My Mother at Sixty-six — Class 12 MCQs with Answers
Class 12 CBSE English · Chapter 9
20 practice questions · 20 Medium · Updated
Practise the most important Class 12 CBSE English questions from Chapter 9, "My Mother at Sixty-six". You get 2 timed quizzes made from 20 NCERT-based MCQs, with answers and explanations. The questions are split into 20 Medium. Warm up on the basics, then move on to the exam-level questions that top scorers in CBSE Board exams get right.
To score well in "My Mother at Sixty-six", focus on comprehension, grammar and writing skills. Each MCQ here is timed and uses exam-style marking (+4 correct, −1 wrong, 0 skipped). This helps you stay accurate when time is short, just as real papers need. Every question has a short explanation, so a wrong answer becomes a quick lesson. It is the fastest way to fix gaps before a test.
Use this chapter for focused revision. Start with the Easy set to check your basics on My Mother at Sixty-six, then move to Medium to practise applying them. Your accuracy, streaks and XP save automatically. This chapter also adds to your overall Class 12 English mastery score. Try the sample question below: tap an option to see the answer and a worked explanation. Sign in free to start practising.
My Mother at Sixty-six — important questions & MCQs with answers (Class 12 English)
1 solved question from this chapter's difficulty levels, each with its answer and explanation. Tap an option to check yourself.
- Q1Medium
What is the 'old familiar ache, my childhood's fear'?
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Answer: The fear of losing her mother — of separation and death
Explanation: It is 'old' and 'familiar' because it began in childhood and has returned with new force.
Key concepts: My Mother at Sixty-six (Class 12 English)
Kamala Das's short poem of a car journey to Cochin airport, in which the poet looks at her dozing mother and sees her age for the first time. The whole poem is a single sentence, and it ends not in speech but in a repeated smile that hides the fear beneath it.
- Kamala Das
- Kamala Das (1934-2009), born in Malabar, Kerala, one of India's foremost poets. She published novels and short stories in English and Malayalam under the name 'Madhavikutty', besides five books of poetry.
- The situation
- 'Driving from my parent's home to Cochin last Friday morning' — the poet's mother sits beside her in the car, and the whole poem happens between the house and the airport.
- The first image
- The mother dozes, 'open mouthed, her face ashen like that of a corpse'. The simile is deliberately harsh; the poet realises 'with pain that she was as old as she looked'.
- Putting the thought away
- She 'soon put that thought away' and looks out of the window — a small act of avoidance that the poem quietly notices.
- The young trees
- 'Young Trees sprinting' — 'sprinting' is a short fast race. Seen from a moving car the trees rush past, and they stand for youth and energy, the opposite of the mother inside the car.
- The merry children
- 'the merry children spilling out of their homes' — life pouring outward and unrestrained, again set against the still, ageing figure beside her.
- The second look
- 'after the airport's security check, standing a few yards away, I looked again at her'. The second look is the poem's turn: the distraction has ended and the fear returns.
- The late winter's moon
- She is 'wan, pale as a late winter's moon'. 'Wan' means colourless. A late winter moon is dim, distant and near the end of its season — the image carries fading rather than beauty.
- The old familiar ache
- 'that old familiar ache, my childhood's fear' — the childhood dread of losing one's mother, unchanged by the years.
- The parting words
- 'all I said was, see you soon, Amma' — ordinary words that say nothing of what she feels, because saying it would be unbearable for both.
- The smile
- 'all I did was smile and smile and smile......' The repetition and the trailing dots turn reassurance into strain; the smile hides the ache rather than expressing joy.
- The single sentence
- The whole poem is one sentence punctuated by commas — a single unbroken thread of thought, with the observations from the window folded into it.
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Start this chapter free →My Mother at Sixty-six — FAQs
What are the key concepts in Class 12 English My Mother at Sixty-six?+
Kamala Das's short poem of a car journey to Cochin airport, in which the poet looks at her dozing mother and sees her age for the first time. The whole poem is a single sentence, and it ends not in speech but in a repeated smile that hides the fear beneath it. Key ideas include Kamala Das, The situation, The first image, Putting the thought away, The young trees, The merry children.
What does Class 12 English Chapter 9 (My Mother at Sixty-six) cover on XamBaaz?+
It has 20 NCERT-based MCQs on "My Mother at Sixty-six": 20 Medium. Together they make 2 timed quizzes, and you never get the same set twice. Every question has an instant explanation. They help you prepare for CBSE Board exams.
Are these "My Mother at Sixty-six" questions free to practise?+
Yes. Sign in with Google to practise "My Mother at Sixty-six" free. Full unlimited access is ₹999/year. One year from the day you pay. Class 12 is your last school year, so your class stays as it is. No chapter is charged separately.
How should I revise "My Mother at Sixty-six" for the exam?+
Start with the Easy quiz to check your basics, then try Medium to practise applying them. There are 2 timed quizzes on this chapter, so you can come back for a fresh set instead of one you have seen. Read each explanation, retry the questions you miss, and track your accuracy until it stays high.
Are these "My Mother at Sixty-six" MCQs available with answers?+
Yes. A sample question is on this page with answers: tap an option, or "Show answer", to see the correct option and a step-by-step explanation. Sign in free with Google to start practising, with instant scoring.
Is there negative marking in the "My Mother at Sixty-six" quizzes?+
Yes. The timed quizzes use exam-style marking: +4 for a right answer, −1 for a wrong one and 0 for a skip. MHT-CET and CBSE board papers have no negative marking. Our mocks for those are scored their way.
What are the important questions from My Mother at Sixty-six (Class 12 English)?+
The questions that matter most test Kamala Das, The situation, The first image, Putting the thought away, The young trees, The merry children. This page shows 1 solved important MCQs with answers and explanations. Sign in to practise all 20 questions on the chapter as timed quizzes.
Is there an online quiz for My Mother at Sixty-six?+
Yes — Class 12 English My Mother at Sixty-six has timed online quizzes at Medium levels, with instant scoring and a worked explanation on every question. The first quiz on the chapter is free.