Children's Stories: Magic Pencil and the Dump

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Questions and Answers

What did Malala want to erase with the imaginary magic pencil?

The boys fishing in the pile for metal

The children sorting rubbish into piles

Her shoes that she didn't want to get dirty

The smell, the rats, the giant mountain of rotting food (correct)

What was Malala's initial belief about the magic pencil?

It could protect people who were in danger

It could erase the poverty of the children at the dump

It could save people from getting sick

It could make anyone happy (correct)

Why did Malala's father tell her that the children at the dump weren't in school?

He didn't want them to get their clothes dirty

He knew they were too lazy to learn

He was worried about the dangers at the dump

They were working to support their families (correct)

What realization did Malala have after meeting the children at the dump?

She realized that the magic pencil couldn't solve real problems (D) Signup and view all the answers

How did Malala's father react to seeing the children at the dump?

He was saddened and felt empathy for them (A) Signup and view all the answers

What did Malala believe was the reason for seeing the children at the dump?

It was God's way of teaching her a lesson about the real world (B) Signup and view all the answers

How did Malala's views on changing the world shift after meeting the children at the dump?

She realized that she had to take action and make a difference (D) Signup and view all the answers

What was the main reason Malala's family could afford a TV when she was eight years old?

Her father had become very successful in his business (B) Signup and view all the answers

What was the magnitude of the earthquake that devastated parts of Pakistan?

7.6 (B) Signup and view all the answers

Which of these places was NOT directly affected by the earthquake?

Mingora (C) Signup and view all the answers

What did the people of Shangla do when the earthquake hit?

They ran out of their houses reciting the Holy Quran (C) Signup and view all the answers

Who was the leader of the Tehrik-e-Nifaz-e-Sharia-e-Mohammadi (TNSM)?

Both A and B (D) Signup and view all the answers

What did the TNSM do to help after the earthquake?

All of the above. (D) Signup and view all the answers

What was the TNSM's message about the earthquake?

It was a warning from God. (B) Signup and view all the answers

How did the earthquake impact the lives of orphans?

Many were sent to live in fundamentalist madrasas. (D) Signup and view all the answers

Who threatened the girls' high school and why?

A mufti who believed it was against Islamic law. (C) Signup and view all the answers

What was a source of pride for the narrator during her primary school years?

Winning the trophy for first place (D) Signup and view all the answers

How did the narrator feel when Malka-e-Noor won first place?

Upset and cried at home (B) Signup and view all the answers

What did the narrator's father teach her about competition?

Losing can be a lesson (D) Signup and view all the answers

What were the main concerns for the narrator and her friends after school hours?

Grades and friends at recess (C) Signup and view all the answers

What was the environment like inside the Khushal School for the girls?

Free and encouraging (D) Signup and view all the answers

How did the narrator describe the outside world in contrast to the Khushal School?

Crazy and chaotic (B) Signup and view all the answers

What did the narrator and her peers enjoy in their educational environment?

Freedom to express themselves (A) Signup and view all the answers

What characteristic did the narrator attribute to her friendship with Moniba?

They shared a deep connection (C) Signup and view all the answers

What was the mufti's main objection to the school?

Girls and boys were attending the same school. (C) Signup and view all the answers

What did the author learn at the madrasa?

How to read the Quran. (A) Signup and view all the answers

What did the other boy say to the author about his school?

The author's school is not as good as his school because it does not focus on traditional religious education. (A) Signup and view all the answers

What did the author's father do to resolve the conflict with the mufti?

He agreed to allow the girls to enter through a different gate. (B) Signup and view all the answers

What was the mufti's attitude towards the author's father?

He was suspicious and critical, questioning the father's piety and intentions. (C) Signup and view all the answers

How can a Pashtun man be characterized, according to the author?

They are generally known for their fierce determination and stubbornness. (B) Signup and view all the answers

What is the significance of the madrasa in the author's life?

It was a place where the author developed his/her religious knowledge. (A) Signup and view all the answers

Why was the author's teacher at the madrasa a woman?

It was customary for women to teach at madrasas at that time. (A) Signup and view all the answers

What did the narrator float down the stream in hopes of reaching God?

A prayer tied to a piece of wood (C) Signup and view all the answers

Why did the narrator's mother put bread crusts on the windowsill?

To feed the birds (D) Signup and view all the answers

How did the narrator's father contribute to the community?

By providing free schooling to poor children (B) Signup and view all the answers

What natural disaster did the narrator experience while in school?

An earthquake (A) Signup and view all the answers

What was the narrator's mother doing during the earthquake?

Reciting verses from the Holy Quran (C) Signup and view all the answers

Why did the narrator's mother want to serve breakfast to girls each day?

To ensure they could learn effectively (A) Signup and view all the answers

Study Notes

A Magic Pencil

The narrator's father had eight hundred students and three campuses, including an elementary division and two high schools.
The family finally had enough money to buy a TV.
The narrator became obsessed with owning a magic pencil, inspired by a TV show character, Sanju.
Sanju could create things by drawing them, like food or a policeman.
The narrator prayed to God for a magic pencil.
The narrator checked their cupboard every night but never found the pencil.

Observing Children at the Dump

One afternoon, the narrator's mother asked them to throw away some potato peels and eggshells.
The narrator saw a girl sorting trash, her skin covered in sores.
Other children were fishing for metal using magnets.
The narrator's father was told about the children at the dump.
The father spoke gently to the children but they ran away.
The children were supporting their families by selling items they found.
The narrator's father noticed the children's tears.

The narrator's mother put bread crusts in a bowl on the kitchen windowsill, for the birds.
The narrator's mother kept extra rice and chicken for a poor family.
The narrator asked their mother why she shared food, and their mother explained they must not forget to share with those who are hungry.
The family shared everything they had, helping a family of seven.
The father helped a family who had fallen on hard times by lending them money and giving free places in school to children in need.
Their mother gave breakfast to some girls each day.

Warning from God

The narrator was in primary school when the ground trembled and shook.
The building continued to shake.
The earthquake was of the intensity 7.6 on the Richter scale.
The earthquake was one of the worst in history, felt as far away as Kabul and Delhi.
The earthquake devastated northern areas of Pakistan including Shangla.
People feared the earthquake was the end of the world.
People were terrified, and then waited for help.

The First Direct Threat

A man, described as a mufti, and other elders came to the narrator's home.
The mufti complained about girls using the same gate as men.
The mufti and elders said that the girls' high school was a blasphemy.
The girls should go into purdah (religious seclusion).

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Description

This quiz explores two poignant narratives that highlight the stark realities of childhood dreams and struggles. The first story revolves around a child's longing for a magical pencil, while the second sheds light on children working in harsh conditions at a dump. Both tales provide reflections on innocence and resilience.