On Killing a Tree

 

About the Poet: 

Gieve Patel was born in 1940. He is an Indian poet, playwright, painter, as well as a practicing physician. He belongs to a group of writers who have subscribed themselves to the 'Green Movement' which is involved in an effort to protect the environment. His poems speak of deep concerns for nature and expose man's cruelty to it.

Introduction: 

The poem, ‘On Killing a Tree’ is written by Gieve Patel. In this poem, the poet tells us that it is not easy to kill a tree. We cannot kill a tree by cutting it off. A tree can regrow itself. We have to pluck out its roots from the earth to kill it completely.

Meanings:

Jab: sudden rough blow

Leprous hide: discoloured bark

Hack: cut roughly by striking heavy blows

Anchoring earth:  earth holding the roots of the trees securely

Snapped out: chopped out, cut off

Scorching and choking: the drying up of the tree and after being uprooted as it is exposed to the sun without nutrients, water, air

Summary:

The poet tells us not to destroy trees. He says that a plant takes sunlight, air, water, and nutrients from the earth to gradually become a huge tree. It develops a strong trunk and gets numerous leaves. Merely cutting the trunk of the tree does not kill it. When a tree is cut, the sap flows out. Once the wound heals, new leaves and tiny branches grow and the tree grows again.

In order to destroy a tree, it has to be uprooted. The roots are very important for the trees. The roots are white in colour. They are damp due to the moisture they get from the soil. These roots are the most sensitive part of the tree as they bind it to the earth. In order to kill the tree, these roots have to be detached from the soil.

Once the roots are detached, the tree starts dying, it withers dries up with the action of heat and wind, twists, hardens and finally, dies.

Question and Answers

1. Can a “simple jab of the knife” kill a tree? Why not?

A. No, a simple jab of the knife cannot kill a tree. When cut the tree bleeds out sap and as the wound heals, new leaves and branches will grow from it. Again the tree starts growing.

2. How has the tree grown to its full size? List the words suggestive of its life and activity.

A. The tree has grown to its full size by consuming nutrients from the Earth, absorbing sunlight, air, and water. The words that suggest its life and activity are - consuming the earth, rising out of it, feeding upon its crust, absorbing years of sunlight, air, water.

3. What is the meaning of “bleeding bark”? What makes it bleed?

A. Bleeding bark refers to the oozing of sap. The sap flows out of the tree’s bark when it is cut. The tree bleeds when it is cut.

4. The poet says “No” in the beginning of the third stanza. What does he mean by this?

A. ’No’ means that the tree will not die by cutting or chopping its trunk.

5. What is the meaning of “anchoring earth” and “earth cave”?

A. “Anchoring Earth” means that the Earth supports the tree firmly. “Earth cave” refers to the pit in the Earth where the roots of the tree bind it firmly.

6. What does he mean by “the strength of the tree exposed”?

A. “the strength of the tree exposed” means that upon being uprooted, the most sensitive and important part of the tree i.e. its roots will no longer remain hidden in the Earth and supported by Earth.

7. What finally kills the tree?

A. The tree dies when it is uprooted. It will not get any support from Earth. When it is detached from the Earth, it withers, hardens twists, and finally dies.

Literary Devices

1. No rhyme scheme is there in the poem. It is written in free verse. There is no rhyme or rhythm.

2. Enjambment: When one sentence continues into two or more lines.

Not a simple jab of the knife

Will do it. It has grown

Slowly consuming the earth

 

Rising out of it, feeding

Upon its crust, absorbing

Years of sunlight, air, water,

And out of its leprous hide

Sprouting leaves.

 

The most sensitive, hidden

For years inside the earth.

 

3. Metaphor: indirect comparison

Leprous hide - the uneven colour of the surface of the trunk of a tree is compared to the skin of a person suffering from leprosy.

Bleeding bark - the sap coming out of tree where it is cut is compared to the bleeding from the wound in a human’s body.

4. Alliteration: repetition of a consonant sound in 2 or more closely places words.

Bleeding bark - ‘b’ sound

White and wet - ‘w’ sound

5. Repetition: a word or sentence is repeated to lay emphasis on it.

‘Pulled out’ is repeated

My Childhood - Abdul Kalam

 

Introduction:

This lesson is taken from Abdul Kalam’s biography, ‘Wings of Fire’. In this lesson, APJ writes about his childhood, his family background, his friends and customs of society.

A.P.J Abdul Kalam was born into a middle-class Tamil family and his place of birth was Rameswaram. It is an island town in the state of Tamil Nadu.

Meanings for some words and phrases:

erstwhile: former

innate: inborn; (a quality or feeling) in one’s nature

generosity of spirit: his soul sought to help others who were needy

undistinguished: ordinary or common

Pucca House means a house made of bricks, cement, and limestone.

austere: simple, strict, and severe

secure: safe

Materially means in terms of things like clothes food, medicine

emotionally means in terms of love and affection

princely sum: generous amount (here, ironic)

anna: an old Indian coin, worth about six paise

Dinamani: a Tamil daily newspaper.

isolated: lonely, cut-off

Allied Forces: the armies of the U.K., U.S.A., and Russia during the Second World War. They fought with Axis Forces led by Germany.

casualty: loss

suspension: to bring to an end, to stop, to discontinue

halt: stop

filled the slot: fit into a place easily

pride: sudden increase in the feeling of satisfaction derived from one’s own achievements.

Half a century later means after a period of 50 years

figures of authority: A person who had authority over another person; a person who has the power to give orders or make decisions.

Inherited means a characteristic, or a quality which you have got from your parents or ancestors.

socio-economic means in terms of social status and wealth

orthodox: following the traditional rules or beliefs of a religion, philosophy, or practice

could not stomach: could not tolerate

downcast: sad or depressed, feeling low

summoned: called

bluntly: speaking in a direct and honest way, even if this offends or upsets people.

apologise: seek pardon, to say sorry

quit: to leave

conviction: a strong opinion or belief

convey: communicate

rigid: strict

segregation: separation

conservative: traditional, unwilling to change

rebel: in opposition

Mingle: interact with each other.

on par: at the same level

ritually pure: kept protected from all outside influences for the observances of religion

perturbed: upset

hesitation: doubt, delay

confronted: faced, tackled

imminent: about to happen

Unprecedented: never done or know before.

Optimism: hope, belief that good is going to happen

Longing: desire

Summary:

This lesson is taken from Abdul Kalam’s biography, ‘Wings of Fire’. Kalam was a great scientist and also the 14th President of India. He was born in a middle-class Muslim family in 1931 in the island town of Rameswaram, Tamil Nadu. In his childhood, he was greatly influenced by his parents, his teachers, and his friends. His father, Jainulabdeen was not highly educated but he was a generous and kind person. He was not rich but provided a secure childhood to Abdul and his siblings. Abdul inherited honesty and self-discipline from his father and faith in goodness and deep kindness from his mother.

When he was 8 years old, the Second World War broke out. The demand for tamarind seeds had increased for unknown reasons. Kalam used to collect those seeds and earn an anna. Kalam earned his first wages by working as a helping hand to his cousin, Samsuddin, who distributed newspapers in Rameswaram. Kalam used to fetch the newspaper bundles thrown from a moving train.

In his childhood, he had three close friends. They were Ramanadha Sastry, Aravindan, and Sivaprakasan. Later Ramanadha Sastry became the head priest of the temple, Aravindan became a transport businessman and Sivaprakasan became a catering contractor for the Southern Railways.

Once when he was in the fifth standard, a new teacher asked him not to sit in the front row along with the Brahmin boy, Ramanadha Sastry. Kalam found Ramanadha Sastry weeping as he went to the last row. This made a lasting impression on Abdul. Lakshmana Sastry, the father of Ramanadha Sastry told the teacher not to pollute the young minds with social inequality and communal intolerance.

Kalam was also greatly influenced by his science teacher, Sivasubramania Iyer. He learned the lesson of breaking social barriers from him. Iyer invited him to his home for a meal. His wife refused to serve food to a Muslim boy in her pure kitchen. Iyer served him with his own hands and sat down beside him to eat his meal. He could convince his orthodox wife and changed her conservative attitude.

For higher education, Abdul Kalam sought permission from his father to leave Rameswaram and study at the district headquarters in Ramanathapuram. His father said that Abdul had to go a long way in life just like a seagull. He calmed down APJ’s reluctant mother by quoting Kahlil Gibran. He told her that children could not be dominated because they had their own thoughts. Children did not belong to parents. Children are a result of life’s desire for itself.

Question and Answers:

Answer these questions in one or two sentences each.

1. Where was Abdul Kalam’s house?

A. Abdul Kalam’s house was located on the Mosque Street in the town of Rameswaram in Tamil Nadu state.

2. What do you think Dinamani is the name of? Give a reason for your answer.

2. Dinamani is the name of a newspaper. It is a local Tamil daily. The reason for this is that Kalam wrote that he traced the stories of the war in the headlines of the Dinamani. We have headlines only in dailies.

3. Who were Abdul Kalam’s school friends? What did they later become?

A. During his childhood, Abdul Kalam had three friends. Their names are Ramanadha Sastry, Aravindan and Sivaprakasan. When they grew up, Ramanadha Sastry became the priest of the Rameswaram temple, Aravindan started a business of transporting pilgrims to and from the Rameswaram temple and Sivaprakasan became a catering contractor for the railways.

4. How did Abdul Kalam earn his first wages?

A. Abdul Kalam earned his first wages by fetching the bundle of newspapers thrown out of the moving train at the Rameswaram station. He helped his cousin in distributing newspapers in Rameswaram.

5. Had he earned any money before that? In what way?

A. When the second World War started, there was a great demand for tamarind seeds. Kalam would collect them and sell them to a grocery store located on Mosque Street. He would earn an anna for a day’s collection of the seeds.

Answer each of these questions in a short paragraph (about 30 words):

1. How does the author describe: (i) his father, (ii) his mother, (iii) himself?

A. (i) Kalam’s father’s name was Jainulabdeen. He was not educated and was not a wealthy man. Kalam says that despite this, his father possessed innate wisdom, honesty and he was a generous man. He did not believe in wasting money on luxuries but provided them with all the necessities of life like food, clothing, and medicine.

(ii) Kalam’s mother’s name was Ashiamma. She was an ideal helpmate to her husband. She was a kind – hearted woman. Kalam recollects that his mother would feed meals to numerous people. He inherited faith in goodness and deep kindness from her.

(iii) Kalam was short and had ordinary looks while his parents were tall and looked handsome. He was brought up in a secure atmosphere. He grew up to become honest and self-disciplined man. He believed in goodness and deep kindness.

2. What characteristics does he say he inherited from his parents?

A. Kalam’s inherited honesty and self-discipline from his father. His mother imbibed in him faith in goodness and deep kindness.

Discuss these questions in class with your teacher and then write down your answers in two or three paragraphs each.

1. “On the whole, the small society of Rameswaram was very rigid in terms of the segregation of different social groups,” says the author.

(i) Which social groups does he mention? Were these groups easily identifiable (for example, by the way they dressed)?

A. The social groups mentioned by Kalam were the Hindus and the Muslims. Yes, these groups were easily identifiable by the way they dressed. As Kalam was a Muslim, he wore a cap. Hiss Hindu friends who wore the sacred thread. Thus, they were easily identifiable.

(ii) Were they aware only of their differences or did they also naturally share friendships and experiences? (Think of the bedtime stories in Kalam’s house; of who his friends were; and of what used to take place in the pond near his house.)

A. No, they were not aware of any differences. Kalam and the other children listened to bedtime stories from their mother and grandmother. These were from both the Ramayana and from the life of the Prophet. The family participated in the Hindu festival of Shree Seetha Rama Kalyanam by arranging boats for transporting the idols from the temple to the pond located near their house.

(iii) The author speaks both of the people who were very aware of the differences among them and those who tried to bridge these differences. Can you identify such people in the text?

A. The people who were aware of these differences were the young new teacher who came to teach Kalam’s class in the fifth standard. He ordered Kalam to sit on the last bench as he belonged to a lower caste. His science teacher Sivasubramania Iyer’s wife was an orthodox Hindi Brahmin. She refused to serve him food as she felt that his presence would render the kitchen impure.

The people who bridged these differences were Ramanadha Sastry’s father Lakshmana Sastry and Sivasubramania Iyer. Lakshmana Sastry was the priest of the Rameswaram temple. He scolded the young teacher and asked him to apologize for sowing the seeds of social inequality and communal intolerance into the innocent minds of the children. Upon his wife’s refusal to serve food to Kalam, Sivasubramania Iyer served food to Kalam with his own hands and sat beside him to eat which reformed his wife.

2. (i) Why did Abdul Kalam want to leave Rameswaram?

A. Abdul Kalam wanted to leave Rameswaram and go to Ramanathapuram for higher studies.

(ii) What did his father say to this?

A. His father said that he knew Kalam had to leave home as he had to fulfill his dreams. He gave the example of the Seagull which flies endlessly and does not have a nest too. He calmed down APJ’s reluctant mother by quoting Kahlil Gibran. He told her that children could not be dominated because they had their own thoughts. Children did not belong to parents. Children are a result of life’s desire for itself.

(iii) What do you think his words mean? Why do you think he spoke those words?

A. Abdul Kalam’s father’s words had a deep meaning. He inspired Kalam to follow his dreams, to fly high like the seagull. He wanted him to pursue higher studies and so, allowed him to go to Ramanathapuram. He explained to Kalam’s mother to allow him to go and pursue higher education. He spoke these words to encourage Abdul Kalam and to control the emotional attachment of his mother.

No Men Are Foreign

 

Introduction:

It is clear from the title of the poem, ‘No men are Foreign’ that the poet wants to promote universal brotherhood. The title means that no men belong to another country. That implies that all men are the same, and all men are equal.  All the people, irrespective of where they live eat, live, die the same way. The gifts of nature like, sunshine, air, and harvests are the same. This poem is written by James Kirkup, an American poet.

Meanings:

Beneath: under

Strange: unknown

starve: to be without food

betray: expose, victimize, reveal information about

condemn: criticize

dispossess: dislodge; deprive

outrage: to make extremely angry

Rhyme Scheme: There is no rhyme scheme in the poem. The poem is written in free verse.

Literary Devices:

Alliteration: The repetition of a consonant sound in two or more closely placed words is called alliteration. The instances of alliteration in the poem are….

Stanza 1 - Body, breathes ‘b’ sound is repeated

Stanza 2 – war’s, winter ‘w’ sound is repeated

Metaphor:

Stanza 1 - Uniform refers to the military of different countries

Stanza 2 – wars time is compared to the winter season

Repetition: It is used throughout the poem.

‘Remember’ word is repeated 5 times in this poem.

‘Remember, no men are strange, no countries foreign’ is repeated in stanza 1 and stanza 5

Enjambment: Enjambment is running lines of poetry from one line to the next without using any kind of punctuation to indicate a stop. Instances of enjambment in the poem are as follows …..

Stanza 1 – line 2, 3 and 4

Stanza 2 – line 3 and 3

Stanza 3 – line 1, 2, and 3

Stanza 4 – line 1 and 2

Stanza 5 – Line 2 and 3

Summary:

It is interesting to note that the poem ‘No Men Are Foreign’ begins and ends with the same line, ‘Remember no men are strange, no countries foreign’. The poet wants to emphasize on the fact that all the people living on this Earth are the same. We have created distinctions by erecting borders and fences.

While we are alive, we walk on the same Earth and upon our death, we will lie in our graves in the same earth. The poet tells us about some more similarities.  We enjoy good food during peace and starve during the war and in wintertime. We have the same kind of hands and we use them to do hard work. All of us have eyes that are open when we are awake and close when we sleep.

The poet asks us to remember that we hear somebody saying that we are different. We are told to hate, disown, victimize, attack, and criticize others who are foreign. If we do like that, we will be cheating and hating ourselves. We will be taking weapons against ourselves.

We are segregating ourselves. We are polluting our innocence and goodness with hatred and intolerance.  We are making the earth impure with our narrow mindedness. We have to remember that no men are foreign.

Questions and Answers

1. (i) “Beneath all uniforms. ..” What uniforms do you think the poet is speaking about?

(ii) How does the poet suggest that all people on earth are the same?

A. (i) The uniforms refer to those worn by soldiers belonging to different countries who take part in wars and fights.

(ii) The poet says that all the people are the same in the following ways: we belong to one human race, we walk on the same Earth, upon death, we will lie in our graves in the same Earth, during peace we all enjoy the bounties of nature, during the war and in the winter season, we all starve due to the shortage of food, we all do hard work with our hands, and we have eyes which function in the same way.

2. In stanza 1, find five ways in which we all are alike. Pick out the words.

A. The five words which indicate that we are all alike are: We walk, we breathe, we have eyes, we work with our hands, and we enjoy the gifts of nature.

3. How many common features can you find in stanza 2? Pick out the words.

A. There are three common features in stanza two. They are: 1. We enjoy the gifts of nature and eat good food during peace. 2. We starve during the war and in the winter season. 3. We have similar hands which we use for doing work.

4. “...whenever we are told to hate our brothers ...” When do you think this happens? Why? Who ‘tells’ us? Should we do as we are told at such times? What does the poet say?

A. The leaders of any country tell the masses to hate the people of another country. They say so for their own benefit. The poet says that we should not follow them because when we hate our brothers, we hate and belittle ourselves. When we indulge in wars, we pollute Earth with our hatred and intolerance.

The Little Girl

 

Introduction

The title of the story refers to the main character named Kezia. The theme of the story is about the relationship between children and their parents. Kezia has a strict father and a stern mother. She has a grandmother who understands her and loves her. Kezia is afraid of her father. The story deals with the change of opinion of Kezia on her father.

The writer Katherine Mansfield tells us that children have a very important bond of love with their parents. When children are young, sometimes they may not feel that their parents love them because their parents are strict. Children may think that many actions of parents are unjustified. But soon children realize that all the actions of their parents are beneficial for them. They will know that parents are concerned about them. Beneath the outward strictness parents have hearts full of love and affection for the children. The bond of love between parents and their children has been highlighted throughout this story.

Summary

‘The Little Girl’ is the story of a little girl, Kezia who could not understand her father’s strictness. She was scared of him. She kept a distance from him, whenever he would be at home. She considered him to be as big as a giant. She would often get nervous and stutter while talking to him. She longed for his love and affection like her neighbor Mr. Macdonald.

Once she was kept indoors as she was affected by cold. Her grandmother suggested that she make a gift for her father’s birthday next week. They decided that Kezia would make a pincushion for him. Kezia made a beautiful pin-cushion, but she accidentally made a mistake. She filled it with bits of paper that she got by tearing her father’s important speech. She was punished for that. This incident further estranged Kezia from her father.

She would often look at the neighbors, the Macdonalds playing joyously in their lawn. Mr. Macdonald was such a good father and played so lovingly with his children. She wondered he might be a different sort of father.

Once her mother fell ill and was hospitalized. She was left alone at home under the care of the cook. At night she had a nightmare and woke up screaming. She found her father standing by her bedside. He picked her up and took her to her room. He tucked her up in his bed and soon fell asleep. Kezia felt secure lying near her father. She realized that her father was not as big as a giant. She felt the beating of her father’s loving large heart. Finally, she realized her father was very loving and had a generous heart.

Meanings to some new words and phrases

a figure to be feared: a person to be feared
Glad sense of relief: feeling relaxed
Fainter and fainter: to lessen or reduce
slip down: come down quietly and unwillingly
Stutter: to stammer, to speak with pauses
given it up: stopped doing it
Trying so hard: making a lot of efforts
Wretched: unhappy, sad
on the brink of suicide: about to commit suicide
suicide: kill oneself
Snoring: the sound produced by some people when there are asleep.
Gravely: seriously.
Laboriously: with lot of effort or difficulty.
Wandered into: went into, by chance
Scraps: small pieces of cloth or paper etc that are not needed.
shadowed room means that as it was dark, there was a light outside the room which was making shadows in the room.
a sad little pattern refers to the sad atmosphere in the room.
The damned thing: used to express anger at something.
Hue and Cry: angry protest.
given it up: stopped doing it
Trying so hard: making a lot of efforts
Bedclothes Refers to the sheets, the top sheets that you cover yourself when you are sleeping.
Clung: to attach yourself to something.
Nightmare: a bad dream. A Butcher is a person who cuts animals, who cuts meat.
tucked up: covered up nicely in bed
Snuggled: moved into a warm, comfortable position, close to another person

Question and Answers

I. Given below are some emotions that Kezia felt. Match the emotions in Column A with the items in Column B.

A	B
1. fear or terror 2. glad sense of relief 3. a "funny" feeling, perhaps of understanding	(i) father comes into her room to give her a goodbye kiss (ii) noise of the carriage grows fainter (iii) father comes home (iv) speaking to father (v) going to bed when alone at home (vi) father comforts her and falls asleep (vii) father stretched out on the sofa, snoring

Ans.

A	B
fear or terror	(iii) father comes home (iv) speaking to father (v) going to bed when alone at home (vii) father stretched out on the sofa, snoring
glad sense of relief	(i) father comes into her room to give her a goodbye kiss (ii) noise of the carriage grows fainter
a “funny” feeling, perhaps of understanding	(vi) father comforts her and falls asleep

II. Answer the following questions in one or two sentences.

1. Why was Kezia afraid of her father?

Kezia was afraid of her father because he was strict. He scolded her for her mistakes and even gave physical punishment. He looked at disapprovingly when she stammered before him. Kezia wanted her father to be affectionate with her. She thought that her father looked like a giant.

2. Who were the people in Kezia’s family?

In all there were four members in Kezia’s family – her father, her mother, her grandmother and Kezia herself. They had a cook named Alice.

3. What was Kezia’s father’s routine

(i) before going to his office?

(ii) after coming back from his office?

(iii) on Sundays?

i) Before going to the office, Kezia’s father would visit Kezia in her room. He would give her a kiss and then leave for work in his carriage.

ii) After coming back from the office in the evening, Kezia’s father would ask for tea to be brought for him in the drawing-room. He would also ask for his slippers and the newspapers loudly.

iii) On Sunday afternoons, he would stretch out on the sofa with his handkerchief on his face. He would keep his feet on one of the best cushions and sleep.

4.In what ways did Kezia’s grandmother encourage her to get to know her father better?

Ans. Kezia’s grandmother wanted Kezia to have a strong bond of love and affection with her parents. In order to develop that, she encouraged Kezia to go downstairs every Sunday afternoon to spend time with her parents and to get to know them better.

III. Discuss these questions in class with your teacher and then write down your answers in two or three paragraphs each.

1.Kezia’s efforts to please her father resulted in displeasing him very much. How did this happen?

Ans. Kezia’s grandmother suggested that she make a surprise gift for her father as his birthday was approaching. They planned that Kezia would make a pin cushion for him and her grandmother gave her a piece of yellow-colored silk fabric for it. Kezia stitched the cushion from three sides and was looking for pieces of torn cloth or paper to stuff into the cushion.

As her grandmother was out in the garden, the Kezia reached her parents’ room. She found some sheets of fine paper lying on the bed table. She thought that the paper would be suitable for the pincushion. So, tore the sheets of paper into tiny bits and stuffed it into the cushion. Kezia was glad that finally, the surprise gift was ready. Sadly, she did a serious mistake of destroying her father’s speech that was prepared for the Port Authority.

Kezia’s father was angry with her and wanted to teach her a lesson, not to touch anything that did not belong to her. So, he hit Kezia’s palms with a ruler.

2. Kezia decides that there are “different kinds of fathers”. What kind of father was Mr. Macdonald, and how was he different from Kezia’s father?

Ans. Mr. Macdonald, Kezia’s neighbor had five children. One day, she saw them having fun. Baby Mao was sitting on Mr. Macdonald’s shoulders. His other two daughters stuck to his coat’s pockets and they ran all around the flower beds, laughing and having fun. His sons opened the water hose on him.

This happy scene made her decide that there were different kinds of fathers. Mr Macdonald was different from her father. He was not strict, played with his children and they laughed all the while.

On the other hand, Kezia’s father was always angry at her. He stared at her, scolded her for stammering and being silly.

Her father’s strict nature made Kezia wonder that what for had God made fathers.

3. How does Kezia begin to see her father as a human being who needs her sympathy?

Ans. One day, Kezia’s mother was ill and went to the hospital with her grandmother. Kezia was left alone with the cook, Alice. At night, Alice put Kezia to bed but Kezia was reluctant to sleep as her grandmother was not at home. She needed her grandmother in case she got scared by a nightmare. Alice ordered her not to scream and disturb her father who was asleep in the next room.

She got a nightmare. A butcher with a knife, a rope, and a dreadful smile scared her. Kezia screamed and shouted for her grandmother. Her father woke up. He took her to his room and comforted her. He lay Kezia in his bed. Kezia snuggled him. She realized that her father had fallen asleep. Then Kezia realized that her father worked hard. He was also a human being who needed sympathy.

A Truly Beautiful Mind - Questions and Answers

Thinking about the Text (Page 50)

Question 1.

Here are some headings for paragraphs in the text. Write the number(s) of the paragraph(s) for each title against the heading. The first one is done for you.

i. Einstein’s equation         [   9  ]

ii. Einstein meets his future wife [     ]

iii. The making of a violinist         [     ]

iv. Mileva and Einstein’s mother [     ]

v. A letter that launched the arms race [     ]

vi. A desk drawer full of ideas [     ]

vii. Marriage and divorce         [     ]

Answers: 

i. Einstein’s equation         [   9  ]

ii. Einstein meets his future wife [   7  ]

iii. The making of a violinist         [   3  ]

iv. Mileva and Einstein’s mother [  10 ]

v. A letter that launched the arms race [   15]

vi. A desk drawer full of ideas [  8   ]

vii. Marriage and divorce         [   11]

Question 2.

Who had these opinions about Einstein?

1. He was boring.

2. He was stupid and would never succeed in life.

3. He was a freak.

Answer:

1. His playmates.

2. His headmaster.

3. His mother.

Question 3.

Explain what the reasons for the following are:

1. Einstein leaving the school in Munich for good.

2. Einstein wanting to study in Switzerland rather than in Munich.

3. Einstein seeing in Mileva an ally.

4. What do these tell you about Einstein?

Answers:

1. Einstein left the school in Munich because he did not like the discipline of the school. He hated the school’s regimentation and often clashed with teachers.

2. Albert’s parents moved to Milan and left their son with relatives. After prolonged discussion, Einstein got his wish to continue his education in German-speaking Switzerland. Actually, it was more liberal than Munich.

3. Einstein saw in Mileva Maric an ally against the “Philistines” - the people in his family and at the university with whom he was constantly at odds. He found that she was a “clever creature”. He wanted to mix science with tenderness.

4. We can say that Einstein liked freedom as he didn’t like the discipline of the school. He was capable of fulfilling his desires as he could convince his family and continue his education in German-speaking Switzerland. He had specific views on his life as he chose Mileva Maric, a Serbian girl who was elder to him, as his would-be wife. 

Question 4.

What did Einstein call his desk drawer at the patent office? Why?

Answer:

Einstein called his desk drawer at the patent office the “bureau of theoretical physics” because he kept all his writings of his theories in it. Einstein was actually developing his own ideas in secret and his drawer had all the evidence which could reveal the secret.

Question 5.

Why did Einstein write a letter to Franklin Roosevelt?

Answer:

With the emergence of Nazis in Germany, Einstein emigrated to the United States. It was known that the Nazis had the ability to develop and make an atomic bomb. Einstein was aware of its destructive power. A bomb could damage a large area. So he warned Franklin D. Roosevelt in his letter.

Question 6.

How did Einstein react to the bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki?

Answer:

The atomic bomb devastated the Japanese cities of Hiroshima and Nagasaki. He was deeply shaken by the extent of the destruction and wrote a public missive to the United Nations. 

Question 7.

Why does the world remember Einstein as a ‘world citizen’?

Answer:

The world remembers Einstein as a ‘world citizen’ because he believed in universal peace. When there was the rat race for becoming atomic power, he was worried about the aftermath of the bomb. He was really a world citizen who was concerned with humanity. 

Question 8.

Here are some facts from Einstein’s life. Arrange them in chronological order.

[ ] Einstein publishes his special theory of relativity.

[ ] He is awarded the Nobel Prize in Physics.

[ ] Einstein writes a letter to U.S. President, Franklin D. Roosevelt, and warns against Germany’s building of an atomic bomb.

[ ] Einstein attends a high school in Munich.

[ ] Einstein’s family moves to Milan.

[ ] Einstein is born in the German city of Ulm.

[ ] Einstein joins a University in Zurich, where he meets Mileva.

[ ] Einstein dies.

[ ] He provides a new interpretation of gravity.

[ ] Tired of the school’s regimentation, Einstein withdraws from school.

[ ] He works in a patent office as a technical expert.

[ ] When Hitler comes to power, Einstein leaves Germany for the United States.

Answers:

[1] Einstein is bom in the German city of Ulm.

[2] Einstein attends a high school in Munich.

[3] Einstein’s family moves to Milan.

[4] Tired of the school’s regimentation, Einstein withdraws from school.

[5] Einstein joins a University in Zurich where he meets Mileva.

[6] He works in a patent office as a technical expert.

[7] Einstein publishes his special theory of relativity.

[8] He provides a new interpretation of gravitation.

[9] He is awarded the Nobel Prize in Physics.

[10] When Hitler comes to power, Einstein leaves Germany for the United States.

[11] Einstein writes a letter to U.S. President, Franklin D. Roosevelt and warns against Germany’s building of an atomic bomb.

[12] Einstein dies.

Thinking about language (Page 51)

Question 1.

Here are some sentences from the story.

Choose the word from the brackets which can be substituted for the italicized words in the sentences.

1. A few years later, the marriage faltered, (failed, broke, became weak)

2. Einstein was constantly at odds with people at the university, (on bad terms, in disagreement, unhappy)

3. The newspapers proclaimed his work as “a scientific revolution”, (declared, praised, showed)

4. Einstein got ever more involved in politics, agitating for an end to the arms buildup. (campaigning, fighting, supporting)

5. At the age of 15, Einstein felt so stifled that he left the school for good. (permanently, for his benefit, for a short time)

6. Five years later, the discovery of nuclear fission in Berlin had American physicists in an uproar, (in a state of commotion, full of criticism, in a desperate state)

7. Science wasn’t the only thing that appealed to the dashing young man with the walrus mustache, (interested, challenged, worried)

Answers:

1. failed

2. in disagreement

3. declared

4. campaigning

5. permanently

6. in a state of commotion

7. interested.

Question 2.

1. ……………. the firefighters finally put out the fire. (They worked round the clock.)

2. She watched the sunset above the mountain, ……………. (She noticed the colours blending softly into one another.)

3. The excited horse pawed the ground rapidly, ……………. (While it neighed continually.)

4. ……………. ,I found myself in Bangalore, instead of Benaras. (I had taken the wrong train.)

5. ……………., I was desperate to get to the bathroom. (I had not bathed for two days)

6. The stone steps, ……………. needed to be replaced. (They were worn down).

7. The actor received hundreds of letters from his fans, ……………. (They asked him to send them his photograph.)

Answers:

1. Working round the clock the firefighters finally put out the fire.

2. She watched the sunset above the mountain, noticing the colours blending softly into one another.

3. The excited horse pawed the ground rapidly, neighing continually.

4. Having taken the wrong train I found myself in Bangalore instead of Benaras.

5. Having not bathed for two days I was desperate to get to the bathroom.

6. The stone steps being worn down needed to be replaced.

7. The actor received hundreds of letters from his fans asking him to send them his photograph.

Writing newspaper reports (Page 53)

Write a newspaper report. Here are some notes which you could use to write a report.

21 August 2005—original handwritten manuscript of Albert Einstein unearthed— by student Rowdy Boeynik in the Univer¬sity of Netherlands—Boeynik researching papers—papers belonging to an old friend of Einstein—fingerprints of Einstein on these papers—16 page document dated 1924—Einstein’s work on this last theory—behavior of atoms at low temperature—now known as the Bose-Einstein condensation—the manuscript to be kept at Leyden University where Einstein got the Nobel Prize.

Question 1.

Write a report which has four paragraphs, one each on:

• what was unearthed?

• who unearthed it and when.

• what the document contained.

• where it will be kept.

Answer:

21 August 2005. Student Unearths Einstein Manuscript. An original handwritten Albert Einstein manuscript has been unearthed at the University of Netherlands.

A student named Rowdy Boeynik, who was researching the papers belonging to an old companion of Einstein had found a 16-page document dated 1924. The document had Einstein’s fingerprints on it. 

It contained Einstein’s work on his last theory about the behavior of atoms at low temperatures. The theory is known as ‘Bose-Einstein Condensation’ nowadays. 

The manuscript will be kept at Leyden University where Einstein got the Nobel Prize.

Jungle in Jeopardy

 

Reading 2

1. Do you think the three young boys were truly heroic or do you think they took unnecessary risks? what would you have done had you been in their place?

Yes. I think that the boys were truly heroic. The boys found the clues. They identified the wrongdoers and got them arrested. They took a risk when they went alone to the old building in the middle of the forest. A meeting of the poachers was scheduled there. The poachers might harm or kill them. They should have taken some people with them.

I would do the same thing with minimum risk. I would have taken some elders with me to the old building in the forest.

2.  Rewrite the story about 100 words, giving it a different ending.

Shiva, Dev, and Bishnu were three friends who loved animals. One day they saw a wounded rhino. They report it to the district forest officer, Mr. Kedar. They could find that the head forest ranger, Daru was involved in the poaching. They got to know that the poachers were meeting in an old building in the middle of the forest. Two of the boys went there to watch the building secretly from a distance, while the third boy went to bring the police and forest officials to arrest them. Mrs. Kedar helped the boy in informing the authorities. The boys were given a bravery award for their heroic deed.

The Road Not Taken

You may watch a video explaining the poem by clicking here.

Meanings:

Word Meaning: Stanza 1

diverged: separated and took a different direction

yellow wood: a forest with decomposing leaves

undergrowth: dense growth of plants and bushes means the forest)

Word Meaning: Stanza 2

fair: As good as the other one,

claim: Better option

grassy: unused

wanted wear: had not been used

Word Meaning: Stanza 3

trodden means walked over.

Word Meaning: Stanza 4

sigh: Deep breath

hence: here, in the future

Summary:

The poet says that once he was walking down a path in a forest. He reached a place on the road where it was divided into two paths. He could take only one of the paths. He took the time to choose the right path. He observed both ways to decide which one would be a better option for him. He chose the one which seemed to be less walked over. He kept the other one for some other day although he knew that he would never get the chance to travel on it. He would go further on the chosen path and he would not get a chance to return. As he walked on the chosen path, he realized that both paths were similar. He felt that his future depended on the choice that he made.

The speaker thinks of how he will tell about this incident in the future with a sigh. He chooses the road he thinks to be less worn and says “That has made all the difference.”

Literary Devices:

1. Rhyme Scheme: abaab

2. Symbolism: two roads which represent two or more choices in our life

3. Anaphora: ‘and’ repeated at the beginning of lines 2, 3 and 4

4. Alliteration: Wanted Wear ‘w’ sound is repeating

1. ‘first for’ – ‘f’ sound is repeating

2. ‘though, that’- ‘th’ sound is repeating

 5. Repetition: ‘Ages’ is repeated. ‘Two roads diverged in a wood’- this sentence is repeated in stanzas 1 and  4.

Textual Question and Answers:

1. Where does the traveller find himself? What problem does he face?

A. The traveller finds himself standing at the junction where the road had divided into two roads. He is in confusion as he must choose one path. He is unable to decide which one to choose.

2. Discuss what these phrases mean to you.

(i) a yellow wood

‘Yellow wood’ refers to the forest which has withering leaves as in the season of autumn. It represents a world of aging people.

(ii) it was grassy and wanted wear

 It means that the path had a lot of grass on it. This means that it had yet to be walked over by many people. It had to be worn out by the steps of the people who walked on it.

(iii) the passing there

 It means that when the poet walked over the path that he had chosen.

(iv) leaves no step had trodden black

It means no one had walked over the leaves as they were fresh. If they had been walked over, they would have turned black.

(v) How way leads on to way

 It means that as we walk on a path, the path divides and we come across more options. We have to make further choices. We have to continue walking choosing our paths.

3. Is there any difference between the two roads as the poet describes them?

(i) in stanzas two and three?

The two paths were similar. In the beginning, the poet felt that one of them was grassy and had not been walked over by many people, but when he walked on it for a while, he realized that it was like the other road.

(ii) in the last two lines of the poem?

Here, again the poet talks of his initial decision when he thought that the roads were different and chose the one that had been walked over by a lesser number of people.

4. What do you think the last two lines of the poem mean? (Looking back, does the poet regret his choice or accept it)

The speaker thinks of how he will tell about this incident in the future with a sigh. He chooses the road he thinks to be less worn and says “That has made all the difference.” 

I think that the poet neither regrets nor feels happy over the decision. He sounds philosophical. He accepts his choice as a matter of fact.

II. 1. Have you ever had to make a difficult choice (or do you think you will have difficult choices to make)? How will you make the choice (for what reasons)?

I think I will have a difficult choice to make when I must decide between Physical Sciences and Biological Sciences. I have to take the decision in my Intermediate Course. I like both subjects equally. I will take the decision depending on my performance in the board examinations.

2. After you have made a choice do you always think about what might have been, or do you accept the reality?

After my choice is made, I will never think about what might have been. I will take responsibility of the results of my decision and accept them.