1.What would the elders reminisce about bakers and bread of Goa?
Ans. The elders reminisced about the old Portuguese days. They were also nostalgic about the Portuguese and the loaves of bread which was quite famous. Though the loaves eaters have vanished, but the makers were still there.
2. How would the baker let everybody know about his presence in the village?
Ans. The baker had been the guide, friend, and companion of the narrator. He would come to the village daily two times; at first in the morning and then again after selling all his stuffs. In the morning, the children of the village used to wake up by the jingling sound of the baker’s bamboo.
3. How is making bread a family tradition?
Ans. The marriage gifts, the parties, or the feasts are meaningless without the sweet bread which is known as the ‘bol’. The mothers prepare it a necessary item for her daughter’s engagement. Cakes and bolinhas are also quite essential items for Christmas. In this way, bread is a family tradition and thus the presence of a baker’s house in the village is quite essential.
4. How would a baker be a common friend, guide and a man to be expected twice every day with his usual business?
Ans. The bakers used to visit the village two times a day. Early in the morning, the baker would arrive for selling his stuffs. The children would wake up by the jingling thud. The children would wait eagerly for him and when the baker would arrive they used to run up to him. Again after everything was sold, he would return to the village.
5.Who were Paskine or Bastine? What was their role in a family and with bread?
Ans. Paskine or Bastine were the maid-servants of the house.
When the baker would arrive, one of them would buy those loaves of bread.
6.What was a baker’s musical entry? How would it attract the younger ones and all?
Ans: The baker used to arrive on the spot with the ‘jhang-jhang’ sound that was being made his bamboo. The sound would wake the children up and they would run to him in excitement. The children were highly interested in those bread-bangles.
7. Tell us about the bamboo and the basket of the bakers.
Ans: The baker arrived on the scene by making the jingling thud which would make the children wake up from sleep. He held the basket on his head and supported it by one of his hands and would use the other hand for banging the bamboo on the ground.
8. How would the author and other children be very interested in the baker’s basket? How would they try to look at that?
Ans. The author and the other children were highly interested in the baker’s basket. When the loaves of bread were delivered to the servant, the children were made aside with light rebukes. But they didn’t stop. Then they used to stand up on a bench and would look on to the basket. This shows their interest in the baker’s basket.
They used to climb a bench or parapet in order to look at that.
9. What would the author share about brushing teeth?
Ans: The author didn’t care to brush his teeth or wash his mouth properly. According to him, it was a troublesome matter to pluck the mango-leaf for the toothbrush. And it was not at all necessary as the tigers never brush their teeth. Moreover, he thought that hot water was enough.
10. How marriages and engagements are incomplete without different types of breads?
Ans: The narrator said that marriage gifts have no value without the sweet bread which is known as the ‘bol’. Party or a feast too is meaningless without bread. The mothers prepare it, as it is a necessary item for her daughter’s engagement. By this way, tese are so important.
11. How different breads and bakers would mean a lot in Christmas and other festivals?
Ans: The narrator said that marriage gifts are meaningless without the sweet bread which is known as the ‘bol’. Party or a feast too is meaningless without bread. Cakes and bolinhas are also quite essential items for Christmas. By this way, we get to know that bread is an important part of Groan life.
12. What is Kabai? What kind of dresses are being discussed here of the bakers?
Ans. The bakers used to wear a peculiar dress named kabai which was a single-piece long frock reaching down to the knees.
It was actually a type of long frock of a single-piece that reaches down to the knees.
13. How could a baker keep his record of the bills?
Ans: The bakers kept the records of the bills of every months and collected them at the end. The records were made on wall with the help of pencil.
14. How would a baker be rich, prosperous and healthy in a village?
Ans: A baker’s profession was indeed a profitable one in the old days. The baker and his family lead happy and prosperous life. They had a plump physique as an open testimony.
Extra Questions (5 marks)
1. How would a baker play an indispensable role in a village?
Ans. In the story “Glimpses of India” written by Lucio Rodrigues, the baker plays an indispensible role in the village. Breads are quite important for the villagers. Breads are important for any occasions. Marriage gifts have no value without the ‘bol’, that is a actually a type of sweet bread. Party or a feast is meaningless too without bread. The mothers prepare it for their daughter’s engagement as it is an important item for the occasion. Cakes and bolhinas are quite essential items for Christmas.
2. “Life without bread in a village of Goa is almost impossible.”-Discuss.
Ans. In the story “Glimpses of Past” by Lucio Rodrigues shows that life without bread in a village of Goa is almost impossible. People cannot imagine their lives without it. The children waited eagerly for bakers every day. At times, they get so much excited that they do not even care to brush their teeth. Any occasion or festival cannot be imagined without breads. Marriage gifts are meaningless without sweetbreads. The lady of the family prepared bread for her daughter’s engagement as it is very important. Cakes and bolhinas are quite essential items for Christmas. A baker’s profession was indeed a profitable one. The baker and his family lead a prosperous life. Their physique was plump that shows that they lead a prosperous life.