chapter carried about 4 marks and about 1 questions a year; by marks it ranks 5 in English.

Which are the most important (VVI) questions of "A Letter to God"?

The 18 questions above are from the board’s real papers, each with the years it was asked; the most-asked come first with their full model answers. All 18 written questions of this chapter, with answers, are in the AskMedha app.

Do the answers follow the board’s marking scheme?

Yes. CBSE publishes its marking schemes; every model answer here is written point by point to the marks the board’s own scheme gives, and checked by a second, independent model.