Showing posts with label VIII Class. Show all posts
Showing posts with label VIII Class. Show all posts

Monday, January 25, 2021

A Most Important Person

 

A Most Important Person

2. Answer the following questions. (Page 29)

a. ‘She was thinking, rather wishing, for an even that might hurl her out of the world …….” What is Miss Lucy is wishing for and why?

Miss Lucy was so lonely that she wanted to end her life. She was hoping for an event that would take her to another world because everybody close to her had moved on and she felt very lonely.

b. Unlike Miss Lucy, Chester is not shy at all. Give evidence from the story to support this statement.

Chester easily makes conversation with Miss Lucy when she rescues him. He goes to her house and accepts her invitation to tea. He offers to bring his sister also. He goes to Miss Lucy’s house the next day with his sister. On the other hand, Miss Lucy likes to be alone. She couldn’t visit her friends easily. This proves that unlike Miss Lucy, Chester is not shy at all.

c. In what way is the friendship between Miss Lucy and Chester unusual and remarkable?

Miss Lucy is an elderly person. She is rich. Chester is a boy and he is poor. Despite the differences in age and social backgrounds they become friends. In this way their friendship is remarkable.

d. How could Miss Lucy have avoided paying the fine for parking?

Miss Lucy could have used her influence or she could speak to the judge who was a family friend to avoid paying the fine for parking. She could have make a call to her family lawyer to help her out.

e. In the end, why does Miss Lucy believe that Christmas is the most important time?

In the end, Miss Lucy believes that Christmas is the most important time because it brings old and new friends together.

f. We use ‘the’ before an adjective in the superlative degree, but this chapter is called ‘A Most Important Person’. Why do you think so? How is Chester ‘a most important person’ for Miss Lucy.

Miss Lucy becomes a special friend of Chester because he makes her realize that she is not alone or lonely. He is not ‘the’ most important person in her life but he is ‘one of the’ most important person. So ‘a’ is used instead of ‘the’ before the superlative ‘most’.

Reading 2

1. What was wrong with the way Miss Lucy had been brought up?

Miss Lucy was brought up in such way that she thought that only a small group of people belonging high society could be her friends. She felt that she was not supposed to mix with all kinds of people.

2. How would you describe Chester as a person?

Chester is a friendly person. He is an out-going boy and it is easy to talk to him. He is an energetic and caring boy.

3. Do you think that this story teaches us something important about friendship? Write and share your thoughts with class.

Yes. This story teaches several important things about friendship. Friendship has no barriers like age, money or social status. Making friends with new people helps us to live happily. We have to reach out to all kinds of people and be caring and friendly with them.


Friday, December 4, 2020

The Diamond Maker


Answers to the questions given in the Reading section of the page no. 74 of New Pathways Literature Reader textbook for Class 8

1. Where did the narrator meet the mysterious man?

The narrator met the mysterious man on the Embankment near the Waterloo Bridge.

2. Why is the narrator shocked when the man talks about throwing away name, wealth, position, and doing a small business?

The stranger looked like a poor man. He was ragged and dirty. He started talking about the worries of a big business. His appearance and his words did not match. So, the narrator is shocked by the stranger’s words.

3. How does the man prove that he was not lying about himself?

The man showed the narrator a brown pebble. He claimed that it was a diamond made by him. The brown pebble was pulled out of a canvas bag kept in the pocket of his tattered coat.

4. Why was the narrator not keen on buying diamonds from him?

The narrator was not keen on buying the diamonds from the stranger because it was difficult to believe his words and trust him. The narrator was not carrying enough money to buy it and no one buys diamonds from an unknown person in dim-light.

5. Why did the man want to keep his diamond-making business a secret?

The diamond-making business was against the law and risky. The process was dangerous. If others knew about it, they would steal his idea and profit from it.

6. Why was the man unable to sell his diamonds?

The man was unable to sell his diamonds because he could not convince any buyer. He made those diamonds illegally, without the permission of the government.

7. What do you think happened to the man in the end?

I think that the man might have died. He was poor and homeless. He had nothing to eat and he was suffering from cough. He could not sell his diamonds and get any money. He never came back to the narrator again. That leads to the conclusion that he was dead.

Friday, November 20, 2020

The Star Ducks


 Reading 1

2. Answer the following questions.

a. Why did Rafferty conclude that Mr. Alsop was not a Times reader?

Rafferty concluded that Mr. Alsop was not a Times reader because Mr. Alsop did not recognize the name.

b. Describe the visitors who had come in the spaceship.

The visitors were aliens. They had pale blue expressionless faces, round eyes that looked as if they were painted. They had flexible antennae.

c. How did the visitors communicate with Mrs. Alsop?

The visitors pointed their antennae at her and just thought. Then she would think about the same thoughts.

d. Why were the visitors in a hurry to leave?

The visitors had to leave at a certain time, when the moon was in ‘the right place’.

e. Do you think Rafferty could report this story in his newspaper? Give reason for your answer.

No. Rafferty could not report this story in his newspaper. There was no proof for the story. There were no photographs, star duck eggs, or star duck bones to prove the story.

Reading 2

1. The story gives a detailed description of aliens. Imagine that you are a science fiction writer. You have to write a story about aliens. What would your aliens look like? What would their special powers be? How would they have landed on earth?

If I am writing a story about aliens as a science fiction writer, I would describe my aliens as robots made of Ludo pieces. They could change their appearance as they like. They have the ability to speak any language and they can even communicate with birds, animals and plants.

My aliens would land on earth using strange looking space-ships.

2. Do you believe that aliens exist? Give reasons for your answer.

Yes. I think aliens exist. There are billions of stars in the universe and there is a possibility of some kind of life existing somewhere.

No. I don’t believe that aliens exist. The idea of aliens is only imagination.

3. Do you think that Mrs and Mr Alsop realize who their guests are? How is Rafferty’s reaction to the aliens different from that of the Alsops?

Probably, Mrs. and Mr. Alsop realize that their guests are from space because they came from a very far off place in the sky. They are different in appearance. They communicate differently. The Alspos find nothing unusual about the aliens. On the other hand, Rafferty is very excited as he thinks it is the biggest story. He knows that aliens landing on a farm and making friends with the farmer is a great story.

 

Thursday, October 29, 2020

Night of the Scorpion - Nissim Ezekiel

Summary

Stanza 1

In stanza 1, the poet says that he remembers well that night when her mother was stung by a scorpion. The poet is of the opinion that the heavy rain which lasted for 10 hours made the scorpion crawl beneath a sack of rice.

Stanza 2

In stanza 2, the poet says that after biting his mother with its diabolic tail, the scorpion went back to rain outside again. The poet here shows sympathy as well as anger towards the scorpion. He is angry when he talks about its biting and sympathetic when he talks about its going to rain again.

Stanza 3

Hearing about the incident, the villagers rush to the poet’s home. He compares them with swarms of flies buzzing the name of God a hundred times to paralyze the Evil One, the scorpion.

Stanza 4

The poet then explains how the villagers searched for the scorpion. The villagers began searching for the scorpion and their shadows themselves seemed to be like a giant scorpion on the mud-baked walls.

The villagers begin searching for the scorpion because they believe that the poison spreads across the body with the movement of scorpion so if the scorpion is stopped and paralyzed, the poison effect can also be controlled.

Stanza 5

Having failed in finding the scorpion, they begin giving their own opinions about the biting of the scorpion. Some of them said that his mother’s sins which she committed in her previous birth have been forgiven.

Some others said that the pain that she is suffering from will decrease the troubles in her next birth. Some others put forward that her good deeds will be balanced against her bad deeds because of the suffering.

Stanza 6

Some others said that the poison will purify and refresh her flesh of desire and her spirit of ambition. All of them seemed to be in peace as they understood the pain and suffering of the poet’s mother

Stanza 7

More and more people come with candles and lanterns. His mother is however crying and rolling on the mat with severe pain. His father who is a sceptic, rationalist. He tries every possible cure for her pain.

His father uses powder, mixture, herb, and hybrid to help her recover from the pain. He even poured a little paraffin upon the bitten toe and then fires it up. The poet watches the flames of fire burning on the skin of his mother.

He also watches the holy man perform his rites to tame the poison with an incantation. His mother ultimately recovers from the poison after 20 hours.

Stanza 8

The last line is quite emotional and heart touching. The poet says that after recovering from the poison, his mother’s words were, ‘Thank God the scorpion picked on me and spared my children’.

Even in such a condition, his mother remains concerned about the safety and health of her children.

Answers to the textual questions:

2. Answer the following questions.

a. What did the villagers do to help the mother?

The villagers uttered prayers for the speaker’s mother. They searched for the scorpion with candles and lanterns. They spoke consoling words. They sat around her and tried to comfort her.

b. What were the steps taken by the father to save the mother? What does the speaker think about it?

The speaker’s father tried every blessing and curse. He used powders, mixtures and herbs. He even poured some paraffin over the wound and fired it. The speaker watched everything in silence. The speaker was not sure that the actions would make the mother comfortable.

c. Do you think it is odd that the speaker in the poem does nothing but stand and watch his/her mother suffer from scorpion sting? Give reasons for your answer.

No. It is no odd. The speaker may be too young at that time to participate in any action. The speaker could only observe the things that happened and hope that the mother would be well soon.

d. What kind of emotions do the last three lines of the poem convey?

The last three lines of the poem are very emotional. Despite all her suffering, the mother thought of her children. She was thankful that the scorpion had spared her children. We are moved by the motherly affection and love.

e. What is the poet trying to communicate to the reader through this poem?

The poet tells us about the innocence, superstitions, and common practices of the society. The poet tells us about how the peasants tried to help the mother. The poet communicated the love and affection of a mother at the end of the poem.


Saturday, October 3, 2020

The Corner Shop


 Reading

Answer the following questions.

1. What made the narrator feel so good when he first visited the antique shop?

The corner shop was clean and brightly lit. A crackling fire was burning in the fireplace to keep the shop comfortable. It had many antique items for sale. Though the merchandise was old, the room was not dusty or gloomy. It was cold outside and the narrator felt very good when he first visited the antique shop.

2. What was it about the old man that made the narrator feel so uncomfortable?

The appearance of the old man made the narrator felt uncomfortable. He looked very tired and ravaged. The old man had a pale, frail, small, trembling, and bent frame. His face was withered and full of lines. He was very weak and appeared to crumble down with a breath or touch just like dust or cobwebs.

3. Why did the narrator want to pay the old man half of the money he had earned from the sale of the frog?

The old man had sold the frog to the narrator for only half a crown. The narrator got eighteen hundred pounds by selling it. The narrator thought that the old man might not know the real value of the frog. If the narrator kept all the money, it would be cheating the old man. So, the narrator wanted to pay the old man half of the money he had earned from the sale of the frog.

4. What had made Miss Wilson’s father become mentally disturbed?

Miss Wilson’s father was a skillful antique merchant. His wealth was made on three sinful transactions. He didn’t pay reasonable amounts to three persons who sold him some antiques. He realized his mistake after he became religious. He tried to make amends to the three persons. He found that all three persons were dead. They did not have any children too. The thought that he had committed three sins and he could not compensate or balance them in any way made him mentally disturbed.

5. Can we explain the reason behind the wonderful smile that spread across the old man’s face when the narrator told him about the money what he wanted to give them?

The old man, Miss Wilson’s father wanted to counterbalance the three sins he had committed long back. As he could not find anyone of his victim or their family members, he decided to help three deserving persons by allowing them to make good profits. He thought that the good deeds would compensate for his sins. He could find two such persons while he was alive. He could not find the third one. He found that the narrator was the third deserving person when the narrator wanted to share the profits. His search for the third deserving person finally fulfilled. The old man could now get rid of the guilt of his sins. This is the reason behind the wonderful smile that spread across the old man’s face.

6. Do you like the ending of the story? Why? Why not?

Yes. I like the ending of the story. The mystery of the story is revealed. The old man’s guilt and the way he wanted to counterbalance his sins are made known clearly. The story has a mysterious superhuman character. There is a moral in the story. Our sins will never let us rest peacefully.

Wednesday, September 23, 2020

Into the Snake Pit

 

Answers for the homework given: MCB Page 99 and 100

Reading 1

1. a. III b. iii. c. iv. d. iii

2. Answer the following questions.

a. Mac Tootle’s fears about Africa were mitigated by two things the narrator told him. What did he tell him?

The two things told by the narrator to Mac Tootle to mitigate his fears about Africa were:

1. Even though he had spent several months in Africa, he could see only five snakes.

2. The majority of snakes are easy to catch.

b. Why did the writer not have the heart to refuse the Irishman’s offer?

The writer did not have the heart to refuse the Irishman’s offer because the Irishman was very happy about the specimens of snakes he had found for the writer’s collection. Moreover, he told highly about the snake catching skills of the writer to his friends.

c. ‘Eventually eight of us walked our way through the banana plantation and seven were laughing and chattering excitedly…’ Who was the eighth one? Why was he not excited?

The eighth one was none other than the narrator. He was not happy or excited as he was the person who had to enter into the snake pit in the middle of the night. So, the narrator was anxious.

d. The narrator tries twice to escape his dreadful situation. What are the two reasons or excuses he tries to offer?

The first reason he tried was about lighting. As there was no torchlight, he wanted to back off from going into the snake pit. The second reason was the lack of proper clothing and shoes. He said that they could not offer proper protection to him against snakes.

e. After the pit ordeal, the writer concludes that animal collecting is as dangerous an occupation as one’s stupidity allows it to be. What do you think, he means by this?

After the pit ordeal, the writer concludes that an animal collector should not take stupid risks without proper preparation and equipment. It was not necessary for him to accept Mac Tootle’s offer and attempt to catch snakes at midnight. That too without proper lighting, clothes , and shoes. The writer was criticizing himself for being such a fool.

f. Bring out the humor in the last part of the account, relating to Mac Tootle and his brother.

They had waited for the brother and sister-in-law of Mac Tootle before they began the ordeal. Mac Tootle didn’t want his brother to miss the once in a lifetime opportunity to watch wild snakes being caught. The narrator had taken a great risk and entered into the snake pit. After all the trouble taken by the narrator to catch the snakes, Mac Tootle said that his brother hadn’t the courage to watch the ordeal. During the entire ordeal, they were not aware of the narrator’s misery or the difficult situation he faced.

Reading 2:

Give reasons for the following statements.

1. Going into the pit at night made the writer’s task more difficult for two reasons. What were these two reasons?

Going into the pit at night made the writer’s task more difficult for two reasons. They are: 1. Poor lighting. There was no sufficient light at the bottom of the pit. 2. There were Gaboon vipers in the pit. These deadly snakes are very quick and active at nights.

2. Do you think that the writer was relieved when Mac Tootle offered his clothes? Give a reason for your answer.

No. The narrator was not relieved when Mac Tootle offered him clothes. The narrator had hoped that he could back off from going into the snake pit by telling them that he was not having proper protective clothes.

3. The fact there were Gaboon vipers in the pit the narrator’s task ever more perilous. Why? Give two reasons.

Here are the two reasons that made the narrator’s task more perilous. 1. Gaboon vipers are among the deadliest snakes in the world. They hunt for food during night times. So, they are very active and quick at night. 2. The vipers have brown, silver-pink, and cream colored blotches on their skins. It is very difficult to find them as they are invisible in the background of leaf mould.


Wednesday, September 16, 2020

The Beginnings of a Miracle

Reading 1 (Page 91)
2. Answer the following questions.

a. What was the ‘unusual activity’ that Helen could sense? What were her reasons for sensing it?

The unusual activity that Helen could sense was about the arrival of a new teacher, Anne Mansfield Sullivan. Everybody was busy in making preparations and going here and there. Her mother signs her. These are the reasons for Helen sensing the unusual activity.

b. How does Helen describe her life before the arrival of her teacher?

Helen describes her life as a ship in the sea. The ship is surrounded by fog. It is difficult to find directions to the shore. Helen is groping for a direction like the ship.

c. Which incident ignited the desire in Helen to learn more about the things around her?

Anne Sullivan tried to teach Helen the relationship between the word ‘water’ and the water flowing from the water sprout by placing one of Helen’s hands in the flow and wrote the letters w-a-t-e-r on the palm of Helen’s other hand. Then Helen realized that ‘water’ means the cool thing that is flowing over her hand. She also realizes that everything has a name. This incident ignited the desire in Helen to learn more about the things around her.

d. Mention an incident in the text which proves that Helen’s parents were overindulgent towards her?

Once Helen was not willing to use a napkin at the table. Her teacher tried to put the napkin around her neck many times. But Helen kept tearing it away. At last, she began to kick the table. Helen’s teacher took her plate and wanted to take her out of the room as a punishment. Helen’s father didn’t allow her teacher to take her out of the room. He said that the child should not be without food. This incident in the text proves that Helen’s parents were overindulgent towards her.

e. What was the first lesson that Helen’s teacher wanted to teach her?

‘Obedience’ was the first lesson that Helen’s teacher wanted to teach her. Her teacher clearly understood that it was difficult to teach Helen anything unless Helen obeyed her. Anne, her teacher was sure that obedience and love make a gateway through which knowledge entered in a child’s mind.

Reading 2

1. According to Anne Sullivan, Helen would never give in without dispute. In your opinion, what could be the reason behind Helen’s stubborn and aggressive attitude?

In my opinion, the overindulgence of Helen’s parents towards Helen could be the reason for this. Helen’s family allowed her to do things in her own way. They pampered her. So, Helen became a stubborn child.

2. Anne Sullivan accomplished a great deal, especially as the outstanding teacher of Helen Keller. She is often overlooked as people only remember the student and not the amazing teacher who opened the door of knowledge and language for Keller. Anne Sullivan’s part was just as difficult, if not more, than Keller’s job as a learner. Do you agree or disagree? Give reasons.

I agree that Anne Sullivan’s job was just as difficult. She had to deal with a spoilt and stubborn child. Moreover, she had to convince Helen’s overindulgent parents. Anne had to be strict with Helen and enforce discipline. It was difficult to make Helen’s parents the importance of obedience.

3. It is through language that Helen Keller first experiences regret and sorrow. Like Helen, the hearing and visually impaired use sign language to express themselves. Language is essential for us to understand our relation with the world. Do you agree? Justify your answer.

Yes. I agree that language is essential for communication. If you know more words, you can tell what you want more clearly. It is impossible to live without the power of expression. We need to express ourselves and communicate with others to share our feelings. We need language to understand another person’s feelings and ideas. Even people like Helen, who are unable to speak or hear, use sign language.

 

Wednesday, September 9, 2020

Can We Change This?


 

Reading 1

1. What was the sight that the narrator found amusing? Was it really so?

An elderly paraya man was carrying a snack packet with the help of a string. He could easily hold the packet with his hands. Instead, he was bringing it without touching it. The manner in which he carried the parcel made the narrator laugh. The narrator found it amusing.

No. There is nothing amusing in the incident. The elderly man was treated as an untouchable. People thought that anything an untouchable person touches gets polluted.

2. Why was the narrator’s Annan not amused by her story?

The narrator’s Annan understood the meaning of the incident. He knew that the elderly paraya man had to be humble and humiliated before a higher caste person. It is not funny and the narrator’s Annan was not amused.

3. What feeling did the realization of truth evoke in the narrator?

The narrator felt provoked and got angry after realizing the truth that lower caste people were being humiliated.

4. What humiliation did the lower castes have to face?

The lower castes had to do all the chores of the household without touching things. They had to do all the hard work like sweeping cow sheds, collecting cow dung. They had to eat the leftovers. They had to treat upper caste people including children with respect. They had to be humble. They had to do whatever the higher caste people demanded. They were treated badly.   

5. ‘Naicker was furious.’ (Page 73, paragraph 1) Why? Was this justified?

Annan, a paraya boy, a grandson of one of his servants had the courage to talk to the Naiker disrespectfully. So the Naicker was furious.

No. It was not justified.

6. What discrimination did the narrator undergo on daily basis at school?

The narrator along with other children of her caste had to do all the hard work at school. They carried water to the teacher’s house. They watered the plants. They did all chores of the school. If something unwanted had happened in the school, the lower caste children were blamed.

7. Relate the humiliating incident that the narrator experienced at school?

There was a coconut tree that grew at a convenient slant in the narrator’s school. One day, the children were playing a game on the tree. They ran up the tree and touched the coconuts and came back. The coconut bunch was twisted by some excited children. Just as the narrator was about to touch the coconuts, when her turn came, the coconuts had fallen down with a thud. Everybody scattered but the narrator, being a lower caste girl, was blamed.

During the school assembly the following day, she was humiliated. She was not allowed to attend her classes.

8. Justify the title of the narration?

The title of this lesson, ‘Can we change this?’ tells us about certain bad practices in our society. We have to put a stop to such practices as untouchability. The title challenges us and asks us to do something to change the bad practices of our society. The title is justified and appropriate.

Reading 2

1. What socio-economic strata did the narrator belong to? Quote words and phrases from the text to support your answer.

The narrator belonged to a lower caste known as paraya. They were poor and treated as untouchables. The word ‘paraya’ means ‘the other people’. The narrator was from Cheri Street where parayas lived. She says ‘parayas’ as ‘our people’. These words and phrases support that the narrator belonged to paraya community.

2. How was the narrator different from others who faced discrimination?

While the others who faced discrimination suffered silently, the narrator felt provoked and became angry. She was inspired by her Annan’s suggestion and concentrated on her studies. She studied well and achieved the top rank in her class.

3. What alternative did Annan suggest to the narrator? Do you agree with him?

Annan suggested the narrator that the best way to be respected and accepted among her friends was through learning and education. Yes. I agree with his suggestion.

4. As the narrator, write a page in your diary after a humiliating day at school.

Day:

Date:

Dear diary,

Today was the most sorrowful day in my life. I was blamed without any reason. I was humiliated before our class. All this is because I am a lower caste student.

Pardhu, an upper-caste student had lost his new pen. The pen was really beautiful. Every student was jealous. During the last period, Pardhu complained that he had lost his pen. He said that somebody stole it.

Everyone in the class, including the class teacher blamed me and called me a thief. They said that lower caste people are thieves by nature. They searched my bag thoroughly, but the pen is not in the bag. How could it be? I wept silently. Later they found the pen in the playground.

So, this was the saddest day of my life.

Bye, bye dear diary.

 

Vocabulary

Unscramble the words in brackets to discover more about an anti-apartheid activist.

Stephen Biko (1946-1977) was an illustrious anti-apartheid __________ (tactivis) in South Africa. He began as a student leader, and went on to found the Black Consciousness Mvment which he hoped would __________ (peomrwe) and mobilize much of the urband black population.

He was arrested on 18 August 1977 and died in police custody on 12 September. He is often called the greated __________ (artrym) of the anti-apartheid movement. He was famous for his slogan ‘Black is beautiful’. His __________ (uteqs) for black identity continues to __________ (nirisep) people to this day.

Answers

activist, empower, martyr, quest, inspire

Wednesday, September 2, 2020

I Think I Could Turn and Live with Animals

 


Poem Appreciation

1. Match the lines from the poem to what they suggest

Phrases/Lines from the poem

Suggested meaning

I stand and look at them long and long.

They are content with their life.

They do not sweat and whine about their condition,

Animals don’t worry about their condition.

They do not lie awake in the dark and weep for their sins,

They are not obsessed with material possessions.

They do not make me sick discussing their duty to God,

The poet is fascinated by them.

….demented with the mania of owning things,

Animals don’t worry about the mistakes they make.

 Answers:

Phrases/Lines from the poem

Suggested meaning

I stand and look at them long and long.

The poet is fascinated by them.

They do not sweat and whine about their condition,

Animals don’t worry about their condition.

They do not lie awake in the dark and weep for their sins,

Animals don’t worry about the mistakes they make.

They do not make me sick discussing their duty to God,

They are content with their life.

….demented with the mania of owning things,

They are not obsessed with material possessions.

 2. Answer the following questions.

a. What is the poet’s desire?

The poet wants to live with animals.

b. What are the qualities that endear animals to him?

Animals are placid and self-contained. They do not complain about their condition and they do not worry about the mistakes they make. They are not afraid of God. Every animal is happy and satisfied. They are all equal and they do not want to gather material things. These are the qualities of the animals that endear to the poet.

c. What vices in human beings does the poet notice?

Humans are easily worried and depend on others. They are not content with what they have and they are afraid of the sins they commit. They fear God and bow before fellow humans. They want to possess material things. No one is happy. These are the vices poet noticed in human beings.

d. How do the animals react to the poet?

Animals show their true feelings to the poet. They reveal their relations to him just as they relate.

e. What are the ‘tokens’ that the poet says he may have dropped long ago, and which animals have kept for themselves?

The ‘tokens’ that the poet refers in the poem are good qualities such as simplicity, innocence, and contentment.

f. What is the theme of the poem?

The poet, Walt Whitman wants human beings to have good qualities such as simplicity, innocence, and contentment. He says that animals have kept these qualities whereas humans have forgotten the good qualities.

g. What is the tone of the poet?

In this poem. the poet wants to live with animals as they have good qualities. His tone is regretful and longing.

Monday, August 31, 2020

Elephants Raid the Kitchen

 


Reading 1

1. Based on your reading of the text, select the best option for each of the following.

a. ‘She stopped feeding, and rumbled gently.’ Tuskless ‘rumbled’

i. to signal other elephants to come.

ii. to scare humans away.

iii. to shake the bananas loose.

iv. to show reluctance to move out.

b. ‘Each elephant grabbed a last trunk full and started backing or turning away, reluctantly abandoning the banquet.’ The elephants left ‘reluctantly’ because

i. they were scared of the sound of the engine

ii. they wanted to look for more food jin the collapsed kitchen.

iii. there was no food in the forest.

iv. they had had their fill and it was difficult to move.

Answers:

1. a. i. to signal other elephants to come

1. b. ii.they wanted to look for more food in the collapsed kitchen.

2. Answer the following questions.

a. Who was Tuskless? How was she drawn to the camp?

Tuskless was a female elephant. She was drawn to the camp because of the smell of food items. She got the smell of bananas and she was very fond of bananas.

b. How did Tuskless developed a taste for bananas?

Once Tuskless was given overripe, almost fermented bananas at the camp’s feeding place. She ate them with great relish. From then onwards Tuskless developed a taste for bananas.

c. How did the elephants enter the kitchen?

Tuskless wrenched out the main sisal pole of the tent with her trunk. The other elephants pulled the other poles and the wire. Tuskless made a hole in the wall of the kitchen. She pushed the wall with her head. The kitchen collapsed. Thus the elephants entered the kitchen.

d. Getting the food out of the tent was not easy for Tuskless. Explain.

The food was stored at the other side of the kitchen. Tuskless had to push the kitchen wall with her head. The kitchen collapsed. Tuskless had to get food from the collapsed ktchen knocking down cupboards and breaking open the trunks. So, getting the food out of the tent was not easy for Tuskless.

e. What was ‘near ecstasy’ for the raiders?

The elephants found their favorite food all at one place in the kitchen. They enjoyed fruits, vegetables, bread, cookies and crackers. That was like a feast for them. The feast was ‘near ecstasy’ for the raiders.

f. What did the narrator first do on her arrival at the camp?

As soon as the narrator realized that the kitchen was raided by the elephants, she tried to chase them away. Once the elephants went away, the narrator went to the kitchen and found that the cooking gas was leaking out of the cylinder. She switched off the regulator and controlled the gas leakage, averting a fire accident.

g. Why did the narrator blame herself for the mess?

The narrator had gone out for eating without storing the food properly. The cook was on leave and so the food was not takes care of. The narrator blamed herself for the mess as she should have taken precautions to avoid the raid.

Reading 2

1. Camping in the forest is not without hazards. Bring this out with reference to the story.

There is a danger of animal attacks on the camps in the forest. Animals, especially elephants move in herds and raid the camps. They are attracted by the smell of food. Hence, camping in the forest is not without hazards like fire accidents.

2. What should have warned the narrator about the elephants’ intentions?

The narrator and her friends observed that Tuskless moving in the direction of the camp kitchen earlier on the same evening. They should have guessed the intentions of the elephants.

3. How does the author feel about the elephants - compassion or disgust? Give reasons.

The author felt compassion about the elephants. Though she was angry with the elephants for raiding the kitchen, she did not want the elephants to get hurt or injured.

4. What part of the narration did you like most? Why?

I like the part which describes about the elephants’ entry into the kitchen. They used their intelligence and removed the fencing and pushed down the kitchen wall. They could get their favorite food from the collapsed kitchen. This shows the teamwork of the elephants.

5. Which of these traits best describe Tuskless? Give reasons?

intelligent - greedy - fearless - caring - opportunistic - risk-taker -  patient - observant

You may write any one of the following:

Intelligent: I think this trait describes Tuskless the best. It is because she knows how to find the food and how to lead her herd towards the food.

Greedy: I think this trait describes Tuskless the best. It is because she didn’t stop eating even after she ate her favourite food, bananas. She went on to break open the trunks and pulled down cup boards for other food items like bread, cockies and crackers.

Fearless: I think this trait describes Tuskless the best. It is because she was not afraid of humans. Fearlessly she led her herd towards the kitchen.

Caring: I think this trait describes Tuskless the best. It is because she had taken her herd and let all other elephants enjoy the feast.

Opportunistc: I think this trait describes Tuskless the best. It is because Tuskless took the opportunity to raid the kitchen when there were no humans around.

Risk-taker: I can say that Tuskless is a risk-taker as she led her herd to the kitchen. She took the risk of damaging the fence and collapsing the kitchen.

Patient: I think this trait describes Tuskless the best. It is because Tuskless waited patiently till all the humans were gone from the camp to raid kitchen.

Observant: This trait suits Tuskless the best. She observed the surroundings and got the smell of food in the kitchen. She waited till all the humans were gone from the kitchen and raided the kitchen.

6. As Tuskless, write a page in your diary describing the feast.

Date     

Day

Time

Dear Diary,

Today, I am very lucky. I got the smell of ripened bananas from the camp kitchen while roaming nearby. I am very happy to know that the food I liked most is very near to me.

I waited for the opportunity to find a way to eat the food. The humans how are at the camp went away. I gave a signal to the other elephants in the herd that now we can go to kitchen and enjoy the food.

We went near the kitchen. There was a fence. We removed the fence with our trunks. We pushed the wall of the kitchen and the kitchen collapsed.

From the rubble, we ate the fruits and vegetables. We broke open the trunks and cupboards to steal food like bread, cookies and crackers. It was a great feast for us.

Sadly, the woman and her friends came and chased us away. We had to return to our places in the forest.

What a wonderful day I had!

Good night diary.

Vocabulary

Study the words in italics in the following sentences. Then, from the options given below, choose the words that could best replace them.

1. Tuskless, Teddy and the others began feeding around the periphery of the camp, apparently minding their own business and concentrating on eating.

    a. deceptively    b. obviously          c. consequently                d. disbelievingly

2. Tuskless liked the smell immediately, plucked one off the stalk, popped it in her mouth and savoured the sweet taste.

    a. admired          b. relished           c. smelled            d. liked

3. There was a tearing noise as the pole was wrenched away.

    a. picked              b. slid                c. blown               d. jerked

4. The tin trunk was lifted up and turned upside down and stepped on a bit a kicked about if necessary, until it disgorged its contents.

    a. finished           b. devoured                       c. retained          d. emptied

5. I can still close my eyes and vividly see that disastrous scene as I drove around the corner into the camp…

    a. horrifying            b. unsuccessful                 c. ruinous            d. unlucky

Answers:

1. a. deceptively

2. b. relished

3. d. jerked

4. d. emptied

5. a. horrifying

 


Sunday, August 16, 2020

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.

Friday, August 7, 2020

Father’s Help

1. What were Swami’s feelings on Monday morning? Why do you think he felt so?

Swami shuddered to think that he had to go to school on Monday morning. He hoped that his school would be damaged by an earthquake. He felt like this because he was not interested to go to school after enjoying a relaxed weekend.

2. How did Swaminathan convince his mother to let him stay at home?

Swaminathan convinced his mother to let him stay at home by telling her that he had a terrible headache. When his mother suggested that he should go to school on a jukta if he was suffering from a headache, he said that the jutka would jolt him and made him feel worse. He also told her that there were no important lessons on that day.

3. What did Swami tell his father about Samuel? Why did he do so?

Swaminathan told his father that his teacher, Samuel was a violent man. He punished his students by beating them with his cane. He would not stop canning until blood oozed out. He wouldn’t tolerate latecomers.

Swami told his father so in hope that his father would be convinced that going late to Samuel’s class would end in punishment and he would allow Swami to stay at home.

4. Father’s behavior on learning about Samuel took an unexpected turn. How did he react?

Swami’s father was excited when he came to know that ill-treatment given by Samuel to the children. He thought such kind of behavior was bad and such teachers should not be allowed to teach. He wrote a letter of complaint against Samuel to the headmaster. He sealed the letter and gave it to Swami to be delivered to the headmaster.

5. Why was Swami reluctant to give the letter to the headmaster?

Swami realized that in his eagerness to avoid school, he had exaggerated Samuel's violence to his father. He thought it would be unfair to give the complaint letter to the headmaster. Swami could not remember Samuel sir beating him. In fact, Samuel sir encouraged him. Swami felt bad as he had told lies to his father about Samuel. That is why Swami was reluctant to give the letter to the headmaster.

6. Why did Swami plan to disobey Samuel?

Swami was reluctant to give the complaint letter to the headmaster as Samuel was very tolerant and gentlemanly. He wanted Samuel to beat him as it would justify the complaint letter. In order to make Samuel angry, Swami planned to disobey him. Swami thought that if he could make Samuel angry, Samuel would beat him.

7. ‘But today Samuel appeared to have developed more tolerance and gentleness.’ Why did Swami feel so?

Swami gave an account of Samuel's violence to his father. He told his father that Samuel would cane the late coming students mercilessly. Then his father wrote a letter of complaint to the headmaster and ordered Swami to go to school even though it was late. Samuel allowed Sami to the class without even scolding him. He even excused Swami for not doing the homework. So, Swami felt that Samuel had developed tolerance and gentleness.

8. How did Swami convince himself about giving the letter to the headmaster?

In the last period, Swami could make Samuel angry and got punished. Samuel gave eight wholesome whacks with his cane on Swami’s palms. Swami felt relieved and took the punishment. Now, he could give the complaint letter to the headmaster as Samuel had canned him. Thus, Swami convinced himself about giving the letter to the headmaster.

9. Why did Swaminathan not deliver the letter to the headmaster?

Swaminathan had not delivered the letter to the headmaster as the peon told him that the headmaster was on leave since that afternoon and he would not return for a few days. The letter could be given to the assistant headmaster. The assistant headmaster is none other than Samuel. Swami could not give a letter of complaint against Samuel to Samuel himself as it was a false complaint.

Wednesday, July 22, 2020

Mending Wall - Robert Frost

Answers to Textual Questions on Page No: 34

1. Does the wall between the neighbour’s farms serve a practical purpose? Support your view with evidence from the poem?

No. The wall between the neighbour’s farms doesn’t serve any practical purpose.

Here are the evidences from the poem: 1. The author tells us that, ‘his apple trees cannot go to his neighbour’s farm and the neighbour’s pine trees cannot come to his farm. 2. There is nothing to wall in or out. 3. There are no cows.

2. How do the hunters damage the wall?

Hunters hunt for rabbits with the help of their dogs. They damage the wall while they are chasing the rabbits accompanied by their dogs.

3. How would you describe the poet and his tone?

The poet doesn’t want the wall between him and his neighbor. He is thoughtful and sad. He gets angry and he doesn’t like boundaries between neighbors as boundaries do not serve any practical purpose. He rebels against the customs but finally, he accepts the reality and helps in mending the wall.

4. What does the neighbour mean by ‘good fences make good neighbours’? Do you agree? In a relationship, what does a wall stand for?

The neighbour means that good neighbours always mind their own business and do not involve in their neighbours’ affairs. When we have definite boundaries like walls, we can keep up our individuality and privacy.  We can have nice communication when we meet our neighbours at the time of repairing the wall.

A wall in a relationship means that something is not nice between people. There is a hurdle between them which is preventing pleasant communication.

5. What does the wall represent for each neighbour? Pick out evidence from the text to support your analysis?

The author thinks of mending wall is just ‘an outdoor game’. He feels that the wall is an unnecessary barrier between the neighbours.

His neighbour thinks that the wall is important because it protects his privacy and individuality. He believes what his father told him, ‘good fences make good neighbours’.