Try each question on your own first. Use the Show Answer button only after you have selected your option, then read the explanation and revise the related concept from your chapter notes.
Explanation: "The Little Girl" is a short story written by Katherine Mansfield, exploring a young girl's complex relationship with her father.
2. What is the name of the little girl in the story?
A. Margie
B. Kezia
C. Sara
D. Alice
Answer: B. Kezia
Explanation: Kezia is the protagonist of the story, a young girl who fears her strict and often distant father.
3. How does Kezia feel about her father for most of the story?
A. She loves and admires him openly
B. She is afraid of him and finds him distant and stern
C. She is indifferent to him
D. She has never met him
Answer: B. She is afraid of him and finds him distant and stern
Explanation: For much of the story, Kezia is frightened of her father, seeing him as a stern, unapproachable figure rather than a warm parent.
4. Who does Kezia feel closer to and more comfortable with in her family?
A. Her mother
B. Her grandmother
C. Her older sister
D. A family servant
Answer: B. Her grandmother
Explanation: Kezia is closest to her grandmother, who provides warmth, comfort and understanding that she does not feel she gets from her father.
5. What does Kezia's father do that adds to her fear of him at the start of the story?
A. He plays games with her often
B. He is often busy, strict, and seems to have little time or patience for her
C. He takes her on trips regularly
D. He tells her bedtime stories every night
Answer: B. He is often busy, strict, and seems to have little time or patience for her
Explanation: Kezia's father is preoccupied with work and appears impatient and stern with her, which deepens her fear and emotional distance from him.
6. What incident involving a pin cushion contributes to Kezia's fear of her father?
A. She sews a pin cushion for him, but he reacts harshly upon finding paper stuffed inside it, which she had used because she ran out of wool
B. She loses his pin cushion
C. She steals a pin cushion from a shop
D. Her father gives her a pin cushion as a gift
Answer: A. She sews a pin cushion for him, but he reacts harshly upon finding paper stuffed inside it, which she had used because she ran out of wool
Explanation: Kezia makes her father a pin cushion for his birthday, but stuffs it with paper from his important speech notes since she ran out of wool, leading to his sharp displeasure.
7. What does Kezia's father use to punish or discipline her at one point in the story?
A. He sends her to her room without any explanation
B. He spanks her with a ruler
C. He takes away her toys permanently
D. He forbids her from seeing her grandmother
Answer: B. He spanks her with a ruler
Explanation: In one incident, Kezia's father punishes her with a ruler after the pin cushion mishap, reinforcing her fear of him.
8. What recurring nightmare troubles Kezia in the story?
A. A dream about her father chasing her with a whip
B. A dream of butchers with knives and sausages chasing her and her grandmother
C. A dream about losing her toys
D. A dream about her school
Answer: B. A dream of butchers with knives and sausages chasing her and her grandmother
Explanation: Kezia is often troubled by a recurring nightmare involving butchers with knives of sausages chasing her and her grandmother, reflecting her deep-seated anxieties.
9. What happens to Kezia's grandmother that leads to a turning point in the story?
A. She goes on a long vacation
B. She falls ill and has to go to the hospital
C. She moves away permanently
D. She passes away
Answer: B. She falls ill and has to go to the hospital
Explanation: When Kezia's grandmother becomes ill and is hospitalised, Kezia is left alone with her father for the first time, leading to an important shift in their relationship.
10. What happens during Kezia's nightmare when her grandmother is away in the hospital?
A. Nothing happens; she sleeps peacefully
B. She has her recurring nightmare and cries out, and her father comes to comfort her
C. She wakes up and calls a servant
D. She runs away from home
Answer: B. She has her recurring nightmare and cries out, and her father comes to comfort her
Explanation: While her grandmother is in the hospital, Kezia has her frightening nightmare, and it is her father who responds and comforts her, marking a shift in their relationship.
11. How does Kezia's father behave when he comforts her after the nightmare?
A. He is gentle, warm and reassuring, surprising Kezia
B. He scolds her for waking him up
C. He ignores her completely
D. He sends a servant instead of going himself
Answer: A. He is gentle, warm and reassuring, surprising Kezia
Explanation: To Kezia's surprise, her father shows unexpected tenderness and warmth when comforting her, which changes her perception of him.
12. What does Kezia realise about her father by the end of the story?
A. That he never truly cared about her
B. That beneath his strict exterior, he does care for and love her
C. That he wants to send her away
D. That he is planning to remarry
Answer: B. That beneath his strict exterior, he does care for and love her
Explanation: By the end of the story, Kezia comes to understand that her father's sternness masked genuine love and concern for her, softening her earlier fear of him.
13. What is one reason suggested in the story for Kezia's father's strict and distant behaviour?
A. He is preoccupied with work and possibly does not know how to express affection easily
B. He genuinely dislikes children
C. He was raised without any parents
D. He has no reason at all; it is simply his personality
Answer: A. He is preoccupied with work and possibly does not know how to express affection easily
Explanation: The story suggests that her father's demanding work life and perhaps his own upbringing make him seem distant, even though he does care for Kezia.
14. What broader theme does "The Little Girl" primarily explore?
A. The complexities of a parent-child relationship and the misunderstanding that can arise from fear
B. The importance of formal education
C. The history of a small town
D. A mystery involving missing objects
Answer: A. The complexities of a parent-child relationship and the misunderstanding that can arise from fear
Explanation: The story's central theme is the emotional distance and misunderstanding between a father and daughter, and how fear can obscure genuine affection.
15. How does Kezia's grandmother typically treat her, in contrast to her father?
A. With warmth, patience, and understanding
B. With the same strictness as her father
C. With complete indifference
D. She has no interaction with Kezia at all
Answer: A. With warmth, patience, and understanding
Explanation: Kezia's grandmother offers her comfort and gentle understanding, standing in stark contrast to the strict, distant demeanour of her father.
16. Why does Kezia try to avoid her father whenever possible at the beginning of the story?
A. Because she finds him boring
B. Because she is scared of upsetting him or provoking his sternness
C. Because he asked her to stay away
D. Because she prefers being outdoors
Answer: B. Because she is scared of upsetting him or provoking his sternness
Explanation: Kezia's fear of her father's strict reactions makes her cautious and avoidant around him for much of the story.
17. What does the pin cushion incident reveal about the communication between Kezia and her father?
A. There is a significant lack of understanding and communication between them
B. They communicate perfectly with no issues
C. Kezia never tries to please her father
D. Her father always explains his feelings clearly
Answer: A. There is a significant lack of understanding and communication between them
Explanation: The pin cushion incident highlights how Kezia's innocent intentions are misunderstood, showing the communication gap between father and daughter.
18. What is significant about the shift in Kezia's relationship with her father towards the end of the story?
A. It shows that fear can be replaced by understanding and love once true feelings are revealed
B. It shows that their relationship worsens permanently
C. It has no real significance
D. It shows that Kezia decides to live with her grandmother instead
Answer: A. It shows that fear can be replaced by understanding and love once true feelings are revealed
Explanation: The ending suggests that once Kezia experiences her father's genuine warmth, her earlier fear is transformed into a more accurate and loving understanding of him.
19. What is one possible reason Kezia's father might have seemed harsh regarding the pin cushion incident?
A. Important papers related to his work speech were accidentally destroyed
B. He disliked the colour of the pin cushion
C. He wanted her to make a different gift
D. He was simply in a bad mood for no reason
Answer: A. Important papers related to his work speech were accidentally destroyed
Explanation: Kezia unknowingly used pages from her father's important speech notes to stuff the pin cushion, which understandably upset him given the professional consequences.
20. What does the story suggest about how children can perceive their parents?
A. Children's perceptions can sometimes be shaped by fear and misunderstanding rather than the full truth
B. Children always understand their parents perfectly
C. Children never misjudge their parents
D. Parental behaviour has no effect on a child's perception
Answer: A. Children's perceptions can sometimes be shaped by fear and misunderstanding rather than the full truth
Explanation: The story illustrates how a child's limited perspective, shaped by fear, can create a distorted picture of a parent that may not reflect their true feelings.
21. What role does the grandmother's absence play in the plot's development?
A. It forces Kezia and her father into direct contact, allowing their relationship to change
B. It has no effect on the story's events
C. It causes Kezia to become closer to her mother instead
D. It leads to Kezia running away from home
Answer: A. It forces Kezia and her father into direct contact, allowing their relationship to change
Explanation: With her grandmother hospitalised, Kezia is left to interact directly with her father, setting the stage for the emotional turning point of the story.
22. What kind of narrative perspective does the story primarily use?
A. Third-person narration focusing on Kezia's feelings and experiences
B. First-person narration from the father's perspective
C. A letter written by Kezia's grandmother
D. A newspaper report style
Answer: A. Third-person narration focusing on Kezia's feelings and experiences
Explanation: The story is told in the third person, closely following Kezia's emotions and perspective throughout the narrative.
23. What effect does the story's resolution have on how readers might view Kezia's father?
A. It humanises him and shows a more compassionate side beyond his stern exterior
B. It makes him seem even more distant
C. It has no effect on the reader's view of him
D. It reveals him to be entirely uncaring
Answer: A. It humanises him and shows a more compassionate side beyond his stern exterior
Explanation: The tender moment at the end reveals a softer, more loving side of Kezia's father, allowing readers to see him with more empathy and understanding.
24. Why might the author have chosen to focus the story primarily on Kezia's perspective?
A. To let readers experience her fears and misunderstandings, making the eventual resolution more impactful
B. Because Kezia's perspective is unimportant to the plot
C. Because it makes the story more like a factual report
D. There is no particular reason for this narrative choice
Answer: A. To let readers experience her fears and misunderstandings, making the eventual resolution more impactful
Explanation: By centring the story on Kezia's viewpoint, the author allows readers to closely feel her fear and the emotional relief of the final reconciliation.
25. What does the story imply about strict parenting and a child's emotional wellbeing?
A. Strict, distant behaviour, even when well-intentioned, can create fear and distance in a child
B. Strict parenting always leads to a perfect relationship
C. Children are unaffected by their parents' behaviour
D. Only mothers can affect a child's emotional wellbeing
Answer: A. Strict, distant behaviour, even when well-intentioned, can create fear and distance in a child
Explanation: The story subtly critiques how a parent's stern demeanour, even if rooted in care, can inadvertently create emotional distance and fear in a child.
26. What is one way Kezia tries to please her father earlier in the story, before the pin cushion incident?
A. By trying to behave quietly and carefully around him to avoid upsetting him
B. By ignoring him completely
C. By refusing to speak to him ever
D. By complaining about him to others
Answer: A. By trying to behave quietly and carefully around him to avoid upsetting him
Explanation: Kezia is careful and cautious in her father's presence, trying not to provoke his sternness, reflecting her anxious relationship with him.
27. What ultimately allows the emotional gap between Kezia and her father to close?
A. A moment of vulnerability where he responds to her fear with genuine care
B. A long conversation planned by the grandmother
C. Kezia's mother intervening
D. Kezia moving away from home permanently
Answer: A. A moment of vulnerability where he responds to her fear with genuine care
Explanation: It is the spontaneous, caring response of her father during her nightmare that finally bridges the emotional distance between Kezia and him.
28. How would you describe the tone of the story's ending?
A. Warm and hopeful, suggesting reconciliation
B. Tragic and unresolved
C. Comic and light-hearted throughout
D. Angry and confrontational
Answer: A. Warm and hopeful, suggesting reconciliation
Explanation: The story ends on a warm, hopeful note as Kezia and her father share a tender, understanding moment, resolving much of the earlier tension.
29. Which of these best summarises the central conflict of "The Little Girl"?
A. Kezia's fear and misunderstanding of her strict father, which is eventually resolved through a moment of genuine connection
B. A conflict between Kezia and her school teacher
C. A conflict about money within the family
D. A rivalry between Kezia and a friend
Answer: A. Kezia's fear and misunderstanding of her strict father, which is eventually resolved through a moment of genuine connection
Explanation: The story's core conflict lies in Kezia's fear-based misunderstanding of her father, a rift that is healed through an unexpected act of tenderness.
30. What life lesson can be drawn from "The Little Girl"?
A. Appearances and first impressions, especially of strict or stern people, may not always reflect their true feelings
B. Parents should always be strict with their children
C. Children should never trust their parents
D. Communication between parents and children is unnecessary
Answer: A. Appearances and first impressions, especially of strict or stern people, may not always reflect their true feelings
Explanation: The story teaches that a stern exterior can mask deep affection, encouraging readers to look beyond surface behaviour to understand others' true feelings.
This page contains a chapter-wise objective practice set. Try the questions without checking the answer first, then use the explanation to understand the point you missed. The current page contains 30 questions, so you can practise in smaller sets when you are revising.
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After the practice set, write down the question numbers you missed and revise only those concepts once more. This makes MCQ practice more useful than repeatedly attempting the same questions without reviewing mistakes.
