The Portrait of a Lady - Khushwant Singh

Grade 11 English — The Portrait of a Lady - Khushwant Singh: 25 practice questions with instant scoring and explanations.

1. Who is the main subject of 'The Portrait of a Lady'?
2. What is the grandmother's primary relationship with the author at the beginning of the text?
3. How does the grandmother's lifestyle change when the author moves to the city for school?
4. What does the grandmother do in the city while the author attends school?
5. What is the grandmother's reaction to the author's interest in English literature and culture?
6. How does the text address the theme of tradition versus modernity?
7. What is significant about the grandmother's role as a storyteller?
8. What narrative perspective does Khushwant Singh use in this essay?
9. How does the grandmother's appearance change by the end of the text?
10. What does the grandmother's singing represent in the narrative?
11. How does the author feel about the changes in his grandmother over time?
12. What is the grandmother's relationship with the family's transition to urban life?
13. What does the title 'The Portrait of a Lady' suggest about the text?
14. How does the grandmother pass her time in her later years?
15. What is the author's tone when reflecting on his relationship with his grandmother?
16. How does the grandmother react to Western education and values?
17. What does the grandmother's silence in the city symbolize?
18. How is the grandmother portrayed at her death?
19. What is the primary theme Khushwant Singh explores through the grandmother's character?
20. How does the author use specific details to create the grandmother's portrait?
21. What does the grandmother's love for her grandson reveal about her character?
22. How does the author's education impact his relationship with his grandmother?
23. What literary devices does Singh employ to enhance the grandmother's characterization?
24. What is the significance of the grandmother's appearance alongside the young author?
25. How does 'The Portrait of a Lady' serve as a critique of rapid social change?