ORAL COMPREHENSION CHECK

1. What did Lencho hope for?

Ans. Lencho hoped for rains as the only thing his field of ripe corn needed was a shower. 


2. Why did Lencho say that the raindrops were like 'new coins'?

Ans. Lencho's crops were ready for harvest. As raindrops would have helped in getting a better harvest, resulting in more prosperity, so Lencho compared them with 'new coins'. 


3. How did rain change? What happened to Lencho's fields?

Ans. The rain was pouring down very large. But suddenly, a strong wind began to blow and hailstones began to fall along with the rain. All the crops in Lencho's fields destroyed.


4. What were Lencho's feelings when the hail stopped?

Ans. After the hail stopped, Lencho's soul was filled with sadness. He could see a bleak future for himself and his family. He was worried about the lack of food in the coming year.


5. Who or what did Lencho have faith in? What did he do?

Ans. Lencho had complete faith in God. He believed that God's eyes see everything, even what is deep in one's conscience. So, he wrote a letter to God saying that he needed a hundred pesos to sow his field again.


6. Who read the letter?

Ans. The postmaster read the letter.


7. What did the postmaster do then?

Ans. The postmaster first laughed. But as he read the letter, he became serious. He was deeply moved by the farmer's faith in God. He did not want to shake his faith. So, he decided to collect the money and send it to Lencho.


8. Was Lencho surprised to find a letter for him with money in it?

Ans. No, Lencho was not at all surprised to see the letter from God with money inside it. His confidence and faith in God was such that he had expected that reply from God.


9. What made him angry?

Ans. When he finished counting the money, he found only seventy pesos. But he had demanded a hundred pesos. He was confident that God could neither make a mistake nor deny him what he had requested for. Therefore, he concluded that the post office employees must have taken the remaining thirty pesos.


THINKING ABOUT THE TEXT

1. Who does Lencho have complete faith in? Which sentences in the story tell you this? 

Ans. Lencho had complete faith in God. The sentences in the story that show this are as follows:

  • But in the hearts of all who lived in that solitary house in the middle of the valley, there was a single hope: help from God.
  • All through the night, Lencho thought only of his one hope: the help of God, whose eyes, as he had been instructed, see everything, even what is deep in one's conscience. (iii) "God," he wrote, "if you don't help me, my family and I will go hungry this year".
  • He wrote 'To God' on the envelope, put the letter inside and, still troubled, and
  • went to town.
  • God could not have made a mistake, nor could he have denied Lencho what he had requested.
  • It said: "God: of the money that I asked for, only seventy pesos reached me. Send me the rest, since I need it very much".


2. Why does the postmaster send money to Lencho? Why does he sign the letter 'God'? 

Ans. Postmaster was moved by Lencho's complete faith in God. So, he decided to send money to Lencho. Moreover, the postmaster did not want to shake Lencho's faith in God. So, he signed the letter 'God'. It was a good ploy to convey a message that God had himself written the letter.


3. Did Lencho try to find out who had sent the money to him? Why/Why not? 

Ans. No, Lencho did not try to find out who had sent the money to him. This was because he had great confidence in God and never suspected that it could be someone else other than God who would send him the money. His faith in God was so strong that he believed that God had sent him the money.


4. Who does Lencho think has taken the rest of the money? What is the irony in the situation? (Remember that the irony of the situation is an unexpected aspect of it. An ironic situation is strange or amusing because it is the opposite of what is expected.) 

Ans. Lencho thinks that the post office employees have taken the money. But in reality, it was the post office people who send the money to Lencho. But, on the other hand, Lencho thinks that they have stolen his money. He calls them crooks. Thus, there is an element of irony in this situation.


5. There are two kinds of conflicts in the story: between humans and nature, and between humans themselves. How are these conflicts illustrated?

Ans. The first conflict between humans and nature is aptly depicted by the destruction of Lencho's crops by the hailstorm. As the crops fail, Lencho started feeling sad and gloomy. This appropriately projects the conflict between humans and nature. The second conflict depicted in the story is between humans themselves. As a noble soul, the postmaster, along with the help of the other post office employees, sent Lencho the money that they could manage to collect. Though they were not related to Lencho or knew him personally, they acted kindly and selflessly. Even though they did a good deed, Lencho blamed them for taking away some amount of money. This shows that man does not trust his fellow humans, thereby, giving rise to the conflict between humans themselves.