UP Board class 10 English chapter 4 – “From The Diary Of Anne Frank” solutions are available on this page. It covers all the question answers of this chapter. This solution is aligned with the latest syllabus of 2024-25 session.
Chapter 4 of the UP Board Class 10 English book, From the Diary of Anne Frank, provides a glimpse into the thoughts of a young Jewish girl during a difficult time in history. Anne Frank, in her diary, expresses her feelings of loneliness and her bond with her diary, which she named “Kitty.” The chapter also highlights her experiences at school, including her challenges with her talkative nature and her humorous interactions with her math teacher, Mr. Keesing. Through her diary, Anne conveys her inner thoughts, her love for her family, and her unique perspective on life.
UP Board Class 10 English Chapter 4 Solutions
Contents
| Subject | English |
| Class | 10th |
| Chapter | From The Diary Of Anne Frank |
| Author | Anne Frank |
| Board | UP Board |
Oral Comprehension Check
Page No: 51
1. What makes writing in a diary a strange experience for Anne Frank?
Answer: Writing in a diary was strange for Anne because she had never done it before. Additionally, she felt that no one would be interested in reading about the thoughts of a young girl like herself, making it seem like an unusual activity.
2. Why does Anne want to keep a diary?
Answer: Anne wanted to keep a diary because she felt alone and didn’t have a true friend with whom she could share her deepest thoughts. The diary became her way of expressing herself and confiding her emotions.
3. Why did Anne think she could confide more in her diary than in people?
Answer: Anne felt she could trust her diary more than people because she lacked a true friend to confide in. Her friendships were mostly superficial and focused on fun rather than trust. She also believed that paper had more patience and understanding than people, making it easier for her to pour out her feelings in writing.
Page No: 51
1. Why does Anne provide a brief sketch of her life?
Answer: Anne provides a brief sketch of her life because she believes that her readers wouldn’t understand her thoughts and experiences without some background. By sharing her personal history, she gives context to her diary entries and makes them more relatable.
2. What tells you that Anne loved her grandmother?
Answer: Anne’s deep love for her grandmother is evident in her emotional statement about how much she missed her. Additionally, the fact that she lit a candle for her grandmother on her birthday shows her affectionate remembrance and the strong bond she shared with her.
Page No: 54
1. Why was Mr Keesing annoyed with Anne? What did he ask her to do?
Answer: Mr. Keesing was annoyed with Anne because she talked excessively during his lessons, disrupting the class. As a punishment, he assigned her extra homework and asked her to write an essay on the topic “A Chatterbox.”
2. How did Anne justify her being a chatterbox in her essay?
Answer: In her essay, Anne justified her talkative nature by explaining that talking is a trait of students, especially at her age. She also argued that it was a characteristic she inherited from her mother, so it was something she couldn’t easily change.
3. Do you think Mr Keesing was a strict teacher?
Answer: Mr. Keesing was strict but not unkind. He valued discipline in his classroom, but he had a sense of humor as well. Although he punished Anne for talking too much, he appreciated her witty essays and even enjoyed her humorous take on the punishments. This shows he was not overly rigid but balanced in his approach.
4. What made Mr Keesing allow Anne to talk in class?
Answer: Mr. Keesing allowed Anne to talk in class after being impressed by her creative and clever responses to the essays he assigned as punishment. Each time she wrote, she demonstrated wit and intelligence, making him realize that her talkative nature was part of her personality, and he eventually accepted it.
Thinking about the Text
1. Was Anne right when she said that the world would not be interested in the musings of a thirteen-year-old girl?
Answer: No, Anne was not right. Although she initially believed that her thoughts and experiences wouldn’t interest others, her diary became a powerful document, widely read and cherished worldwide. Her reflections during such a tumultuous time touched the hearts of many and continue to resonate with readers today.
2. There are some examples of diary or journal entries in the ‘Before You Read’ section. Compare these with what Anne writes in her diary. What language was the diary originally written in? In what way is Anne’s diary different?
Answer: Anne’s diary was originally written in Dutch. Unlike other diary entries, Anne’s diary is deeply personal and unique because she treats it like a friend, even naming it “Kitty.” She confided in it as if she were talking to a close companion. Her diary reflects her innermost thoughts and emotions, which makes it more heartfelt and intimate compared to the more factual or reflective nature of typical journal entries.
3. Why does Anne need to give a brief sketch about her family? Does she treat ‘Kitty’ as an insider or an outsider?
Answer: Anne gives a brief sketch of her family to provide context about her background for her readers, so they can understand her thoughts better. She treats ‘Kitty,’ her diary, as an insider because she shares her deepest feelings and personal experiences with it. She writes to ‘Kitty’ as though it were her closest confidant, someone who understands her completely.
4. How does Anne feel about her father, her grandmother, Mrs. Kuperus, and Mr. Keesing? What do these tell you about her?
Answer: Anne adored her father, remembering him as a loving and caring figure. She had deep affection for her grandmother, whom she missed even after her death. She shared a close bond with Mrs. Kuperus, her teacher, and their farewell was emotional. Despite Mr. Keesing’s punishments, she respected him and saw humor in his actions. These feelings reveal Anne as a loving, sentimental, and intelligent young girl who values relationships and sees the good in people, even in challenging situations.
5. What does Anne write in her first essay?
Answer: In her first essay, titled “A Chatterbox,” Anne defended her talkative nature by explaining that talking was a student’s characteristic. She humorously claimed that she had inherited the habit from her mother and could not change it. She also promised to control her talking as much as possible. Her witty reasoning made Mr. Keesing laugh, and he appreciated her smart and creative approach to the assignment.
6. Anne says teachers are most unpredictable. Is Mr. Keesing unpredictable? How?
Answer: Yes, Mr. Keesing was unpredictable. Despite being strict and punishing Anne for talking too much, he showed a humorous side by assigning essays on funny topics like “A Chatterbox.” Instead of being harsh, he took Anne’s witty responses in good spirit, even laughing at her essays. Eventually, he accepted her talkative nature and stopped giving her extra homework, showing his flexibility and unpredictability as a teacher.
7. What do these statements tell you about Anne Frank as a person?
- (i) We don’t seem to be able to get any closer, and that’s the problem. Maybe it’s my fault that we don’t confide in each other.
- (ii) I don’t want to jot down the facts in this diary the way most people would, but I want the diary to be my friend.
- (iii) Margot went to Holland in December, and I followed in February, when I was plunked down on the table as a birthday present for Margot.
- (iv) If you ask me, there are so many dummies that about a quarter of the class should be kept back, but teachers are the most unpredictable creatures on earth.
- (v) Anyone could ramble on and leave big spaces between the words, but the trick was to come up with convincing arguments to prove the necessity of taking.
Answer
(i) These lines reveal Anne’s feelings of isolation, indicating that she longs for deeper connections with others. She reflects on the possibility that her inability to confide in others might stem from her own shortcomings, highlighting her self-awareness and introspective nature.
(ii) This line illustrates that Anne viewed her diary as more than just a record of events; she saw it as a trusted companion. By naming her diary “Kitty,” she established a personal bond, demonstrating her desire for friendship and her need to express her innermost thoughts and feelings in a safe space.
(iii) This statement reflects Anne’s playful and humorous personality. By describing her arrival in Holland as being “plunked down on the table” for Margot’s birthday, she adds a lighthearted touch to her narrative, showcasing her ability to find joy and fun in everyday situations.
(iv) This statement indicates that Anne had a strong opinion about her classmates and their capabilities. Her remark about a quarter of her class being “dummies” suggests her intelligence and critical thinking skills. Additionally, her view of teachers as unpredictable highlights her understanding of the complexities of education and assessment.
(v) This statement emphasizes Anne’s keen writing skills and her determination to stand out. Rather than writing her essay superficially like others, she aimed to craft compelling arguments about the importance of communication. This illustrates her creativity and desire to engage thoughtfully with her assignments, setting her apart from her peers.
Thinking about Language
I. Match the compound words under ‘A’ with their meanings under ‘B’. Use each in sentence.
Answer
| A | B |
|---|---|
| Heartbreaking | producing great sadness |
| Homesick | missing home and family very much |
| Blockhead | an informal word which means a very stupid person |
| Law-abiding | obeying and respecting the law |
| Overdo | do something to an excessive degree |
| Daydream | think about pleasant things, forgetting about the present |
| Breakdown | an occasion when vehicles/machines stop working |
| Output | something produced by a person, machine or organisation |
II. Now find the sentences in the lesson that have the phrasal verbs given below. Match them with their meanings.
Answer
(i) plunge in − go straight to the topic
Since no one would understand a word of my stories to Kitty if I were to plunge right in, I’d better provide a brief sketch of my life, much as I dislike doing so.
(ii) kept back − not promoted
The reason, of course, is the forthcoming meeting in which the teachers decide who’ll move up to the next form and who’ll be kept back.
(iii) move up − go to the next grade
The reason, of course, is the forthcoming meeting in which the teachers decide who’ll move up to the next form and who’ll be kept back.
(iv) ramble on − speak or write without focus
Anyone could ramble on and leave big spaces between the words, but the trick was to come up with convincing arguments to prove the necessity of talking.
(v) get along with − have a good relationship with
I get along pretty well with all my teachers.
(vi) calm down − make (them) remain quite
Even G.’s pleading advances and my angry outbursts can’t calm them down.
(vii) stay in − stay indoors
I thought of this saying on one of those days when I was feeling a little depressed and was sitting at home with my chin in my hands, bored and listless, wondering whether to stay in or go out.
(viii) make up for − compensate
This birthday celebration in 1942 was intended to make up for the other.
(ix) hand in − give an assignment (homework) to a person in authority (the teacher)
I handed it in, and Mr Keesing had nothing to complain about for two whole lessons.
III. Idioms
1. Here are a few sentences from the text which have idiomatic expressions. Can you say what each means? (You might want to consult a dictionary first.)
Answer
(i)Our entire class is quaking in its boots. Shaking with fear and nervousness
(ii) Until then, we keep telling each other not to lose heart. Not to lose hope
(iii) Mr. Keeping was annoyed with me for ages because I talked so much. Since a long time
(iv) Mr. Keeping was trying to play a joke on me with this ridiculous subject, but I’d make sure the joke was on him. He was outwitted by her
2. Here are a few more idiomatic expressions that occur in the text. Try to use them in sentences of your own.
| (i) caught my eye | (iii) laugh ourselves silly |
| (ii) he’d had enough | (iv) can’t bring myself to |
Answer
(i) caught my eye
A small red car passing by caught my eye.
(ii) he’d had enough
Tom had a hard time raising enough money build the orphanage he’d promised to build.
(iv) laugh ourselves silly
One girl said something funny, and we laughed ourselves silly.
(v) can’t bring myself to
I can’t bring myself to eat anything but chocolates.
Page No: 57
IV. You have read the expression ‘not to lose heart’ in this text. Now find out the meanings of the following expressions using the word ‘heart’. Use each of them in a sentence of your own.
- break somebody’s heart
- close/dear to heart
- from the (bottom of your) heart
- have a heart
- have a heart of stone
- your heart goes out to somebody
Answer
- break somebody’s heart − to upset somebody deeply
It has unfortunately become very easy these days to break somebody’s heart. - close/dear to heart − something or someone who is near and close to you
The drawing given to me by my little daughter is very close to my heart. - from the (bottom of your) heart − genuinely meaning or feeling something
He loved his son from the bottom of his heart. - have a heart − to evoke the feeling to help someone in distress
The poor beggar asked the rich man to have a heart and give him something to eat. - have a heart of stone − to not feel anything or any sentiment
The cruel landlady has a heart of stone as she beats up her children. - your heart goes out to somebody − to sympathise with someone else and understand his feelings and distress
My heart goes out to the little girl who lost both her parents in a car accident.
Page No: 58
1. Make a list of the contracted forms in the text. Rewrite them as full forms of two words.
Answer
(i) I’ve − I have
(ii) Doesn’t − does not
(iii) Won’t − would not
(iv) I’m − I am
(v) Don’t − do not
(vi) Can’t − cannot
(vii) it’s − it is
(viii) That’s − that is
(ix) I’d − I would
(x) Didn’t − did not
(xi) Who’ll − who will
(xii) You’re − You are
(xiii) We’ll − We will
(xiv) There’s − there is
(xv) He’d − he had
(xvi) Who’s − who is
(xvii) Haven’t − have not
2. We have seen that some contracted forms can stand for two different full forms:
I’d = I had or I would
Find in the text the contracted forms that stand for two different full forms, and say what these are.
Answer
(i) I’d − I had or I would
(ii) He’d − He had or he would
