2002/02（追試）
Uma heard the sound of a tray full of tea things and opened her eyes. Jyoti stood by her bed.
“Your tea, mother.” Jyoti gracefully gestured toward the tray on her bedside table.
“Let me pour it for you. How are you today?”
“I’m much better.” said Uma. “but I still have a headache.”
Jyoti’s response was quick: “Oh. you’ll soon be well. Dr. Marfatia assured me so last night.”
She sat down on the bed, and the concern in her eyes made Uma say quickly, “It’s nothing, really. Oh. how I look forward to the day when there will be a doctor in the house! India needs doctors. How is your work going, dear?”
Jyoti’s eyes clouded over and she dropped them quickly. “All right,” she murmured.
As the graceful head hung down, suddenly Uma saw her daughter as she had stood before her years ago, with a bowed head and a guilty, confused face.
And out of the past she recalled a scene and heard her own voice, saying:
“Have you learned it, or haven’t you?”
“Yes, mother.”
“Don‘t murmur! Look up!”
“Yes, mother,”
“Then why don’t you know it?”
Silence. As Jyoti stood there, a paper fluttered out from between the pages of the human biology textbook Uma was waving angrily at her. Uma picked it up. It was a watercolor of a bird in flight. The art was simple and self-taught. But there was a power, a wild grace in the open wings that Uma had failed to appreciate at that moment.
“So, this is what you’ve been doing all evening is it? Don’t you have any sense of responsibility?”
Uma felt black with anger inside ant without thinking, pushed her daughter toward the desk. It was not a hard push, but it mentally wounded the little girl. Jyoti did not look up as she bent obediently over her books.
Why, back then I brought out the worst in my lovely daughter, thought Uma, as she gazed at the young woman beside her. I caused her shyness and her hesitations. If she greets people not with joy but with effort, I am the cause of it.
“Mother,” said Jyoti suddenly, “I don’t want to go to the hospital any more. I don’t want to study medicine. That was your idea, not mine.”
The last words were said quickly.
“Yes.” Uma closed her eyes for a moment. When she opened them again, Jyoti seemed to have changed in some unclear but important way.
“Do you know what you want?” asked Uma gently.
“Yes,” came the unhesitating answer.
Uma felt a moment of worry, hut forced herself to say quietly, “What is it you want?”
“I want to paint!”
Of course, thought Uma, she wants to paint. I should have known it for years. 1 low could I have been so stupid? She stared at her daughter’s face, which was very pale, but which now showed her strength.
“I didn’t mean to tell you like this,” whispered Jyoti.
“Of course you didn’t” Uma raised a hand and let it fall back on the bed.
“Mother,” cried Jyoti, “I’m son’>’, but this is what I have to do!”
Uma shook her head and tried to smile. She wants to paint, shouted a voice in her head. She wants that! Uma wondered how she could explain to Jyoti that though she had killed a cherished hope, the feeling was one of relief. For Jyoti herself had grown up. She existed more; she had grown vivid, Sitting beside her on the bed, her Jyoti was a giant.
Uma smiled at her daughter as she held out her hand for the cup of tea.
- What did Uma mean when she said she was looking forward to having a doctor in the house?
① She was sick and needed medical care.
② Her husband was a doctor.
③ She wanted Jyoti to become a doctor.
④ There was a shortage of hospitals in India. - What reminded Uma of Jyoti’s childhood?
① Jyoti talked about her work.
② Jyoti seemed worried about Jima.
③ Jyoti looked down and spoke unclearly.
④ Jyoti was such a graceful young woman. - What made Jima say, “Don’t you have any sense of responsibility?”?
① Uma did not try to pick the paper up.
② Uma was better but still had a headache.
③ Jyoti had not studied biology properly.
④ Jyoti did not pour tea for her mother, - What happened when Uma pushed Jyoti?
① Jyoti felt hurt.
② Jyoti cut herself.
③ Jyoti shouted at her mother
④ Jyoti pushed her back. - Why did Uma shake her head and try to smile near the end of the story?
① She did not believe that Jyoti was sorry.
② Jyoti had made her angry.
③ She wanted to support Jyoti’s decision
④ Jyoti’s crying made her headache worse.
