In This Article We Have “Strong Roots MCQ Questions & Answers – Class 12 English Semester 3”
✍️ Introduction
Strong Roots by Dr. APJ Abdul Kalam is one of the most important chapters in the Class 12 English (Semester 3, WBCHSE) syllabus. This autobiographical piece highlights Kalam’s childhood, his family values, and the deep influence of his parents in shaping his personality. For exam preparation, students often look for MCQ questions and answers from Strong Roots, as these play a vital role in scoring high marks.
In this article, we provide 150+ Multiple Choice Questions with detailed answers along with Class 12 English suggestions for 2025. This guide is designed to help you prepare effectively and boost your confidence before the exams.
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📘 Final Exam Preparation Tips for Class 12 English
Preparing for the Class 12 English final exam is not just about memorizing answers — it’s about building confidence, sharpening your skills, and mastering smart strategies. Here are some powerful tips that will make you exam-ready and unstoppable:
🔑 1. Master the Texts Thoroughly
Read every chapter carefully, especially Strong Roots by APJ Abdul Kalam. Understand the themes, values, and character sketches instead of only memorizing lines. MCQs often test hidden details — so stay alert.
📝 2. Practice MCQs and Previous Year Papers
Solve as many MCQ question sets as possible. Time yourself. This not only improves speed but also helps you recognize important exam patterns.
📖 3. Write Smart, Not Long
In English exams, quality matters more than length. Use precise words, strong vocabulary, and direct answers. Always underline keywords in your answers — it makes an impression on examiners.
🕒 4. Revise Every Day
Don’t leave revision for the last night. Create a daily revision plan — spend 30 minutes reviewing MCQs, grammar, or writing sections. Small, consistent efforts beat last-minute stress.
💡 5. Focus on Writing Skills
Practice report writing, letter writing, notices, and essays. Follow proper formats. Examiners love clean, structured answers. This is a scoring area — never neglect it.
🌟 6. Stay Calm, Stay Positive
Your mindset is your superpower. Believe in yourself. During the exam, read every question carefully and attempt the ones you know best first. Confidence can turn average preparation into outstanding results.
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✨ Final Words of Motivation :
Remember, English is not just a subject — it’s your voice, your expression, your personality. If you prepare smartly and stay confident, no one can stop you from scoring high. Success in Class 12 English is the first step towards achieving your dream future. Stay focused, stay disciplined, and your hard work will shine on the answer sheet. 🌟
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🌿 About Strong Roots by APJ Abdul Kalam
Strong Roots is an inspiring autobiographical extract from Dr. APJ Abdul Kalam celebrated the memoir Wings of Fire. In this piece, Kalam reflects on his childhood in Rameswaram, a small island town in Tamil Nadu, India. He beautifully portrays the simple yet profound lifestyle of his family, their deep faith in spirituality, and the unshakable values of honesty, discipline, and humility that shaped his character.
Through vivid narration, Kalam introduces his father, Jainulabdeen, a devout and wise man who lived a life of simplicity but possessed a spiritual depth that attracted people from all walks of life. He also describes his mother, Ashiamma, whose compassion and generosity left a lasting impression on him.
The essence of Strong Roots lies in the way Kalam emphasizes the importance of family, tradition, and moral grounding. The “roots” symbolize the foundation of values and ethics that guided him throughout his journey from a humble background to becoming the Missile Man of India and the 11th President of the nation.
This chapter not only serves as an educational lesson for Class 12 students but also inspires readers to understand the significance of cultural identity, spiritual wisdom, and strong moral upbringing. It is a timeless reminder that true success is rooted in humility and values, not in material wealth.
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Strong Roots MCQ Questions with Answers (Set 1–50)
1. ‘Strong Roots’ is written by
(A) Rabindranath Tagore
(B) AJC Bose
(C) APJ Abdul Kalam
(D) RK Narayan
(C) 🟢 APJ Abdul Kalam
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2. The full name of APJ Abdul Kalam is –
(A) Abdul Pakir Jamiruddin Abdul Kalam
(B) Avul Pakir Jainulabdeen Abdul Kalam
(C) Abdur Pakir Jainulabdeen Abdul Kalam
(D) Ahmed Pakir Jamiruddin Abdul Kalam
(B) 🟢 Avul Pakir Jainulabdeen Abdul Kalam
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3. ‘Strong Roots’ is part of
(A) an autobiography
(B) a biography
(C) a story
(D) an essay
(A) 🟢 an autobiography
—
4. ‘Strong Roots’ is taken from
(A) ‘Ignited Minds’
(B) ‘The Luminous Spark’
(C) ‘Wings of Fire’
(D) ‘Mission of India’
(C) 🟢 ‘Wings of Fire’
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5. ‘Strong Roots’ presents a delightful sketch of APJ Abdul Kalam’s early life and the development of his
(A) spiritual growth
(B) scientific growth
(C) physical growth
(D) mental growth
(A) 🟢 spiritual growth
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6. Kalam says, he was born into
(A) a lower middle-class family
(B) a middle-class family
(C) a very poor family
(D) a considerably rich family
(B) 🟢 a middle-class family
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7. APJ Abdul Kalam was by birth a
(A) Telugu
(B) Tamil
(C) Kannad
(D) Malayali
(B) 🟢 Tamil
—
8. APJ Abdul Kalam’s birthplace was in the town of
(A) Goa
(B) Puri
(C) Rameswaram
(D) Chennai
(C) 🟢 Rameswaram
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9. Abdul Kalam was born in
(A) the erstwhile Madras
(B) Kerala
(C) Kolkata
(D) Chennai
(A) 🟢 the erstwhile Madras
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10. The word ‘erstwhile’ means
(A) subsequent
(B) later
(C) previous
(D) consequent
(C) 🟢 previous
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11. Who is Jainulabdeen in the extract?
(A) A close friend of the author’s father
(B) The author’s grandfather
(C) The author’s father
(D) A teacher of the author
(C) 🟢 The author’s father
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12. Dr Kalam’s father had
(A) neither wealth nor power
(B) neither formal education nor power
(C) neither formal education nor wealth
(D) neither wealth nor respect
(C) 🟢 neither formal education nor wealth
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13. Kalam’s father possessed
(A) great innate wisdom
(B) a true generosity of spirit
(C) divine power
(D) great innate wisdom and a true generosity of spirit
(D) 🟢 great innate wisdom and a true generosity of spirit
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14. For Kalam’s father, his mother was an ideal
(A) wife
(B) guide
(C) friend
(D) helpmate
(D) 🟢 helpmate
—
15. APJ Abdul Kalam’s mother was
(A) Ashiamma
(B) Mrs Jones
(C) Natalya
(D) Jaya
(A) 🟢 Ashiamma
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16. The number of people who ate every day at Dr Kalam’s house were
(A) very few outsiders
(B) only the family members
(C) more outsiders than all the family members put together
(D) no outsiders but the villagers
(C) 🟢 more outsiders than all the family members put together
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17. Based on the extract, how would you describe Abdul Kalam’s mother?
(A) She was a stern disciplinarian who focused on academic success.
(B) She was known for her compassion and generosity towards others.
(C) She played a minor role in Abdul Kalam’s upbringing.
(D) She prioritized material wealth and social status.
(B) 🟢 She was known for her compassion and generosity towards others.
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18. Abdul Kalam describes his parents as being
(A) wealthy, educated and generous
(B) highly educated but not wealthy
(C) very poor and illiterate
(D) neither wealthy nor highly educated but kind, wise and large-hearted
(D) 🟢 neither wealthy nor highly educated but kind, wise and large-hearted
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19. Kalam’s parents were widely regarded as
(A) proud parents
(B) an ideal couple
(C) successful parents
(D) fortunate parents
(B) 🟢 an ideal couple
—
20. One of the forebears of Kalam’s mother was awarded by the British the title of
(A) Bahadur
(B) Raibahadur
(C) Padmashree
(D) Bharat Ratna
(A) 🟢 Bahadur
—
21. Kalam was a short boy with
(A) distinguished looks
(B) innate wisdom
(C) undistinguished looks
(D) smart appearance
(C) 🟢 undistinguished looks
—
22. Kalam was born to
(A) ugly parents
(B) handsome parents
(C) tall and handsome parents
(D) religious parents
(C) 🟢 tall and handsome parents
—
23. Kalam and his family lived in their
(A) ancestral house
(B) rented house
(C) palace
(D) cottage
(A) 🟢 ancestral house
—
24. Abdul Kalam’s ancestral house was built in
(A) mid 19th century
(B) late 19th century
(C) early 20th century
(D) early 19th century
(A) 🟢 mid 19th century
—
25. Kalam’s house was a
(A) fairly large pucca house
(B) small hut
(C) two-storeyed building
(D) big mansion
(A) 🟢 fairly large pucca house
—
26. Kalam’s ancestral house was made of
(A) limestone and brick
(B) cement and brick
(C) mud and brick
(D) bamboo and tin shed
(A) 🟢 limestone and brick
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27. Kalam’s father used to avoid all
(A) poor people
(B) religious ceremonies
(C) inessential comforts and luxuries
(D) money
(C) 🟢 inessential comforts and luxuries
—
28. Kalam’s father was not
(A) active
(B) austere
(C) luxurious
(D) spiritual
(C) 🟢 luxurious
—
29. How does APJ Abdul Kalam sum up his childhood in Rameswaram?
(A) a time when he moved from rags to riches
(B) a period of extreme comfort and affluence
(C) a very secure time, materially and emotionally
(D) a time of want and deprivation
(C) 🟢 a very secure time, materially and emotionally
—
30. Kalam normally ate with
(A) his father
(B) his brothers and sisters
(C) his mother
(D) the outsiders
(C) 🟢 his mother
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31. The speaker usually ate sitting on
(A) the table
(B) the floor of the kitchen
(C) a chair
(D) a cot
(B) 🟢 the floor of the kitchen
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32. Kalam’s mother would serve him rice on a
(A) banana leaf
(B) plastic plate
(C) earthen dish
(D) bowl
(A) 🟢 banana leaf
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33. During his childhood, Kalam’s lunch would include
(A) rice and aromatic sambar
(B) home-made pickle
(C) fresh coconut chutney
(D) all of the above
(D) 🟢 all of the above
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34. The sambar served to Kalam was
(A) salty
(B) sweet
(C) fragrant
(D) bitter
(C) 🟢 fragrant
—
35. The chutney that was prepared in Kalam’s house was prepared with
(A) coconut
(B) mango
(C) tomato
(D) tamarind
(A) 🟢 coconut
—
36. Rameswaram was famous to
(A) scientists
(B) pilgrims
(C) tourists
(D) politicians
(B) 🟢 pilgrims
—
37. Rameswaram was famous to pilgrims for
(A) the Vishnu temple
(B) the Shiva temple
(C) the Tirupati temple
(D) the Mosque
(B) 🟢 the Shiva temple
—
38. The temple near Kalam’s house was dedicated to
(A) Lord Shiva
(B) Lord Vishnu
(C) Lord Rama
(D) Lord Krishna
(A) 🟢 Lord Shiva
—
39. The locality where Kalam spent his childhood was predominantly
(A) Hindu
(B) Muslim
(C) Jain
(D) Buddhist
(B) 🟢 Muslim
—
40. How does Kalam describe his neighbourhood?
(A) A predominantly Muslim locality close to the famous Shiva temple where Hindu families lived amicably with their Muslim neighbours.
(B) A predominantly Hindu locality near the Shiva temple, fraught with tension between the Muslim and Hindu communities.
(C) A predominantly Christian locality where the Muslim population was thinly spread.
(D) A cosmopolitan urban neighbourhood with people of all castes, creeds and communities sharing a high-rise apartment near the Shiva temple.
(A) 🟢 A predominantly Muslim locality close to the famous Shiva temple where Hindu families lived amicably with their Muslim neighbours.
—
41. People in Rameswaram lived in
(A) peace
(B) co-operation
(C) harmony
(D) conflict
(C) 🟢 harmony
—
42. Kalam’s father would take him to the mosque for
(A) pre-dawn prayers
(B) evening prayers
(C) mid-day prayers
(D) afternoon prayers
(B) 🟢 evening prayers
—
43. The prayers chanted in the mosque were in
(A) Persian
(B) Arabic
(C) French
(D) Urdu
(B) 🟢 Arabic
—
44. Young Kalam had no idea of the meaning of the prayers chanted because
(A) the language was unknown to him
(B) it was chanted in Arabic
(C) it was not audible to him
(D) both (a) & (b)
(D) 🟢 both (a) & (b)
—
45. Kalam was totally convinced that the prayers reached
(A) God
(B) the people
(C) the devotees
(D) the soul
(A) 🟢 God
—
46. People sat outside the mosque and waited for
(A) the narrator
(B) Kalam’s mother
(C) Kalam’s father
(D) the high priest
(C) 🟢 Kalam’s father
—
47. When Kalam’s father came out of the mosque, he saw people
(A) asking him for alms
(B) offering him bowls of water
(C) asking him for help
(D) offering him money
(B) 🟢 offering him bowls of water
—
48. Many people offered bowls of water to Kalam’s father who would
(A) drink the water
(B) dip his fingertips in them and say a prayer
(C) take those bowls home
(D) place them inside the mosque
(B) 🟢 dip his fingertips in them and say a prayer
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49. Having dipped his fingertips in the bowls of water and saying a prayer, Kalam’s father
(A) polluted the water
(B) drank the water
(C) sanctified the water
(D) threw away the water
(C) 🟢 sanctified the water
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50. The water sanctified by Kalam’s father was carried home for
(A) offering prayers
(B) invalids
(C) young men
(D) children
(B) 🟢 invalids
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Strong Roots MCQ Questions with Answers (Set 2 /1-55)
1. The name of APJ Abdul Kalam’s autobiography is –
(A) Our Trees Still Grow in Dehra
(B) Wings of Fire
(C) Malgudi Days
(D) Drishti Au Shrishti
(B) 🟢 Wings of Fire
—
2. ‘Strong Roots’ is taken from APJ Abdul Kalam’s –
(A) Ignited Minds
(B) Wings of Fire
(C) My Journey
(D) Indomitable Spirit
(B) 🟢 Wings of Fire
—
3. APJ Abdul Kalam was the –
(A) Prime Minister of India
(B) President of India
(C) Chief Minister
(D) Judge of the Supreme Court
(B) 🟢 President of India
—
4. APJ Abdul Kalam was born into a ____________ family. –
(A) middle-class Tamil
(B) lower middle-class Tamil
(C) upper-class Tamil
(D) none of these
(A) 🟢 middle-class Tamil
—
5. APJ Abdul Kalam’s birthplace was in the island town of –
(A) Goa
(B) Andaman
(C) Rameswaram
(D) Puri
(C) 🟢 Rameswaram
—
6. APJ Abdul Kalam’s father had –
(A) much formal education
(B) much formal education and wealth
(C) neither much formal education nor much wealth
(D) none of these
(C) 🟢 neither much formal education nor much wealth
—
7. Who possessed great innate wisdom and true generosity of spirit –
(A) Ashiamma
(B) Kalam
(C) Jainulabdeen
(D) Pakshi Lakshmana Sastry
(C) 🟢 Jainulabdeen
—
8. APJ Abdul Kalam’s father found an ideal helpmate in –
(A) Ashiamma
(B) Jalaludeen
(C) Abdul Kalam
(D) Pakshi Lakshmana Sastry
(A) 🟢 Ashiamma
—
9. Kalam was quite sure that his mother fed –
(A) many beggars
(B) many outsiders
(C) all her family members
(D) all of these
(B) 🟢 many outsiders
—
10. One of the forebears of Kalam’s mother was awarded by the British the title of –
(A) Bahadur
(B) Raibahadur
(C) Padmashree
(D) Bharat Ratna
(A) 🟢 Bahadur
—
11. Kalam had –
(A) charming looks
(B) undistinguished looks
(C) ugly looks
(D) pretty looks
(B) 🟢 undistinguished looks
—
12. According to APJ Abdul Kalam, his parents were –
(A) tall
(B) handsome
(C) tall and handsome
(D) short but handsome
(C) 🟢 tall and handsome
—
13. Kalam and his brothers and sisters lived in their –
(A) ancestral house
(B) rented house
(C) hut
(D) cottage
(A) 🟢 ancestral house
—
14. The ancestral house of APJ Abdul Kalam was a fairly large pucca house, which was made of –
(A) cement and brick
(B) limestone and brick
(C) clay and brick
(D) sand and brick
(B) 🟢 limestone and brick
—
15. Kalam’s father led a –
(A) very simple life
(B) very indisciplined life
(C) luxurious life
(D) moderate life
(A) 🟢 very simple life
—
16. APJ Abdul Kalam’s father used to avoid all _____________ comforts and luxuries. –
(A) essential
(B) inessential
(C) avoidable
(D) unavoidable
(B) 🟢 inessential
—
17. Abdul Kalam’s ancestral house was built in –
(A) mid 19th century
(B) late 19th century
(C) early 20th century
(D) early 19th century
(A) 🟢 mid 19th century
—
18. In his childhood, Kalam was provided with all the necessary –
(A) food, medicine and clothes
(B) money
(C) support for games and sports
(D) all of the above
(A) 🟢 food, medicine and clothes
—
19. Kalam accepted that he had a very _________ childhood. –
(A) insecure
(B) uncertain
(C) painful
(D) secure
(D) 🟢 secure
—
20. Kalam usually ate with his –
(A) father
(B) mother
(C) outsiders
(D) family members
(B) 🟢 mother
—
21. _______________ made Rameswaram famous to pilgrims –
(A) the Krishna Temple
(B) the Shiva Temple
(C) the Tirupati Temple
(D) the Kali Temple
(B) 🟢 the Shiva Temple
—
22. The Shiva Temple was about _________ minutes’ walk from Kalam’s house. –
(A) a ten
(B) a five
(C) a twenty
(D) a fifteen
(A) 🟢 a ten
—
23. Kalam’s locality was predominantly –
(A) Hindu
(B) Buddhist
(C) Jain
(D) Muslim
(D) 🟢 Muslim
—
24. Kalam’s father would take him to the mosque for –
(A) pre-dawn prayer
(B) evening prayer
(C) mid-day prayer
(D) afternoon prayer
(B) 🟢 evening prayer
—
25. Kalam’s father went to a very old mosque every evening –
(A) alone
(B) with his wife
(C) with his friends
(D) with his son, Kalam
(D) 🟢 with his son, Kalam
—
26. Kalam had no idea of the meaning of the prayer because –
(A) it was difficult to understand
(B) it was chanted in Arabic
(C) it was not properly audible
(D) none of these
(B) 🟢 it was chanted in Arabic
—
27. What was Kalam convinced about the Arabic prayers? –
(A) It reaches all people
(B) It is useless
(C) It reaches God
(D) It has no effect at all
(C) 🟢 It reaches God
—
28. When Kalam’s father came out of the mosque after the prayers, people of __________ community would be sitting outside to meet him.
(A) Muslim
(B) his friends
(C) different
(D) his relatives
(C) 🟢 different
—
29. When Kalam’s father came out of the mosque, he saw people –
(A) asking him for alms
(B) offering him the bowls of water
(C) asking him for help
(D) offering him money
(B) 🟢 offering him the bowls of water
—
30. The holy water sanctified by his father was carried for –
(A) drink
(B) worship
(C) invalids
(D) none of these
(C) 🟢 invalids
—
31. Pakshi Lakshmana Sastry was the –
(A) Councillor of the town
(B) Headmaster of Rameswaram School
(C) High priest of the Shiva temple
(D) None of these
(C) 🟢 High priest of the Shiva temple
—
32. Kalam remembered his father discussing with Pakshi Lakshmana Sastry about –
(A) politics
(B) the riots
(C) sports
(D) spiritual matters
(D) 🟢 spiritual matters
—
33. According to Kalam’s father, when we pray, we transcend our body and become a part of –
(A) the earth
(B) the cosmos
(C) the god
(D) the world
(B) 🟢 the cosmos
—
34. According to Kalam’s father, __________ knows no division of wealth, age, caste or creed. –
(A) the earth
(B) the cosmos
(C) the god
(D) the world
(B) 🟢 the cosmos
—
35. Abdul Kalam’s father would convey complex spiritual concepts in simple, down-to-earth –
(A) Arabic
(B) Urdu
(C) Tamil
(D) Telugu
(C) 🟢 Tamil
—
36. According to Kalam’s father, adversity always presents opportunities for –
(A) inspection
(B) introduction
(C) introspection
(D) retrospection
(C) 🟢 introspection
—
37. Kalam’s father believed that man looked for company –
(A) when he was happy
(B) when he was lonely
(C) when he was afraid
(D) when he was cheerful
(B) 🟢 when he was lonely
—
38. The words of Abdul Kalam’s father filled him with strange energy and –
(A) relief
(B) enthusiasm
(C) perseverance
(D) determination
(B) 🟢 enthusiasm
—
39. According to Kalam’s father, whenever people reach an impasse, they –
(A) become frustrated
(B) look for someone to help them
(C) surrender themselves to God
(D) try to understand the relevance of it
(B) 🟢 look for someone to help them
—
40. Kalam remembers his father starting his day at ____ am.
(A) 2
(B) 3
(C) 4
(D) 5
(C) 🟢 4
—
41. Kalam remembers his father starting his day –
(A) with namaz after dawn
(B) with namaz before dawn
(C) with morning walk
(D) with meditation
(B) 🟢 with namaz before dawn
—
42. The coconut grove where Abdul Kalam’s father used to walk down every morning was about –
(A) One and a half miles
(B) Three miles
(C) Four miles
(D) Four and a half miles
(C) 🟢 Four miles
—
44. Kalam’s father would go to their coconut grove and return with about –
(A) a dozen coconuts
(B) 8 coconuts
(C) 10 coconuts
(D) 14 coconuts
(A) 🟢 a dozen coconuts
—
45. Kalam’s father would maintain his routine-bound life up to –
(A) sixties
(B) late sixties
(C) seventies
(D) late seventies
(B) 🟢 late sixties
—
46. Kalam tried to emulate his father in his own world of –
(A) politics
(B) science and technology
(C) social service
(D) medical science
(B) 🟢 science and technology
—
47. Kalam had deep faith in the existence of a –
(A) supernatural power
(B) divine power
(C) devilish power
(D) his father’s rituals
(B) 🟢 divine power
—
48. According to Kalam, an individual can attain freedom, happiness and peace of mind by –
(A) reading the daily namaz
(B) severing his mental and physical bonds
(C) avoiding all luxuries of life
(D) following a routine-bound life
(B) 🟢 severing his mental and physical bonds
—
49. Abdul Kalam describes his parents as being –
(A) wealthy, educated and generous
(B) highly educated but not wealthy
(C) very poor and illiterate
(D) neither wealthy nor highly educated but kind, wise and large-hearted
(D) 🟢 neither wealthy nor highly educated but kind, wise and large-hearted
—
50. We know that Kalam’s father was acknowledged as a spiritual person because –
(A) he was very knowledgeable about spiritual matters
(B) he worked at the local mosque
(C) he read the namaz before dawn
(D) the priest of the Rameswaram temple had discussions with him
(A) 🟢 he was very knowledgeable about spiritual matters
—
51. Kalam is also spiritual because –
(A) he visits the mosque every day
(B) he tries to follow in his father’s footsteps
(C) he believes in the power of the divine
(D) he believes that an individual has to sever all ties to be happy
(D) 🟢 he believes that an individual has to sever all ties to be happy
—
52. Kalam’s father believed that for people in distress, he was –
(A) mere mediator
(B) greater than God
(C) solver of problems
(D) a helpless onlooker of their difficulties
(A) 🟢 mere mediator
—
53. How does APJ Abdul Kalam sum up his childhood in Rameswaram? –
(A) a time when he moved from rags to riches
(B) a period of extreme comfort and affluence
(C) a time of want and deprivation
(D) a very secure time, materially and emotionally
(D) 🟢 a very secure time, materially and emotionally
—
54. How does Kalam describe his neighbourhood? –
(A) a predominantly Muslim locality close to the famous Shiva temple where Hindu families lived amicably with their Muslim neighbours
(B) a predominantly Hindu locality near the Shiva temple, fraught with tension between the Muslim and Hindu communities
(C) a predominantly Christian locality where the Muslim population was thinly spread
(D) a cosmopolitan urban neighbourhood with people of all castes, creeds and communities sharing a high-rise apartment near the Shiva temple
(A) 🟢 a predominantly Muslim locality close to the famous Shiva temple where Hindu families lived amicably with their Muslim neighbours
—
55. Why was Kalam’s father well-known in their locality? –
(A) He was a successful doctor
(B) He was a respected teacher
(C) He was a healer who prayed for the well-being of his fellowmen
(D) He was a wealthy moneylender
(C) 🟢 He was a healer who prayed for the well-being of his fellowmen
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Important WBCHSE Class 12 English Semester 3 Suggestion 2025 (SET 3/1-25)
1. A.P.J. Abdul Kalam was born into a –
(a) Telegu family
(b) Tamil family
(c) Konkani family
(d) Oriya family
(b) 🟢 Tamil family
—
2. The name of Kalam’s father was –
(a) Jaihadabdeen
(b) Jaidurabdeen
(c) Jainulabdeen
(d) Jainurabdeen
(c) 🟢 Jainulabdeen
—
3. The name of Kalam’s mother was –
(a) Ashiamma
(b) Ashamma
(c) Ashianara
(d) Ashiabibi
(a) 🟢 Ashiamma
—
4. A.P.J. Abdul Kalam’s father had –
(a) much wealth
(b) much formal education
(c) much informal education
(d) neither much formal education nor much wealth
(d) 🟢 neither much formal education nor much wealth
—
5. Kalam’s father possessed –
(a) a true generosity of spirit
(b) a great innate wisdom
(c) great innate wisdom and a true generosity of spirit
(d) neither innate wisdom nor a true generosity of spirit
(c) 🟢 great innate wisdom and a true generosity of spirit
—
6. Kalam’s father Jainulabdeen found an ideal helpmate in –
(a) Ashiamma
(b) Ashianna
(c) Kashiamma
(d) Ashamma
(a) 🟢 Ashiamma
—
7. Kalam’s parents were widely regarded as an/a –
(a) idle couple
(b) ideal couple
(c) good couple
(d) honest couple
(b) 🟢 ideal couple
—
8. The British bestowed one of Kalam’s mother’s forebears the title of –
(a) Brahmacharya
(b) Bahadur
(c) Raja Sahib
(d) Raibahadur
(b) 🟢 Bahadur
—
9. Kalam’s parents were –
(a) Jainulabdeen and Shamima
(b) Jarulabdeen and Ashiamma
(c) Jainulabdeen and Ashiamma
(d) Jahirulabdeen and Kalima
(c) 🟢 Jainulabdeen and Ashiamma
—
10. ‘Strong Roots’ is a/an –
(a) biography
(b) story
(c) obituary
(d) autobiography
(d) 🟢 autobiography
—
11. Kalam’s parents were –
(a) tall and dark
(b) tall and handsome
(c) short and fat
(d) short and handsome
(b) 🟢 tall and handsome
—
12. In his childhood, Kalam lived in their –
(a) cottage
(b) newly built house
(c) ancient building
(d) ancestral house
(d) 🟢 ancestral house
—
13. The ancestral house of Kalam was –
(a) a fairly large pucca house
(b) a fairly large green house
(c) a newly built small house
(d) a newly built wooden house
(a) 🟢 a fairly large pucca house
—
14. The ancestral house of Kalam was built –
(a) in the beginning of the 19th century
(b) in the middle of the 19th century
(c) in the early 19th century
(d) in the late 19th century
(b) 🟢 in the middle of the 19th century
—
15. The ancestral house of Kalam was made of –
(a) sand and brick
(b) iron and wood
(c) limestone and sand
(d) limestone and brick
(d) 🟢 limestone and brick
—
16. The ancestral house of Kalam was situated on –
(a) the Church Street in Rameswaram
(b) the Mosque Street in Rameswaram
(c) the Temple Street in Rameswaram
(d) the Park Street in Rameswaram
(b) 🟢 the Mosque Street in Rameswaram
—
17. Kalam’s father used to avoid –
(a) all sorts of comforts and luxuries
(b) all modern comforts and luxuries
(c) all essential comforts and luxuries
(d) all inessential comforts and luxuries
(d) 🟢 all inessential comforts and luxuries
—
18. According to Kalam, his childhood was –
(a) very secure
(b) very insecure
(c) very uncertain
(d) very painful
(a) 🟢 very secure
—
19. Kalam’s childhood was secure –
(a) emotionally
(b) materially
(c) emotionally and materially
(d) none of these
(c) 🟢 emotionally and materially
—
20. Kalam’s father provided all necessities for his family in terms of –
(a) food and medicine
(b) only food
(c) food and clothing
(d) food, medicine or clothing
(d) 🟢 food, medicine or clothing
—
21. Kalam’s father was by nature –
(a) spiritual
(b) luxurious
(c) active
(d) austere
(d) 🟢 austere
—
22. Kalam normally ate with –
(a) his family members
(b) his mother
(c) his father
(d) his grandparents
(b) 🟢 his mother
—
23. Kalam’s mother served him food on a –
(a) paper leaf
(b) sal leaf
(c) banana leaf
(d) none of these
(c) 🟢 banana leaf
—
24. The lunch, served to Kalam by his mother, would include –
(a) coconut chutney
(b) rice and sambar
(c) home-made pickle
(d) all of these
(d) 🟢 all of these
—
25. Rameswaram is famous to the pilgrims because of –
(a) the Shiva temple
(b) the Kali temple
(c) the Swami temple
(d) the Ram Mandir
(a) 🟢 the Shiva temple
—
Strong Roots MCQ Questions & Answers | Class 12 English (SET 4/1-43)
1. APJ Abdul Kalam’s autobiography is –
(a) Fire of Wings
(b) Wings of Fire
(c) Thank You Ma’am
(d) My Experiment with Truth
(b) 🟢 Wings of Fire
—
2. By Strong Roots APJ Abdul Kalam means –
(a) his Indianness
(b) his religious identity
(c) his family background
(d) his passion for science
(c) 🟢 his family background
—
3. APJ Abdul Kalam is widely known as a great –
(a) president
(b) politician
(c) businessman
(d) scientist
(d) 🟢 scientist
—
4. APJ Abdul Kalam was a boy of –
(a) Tamil family
(b) Bengalee family
(c) Telugu family
(d) Marathi family
(a) 🟢 Tamil family
—
5. The family of Kalam was –
(a) rich
(b) poor
(c) middle-class
(d) upper middle-class
(c) 🟢 middle-class
—
6. Kalam lived in a –
(a) village
(b) town
(c) middle-class
(d) upper middle-class
(b) 🟢 town
—
7. Kalam’s father was –
(a) wise and generous
(b) generous but not wise
(c) wise but not generous
(d) neither wise nor generous
(a) 🟢 wise and generous
—
8. Every day Kalam’s mother fed –
(a) many beggars
(b) only her children
(c) many outsiders
(d) all her family members
(c) 🟢 many outsiders
—
9. One of the ancestors of Kalam’s mother was given the title of –
(a) Lord
(b) Sir
(c) Bahadur
(d) Knight
(c) 🟢 Bahadur
—
10. Kalam had –
(a) charming looks
(b) undistinguished looks
(c) pretty looks
(d) ugly looks
(b) 🟢 undistinguished looks
—
11. Kalam’s ancestral house was built in the –
(a) 17th century
(b) 19th century
(c) 18th century
(d) 16th century
(b) 🟢 19th century
—
12. Kalam’s father led a/an –
(a) very simple life
(b) indisciplined life
(c) luxurious life
(d) bohemian life
(a) 🟢 very simple life
—
13. In his childhood Kalam was provided with sufficient –
(a) food, medicine and clothes
(b) money
(c) support for games and sports
(d) all of the above
(a) 🟢 food, medicine and clothes
—
14. The childhood APJ Abdul Kalam summed up in Rameswaram was –
(a) a time when he moved from rags to riches
(b) a period of extreme comfort and affluence
(c) a time of want and deprivation
(d) a very secure time, materially and emotionally
(d) 🟢 a very secure time, materially and emotionally
—
15. Kalam usually ate with his –
(a) father
(b) mother
(c) servant
(d) family friends
(b) 🟢 mother
—
16. Kalam describes his neighbourhood as –
(a) a predominantly Muslim locality close to the famous Shiva temple where Hindu families lived amicably with their Muslim neighbours
(b) a predominantly Hindu locality near the Shiva temple, fraught with tension between the Muslim and Hindu communities
(c) a predominantly Christian locality where the Muslim population was thinly spread
(d) a cosmopolitan urban neighbourhood with people of all castes, creeds and communities sharing a high-rise apartment near the Shiva temple
(a) 🟢 a predominantly Muslim locality close to the famous Shiva temple where Hindu families lived amicably with their Muslim neighbours
—
17. Many people came to Rameswaram to visit –
(a) the Krishna Temple
(b) the Shiva Temple
(c) the Tirupati Temple
(d) the Kali Temple
(b) 🟢 the Shiva Temple
—
18. Kalam’s locality was predominantly –
(a) Hindu
(b) Buddhist
(c) Jain
(d) Muslim
(d) 🟢 Muslim
—
19. Kalam’s father went to a very old mosque every evening –
(a) alone
(b) with his wife
(c) with his friends
(d) with his son, Kalam
(d) 🟢 with his son, Kalam
—
20. Kalam had not the faintest idea of the meaning of the prayer because –
(a) it was not clearly audible
(b) it was sung in Arabic
(c) it was very complicated
(d) it was too philosophical
(b) 🟢 it was sung in Arabic
—
21. Kalam’s father was believed to have the powers of –
(a) reasoning
(b) divinity
(c) controlling the destiny
(d) controlling the future action of his life
(b) 🟢 divinity
—
22. When Kalam’s father came out of the mosque after uttering prayers he saw people –
(a) asking him for alms
(b) offering him the bowls of water
(c) shouting and quarrelling
(d) singing song
(b) 🟢 offering him the bowls of water
—
23. Water touched and made holy with a prayer was carried by people for –
(a) drink
(b) worship
(c) the cure of the invalids
(d) sale
(c) 🟢 the cure of the invalids
—
24. Kalam’s father was well known in their locality for –
(a) he was a successful doctor
(b) he was a respected teacher
(c) he was a healer who prayed for the well-being of his fellowmen
(d) he was a wealthy moneylender
(c) 🟢 he was a healer who prayed for the well-being of his fellowmen
—
25. Pakshi Lakshmana Sastry was the –
(a) councillor of the town
(b) headmaster of Rameswaram School
(c) high priest of the Shiva temple
(d) town planner of Rameswaram
(c) 🟢 high priest of the Shiva temple
—
26. Kalam remembered his father discussing with Pakshi Lakshmana Sastry about –
(a) their children’s future
(b) the religious disharmony in the town
(c) their lands and properties
(d) spiritual issues
(d) 🟢 spiritual issues
—
27. Once Kalam asked his father a question. The question was related to –
(a) his father’s austerity
(b) the relevance of prayer
(c) the existence of God
(d) the mystery of life
(b) 🟢 the relevance of prayer
—
28. Kalam’s father would explain profound spiritual theories in –
(a) English
(b) his own vernacular
(c) any language
(d) simple, down-to-earth Arabic
(b) 🟢 his own vernacular
—
29. Kalam’s father regarded adversity –
(a) a hindrance in the way to success
(b) a chance for introspection
(c) a reward for happiness
(d) a man-made affair
(b) 🟢 a chance for introspection
—
30. Kalam’s father believed that man looked for a company –
(a) when he was happy
(b) when he was lonely
(c) when he was afraid
(d) when he was cheerful
(b) 🟢 when he was lonely
—
31. Abdul Kalam describes his parents as being –
(a) wealthy, educated and generous
(b) highly educated but not wealthy
(c) very poor and illiterate
(d) neither wealthy nor highly educated but kind, wise and large-hearted
(d) 🟢 neither wealthy nor highly educated but kind, wise and large-hearted
—
32. We know that Kalam’s father was acknowledged as a spiritual person because –
(a) he was very knowledgeable about spiritual matters
(b) he worked at the local mosque
(c) he read the namaz before dawn
(d) the priest of the Rameswaram temple had discussions with him
(d) 🟢 the priest of the Rameswaram temple had discussions with him
—
33. Kalam’s father believed that for people in distress, he was –
(a) a mere mediator
(b) greater than God
(c) a solver of problems
(d) a helpless onlooker of their difficulties
(a) 🟢 a mere mediator
—
34. Kalam remembers his father starting his day –
(a) with breakfast
(b) with namaz
(c) with morning walk
(d) with meditation
(b) 🟢 with namaz
—
35. Every day Kalam’s father would take a stroll of –
(a) two miles
(b) four miles
(c) three miles
(d) five miles
(b) 🟢 four miles
—
36. Kalam’s father would go to their coconut grove wherefrom he would pick up –
(a) about a dozen coconuts
(b) about 8 coconuts
(c) 10 coconuts
(d) 14 coconuts
(a) 🟢 about a dozen coconuts
—
37. Kalam tried to emulate his father in his own world of –
(a) politics
(b) social service
(c) science and technology
(d) medical science
(c) 🟢 science and technology
—
38. Kalam was indebted to his father because he –
(a) provided him with a secure childhood
(b) explained to him the relevance of prayer
(c) would take him to the mosque every day
(d) revealed to him the fundamental truths
(b) 🟢 explained to him the relevance of prayer
—
39. Kalam had deep faith in –
(a) his religion
(b) the existence of a divine power
(c) the usefulness of morning walk
(d) his father’s rituals
(b) 🟢 the existence of a divine power
—
40. According to Kalam, there is a divine power that –
(a) shapes our destiny
(b) lifts us from our sufferings
(c) inspires us to fight the odds of life
(d) all of the above answers
(d) 🟢 all of the above answers
—
41. Kalam supports –
(a) religious rituals
(b) physical bond
(c) emotional bond
(d) spirituality
(d) 🟢 spirituality
—
42. According to Kalam, an individual can attain freedom, happiness and peace of mind by –
(a) reading the daily namaz
(b) severing his mental and physical bonds
(c) avoiding all luxuries of life
(d) following a routine-bound life
(b) 🟢 severing his mental and physical bonds
—
43. Kalam is also spiritual because –
(a) he visits the mosque every day
(b) he tries to follow in his father’s footsteps
(c) he believes in the power of the divine
(d) he believes that an individual has to sever all ties to be happy
(c) 🟢 he believes in the power of the divine
—
✅ Conclusion
Strong Roots by APJ Abdul Kalam is more than just a chapter—it is a life lesson filled with values, simplicity, and wisdom. For Class 12 Semester 3 English students, mastering the MCQ questions and answers from Strong Roots ensures better exam preparation and higher scores. With this detailed guide covering MCQs, suggestions, and solutions, students can confidently face their 2025 exams. Keep practicing, revise regularly, and success will follow.
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