Jharkhand Board Class 10 English Notes | A Banker from Goa Solutions Chapter 7(i)
7. (i) A Banker from Goa ― Lucio Rodrigues
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Questions on Extract
Extract-1. Once, when he set out in the morning on his
selling round, and then again, when he returned after emptying his
huge basket. The jingling thud of his bamboo woke us up from
sleep and we ran to meet and greet him. Why was it so? Was it for
the love of the loaf? Not at all. The loaves were bought by some
Paskine or Bastine, the maid-servant of the house! What we longed
for were those bread-bangles which we chose carefully. Sometimes
it was sweet bread of special make. [JAC 2009; 2014(A)]
Q. (a) How did the people in Goa look at the baker?
(b) What aroused the narrator from sleep in the morning
when he was a child?
(c) What did the narrator long for?
(d) What does the narrator mean by 'some Pakisne or
Bastine'?
(e) Find a word from the passage which means 'ringing or
clinking sound'.
Ans.(a) They looked at him as a friend, companion and guide.
(b) The 'jingling thud' of the baker's bamboo aroused the
narrator from sleep.
(c) He longed for 'bread-bangles'.
(d) By these he means a maid-servant of such names.
(e) jingle'.
Extract-2. The baker made his musical entry on the scene
with the 'jhang, jhang sound of his specially made bamboo staff.
One hand supported the basket on his head and the other banged
the bamboo on the ground. He would greet the lady of the house
with 'Good morning and then place his basket on the vertical
bamboo. We kids would be pushed aside with a mild rebuke and
the loaves would be delivered to the servant. But we would not
give up. We would climb a bench or the parapet and peep into the
basket, somehow, I can still recall the typical fragrance of those
loaves. Loaves for the elders and the bangles for the children.
Then we did not even care to brush our teeth or wash our mouths
properly. And why should we? Who would take the trouble of
plucking the mango-leaf for the tooth-brush? And why was it
necessary at all? The tiger never brushed his teeth. Hot tea could
wash and clean up everything so nicely, after all?
Q. (a) How would the baker behave with the ladies?
(b) What would the narrator and other kids do even though
they were rebuked?
(c) With what did they clean up their teeth?
(d) What was thought as a nice mouth-wash to clean up
everything?
(e) Find a word from the passage which means 'smell.
Ans.(a) He would behave nicely wishing the ladies 'good
morning'
(b) They would climb a bench or the parapet and look into
the baker's basket.
(c) They used to clean up their teeth with the mango-leaf as
the tooth-brush.
(e) 'fragrance'.
Extract-3. During Our childhood in Goa, the baker used to
be our friend, companion and guide. He used to come at least
twice a day. Once when he sat out in the morning on his his selling
round, and then again, when he returned after emptying his huge
basket. The jingling thud of his bamboo woke us up from sleep
and we ran to meet and greet him. why was it so ? Was it for the
love of the loaf ? Not at all. The loaves were bought by some
Paskine or Bastine, the maid servant of the house . What we longed
for were those bread bangles which we chose carefully.Sometimes
it was sweet bread of special make. [JAC 2019 (A)]
Q. (a) How did the people in Goa look at the baker ?
(b) What aroused the narrator from the sieep in tne
morning when he was a child ?
(c) What did the narrator long for?
(d)What does the narrator mean by "some Paskine or
Bastine.
(e) Find word from the passage which mean:
(i) huge (ii) lingle
Ans. (a) The people at Goa looked at the baker as a friend,
companion and guide.
(b) When the narrator was a child, the Jingling thud" of the
baker's bamboo aroused him from sleep in the morning.
(c)The narrator longed for "bread-bangles'. Sometimes it
was sweet bread of special make.
(d) By 'some Paskine or Bastine' the narrator means a rdservant
Domerlskine or Bastine the narrator means a rdservant
of such names,
(e) (i) huge (ii) Jingle.
Long Type Questions and Answer
Q.1.How does the author remember the traditional bakers
of Goa? WVhy did he wait for the baker the maximum when he
was a child?
Ans. The author remembers the traditional bakers of Goa
with great interest. Those were the good old days when the
Portuguese had the loaves of bread daily. There are still the mixers,
the moulders and bakers in Goa. Old furnaces still exist. There is
Still fire in some furnaces The thud and jingle of the traditional
baker's bambo can still be heard in some places. These bakers are
known as pader in Goa.
The author saw the baker as friend, companion and guide.
The baker used to come twice a day. He had a basket on his head
and a bamboo.The jingling sound of his bamboo woke him up in
his childhood. The maid-servant took the loaves of bread. The
author looked for breadbangles. Sometime it was sweet bread of
special make.
Q.2. How did the baker, known as pader, announce his
arrival ?
Ans. The baker in the authors childhood days used to come
twice a day. In the morning he came to sell the loaves of bread.
Again he returned atter emptying his huge basket. He made his
musicl entry with the 'jhang, jhang' sound of his special bamboo
stick. One hand supported the basket on his head. The other banged
the bamboo on the ground. The baker would greet with 'Good
morning and place the basket on the vertical bamboo. He would
rebuke the children mildiy and deliver the loaves to the maid-
Servant. The author and other children would climba bench or the
parapet to peep into the basket. They loved bread-bangles.
Sometime it was sweet bread of special make.
Q.3. What did the baker wear in those days? How did he
look? What did the author estimate from his appearance?
Ans. The baker or bread-seller in those days had a peculiar
dress. It was known as the kabai. It was a Single piece long frock
reaching down to the knees. In the childhood days the author saw
the baker wearing a shirt and trousets. These were shorter than full-
length ones and longer then half pants. Any one wearing such a
dress is called a pader even today.
The author estimated from the paders appearance that he
earned sutticiently. Baking was a profitable profession then.The
baker and his family never straved. He had a plump body. It testified
that he was rich due to that profession. The author compares the
baker with a jackfruit humorously.
Q. 4. In Goan village, a baker enjoys an important position.
Explain.
Or, How is bread an important part ofa Goan life.
[ JAC 201OA); 2016 (A)]
Ans. In the Goan village, a baker enjoys a significant
position.All the festivals and other festival occasions will be
meaningless without the presence of his furnace. His musical entry
Jhang Jhang from a bamboo would announce his arrival. With one
hand he supported his basket and with the other he held a bamboo.
Even a small party or a feast will lose its charm without a bread.
They enjoy bol. It is known as the sweet bread. Their marriage
functions Would be meaningless without it. On the occasion of her
daughter's engagement, the lady of the house must prepare
sandwitches. Cakes and bolinhas are a must for Christmas and
other occasions. The presence of the baker's furnace in the village
is absolutely essential.
The bread seller had a peculiar dress known as the Kabai. In
the end ot the month. he will collect his bills. Monthly accounts
are maintained on the walls. The baker and his family always
looked happy and prosperous since it is a profitable business.
Q.4. How is bread an important part of Goan life? How do
you know this? Or, Is bread-making still popular in Goa?
Ans. Bread is an important part of Goan life, Marriage gifts
are meaningless without the sweet bread known aS bolo. A Pparty
or a feast loses its charm without bread. The lady ot the house
must prepare sandwicnes on the occasion of her daughter's
engagement. Cakes and bolinhas are a must for all festivals
including Christmas. The Portuguese have left. But the makers of
those famous loaves are still there. The mixers, the moulders, the
furnaces and the bakers are still there.
Q.5. How would the baker come everyday? Why did the
children run to meet him?
Or, How did the baker make his presence in the morning?
What did the baker wear in the days When the author was a
child ?
Ans. The baker came with the jhangjhang sound of his
bamboo stick. Fle carricd his basket on his head, supporting it
with one hand. With the other hand, he woula bang the bamboo
on the ground. Thus everyone would come to know of his arrival.
He would greet with "Good morning and place the basket on the
vertical bamboo.
The baker then wore a shirt and trousers. These trousers were
Shorter than the full-length trousers . But they were, longer than
half pants. They reached just below the knees. Even today it is
known as drees of a 'pader'.
All children including the author eagerly awaited the arrival
of baker to their house. When the baker came with loaves of bread
in his basket the children had to be nushed away to take delivery.
They would climb a bench or the parapet to peep into the basket.
They loved bread bangles. When they got their share, they did
not even care to brush their teeth or wash their mouths properly.
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