Writting skill class 10th, Study notes of English

Download Writting skill class 10th and more Study notes English in PDF only on Docsity! 82 | P a g e SECTION –C (LITERATURE) FIRST FLIGHT UNIT 1 A LETTER TO GOD Gist A Letter to God is a story of extreme faith in God. It is the story of Lencho, a poor, honest and hard- working farmer, who wrote a letter to God and asked God to send him money. Lencho was a dedicated farmer. He was expecting a good harvest. Unfortunately a hail storm came and destroyed his harvest totally. Lencho was very sad, but he had strong belief in God. He was sure that God would definitely help him. So the simple straight forward man wrote a letter to God asking for one hundred pesos. Although, his wishes get fulfilled partially, if not completely, he is ungrateful in the end and questions the honesty and modesty of the post-masters who actually helped him with money (anonymously) in the name of god. CHARACTER SKETCH OF LENCHO Lencho was a simple farmer who was very hard working. He was completely dependent on the yield of his fields. He had good knowledge of farming. His crops had always been good. He knew his crops needed a good downpour to get good yield. But when the rain changed into a hail storm his crop was totally destroyed. He became very sad. But since he had strong faith in God, he didn‘t lose hope. He needed God‘s help. He knew how to read and write. He wrote a letter to God asking for help. He was fully confident that he would get the money. When he didn‘t get as much money as he had asked, he became unhappy. He was not ready to be happy with what he received. He felt that he was being cheated. But he was not ungrateful to God. He felt angry thinking that the people in the post office are crooks and they had stolen the rest of the money. So he wrote another letter to God, instructing him to send money directly to him, not through the post office.Lencho‘s innocence and staunch belief in God is clearly depicted in the story. EXTRACT BASED COMPREHENSION QUESTIONS 1. The man went out for no other reason than to have the pleasure of feeling the rain on his body, and when he returned he exclaimed, ―These aren‘t raindrops falling from the sky, they are new coins. The big drops are ten cent pieces and the little ones are five‘s.‖ Questions: a. Who is the person described here? Ans: Lencho, the farmer is described here. b. Why did he go out in the rain? 83 | P a g e Ans: He went out in the rain to feel the happiness of rain on his body. c. Whywere the raindrops like ‗new coins‘ for Lencho? Ans: Lencho thought that the raindrops would help him get a good harvest and thus he can earn money. So the raindrops were like new coins for Lencho. d. How did raindrops bring disaster to his crops? Ans: The raindrops soon turned into a hailstorm and destroyed his crops and ruined his hopes. 2. With a satisfied expression he regarded the field of ripe corn with its flowers, draped in a curtain of rain. But suddenly a strong wind began to blow and along with the rain very large hailstones began to fall. These truly did resemble new silver coins. The boys exposing themselves to rain, ran out to collect the frozen pearls. Questions: a) Why was Lencho satisfied? Ans: He was satisfied because his fields got good rains. b) What does he compare the raindrops to? Ans: He compared them to coins. c) What do the ‗frozen pearls‘ refer to? Ans: The frozen pearls refer to hail stones. d) Trace the word in the passage which means ‗covered with‘. Ans. draped 3. ―What faith! I wish I had the faith of the man who wrote this letter. Starting up a correspondence with God!‖ Questions: a) Who is the speaker of the above lines? Ans: The postmaster b) Why did the man write a letter to God? Ans: The man lost his crops due to a hailstorm. So he wanted hundred pesos to sow his field again and to live until the crops come. c) ―Starting up a correspondence with God.‖ What does it tell you about the man‘s character? Ans: The man is simple, innocent and straight forward. He has strong belief in God d) Give the verb form of the word ‗Correspondence‘. Ans: Correspond 86 | P a g e ANSWERS a) The falling of snow on the poet had changed his mood. b) The poet had thought that it was a bad day. He was sad and depressed. c] ‗Rued‘ means held in regret d) The poet is Robert Frost and the poem is ‗Dust of Snow‘. SHORT ANSWER QUESTIONS: 1. What mood of the poet is reflected in the poem? 2. What do the crow, hemlock tree and dust of snow represent in the poem? 3. What is the message given by the poem? ANSWERS 1. The poet seems to be in a sad and depressive mood. The day offered no comfort or happiness to him. He thinks that the whole day is going to be sad and dull. He can see only negative symbols like the hemlock tree and the crow around him. 2. The crow is black and ugly. It is not considered as a pleasant sight. It is a symbol of bad omen. The hemlock tree is a poisonous plant with white flowers. It is a symbol of sorrow. The poet chose the crow and the hemlock tree to present his sadness and depression. 3. The poem teaches us that we should not be desperate because there is always an opportunity to change the sad mood into happy mood. Today, when most of the people are living in stressful atmosphere, the poem teaches us to gain happiness from little things. Long Answer Questions [100-150 words] 1. It is our attitude towards a situation that makes it positive or negative. Do you agree with it? Express your views with reference to the poem ‗Dust of Snow‘. Ans: It is true that our attitude towards a problem plays an important role in making it positive or negative. Most of the people in today‘s world live a stressful life. They face different types of problems in day to day life. A person can neither keep away from problems completely nor find solutions for them easily. But what makes the situation worse is one‘s attitude towards the problems. If we are depressed or sad the whole environment becomes gloomy. But if we are ready to face the problem bravely and positively, it helps in solving the problem also. The poet in the poem Dust of Snow was in a sorrowful mood. He felt that the whole day was going to be gloomy. But when a crow shook down snowflakes on him, his bitter mood changed into an optimistic one. 87 | P a g e This small, regular incident wiped away his gloom and made him cheerful. He could have become unhappy when such a thing occurred. But instead of seeing the negative aspect of the incident, he took a positive vibe from it. Thus the poem teaches us to find happiness from small things and to take everything positively. Unsolved Short Answer Questions 1. How has the poet observed nature in the poem Dust of Snow? 2. What happened to the poet when the crow shook the tree? 3. What does the poet feel in the end? Unsolved Long Answer Question 1.Explain the underlying message in the poem Dust of Snow. FIRE AND ICE- ROBERT FROST (POEM) Gist Fire and ice is a compact poem written by Robert Frost. It expresses the profound idea that the world would end in either of two ways- by fire or by ice. People are divided in this issue. Some believe that fire will become the cause of the end and others think that ice will end the world. Both the components are compared with self-destructing human emotions: hatred and desire. He says that from what he is aware about ―fiery desires‖, he would favor the ones who say that it would be fire. But later he says that Ice or hatred, created by cold reasoning is also equally capable of destroying the world. Therefore, if Earth was to end twice, ice would be just as good as fire. If fire would lead to rapid destruction, ice would lead to silent damage. EXTRACT BASED COMPREHENSION QUESTIONS [SOLVED] 1) Some say the world will end in fire some say in ice. From what I‘ve tasted of desire I hold with those who favour fire. Questions (a) Who wrote these lines? (b) What is the poet‘s opinion about the world? (c) What is the contradictory opinion of public? (d) How are ice and fire similar to each other though they have contradictory traits? Answers: (a) Robert Frost (b) According to the poet, the world will end in fire. 88 | P a g e (c) The contradictory opinion of public is the debate whether the world will end in fire or ice. (d) Both ice and fire are similar in the in the sense that both of them would destroy everything in the world. 2) But if it had to perish twice I think I know enough of hate To say that for destruction ice Is also great And would suffice. Questions (a) What does ‗it‘ refers to in the first line? (b) What do you mean by ‗perish‘? (c) What does ice stand for? (d) What would be two causes of destruction? Answers (a) ‗It‘ refers to the world. (b) Perish means to die or to be destroyed. (c) Ice stands for coldness or hatred. (d) Ice or fire would be the cause of destruction. SHORT ANSWER QUESTIONS [SOLVED] 1. Which age old question does the poem revolves around? 2. Why does the poet hold with those who favour fire? 3. What does ‗ice‘ stand for? How is it sufficient to bring destruction? Answers 1. The poem revolves around the age old question of whether the world will end in fire or in ice. People are divided in this issue. Some believe that fire will become the cause of the end and others think that ice will end the world. Here, fire symbolizes human desire and ice symbolizes hatred. 2. The poet takes side with those who believe that the world will be destroyed by fire. Frost connects fire with desire. According to the poet, desire is powerful and would be a quick end. Moreover, the fact that he has had personal experience with desire leads him to first conclude that the world will end in fire. 3. Ice symbolizes hatred. Hate is just as powerful as desire. While desire consumes quickly, hate can occur and linger in people‘s minds and hearts for years and sometimes even lifetimes. Hate can, thus, be very destructive and sufficient to bring destruction. 91 | P a g e iv) Define ‗Courage‘ as given here? Answers i) Nelson Mandela ii) He has seen men and women risk and give their life for the idea of freedom, again and again iii) He has seen men stand up to attacks and torture showing strength and resilience. iv) Courage doesn‘t mean the absence of fear but the triumph over it. It mind to stand up to attacks without breaking, showing strength and resilience. SHORT ANSWER QUESTIONS – (30 - 40 words) 1. What according to Nelson Mandela is true freedom? 2. What did Nelson Mandela pledge when he was sworn in as President? Answers 1. According to Mandela, true freedom means, not to be obstructed in leading a lawful life. 2. Nelson Mandela pledged freedom and justice for all the black and coloured people of South Africa. He promised to uphold the constitution of his country and devote himself to liberate his people from the bondage of poverty, deprivation, suffering, gender and other discrimination. LONG ANSWER QUESTIONS – (100-150 words) 1. What were the difficulties Nelson Mandela encountered while fighting for freedom 2. What were Nelson Mandela‘s views on the policy of Apartheid? Answers – Main Points 1. Nelson Mandela underwent extreme hardships and suffering. He was a true patriot and sacrificed his personal comforts and that of his family‘s while demanding freedom and equality for all his countrymen. He and his comrades were oppressed, punished and imprisoned for resisting the white rule. He was imprisoned for almost thirty years. His persistence and sacrifice culminated in the independence of South Africa. 2. Nelson Mandela says that Apartheid created a deep and lasting wound in his country. It cast a shadow on the people of South Africa - deep wounds that would take many years to heal. The oppression and brutality that the people of the nation had been subjected to had no parallel. From this situation arouse a spirit of aggression in the minds of men and produced men of extraordinary courage, wisdom and generosity. Mandela believed that the greatest wealth of South Africa are the people of the nation. The more the oppression rained on them the more the spirit to fight back was triggered in the minds of the people. In the end victory for the people of South Africa prevailed and they attained Independence on 10th May 1994. 92 | P a g e UNSOLVED QUESTIONS SHORT ANSWER QUESTIONS 1. What does Mandela mean to say that the oppressor and the oppressed alike are robbed off their humanity? 2. What are the twin obligations that Mandela talks about? LONG ANSWER QUESTIONS 1. Do you agree with Mandela that the ‗depths of oppression‘ create ‗heights of character‘? Explain how he illustrates this. 2. How did Mandela‘s ‗hunger for freedom‘ change his life? POETRY: A TIGER IN THE ZOO – LESLIE NORRIS GIST – Poem at a glance  The poet has depicted the tiger both in the cage and in its natural habitat.  The poet conveys that the tiger is best suited to roam the wild rather than be caged in a zoo  Animals are more majestic when seen in their natural habitat than enclosed in an artificial setting.  The tiger is aware of the sights and sounds around the him  The tiger‘s body and strength are locked up behind the bars of the cage.  He strides proudly inside the cage suppressing his anger, while ignoring the visitors EXTRACT BASED COMPREHENSION QUESTION EXERCISES Q1. ‗He stalks in the his vivid stripes The few steps of his cage, On pads of velvet quiet In his quite rage‘ a) Who is ‗He‘ in these lines? b) Where is ‗he‘ in these lines? c) What is ‗his‘ mood in the poem? Why is it so? d) What is the poetic device used in line 3? Answers a) ‗He‘ is the Tiger b) ‗He‘ is in a cage in the zoo c) ‗He‘ is in an angry mood, as he has been caged, and cannot move around. d) The poetic device used is ‗metaphor‘ 93 | P a g e Q2. ‗He should be snarling around houses At the jungle‘s edge, Baring his white fangs, his claws, Terrorizing the village! a) Who is ‗He‘ in these lines? b) Where does the poet say ‗he‘ should be is in these lines? c) What does ‗Baring his white fangs‘ mean in line 3? d) Name the poem and the poet? Answers a) ‗He‘ is the Tiger. b) The poet says that ‗he‘ should be in the jungle/forest/in his natural habitat c) ‗Baring his white fangs‘ means showing his sharp teeth in an attempt to frighten the villagers d) The poem is A Tiger in the Zoo and the poet is Leslie Norris SHORT ANSWER QUESTIONS – (30 - 40 words) 1. What does the poet mean when he says that the Tiger‘s strength is behind the bars? 2. Explain why the Tiger ignores the visitors at the zoo? Answers 1. The poet means that since the Tiger is locked in the cage, he has no freedom and therefore he cannot use his strength. He is angry and restless but proudly walks the length of his cage. 2. The Tiger is caged it has no freedom to roam the vast jungles. He is constrained by the space available in the cage. He is angry and restless. He suppresses his anger by proudly walking the length of his cage and ignoring the visitors who have come to see him. LONG ANSWER QUESTIONS – (100-150 words) 1. Explain how the poet contrasts the Tiger in the cage to the Tiger in the jungle? Answer – Main points The poet says that since the Tiger is caged it has no freedom to roam the vast jungles. He is constrained by the space available in the cage. He is angry and restless but proudly walks the length of his cage, ignoring the visitors who have come to see him. All he can do is stare at the brilliant stars with his brilliant eyes. The poet contrasts this with the Tiger in the jungle, who is free, to roam the wild, sliding through long grass, and enjoying his liberty. He goes near water holes and where he can find deer. He snarls around houses at the edge of the jungle frightening the villagers by baring his fangs and his claws. 96 | P a g e LONG ANSWER QUESTIONS (100 - 150 Words) 1. How does the author describe the young Seagull‘s fear of flying? 2. Do you think hunger was a good motivation for the young Seagull in his flight? Answers 1. The young Seagull was afraid of flying though he wanted very much to fly. When he flapped his wings he became afraid. The sea stretched down beneath. He felt certain that his wings would never support him. So he bent his head and ran away back to the little hole. He could not get himself to fly like his siblings. 2. The young seagull was greatly afraid of flying --- did not dare to come out and fly --- had no self- confidence - Parents, brothers and sister decided to leave him alone – left for twenty four hours --- no food to eat --- very hungry --- parents rebuked --- would die of hunger --- getting mad with hunger --- mother bought a piece of fish --- offered him --- but was not able to catch it - called out to her – but she did not come any closer - so he dived for it as he was hungry --- fell and started going downwards --- next moment wings spread outwards --- wind rushed through him --- started flying high --- screamed with joy as he was finally flying --- thus made his maiden flight. UNSOLVED QUESTIONS SHORT ANSWER QUESTIONS (30 -40 Words) 1. Why did the young seagull feel very miserable on the ledge? 2. How did young seagull‘s parents try to make him fly? 3. Young seagull tried to fly but he could not. Why was he afraid to fly? LONG ANSWER QUESTIONS (100 - 150 Words) 1. Flying is a natural act in birds. Then why was the young seagull terrified by the strange exercise? Hints - The seagull didn‘t have the courage to fly. Hence, he used to make excuses for not flying. He felt certain that his wings were too weak to support him – thought they were longer than those of his siblings- He had no courage to flap his wings and try- failed to muster up the courage to take the plunge when he looked down at the vast expanse of the sea. 97 | P a g e Unit 3 TWO STORIES ABOUT FLYING Part II – Black Aero plane GIST The Black Aero plane is about a pilot who is flying an old Dakota aeroplane and is happy and to be able to be home with his family in time for breakfast. He is flying from Paris to London. But suddenly he sees some huge black storm clouds that look like black mountains in front of him. He does not have enough fuel to go around the clouds. He takes the risk and flies right into it. Suddenly it is pitch dark and impossible to see anything. The instruments stop working and he has lost contact with Paris Control. Very soon he sees another black aero plane near him and the pilot motions for him to follow and leads the way. Soon he comes out of the clouds and sees two long straight lines of lights in front of him and that was a Runway! He looks back to thank his friend but cannot see the other plane anywhere. After landing he asks the lady at the Control room about the other plane, but she‘s surprised and says that there were no other plane in the skies that night, and his was the only plane flying in the storm. The pilot is puzzled! Who could it have been he wonders. EXTRACTS FROM THE TEXT 1. I knew I could not fly up and over them, and I didn‘t have enough fuel to fly around them to the north or south. ―I ought to go back to Paris.‖ I thought, but I wanted to get home. a) What does ‗them‘ in the first sentence refer to? b) Why could he not fly over on either side of storm clouds? c) Why did he not go back to Paris? d) Which country was the pilot of the plane flying towards? Answers a) ‗Them‘ means the big black clouds b) There was not enough fuel left in the Dakota – aero plane for him to fly around the clouds c) He wanted to get home and enjoy breakfast with his family d) The Pilot was flying towards England. 2. He turned his aero plane slowly to the north, in front of my Dakota, so that it would be easier for me to follow him. I was very happy to go behind the strange aero plane like an obedient child. a) Where was the pilot at this time? b) Who does ‗He‘ refer to in the first sentence? 98 | P a g e c) Why did ‗He‖ of the black aero plane bring his plane in front of the Dakota aero plane? d) Why did the pilot of the Dakota follow him like an obedient child? Answers a) The pilot was inside the black storm cloud b) The pilot of the Black aero plane c) The pilot was trying to guide the author out of the storm clouds by asking him to follow him. d) He was lost and all his instruments had stopped working. He wanted to find a way out of the storm/ He wanted to get out of the storm safely. SHORT ANSWER QUESTIONS (30 -40 Words) 1. What did the narrator feel inside the clouds? 2. Why was the woman in the control room shocked when the narrator asked her about another aero plane? Answer: 1. When the narrator entered the clouds, it became impossible to see outside the aero plane. The aero plane jumped and twisted in the air and all the instruments like compass etc. stopped working due to the weather conditions. He could not see anything and he was worried whether the fuel would last till he landed. 2. The woman in the control room was shocked when the narrator asked about another aero plane because there was no such plane flying in the sky that night as she saw none on the radar. It was an extremely stormy night and no one had taken the risk of flying in the storm. LONG ANSWER QUESTIONS (100-150 Words) 1. The narrator does not lose hope and follows the pilot in the black aero plane knowing well that he might be taking a huge risk. What qualities does he possess to endure this critical situation bravely? 2. The narrator knew that he could not fly up due to storm and lack of fuel but still, he continued. What kind of person was he? Was it not in his nature to accept defeat? Discuss the values one should possess to accept failures and still be able to move ahead in life 100 | P a g e humour. Various kinds of wild animals like Asian lion, Bengal tiger, bear, and etc. are introduced to the reader humorously. Much of the humour arises from the way language is used. EXTRACT BASED COMPREHENSION QUESTIONS [SOLVED] 1. If ever you should go by chance To jungles in the east; And if there should to you advance A large and tawny beast, If he roars at you as you‘re dyin‘ You‘ll know it is the Asian Lion …. Questions. (a) What are the features of an Asian Lion? (b) What happens to you when the lion roars? (c) What do you mean by ‗tawny‘? (d) Where is the Asian Lion found? Answers: (a) An Asian Lion is large and brownish-yellow in colour. (b) When the lion roars, it is very scary and we feel that we are going to die. (c) ‗Tawny‘ means brownish-yellow in colour. (d) Asian lion is found in the jungles of the East. If strolling forth, a beast you view, Whose hide with spots in peppered, As soon as he has leapt on you, you‘ll know it is the Leopard. It will do no good to roar with pain, He‘ll only leap and leap again. Questions. (a) Describe the hide of a leopard? (b) When does one come to know that it is a leopard? (c) Write two words from the stanza which is wrongly spelt? (d) Why it won‘t do any good to roar with pain? Answers (a) A leopard‘s hide is covered with spots. (b) One comes to know that it is a leopard when it leaps or jumps on him. (c) Leapt and leap are given in the poem as leapt and leapt 101 | P a g e (d) It won‘t do any good to roar with pain because then the leopard will pounce upon you again. SHORT ANSWER QUESTIONS [SOLVED] 1. How can you identify the Asian lion and the Bengal Tiger? 2. How can you distinguish between a hyena and a crocodile? 3. How does the poet describe the bear? 4. How does a leopard behave when he sees someone? Answers 1. The Asian Lion has a large body and a brownish-yellow colour... It roars loudly when it attacks its prey. The very roar is enough to terrorise one to death. On the other hand, the Bengal Tiger is a noble animal which attacks the prey silently. It has black stripes on its yellow coat. 2. It is not easy to distinguish among wild animals. But a hyena and a crocodile can easily be distinguished. A hyena laughs as it swallows its victim, whereas a crocodile will have tears as it kills its victim. 3. The poet describes the bear in a humorous way. He says that as soon as a bear sees a human being, it hugs him tightly. It clasps its prey tightly with both its hands and squeezes him to death. If he is still alive, he gives him another tight hug to kill him. 4. A leopard has black spots all over its body. As soon as it sees someone, it leaps over him at once. There will be no use of crying with pain. It will not show any mercy, but keep on pouncing continuously on its victim. Long Answer Question [100-150words each.] Describe the effective use of humour in the poem How to tell wild animals. What are the poetic liberties taken by the poet in the poem? The poet, in the poem ‗How to tell Wild Animals‘ creates humour by describing various beasts of prey. The way the poet explains the things is very funny yet interesting. The poet has depicted the wildlife very vividly and in a lively manner. While reading the poem, the readers enjoy the poet‘s work and it leaves them refreshed and happy. The humour used in the poem is suggestive and mild. If the Asian Lion ‗roars‘ at you as you are dying, the Bengal Tiger is a ‗noble‘ wild beast that ‗greets‘ you when you are roaming round in the 102 | P a g e jungle. The leopard will show no mercy and it will do no good to roar with pain. The bear gives you a very hard ‗hug‘ and if you have any doubts whether it is a bear, it will give you just one more caress. The poet humorously says that hyenas come with ‗merry smiles‘; but if they ‗weep‘ they are crocodiles. Similarly, the poet takes many liberties to make the poem impressive. In order to rhyme with ‗lion‘ the poet changes the word dying to ‗dyin‘. Instead of leapt and leap the poet writes ‗lept‘ and ‗lep‘. All these changes make the poem more interesting and enjoyable. Unsolved Short Answer Questions 1. How will you recognize an Asian lion? 2. What are the specialties of a Bengal Tiger? 3. How can you distinguish between a tiger and a leopard? 4. What are the distinctive features of the Asian lion as given in the poem? 5. How does a leopard behave when he sees someone? 6. Is the tight hug of a bear really friendly? 7. How will you recognize a true chameleon? Unsolved Long Answer Questions 1. Describe the various ways to recognize Asian Lions, Bengal Tigers, Leopards, Bears, Hyenas, Crocodiles and Chameleons? 2. The poet has successfully used humour to be able to ‗tell‘ or identify ‗Wild Animals‘. How do you think we need lots of it in our daily life? 3. ‗Humour is the best medicine for every ailment in life‘. Comment. THE BALL POEM GIST The poet is talking about a little boy who has lost his ball. He was playing with his ball. The ball skipped from his hand and went into the nearby water body. The poet says that this sight of the boy losing his favorite ball made him think about the boy and his reaction to this situation. He further says that the boy was helplessly looking into the water where his ball had gone. He was sad and was trembling with fear. He got so immersed in his sorrow that he kept standing near the harbor for a very long time and kept on looking for his ball. The poet says that he could console him that he may get new balls or he could also give him some money to buy another ball. But he stops himself from doing so because he thinks that the money may bring a new ball but will not bring the memories and feelings attached to the lost ball. He further says that the time 105 | P a g e 3. Why does the poet say, ‗I would not intrude on him?‘ Why doesn‘t he offer him money to buy another ball? Ans. When a person is trying to come over his grief on his own, he is busy making himself understand certain things if then, someone intrudes or disturbs, and his chain of thoughts is broken. It makes him irritated. Moreover, self-consolation, realization or understanding is more effective and lasting than when it is done by an external agency or a person. The poet knows it. So he does not intrude on him. His offer of money to buy another ball is useless for the boy wants the same ball he is attached to and has been playing for a long time. No other ball will be able to take its place. UNSOLVED QUESTIONS Short answer questions (30-40 Words) 1 What does ―in the world of possessions‖ mean? 2 Do you think the boy has lost anything earlier? Pick out the words that suggest the answer? LONG ANSWER QUESTIONS (100-150 Words) Q1. How is the lost ball, the metaphor of the lost childhood of the boy? Why doesn‘t the poet want to ‗intrude on‘ the boy by offering him money to buy another ball? Q2. What is the epistemology of loss in this world of possessions? How has the child learned to stand up in life? UNIT 4: FROM THE DIARY OF ANNE FRANK GIST: This lesson is an excerpt from ―Diary of a Young Girl‖ or ―The Diary of Anne Frank‖. It is an autobiography that was first published in 1947. In this, Anne expresses her thoughts in a diary which was gifted to her on her thirteenth birthday. She names the diary ―kitty‖ which she considers as her only true friend. She mentions about her childhood, her family and a lot other things that she told no one else. CHARACTER SKETCH OF ANNE FRANK Anne Frank was born on 12th June 1929 in Frankfurt Germany. She was four years old when her father went to Holland to find a better place for them to live. She was very intelligent and always wanted to become a writer. 106 | P a g e She was a very good reader as well; she continued reading books, translated chapters, wrote down the vocabulary and worked hard on her skills. Like any child, she loved her parents but later grew a dislike towards her mother as she compared her to Margot. She was always jealous of her. She believed that time would come when the problems would be over. She felt lonely. Though she was amidst thirty people, she could hardly call anyone as her true friend. Anne died of typhus in the concentration camp at Berger-Belsen in late February or early March of 1945. EXTRACT BASED COMPREHENSION QUESTION EXERCISES 1. Writing in a diary is a really strange experience for someone like me. Not only because I have never written anything before, but also because it seems to me that later on neither I nor anyone else will be interested in the musing of a thirteen year old school girl. Oh well, it doesn‘t matter. I feel like writing and I have an even greater need to get all kind of things off my chest. Paper has more patience than people.‘ I thought of this saying on one of those days when I was feeling a little depressed and was sitting at home with my chin in my hands, bored and listless, wondering whether to stay in or go out. (a) Whom does ‗I‘ refer to in the given passage? (b) ‗Paper has more patience than people‘ – Why did Anne Frank say that? (c) Find a word in the passage that means ‗deep thought‘. (d) Which word in the passage is a synonym of lethargic? Answers: (a) ‗I‘ refers to Anne Frank in the given passage. (b) Anne Frank said that ‗Paper has more patience than people‘ because one can rely on the paper to confide his/her secrets and it listens carefully and silently. (c) The word is ‗musing‘. (d) The word is ‗listless‘. 2) Let me put it more clearly, since no one will believe that a thirteen-year-old girl is completely alone in the world. And I‘m not. I have loving parents and a sixteen-year-old sister, and there are about thirty people I can call friends. I have a family, loving aunts and a good home. No, on the surface I seem to have everything, except my one true friend. All I think about when I‘m with friends is having a good time. I can‘t bring myself to talk about anything but ordinary everyday things. We don‘t seem to be able to get any closer, and that‘s the problem. Maybe it‘s my fault that we don‘t confide in each other. In any case, that‘s just how things are, and unfortunately they‘re not liable to change. This is why I‘ve started the diary. 107 | P a g e (a) Why was Anne Frank disturbed even when she had loving parents, relatives and friends? (b) Why did Anne decide to write a diary? (c) Find the word that means the same as ‗unluckily‘. (d) To confide in somebody is to ……… Answers: (a) Anne Frank was disturbed even after being surrounded by so many people because she didn‘t have any true friend. (b) Anne decided to write a diary because she could not confide in anyone and felt lonely. (c) The word is unfortunately. (d) It means to tell somebody your secrets or personal information. 3) To enhance the image of this long awaited friend in my imagination, I don‘t want to jot down the facts in this diary the way most people would do, but I want the diary to be my friend, and I‘m going to call this friend ‗Kitty‘. Since no one would understand a word of my stories to Kitty if I were to plunge right in, I‘d better provide a brief sketch of my life, much as I dislike doing so. (a) Who was the long awaited friend of Anne? Why? (b) What did she provide in her diary? (c) Find a word from the extract which means the same as ‗submerge‘. Answers: (a) The diary named ‗Kitty‘ was the long awaited friend of Anne, because she had no true friend in her life with whom she could share her feelings and thoughts. (b) She provided a brief-sketch of her life and her family in her diary (c) Plunge. SHORT ANSWER QUESTIONS (30 - 40 words) 1. Why does Anne Frank think that ‗paper‘ has more patience than ‗people‘? Ans .Anne believes that paper has more patience than people because it listens to her more patiently and silently it does not react like other people and also because she can confide in her diary all her secrets.. 110 | P a g e EXTRACT BASED COMPREHENSION QUESTION EXERCISES 1) Don‘t bite your nails, Amanda! Don‘t hunch your shoulders, Amanda! Stop that slouching and sit up straight, Amanda! Questions: (a) What is Amanda doing to her nails? (b) What does she do to her shoulders? (c) How is she sitting? (d) How is Amanda expected to sit? Answers: Answers (a) She is biting her nails. (b) She hunches her shoulders. (c) She is sitting in a slouching posture. (d) Amanda should sit straight 2) I am an orphan, roaming the street. I pattern soft dust with my hushed, bare feet. The silence is golden, the freedom is sweet) Questions: (a) Who longs to be an orphan? (b) Where is the orphan roaming? (c) How does the speaker make designs? (d) What does the speaker say about silence and freedom? Answers: Answers (a) The orphan longs to roam freely in streets. (b) The orphan is roaming in the street. (c) The speaker makes designs with her bare feet on the soft dust. (d) The speaker says that silence is golden and freedom is sweet. 111 | P a g e SHORT ANSWER QUESTIONS (30 - 40 words) 1. Amanda imagines herself to be Rapunzel, yet would not like to do what all she did. Identify and state the reasons for her decision. Ans. Amanda wants to be Rapunzel to live a peaceful life in a tower, where no one gives any instruction and she doesn‘t have to do any work. She doesn‘t want to escape with a prince like Rapunzel. 2. What is the theme of the poem — ‗Amanda‘? Ans. Too many instructions and too much control are resented by children. They get bored and fed up. Then, they listen to their parents half-heartedly and indulge in daydreaming. 3. What message does the poet want to give through the poem — ‗Amanda‘? Ans. The poet wants to convey that parents in their endeavour to make their children well-behaved and well- mannered tend to give too many instructions or nag (always finding fault) them. They should adopt positive measures, acceptable to children. 4. Who was Amanda? What idea do you form about her through the poem? Ans. Amanda was a little school going, girl. She loved fairy tales like Rapunzel and mermaids. She did not like too many instructions or nagging that made her sulk and become moody. So she did not listen to her mother attentively and started daydreaming. QUESTIONS: (UNSOLVED) Q1 How does Amanda describe her life as an orphan? Q2 Why is Amanda forbidden to eat chocolate? How does Amanda behave when she is addressed by the speaker? Q3 What does the speaker tell Amanda in the end? What is the speaker afraid of? Q4 What is the central idea of the poem? Q 5 List the things which Amanda‘s mother doesn‘t want her to do. Q 6 Why does Amanda‘s mother ask her to stop sulking? 112 | P a g e ANIMALS - WALT WHITMAN GIST: The poet, Walt Whitman compares animals and human beings. He says that, unlike humans, animals do not complain nor cringe about anything in their life. Animals are simple; self- contained, satisfied and are not after owning things. They do not weep for their sins nor cry over their unfavorable conditions. The poet feels more at home with animals than humans whom he finds complicated, materialistic and false. Extract Based Questions: A.) ‗Not one is dissatisfied, not one is demented with the mania of owning things, Not one kneels to another, nor to his kind that lived a thousand years ago.‘ Questions a) About whom is the poet saying these lines? b) With/to whom is the poet comparing them? c) Mention any two qualities that make the poet want to be like ‗them‘. d) What is the literary device used in the first line given? Answers a) The poet is speaking about animals. b) The poet is comparing them with human beings. c) They do not complain / they are not anxious / not unhappy / not unsatisfied/ do not lie awake pondering over the sins they committed. d) It is ‗Repetition‘ where the words ‗not one‘ has been repeated. B) ‗I wonder where they get those tokens, Did I pass that way huge times ago and negligently drop them?‘ Questions a) Who does the word ‗they‘ refer to in the first line? b) What does the word ‗tokens‘ stand for? c) What does the poet mean by the last line? 115 | P a g e part of marriage gifts, cakes and Bolinhas or coconut cookies are eaten at every festival and the lady of the house prepares sandwiches at her daughter‘s engagement. Earlier bakers wore a unique frock of knee-length known as ‗kabai‘ but during the narrator‘s childhood days, they wore a shirt and trousers of length slightly shorter than the usual ones. They generally collected their bills at the end of every month. Bakery has continued to be a profitable profession, managing to keep their families joyous and prosperous. Main Points of the Story  The Portuguese in Goa were lovers of bread  Those eaters of bread have now gone but is makers still exist.  During the childhood days of the narrator, a baker used to be their friend, companion and guide.  The baker came twice a day – once in the morning and again while returning home  After finishing his sailing.  The jingling thud of the baker‘s bamboo woke up the sleeping children.  The loaves were delivered to the servants of the house.  The children would peep into the baker‘s basket for the bread bangles.  The children would eat bread with hot tea.  The marriages were incomplete without the popular bol bread.  Bolinhas was a must during Christmas and all other festivals.  The makers wore a particular knee length frock known as kabai.  Baking was a profitable profession. Bakers had a plump physique testifying to this.  The bakers collected their bills at the end of the month Extract Based Questions (Solved) Read the following extracts carefully and answer the questions that follow Question 1 We kid would be pushed aside with a mild rebuke and the loaves would be delivered to the servant. But we would not give up. We would climb a bench or the parapet and peep into the basket, somehow. I can still recall the typical fragrance of those loaves. Loaves for the elders and the bangles for the children. (a) Who are ‗we‘ in the extract? (b) Why were the children pushed aside? (c) Which word/phrase in the extract means the same as ‗an expression of disapproval/a scolding‘? (d) What was there in the basket? 116 | P a g e Answer (a) ‗We‘ in the extract refers to the narrator and his friends. (b) The kids were pushed aside so that the breads can be delivered to the servants. (c) The word ‗rebuke‘ from the extract means ‗an expression of disapproval/a scolding‘. (d) There were some loaves for the elders and some bangles for the children. Question 2. Marriage gifts are meaningless without the sweet bread known as the bol, just as a party or a feast loses its charm without bread. Not enough can be said to show how important a baker can be for a village. The lady of the house must prepare sandwiches on the occasion of her daughter‘s engagement. Cakes and bolinhas are a must for Christmas as well as other festivals. Thus, the presence of the baker‘s furnace in the village is absolutely essential. (a) What are compulsorily prepared during Christmas in Goa? (b) Why is a baker necessary in a village? (c) Find the word in the extract which means ‗celebration meal‘. (d) What is must to be prepared on a daughter‘s engagement by a lady? Answer (a) During Christmas cakes and Bolinas are compulsorily prepared in Goa. (b) A baker is necessary in a village because different kinds of breads are required by the villagers for daily consumption as well as for special occasions. (c) ‗Feast‘ from the extract means ‗celebration meal‘. (d) The lady of the house must prepare sandwiches on the occasion of her daughter‘s engagement. Question 3 The baker usually collected his bills at the end of the month. Monthly accounts used to be recorded on some wall in pencil. Baking was indeed a profitable profession in the old days. The baker and his family never starved. He, his family and his servants always looked happy and prosperous. Their plump physique was an open testimony to this. Even today any person with a jackfruit-like physical appearance is easily compared to a baker. (a) Where did the baker record his accounts? (b) Why did the baker and his family never starve? (c) Which work in the extract is a synonym of ‗build‘? 117 | P a g e (d) How can a baker be identified in Goa? Answer: Answers (a) The baker recorded his accounts on some wall in pencil. (b) The baker and his family never starved because baking was a profitable profession. (c) ‗Physique‘ from the extract is the synonym of ‗build‘. (d) Any person with a Jackfruit-like physical appearance is easily identified to a baker as their pump physique is an open testimony of their happiness and prosperity. Short Answer Questions (30-40 Words) 1. What did the baker do first once he reached a house? Ans. The baker would first greet the lady of the house by saying ―Good Morning‖. He would then place the basket on the vertical bamboo and deliver the loaves to the servant. 2. How did the baker make his entry? Ans. The baker used to enter with the Jingling sound of his specially made bamboo staff. His one hand supported the basket on his head and the other banged the bamboo on the ground. 3. How do we get to know that the makers of bread still exist? Ans. The narrator states that the eaters of loaves might have vanished but the makers are still there. He further says that those age old, time tested furnaces still exist and the fire in the furnaces had not yet been extinguished. 4. What is the importance of breads for the Goans? OR Why was the Baker‘s furnace essential in a traditional Goan village? Ans. Different kinds of breads are important during the different occasions. Bolinhas had to be prepared during Christmas and other festivals. The mothers used to prepare sandwiches on the occasion of their daughter‘s engagement. So, the baker‘s furnace was essential. 5. Describe the dress of the bakers. Ans. The bakers had a peculiar dress earlier known as the kabai. It was a one-piece long frock reaching down to the knees. 120 | P a g e PART II: GLIMPSES OF INDIA – COORG Introduction The lesson gives us a beautiful insight of the smallest district of Karnataka and its people. The place has an amazing weather throughout the year with enough rain during the monsoon season. The people of Coorg are known to be one of the bravest. Coffee is the main crop grown in this region. A variety of animals can be found here while the place is surrounded by beautiful Brahmagiri hills, islands and Tibetan settlements. GIST The writer describes the hill station of Coorg located in the Western Ghats in the state of Karnataka. It is located midway between Bangalore and Mangalore. The suitable time to visit Coors is from September to March. The place is famous for coffee plantations and spices. There are abundant rainforests which cover 30 percent of the area. The Corgi men are brave warriors who are permitted to keep firearms without a license due to their trustworthiness. The women of Coorg are pretty. Coorg is also known as Kodavu and the Kodavus, though are Hindus by religion but their customs differ from those of mainstream Hindus. They marry within their community. Kodavus are said to be of Greek or Arabic descent. Some soldiers of Alexander‘s army settled there. Also, as the ethnic dress of the Kodavus, Kuppia is similar to the Arab garment Kuffia, it is said that maybe their ancestors were Arabs or Kurds. The river Kaveri originates from Coorg. The fish named Mahaseer is found in the river. Many animals and birds like kingfisher, langur, squirrels and elephants can be spotted along the river. Tourists relax in the serene atmosphere and also enjoy adventure sports like river rafting, canoeing, rappelling, mountain biking, rock climbing and trekking. While trekking on the nature trails, animals like Macaques, Malabar squirrels, langurs and slender loris can be spotted on the trees. The major tourist attractions are Brahmagiri hills, Nisargdham Island and Bylakuppe Tibetan settlements. Coorg gives visitors a feel of India‘s diverse cultures. Main Points of the Story  Coorg is situated between Mysore and the coastal town of Mangalore.  It is called the land of rolling hills.  Coorg is inhabited by a proud race of martial men, beautiful women and wild creatures.  It is the smallest district of Karnataka.  Coorg is the home of evergreen forests, spices and coffee plantations.  September to March is the most pleasant season for the tourists.  During this period, weather is perfect and the air breathes of coffee. 121 | P a g e  The people of Coorg are fiercely independent people.  They are possible of Greek or Arabic origin.  It is said that a part of Alexander‘s army settled there and married amongst the locals.  Their long black coat with an embroidered waist-belt Kuppia resembles the kuffia worn by the Arabs.  Coorgi homes are known for their hospitality.  The Coorg Regiment is one of the most decorated in the Indian Army.  The first Chief of the Indian Army, General Cariappa, was a Coorgi.  The river, Kaveri, obtains its water from the hills and forests of Coorg.  High energy adventures with river rafting, canoeing, rock climbing and mountain biking are quite popular in Coorg.  Birds, bees, butterflies, Malabar squirrels and langurs find shelter in the rainforests of Coorg.  The top of the Brahamagiri hills gives you a panoramic view of the misty valley of Coorg. India‘s largest Tibetan settlement at Bylakuppe is famous for its Buddhist monks and temple. Extract Based Questions (Solved) Read the following extracts carefully and answer the questions that follow: Question 1. Midway between Mysore and the coastal town of Mangalore sits a piece of heaven that must have drifted from the kingdom of God. This land of rolling hills is inhabited by a proud race of martial men, beautiful women and wild creatures. Coorg, or Kodagu, the smallest district of Karnataka, is home to evergreen rainforests, spices and coffee plantations. (a) Which kind of animals are we likely to see at Coorg? (b) What is Coorg known for? (c) Which word in the extract means the same as ‗having to do with war‘? (d) Where is Coorg situated? Answer: (a) We are likely to see wild animals in Coorg. (b) Coorg is known for its evergreen rainforests, spices and coffee plantations. (c) ‗Martial‘ from the extract means ‗having to do with war‘. (d) Coorg is situated between the midway of Mysore and the coastal town of Mangalore. 122 | P a g e Question 2. The fiercely independent people of Coorg are possibly of Greek or Arabic descent. As one story goes, a part of Alexander‘s army moved south along the coast and settled here when return became impractical. These people married amongst the locals and their culture is apparent in the martial traditions, marriage and religious rites, which are distinct from the Hindu mainstream. (a) Which descent do the people of coorg belong to? (b) Where can we find the culture of Coorg most apparently? (c) Which word in the extract means ‗an act that is part of a religious ceremony‘? (d) Which story is famous about the people of Coorg? Answer (a) The people of Coorg belong to Greek or Arabic descent. (b) The Coorg people‘s culture is most apparent in their martial traditions, religious rites and marriages. (c) ‗Rites‘ from the extract means ‗an act that is part of a religious ceremony‘. (d) It is said that the people of coorg were the descendants of Alexander‘s army who settled here when return became impractical. Question 3. Coorgi homes have a tradition of hospitality, and they are more than willing to recount numerous tales of valour related to their sons and fathers. The Coorg Regiment is one of the most decorated in the Indian Army, and the first Chief of the Indian Army, General Cariappa, was a Coorgi. Even now, Kodavus are the only people in India permitted to carry firearms without a license. (a) What kind of stories are the Coorg people always ready to tell? (b) What is the special favour granted only to them even now? (c) Find a word in the extract which means the same as ‗courage and bravery, usually in war. (d) Who is free to have a firearm without a license in India? Answer: (a) The Coorg people are always ready to tell the tales of valour related to their sons and fathers. (b) Kodavus are the only people in India permitted to carry firearms without a license. (c) ‗Valour‘ from the extract means ‗courage and bravery, usually in war. (d) Kodavus are the only people in India permitted to carry firearms without a license. 124 | P a g e 4. Describe any two tourist places of Coorg. Ans: The climb of Brahmagiri hills brings into a panoramic view of the entire misty landscape of Coorg. A walk across the rope bridge leads to the 64acre island of Nisargadhama. 5. Describe Coorg‘s weather. When is it most pleasant for the tourists to visit Coorg? Ans: The weather of Coorg is pleasant during the months from September to March. During that time, the weather is perfect with some showers thrown in for good measure. During the monsoon, it receives heavy rainfall. Long Answer Questions (100-150 Words) 1. The Coorgis are the descendants of the Greeks or the Arabs and are still are able to maintain their traditional practices. Do you agree that following these practices today is important? Why or why not? Ans: After reading the text, I feel that it is important to follow the traditional practices, as it has kept the tradition of Coorgis known to the people even today. If the people of Coorg had not followed it their tradition would have perished and nobody would have remembered them today because of their culture and traditional practices. According to the text, their traditions can be seen in the martial traditions, religious rites and marriages. The Kodavus even wear the dress which resembles Arabs. Traditional practices also play a very important role in maintaining values amongst people and have an impact on shaping the behaviour of people. 2.How do Coorg‘s location, people and natural features add to the diversity of India? Ans: Coorg, or Kodagu, the smallest district of Karnataka, is home to evergreen rainforests, spices and coffee plantations. Evergreen rainforests cover thirty percent of this district. During the monsoons, it pours enough to keep many visitors away. The season of joy commences from September and continues till March. The weather is perfect, with some showers thrown in for good measure. The air breathes of invigorating coffee. Coffee estates and colonial bungalows stand tucked under tree canopies in prime corners. Coorg is beautifully located and described as a piece of heaven that must have drifted from the kingdom of God. It has rolling hillsides with a pollution free river and forests teeming with wildlife. Here nature exists in its pristine glory, which adds to the diversity of India. Further, it has coffee and spice plantations, quite different from the rest of India. The local people, the Kodavus, are a martial race. Of course, they are well known for their hospitality, just like all Indians. All these features of Coorg add to the diversity of our country. 125 | P a g e Extract Based Questions (Unsolved) Read the following extracts carefully and answer the questions that follow: The climb to the Brahmagiri hills brings you into a panoramic view of the entire misty landscape of Coorg. A walk across the rope bridge leads to the sixty-four-acre island of Nisargadhama. Running into Buddhist monks from India's largest Tibetan settlement, at nearby Bylakuppe, is a bonus. The monks, in red, ochre and yellow robes, are amongst the many surprises that wait to be discovered by visitors searching for the heart and soul of India, right here in Coorg. (a) What does the climb to the Brahmagiri hills bring? (b) What are the surprises discovered by the visitors? (c) Where does walking across the rope bridge leads to? Choose the correct option: (i) The island of Bisargadhama (ii) The island of Srisargadhama (iii) The island of Nisargadhama (iv) None of these (d) The monks in red, ochre and yellow robes are amongst the many_ . (i) surprises (ii) species (iii) classes (iv) None of these Short Answer Type Questions [Unsolved] 1. What type of place is Coorg? 2. Why is Coorg called the land of rolling hills? 3. Why are the people of Coorg known as descendants of the Arabs? 4. Throw some light on the vast biodiversity of Coorg. Long Answer Type Questions [Unsolved] 1. How has the Coorgi tradition of courage and bravery recognised in modern India? 2. Describe the wildlife of Coorg. 3. Describe Corgi's weather. When is it most pleasant for the tourists to visit Coorg? 4. The Corgis are the descendants of the Greeks or the Arabs and are still are able to maintain Their traditional practices. Do you agree that following these practices today is important? Why or why not? 126 | P a g e PART III: GLIMPSES OF INDIA – Tea from Assam Introduction This is a very short description of Assam, a North-Eastern State of India. This state is famous for its tea plantations. In this extract Pranjol, a youngster from Assam is Rajvir‘s classmate at a school in Delhi. Pranjol‘s father is the manager of a tea-garden in Upper Assam and Pranjol has invited Rajvir to visit his home during the summer vacation. GIST In ‗Tea from Assam‘ Arup Kumar Datta describes how popular tea has become as a beverage in the world. Over 80 crore cups of tea are drunk every day throughout the world. It shows the increasing popularity of tea. The lesson gives a graphic description of the sea of tea bushes stretching as far as eyes can go in Assam. The plucking of the newly sprouted leaves by groups of tea-pluckers with bamboo baskets on their backs are vividly described in the lesson. Pranjol belonged to Assam. He was studying in a school in Delhi. Rajvir was his classmate. Pranjol‘s father was the manager of a tea-garden in Upper Assam. Pranjol invited Rajvir to visit his home during the summer vacation. Both of them travelled to Assam on a train. When the train stopped on the way at a station, a vendor called, ‗chai-garam garam-chai‘. They took tea and started sipping it. Rajvir told Pranjol that over eighty crore cups of tea are drunk every day throughout the world. Pranjol started reading his detective book again. But Rajvir looked out of the window of the moving train. There was beautiful scenery outside. Soon the soft green paddy fields were left behind and there were tea bushes everywhere. Rajvir was fascinated by the magnificent view of tea gardens. There were shade trees also. He was very excited. Pranjol didn‘t share Rajvir‘s excitement because he had been born and brought up on a plantation. He told Rajvir that Assam has the largest concentration of tea plantation in the world. Rajvir said that no one really knows who discovered tea. He told Pranjol that there are many legends attached to tea, to the discovery of tea. According to one story, a Chinese emperor discovered tea by chance. He always boiled water before drinking it. One day a few leaves off the twigs burning under the pot fell into the water. As a result, the boiled water got a delicious flavour. It is said they were tea leaves. According to another Indian legend, Bodhidharma, an ancient Buddhist monk, felt sleep during meditations. So he cut off his eyelids. Ten tea plants grew out of the eyelids. The leaves of these plants when put in hot water and drunk banished sleep. Rajvir told Pranjol that tea was first drunk in China in 2700 B.C. Words like ‗chai‘ and ‗chini are Chinese. Tea came to Europe in the sixteenth century. At first, it was used more as a medicine than as a beverage. 129 | P a g e Question 3 Pranjol‘s father slowed down to allow a tractor, pulling a trailer-load of tea leaves, to pass. ―This is the second-flush or sprouting period, isn‘t it, Mr. Barua?‖ Rajvir asked. ―It lasts from May to July and yields the best tea‖. ―You seem to have done your homework before coming‖, Pranjol‘s father said in surprise. „ ―Yes, Mr. Barua‖, Rajvir admitted. ―But I hope to learn much more while I‘m here.‖ (a) Why did Mr. Barua feel surprised? (b) How did Rajvir want to spend his stay there? (c) Which word in the extract means ‗agreed‘? (d) What is the sprouting period of tea? Answer: (a) Mr Barua was surprised to know that Rajvir already knew a lot about the tea gardens of Assam. (b) Rajvir wanted to spend his time discovering the beauty of Assam. He wanted to learn more about the tea plantations of Assam. (c) ‗Admitted‘ from the extract means ‗agreed‘. (d) The sprouting period or the second-flush of tea lasts from May to July. Question 4 ―Do you know that over eighty crore cups of tea are drunk every day throughout the world?‖ Rajvir said. ―Whew!‖ exclaimed Pranjol. ―Tea really is very popular.‖ The train pulled out of the station. Pranjol buried his nose in his detective book again. Rajvir too was an ardent fan of detective stories, but at the moment he was keener on looking at the beautiful scenery. (a) How do we know that tea is very popular? (b) Rajvir was a great fan of reading detective stories. Why didn‘t he like to read at that? moment? (c) Which word in the extract means the same as ‗well-liked‘? (d) Where was Rajiv busy when train pulled out of the station? Answer: (a) We know that tea is very popular because eighty crore cups of tea are drunk every day throughout the world. (b) Rajvir didn‘t like to read a detective story at that moment because he was more interested in looking at the beautiful scenery which passed by as the train moved. (c) ‗Popular‘ from the extract means ‗well-liked‘. (d) Rajiv was busy in looking at the beautiful scenery outside the train when train pulled out of the station. 130 | P a g e Short Answer Questions (30-40 Words) 1. Where were Rajvir and Pranjol going and why? Ans: Rajvir and Pranjol were going to Assam as Pranjol had invited Rajvir to spend summer vacation there. 2. What did Rajvir see while looking outside from the train? Ans: Rajvir saw much greenery while looking outside from the train. He was amazed to see the soft: green paddy fields first and then the green tea bushes. 3.‗This is a tea country now‘. Explain this with reference to Assam. Ans: Assam has the world‘s largest concentration of tea plantations in the world. A large number of tea gardens can be found there. Most of the tea grown in Assam is supplied all over the world. 4. In what ways is China related to tea? Ans: Tea was first drunk in China. The words ‗chai‘ and ‗chini‘ are from Chinese. 5. Why did Pranjol‘s father say that Rajvir had done his homework before visiting Assam? Ans: Rajvir was very excited about visiting the tea garden and thus, he studied a lot about it before visiting the tea garden. Thus, Pranjol‘s father said that Rajvir had already done his homework before visiting Assam. Long Answer Questions (100-150 Words) 1.According to the text, Assam is said to be ‗tea country‘. Do you believe that Assam has some of the best plantations in the world that makes it a unique country? Ans: In India, some of the best plantations like tea and coffee are grown in huge quantities. India is also a home to many spices like haldi and while Assam is home to tea, Coorg is home to coffee. Others are grown exclusively in India and exported to various countries. These plantations make India a unique country which has not just traditional spices and beverage plants growing within it but also follows traditional agricultural practices. 2.What are the legends related to the discovery of tea? Ans. There are many popular legends about the discovery of tea. Two of them are as follows: A Chinese emperor was used to drinking boiled water. One day a twig from the fire fell into the pot in which water was being boiled. It gave a delicious flavour to the drink. It is said that those were tea leaves. 131 | P a g e An Indian legend goes like this. Once there was a Buddhist ascetic who used to feel sleepy during meditations. So he cut off his eyelids. Ten tea plants grew out of the eyelids. When the leaves from these plants were put in hot water and drunk they banished sleep. Extract Based Questions [Unsolved] Question 1 Read the following extracts carefully and answer the questions that follow: I have been reading as much as I could about tea- Rajvir said. ―No one really knows who discovered tea but there are many legends.‖ ―What legends?‖ ―Well, there‘s the one about the Chinese emperor who always boiled water before drinking it. One day a few leaves off the twigs burning under the pot fell into the water giving it a delicious flavour. it is said they were tea-leaves.‖ Tell me another!‖ scoffed Pranjol.‖ We have an Indian legend too. Bodhi dharma, an ancient Buddhist ascetic, cut off his eyelids because he felt sleepy during meditations. Ten tea plants grew out of the eyelids. The leaves of these plants when put in hot water and drunk banished sleep. (a) What kind of water did the Chinese emperor drink? (b) What happened when a few leaves of the twigs fell into the water kept for boiling? (c) What did Bodhi dharma cut off his eyelids? (d) What banished sleep? (e) Find a word from the passage which means ‗tasty‘. Question 2 The train pulled out of the station. Pranjol buried his nose in his detective book again. Rajvir too was an ardent fan of detective stories, but at the moment he was keener on looking at the beautiful scenery. It was green, green everywhere. Rajvir had never seen so much greenery before. Then the soft green paddy fields gave way to tea bushes. It was a magnificent view. Against the backdrop of densely wooded hills, a sea of tea bushes stretched as far as the eye could see. Dwarfing the tiny tea plants were tall sturdy shade-trees and amidst the orderly rows of bushes busily moved doll-like figures. In the distance was an ugly building with smoke billowing out of tall chimneys. 134 | P a g e Answers (a) All night the roots work to free themselves from the cracks in the veranda floor. (b) The small twigs are stiff. (c) The boughs are compared to newly discharged patients. (d) The leaves strain towards the glass. (e) Poem: The Trees, Poetess: Adrienne Rich. 3. I sit inside, doors open to the veranda writing long letters in which I scarcely mention the departure of the forest from the house. The night is fresh, the whole moon shines in a sky still open. Questions (a) Where is the poetess sitting? (b) What is the poetess doing? (c) What does she not mention in her letters? (d) How does the poetess describe the night and the moon? (e) How is the sky? Answers (a) The poetess is sitting in her room. (b) The poetess is writing long letters. (c) She does not mention the departure of the forest from the house. (d) The night is pleasant and fresh. The full moon is shining. (e) The sky is still open. 4. The smell of leaves and lichen still reaches like a voice into the rooms. My head is full of whispers which tomorrow will be silent. Questions: Questions (a) Where is the poetess sitting at present? (b) Which smell is reaching her? (c) What is her head full of? (d) What will be silent tomorrow? (e) Name the poem and the poetess. 135 | P a g e Answers (a) At present, the poetess is sitting in her room. (b) The smell of leaves and lichen is reaching her. (c) Her head is full of whispers. (d) Tomorrow, the whispers will be silent. (e) Poem: The Trees, Poetess: Adrienne Rich. 5. Listen. The glass is breaking. The trees are stumbling forward into the night Winds rush to meet them. The moon is broken like a mirror, its pieces flash now in the crown of the tallest oak. Questions (a) What is happening to the glass? (b) What does the poetess say about the trees? (c) What rushes out to meet the trees? (d) How does the poetess describe the moon? (e) Why does the wind rush? Answers (a) The glass is breaking. (b) The poetess says that the trees are stumbling forward into the night. (c) The wind rushes out to meet the trees. (d) The poetess says that the moon is like a broken mirror. (e) The wind rushes to meet the trees. Short Answer Questions (30-40words) Q1- (i) Find three things in the first stanza, that cannot happen in a treeless forest? Ans: The three things mentioned in the first stanza that cannot happen in a treeless forest are: 1. Birds sitting on the tree branches. 2. The hiding of insects in the branches of trees 3. The sun burying its feet in the shadow of the trees in the forest. 136 | P a g e (ii) What picture do these words create in your mind: ―… sun bury its feet in shadow…‖? What could the poet mean by the sun‘s ‗feet?‘ Ans: The sun‘s feet are the rays of sun that reach the earth after falling on the leaves of the trees and finally, reach the earth‘s surface. Q2 (i) Where are the trees in the poem? What do their roots, their leaves, and their twigs do? Ans: The trees are in the poet‘s house. The roots are working hard to remove themselves from the cracks of veranda. The leaves are making an effort to reach towards the glass in order to come out and the twigs are making attempts to set themselves free and reach the forest. (ii) What does the poet compare their branches to? Ans: The poet uses the word long cramped for the branches. She says that the branches are trying hard to come out of the roof. She then compares them with newly discharged patients who are trying to move out in their half consciousness. Q3 (i) How does the poet describe the moon? (a) At the beginning of the third stanza, and (b) at its end? What causes this change? Ans: The poet describes the moon as a full moon in the beginning of the third stanza but at the end of the stanza, she describes it to be broken into pieces. The change in the moon is because of the trees. The trees that earlier were in the poet‘s house have now reached the forest. Their long branches have cast a shadow on the full moon and now it appears to be broken into pieces like a mirror. (ii) What happens to the house when the trees move out of it? Ans: The house becomes silent as the fragrance of the leaves and lichens which was like a voice urging for a change can no longer be smelt. (iii) Why do you think the poet does not mention ―the departure of the forest from the house‖ in her letters? (Could it be that we are often silent about important happenings that are so unexpected that they embarrass us? Think about this again when you answer the next set of questions.)? Ans: The poet did not mention the departure of the forest from her house because it is a part of human nature to ignore the important matters of their life. We all know that trees are so important for our survival on earth. But still human beings are cutting them for making profits without even thinking of the aftermath. 139 | P a g e disappeared thereby creating a chaos. Passengers were frightened. A lady climbed up her chair and in an attempt to get a hold of Mij, the author got himself covered in curry. The air hostess offered help and brought him back to Gavin and finally, they reached London. Mij was fond of playing with ping-pong balls and marbles. He even developed a game with the author‘s damaged suitcase. It could keep him engrossed for a long period of time. Narrator took him for walks while taking the lead and played with him. People of London, being unfamiliar with otters, had wild guesses about what Mij was. Some thought it to be a baby seal, squirrel or even a hippo. The most shocking reaction came when a labourer digging the hole asked the author, ―What is that supposed to be?‖ Extract based comprehension questions: 1. Mijbil, as I called the otter, was, in fact, of a race previously unknown to science, and was at length christened by zoologists Lutrogale Perspicillata Maxwelli, or Maxwell‘s otter. For the twenty-four hours Mijbil was either hostile or friendly; he was simply aloof and indifferent, choosing to sleep on the floor as far from my bed as possible. Question a) Who was Mijbil? b) How did the otter behave for the first twenty-four hours? c) Find exact word from the extract which means ‗having no particular interest‘. d) Why is the otter called ‗Maxwell‘s otter‘? Ansewrs a) Mijbil was the name of the otter brought by the narrator b) The otter was indifferent and stayed as far as possible from the narrator for the first 24 hours. c) ‗Indifferent‘ from the extract means ‗having no particular interest‘. d) The otter was christened by zoologist Maxwell. So, in his honour, it was called Maxwell‘s otter. 2. Mij was out of the box in a flash. He disappeared at high speed down the aircraft. There was squawks and shrieks, and a woman stood up on her seat screaming out, ―A rat! A rat!‖ a) Why did the woman scream? b) What did Mij do? c) Find the exact word from the extract which means‘ makes a loud noise‘. d) What had Mij been compared with a rat. CLICK ON IMAGE TO JOIN US ON TELEGRAM CLICK HERE TO JOIN US ON TELEGRAM 140 | P a g e Answers a) the woman screamed as she thought that there was a rat inside the plane. b) Mij came out of the box and disappeared. c) ‗Squawk ‗from the extract means‘ make a loud noise‘ d) In the extract, Mij had been compared with a rat. Short Answer Questions (30-40 words) Q1.What happened when Maxwell took Mijbil to the bathroom? What did it do two days after that? A. When Maxwell took Mijbil to the bathroom, for half an hour he went wild with joy in the water, plunging and rolling in it, shooting up and down the length of the bathtub underwater, and making enough slosh and splash for a hippo. Two days later, it escaped into the bathroom and Maxwell saw it opening the tap, all by itself. Q2.Why did Maxwell put the otter back in the box? How do you think he felt when he did this? A. Maxwell removed every bit of the shredded inner lining so that Mij won‘t hurt himself. He then kept the otter back in the box as they had to reach the flight on time. He must have felt pity and be worried about Mij. Q3.Why does Maxwell say the airhostess was ―the very queen of her kind‖? A. When Maxwell boarded the flight, he took the air hostess into confidence about the latest incidents. Being understanding, friendly and kind, she advised him to keep the box on his lap. Thus, the way she listened and helped him, led to an admiration that made the narrator say that she was ―the very queen of her kind‖. Q4. Describe the physical appearance of Mijbil, the otter. Ans. The creature that emerged from the sack was a unique one. He resembled like a very small imaginary dragon of the middle Ages. Its body was coated with pointed scales. Between them a soft velvet fur was visible. It was like a chocolate brown mole. Long Answer Questions :( 100 -150 words) Q1. Describe the relationship between the otter and Maxwell in your own words. Ans. Maxwell and the otter Mijbil shared a lovely relationship. Maxwell treated Mij like his own son. He took very good care of him. He gave him many toys including marbles, rubber bans, rubber fruits and a terrapin shell to play with. He took him to the bathtub to play in the water knowing the fascination of 143 | P a g e Answers: (a) The poet uses the metaphor of the cat because the fog changes into a cat and the cat morphs back into the fog. (b) The fog enters silently like a little cat. (c) The fog sits silently on its haunches overlooking the harbour and the city. (d) The fog stays for a while and departs silently. Short Answer Questions (30-40 Words) Q 1.How does the poet compare fog to a living being? Ans: The poet compares the fog to a cat. The silent steps of a cat and the way it sits on its haunches is very similar to the way fog comes and surrounds the city and looks over it. Q 2.What image does the poet give to the fog? What are the similarities between that image and fog? Ans: The poet looks at fog as a living creature and compares it to a cat. The fog moves like a cat on little cat feet and sits on haunches like a cat. Additional SAQ for practice 1. How is the fog like a cat? What poetic device is used by the poet here? 2. Name the three things that tell us that the fog is like a cat. Long Answer Questions: (100-150 words) Q 1.Difficulties come but they are not to stay forever. They come and go. Comment referring to the poem ‗Fog‘. Ans: Difficulties, when faced by people, tend to leave them hopeless and shattered. It takes a lot of courage to overcome any problem and to solve it. If we take a clue from the poem and compare difficulties to fog, we find that just like fog, difficulties also come and go. Fog is a very small poem written by Carl Sandburg. He has described the process of arrival of the fog into a city and the harbour. He has very beautifully compared it to a cat. One need not be hopeless and lose courage when problems come, one should rather think of it as fog, meaning that it has not come to stay but will always leave, like fog. Q 2.Nature has many wonders that people take for granted and never pay attention to. How is the poem ‗Fog‘ different from this perspective? 144 | P a g e Ans: Fog is a very small poem written by Carl Sandburg. He has described the process of arrival of the fog into a city and the harbour. He has very beautifully compared it to a cat. The poet has taken utmost pleasure in nature and natural phenomenon like fog. Fog is so special to the poet that he cared enough not only to write about it, but also thinks of its resemblance with other things in the world. In his close attention to fog, he found fog resembles a cat, in the way it moves and sits on its haunches. The fact that such a resemblance was found by the poet shows how connected he is to various things in nature. This poem serves as a motivation for people, who take nature for granted to find such interesting comparisons and similarities around them. Additional LAQ for practice 1. How does the poet describe the fog as if it were a living being, Elaborate? 2. How does the poet make fog like a living being? What message does the ‗Fog‘ give out? UNIT 9 MADAM RIDES THE BUS GIST: In this story, the author tries to present a world as seen from a child‘s perspective. The main character of this story is an eight year old girl who lives near a bus stop in a village. For major part of the day, she enjoys standing in her doorway; watching frenetic activities at the bus stop. Valli develops a desire to enjoy a ride on the bus but she needs to plan meticulously to realize her dream. She has to curtail her expenses so that she can save enough money for two-way fair. She also has to make the journey during the time when her mother takes afternoon nap. While on her journey, Valli does not want anybody‘s help and wants to feel independent. She enjoys every bit of her journey to the town. But she is careful enough not to get off the bus in the unknown environs of the town. On her return journey, a sad accident spoils her mood and she just keeps to herself throughout the journey. She does not seem to be satisfied with one ride and wishes to make another attempt in future. She is also quite mischievous when she is sure that her mother did not know about her journey. EXTRACT BASED COMPREHENSION QUESTION EXERCISES: 1. Day after day she watched the bus, and gradually a tiny wish crept into her head and grew there: she wanted to ride on that bus, even if just once. This wish became stronger and stronger until it was an ―overwhelming desire. Valli would stare wistfully at the people who got on or off the bus when it stopped at 145 | P a g e the street corners. Their faces would kindle in her longings, dreams and hopes. If one of her friends ride the bus and tried to describe the sights of the town to her, Valli would be too jealous to listen to tug shout, in English: ‗Proud! Proud‖ Neither she nor her friends really understood the meaning of the word but they used it often as a slang expression of disapproval. Questions: (a) What was Valli‘s ‗tiny wish‘? (b) What would Valli wistfully stare at? (c) When were Valli‘s longings, hopes and dreams kindled? (d) When would Valli be jealous? (e) Find a word from the passage which means ‗excite‘. Answers: (a) Valli‘s tiny wish was to travel by bus. (b) She would stare wistfully at the people who got on or off the bus. (c) The sight of the bus passengers would kindle in her longings, dreams and hopes. (d) She felt jealous when one of her friends described the sights of the town to her. (e) ‗Kindle.‘ 2. The bus rolled on now cutting across a bare landscape, now rushing through a tiny hamlet or past an odd wayside shop. Sometimes the bus seemed on the point of gobbling up another vehicle that was coming towards them or a pedestrian crossing the road. But lo! Somehow it passed on smoothly leaving all obstacles safely behind. Trees came running towards them but then stopped as the bus reached them and simply stood there helpless for a moment by the side of the road before rushing away in the other direction. Questions: (a) From which story have these lines been taken? (b) What did the bus pass by? (c) How does the author describe the landscape? (d) How did the trees appear from the moving bus? (e) Find a word from the passage which means ‗village‘. Answers: 148 | P a g e Q4. Give examples from the text to show that Valli was a meticulous planner. Ans. Valli was a meticulous planner. She listened carefully to the conversations between her neighbours and people who regularly used the bus and also asked discreet questions. She picked up various small details about the bus journey and then planned. LONG ANSWER QUESTIONS (100-150 Words): Q1.‖ Never mind,‖ she said, ―I can get on by myself.‖ ―You don‘t have to help me,‖ said Valli to the conductor. She shows extraordinary courage in making the bus journey all alone. Taking inspiration from Valli‘s character, write how the ability and courage to take risk are essential to fulfilling one‘s dream. Or Valli nurtures a strong desire to travel by bus and visit the city. She works hard for it and finally, she is successful. Based on this incident, analyse what values of life do you need to nurture to attain your goals in life? Ans. Valli is an eight-year-old village girl. She is fascinated by the bus that comes to the village every hour. She develops a desire and then a longing turning into a firm determination to ride the bus. She meticulously plans for it and saves money for the bus journey. Then she boards the bus without anyone‘s help. She travels all alone, confidently and independently and finally returns home successfully. Her self-dependence and self- respecting nature help her to nurture her goal. She enjoys her journey. Similarly, to achieve goals in life, we need to have such values in us. One should be confident and self-dependent. Proper planning and strong determination lead to success. Enthusiasm and excitement to achieve the goal are also needed to nurture our goals in life. Q2. Justify the statement with instances that Valla was a mature girl and ahead of her age? Ans. Valli was an eight-year-old village girl. She had no playmates. Her favourite pastime was to stand at the doorstep and watch things and people. She not only satisfied her curiosity but also gained new experiences. Her strongest desire was to make a bus-ride. She meticulously planned for it gathered information about the distance, time and ticket money. Showing self-restraint, she resisted the temptation to buy peppermint, toys or a ride on the merry-go-round in order to save 60 paise for the bus journey. She boarded the bus without anyone‘s help, refused a free treat by the conductor and didn‘t talk to strangers. This shows her commanding, confident and self-dependent nature. This also shows her determination and maturity at such a little age. 149 | P a g e Q3. Describe Valli‘s return journey. Ans. The bus resumed its return journey. There were the same wonderful sights. Valli enjoyed the scene again. But suddenly she saw a young cow lying dead, by the roadside. It had been struck by a fast moving vehicle. She asked the conductor if it was the same cow they saw earlier. The conductor nodded. Valli became sad. It had been a lovable, beautiful creature just a little ago. But now the cow was without its charm and its life. The bus moved on. The memory of the dead cow haunted Valli. She no longer wanted to see out of the window. She kept sitting on her seat until her village came. She got down and wished the conductor to see him again. The conductor smiled. He told Valli that whenever she felt like riding the bus she could come and join them. Q.4. Why does Valli refuse to look out of the window on her way back? Ans. On her way to the town, Valli laughed heartily to see a young cow running at high speed in the middle of the road just in front of their bus. But on her way back, she saw a young cow lying dead near the road. She asked the bus conductor if it was the same cow that was running in front of the bus. The bus conductor nodded. She was shocked and sad. So she refuses to look out of the window on her way back because what was so beautiful a little while ago now looked so horrible. The memory of the dead cow haunts her. It dampens her enthusiasm. UNSOLVED QUESTIONS: SHORT ANSWER QUESTIONS: (30-40 Words) 1. What details did Valli pick up about the bus journey? How did she pick up these details? 2. What was the most fascinating thing for Valli? 3. How did Valli manage to leave the house? 4. How did Valli react when the conductor called her ―a very grown-up madam?‖ LONG ANSWER QUESTIONS (100-150 Words): 1. Do you think that Valli enjoyed her first ride on a bus? Give examples in support of your answer. 2. Valli was so overcome with sadness to see the dead cow that she lost all enthusiasm. Do you feel the same way? If you feel concerned about the plight of animals falling prey to the fast-moving traffic, what efforts will you make to make travelling on roads a safer activity? 3. How did Valli save up money for her first journey? Was it easy for her? Justify. 4. How can you say that the conductor was a good-natured jolly fellow? Support your answer with examples. 150 | P a g e The Tale of Custard the Dragon (POEM) GIST The Tale of Custard the Dragon‘ is a whimsical fantasy. Belinda lives alone in her house with four pets, a dog, a cat, a mouse and a dragon named Custard. All other dwellers of the house except Custard, pride themselves on their fearlessness. They mock poor Custard for his timidity. However, when the real danger comes all others run away in a panic except Custard. Only Custard fights ferociously and swallows the pirate. The poem ends ironically. After the danger is past, everyone begins to boast again about their courage. Ironically, Custard who fought like a hero against the pirate agrees that everyone else is braver than he is. So, appearances may be deceptive. And even your merit and real value may not be recognised by your unwilling rivals. Extract Based Comprehension Questions: 1- Custard the dragon had big sharp teeth, And spikes on top of him and scales underneath, Mouth like a fireplace, chimney for a nose, And realio, trulio, daggers on his toes. Question (a) What did the dragon look like? (b) Why is the dragon‘s mouth called a chimney? (c) Which word in the stanza means the same as ―a small sword‖? (d) Find from the passage a word which means a structure through which smoke or steam is carried up away from a fire. Answer (a) The Dragon had spikes on top and scale underneath. His mouth was like a fireplace and nose was like a chimney. He looked dangerous as his toes looked like daggers. (b) Dragons can spit fire, therefore Custard‘s mouth has been called a fireplace. (c) The word is ‗Dagger‘. (d) The word is ‗Chimney‘. 2- Suddenly, suddenly they heard a nasty sound, And Mustard growled, and they all looked around. Meowch! cried Ink, and Ooh! cried Belinda, For there was a pirate, climbing in the winda. Question (a) Which poetic device is used in these lines? CLICK ON IMAGE TO JOIN US ON TELEGRAM CLICK HERE TO JOIN US ON TELEGRAM 153 | P a g e because he likes comfort, he is not a coward. In fact, he was the only one, who had the courage to face the pirate and kill him. Q3. Evaluate Ogden Nash‘s ‗The Tale of Custard the Dragon‘ as a ballad. What message does the poet give to the readers in this poem? Ans. Ballads are stories told in verse. Generally, ballads are tales of adventures and heroism. In the poem, the poet does present the encounter of Custard and the pirate in the typical spirit of a ballad. The four-line stanzas have the rhyme scheme: aa, bb throughout the poem. Ogden Nash gives a subtle message to the readers through the fate of Custard, the dragon. In this world of deceit, self-confidence, self-dependence and self-respect are essentials to earn your rightful place among your peers. The mere presence of physical strength is not enough. The more important point is that you must be conscious of your strength. You must be fully aware of the fact that many others who are far inferior in strength and power should have no right to taunt and ridicule you. UNSOLVED QUESTIONS LONG ANSWER QUESTIONS (100-150 Words) 1. Why do you think Custard, the dragon, was called a coward? How was Custard able to save all his house-mates from the pirate? What values should Belinda have possessed so that Custard too could have been among her favourites? 2. Describe the fight between the dragon and the pirate. 3. Was everyone really as brave as they claimed? What did everyone do When the pirate came? SHORT ANSWER QUESTIONS: (30-40 Words) 1. Who all lived in a white house with Belinda? 2. Why did everyone make fun of the dragon? 3. Why did Ink and Blink gyrate in glee? 4. Did Custard accept his cowardice and their bravery 154 | P a g e UNIT 10 THE SERMON AT BENARES GIST Sermon is a religious talk delivered by a prophet or Saint. Here we have the journey of Gautam Buddha from prince hood to his saintly life. He left the palace at the age of 25, after seeing the sufferings of the world, to seek enlightenment. He wandered for seven years, here and there, and under a peepal tree at Bodhgaya he got it. His first sermon was delivered at Benaras as it was considered to be the holiest place because of the river Ganga. He thinks that he who seeks peace should draw out the arrow of lamentation, complaint and grief. He who has drawn out the arrow has become composed, and will obtain peace of mind; he who has overcome all such circumstances will be free from sorrow and be blessed. Kisa Gautami was grieving over the death of her son. She moved from door to door and at last came to Buddha. She made him a humble request to make her son alive. Buddha said he would do but he asked a handful of mustard seeds. He further commanded it must be taken from a house where no one had lost a child, husband, parent or friend. She went from house to house but was unable to find one where nobody had died. She was tired and hopeless and sat down at the wayside watching the light of the city as they flickered up. And she realised that these lives flicker up for some time and are extinguished again. This way she was taught that the lives of mortals in this world are troubled and brief and there is no means by which one can avoid deaths. As all earthen vessels made by the potter are being broken, so is the life of mortals. Death is inevitable. DETAILED SUMMARY Gautam Buddha was born in 563 B.C. He was born in a royal family. He was a prince. His name was Siddhartha Gautam. At the age of twelve, he was sent away for schooling. He studied all the sacred Hindu scriptures. He returned after four years. At the age of sixteen, he married a princess. They had a son. For ten years the couple passed a happy life. Siddhartha had been shielded from the suffering of the world. However, when he was twenty-five, Siddhartha saw a sick man, then an aged man, then a funeral procession. Finally, he came across a monk begging for alms. This was his first encounter with the harsh realities of life. These sights made him so sad that he decided to renounce the worldly pleasures. He left his family and became a beggar. He went out into the world to seek spiritual knowledge. Siddhartha Gautama wandered for seven years in search of wisdom and truth. Finally, he sat down under a fig tree to meditate. He vowed to stay there until he got enlightenment. After seven days, Gautama got enlightenment. He named the tree as the ‗Bodhi Tree‘. that is ‗The tree of wisdom‘. He became known as ‗the Buddha‘ which means ‗enlightened‘ or ‗the awakened‘. He began to teach and to spread his message of wisdom and truth. He became known as the Buddha (the enlightened). 157 | P a g e Answers: (a) At twelve, he was sent away for schooling in the Hindi; sacred seen (b) He saw a sick man, then human image man and then a funeral procession (c) He was sent away for Schooling in the Hindu sacred scriptures. (d) He married at the age en after completing his schooling. 4. Buddha said, ―The life of mortals in this world is troubled and brief and combined with pain. For there is not any means by which those that have been born can avoid dying; after reaching old age there is death; of such a nature are living beings. As ripe fruits are early in danger of falling, so mortals, when born, are always in danger of death. As all earthen vessels made by the Potter end in being broken, so is the life of mortals. Both young and adult, both those who are fools and those who are wise, all fall. Into the power of death, all are subject to death.‖ Questions: (a) What did the Buddha say about the life of the people? (b) What does a ripe fruit fear? (c) What happens after reaching age? (d) What, according to Buddha, death is avoidable? Answers: (a) The life of people is troubled and brief and combined with pain. (b) A ripe fruit fears the danger of falling. (c) There is death after birth. (d) There is not any means by which those that have been born, can avoid dying. SHORT ANSWER QUESTIONS (30-40 Words): Q1. Who was Gautam Buddha? Write a few lines about his early life. Ans. Gautam Buddha was a prince. He was named Siddhartha Gautam by his parents. He was born in 563 B.C. in North India. He was sent away for schooling when he was twelve years old but four years later, he got married to a princess. 158 | P a g e Q 2. What did Buddha say about the mortals of the world? Ans. The Buddha told Kisa Gotami that the life of mortals is troubled and brief in this world. Those who have been born can‘t avoid dying. As ripe fruits are in danger of falling, so mortals are always in danger of death. All earthen vessels end in being broken. Q 3. Did Kisa Gotami get a handful of mustard seeds as directed by the Buddha? Ans. Poor Kisa Gotami went from house to house. The people pitied her and were ready to give a handful of mustard seeds to her. But, she couldn‘t find a house where no one had lost a child, husband, parent or friend. Q 4. Why did Kisa Gotami say, ‗How selfish am I in my grief!‘ What did she realise about the fate of mankind? Ans. Kisa Gotami became weary and hopeless. At last, the darkness of the night reigned everywhere. She realised that she had been very selfish in her grief Death spares none. One who is born is destined to die sooner or later. No grieving or lamenting would bring a dead man to life. LONG ANSWER QUESTIONS (100-150 Words) Q 1. ―The life of mortals in this world is troubled and brief and combined with pain‖ With this statement of the Buddha, find out the moral values that Kisa Gotami learnt after the death of her child. Ans. After the death of her only son, Kisa Gotami went to the Buddha. Firstly, she went to every neighbour, asking for medicine for her dead son. She had lost all her senses. She forgot that no medicine could bring back the dead. Then she went to Buddha for making her son alive. Buddha asked her to bring a handful of mustard seeds from a house where no death had occur. But she couldn‘t find such a house. The Buddha made her realise that death is common to all. It also shows the detachment from mundane life. Only grieving cannot bring peace of mind. Q 2. Why did Kisa Gotami understand the message given by the Buddha only the second time? In what way did the Buddha change her understanding? Ans. Kisa Gotami had lost her only son and in grief, she carried her dead son to all her neighbours to get him cured and restored back to life. Finally, she went to the Buddha asking him for medicine to cure her boy. The Buddha felt that she needed to be enlightened about the truth of life - that death and sorrow are inescapable. He could see that grief had blinded her, and it would be difficult for her to accept the truth. So the Buddha told her to procure mustard seeds from a house where none had died. Kisa Gotami went from 159 | P a g e door to door. Then she realized that there was no house where no one had died and that death is common to all. She came back to the Buddha where He sermonized her that life in this world is troubled and filled with sorrows. He gave her examples of ripe fruits and earthen vessels whose ‗lives‘ are short. This way he made her realize that death is unavoidable and none — even the near and dear ones — can save anyone from death. Q3. Describe the journey of Siddhartha Gautam becoming the Buddha. Ans. Gautam Buddha began his life as a royal prince. He was named Siddhartha Gautama. At twelve, Gautama was sent away for schooling in the Hindu sacred scriptures. At the age of sixteen, he returned home to marry a princess. The prince was deliberately shielded from all sufferings of the world. But this attempt failed when the prince while out hunting chanced upon a sick man. Then, he saw an aged man. He also chanced to see a funeral procession. Finally, he saw a monk, begging for alms. These sights of suffering, sickness and decay shocked and moved the prince. He wanted to seek the final solution of all these sorrows and sufferings. He wandered for seven Years in search of enlightenment. Finally, he sat down under a fig tree. He meditated there until he was enlightened after seven days. He renamed the tree the Bodhi Tree or the Tree of Wisdom. He became known as the Buddha or the Awakened or the enlightened one. The Buddha gave his first sermon at Benares on the River Ganges. UNSOLVED QUESTIONS: Extract Based Comprehension Questions Exercises: A. And the girl said. ―Please tell me, sir, who is it‘?‖ And the man replied. ―Go to Sakyamuni the Buddha.‖ Kisa Gotami repaired to the Buddha and cried. ―Lord and Master, give me the medicine that will cure my boy.‖ The Buddha answered, ―I want a handful of mustard-seed.‖ And when the girl in her joy promised to procure it, the Buddha added. ―The mustard-seed must be taken from a house where no one has lost a child, husband, parent or friend.‖ Questions: (a) Name the lesson from the above lines have been taken. (b) What suggestion did a man give to Gotami? (c) What request did (Miami make to the Buddha? (d) What did Buddha ask the girl to do? 162 | P a g e 2. ―But I can get a hair-dyeAnd set such colour there, Brown, or black, or carrot, That young man in despair May love me for myself alone And not my yellow hair.‖ Questions: (a) What different colours have been mentioned in the extract? (b) The speaker wants _ _. (c) Who does ‗I‘ stand for? (d) Why does the speaker talk about changing the colour of hair? Answers. (a) Brown, black, carrot and yellow. (b) That she should be loved for what she is and not for the colour of her hair. (c) Anne Gregory (d) So that she would be loved for what she is and not for the colour of her hair. SHORT ANSWER QUESTIONS (30-40 WORDS): Q. 1. What is the theme of the poem ‗For Anne Gregory‘? Ans. The poem conveys the idea that physical beauty may be important for young men or human beings. But God does not love human beings for their physical beauty. In this poem, the poet gives an example of a lover who loves the yellow hair of a young lady but does not like her ramparts. The lady disapproves his love. Q. 2. To whom is the first stanza of the poem addressed? What does the speaker say to her? Ans. The first stanza of the poem is addressed to a lady named Anne Gregory. She had a great influence on the poet. He had great respect for her. He tells her that although she is a noble lady, yet nobody would love her for herself alone. Q. 3. What makes a young man not to love the woman referred to in the first stanza? Ans. The woman has beautiful yellow hair. But the outer part of her ears is not attractive. The poet says that never shall man love her only for herself. Q. 4. What does the woman say she can do to make herself more desirable to young men? What does this show? Ans. The woman says that she would dye her hair brown, black or in carrot colour. This shows that young men give more importance to physical appearance than inner beauty. 163 | P a g e LONG ANSWER QUESTIONS (100-150 words): Q1. Do we love people because we like their appearances or we are fascinated by their physical appearances? How does Anne Gregory want to be loved? Ans. This is the world of pomp and show. Things and people are often liked and loved not because of their merit but because of their external appearances. Anne Gregory‘s honey-coloured yellowish hair looks like the ramparts of a fort when they fall on her ears. There are many who love Anne Gregory only for her yellow hair. However, Anne doesn‘t like to be liked and loved this way. After all, how does the colour matter? She can dye her hair the way she likes. She can dye them brown, black, of carrot‘s colour or the way she likes. If her lover likes only for her beautiful hair, she won‘t accept him. She should be loved for `herself alone‘. But this world doesn‘t go by her wish. Only God can love a person for what he is. Human beings will go on being tempted by beautiful yellow hair. Q2. People are not objects. They should be valued for being themselves. What lesson does the poet want to give to the readers through this poem? Ans. Absolutely true. People are not objects. Appearances may be deceptive. A person should be liked and loved for being himself or ‗herself. Outwardly appearances do tempt and dazzle us. There may be many persons who would love to see Anne‘s beautiful hair falling over her ears like the ramparts of a fort. Many would love Anne Gregory for her beautiful yellow hair. It would be difficult to find a real lover who loves Anne for `herself alone‘. What is so great about yellow hair? Anne ridicules the idea of being loved for her yellow hair. She can dye her hair the way she likes — brown, black, carrot or yellow. But the irony of this world is that people will go on being tempted and dazzled by glamour, show and outwardly appearances. Only God can love a person for ‗himself or herself‘ alone. UNSOLVED QUESTIONS: Short Answer Questions: (30-40 words each) 1. What wisdom was imparted to the poet by an old religious man? Do you agree with the opinion? 2. Why is only God capable of loving Anne for herself? 3. Why will a young man never been thrown in despair? Long Answer Questions: (100-150 words each) 1. Is it right to judge someone on the basis of his/her physical appearance. Elaborate. 2. The poet in the poem, ‗for Anne Gregory‘ conveys that we should lay importance on the inner beauty of a person and not the physical appearance. Elaborate with reference to the poem. 164 | P a g e UNIT 11: The Proposal INTRODUCTION Anton Chekov (1860-1904) was a famous writer. He is chiefly known for his short stories. This story ‗The Proposal‘ is a romantic story of a neighbour named Ivan Lomov. He is a landowner and often gets money from Chuhukov‘s another landowner. Chubukov has a daughter named Natalya. Lomov comes to Chubukov with a marriage proposal for his daughter Natalya. GIST ‗The Proposal‘ is a one-act play. Actually, it is a farce written by Anton Chekhov in 1888-89. The play is about the tendency of wealthy families to seek matrimonial ties. The real purpose is to increase their estates and landed properties. Ivan Lomov was a wealthy neighbour of another wealthy farmer Stepan Chubukov. Lomov comes to seek the hand of Chubukov‘s twenty-five-year-old daughter, Natalya. Tomov, Chubukov and Natalya‘-all three are quarrelsome people. They quarrel over petty or small issues. Each one of them has a claim over a particular piece of land. They also quarrel over their dogs. Amidst this quarrelling, they completely forget the real issue — the marriage proposal. But good sense prevails in the end. Economic good sense ensures that the proposal is made. Chubukov doesn‘t want to miss the opportunity. He puts his daughter‘s hand into Lomov‘s hands. He doesn‘t waste any time and blesses them. However, old habits die hard. The newly married couple starts their married life with a fresh quarrel. DETAILED SUMMARY When the play begins we see that Lomov comes to meet Chubukov at his house. Chubukov who is a farmer welcomes Lomov. He asks him why he is wearing formal clothes and whether he is going to attend a function. Lomov replies that he is not going anywhere; he has come only to meet him. Lomov appears excited and perturbed. He calms himself down and begins to tell him the purpose of his visit. He tells him that he came to him many times in the past also for his help but he did not help him. Before telling the purpose of his visit. Lomov is excited once again. Chubukov thinks that perhaps he has come to ask for a loan. He makes up his mind not to help him in any way. Lomov once again begins to tell Chubukov about the purpose of his visit. But he once again becomes excited. He talks about himself in exaggerated terms. Chubukov asks him not to beat about the hush and to talk about his purpose of coming. Lomov gathers courage and tells him that he has come to ask for his daughter Natalya‘s hand in marriage. On hearing this Chubukov becomes very happy, he goes in to call Natalya. But before this Lomov asks him whether Natalya would give her permission for this. Chubukov replies that she will readily accept a match like him. 167 | P a g e (d) He will not allow anybody to accuse him of having grabbed anyone‘s land. 3. What a surprise! We‘ve had the land for nearly three hundred years, and then we‘re suddenly told that it isn‘t ours! Ivan Vassilevitch, I can hardly believe my own ears. These Meadows aren‘t worth much to me. They only come to five dessiatins and are worth perhaps 300 roubles, but I can‘t stand unfairness. Say what you will, I can‘t stand unfairness. Questions. (a) Who speaks the above lines and to whom? (b) How much are the meadows worth? (c) Who is the speaker of these lines? (d) What is difficult for the speaker to believe? Answer (a) Lomov speaks these lines to Natalya. (b) They worth perhaps 300 roubles. (c) Natalya Stepanovna (d) That the Meadows don‘t belong to the speaker. Character Sketch 1. Natalya: Natalya is talkative and short-tempered. She is very much concerned about her family‘s honour and land. She is argumentative also. She argues with Lomov about the ownership of Oxen Meadows and the superiority of her dog Squeezer. She is very keen to get married. 2. Stepan Stepanovitch Chubukov: Stepan Stepanovitch Chubukov is a landowner. He has a helping nature towards Lomov. He loves his daughter and plays the role of a good father. He is in search of a good match for his daughter. He is a good selector of words. He calls Lomov my angel, treasure, etc. This shows his cunningness. When Chubukov finds Lomov fighting with Natalya, he immediately changes and starts to support his daughter. He uses many ill words for Lomov and tells him to leave his house. 168 | P a g e Short Answer Questions (30-40 words): Q1. Describe Lomov‘s first meeting with Natalya. Ans. Lomov goes to his neighbour Chubukov‘s house to ask for the hand of his daughter Natalya. He is in a fix how to make the marriage proposal. He talks in a roundabout manner. He makes a mention of his meadows which touch their birchwoods. At this, a quarrel ensues between them over the ownership rights the meadows. Q2. Why is Lomov anxious to marry Natalya? Ans. Lomov wants to settle the question of his marriage at once. He thinks that now he should not delay. He thinks about Natalya. She is a skilled house-keeper. She is educated and is not bad to look at. At this age, he should not expect a better girl than her. He is suffering from some serious diseases. Because of these reasons, he is anxious to marry Natalya. Q3. How does Lomov speak warmly of Chubukov‘s family in the beginning? Why does he change his stand? Ans. In the beginning, Lomov speaks quite warmly about Chubukov‘s family. He reminds Natalya that he knows the Chubukovs since his childhood. His aunt and uncle to had great respect for her family. Both the families have been most friendly and close neighbours. Lomov changes his opinion about the Chubukovs when he picks up a quarrel with Natalya and Chubukov over the ownership of Oxen Meadows. Q4. Justify the title of the play. ‗The Proposal‘ Or What is the theme or the message of ‗The Proposal‘? Ans. Anton Chekov has aptly titled the play, ‗The Proposal‘. The title justifies the main theme—the marriage of Natalya and Lomov. No doubt, both Lomov and Natalya want to be life partners. However, unnecessary quarrels over Oxen Meadows and their dogs Squeezer and Guess temporarily spoil their game. The message is very clear. The main issue must not be clouded and lost sight of by indulging in unnecessary and avoidable quarrels. Long Answer Questions (100 -150 words) Q1.‖The way Chubukov, Natalya and Lomov fought over petty issues is against the behaviour and mannerisms of good neighbours‖ Comment. What would you have done to resolve the issue? (If you were in the place of Chubukov) Ans. Lomov and Chubukovs were neighbours. Lomov came to Chubukovs to propose Natalya. But instead of proposing they started fighting over petty issues like oxen meadows and quality of dogs. This is not the quality of good neighbours. Neighbours should live like friends. There should be a positive relationship between the two neighbours. 169 | P a g e There should be understanding and patience among neighbours. The fight between Looms and Chubukovs could have been avoided if handled carefully. The issue of meadows could be resolved calmly and quietly by a good conversation. There must have been some documents showing the ownership of the meadows or both the parties could be convinced by making them understand that if they got married, the meadows will belongs to both of them. Similarly, the issues of dog could be solved instead of counting the negative points of each other‘s dogs. They can discuss the positive features of the dogs. Thus the issues could be resolved. Q2. Describe the incidents of humour in the play, ‗The Proposal‘? Ans. ‗The Proposal‘ is certainly a humorous play. The very entry of Lomov in a formal I dress and the way Chubukov greets calling him ‗darling‘, ‗my treasure‘ or ‗my beauty‘ make one laugh. Marriage proposal, supposed to be romantic turns to be humorous as the way Natalya and Lomov indulge in arguments over petty issues like ownership of Oxen Meadows and superiority of dogs makes the play humorous. The critical terms that the characters I use for each other like a scarecrow, turnip ghost, blind hen, stuffed sausage, etc., force one to laugh. The hysterical fit of Natalya when she comes to know about the proposal and the wailing of father and daughter when they think Lomov is dead create immense humour. Finally, the way Natalya puts her hand in Loom‘s under continuous arguments indicating acceptance of the proposal is really humorous. Thus we see that the whole play is replete with humour, making it a humorous play. Q3. Chubukov has all the attributes of a quarrelsome rich Russian landlord. Instead of solving the problems, he only adds fuel into the fire in their quarrel over Oxen Meadows and the dogs. Justify the statement. Ans. Chubukov represents a typical rich landlord of 19th century Russia. He seems to be fairly rich and resourceful. Even his neighbour Lornov acknowledges the frequent help rendered to him by Chubukov. He lands his threshing machine to Lomov. On account of this help, he has to put off their own threshing till November. Chubukov is quite practical. He knows that Lomov can be a good match for his daughter Natalya. So, he at once gives his assent to Lomov‘s proposal of marrying her. Actually, he has been waiting for such a proposal for a long time. Chubukov is a landlord and can‘t resist his hunger for land. He opposes the claim of Lomov over the ownership of Oxen Meadows. He even threatens to send his mowers out to the Meadows. Chubukov can be quite quarrelsome, abusing and insulting. He always sides with his daughter. He picks up a quarrel on Oxen Meadows. He calls Lomov ―a land grabber‖ and ―villain‖. He abuses his grandfather of being a ―drunkard‖ and his father a ‗gambler‘. He jumps into the quarrel and adds only fuel to the fire. CLICK ON IMAGE TO JOIN US ON TELEGRAM CLICK HERE TO JOIN US ON TELEGRAM 172 | P a g e 2. Write the character-sketch of Tricki. Ans. Tricki was a small dog. He was pampered and overfed by his mistress. He was fed with excessive nutritious food. He was greedy enough to refuse food at any time. He liked eating cream cakes and chocolates. This made him hugely fat. He looked like a bloated sausage. He had bloodshot and rheumy eyes. He became dull, flabby, lazy and listless. He was seriously sick. He had bouts of vomiting. He was taken to Herriot‘s surgery. There he was given no food for two days. He was made to do a lot of exercises. This changed him and he became fit. He loved his mistress very much. His mistress remarked that Tricki would pine and die if he did not see her even for a single day. 3. Write the character-sketch of Dr. James Herriot. Ans: Dr James Herriot is a competent veterinary surgeon. He is really worried about Tricki. He understands that the real fault of the dog is his greed for food. Dr Herriot instructs Mrs Pumphrey to keep Tricki on a very strict diet. Dr James Herriot is practical and pragmatic. He doesn‘t give any medical treatment to the dog. He feeds the dog with only water. His method works. The grateful mistress thanks Dr Herriot and calls his feat ―A triumph of Surgery!‖ Dr James is clever enough to enjoy the best of both the worlds. He is tempted to keep Tricki as a permanent guest. It was a happy period for Dr Herriot and his friends. He used to enjoy eggs for breakfast and wine and brandy for lunch. UNSOLVED QUESTIONS: SHORT ANSWER QUESTIONS (30 - 40 words) 1. How did Mrs Pumphrey show her concern for Tricki when he was at the surgery? 2. Do you think Tricki was enjoying his stay at the hospital? 3. What was the main cause of `Tricki‘s ill-health‘? 4. Why did Mr Herriot ask Mrs Humphrey to admit Tricky in a hospital? 5. Why is Mr. Herriot tempted to keep Tricki as a permanent guest? LONG ANSWER QUESTIONS (100-150 Words) 1. Excess of everything is bad. Comment in the wake of Mrs Pumphrey‗s love for Tricki. 2. What kind of a person do you think the narrator, a veterinary surgeon is? Would you say he is tactful as well as full of common-sense? 3. The chapter shows the silly and negligent behaviour of rich people like Mrs. Pumphrey who may harm their near and dear ones by their extra caring nature. Trick‘s declined health was the outcome of Mrs. Pumphrey‘s over-caring nature. Do you think such people‘s actions can prove to be fatal for the 173 | P a g e health of their kinds? What values would you suggest to such people to emulate in themselves and why? 4. ―He had never been known to refuse food; he would tackle a meal at any hour of the day or night.‖ Herriot believed that Trick‘s problem was his greed. Did he lack tolerance? What values would you like Tricky to imbibe? Elucidate Lesson 2: The Thief‟s Story Introduction Ruskin Bond‘s ‗The Thief‘s Story‘ is more than a thief‘s story. The story deals with basic human values and relationships. It is easier for a thief to rob a greedy man. It is difficult even for a thief to rob a careless and honest person. Hari Singh did steal Anil‘s money but he couldn‘t run away with it. He had no friends because he regarded them to be trouble than help. The only person he really knew was the man he had robbed. Moreover, Anil was ready to educate Hari Singh. The thief‘s conscience pricked him. He came back to Anil and crept to his bed. He slipped the money under the mattress from where he had stolen it a few hours ago. GIST Hari Singh was a young boy of fifteen. But he was a thief and a cheat. At a wrestling match, he came across Anil. He won Anil‘s confidence and came to his house as a servant. Anil was a writer and did not earn much. So, Hari Singh agreed to work for him only for food. Hari Singh did not know how to cook. The first meal which he cooked for Anil was so bad nthilathArew it to the dogs. But Hari‘s appealing smile made Anil give up his decision to turn him out. Hari Singh did odd jobs for Anil. In the morning he made tea and then brought the day‘s supplies from the market. Often, he made a profit of a rupee a day out of these purchases. Anil had no regular income. He earned something by writing articles and stories for magazines. But one day Anil came home with a bundle of notes. He told Hari that he had earned six hundred rupees by selling one of his books. Hari‘s mouth watered at the sight of money. He decided to steal that money. Anil kept the bundle under his mattress and went to sleep. Now Hari Singh went into the room and silently took the money under the mattress. He went to the railway station to catch the train to Lucknow. But he missed the train and walked in the bazaars. Soon it started raining and Hari was drenched completely. Then Hari Singh remembered Anil. He imagined how sad Anil would be on finding the money stolen. Hari remembered that Anil used to teach him. He thought that withouthte education he would remain a thief.