MAURITIUS

ANSWER THE FOLLOWING:

C1. Read the lesson silently and answer the following questions:

1. Where is Mauritius?

Ans. Mauritius is a tiny speck of an island situated below the Equator on the twentieth

parallel some 4,500 k.m south west of Mumbai.

2. Name the people of different origins found in Mauritius?

Ans. The people of different origins found in Mauritius are African, Chinese, Biharis, Dutch,

Persians, Tamils, Arabs, French and English.

3. Who are referred to as the ‘buccaneering trinity’ of those days? Why are they so called?

Ans. The ‘buccaneering trinity’ are the Dutch, the French and the English who constantly

waged battle for the possession of the island for its spices and sugar. They are called so as

their interest in Mauritius was piratical in nature.

4. List out some very musical but unpronounceable names as found by the author.

Ans. The musical but unpronounceable names found by the author are Touarux, Beau

Bassin, Quarter Bornes, Curepipe, Rose-Belle and so on. These names are from French

language.

5. What are the ‘flora and fauna’ found in Mauritius?

Ans. The flora found in Mauritius are the trees which are short and gnarled in the interior of

jungles just like overgrown bonsai. The fauna are the bat, monkey, deer, giant tortoises of

Aldabra variety.

6. How is nature cruel to the people of Mauritius?

Ans. Nature is very cruel to the people of Mauritius. When the King cyclone struck them, it

churned the country for two days, relentlessly flattening everything that stood smashing

windows and doors, tearing up the rooftops, uprooting the trees and bringing them down on

buildings. Generally such cyclone strikes Mauritius once every 15 years.

7. Name some aquatic creatures sighted by the author.

Ans. Sea shells, crabs, shapeless ugly creatures crawling in the dark depths and a school of

fish-coloured bright lemon yellow with black bars. Fishes with hideous spikes all over their

body, fishes with long tails, fishes with battered faces are found.

II. Answer the following:

1. Why was it difficult for the author to locate Mauritius in his Atlas?

Ans. The world atlas which the author had was very old and contained many little dots and

specks. These dots were the products of cockroaches and may be due to weather too, but

nothing to do with geography. So Mauritius which is a tiny island could not be easily located

by the author in his atlas.

2. What is the reason for the people of different countries to settle in Mauritius?

Ans. The reason for the people of different countries to settle in Mauritius was for its spices

and sugar or just for the strategic position on the maritime route to the East, conveniently

placed.

3. How does the author explain the absence of protocol amon government officials and

ministers?

Ans. The cabinet ministers and others in big positions do not act as if they were born to the

grace. They are all just like ordinary people. They are unassuming, accessible, communicative

and without protective shield of hangers on and security men to repel casual approaches.

4. Give the description of mountains as given by the author.

Ans. The blue mountains ring the islands, a volcanic happening of geological ages. These

mountains do not have the traditional monotonous pyramidal shapes. Their outlines are

freakish and whimsical with unexpected sweeps and have perpendicular drops and pin-pointed

peaks.

5. How are the people of Mauritius fighting against the cruel jaws of nature?

Ans. Mauritius is prone to cyclonic storms and it is an annual feature. Big ones occur once in

15 years and leave a trail of destruction. People are used to cyclones and have learnt to live

them. King cyclone a massive cyclone had stuck Mauritius on February 6, 1975 leaving vast

areas flattened. The island has recovered from the devastation. Trees are planted in congested

areas. Tall buildings came up, plate glass picture windows are fixed and rooftops are put up

with an eye on elegance.

6. What would be the future of Mauritius as opined by the author?

Ans. The Government is eager to have foreign entrepreneurs start their industries here. With

industrial growth, the living space will shrink. Cars and trucks will increase. Their roads will

have to be widened to take the load. The price of land will go up and flats will appear. Cost of

living, pollution, unemployment, slums, taxation, controls will appear, the author opined.

C3. Compare and contrast the arriving and departing experience of the author during his flight.

Does it suggest to you anything?

Ans. The author’s experience on his arriving journey to Mauritius was exciting. He was curious

to see the sight below the flying aircraft. The blush grey steel sheet like ocean, acres and acres

of cloud, in between the appearance of shapes of land structures resembling the legendary

historical structures of ancient countries.

During his return flight the author could not see those scenes as it was dark. But he could

imagine the future Mauritius in a changed situation. Industrialization with wider roads, tall

buildings, pollution, unemployment, slums etc.

He hopes that enlightened people will guide the growth of Mauritius with same simplicity

and marvel.

AFRICA

C1. Read the poem silently and answer the following after discussing your response with your

partner.

1. How does the poet come to know about the history of Africa?

Ans. The poet comes to know about the history of Africa from his grand mother’s song.

2. The poet did not spend much of his life in Africa. Pick out the line/lines that express this

feeling.

Ans. “Africa of proud warriors in ancestral Savannahs” Africa of whom my grandmother

sings”. These lines express the feeling that the poet didn’t spend much of his life in Africa.

3. Despite staying away from Africa for quite sometime, how does he describe Africa?

Ans. The poet was staying away from Africa for quite sometime, he describes that ‘Africa is

my Africa”. It had proud warriors in ancestral savannahs along the banks of the river.

4. Read lines from five to ten. What do you describe?

Ans. In lines from five to ten, the poet describes the characteristics of African slavery. The

work of the people spreads all over the country. They shed sweat as blood. They had no peace

under the slavery.

5. ‘Red Scars’ what does this phrase refer to?

Ans. ‘Red Scars’ describes about the wounds and injury they got out of their slavery.

6. Pick out the lines that talk about the humiliation suffered by the Africans.

Ans. “Is this you this back that is bent”. This back that breaks under the weight of humiliation”.

These lines talk about the humiliation suffered by the Africans.

7. “That tree there is splendid loneliness”? Explain this phrase with reference with

reference to the feeling of the poet about his country.

Ans. The poet expresses that the freedom struggle is still going on in a majestic way.

8. That grows again patiently obstinately and its fruit gradually acquires the bitter task of

liberty.

a. What does that refer to?

Ans. That refers to the tree

b. How does it grow?

Ans. It grows politely, strongly and never changing his mind.

c. What does ‘bitter taste of liberty’ refer to?

Ans. ‘I’ refers to that is not fully achieved.

C3. Work in pair s and complete the summary of the poem given below. Use the expressions

given in the box.

(distance, part of him, descent, never known, beautiful black blood, angry and accuracy, for

the benefit, exploited, loves his country, blood and sweat, as slaves, colonialists)

The poet continues to say that he has never known Africa, but despite, the distance he

cannot deny how much it is a part of him. The phrase beautiful black blood which flows in

his veins describes his African descent and shows how much he loves his country and its

people. The next verses are as slaves as he stresses that it is the blood and sweat of his

people which is irrigating the fields for the benefit of other people. Here he is pointing a

finger at the colonialists who exploited the black people and used them as slaves to profit

from their hard labour.

A2. Read the lines of the poem given in column ‘A’ and fill in column ‘B’ that depict the mood of

the poet. One example is given for you.

Lines of the poem mood/feeling

1. I have never known you, Patriotism

But your blood flows in

My veins

2. Is this you this back that angry and accusory

Is bent this back that

Breaks under the weight

Of humiliation

3. But a grave voice answers appreciation

Me Impetous son that tree

Young and strong

4. In splendid loneliness amidst appreciation

White and faded flowers. That its wealth

Is Africa, your Africa and its victory

Gradually acquires. The bitter

Taste of liberty

THE COLLECTORS

Comprehension:

C1. Read the play silently with your friend. Find and discuss the answer for the following

questions:

1. Why was the group looking for a shelter?

Ans. The group was looking for a shelter because it was raining hard.

2. How far was the village from the place they were in?

Ans. The village was three miles from the place they were in.

3. Why did Mr. Hunt hesitate to seek shelter in the house?

Ans. Mr. Hunt hesitated to seek shelter in the house because it was a lonely place to choose for

a house. He remembered that there wasn’t any house when he had come in the summer.

4. Name the occupants of the house.

Ans. The occupants of the house were Mr. and Mrs.Brown.

5. On what pretext did the occupants of the house separate the teachers from the

children?

Ans. Mr. Brown said that there wasn’t enough place for everyone to sit in one room and

Mr.Brown made the teachers sit in the sitting room.

6. What seemed unnatural in the house to the children?

Ans. They couldn’t hear any sound of wind. They just hear their voice in the sitting room. They

found no washing up machine, no plates, no pots and pans. There was nothing at all in the

fridge and the lights were not turning on.

7. What was unnatural with fingers on both hands?

Ans. Mrs. Brown had seven fingers on both hands.

8. What did the children find in the larger cupboard?

Ans. The children found dials, digital readouts, coloured lights and mass of other electronic

equipment in the cupboard.

9. When Pete went to Mr. Hunt, Mr. Hunt was not moving and was staring blank because

a. He was thinking

b. He was drugged

c. He was meditating

Ans. When Pete went to Mr. Hunt, Mr. Hunt was not moving and was staring blank because he

was drugged.

10. When Pete went to Mr. Hunt, Pete heard the Browns talking to each other but could not

understand what they were saying. Why?

Ans. The children could not understand the Browns talking to each other because they were

not human and were talking alien language.

11. Why did Pete prevent the other children from taking the drink?

Ans. Pete prevented the other children from taking the drink because if they had that drink,

they would be drugged.

12. Where were the aliens taking the children?

Ans. the aliens were taking the children to their home planet.

13. Why were the aliens collecting the creatures from other planets?

Ans. The aliens were collecting the creatures from other planets for experiments and scientific

study.

14. Where was the control of the back-door located?

Ans. the control of the back door was located in the cupboard.

15. After sending all the others out of the spaceship, how did Pete and Glenn manage to

escape from the aliens?

Ans. With the help of Mrs. Brown he pressed the yellow light and opened the door. Glenn and

Pete dashed for the back door and disappeared through it.

16. What circumstance forced the party to take shelter in the spaceship?

Ans. The party was completely wet due to downpour. They were dripping wet.

17. List the things that made the children feel uncomfortable in the kitchen?

Ans. a. The kitchen is like a hospital. b. No, plates no pots and pans. c. The cupboard is quite

empty. d. The empty fridge.

18. Why couldn’t the children escape either through the back door or the window?

Ans. The children couldn’t escape either through the back door or the window because both

were burglar proof locks.

19. List the following:

a. Things that were in the kitchen: Empty cupboard and fridge which was not working.

b. Unusual features of the brown: Mr. and Mrs. Brown had seven fingers both in their

hands, their eyes were all one colour, they didn’t have any black-sort –of- centers.

c. Language used by the Browns: Alien language

d. Different ways children tried to get out of the house: The children tried to open the back

door, tried to smash open the window with a stick. Finally they got out by threatening Mrs.

Brown.

20. What suspicion did the children have about the Browns and their ‘house’? What

convincing reasons did Mrs. Brown come up with?

Ans. The kitchen seemed to be hospital. There was no washing up machine, no pans nor pots.

The cupboard was empty and there was nothing at all in the fridge. Mrs. Brown said that they

had just moved in and hadn’t time to sort things out that was why this place looks deserted.

VI. Look at the following describing words and phrases. Group them under words or phrases

describing the place and describing the Browns.

Word describing the place words describing the Browns

1. Terribly quite 1. aliens

2. Weird 2. Had seven fingers

3. Cold 3. Spoke strange language

4. Deserted 4. Weird like a vampire

5. Empty 5. Eyes had no centre

6. strange

b. Write a sentence for each word:

1. drenched: To make some one something completely wet: She was completely drenched by

the time she got home.

2. dripping: make it fall in drips: There was water dripping from the ceiling

3. drizzling: light rain: It is drizzling since morning.

4. foggy: Thick cloud just above the ground or to not know anything about something: I haven’t

the foggiest idea what you are talking about.

5. humid: a hot and humid climate: Even though it rained the humidity is high.

6. misty: full of or covered with mist: If the weather is misty there is a cloud of small drops of

water in the air.

7. soaked: completely wet: My shirt was soaked.

8. sodden: soaked through: Your shoes are sodden.

THE VILLAGE SCHOOL MASTER

COMPREHENSION:

C1. Based on the reading of the poem find answer to the questions and write them in your note

book.

1. Where was the school located?

Ans. The school was located in a village near the school master’s mansion.

2. How did the children react to the school master’s jokes?

Ans. The children laughed with counterfeited glee and thoroughly enjoyed every morning.

3. How could the children find the morning disaster?

Ans. The children could find the morning disaster in the school master’s face.

4. The school master was a. kind b. severe c. kind as well as severe

Ans. The school master was kind as well as severe

5. Which of the following is not true of the village school master?

Ans. He could write poems and songs is not true of the village school master.

6. What puzzled the villagers?

Ans. The enormous knowledge and skills of the school master were wonders for the villagers.

They were puzzled that how such a small head carried such vastness.

7. Why does Oliver Goldsmith say that the blossom’d furze was unprofitably gay?

Ans. Oliver Goldsmith says that the blossom’d furze was unprofitably gay because the lush

grass spread out over there in nature, not used for commercial profits.

C2. Answer the following questions:

1. What is the children’s view of the teacher?

Ans. The children’s view of the teacher is he was severe and stern.

2. Why did the villagers respect the school master?

Ans. The villagers respected the school master because he knew almost everything and could

predict what would happen next day.

3. What impression does the poem give you of the (a) qualities and (b) abilities of the

village school master?

(a) The qualities of the school master are severe, strict and kind.

(b) The abilities of the school master are writing, cipher, measuring and arguing.

4. Pick out the words that convey the different emotions of the poet.

Ans. Gazing rustics, thundering, glee, strict, kind and severe

5. Describe the skills of the village school master at which made the people wonder?

Ans. The village school master was certainly able to write and code the messages. He could

measure the land, and even forecast about tides and winds. He could predict future. These

qualities and skill of the school master made the people wonder.

6. Can you identify the mood of the speaker? How would you consider this poem a

serious one or a humorous one? Justify your answer.

Ans. The mood of the speaker is to teach the value and bringing about the significance of the

skills and qualities of a school master. It is not a humorous one but a serious one. When the

villagers started checking the skills of the school master, he proved that he owned.

C3. Answer the following:

1. Would you consider the village school master as an ideal teacher in the present

context?

Ans. I would consider the village school master as an ideal teacher in the present context. He

owned many skills. I think the village school master indeed shows the all his talents and skills in

order to be the quality of a teacher. A teacher should be a learned person and possess mastery

over many things so that everyone can gain something from him.

THE PORTRAIT OF A LADY

COMPREHENSION:

C1. Discuss in pairs and find answers for the following questions

1. Read paragraph 2. There are few lines which say about the grandmother’s features. Pick

out those lines and write them.

Ans. She had always been short and fat and slightly bent. Her face was a crisis cross of

wrinkles running from everywhere t everywhere. She could never have been pretty, but she

was always beautiful.

2. “……she used to get me ready for school”, How did grandmother get the author ready to

the school?

Ans. She used to wake the author up in the morning and get him ready for school. She

would fetch his wooden slate which she had already washed and plastered with yellow

chalk, a tiny earthen ink-pot and red pen tied them all in a bundle and hand it to him. After

a breakfast of thick stale chapatti with little butter and sugar spread on it, she left for

school.

3. Why did the grandmother accompany the author?

Ans. The grandmother accompanied the author to the school because the school was

attached to the temple. She would sit there to tell her prayers and read scriptures.

4. “That was a “turning – point” in our friendship. What was the “turning – point”?

Ans. When the authors parents were settled in the city they called the author and

grandmother to go there. That was the turning point. Though the author and grandmother

shared the same room, she did not go with him to the school. She gradually remained away

from his activities and him.

5. What made the grandmother unhappy? Why?

Ans. In the village, the temple priest used to teach alphabets and prayers. That was

‘schooling’ according to the grandmother. But in the city school the author had to learn

modern education with English, science, mathematics etc. When he came back from school

she would ask him about the lessons. But she understood very less of it. As there was no

teaching about God and scriptures she felt unhappy.

C2. In groups, discuss the answers for the following questions and present the before the class.

1. “The thought was almost revolting” what is “the thought” referred to? Why does the

author use the word ‘revolting’ to describe the thought?

Ans. The thought refers to the concept of grandmother being ‘young and pretty’. He had seen

her for the last twenty years ‘same, old, wrinkled’. He couldn’t imagine her in any younger

condition. If anybody told him to imagine her as young, it be totally opposite of his perception

of ‘grandmother’. So he says the thought itself in ‘revolting’.

2. How did the grandmother help the author as a boy during his school days?

Ans. Kushwant Singh’s grandmother used to wake him up in the morning and get him ready for

school. She would fetch his wooden slate which she had already washed and plastered with

yellow chalk, a tiny earthen ink-pot and a red pen tied them all in a bundle and handed it to

him. She accompanied him to the school.

3. Describe the relation between (animals/birds) – dogs and sparrows and the

grandmother.

Ans. when the author Khushwanth Singh and his grandmother had affectionately treated the

street dogs. When they returned home from the ‘temple –school’ she used to feed them with

the pieces of chapatis. Later, in the city when the author was engrossed in his higher studies

she used to spend some time feeding the birds like sparrows. They had become very friendly

with her sitting and perching on her shoulders and head with all their chirpings.

When the grandmother died thousands of sparrows sat around the corpse without

any chirping, all in silence. They did not touch the corns which the author’s mother had spilled

for them. They flew away quietly when the dead body was carried off and never came to their

house again.

4. Describe the three stages of relationship between the author and his grandmother

(before he went abroad).

Ans. The author-Khuswanth Singh had good relationship with his grandmother – at different

levels. When he was young, his parents had left him with grandmother in the village. They were

bonded cordially. She used to do every work for him like bathing him, preparing his food. She

used to keep his slate, books and inkpot and even she went along with him to school. She

taught him prayers too. But when they shifted to city, he began to learn in English school. She

did not understand it and did not go with him to school. She said prayers by himself.

Later when he went to university – the author had separate room to study and sleep. Thus

the relationship between the author and grandmother went on decreasing.

5. Grandmother and prayer were inseparable. Find instances from the lesson to justify

their observation.

Ans. Prayer was part of life of the Grandmother. All the time she had the rosary in her hand,

fingers kept telling the beads and lips muttering prayer. From morning till evening she did her

work or some work for the grandson – but did it with prayers. She went along with the

grandson to the ‘temple- school’ sat in the temple reading scriptures till the school bell rang.

When the author grew up, went to higher school and university, she spent her time spinning al

time her prayers in her lips. When she fell ill also - she prayed - and did it till her last breath.

6. ‘She thumped the sagging skins of the dilapidated drum’. Has the description of the

drum anything to do with the grandmother? Explain.

Ans. The old grandmother became more and more secluded from the family bonds as the years

passed. She did not show any emotional changes when the grandson went abroad she must

have sensed the end. That must have made her to gather the neighbouring women and sing for

the last with them playing the drums. The ‘ragging skins’ and dilapidated dream’ symbolize the

odl body of hers, the song ‘home coming of warrior’ indicate the return of the soul of death of

mortal life.

7. Did the grandmother predict her death? How?

Ans. Yes, she predicted her death. As she fell ill, she thought differently. She told the family

members that her end was near. She lay peacefully in bed praying and telling her beads.

8. How did the sparrows react with her earlier in her life and later after her death?

Ans. The grandmother sat in the verandah breaking the bread into little bits, hundreds of little

birds collected round her creating a veritable bedlam chirping. After her death thousands of

sparrows sat scattered on the floor. There was no chirping. The sparrows took no notice of the

bread put by others. When they carried grandmother’s corpse off, they flew away quietly.

9. What picture of the grandmother do you get from the lesson?

Ans. From the lesson, we can picturize the grandmother as an old woman with wrinkled old

body which is bent a little. On her face - we can imagine a serene, calm look – with love for not

only mankind but also for animals and birds. A pious person she was, so the dignity of satisfied

content life could be her life style.

VI. In the lesson the word ‘tell’ has been used under different contexts to mean different. Now

match the usage of the word ‘tell’ with its meaning as used in the lesson.

The use of the word ‘tell’

The word Its meaning

1. Her fingers were busy telling the beads

Of her rosary counting while reciting

2. I would tell her English words Give information to something

3. She told us that her end was near be sure.

4. At her age no one could tell Make something known to someone in spoken or

written words

TIGER

C1. Get into pairs/groups and discuss the answer the following questions:

1. What does the phrase ‘burning bright’ mean?

Ans. The phrase ‘burning bright’ means ‘feeling emotion’, flourishing in life.

2. What is not burning bright?

Ans. The tiger’s emotions, desires and anger is not seen in the forest.

3. What is the ‘plight’ referred to in the poem?

Ans. The ‘plight’ is referred as the bad and difficult situation of the tiger.

4. According to the poet, what are we not able to understand?

Ans. According to the poet, we are not able to understand the importance of tigers in nature.

He feels that we don’t understand the environmental balance.

5. How was the tiger in the forest according to the poet?

Ans. The tiger in the forest was like a king, other animals were afraid of him. His thunderous

roar made the animals to tremble in fear. The monkeys screamed and birds chirped and flew

away. But all these things happened in the past.

6. Where is Gecko hunting?

Ans. Gecko on the wall is hunting insects on his hide.

7. How did the tiger rule the forest?

Ans. The tiger ruled the forest as a king.

C2. Answer the following questions:

1. ‘Their souls were sick, killing tigers”.

a. Whose souls were sick?

Ans. The human souls were sick.

b. Why are their souls described as sick?

Ans. Their souls are described as sick because they are killing the tigers for their skin or bones.

c. Why were the tigers killed?

Ans. The powder of the tiger’s bone powder will be used to heal some sick man. The tiger’s skin

is used as a wall-decorative. So, the tigers were killed.

2. ‘Once jungles trembled at the tiger’s roar.

a. At whose roar did the jungles tremble?

Ans. The jungles trembled at the tiger’s roar.

b. Why do they no longer tremble?

Ans. Because the tigers are very few now.

c. Who is responsible for the tiger’s fate?

Ans. Man is responsible for the tiger’s fate.

C3. Answer the following:

1. What is the poet’s view about killing animals? Is he condemning the killers or in

appreciation of them?

Ans. The poet is condemning the killers. He does not like killing animals. The poet makes us

feel and understand the difficulties of the life of the animals. The poet describes the

significance of protecting the endangered species. People cruelly kill the animals. People kill

animals for their recreation and financial advantages.

2. How can you protect the tigers from extinction?

Ans. Tigers are endangered animals. We should protect them. Hunting tigers should be banned.

We should spread awareness to safeguard tigers. The law should be made even strict by the

government to protect wildlife. Tiger reserves should be increased.

A QUESTION OF SPACE

C3. Read the lesson and share your responses before answering the following questions in

three or four sentences:

1. Vikrant’s mother was harping on the importance of the year. What was she anxious

about Vikrant?

Ans. Vikrant’s mother was anxious that Vikrant should be ready himself to cope with the

intensely competitive environment that had to be scaled for getting admission to a prestigious

medical college. She shows her concern to mould the career of her son.

2. Anuj had spun into Vikrant’s life like a ‘new universe’. Why did Vikrant feel so? How did

it happen?

Ans. Anuj was a friend of Vikrant. He was not just a person with dynamic ideas on

photography, on the connectedness between human beings and all other living species. He

gave new ideas to Vikrant for self analysis-particularly the body language of the self and

how to control expressions and feelings.

3. “The identity of Vikrant with Anuj created tension between Vikrant and his parents.

How did it happen?

Ans. Vikrant’s class grades had dropped. He had begun skipping group tuitions even extra

school classes designed for the weekends. As only child, a tension grew between Vikrant

and his parents, so did his identity with Anuj.

4. Vikrant said, “Medicine is considered …… gives prestige”. Is this thought prejudicial? Do

you agree with this opinion?

Ans. To say that Medicine is the noblest of all professions or prestigious is only prejudicial.

This is only a false notion. There are so many doctors who lost respect due to ignoble

activities. Instead, every profession is noble and prestigious if one takes it with total

commitment to be the best in the field, to the utmost satisfaction of the users.

5. What was the reply of Anuj when Vikrant asked him how his suggestions would help

him?

Ans. When Vikrant asked him how would his suggestion help him. Anuj replied that it would

help him to witness his reactions as if they were happening to someone else. Which observing

his body and its reactions he also had to distance himself from them. This distance will help

him to see first, then control his reactions.

6. When did Vikrant start his self observation? What did he observe?

Ans. Once when Vikrant was having a talk with his father, he noticed that his mouth was dry,

his head tight at the temples, his body slightly hunched. Vikrant noticed that his father’s last

remark sent a strong wave of heat through his otherwise weary body, galvanizing him to leave

the room without another word.

7. How did Vikrant’s father try to convince him to join tuitions for medical entrance?

Ans. According to Vikrant’s father tuitions for medical entrances are not just tuition. They

coach him for a career, for a highly competitive exam. One wrong answer could make all the

difference. It would be better if he turned his attention to investigating a coaching centre,

rather than spend time with junkies and irrelevant things.

8. What are the last two steps of self observation suggested by Anuj to Vikrant?

Ans. Anuj suggested last two steps of self observation to Vikrant.

The first one is:

The moment an active feeling comes which he thinks should be controlled make an note

of it but don’t express it.

The second one is:

Expressing and emotion opposite to what you feel and can be done only if you are

agitated, you observe this but choose to express calm or warmth instead of coldness.

9. ‘He did this with awareness that it was the right thing for him to do’. What does

‘awareness’ refer to here?

Ans. Vikrant enrolled for classes at a coaching centre for medical entrance test.

This he did with awareness about his future career. Now he is capable of deciding for himself.

He could analyse his interests and come to a conclusion about what he has to do for his

prosperity.

10. The word ‘Space’ in the title of the lesson has significant reference. Comment on the

title.

Ans. Space in the title of this lesson has significant role. Generally the interests and ideas of

parents, friends and society get filled into the brain of the growing child to guide in his/her

career. There is no room for his/her personal interests and aptitudes. The space here refers to

that room or opportunity for one’s own interests.

C4. Read the following extracts from the lesson carefully and explain each of them with

reference to the context:

1. “Hey! What’s up? You look grim”.

Ans. This sentence is chosen from the lesson ‘A question of space” by Neera Kashyap. The

sentence is told by Anuj near the jogging track. He looked quite dull and depressed as his

parents spoke about his decreasing academic performance. He was feeling like a bird in the

cage which wished to be free in the blue sky. Seeing his condition Anuj asked the above

question.

2. “But tell me, how do you react to pressure?”

Ans. This sentence is an extract from the lesson

THE PENCIL’S STORY

C1. Read the poem silently and answer the following questions:

1. Where does the poet see the pencil? A) in the beginning b) at the end of the poem?

Ans. In the beginning lies upon the mantle piece. At the end of the poem the pencil lies in a

holder.

2. Why is the pencil’s life described as weary?

Ans. The pencil is handled forty times a day. It is cut and sharpened harshly which make it

shorter as it grows older. Hence its life is described as weary.

3. When according to the poet is the pencil (a) sad (b) glad?

Ans. According to the poet the pencil is sad when someone in deep thought chew’s its end. The

pencil is glad when it is useful.

4. What does the poet mean by ‘Wits are rather dull’?

Ans. when the pencil is used for sometime, the lead becomes blunt, then the marks made by it

are not clear. The words ‘wits are rather dull’ means that expressions are very poor.

5. What makes the poet say that ‘The Pencil’s speech is always dark’ and that it always

makes its mark’? Explain.

Ans. “The pencil’s speech is always dark” – means that the lead colour of HB pencil is black and

when some one writes with it, the writing is always in dark colour.

Wherever the pencil tip is touched it makes a mark: it is meant for that.

6. Make a list of rhyming words found in the poem.

B – See

Friend – end play - day

Ought – short life - knife

Dark – mark things - kings

Older – holder about - out

Joint – point missed - list

7. Read the lines from 5 to 8. Who might he “Tommy” according to the poet? How old

would he be?

Ans. According to the poet Tommy might be the youngest family member. He might the

youngest family member. He might be around five to six years because his handwriting is

mentioned as a ‘crawl’ and the pictures he draws are of various themes which small children

usually.

C2. Fill in the columns after carefully reading the poem:

Person in the poem The various purposes the pencil is used by them

1. Tommy To draw all sorts of things

2. Father To keep score when playing

3. Mother To write a washing list

Appreciation

1. Can the pencils journey from the mantle piece the holder be compared to the journey

of life of all human beings?

Ans. The pencil’s journey is very much similar to the journey of life of human beings. People are

born, they grow, undergo both joy and sorrow in their journey, work for living, grow weary

from over work, grow old and feeble and finally pass away, put in a coffin.

2. Pick out the lines from the poem in which you find example for personification.

I scrawl when Tommy has me and draw all sort of things.

I write a lovely letter when miss Phyllis is about.

If I make mistakes

If I slip never am allowed to grow up as I ought

I’m getting shorter every day

I ache in evenly joint

My speech is always dark

For when I’m meditating

When my last few hours have come

EARTHQUAKE

Answer the following:

1. How long did the earthquake last? What was the effect?

Ans. The earthquake lasted less than five minutes. Its epicenter was in a valley near Garhwal.

Six hundred and two villages were destroyed. It brought the centuries old mountains crashing,

reduced the villages to rubble, to snuff out hundreds of lives.

2. Describe the boy’s family.

Ans. The boy’s father had died after an illness fourteen months before the earthquake. He lived

with his mother who took care of the family, his grandmother, brother, Nilu, aged ten and a

sister, Bhuli aged two. They lived in a two storeyed stone house built by his great grandfather.

3. How did the army help the people?

Ans. The army blasted the rocks and cleared the way for army rescue teams. The soldiers

began to clear the debris and set up a makeshift camp. The soldiers handed over the bodies to

the surviving relatives. They had done all they could.

4. Did Brij return to Panipat? Why?

Ans. Brij returned to Panipat, opened a teashop and continued to serve tea free of cost, to

tired travellers, thereby thanking the army officer in spirit, who had helped him.

5. How could Brij start his own tea-shop? Where was it?

Ans. Brij worked in a road side dhaba outside Panipat and had saved most of his earning. He

quit the job and returned to Garhwal and with a little help, he started his shop there. He was at

peace.

ALL STORIES ARE ANANSI’S

C1. Read the questions given below and discuss the answers to them with your friends.

1. Who owned the stories in the beginning?

Ans. In the beginning Nyame the Sky God owned the stories.

2. Who wanted to own them later?

Ans. Anansi the spider wanted to own them later.

3. The price to be paid were three things. They were Mmoboro, the hornets, Onini the

python and Osebo the leopard.

4. Did Anansi agree to pay the price?

Ans. Yes, Anansi agreed to pay the price.

5. Why did Anansi pour water on himself and over the hornets?

Ans. Anansi poured water on himself and over the hornets because he wanted to make them

believe that it was raining.

6. What did Anansi capture in the hornets?

Ans. Anansi captured Mmoboro the hornets in the gourd through a small hole.

7. What dispute did the spider have with his wife?

Ans. Anansi’s wife felt that the Python Onini was not long and short and weak than a bamboo

pole. Anansi disagreed with this and it led to the dispute.

8. What suggestion did Onini give to find out the truth about his length?

Ans. Onini suggested that to measure him against the length of the bamboo pole to find out

the truth about his length.

9. Why did Anansi tie Onini at one end of pole?

Ans. Anansi tied Onini at one end of pole because when Onini stretched at one end he was

getting shorter at the other end.

10. Where and why did Anansi dig a pit?

Ans. Anansi dug a deep pit in the forest to capture the leopard Osebo.

11. Why did Anansi bend a tall green tree over the pit?

Ans. Anansi bent a tall green tree towards the ground over the pit in order to pull out Osebo

from the pit.

12. Why did the Sky God offer Anansi all the stories?

Ans. Anansi was offered all the stories by Sky God – Nyame because he had brought Mmoboro

– the hornets, Onini the Python and Osebo the leopard to Nyame.

13. Why should anyone acknowledge before telling a story?

Ans. Anyone should acknowledge before telling a story because all stories and tales now

belong to Anansi.

C2. Answer the following questions:

1. Describe how Anansi captured the hornets for the sky God?

Ans. Anansi first cut a gourd from a vine and made a small hole in it. He took a large calabash

and filled it with water. He went to the tree where the hornets lived. He poured some of the

water over himself, so that he was dripping. He threw some water over the hornets making

them all wet. Then he put the calabash on his head, as though to protect himself from a storm

and called out to the hornets and asked them, why they were staying in the rain. He told them

to go into the gourd through the small hole. When the last of them had gone in, Anansi plugged

the hole with a ball of grass. He took the gourd full of hornets to Nyame, the sky of God.

2. Explain how the Python got trapped?

Ans. Anansi went to the forest and cut a long bamboo pole and some strong vines. Then he

walked toward the house of Onini, the Python talking to himself that his wife was stupid to say

that Onini is shorter and weaker than that bamboo. Hearing this Onini offered to be measured

against the bamboo to solve the dispute. Anansi laid the pole on the ground and the python

came and stretched himself out beside it. Anansi told that the Python was a little short. When

the python stretched at the head he was shorter at the tail and vice-versa. So with his consent

Anansi tied Onini’s head and tail firmly to the poll. He wrapped the vine around Onini until he

was unable move.

3. What method did the spider Kwaku Anansi adopt to get the leopard as a price

demanded for the ownership of all tales and stories of the world?

Ans. Anansi went into the forest and dug a deep pit where the leopard was accustomed to

walk. He covered it with small branches and leaves and put dust on it, so that it was impossible

to tell where the pit was. Osebo came prowling in the black night, he stepped into the trap and

fell to the bottom. Next morning Anansi went to the pit and saw the leopard there. Osebo

asked help from Anansi. He bent a tall tree towards the ground, so that its top was over the pit

and he tied it that way. Then he tied a rope to the tree and dropped the other end of it into the

pit. Anansi asked Osebo to tie the rope to his tail, who did as told. Next he took his knife and

cut the other rope, the one that held the tree bowed to the ground. The tree straightened up

with a snap, pulling Osebo out of the hole and he hung in the air upside down. Anansi killed him

and took his body to Nyame – The sky God.

C.3 Read the following statement carefully and in pairs discuss the points you and in pairs

discuss the points you would like to include in your justification. Elaborate each point.

“With wisdom and knowledge one can achieve the impossible”. Justify the statement with

reference to Kwaku Anansi, the spider.

Ans. Kwaku Anansi ,the spider wanted to be the owner of all stories in the world. He went to

Nyame, the Sky God to purchase the stories. Nyame said that he was willing to sell the stories,

but the price was very high. Rich and powerful families were not able to pay. The Sky God then

asked three things as price; Mmoboro, the hornets, Onini – the Python and Osebo, the leopard.

Anansi agreed. Though he did not have the physical strength to defeat them, he used his

wisdom and great knowledge and achieved the impossible. He made the hornets get into the

gourd, tied the Python to the pole and he tied the leopard to the tree using his wisdom and

knowledge. Thus he was able to achieve what the great warriors and chiefs were not able to do

it.

Language acitivities:

Vocabulary

VI. Use the following words in sentences of your own:

a. Yearn: Subhash Chandra Bose yearned for the freedom for the country.

b. Plug: The machine operator plugged his ears with cotton balls before he started the high

sounding machine.

c. Accustomed : My mother-in-law is accustomed to go to the temple everyday.

d. Onward: The onward journey was peaceful.

e. Acknowledge: The students acknowledge their lack of preparedness.

f. Measure: The milkman measured the quantity of milk before giving.

V2. Which of the following expressions do you think are appropriate:

Choose the right one:

a. A shining star/a glittering star

b. A busy traffic/a heavy traffic

c. A stomach ache/a stomach pain

d. Backside the house/behind the house

e. A severe fever/ a high fever

G1. Here are some sentences from the lesson. Can you supply a suitable question tag to each

one of them, choosing from the box given below:

1. I can do it, ………..? (Can’t I)

2. I should first have Mmoboro…………? (shouldn’t I)

3. I will bring them, …………….? (won’t I)

4. Osebo you are half foolish ……………? (aren’t you)

5. My wife is stupid, …………..?(isn’t she)

6. I give them more respect, …………….?(don’t I)

7. My opinion was not good as my wife’s, ……………..?(wasn’t)

S1. Write a sentence for each of the following situation ‘making a polite request’ (Could you

please ………., I’d appreciate …… may I have ……. Please)

1. Asking for a glass of water:

Please give me a glass of water.

2. Asking for a ticket to Delhi.

Could you please give me a ticket to Delhi?

3. Asking for the exam time-table.

May I have the exam time-table please?

4. Asking for a bottle of pickle at the dining table.

May I have an ice cream please?

5. Asking your grandma to tell a story.

Could you please tell me a story grandma?

THE BOLD PEDLAR AND ROBIN HOOD

C1. Read the poem silently and answer the following questions:

1. How was the pedlar travelling?

Ans. The pedlar put his pack all on his back and trudged across the grassy land.

2. Who did the pedlar meet on the road?

Ans. The pedlar met Robin Hood and his faithful follower Little John on the road.

3. What did the pedlar have in his pack?

Ans. The pedlar had several suits of bright green silk and two or three silken bow-strings.

4. What did Little John want from the pedlar?

Ans. Little John wanted one half of the pack from the pedlar.

5. What did the pedlar boldly claim?

Ans. The pedlar boldly claimed that nobody can ask or take half of his pack and said that if

they could defeat him in a duel and they can take the entire lot.

6. How did the pedlar protect his pack?

Ans. The pedlar pulled off his pack and put it below his knee and stood against it.

7. Why did Little John request the pedlar to stop fighting?

Ans. Little John requested the pedlar to stop because he was too tired to fight.

8. What challenge did Robin Hood put before little John?

Ans. Robin Hood challenged Little John saying that he could defeat both the pedlar and him.

9. Who won the second fight?

Ans. The pedlar won the second fight.

10. What was the pedlar’s identity?

Ans. The pedlar’s identity was Gamble God of the gay green woods.

C2. Discuss the following questions in groups and answer:

1. Who were Robin Hood and Little John? Why did they attack the pedlar?

Ans. Robin Hood and Little John were two troublesome men. They attacked the pedlar

because he did not give them one half of his pack.

2. Describe the struggle between

a. The pedlar and Little John and the outcome

Ans. The pedlar did not agree to give one half of the pack. So he protected his pack by pulling

off and put it a little below his knee. Little John drew his sword and fought with the pedlar.

They fought until they both were tired. The outcome of the fight was Little John cried and

prayed to him to stop fighting.

b. The pedlar and Robin Hood and the outcome

Ans. When Little John asked Robin Hood to fight with the pedlar. Robin Hood arrogantly said

that he could defeat both the pedlar and Little John. Then he drew his sword, fought with the

pedlar till the blood flowed from both of them in streams. Robin Hood couldn’t defeat the

pedlar and he requested him to stop fighting.

3. Robin Hood calls the pedlar his cousin. How is the fact revealed?

Ans. When the pedlar revealed that he was Gamble Gold of the gay green woods and travelled

far beyond the sea for killing a man in his father’s land and was forced to flee his country. Robin

Hood realized that he was his mother’s own sister’s son. They both were cousins.

4. Little John and Robin Hood lose to the pedlar. Yet the ballad ends on a happy note.

Give reason.

Ans. Both little John, the follower and Robin Hood, the master get defeated in this combat

with the pedlar. Though lost in the fight. Robin Hood shows humility asking pedlar’s identity.

When the pedlar asks their identity he discloses his identity. Robin hood says they are near

cousins because their mothers are sisters. Thus the ballad ends on a happy note.

C3. Answer the following:

1. Little John and Robin Hood are chivalrous men. How do they take their defeat? Was it

right to do so? Why?

Ans. Little John and Robin Hood were brave and chivalrous men. They challenged the pedlar for

a duel, who was boldly selling his packs. Both of them get defeated by the pedlar in turn.

Instead of getting upset, they admired the pedlar for his prowe. This shows their chivalrous

nature. It is the right thing do because a person who is braver and stronger deserves to be

respected and appreciated. This is the characteristic of a chivalrous person.

2. If Robin Hood and Little John had not shown humility , how do you think the ballad

would have ended?

Ans. If Robin Hood and Little John had not shown humility at their defeat they would have

been killed by the pedlar. Instead of merry friendship and happy ending, the story would have

ended in a tragedy with the death of Robin Hood and Little John.

3. The pedlar stands for integrity. Do you agree with this view? Justify your answer.

Ans. The pedlar did not get scared seeing Robin Hood and Little John and did not give up his

wares when they demanded. Instead he challenged them to a duel. He did not accept defeat,

but fought them bravely and overpowered them. When he was asked to reveal his identity, he

told them the true story. He said that he was from Greenwoods and he was forced to flee

because he had killed a man who had ventured into his father’s land. This reveals that he stands

for integrity.

ON SAYING PLEASE

A. Answer the following questions in a word, phrase or a sentence:

1. Why was the passenger thrown out of the lift?

Ans. the passenger did not say “Top please” but just said “Top”. The lift operator felt insulted

and threw him out.

2. What would happen if we were given the liberty to box people’s ears?

Ans. If we were given liberty to box people’s ears, our fists would never be idle and the gutters

of the city would run with blood all day.

3. What can the law not compel us to do?

Ans. The law cannot compel us to say ‘please’ ears, or use a polite tone while speaking to

others.

4. What according to the author, is the difference between physical pain and pain of the

wound caused of the self respect?

Ans. The physical pain passes away soon but the pain of a wound to our self respect or our

vanity may poison a whole day.

5. What is the first and the most important requirement of civility?

Ans. The first requirement of civility is that we should acknowledge a service.

6. What did the ‘polite conductor’ do for the author?

Ans. When the author boarded on a bus and found that he was utterly penniless he told the

conductor that he would go back. The conductor said, “that’s all right” and issued him a ticket

cheerfully.

7. Who had trampled on the author’s sensitive toe?

Ans. His friend, the conductor trampled on the author’s sensitive toe.

8. The polite conductor to

a. Left blind man at the bus exit.

b. Told Bill to take him across the road.

c. Told Bill, the driver, to wait and took him, himself, across the road.

d. Forced him out of the bus.

Ans. Forced him out of the bus.

9. Why was there a very fine weather on the polite conductor’s bus always?

Ans. There was always a very fine weather on the polite conductor’s bus because his own

civility, polite speech and good humour infected his passengers.

10. What according to the people is the cause for the dampening of the everyday civilities?

Ans. The everyday civilities diminish or dampen due to the war of ego between the people. The

harmonious atmosphere is spoiled by the rudeness of an egoist person.

11. Civilities can be got back in our day to day life by ………

a. evoking the law b. being more civil

c. Paying rudeness d. by punishing an uncivil person

Ans. b. being more civil

C2. Discuss the following questions in a group and answer:

1. Can law enforce civility? Why?

Ans. No, law cannot enforce civility. The law can be enforced only when there is physical

violence. But the law cannot enforce or compel one to say ‘please’ or ‘thank you’. The law does

not consider the hurting of our feelings as a case of compensation. The law does not have any

compensation for moral and the intellectual damage. The law cannot become the guardian of

our private manners.

2. How does bad temper affect one’s life?

Ans. Bad manners are infectious. Bad manners do more to poison the stream of the general life

than all the crimes in the calendar. When a man gets insulted by someone, he passes it on to

someone else below his social standing and in the same manner, it keeps passing from one to

another and the world gets infected with ill humours.

3. Discuss the importance and effects of good manners.

Ans. Good manners are also infectious. Just like the sunny weather brightens up people’s

spirits, good behavior or manners also brighten up the day. If we are civil, humorous towards

others, we will get the same response from others.

4. List out the instances in which the polite conductor showed his civil behavior. Do you

approve of his behavior? Why?

Ans. Once the author had forgotten his wallet and got into the bus. The conductor instead of

asking him get down, gave him the ticket asking him to pay the next time he saw him. Another

day, the author’s toe was trampled by the conductor but he apologized vey politely. The author

noticed that the conductor was very helpful to both the old and the young alike. The author

greatly appreciated of the conductor towards the blind man. He told the driver Bill to wait and

took the blind man himself across the road. His behaviour made everyone cheerful and his

gaiety was not a wasteful luxury but a sound investment.

5. How could the lift man take a polite and effective revenge? Suggest a way to do so?

Ans. The lift man could take a polite and effective revenge instead of getting upset and sending

the man out of the lift if he had treated the gentleman who was not civil, with elaborate

politeness. He would have had the victory not only over the rude man but over himself and that

is the victory that counts.

C3. Answer the following:

1. It is easy to be civil at all times. Do you agree? Why?

Ans. It is quite difficult to be civil all the times because people all around the world, have

different behaviour. One is expected to be polite and good mannered. One can practice to be

civil because what we think will we become. Therefore we must always try to become more

civilized. If we are civil it makes others civil too. The polite man may lose material advantage

but gains spiritual victory. It is easy to be civil if one has determination and patience.

2. Suggest some ways to encourage people to adopt civil behaviour.

Ans. a. We need to have a smile on our face.

b. If someone is uncivil, we need not respond in the same manner. We should be civil.

c. Help others. Be flexible.

d. Make good friendship.

e. Being civil makes us human.

f. Being civil does not require any monetary expenditure.

GEOGRAPHY LESSON

C1. Read the poem silently and answer the questions:

1. What did the poet see from the jet?

Ans. The poet saw the earth from the jet as reduced to the scale six inches to a mile. He saw

the ground had looked haphazard, unplanned and without style.

2. The words haphazard and unplanned are used to describe

a. The scale b. the sky c. the jet d. the cities

Ans. d. the cities

3. From high above the earth, ow did the cities appear to the poet?

Ans. From high above the earth, the poet saw that cities were developed in unplanned

manner. The cities appeared where rivers ran and human population was thicker in the valleys.

4. From a higher altitude what lesson could the poet learn about the cities?

Ans. From a higher altitude the poet could learn that man had started to settle near river banks

and valleys as the man was attracted to both land and water.

5. According to the poet, what was in greater proportion on earth?

Ans. According to the poet greater portion of the earth is covered by the sea. This he observed

from the jet at a height more than six miles.

6. According to the poet, what do men of earth do?

Ans. According to the poet, the men on earth hate each other. Man builds walls across cities,

develops hatred between groups of people and kills others.

C2. Discuss the following questions:

1. From above, the city looked haphazard and unplanned. Why do you think the city

looked so?

Ans. The city looked haphazard and unplanned without style. People constructed buildings,

buses, houses, shops and offices as they liked without planning of the city.

2. Geographically what is the importance of rivers and railways? Explain their importance

with reference to the second stanza of the poem?

Ans. Man started living near the river banks to cultivate crops. Valleys are used for grazing the

animals. The civilization began from the river valleys because water and vegetation nourished

them.

3. The last stanza shows the degradation of human nature. Do you agree with this view?

Justify.

Ans. Human population is divided on the basis of caste, language, race sex education, money,

religion etc. Man has found causes to hate each other and to kill others. This nature builds walls

across cities. This has led to degradation.

C3. Ponder over the following questions and express your views in the answer:

1. The picture of the earth zooms out in the poet’s mind and against that back ground we

see human nature. Bring out the contrast between the earth and human nature.

Ans. the earth is giving everything to human race without receiving anything from them. The

earth which zooms out in the poet’s mind is of one huge land mass appears smaller and smaller

as he goes away from it and looks like a round ball. Geographically walls and boundaries are

constructed as man encroached a part of the land and he became selfish. This selfishness grew

at greater speed and that built barriers of greater height among people, created hatred that

resulted in wars.

2. Imagine planet Earth having only water and no land. Do you think man would still draw

boundaries and wage wars? Discuss with your friends.

Ans. It is difficult to create boundaries on water. It will not be physically possible for him to

claim a certain part of water as his own. But due to man’s thinking process, he might still wage

wars and treat others with hatred and spite.

THE STORY TELLER

ANSWER THE FOLLOWING:

1. Who were the occupants of the carriage?

Ans. The occupants of the carriage were a small girl and a smaller girl and small boy. Their aunt

sat in one corner and opposite to her sat a bachelor.

2. What questions haunted Cyril, when he saw sheep in the field?

Ans. When Cyril saw sheep in the field he asked ‘why the sheep were being driven out of that

field to another, why is the grass in the other field better’.

3. What made the aunt decide that the bachelor was a hard and unsympathetic man?

Ans. During their journey in the railway carriage the three small children got bored and

restless. Their innumerable questions with ‘why’ could not be answered by their aunt. Seeing

the distractions by the children and unsuccessful effort of the aunt, the bachelor’s frown was

changing to a scowl. Seeing this, the aunt decided that the bachelor was a hard and

unsympathetic man.

4. Who saved the little girl in the aunt’s story?

Ans. The little girl was saved from a mad bull by a number of rescuers who admired her moral

character.

5. Name the little girl I the bachelor’s story.

Ans. The name of the little girl in the bachelor’s story was Bertha.

6. What remark of the bachelor’s story created a wave of reaction in favour of the story?

Ans. The word ‘horrible’ in connection with goodness was a novelty that commended itself. It

seemed to introduce a ring of truth that was absent from the aunt’s tales of infant life.

7. How did the prince of the country come to know about Bertha?

Ans. The prince of the country came to know about Bertha from everybody who talked about

her goodness.

8. How did the prince of the country honour Bertha?

Ans. The prince of the country allowed Bertha to walk in his park once a week which was

outside the town. It was an honour to her because no children were allowed in it.

9. Why was it a great honour for Bertha being allowed into the Prince’s park?

Ans. It was a great honour for Bertha being allowed into the Prince’s park because no children

were allowed into the park.

10. When did Bertha begin to wish that she had never been allowed into the park?

Ans. When Bertha saw that the wolf had started chasing her, she began to wish that she had

never been allowed into the park.

11. The wolf located Bertha while she was hiding in the bushes by

a. Sniffing around

b. The clinking sound of the medals

c. Her spotlessly white and clean pinafore.

Ans. b) The wolf located Bertha while she was hiding in the bushes by the clinking sound of the

medals.

12. What was the aunt’s reaction to the Bachelor’s story?

Ans. The aunt did not agree that the bachelor’s story was proper to tell to young children. He

had undermined the effect of years of careful teaching.

C2. Answer in a few lines:

1. How did the Bachelor describe:

a. The pigs in the park: The bachelor said that there were lots of little pigs running all over

the place. They were black with white faces, white with black spots, black all over, grey

with white patches and some were white all over. They had eaten all the flowers.

b. The fish in the park: There were ponds with gold and blue and green fish in them.

c. The wolf in the park: The wolf which came prowling into the park was enormous. It was

mud colour all over, with a black tongue and pale grey eyes that gleaned with

unspeakable ferocity.

2. What qualities of Bertha earned her three medals?

Ans. Bertha won several medals for goodness. She earned a medal for obedience another

medal for punctuality and a third for good behavior.

3. Give reasons for:

a. The absence of sheep in the prince’s park: There were no sheep in the prince’s park

because his mother had a dream once that her son would either be killed by a sheep or

else by a clock falling on him.

b. The absence of flowers in the prince’s park: There were no flowers in the Prince’s park

are because the pigs had eaten them all.

c. Bertha feeling sorry for the absence of flower in the prince’s park: Bertha had promised

her aunts that she would not pick any of the kind prince’s flowers and she had meant to

keep her promise. Therefore it made her feel silly to find there were no flowers to pick.

4. What are the two different thoughts of Bertha on her being extraordinarily good when

she was in the prince’s park?

Ans. Bertha was happy about being extra ordinarily good because she was the only girl who

was permitted to get into the prince’s park and take a walk once in a week. But later when she

saw a wolf stealing towards her, she was nervous and felt she shouldn’t have entered the

prince’s park. She felt bad for being extra ordinarily good.

C3. Answer the following:

1. How did the metals earn respect for Bertha as well as cause her death?

Ans. Bertha was an extremely well behaved girl and won medals for obedience., punctuality

and good behavior which are pinned on her dress everyday. Everyday people talked about her

dress and the prince of the country got to hear about it and allowed her to walk once a week in

his park. This was the special respect for her. Once when she was in the park, Bertha saw a wolf

stealing towards her. She hid herself behind a bush. Being unable to trace her the wolf tried to

go in search of a pigling. But when Bertha’s medals clinked as she trembled, the wolf turned in

to the bush, pounced on her and had a meal.

2. The aunt terms the bachelor’s story a most improper one. Do you agree with her? Give

reasons.

Ans. I don’t agree with her. A proper story need not end happily everytime. The bachelor’s

story had the qualities of good story like raising curiosity at every moment, taking unpredicted

turns and ending with a climax that catches listeners.

3. What elements in the bachelor’s story appealed to the children?

Ans. The girls indeed liked the story. They opined that the story began badly and it had a

beautiful ending with immense decisions. The bigger of the girls said that it was the most

beautiful story that she ever heard.

4. How would have the story ended if Bertha had not pinned the medals on her pinafore?

Ans. if Bertha had pinned the medals on her pinafore, the wolf would not have heard the

sound of the medals, clinking. The wolf would not have noticed her hiding behind the bushes.

V2. Which of the following expressions is correct?

1. A flock of birds/a flight of birds.

2. A swarm of insects/a colony of insects.

3. A herd of goats/a flock of goats

4. A troupe of actors/ a company of actors.

5. A wad of bank notes/a roll of bank notes

6. A pack of cards/ a deck of cards

7. A team of experts/ a panel of experts

8. A bunch of grapes/ a cluster of grapes

Match the words in column ‘A’ with their meaning in column “B’

A B

1. Banish a. expel

2. Humble b. modest

3. Domiciles c. the place where a person lived

4. Foul-smelling d. striking

5. Predator e. an animal that hunts, kills and eats other animals

6. Flip f. turn quickly

Ans. 1 – a, 2 – b, 3 –c, 4- d, 5 - e, 6 -f

ETHICS

C1. Read the poem silently and answer the following questions:

1. What question did the teacher used to ask every time?

Ans. The teacher used to ask if there were a fire in a museum which would you save, a

Rembrandt painting or an old woman who hadn’t left any years to live.

2. Were the children able to answer the question correctly?

Ans. No, the children were not able to answer the question correctly.

3. The children responded to question _______________

a. By debating on the question enthusiastically

b. Half – heartedly

c. By giving different answers at different time

Ans. (b) half – heartedly

4. Where is the speaker working when the speaker narrates this incident?

Ans. The speaker is working in a museum when she narrate the incident.

5. What had the speaker realized after many years?

Ans. The speaker realized that woman and painting and season are almost one. Ethics and

moral values can be only learned from experience and maturity.

C2 1. Pick out the expression in the poem that indicates the question did not interest the

children.

Ans. The expression ‘half – heartedly’ indicates that the question did not interest the children.

2 The children were ‘restless’ on hard chairs’ because ______________

a. they were eager to answer the question immediately

b. They were unable to understand the ethics dilemma

c. The hardness of the chair affected their calmness

Ans. (b) they were unable to understand the ethics dilemma

3. The images ‘half – heartedly’ and ‘half imagined’ could mean.

a. The children perceived the idea of ethical responsibility very faintly

b. The ethical dilemma was beyond their understanding and experience

c. Children could not understand the gravity of the question

Ans. (b) the ethical dilemma was beyond their understand and experience

C3. Discuss with your friends if the poem is only about a lesson of ethics learnt in school or

if it offers something higher than this

Ans . The poem begins with the memory of an ethics class the poet herself attended. The

question in case of a fire which is worth saving a famous painting or an old woman is

beyond the comprehension of children who answered differently in each time. A mature

person who understands the ethical values only will be able to answer such question. But

the poem carries a higher message. It is not just a lesson to be learnt in school. It is a

question of human values. As the time passes the old piece of art and the veterans in the

society do not drow much of the attention of the children. They understand the value of

both only in the later half of their life.

C4. List a few ‘ethics’ you have to follow in the situations given below:

a. Place of work: We should be sincere and kind towards others and co-workers. Never

speak ill about the company.

b. Place of learning (a school/class): We should be obedient, disciplined and attentive in

the class. We should be hard working, punctual and no teasing or hurting the

classmates.

c. Place of worship: We should maintain silence and peace, cleanliness and sanctity.

d. Place of living: We should respect the elder, parents and maintain cordial relationship

with everyone, who are living with us.

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