CBSE Important Questions for Class 11 English Snapshots The Ghat of the Only World - 2025-26

Very Short Answer Questions: (1 Marks)

1. Word-Meaning

i. Mumbled

Ans: Say something softly.

ii. Malignant

Ans: Evil in nature or Hostile 

iii. Polignance

Ans: The ability to evoke a strong sense of sadness or regret.

iv. Descended 

Ans: Move or fall downward. 

2. What was the full name of Shahid?

Ans: Agha Shahid Ali was Shahid's full name.

3. When did Shahid first speak to the author about his death?

Ans: Shahid first spoke with the author on April 25, 2001.

4. Why did Shahid say that he was dying?

Ans: Shahid told the author that he was dying from cancer and that nothing could save him.

5. How did the author and Shahid become friends?

Ans: In Brooklyn, New York, the author meets Shahid and they become friends. They lived just a few blocks apart. They began meeting for meals on a more regular basis soon after.

Short Answer Questions: (2 Marks)

6. What do you know about Shahid from the chapter?

Ans: Shahid was born in Kashmir and is a native of Kashmiri. He was a poet, professor, and literary figure. He moved to the United States and suffered from cancer there. He was treated for cancer for 14 months and had three operations, but nothing could save him.

7. What were Shahid’s likes and dislikes?

Ans: Shahid was a brilliant poet as well as a professor. He enjoyed Kashmiri cuisine, house parties, music, and Bollywood films. He was also a fan of the camera and rogan josh, as well as the singers Kishore Kumar and Begum Akhtar. Cricket was a sport that Shahid despised.

8. How did the author get knowledge about the approaching death of Shahid? 

Ans: When Shahid told the author that he couldn't see anything while scanning and thumbing through his engagement book, the author realized he was on the verge of passing away. Shahid hoped he wasn't implying that he was about to pass away.

9. What did Shahid ask for from the author? Did the author keep his words?

Ans: Because both the author Amitav and Shahid had become excellent friends, Shahid told Amitav about his problem. He informed him that he had been undergoing cancer treatment for 14 months and that if he died, Amitav should write about him after he passed away. Amitav followed through on his promise and wrote about his friend.

10. How did Amitav feel after losing his friend?

Ans: After losing his friend, Amitav felt one of the greatest losses of his life. He did not have a deep bond with Shahid but losing him created a vast void in his life. He missed his great friend and his memories haunted him from time to time.

Short Answer Questions: (3 Marks)

1. What profession was Shahid into? What did he gain in it?

Ans: Shahid was a poet and a teacher. "The Country Without a Post Office" was his debut collection of poems. James Merill had a big influence on him. In the year 2000, Shahid taught at Baruch College, the University of Amherst, and lastly the University of Utah. He was a huge success, and all of his students admired him.

2. How was Shahid interested in cookery?

Ans: Shahid had a strong interest in cooking and was an expert at it. He would frequently devote his days to the planning and preparation of a dinner party. He'd use old-fashioned procedures and recipes. He was particularly fond of Kashmiri cuisine. He could only smell the rogan josh and figure out how far along it was.

3. Shahid was not a mean practitioner of repartee. Recall the occasion at Barcelona Airport.

Ans: Shahid was inundated with reports about Begum Akhtar's witty repartee. Shahid was a lot of fun to be around. He had a knack for coming up with quick and smart responses. The woman guard at Barcelona airport questioned him about what he did and if he was carrying anything that could endanger other passengers. He claimed to be a poet who was only bringing his heart with him.

4. How was Shahid affected by the development of Kashmir while sitting in the USA?

Ans: Religiously and politically, the situation in Kashmir was tumultuous. He had a significant impact. Shahid was not a political poet, but he was concerned about the status of his homeland. He admired his ability to write more than he admired what he wrote. He was loyal to his religion and believed that it should be kept separate from politics.

5. Shahid was influenced by which poet the most?

Ans: The poet James Merill, whom Shahid met in Arizona, had a big influence on him and his writing. Shahid composed his poetry in a poetic and orderly style. Shahid's poetry took a new turn after he met poet James Merill, who encouraged him to explore with metrical patterns and poem shapes.

Long Answer Questions: (5 Marks)

1. What were the last moments of Shahid’s life? What was his utmost comfort?

Ans: Shahid was a cancer patient. He battled cancer for 14 months. Shahid was the centre of a never-ending circus in the final minutes of his life. His friends made certain that he receives all of the love and attention he deserves. He was surrounded by everything he cared about. His friends, cuisine, laughter, and poetry were the things he admired the most. To achieve his goal, he wished to return to Kashmir, where he was born. He attempted to kill himself but was unsuccessful. Shahid passed away. Only in America, he died and was buried in Northampton, accepted his impending death, and made peace with it. His greatest relief was that he will be reunited with his mother in the next life.

2. Write the story of Shahid’s painful struggle throughout his life?

Ans: When Shahid first experienced a blackout in 2000, fate played a terrible joke on him. He had various tests done, and the findings revealed that he had a cancerous tumor in his brain, also known as a brain tumor. He underwent fourteen months of treatment and three surgeries, but nothing could save him from cancer's ravages. In Brooklyn, he makes friends with the author Amitav, who helps him to feel better. Shahid was well aware that he would die soon and had made peace with it, asking Amitav to write something about him once he had passed away.

3. How did the two men, Amitav Ghosh and Shahid come in contact with each other? Did Amitav do what his friend had asked him to, how?

Ans: Shahid was introduced to Amitav through his collection of poems "The Country Without a Post Office." They were both students in Delhi, but they never met. Amitav and Shahid spoke over the phone since they had mutual friends. Shahid went to Brooklyn in February 2000 and met Amitav since they lived eight blocks apart. Shahid's health was a problem, and he experienced blackouts. Amitav and Shahid shared some common likes and dislikes when their casual acquaintance turned into friendship. They would frequently meet at Shahid's home, and in 2001, Shahid informed Amitav of his health and requested that Amitav write a piece about him after his death.

4. How do we know Shahid was lively, gregarious, and sharp in repartee?

Ans: Shahid was a highly motivated and dedicated individual. Even when he realized he was dying, he refused to accept defeat. Shahid was a happy, vibrant, humorous, and social person. He would frequently invite guests to his home for dinners. He surrounded himself with friends and fun in the final days of his life. He'd always invite folks over and feed them food, tea, and poetry. He had a wicked sense of humour. He was stopped for interrogation by female security at the Barcelona airport once while traveling. She inquired about his profession and whether he was transporting anything hazardous. He replied that he was a poet who wrote poetry and that all he had on him was his heart. This was an example of his witty banter.

5. Write the summary of the chapter “The Ghat of the Only World”.

Ans: Amitav Ghost wrote the story, which details the life of his deceased buddy Kashmiri Shahid, who died of cancer in America. Shahid was a poet and a lecturer as well. He taught at a number of schools and institutions around the United States. Shahid, along with his brother and two sisters, relocated to the United States. Shahid was adored by his classmates and friends. Shahid was a devout Muslim who did not believe in fanatics who sow hatred among people. He despised the state of Kashmir and condemned it vehemently. He did not allow politics to eclipse his writing abilities, and he held all religions in equal regard. He also prayed to a Hindu god. Shahid experienced a blackout and loss of vision in February 2000. He was evaluated, and the results revealed that he has a brain tumor. He received 14 months of treatment, including three surgeries, but nothing healed him. The author has emphasized Shahid's interests and dislikes, as well as some examples of his humor and keen repartee.