The Beggar

Summary

This is an excerpt from a short story or novel, it tells the story of a man who is pretending to be a village schoolteacher and a student to beg for money. The advocate Sergei met him in Sadovya street and he remembers him as a liar, who had told him that he was expelled student, but now he is pretending to be a schoolteacher. Sergei is angry and tells him that he should work instead of lying. Sergei offers him the job of chopping wood in his wood-shed, the beggar accepts but it is clear that he does not really want to work and his strength has been undermined by alcohol. He sits down on a log and becomes lost in thought, the cook Olga scolds him and throws an axe at his feet. The beggar starts to chop wood feebly and it is clear that he is not inclined to toil.

Summary in 300 words

The text tells the story of a man who is pretending to be a village schoolteacher and a student to beg for money. The advocate Sergei met him in Sadovya street and he remembers him as a liar, who had told him that he was expelled student, but now he is pretending to be a schoolteacher. Sergei is angry with him for lying and tells him that he should work instead of deceiving people. Sergei offers him the job of chopping wood in his wood-shed, the beggar accepts but it is clear that he does not really want to work and his strength has been undermined by alcohol. He sits down on a log and becomes lost in thought, the cook Olga scolds him and throws an axe at his feet. The beggar starts to chop wood feebly and it is clear that he is not inclined to toil.

This story is a commentary on the societal issues of poverty and unemployment. It highlights the desperation of some people to survive and the moral dilemmas they face when they resort to lying and begging to make ends meet. The character of the beggar is portrayed as someone who is not only physically weak but also morally weak, as he has no qualms about lying to people to get what he wants. On the other hand, Sergei represents the privileged class, who has the means to help the poor but lacks the empathy to understand their plight. He is quick to judge the beggar for his lies, but does not consider the circumstances that led him to resort to such methods.

The story also shows how people’s lives can take unexpected turns, and how a man with a decent education and job can fall so low. The beggar was once a village schoolteacher, but lost his job due to “intrigues” and “calumny” and now he is reduced to begging. This highlights the fragility of people’s lives and how easily they can slip into poverty and destitution.

Overall, the story presents a stark and realistic portrayal of the harsh realities of poverty and the moral dilemmas that it poses. It highlights the need for empathy and understanding towards people who are struggling to make ends meet, and the importance of finding ways to provide them with sustainable livelihoods instead of just offering temporary charity.

Multiple-choice Question And Answers;

Q1. Who is the main character of the story?

a) Sergei

b) Olga

c) The beggar

d) The village schoolteacher

Answer: c) The beggar

Q2. Why does Sergei offer the beggar a job of chopping wood?

a) To help him out of poverty

b) To teach him a lesson for lying

c) To get free labor

d) To punish him for his dishonesty

Answer: b) To teach him a lesson for lying

Q3. How does Sergei feel about the beggar when they first meet?

a) Empathetic

b) Indifferent

c) Disgusted

d) Pity

Answer: c) Disgusted

Q4. What is the beggar’s previous profession?

a) Village schoolteacher

b) Student

c) Singer in a Russian choir

d) Wood-cutter

Answer: a) Village schoolteacher

Q5. What is the beggar’s current situation?

a) He is well-off and does not need to beg

b) He is healthy and ready to work

c) He is desperate, unemployed and hungry

d) He is healthy but does not want to work

Answer: c) He is desperate, unemployed and hungry

Q6. Why does the beggar agree to chop wood for Sergei?

a) He is genuinely interested in the job

b) He wants to work and earn money

c) He is ashamed and trapped by his own words

d) He is looking for a way to get out of poverty

Answer: c) He is ashamed and trapped by his own words

Q7. How does Olga treat the beggar when they arrive at the wood-shed?

a) Kindly

b) Indifferently

c) Harshly

d) Empathetically

Answer: c) Harshly

Q8. What is the beggar’s physical condition?

a) Strong and healthy

b) Weak and unhealthy

c) Fit and energetic

d) Malnourished

Answer: b) Weak and unhealthy

Q9. What is the beggar’s moral condition?

a) Honest and truthful

b) Dishonest and deceitful

c) Confused and uncertain

d) Amoral

Answer: b) Dishonest and deceitful

Q10. How does Sergei’s attitude towards the beggar change throughout the story?

a) He becomes more empathetic

b) He becomes more indifferent

c) He becomes more hostile

d) He becomes more compassionate

Answer: c) He becomes more hostile

Q11. What is the theme of the story?

a) The power of empathy

b) The consequences of lying

c) The harsh realities of poverty

d) The moral dilemmas of the poor

Answer: d) The moral dilemmas of the poor

Q12. How does the story end?

a) The beggar is able to find a job and improve his situation

b) The beggar is arrested by the police

c) The beggar continues to chop wood for Sergei

d) The story does not specify an ending

Answer: d) The story does not specify an ending

Q13. What does the story suggest about the privileged class’s understanding of poverty?

a) They are empathetic and compassionate

b) They are indifferent and unaware

c) They are judgemental and unsympathetic

d) They are actively trying to help the poor

Answer: c) They are judgemental and unsympathetic

Q14. How does the beggar feel about chopping wood for Sergei?

a) He is excited and eager to work

b) He is resigned and resigned to his fate

c) He is resentful and angry

d) He is apathetic and disinterested

Answer: b) He is resigned and resigned to his fate

Q15. What is the main message of the story?

a) The importance of honesty and hard work

b) The dangers of alcoholism and poverty

c) The need for empathy and understanding towards the poor

d) The importance of providing sustainable livelihoods for the underprivileged

Answer: c) The need for empathy and understanding towards the poor

Q16. How does the beggar’s previous profession relate to his current situation?

a) It has no bearing on his current situation

b) It shows how easily a person can fall into poverty and destitution

c) It highlights his lack of qualifications and skills

d) It shows that he was always inclined towards dishonesty

Answer: b) It shows how easily a person can fall into poverty and destitution

Q17. What does Sergei’s attitude towards the beggar reveal about him?

a) He is a compassionate and kind-hearted person

b) He is a ruthless and unsympathetic person

c) He is a privileged and unaware person

d) He is a well-intentioned but misguided person

Answer: c) He is a privileged and unaware person

Q18. How does the story comment on the societal issues of poverty and unemployment?

a) It presents a rose-tinted view of the situation

b) It provides solutions to the issues

c) It highlights the desperate measures that some people resort to in order to survive

d) It ignores the issues entirely

Answer: c) It highlights the desperate measures that some people resort to in order to survive

Q19. What is the beggar’s true identity?

a) A village schoolteacher

b) A student who was expelled

c) A singer in a Russian choir who was sent away for drunkenness

d) A wood-cutter

Answer: c) A singer in a Russian choir who was sent away for drunkenness

Q20. What is the story’s overall tone?

a) Optimistic

b) Pessimistic

c) Neutral

d) Sarcastic

Answer: b) Pessimistic

Prose-01

The advocate, Sergei, looked at the ragged, fawn-coloured overcoat of the suppliant, at his dull, drunken eyes, at the red spot on either cheek, and it seemed to him as if he had seen this man somewhere before. The man was begging for money, claiming to be a village schoolteacher who had lost his job due to intrigues and calumny. Sergei, however, remembered him as a liar who had told him that he was an expelled student when they had met the day before yesterday in Sadovya Street. Sergei was angry and told him that he should work instead of lying. He offered him the job of chopping wood in his wood-shed, the beggar accepted but it was clear that he did not really want to work and his strength had been undermined by alcohol. He sat down on a log and became lost in thought, while the cook Olga scolded him and threw an axe at his feet. The beggar started to chop wood feebly and it was clear that he was not inclined to toil.

The story is a commentary on the societal issues of poverty and unemployment. It highlights the desperation of some people to survive and the moral dilemmas they face when they resort to lying and begging to make ends meet. The character of the beggar is portrayed as someone who is not only physically weak but also morally weak, as he has no qualms about lying to people to get what he wants. On the other hand, Sergei represents the privileged class, who has the means to help the poor but lacks the empathy to understand their plight. He is quick to judge the beggar for his lies, but does not consider the circumstances that led him to resort to such methods.

Q1. What is the beggar’s current profession?

a) Village schoolteacher

b) Student

c) Singer in a Russian choir

d) Wood-cutter

Answer: a) Village schoolteacher

Q2. Why is Sergei angry with the beggar?

a) He is a liar

b) He is unemployed

c) He is a beggar

d) He is a schoolteacher

Answer: a) He is a liar

Q3. What is the beggar’s attitude towards work?

a) Eager and excited

b) Reluctant and apathetic

c) Resigned and resigned to his fate

d) Angry and resentful

Answer: b) Reluctant and apathetic

Q4. What is the main theme of the story?

a) The power of empathy

b) The consequences of lying

c) The harsh realities of poverty

d) The moral dilemmas of the poor

Answer: d) The moral dilemmas of the poor

Q5. How does Sergei treat the beggar?

a) Empathetically

b) Indifferently

c) Harshly

d) Compassionately

Answer: c) Harshly

Passage-02

As the beggar sat on the log in the wood-shed, he couldn’t help but think about how his life had taken such a drastic turn. He had once been a respected village schoolteacher, but now he found himself lying to people on the streets just to get a few coins for food and a place to sleep. He had lost his job due to the scheming of his colleagues and had fallen victim to their calumnies. He had been trying to find work for over a year now, but no one seemed to want to hire him. He had even resorted to pretending to be a student, but Sergei had seen through his lies. Now, as he sat in the wood-shed, he couldn’t help but feel a sense of hopelessness wash over him.

The beggar picked up the axe and began to chop the wood, but he could feel the weakness in his arms. He had been drinking heavily for the past few days, trying to numb the pain of his situation. He knew that he wouldn’t be able to chop much wood, but he was too ashamed to tell Sergei the truth. He knew that he had made a mistake by lying, but he couldn’t think of any other way to survive. He wished that there was some other way, some other solution to his problems.

Q1. What is the beggar’s current occupation?

a) Village schoolteacher

b) Student

c) Singer in a Russian choir

d) Beggar

Answer: d) Beggar

Q2. Why did the beggar lose his job as a village schoolteacher?

a) Lack of qualifications

b) Intrigues and calumnies from colleagues

c) Health issues

d) Alcoholism

Answer: b) Intrigues and calumnies from colleagues

Q3. How does the beggar feel about his current situation?

a) Hopeful

b) Resigned

c) Angry

d) Hopeless

Answer: d) Hopeless

Q4, Why does the beggar agree to chop wood for Sergei?

a) He genuinely wants to work

b) He wants to earn money

c) He is ashamed and trapped by his own words

d) He is looking for a way out of poverty

Answer: c) He is ashamed and trapped by his own words

Q5. What is the main message of this passage?

a) The importance of honesty and hard work

b) The dangers of alcoholism and poverty

c) The need for empathy and understanding towards the poor

d) The importance of providing sustainable livelihoods for the underprivileged

Answer: c) The need for empathy and understanding towards the poor

Prose 3

The beggar couldn’t believe his luck when Sergei offered him a job of chopping wood. He thought that this might be his chance to turn his life around. He had been jobless for over a year, and he had resorted to begging and lying just to survive. He knew that he had made a mistake by pretending to be a student, but he couldn’t think of any other way to get by. He was ashamed of his situation, but he was also determined to change it.

As he began to chop the wood, he felt a sense of purpose wash over him. He knew that it wouldn’t be easy, but he was willing to work hard and prove himself. He could see that Olga, the cook, was skeptical of him, but he didn’t let it discourage him. He knew that he had to earn her trust, and he was willing to do whatever it took.

The beggar worked hard all day, and by the end of it, he had managed to chop a substantial amount of wood. He was exhausted, but he felt a sense of accomplishment. He knew that he still had a long way to go, but he was determined to succeed.

Q1. How does the beggar feel about Sergei’s offer to chop wood for him?

a) Excited

b) Reluctant

c) Resigned

d) Hopeful

Answer: d) Hopeful

Q2. How does Olga treat the beggar when he first arrives at the wood-shed?

a) Kindly

b) Indifferently

c) Harshly

d) Skeptically

Answer: d) Skeptically

Q3. What does the beggar hope to achieve by working in the wood-shed?

a) Money

b) A way out of poverty

c) A sense of accomplishment

d) All of the above

Answer: d) All of the above

Q4. How does the beggar feel by the end of his first day of work?

a) Discouraged

b) Resigned

c) Exhausted but accomplished

d) Hopeless

Answer: c) Exhausted but accomplished

Q5. What is the beggar’s main goal in the story?

a) To earn money

b) To turn his life around

c) To prove himself

d) To gain Olga’s trust

Answer: b) To turn his life around

Questions And Answers;

Q1.Has Lushkoff become a beggar by circumstance or by choice? 

Ans; Lushkoff has become a beggar by circumstance, as he lost his job as a village schoolteacher due to intrigues and calumnies from his colleagues.

Q2. What reasons does he give to Sergei for his telling lies? 

Ans; Lushkoff tells Sergei that he is forced to lie to people to survive as no one will give him anything when he tells the truth.

Q3. Is Lushkoff a willing worker? Why, then, does he agree to chop wood for Sergei?

Ans; Lushkoff is not a willing worker, he agrees to chop wood for Sergei out of pride and shame, and because he has been trapped by his own words.

Q4.Sergei says, “I am happy that my words have taken effect.” Why does he say so? Is he right in saying this?

Ans; Sergei says he is happy that his words have taken effect because Lushkoff has agreed to chop wood for him, and Sergei believes that this will change Lushkoff’s attitude towards work. Sergei is not right in saying this as Lushkoff’s attitude towards work remains unchanged and his willingness to chop wood is driven by his shame and pride rather than a desire to work.

Q5. Lushkoff is earning thirty five roubles a month. How is he obliged to Sergei for this?

Ans; Lushkoff is earning thirty-five roubles a month by chopping wood for Sergei, he is obliged to Sergei for this as Sergei is providing him with a livelihood.

Q6. During their conversation Lushkoff reveals that Sergei’s cook, Olga, is responsible for the positive change in him. How has Olga saved Lushkoff?

Ans; Olga, Sergei’s cook, is responsible for the positive change in Lushkoff as she treats him kindly and helps him to regain his self-respect and pride. Olga has saved Lushkoff by giving him a chance to earn a livelihood and by treating him with compassion and understanding.

Difficult Words

  1. Suppliant – a person making a humble and earnest request
  2. Calumny – a false and malicious statement designed to harm someone’s reputation
  3. Mendicant – a person who lives by begging
  4. Intrigues – a secret or underhanded scheme or plot
  5. Pseudo – not genuine; false
  6. Scapegoat – a person who is blamed for the wrongdoings, mistakes, or faults of others
  7. Desperation – the state of being desperate; hopelessness
  8. Dilemma – a situation in which a difficult choice has to be made between two or more alternatives
  9. Beggary – the state of being a beggar
  10. Resigned – accepting something unpleasant that cannot be changed
  11. Desperate – having or showing a hopeless sense that a situation is so bad as to be impossible to deal with
  12. Disintegration – the process of breaking down or falling apart
  13. Estrangement – the state of being alienated
  14. Empathy – the ability to understand and share the feelings of another
  15. Apathetic – having or showing little or no emotion
  16. Resilience – the ability to recover quickly from difficulties
  17. Calumnious – making or spreading false and damaging statements about someone
  18. Dearth – a scarcity or lack of something
  19. Calamity – a great misfortune or disaster
  20. Beleaguered – surrounded and attacked by a force
  21. Disintegrated – fallen apart
  22. Disenfranchised – deprived of a right or privilege
  23. Disenfranchisement – the state of being deprived of a right or privilege
  24. Disenfranchise – to deprive of a right or privilege
  25. Disintegrate – to break down or fall apart
  26. Disintegration – the process of breaking down or falling apart
  27. Disenfranchisement – the state of being deprived of a right or privilege
  28. Disenfranchise – to deprive of a right or privilege
  29. Disintegrate – to break down or fall apart
  30. Disintegration – the process of breaking down or falling apart

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