The Lost Child by Mulk Raj Anand

 

"The Lost Child" by Mulk Raj Anand

Summary:

"The Lost Child" is a short story about a young boy who goes to a village fair with his parents. He is very excited and enjoys looking at all the colourful stalls, sweets, toys, and rides. As they walk through the fair, he asks his parents to buy him a toy, sweets, and a ride on the roundabout, but they gently refuse and tell him to keep walking.

The boy gets distracted by the roundabout and, without realizing it, loses his parents in the crowd. When he turns around to call them, they are nowhere to be seen. He feels scared and starts crying. He runs in different directions, calling for his "Mother! Father!", but he cannot find them.

A kind man in the crowd sees the crying child and tries to comfort him. The man offers to buy him toys, sweets, and take him on a ride, but the boy refuses everything. The only thing he wants is his parents.

The story shows the innocence of childhood and how children feel safe and happy when they are with their parents. It also teaches that love and family are more important than material things.

MCQs

1.     Where does the child go with his parents?
i. To a zoo
ii. To a village fair
iii. To a temple
iv. To a school

2.     What does the child first ask for at the fair?
i. A toy
ii. A balloon
iii. Sweets
iv. A ride on the roundabout

3.     Why do the child’s parents refuse to buy him things?
i. They do not love him
ii. They want to keep walking
iii. They have no money
iv. They are in a hurry

4.     What fascinates the child the most at the fair?
i. The roundabout
ii. The magician’s show
iii. The balloon seller
iv. The snake charmer

5.     How does the child realize that he has lost his parents?
i. When he turns around and cannot see them
ii. When he falls and no one picks him up
iii. When he gets distracted by the sweets
iv. When a man tells him

6.     How does the child react after losing his parents?
i. He runs back home
ii. He starts crying and searching for them
iii. He plays with other children
iv. He eats sweets to calm himself

7.     Who helps the lost child in the fair?
i. A policeman
ii. A stranger
iii. A shopkeeper
iv. His teacher

8.     What does the kind man offer the lost child?
i. Toys and sweets
ii. A ride home
iii. A chance to meet his parents
iv. Money

9.     How does the child respond to the stranger’s offers?
i. He happily takes them
ii. He refuses everything and cries for his parents
iii. He asks for more toys
iv. He plays with other children

10.                        What is the main theme of the story?
i. The importance of money
ii. A child’s love for his parents
iii. The fun of village fairs
iv. How to find lost people