Short Questions
1. Who is the author of the story “A House Is Not a Home”?
Answer: Zan Gaudioso.
2.Why did the author feel awkward in his first year of high school?
Answer: Because he was new and felt lonely after leaving his old school and friends.
3.What advice did his old teachers give him?
Answer: They advised him to join school activities to make new friends.
4.What was the author doing when the fire broke out?
Answer: He was doing homework at the dining table.
5.Who was sitting on his papers while he worked?
Answer: His red tabby cat.
6.What did the mother save first from the burning house?
Answer: A small metal box with important documents.
7.Why did the author’s mother run back into the house again?
Answer: To save her late husband’s pictures and letters.
8.Who stopped the author from running into the fire?
Answer: A fireman.
9.What did the author realize after the fire was put out?
Answer: That his house was destroyed and his cat was missing.
10.Why was the author embarrassed to go to school the next day?
Answer: Because he had no books, proper clothes, or shoes.
11.How did his schoolmates help him?
Answer: They collected clothes and school supplies for him.
12. What did the author feel when his classmates helped him?
Answer: He felt touched and happy to make new friends.
13.Who returned the cat to the author?
Answer: A woman who found it after the fire.
14.Where had the cat gone after the fire?
Answer: It had run over a mile away out of fear.
15. What does the author mean by “My cat was back and so was I”?
Answer: He regained happiness, hope, and a sense of belonging.
Long Questions
1. Describe the author’s feelings on his first day of high school.
Answer: The author felt lonely and awkward in his new school as it was bigger, and his old friends were not with him. He missed his teachers and found it difficult to adjust.
2.What happened on the day of the fire?
Answer: Smoke started filling the house suddenly. The author and his mother ran outside, but his mother went back to save important things. The house burned down completely.
3.Why did the author’s mother risk her life by running back into the house?
Answer: She wanted to save her late husband’s pictures and letters, which were her only memories of him.
4.What loss did the author face in the fire?
Answer: He lost his house, belongings, books, clothes, and most painfully, his pet cat.
5.How did the author’s schoolmates help him after the fire?
Answer: They collected money and bought him new clothes, school supplies, and showed kindness, making him feel accepted and loved.
6.How did the author’s attitude toward life change after meeting his schoolmates?
Answer: He became more positive, social, and open to friendship. His loneliness and sadness disappeared.
7.Describe the reunion of the author with his cat.
Answer: A woman brought his missing cat back after finding it far away. The author hugged his cat with tears of joy, feeling complete again.
8.What lesson did the author learn from his experience?
Answer: He learned that home and happiness come from love, relationships, and people – not just buildings or possessions.
9.Explain the meaning of the title “A House Is Not a Home.”
Answer: A house is only a structure, but love and care from people make it a home. The author understood this after losing and rebuilding his life.
10.How did the fire incident help the author grow emotionally?
Answer: The fire taught him strength, hope, and gratitude. It helped him make new friends and rebuild his life with love and kindness.
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