HSC English First Paper English For Today Unit 1 Lesson 3

Children in School 

The New School

Part-I: Reading Test 

When she saw the gate of the new school, Totto-chan stopped. The gate of the school she used to go to had fine concrete pillars with the name of the school in large characters. But the gate of this new school simply consisted of two rather short posts that still had twigs and leaves on them.

"This gate's growing." said Totto-chan. "It'll probably go on growing till it's taller than the telephone poles!

The two "gateposts" were clearly trees with roots. When she got closer, she had to put her head to one side to read the name of the school because the wind had blown the sign askew.

"To-mo-e Ga-ku-en."

Totto-chan was about to ask Mother what "Tomoe" meant, when she caught a glimpse of something that made her think she must be dreaming. She squatted down and peered through the shrubbery to get a better look, and she couldn't believe her eyes.

"Mother, is that really a train! There, in the school grounds!

For its classrooms, the school had made use of six abandoned railroad cars. To Totto-chan it seemed something you might dream about. A school in a train!

The windows of the railroad cars sparkled in the morning sunlight. But the eyes of the rosy-cheeked little girl gazing at them through the shrubbery sparkled even more.

"I like this school!

A moment later. Totto-chan let out a whoop of joy and started running toward the "train school. "calling out to Mother over her shoulder, "Come on, hurry, let's get on this train that's standing still."

Startled, Mother began to run after her. Mother had been on a basketball team once, so she was faster than Totto-chan and caught hold of her dress just as she reached a door.

You can't go in yet," said Mother, holding her back. "The cars are classrooms, and you haven't even been accepted here yet. If you really want to get on this train, you'll have to be nice and polite to the headmaster. We're going to call on him now, and if all goes well, you'll be able to go to his school.

Do you understand? Totto-chan was awfully disappointed not to get on the train right away. But she decided she had better do as Mother told her.

"All right," she said. And then added, I like this school a lot."

বঙ্গানুবাদ

নতুন স্কুল নিয়ে তত্তো চানের অভিজ্ঞতা

নতুন স্কুলের গেটটি দেখে তত্তো চান থামলো। আগে যে স্কুলে সে যেত, সেখানে গেটের ওপর বড় বড় অক্ষরে স্কুলের নাম লেখা ছিল এবং পিলারগুলো ছিল সুন্দর কংক্রিটের। কিন্তু এই নতুন স্কুলের গেটটি ছিল সম্পূর্ণ ভিন্ন, শুধু দুটি ছোট শুঁটি দিয়ে তৈরি যেগুলোর ওপর এখনো ডালপালা ও পাতা লেগে ছিল।

"এই গেটটা বেড়ে উঠছে, বললো তত্তো চান। এটা হয়তো বাড়তে বাড়তে একদিন টেলিফোনের খুঁটির চেয়েও লম্বা হয়ে যাবে। এই "গেটপোষ্ট" দুটি ছিল মূলত শেকড়যুক্ত গাছ। যখন তত্তো-চান আরও কাছে গেল, তখন সে লক্ষ্য করলো যে বাতাসে সাইনবোর্ডটি হেলে পড়েছে, যার জন্য স্কুলের নাম পড়তে তার মাথা একটু কাত করতে হলো।

"তো-মো-এ গা-কু-এন।"

তত্তো চান মাকে জিজ্ঞাসা করতে যাচ্ছিল "টোমোয়ে" শব্দের অর্থ কী, কিন্তু হঠাৎ কিছু দেখে সে ভাবলো, সে হয়তো স্বপ্ন দেখছে।

সে নিচু হয়ে ঝোপঝাড়ের মধ্যে দিয়ে উঁকি দিলো এবং যা দেখলো তা বিশ্বাস করতে পারলো না।

"মা, এটা কি আসলেই ট্রেন। স্কুলের মাঠে ট্রেন।"

শ্রেণিকক্ষ হিসেবে এই স্কুলটি ছয়টি পরিত্যক্ত ট্রেন ব্যবহার করছে। ব্যাপারটা তত্তো-চানের কাছে স্বপ্নের মতো লাগলো। ট্রেনের মধ্যে স্কুল।

ট্রেনের জানালাগুলো সকালের রোদে ঝলমল করছিল। কিন্তু ঝোপঝাড়ের মধ্যে দিয়ে ট্রেনগুলোর দিকে তাকিয়ে থাকা গোলাপি পালের ছোট মেয়েটির চোখ আরও বেশি ঝিকমিক করছিল।

"আমি এই স্কুলটা পছন্দ করি।"

এক মুহূর্ত পরেই তত্তো-চান আনন্দে চিৎকার করে উঠে ট্রেন স্কুলের দিকে ছুটে গেল, পেছনে মাকে উদ্দেশ্য করে বললো, “চলো, তাড়াতাড়ি, চলো এই দাঁড়িয়ে থাকা ট্রেনে উঠে পড়ি।" মা হতবাক হয়ে তত্তো- চানের পেছনে দৌড় দিলেন। একসময় মা

বাস্কেটবল দলে খেলতেন, তাই তত্তো-চানের চেয়ে দ্রুত দৌড়ালেন এবং ঠিক দরজার কাছে পৌঁছে তত্তো-চানের পোশাক ধরে ফেললেন।

"তোমার এক্ষুণি যাওয়া যাবে না,” মা তাকে ধরে ফেলে বললেন। “এই ট্রেনগুলো শ্রেণিকক্ষ, আর এখনো তোমাকে এখানে ভর্তি করা হয়নি। যদি তুমি সত্যিই এই ট্রেনে উঠতে চাও, তাহলে তোমাকে হেডমাস্টারের সঙ্গে সুন্দর আর ভদ্র আচরণ করতে হবে। আমরা এখন তার সঙ্গে দেখা করতে যাচ্ছি, আর যদি সবকিছু ভালোভাবে শেষ হয়, তাহলেই তুমি এই স্কুলে যেতে পারবে। বুঝতে পেরেছো!"

তক্ষুণি "ট্রেনে" উঠতে না পেরে তত্তো-চান খুবই হতাশ হলো, কিন্তু সে ঠিক করলো যে সে মায়ের কথা মতোই কাজ করবে।

"আচ্ছা,” বললো সে। তারপর যোগ করলো, "এই স্কুলটা আমার খুব পছন্দের।"

Mother felt like telling her it wasn't a matter of whether she liked the school but of whether the headmaster liked her. But she just let go of Totto-chan's dress, took hold of her hand, and started walking toward the headmaster's office.

All the railroad cars were quiet, for the first classes of the day had begun. Instead of a wall, the not very spacious school grounds were surrounded by trees, and there were flower beds full of red and yellow flowers.

The headmaster's office wasn't in a railroad car, but was on the right-hand side of a one-story building that stood at the top of a semicircular flight of about seven stone steps opposite the gate.

Totto-chan let go of Mother's hand and raced up the steps, then turned around abruptly, almost causing Mother to run into her.

"What's the matter? Mother asked, fearing Totto-chan might have changed her mind about the school.

Standing above her on the top step. Totto-chan whispered to Mother in all seriousness. The man we're going to see must be a stationmaster.

Mother had plenty of patience as well as a great sense of fun. She put her face close to Totto-chan's and whispered, "Why?"

Totto-chan whispered back, "You said he was the headmaster, but if he owns all these trains, he must be a stationmaster."

Mother had to admit it was unusual for a school to make use of old railroad cars, but there was no time to explain. She simply said, "Why don't you ask him yourself! And, anyway, what about Daddy? He plays the violin and owns several violins, but that doesn't make our house a violin shop, does it?"

"No, It doesn't." Totto-chan agreed, catching hold of Mother's hand.

The Headmaster 

When Mother and Totto-chan went in, the man in the office got up from his chair. 

His hair was thin on top and he had a few teeth missing, but his face was a healthy colour. Although he wasn't very tall, he had solid shoulders and arms and was neatly dressed in a rather shabby black three-piece suit. 

With a hasty bow, Totto-chan asked him spiritedly "What are you, a schoolmaster or a stationmaster?" 

Mother was embarrassed, but before she had time to explain, he laughed and replied, “I'm the head-master of this school.” 

Totto-chan was delighted. "Oh, I'm so glad,” she said, “because I want to ask you a favour. I'd like to come to your school.” 

The headmaster offered her a chair and turned to Mother. "You may go home now. I want to talk to Totto-chan." 

Totto-chan had a moment's uneasiness, but somehow felt she would get along all fight with this man. “Well, then, I'll leave her with you,” Mother said bravely, and shut the door behind her as she went out. 

The headmaster drew over a chair and put it facing Totto-chan, and when they were both sitting down close together, he said, “Now then, tell me all about yourself. Tell me anything at all you want to talk about." 

“Anything I like?" Totto-chan had expected him to ask questions she would have to answer. When he said she could talk about anything she wanted, she was so happy she began straight away. It was all a bit higgledy-piggledy, but she talked for all she was worth. She told the headmaster how fast the train went that they had come on; how she had asked the ticket collector but he wouldn't let her keep her ticket; how pretty her homeroom teacher was at the other school; about the swallows’ nest; about their brown dog, Rocky, who could do all sorts of tricks; how she used to go snip snip with the scissors inside her mouth at kindergarten and the teacher said she mustn't do that because she might cut her tongue off, but she did it anyway. how she always blew her nose because Mother scolded her if it was runny; what a good swimmer Daddy was, and how he could dive as well. She went on and on. The headmaster would laugh, nod, and say, “And then?" And Totto-chan was so happy she kept right on talking. But finally she ran out of things to say. She sat with her mouth closed trying hard to think of something. 

"Haven't you anything more you can tell me?" asked the headmaster. 

What a shame to stop now, Totto-chan thought. It was such a wonderful chance. Wasn't there anything else she could talk about, she wondered, racking her brains? Then she had an idea. 

She could tell him about the dress she was wearing that day. Mother made most of her dresses, but this one came from a shop. Her clothes were always torn when she came home in the late afternoon. Some of the rips were quite bad. Mother never knew how they got that way. Even her white cotton panties were sometimes in shreds. She explained to the headmaster that they got torn when she crossed othe people's gardens by crawling under their fences, and when she burrowed under the barbed wire around vacant lots. So this morning, she said, when she was getting dressed to come here, all the nice dresses Mother had made were torn so she had to wear one Mother had bought. It had small dark red and gray checks and was made of jersey, and it wasn't bad, but Mother thought the red flowers embroidered on the collar were in bad taste. "Mother doesn't like the collar," said Totto-chan, holding it up for the headmaster to see. 

After that, she could think of nothing more to say no matter how hard she tried. made her rather sad. But just then the headmaster got up, placed his large, warm hand on her head, and said, "Well, now you're a pupil of this school.” 

Those were his very words. And at that moment Totto-chan felt she had met someone she really liked for the very first time in her life. You see, up till then, no one had ever listened to her for so long. And all that time the headmaster hadn't yawned once or looked bored, but seemed just as interested in what she had to say as she was. 

Totto-chan hadn't learned how to tell time yet, but it did seem like a rather long time. If she had been able to, she would have been astonished, and even more grateful to the headmaster. For, you see, Mother and Totto-chan arrived at the school at eight, and when she had finished talking and the headmaster had told her she was a pupil of the school, he looked at his pocket watch and said, "Ah, it's time for lunch." So the headmaster must have listened to Totto-chan for four solid hours! 

Neither before nor since did any grown-up listen to Totto-chan for as long as that. And, besides, it would have amazed Mother and her homeroom teacher to think that a seven-year-old child could find enough to talk about for four hours nonstop. 

Totto-chan had no idea then, of course, that she had been expelled and that people were at their wit's end to know what to do. Having a naturally sunny disposition and being a bit absentminded gave her an air of innocence. But deep down she felt she was considered different from other children and slightly strange. The headmaster, however, made her feel safe and warm and happy. She wanted to stay with him forever. 

That's how Totto-chan felt about Headmaster Sosaku Kobayashi that first day. And, luckily, the head-master felt the same about her.

বঙ্গানুবাদ 

মায়ের ইচ্ছে হচ্ছিল তাকে বলা যে স্কুলটা তার পছন্দ হয়েছে কিনা, সেটা গুরুত্বপূর্ণ নয়, গুরুত্বপূর্ণ হলো হেডমাস্টার তাকে পছন্দ করবে কিনা। কিন্তু মা শুধু তত্তো-চানের পোশাক ছেড়ে তার হাত ধরলেন এবং তাকে নিয়ে হেডমাস্টারের অফিসের দিকে হাঁটা শুরু

করলেন।"

ট্রেনগুলোর সবকটি ছিল একদম নিস্তব্ধ, কারণ দিনের প্রথম ক্লাসগুলো শুরু হয়ে গিয়েছিল। প্রাচীরের পরিবর্তে স্কুলের বড় মাঠ টির চারপাশে গাছপালায় ঘেরা ছিল, এবং লাল ফুল বাগান ছিল।

হেডমাস্টারের অফিসটি কোনো ট্রেনের মধ্যে ছিল না, বরং একটি একতলা ভবনের ডানদিকে অবস্থিত ছিল। যা গেটের বিপরীতে যা প্রায় সাতটি পাথরের ধাপের একটি অর্ধবৃত্তকায় ফ্লাইটের শীর্ষে দাঁড়িয়েছিল।

তত্তো-তান মায়ের হাত ছেড়ে দৌড়ে সিঁড়ি বেয়ে উঠে গেল, তারপর হঠাৎ ঘুরে দাঁড়ালো, যা দেখে মা প্রায় তার গায়ে ধাক্কা খেলেন।

"কি হলো"মা জিজ্ঞাসা করলেন, ভয়ে ভয়ে ভাবলেন, হয়তো তত্তো চান স্কুল নিয়ে মত বদল করেছে।

সিঁড়ির উপরে দাঁড়িয়ে তত্তো-চান খুব গভীর করে মায়ের কানে কানে বললো, "আমরা যার সাথে দেখা করতে যাচ্ছি, সে নিশ্চয়ই স্টেশনমাস্টার।"

মায়ের ধৈর্য ছিল অনেক, সাথে ছিল মজার বিষয়গুলো নিয়ে হাসি-ঠাট্রা করার অভ্যাসও। তিনি তত্তো-চানের মুখের কাছে গিয়ে ফিসফিস করে বললেন, "কেন" তত্তো-চান আবার ফিসফিস করে বললো, তুমি তো বলেছিলে সে হেডমাস্টার, কিন্তু যদি সে সব ট্রেনের মালিক হয়, তাহলে নিশ্চয়ই স্টেশনমাস্টার।

মায়েরও স্বীকার করতে হলো যে স্কুলে পুরনো ট্রেন ব্যবহার করার বিষয়টি বেশ অদ্ভুত। তবে ব্যাখ্যা করার সময় ছিল না, শুধু বললেন, "তুমি নিজেই কেন তাকে জিজ্ঞাসা করো না। আর, বাবা সম্পর্কে ভাবো তো। তিনি তো বেহালা বাজান এর কাছে অনেক বেহালা আছে, কিন্তু তাতে আমাদের বাড়ি বেহালার দোকান হয়ে যায় কি?"

"না যায় না, তত্তো চান একমত হলো, মায়ের হাত ধরে।

মা আর তত্তো চান যখন ভিতরে ঢুকলেন, অফিসের লোকটি চেয়ার থেকে উঠে দাঁড়ালেন। তার মাথার চাঁদিতে চুল ছিল পাতলা, কিছু দাঁতও ছিল না, কিন্তু তার মুখমণ্ডলে ছিল টকটকে উজ্জ্বলতা। তিনি খুব একটা খুব লম্বা না হলেও তার কাঁধ আর বাহুগুলো ছিল বেশ মজবুত এবং তিনি কিছুটা পুরনো কিছু পরিষ্কার ভালো থ্রি-পিস দুটি পরেছিলেন। তড়িঘড়ি করে অভিবাদন জানিয়ে, তারা তত্তো চান প্রাণবন্তভাবে জিজ্ঞাসা করলো, আপনি কি স্কুলমাস্টার না স্টেশনমাস্টার"

মা একটু বিব্রত হলেন, কোন কিছু বলার আগেই তিনি হেসে বললেন, আমি এই স্কুলের হেডমাস্টার।

তত্তো চান খুব খুশি হলো । "ও খুব ভালো লাগলো " সে বললো, "কারণ আমি আপনার কাছে একটি অনুরোধ করতে আমি আপনার স্কুলে ভর্তি হতে চাই।"

প্রধান শিক্ষক তাকে একটি চেয়ার এগিয়ে দিয়ে মায়ের দিকে তাকালেন। “আপনি এখন বাড়ি যেতে পারেন। আমি তোত্তো-চানের সাথে কথা বলতে চাই।"

তোত্তো-চান কিছুটা উদ্বিগ্ন বোধ করলেও মনে হলো তিনি এই মানুষটির সাথে ঠিকঠাক মানিয়ে নিতে পারবেন। “তাহলে, আমি তাকে আপনার কাছে রেখে যাচ্ছি,” মা সাহস করে বললেন এবং দরজা বন্ধ করে বেরিয়ে গেলেন। প্রধান শিক্ষক একটি চেয়ার টেনে এনে তোত্তো-চানের মুখোমুখি রাখলেন এবং দুজন খুব ঘনিষ্ঠ হয়ে বসার পর তিনি বললেন,"আচ্ছা, এখন আমাকে সব কিছু বলো। যা খুশি তা বলো।” "যা খুশি?” তোত্তো-চান ভেবেছিল প্রধান শিক্ষক এমন কিছু প্রশ্ন করবেন যেগুলোর উত্তর তাকে দিতে হবে। কিন্তু যখন প্রধান শিক্ষক বললেন যে, সে যা ইচ্ছে তা বলতে পারে, তখন তোত্তো-চান এত খুশি হলো যে সে সাথে সাথেই বলতে শুরু করল।কথাগুলো কিছুটা এলোমেলো হলেও সে যতটুকু পারে তার সবটা বলল। সে প্রধান শিক্ষককে জিজ্ঞেস করল ট্রেনটি কত দ্রুত চলে গেছে যে তারা অনুসরণ করেছিল; কিভাবে সে টিকিট চেকারকে অনুরোধ করার পরও তিনি তাকে টিকিটটি রাখতে দেননি; তার আগের স্কুলের হোমরুম শিক্ষক কত সুন্দর ছিলেন; শালিকের বাসা সম্পর্কে; তাদের বাদামি কুকুর রকি, যে নানা ধরনের কৌশল দেখাতে পারে তার সম্পর্কে; কিভাবে সে কিন্ডারগার্টেনে নিজের মুখে কাঁচি দিয়ে“স্লিপ-স্লিপ” করত এবং শিক্ষিকা তাকে এটা করতে বারণ করেছিলেন কারণ এতে সে তার জিভ কেটে ফেলতে পারে, কিন্তু তবুও সে তা করত; নাক পরিষ্কার না থাকলে মা রেগে যেতে পারে ভেবে সে কিভাবে তার নাক ঝাড়ত; তার বাবা কত ভাল সাঁতারু ছিলেন এবং কিভাবে তিনি ডাইভ দিতে পারতেন। সে একটানা এসব বলে গেল।প্রধান শিক্ষক হাসলেন, মাথা নেড়ে বললেন, “তারপর?” তোত্তো-চান এত খুশি হল যে সে বলে যেতে লাগল। কিন্তু অবশেষে বলার মত আর কিছু বাকি থাকল না। সে মুখ বন্ধ করে বসে রইল, নতুন কিছু ভাবতে চেষ্টা করল ।

“আর কিছু বলার নেই?” প্রধান শিক্ষক জিজ্ঞেস করলেন।

এক্ষুণি কথা শেষ করা সত্যিই দুঃখজনক, তোত্তো-চান ভাবল। এটা তো দারুণ সুযোগ। কিছু বলার মতো আর কিছুই কি নেই?ভাবতে লাগল সে, মনের মাঝে হাতড়াতে লাগলো।

তত্তো-চানের প্রথম দিনের অনুভূতি

হেডমাস্টার উঠে দাঁড়ালেন, তার বড় ও উষ্ণ হাতটি তত্তো-চানের মাথায় রাখলেন এবং বললেন, “এখন তুমি এই স্কুলের ছাত্রী। ”তিনি হুবহু এই কথাগুলোই বলেছিলেন। আর সেই মুহূর্তে, তত্তো-চান অনুভব করলো, সে জীবনে প্রথমবারের মতো এমন একজন মানুষের দেখা পেয়েছে, যাকে সে সত্যিই খুব পছন্দ করেছে। আসল ব্যাপার হলো, এর আগে কেউ কখনো এত দীর্ঘ সময় ধরে তত্তো-চানের কথা শোনেনি। হেডমাস্টার একবারও হাই তোলেননি, বিরক্তও হননি, বরং তত্তো-চান যা কিছু বলেছিল তার পুরোটাই তিনি সম্পূর্ণ মনোযোগ দিয়ে শুনছিলেন। তত্তো-চান তখনও সময় দেখতে শেখেনি, তবে তার মনে হচ্ছিল যেন অনেকক্ষণ কেটে গেছে। যদি সে সময় দেখতে পারতো, তবে হয়তো অবাক হতো এবং হেডমাস্টারের প্রতি আরও কৃতজ্ঞ হতো। কারণ, মা আর তত্তো-চান স্কুলে পৌঁছেছিল সকাল আটটায়,এবং যখন তত্তো-চান কথা বলা শেষ করলো আর হেডমাস্টার তাকে জানালেন যে সে স্কুলের ছাত্রী হয়েছে, তখন তিনি তার পকেট ঘড়ির দিকে তাকিয়ে বললেন, “আহ, এখন তো লাঞ্চের সময় হয়ে গেছে।” অর্থাৎ, হেডমাস্টার তত্তো-চানের কথা টানা চার ঘণ্টা ধরে শুনেছিলেন!এর আগে বা পরে আর কখনো কোনো বড়ো মানুষ তত্তো-চানের কথা এত দীর্ঘ সময় ধরে শোনেনি। আর তাছাড়া, মায়ের এবং তার শ্রেণি শিক্ষকের কাছে এটা অবাক করার মতোই ঘটনা ছিল যে সাত বছরের একটি মেয়ে চার ঘণ্টা অবিরত কথা বলার মতো বিষয় খুঁজে পেতে পারে । তত্তো-চান তখনো জানতো না যে সে আগের স্কুল থেকে বহিষ্কৃত হয়েছে এবং তার কী হবে এই নিয়ে লোকের দুশ্চিন্তার সীমা ছিলনা। তার স্বাভাবিকভাবে উচ্ছ্বল স্বভাব এবং খানিকটা ভুলোমনা ভাব তাকে একটা নির্দোষতার আবহ দিয়েছিল। কিন্তু তার মনে গভীরভাবে একটা অনুভূতি ছিল যে, তাকে অন্য শিশুদের থেকে একটু আলাদা এবং অদ্ভুত মনে করা হয়। তবে হেডমাস্টার তাকে সুরক্ষিত, উষ্ণ এবং সুখী হওয়ার অনুভবে জারিত করিয়েছিলেন। তত্তো-চান চাইছিল, সে যেন চিরকাল তার সাথে থাকতে পারে। এটিই ছিল প্রথম দিনে হেডমাস্টার সোসাকু কোবায়াশির প্রতি তত্তো-চানের অনুভূতি। আর সৌভাগ্যক্রমে, হেডমাস্টারেরও তত্ত্বো-চানকে নিয়ে ছিল একই অনুভূতি।

Read the passage again and answer the questions:  

(1) How was the gate of Totto-chan's new school different from her old school? 

Answer. The new school's gate was made of short posts with twigs and leaves, while the old school had fine concrete pillars. 

(2) What did Totto-chan say when she saw the new school gate?

Answer. Totto-chan said. "This gate's growing," imagining that it might grow taller than telephone poles. 

(3) Why did Totto-chan tilt her head when reading the school's name? 

Answer. Totto-chan tilted her head because the wind had blown the school's sign askew, making it hard to read.  

(4) What surprising thing did Totto-chan see at the new school? 

Answer. Totto-chan saw stx abandoned railroad cars being used as classrooms.  

(5) What did Mother tell Totto-chan about getting on the train? 

Answer. Mother told Totto-chan that the train cars were classrooms, and she would need to be polite to the headmaster before she could attend the school.  

(6) What did the gateposts of the new school look like?  

Answer. The gateposts looked like two short trees with roots, still having twigs and leaves on them.  

(7) How did Totto-chan feel about the gateposts when she first saw them?  

Answer. Totto-chan thought the gateposts were "growing and might become taller than telephone poles. 

(8) What was written on the sign of the school? Why was the sign of the school difficult to read?  

Answer. The sign read "Tomoe Gakuen." The sign was difficult to read because the wind had blown It askew.  

(9) What did Totto-chan ask her mother after reading the name of the school?  

Answer. Totto-chan was about to ask her mother what Tomoe" meant before being distracted by the sight of the train cars.  

(10) How did Totto-chan react when she saw the train cars in the school grounds?

Answer. Totto-chan was excited and couldn't believe there was a train in the school grounds.  

(11)  What made Totto-chan excited about the new classrooms?  

Answer. The fact that the classrooms were inside actual railroad cars made her excited. 

(12) Why did Totto-chan's eyes sparkle when she saw the train?

Answer. Totto-chan's eyes sparkled with excitement because a school with a train seemed like a dream.  

(13)  What did Totto-chan do after she saw the train cars? 

Answer. After seeing the train cars. Totto-chan ran toward them, eager to explore, and called out for her mother to follow.  

(14) How did Mother stop Totto-chan from getting on the train right away?  

Answer. Mother stopped Totto-chan by grabbing her dress just as she reached the train's door.  

(15) What did Mother tell Totto-chan about how she could go to the school?

Answer. Mother told Totto-chan she needed to be polite to the headmaster and get accepted into the school first.

(16) What did Mother think about Totto-chan's opinion of the school? 

Answer. Mother felt that it wasn't important whether Totto-chan liked the school, but whether the headmaster liked her.  

(17) What surrounded the school grounds instead of a wall?  

Answer. The school grounds were surrounded by trees, and there were flower beds with red and yellow flowers.  

(18) Where was the headmaster's office located?  

Answer. The headmaster's office was in a one-story building at the top of a semicircular flight of stone steps.

(19) What did Totto-chan think about the headmaster when she first saw the school?

Answer. Totto-chan thought the headmaster must be a stationmaster because the school used old railroad cars.  

 (20) How did the headmaster respond when Totto-chan asked if he was a stationmaster? 

Answer. The headmaster laughed and said that he was the headmaster of the school, not a stationmaster.  

(21) What did Mother feel like telling Totto-chan about the headmaster's decision?

Answer. Mother felt like telling Totto-chan that it wasn't about whether she liked the school, but whether the headmaster liked her.  

 (22) What did Totto-chan do as she and her mother walked toward the headmaster's office? 

Answer. Totto-chan let go of her mother's hand and raced up the stone steps leading to the headmaster's office.  

(23) Why did Totto-chan suddenly stop when she reached the top of the steps?

Answer. Totto-chan stopped suddenly because she thought the man they were going to meet was a stationmaster.  

(24) What did Totto-chan whisper to her mother about the headmaster? 

Answer. Totto-chan whispered to her mother that if the man owned all the trains, he must be a stationmaster, not a headmaster.  

(25) How did Mother respond to Totto-chan's assumption about the headmaster?

Answer. Mother told Totto-chan to ask the man herself and explained that owning trains doesn't make him a stationmaster, just like Daddy owning violins didn't make their house a violin shop.  

(26) How did the headmaster look when Totto-chan and her mother entered his office?

Answer. The headmaster had thin hair, a few missing teeth, but a healthy-looking face, solid shoulders, and was dressed in a shabby black suit.  

(27) How did Totto-chan greet the headmaster when she first met him? 

Answer. Totto-chan greeted the headmaster with a hasty bow and asked him directly if he was a stationmaster or a schoolmaster.  

(28) What did Totto-chan ask the headmaster when they met? 

Answer. Totto-chan asked the headmaster if he was a stationmaster because she thought he must be as there were the old train cars at the school.  

(29) How did the headmaster react to Totto-chan's question?  

Answer. The headmaster laughed at Totto-chan's question and replied that he was the headmaster of the school.  

(30) What did Totto-chan say after learning that the man was the headmaster?

Answer. After learning that he was the headmaster, Totto-chan expressed her happiness and asked if she could join the school.

(31) What did the headmaster do after Totto-chan's mother left? 

Answer. The headmaster sat down with Totto-chan and asked her to tell him all about herself.

(32) How did Totto-chan feel when the headmaster asked her to talk about anything?

Answer. Totto-chan felt very happy because she could talk about anything she wanted. not just answer questions.

(33) What were some of the things Totto-chan told the headmaster?

Answer. Totto-chan talked about how fast the train went, her dog Rocky, her pretty teacher, the swallows nest, and how she used to cut paper with scissors in her mouth.  

(34) How did the headmaster react as Totto-chan spoke? 

Answer. The headmaster laughed, nodded, and encouraged her by saying, "And then?"

(35) What did Totto-chan do when she ran out of things to say? 

Answer. When Totto-chan ran out of things to say, she tried hard to think of more to talk about because she didn't want to stop.  

(36) What did the headmaster tell Totto-chan's mother when she arrived at the school? 

Answer. The headmaster told Totto-chan's mother that she could go home because he wanted to talk to Totto-chan alone.  

(37) How did Totto-chan feel when her mother left the room?  

Answer. Totto-chan felt a little uneasy at first but quickly felt comfortable with the headmaster.  

(38) What did the headmaster ask Totto-chan to do during their conversation?  

Answer. The headmaster asked Totto-chan to tell him anything she wanted, allowing her to speak freely.  

(39) Why was Totto-chan surprised when the headmaster let her talk about anything? 

Answer. Totto-chan was surprised because she expected the headmaster to ask her specific questions, but he let her talk about whatever she liked.  

(40) What was one thing Totto-chan talked about from her train ride?  

Answer. Totto-chan mentioned how fast the train was and how she asked the ticket collector if she could keep her ticket, but he said no.  

(41) What did Totto-chan say about her homeroom teacher at her old school?  

Answer. Totto-chan said that her homeroom teacher at her old school was very pretty. 

(42) What did Totto-chan's kindergarten teacher tell her not to do, and why? 

Answer. Totto-chan said her kindergarten teacher told her not to cut paper inside her mouth with scissors because she might hurt her tongue, but she did it anyway. 

(43) What did Totto-chan say about her father during the conversation? 

Answer. Totto-chan talked about her father being a good swimmer and how he could dive very well.

(44) How did the headmaster keep Totto-chan talking?  

Answer. The headmaster kept encouraging her to talk by laughing, nodding, and asking. "And then?"  

(45) How did Totto-chan feel when she realized she had nothing left to say?

Answer. Totto-chan felt disappointed and thought it was a shame that she had nothing else to say because she was enjoying the conversation so much.

(46) What did the headmaster do when he stood up to speak to Totto-chan? 

Answer. The headmaster placed his hand on Totto-chan's head and indicated that she was now a pupil of the school.

(47) How did Totto-chan feel about the headmaster after he listened to her?  

Answer. Totto-chan felt a deep liking for the headmaster because he listened to her attentively, something she hadn't experienced before.  

(48) Why was the headmaster different from other adults, according to Totto-chan? 

Answer. The headmaster was different because, unlike other adults, he paid full attention to Totto-chan for a long time without seeming bored.  

(49) How long did the headmaster listen to Totto-chan talk?

Answer. The headmaster listened to Totto-chan for about four hours, until it was time for lunch.

(50) What did Totto-chan not know about her previous school situation?  

Answer. Totto-chan did not know that she had been expelled from her previous school, as no one had told her.  

(51) What did the headmaster say to Totto-chan after she finished speaking? 

Answer. The headmaster welcomed Totto-chan as a pupil of the school, acknowledging her presence after the long conversation.  

(52) How did the headmaster's behavior make Totto-chan feel during their conversation? 

Answer. The headmaster's kind and attentive behavior made Totto-chan feel safe, happy, and understood, which was unusual for her.  

(53) What surprised Totto-chan about how long the headmaster listened to her? 

Answer. Totto-chan was surprised that the headmaster listened to her for four hours without getting bored, which no one had done before.  

(54) What did the headmaster do after the long conversation with Totto-chan? 

Answer. After listening to Totto-chan, the headmaster checked his watch and remarked that it was lunchtime.  

(55) Why did Totto-chan think she was different from other children? 

Answer. Totto-chan thought she was different from other children because she had a cheerful yet absent-minded nature that set her apart.  

(56) How do we know that Totto-chan liked the headmaster after meeting him?

Answer. It is clear that Totto-chan liked the headmaster because she felt he was the first adult to genuinely listen to her.  

(57) What time did Totto-chan and her mother arrive at the school? 

Answer. Totto-chan and her mother arrived at the school early in the morning, around eight o'clock.  

(58) How would Totto-chan's mother and her previous teacher feel about the length of her conversation with the headmaster?  

Answer. Her mother and previous teacher would likely have been amazed that a child could talk nonstop for four hours.  

(59) Why didn't Totto-chan realize she had been expelled from her previous school?

Answer. Totto-chan did not realize she had been expelled because she was unaware of what was happening behind the scenes and was too innocent to understand.  

(60) How did the headmaster feel about Totto-chan by the end of their conversation?

Answer. By the end of the conversation, the headmaster liked Totto-chan as well, showing warmth and kindness toward her.