Two Gentlemen of Verona

Read the following extracts and answer the questions.

1. “Nicola, the way you and Jacopo work, you must earn quite a bit. You spend nothing on clothes. You eat little enough ....’’

(a) Who said the above lines?

Ans: These lines are spoken by the narrator.

(b) Why did the speaker get the feeling that the boys were not spending any money?

Ans: The boys were always seen wearing torn clothes and they seemed to eat hardly anything except black bread and fig.

Ans : The boys were of sacrificing nature and they cared very deeply for their sister. Her well-being was their sole concern.

2. I had already told Luigi he might take the day off.
However I answered, “I’ll drive you out myself.”

(a) Who was Luigi?

Ans : He was the driver of the narrator.

(b) Why did the speaker offer to drive himself?

Ans : Luigi had been granted a holiday and the narrator did not wish to recall him and as a last gesture of good will he offered to drive himself.

Ans : The boys wished to go to Polenta, 30 km away, to look up their sister.

3. When the war was over and we had peace at last, they come back to their beloved sister. And they found her ....

(a) Identify ‘they’.

Ans : ‘They’ refers to the brothers – Nicola and Jacopo.

(b) Who is the beloved sister?

Ans : Lucia is the boys’ sister who had not been keeping well.

Ans : The brothers found that their sister had contracted tuberculosis of the spine.

4. “Of course, everything is so difficult now, food so scarce and dear we could not keep going unless we charged a fee.”

(a) Who is the speaker and who is the listener?

Ans : The speaker is the nurse, and the listener is the narrator.

(b) Why was food so expensive?

Ans : Due to war waged by Germany, starvation had resulted.

Ans : Luica had contracted TB, so money was needed or her medical expenses.

5. “They couldn’t do it better,” I agreed.

(a) Who is ‘I’ and who are ‘they’?

Ans : ‘I’ is the narrator, and ‘they’ refers to Nicola and Jacopo.

(b) What great thing had the above mentioned people done?

Ans : The determination of the brothers to do so many jobs to provide for their sister.

Ans : The speaker is sincere and full of admiration for the boys.

6. ‘When the resistance movement began secretly to form they were among the first to join. When the war was over and we had peace at last, they came back to their beloved sister.’(a) Who are the “they” referred to here?
Ans : Here ‘they’ refers to the two brothers, Nicola and Jacopo.

(b) Why did they join the resistance movement?

Ans : They joined the resistance movement because the war waged by Germany had killed their father, destroyed their house and had separated them from their
sister.

(c) What had happened to their sister?

Ans : Their sister, Lucia, who wanted to be a singer, had contracted tuberculosis of the spine due to cold and starvation.

SHORT ANSWER QUESTIONS

7. What did the narrator discover regarding the family background of the two boys? How did the war affect their family?

Ans. The nurse, who was looking after Lucia, told the narrator the entire story of the two boys. All the three children belonged to a prosperous family and Lucia was training to be a singer. The war waged by Germany killed their father, their house was destroyed by a bomb and the boys were separated from their sister. Due to neglect, Lucia contracted T.B.

8. The nurse said regarding the two boys, “I don’t know what they do, I don’t ask. Work is scarce in Verona.” What does this remark reflect upon the speaker?

Ans. The nurse was very surprised how the boys managed to bring in sufficient money for the treatment of their sister, when work was scarce in the city. The nurse had no idea how hard the boys worked and how they tried to pitch in for all kinds of work that was available. The comment reveals that even the nurse respected the privacy of the boys and wanted to retain their dignity by not prodding
them.

9. Why didn’t the two boys disclose their problems to the author?

Ans. The boys were working hard to provide all possible help to their sister,Lucia, who was suffering from tuberculosis of the spine. They did not disclose their
problems to the author as they wished to retain their pride and dignity. They did not want their private suffering to be made public.

10. What traits of the boys attracted the narrator to them? How were the children helpful to the narrator?

Ans. The narrator was attracted towards the boys due to the zest and willingness, demonstrated by them for undertaking all kind of work. The boys were also very
eager to provide all kinds of comfort to the author. They were always at beck and call of the author.

11. What were the hardships faced by Nicola and Jacop?

Ans. The children’s father had died in the war, waged by Germany. A bomb had destroyed their house, their sister had contracted tuberculosis due to cold and starvation. The two boys worked day in and day out, took every possible job, starved themselves to provide for their sister’s treatment and built, from the rubble of their house, a shelter for themselves.

12. What provoked the author’s interest in the two boys of Verona?

Ans. The author found the zest and willingness of the boys for undertaking all kind of work—selling strawberries, polishing shoes, taking tourists round the city — remarkable. The author found the boys to be very innocent and friendly.

13. How did Luigi show his disapproval on seeing the two boys and why?
Ans. When the author and his companion Luigi saw the boys selling strawberries, they were shabbily dressed. Luigi disapproved of them due to their skinny and shabby appearance and cautioned the author against purchasing the fruit since better quality strawberries could be procured from the market.

VALUE BASED QUESTIONS

Q 1. A life of struggle and misfortunes can become a smoother one with a cheerful countenance and a positive attitude. Justify the statement in the context of ‘Two Gentlemen of Verona’.

Q 2.What do you think would have happened to the siblings if Nicola and Jacopo did not believe in the dignity of labour ?

Q3. How does the story ‘Two Gentlemen of Verona’ promise a hope for the society?

-Nicola and Jacopo faced all that life offered – signals that good people still exist- their faith in hard work, gentle manly behaviour and never say no attitude made them different. Exhibits-sincerity, devotion and willingness to do any odd job. Even war couldn’t break their spirit. Hope about the future of humanity- about people- belief that goodness does exist.

Practice Questions

Short answer type

1. What errands did Nicola and Jacopo do to earn their living? (2012)

2. What made the two boys join in the resistance movement?

3.Why was Nicola annoyed when Jacopo asked the author for a favour?

4. Why were the author and his friend attracted towards the two boys? (2015)

Long Answer (Value based)

1. The boys’ sacrifice, their sincerity and devotion, the cause and the maturity they displayed in tier actions give a new hope to humanity. Explain

2. A true gentleman is one who does great deeds and possesses nobility and magnanimity of heart. Elaborate

3. Tough situations bring out our hidden qualities and talents. Explain.

Reference to the context.

Read the following extracts and answer the question that follow.

1. “All right,” I smiled. “You take us along”.

a) where did the author want the two boys to take him?

b) what made the author and his friends hire the two boys?

c) Which words best replace ‘take us along’?

2. Nicola sat upright, tried. A bundle of unsold newspapers lay at his feet. Jacopo, his head resting upon his brother’s shoulder, was asleep.

a) what time of the day was it?

b) what do the words ‘sitting upright suggest? Does it means one can sit upside down too?

c) why were they carrying newspapers with them?

3.I could scarcely believe my eyes and before I could recover breath my two passengers had leaped from the car.

a) who are the two passengers?

b) what movement to the word ‘leap’ suggest here?

c) why could the speaker scarcely believe his eyes?

4. For my part, I did not say a word- I knew they would prefer to feel that they had safely kept their secret.

a) which word in the text best replaces the word ‘utter’?

b) who had divulged the secret to the author?

c) what was the secret?

Mrs. Packeltide’s Tiger

Read the following passages taken from ‘Mrs. Packletides Tiger’ and answer the given questions.

1. ‘Mrs. Packletide had already arranged in her mind the lunch she would give at her house in Curzon Street, ostensibly in Loona Bimberton’s

honour, with the tiger-skin rug occupying most of the foreground and all of the conversation’

(a) What was the real intention of Mrs. Packletide in hosting the lunch?

Mrs. Packletide wanted to show off her exploits at the tiger hunt and make Loona Bimberton Jealous of her achievements.

(b) Why was Loona Bimberton being honoured by the press?

Loona Bimberton had travelled eleven miles in an airplane flown by an Algerian pilot.

Mrs..Packletide intended to gift a tiger claw brooch to Loona.

2. ‘The prospect of earning thousand rupees had stimulated the sporting and commercial instinct of the villagers.’

(a) What had stimulated the sporting and commercial instinct of the villagers?

The thought of getting thousand rupees if they helped Mrs. Packletide in hunting a tiger, had stimulated the sporting and commercial instinct of the villagers.

(b) What were the two fears that the villagers had regarding the hunt?

Firstly, the villagers were afraid that the tiger may wander off to another village and secondly, that he may die before the hunt.

Mrs. Packletide wanted to outdo the achievements of her rival, Loona Bimberton.

3. ‘Mother’s carrying their babies home through the jungle after the day’s work in the fields hushed their singing lest they might curtail the restful sleep of the venerable herd-robber.’

(a) Who does the phrase ‘venerable herd robber’ refers to? What is the literary device used in the phrase?

Ans.- The phrase refers to the tiger. It is an oxymoron.

(b) What is the tone of the writer in the line?

Ans.– The tone of the writer is humorous.

Ans.– The writer wants to highlight the ridiculous lengths to which the villagers were ready to go to ensure that the tiger stayed in the village till the hunt.

4- ‘With an accurately sighted rifle and a thumbnail pack of patience cards the sportswoman awaited the coming of the quarry.’

(a) who is the sportswoman and what is her quarry?

Ans.– The Sportswoman Is Mrs. Packletide and her quarry is the tiger.

(b) What are the arrangement that have been made for the person?

Ans.- A safe platform has been made on a tree, a goat has been tethered to a tree, a rifle has been sighted for her and she has a pack of cards to pass the time

Ans. – Mrs. Packletide is taking the hunt in a very light hearted manner after ensuring that it was free from any kind of risk.

5. ‘.. . The villagers anxious for their thousand rupees, gladly connived at the action that she had shot the beast’

(a) What is the ‘action’ being referred to in these lines?

Ans. – It refers to the fact that the truth was something else altogether.

(b) What was the truth?

Ans. – The truth was that the tiger had actually died of a heart attack and had not been shot by Mrs. Packletide.

Ans. – Louisa Mebbin, the paid companion of Mrs. Packletide had discovered the truth.

6. ‘As for Loona Bimberton she refused to look at an illustrated paper for weeks.’

(a) Why did Loona refuse to look at a paper?

Ans. – Loona refused to do so because it carried the news of Mrs. Packletide’s tiger hunt

(b) How did the news in the paper affect her?

Ans. – Loona Bimberton was consumed with jealousy and did not attend the luncheon party thrown by Mrs..Packletide.

Ans. – It affected Loona Bimberton badly because Mrs. Packletide had managed to outshine her achievement.

7. ‘How amused everyone would be if they knew what really happened.’

(a) Who said this to whom?

Ans. – Louisa Mebbin said these lines to Mrs. Packletide.

(b) What is the speaker trying to say?

Ans. – The speaker Louisa Mebbin here means to convey that she would reveal the truth about the hunt.

Ans. – The tone was threatening. Louisa Mebbin was trying to blackmail Mrs. Packletide

8. ‘Mrs. Packletide indulges in no more big-game shooting. ‘The incidental expenses’ are heavy.’

(a) Why had Mrs. Packletide tried to hunt a tiger?

Ans. – Mrs. Packletide wanted to outshine her rival LoonaBimberton’s achievement of having flown in an airplane, by hunting a tiger.

(b) Why was she no longer interested in shooting?

Ans. – Mrs. Packletide was no longer interested in shooting as the hunt had proved to be very expensive to her. Not only did she have to pay the villagers, but her companion too.

Ans. – Mrs. Packletide means the expenses that she had to undergo, to buy the silence of her companion Louisa Mebbin who had threatened to reveal the truth about the hunt to her rival LoonaBimberton.

9. “It was Mrs. Packletide’s pleasure and intention that she should shoot a tiger. Not that the lust to kill had suddenly descended on her, or

that she felt that she would leave India safer and more than she had found it.”

(a) What was the real intention of Mrs. Packletide when she expressed her desire to shoot a tiger?

Ans. The real intention of Mrs. Packletide behind shooting the tiger was to defame Loona Bimberton.

(b) How does she want to leave India?

Ans. She wants to leave India with a name.

Ans. It means to make a sudden visit.

10. “In a world that is supposed to be chiefly swayed by hunger and by love Mrs. Packletide was an exception; her moments and motives were largely governed by dislike for Loona Bimberton.”

(a) How was Mrs. Packletide’s behaviour different from others?

Ans. Mrs. Packietide’s behaviour was different from others in the sense while others are swayed by hunger and by love; this lady was content with just her dislike for Loona Bimberton.

(b) Towards whom were her motives targeted against?

Ans. All her motives were targeted against LoonaBimberton.

Ans. Here it means ‘rule over’.

11. “Mothers carrying their babies through the jungle after the day’s work in the fields hushed their singing lest they might curtail the restful sleep of the venerable herd-robber.”

(a) Why did the mother hush singing to their babies?

Ans. Mothers hushed singing to their babies so that the tiger should not wake

(b) What does the expression ‘venerable herd-robber’ mean and for whom is this expression used?

Ans. The expression is used for the tiger. The animal is respectable and is to be dreaded because it kills herds of animals.

Ans. The figure of speech used here is oxymoron.

12. “With an accurately sighted rifle and a thumbnail pack of patience

cards the sportswoman awaited the coming of the quarry.”

(a) Who are the sportswomen referred to here?

Ans. The sportswomen referred to here are Mrs. Packletide and Louisa Mebbin.

(b) Where are the women at this moment?

Ans. The women right now are sitting on the platform erected on the tree from where they would aim at the tiger.

Ans.It means ‘great patience’. It indicates that as they had to wait long for the tiger, hence they kept the cards to pass time.

13. “And their triumph and rejoicing found a ready echo in the heart of Mrs. Packletide; already that luncheon-party in Curzon Street seemed immeasurably nearer.”

(a) Who is rejoicing in these lines?

Ans. The natives of the village are rejoicing here.

(b) What do you mean by ‘triumph and rejoice’? Why are they triumphing and rejoicing?

Ans. ‘Triumph’ means ‘victory’ and ‘rejoice’ means ‘feel great joy’. They are triumphing and rejoicing as Mrs. Packletide has shot the tiger to death.

Ans. Mrs. Packletide plans to arrange a dinner in the honour of Loona Bimberton and send her a gift.

14. “Circumstances proved propitious”

(a) What circumstances is referred to here?

Ans. The circumstance is of Mrs. Packletidefinding an opportunity to shoot a tiger.

(b) How did the circumstances prove propitious?

Ans. Circumstances proved propitious as Mrs. Packletide got in touch with the natives of a village who assured her that they would find her a tiger that could be shot at without much risk or exertion.

Ans. It means favourable.

15. “The compelling motive for her sudden deviation towards the footsteps of Nimrod was the fact that LoonaBimberton had recently been carried eleven miles in an aeroplane.”

(a) For whom is the pronoun ‘her’ used in this context?

Ans. It is used for Mrs. Packletide.

(b) What do you mean by ‘sudden deviation’?

Ans. The sudden deviation here means Mrs. Packletide’s sudden interest or inclination to shoot a tiger.

Ans. Nimrod is a biblical character, great grandson of Noah who was a mighty hunter. The reference to his character is made here because Mrs. Packletide too wanted to follow him. She had plans of hunting a tiger.

16. “It’s a very old tiger. It couldn’t spring u here even if it wanted to.”

(a) Who is the speaker?

Ans. Mrs. Packletide is the speaker here.

(b) What light does this remark throw on the character of the speaker?

Ans. This remark shows that Mrs. Packletide was very cool and casual while sitting on the platform to shoot a tiger. We feel sorry for her petty,

shallow nature as she wants to purchase everything in this world with money. She doesn’t want to experience the actual excitement of hunting.

Ans. It means Come into being or appear.

17. “In a moment a crowd of excited natives had swarmed on the scene, and their shouting speedily carried the glad news to the village… .“

(a) What scene is referred to here?

Ans. The venue which was decided for the shoot where a platform had been erected for the ladies to shoot at and a goat tethered at a considerable distance.

(b) What is the glad news?

Ans. The glad news is that Mrs. Packletide has shot the tiger to death.

Ans. It means crowded or infested with.

18. “The incidental expenses are heavy.”

(a) Who is the speaker and who is he/she speaking to?

Ans. Mrs. Packletide is the speaker and she is talking to some inquiring friends.

(b) What makes the speaker give this remark?

Ans. The speaker has been blackmailed by her ‘paid companion’. The expenses incurred on achieving fame did not appear to have made any difference to Mrs. Packletide. But the secondary expenses which she had to pay in order to maintain her fame intact has compelled her to give this remark.

Ans. It means ‘the secondary uninvited expenditures’.

Q.19.In a world, that is supposed to be chiefly swayed by hunger and by love, Mrs. Packletide was an exception, her movements and motive were largely governed by dislike of Loona Bimberton.

a) How is the world chiefly swayed by ?

Ans.(a) This world is swayed by hunger and love.

(b) How was Mrs. Packletide an exception ?

Ans. She was neither swayed by love nor by hunger.

Ans.All movements and motives of Mrs. Packletide were mostly governed by her dislike of LoonaBimberton.

20.’Evidently, the wrong animal had been hit and the beast of prey had succumbed to heart-failure….’.

(a) What did Mrs. Packletide wanted to kill and why ?

(b) How did the two animals die ?

Ans. (a) Mrs. Packletide wished to shoot a tiger and get her pictures published. This was to prove herself superior to LoonaBimberton who had recently obtained a tiger-skin and couldn’t stop boasting about it.

(b) The goat died of the gun shot. The tiger merely died of a heart failure caused by the sound of the gun shot.

(c) Louisa Mebbin blackmailed Mrs. Packletide into buying her the weekend cottage or else she would tell LoonaBimberton that it was not the tiger but a mere goat that Mrs. Packletide had shot.

Q21. Miss Mebbin had a protective elder sister like attitude towards money.

(a) Who was Miss Mebbin ?

(b) How did she adopt an elder sister like attitude ?

Ans. (a) Miss Mebbin was a paid companion of Mrs. Packletide.

(b) She was money-minded and saved each and every penny given to her as tips in same Moscow hotel.

Q21. How amused everyone would be if they knew what really happened ?

(a) Who is the speaker ?

(b) What had really happened ?

Ans. (a) Miss Mebbin is the speaker.

(b) Mrs. Packletide had shot the goat and not the tiger which had died of a heart-attack.

Q21. “How you shot the goat and frightened the tiger to death”, said Miss Mebbin, with her disagreeably

pleasant laugh.

(a) In the above statement, Miss Mebbin is making fun of Mrs. Packletide. Why ?

(b) What characteristic of Miss Mebbin is highlighted in the above extract ?

Ans. (a) Because Mrs. Packletide had missed her aim and had not killed the tiger.

(b) She is insensitive and an opportunist.

Q22. Mrs. Packletide indulges in no more big game shooting.

“The incidental expenses are so heavy”, she confides to enquiring friends.

(a) Why did Mrs. Packletide indulge in big-game hunting ?

(b) Why did she want to give up big-game hunting ?

Ans.(a) She wanted to outdo her rival LoonaBimberton’s feat of obtaining a tiger skin.

(b) She did so as the incidental expenses involved were very high.

Q23.”And for LoonaBimberton, she refused to look at an illustrated paper for weeks and her letter of

thanks for the gift of a tiger-claw brooch was a model of repressed emotion.

(a) Loona didn’t look at papers for .weeks because

(b) Who gave her the gift ?

Ans. (a) they praised Mrs. Packletide.

(b) Mrs. Packletide gave her the gift.

Q24. “Now, Now” urged Miss Mebbin with some excitement.

(a) What is she excited about ?

(b) What nature of Miss Mebbin is brought out through this line ?

Ans. (a) She is excited about the money that would be gained.

(b) These lines show that she tried to take advantage of every situation.

Q25. “The luncheon party she declined; there are limits beyond which repressed emotions become dangerous

(a) ‘She’ referred to here is

(b) The luncheon party mentioned here was the one

Ans. (a) LoonaBimberton.

(b) given in the honour of Mrs. LoonaBimberton.

Short Answer Type Questions (2 marks each)

Q. 1. Why did Mrs. Packletide give up big-game shooting ?

Ans. Mrs. Packletide gave up big-game shooting as she found it to be an affair where incidental expenses’ were heavy. She had to pay a lot in the tiger-killing also as Miss Mebbin blackmailed her into paying for a weekend cottage. Apart from this, she had to pay the villagers also for helping her in the killing of animal.

Q. 2. How does Louisa Mebbin exploit the incident of killing the tiger to her greatest advantage?

Ans. LousiaMebbin is the paid companion of Mrs. Packletide. She has an elder sisterly attitude towards money. When she notice that it is the goat and not the tiger which has been killed by Mrs. Packletide’s gun shot, she blackmails her into buying a weekend cottage at Darking otherwise she suggests of informing LoonaBimberton about it.

Q. 3. How did Miss Louisa Mebbin blackmail Mrs. Packletide ?

Ans. She blackmailed her into buying her a weekend cottage otherwise she would have told Loona Bimberton the truth that it was not the tiger but a mere goat that Mrs. Packletide had shot.

Q. 4. What had Mrs. Packletide already arranged in her mind for LoonaBimberton?

Ans. She had arranged a luncheon party in her mind. Actually, her purpose was to show her and

others the skin rug of the tiger, she had killed. She had also designed a tiger-claw brooch which she wanted to gift LoonaBimberton on her birthday.

Q. 5. Mrs. Packletide was a good shot. Discuss.

Ans. Mrs. Packletide was not a professional hunter. When she took her shot, it wounded and killed the goat. The tiger suffered a heart-failure and died. She missed her shot but was able to annoy Loona Bimberton.

Q. 6. Why did Mrs. Packletide decide to give a party in honour of Loona Bimberton ? What did she plan to present Loona on her birthday?

Ans. Mrs. Packletide’s only aim in life was to surpass LoonaBimberton, who was very popular for her adventurous and exciting deeds. By giving a party in her honour, Mrs. Packletide wanted to show her that she had done a more adventurous and exciting thing by shooting a tiger. She even wanted to gift a tiger claw brooch to Loona on her birthday just to outshine her.

Q. 7. What was Mrs. Packletide’s pleasure and intention? Why did she decide to kill a tiger?

Ans. She loved showing off and to be mentioned in the magazines. She drew pleasure in making others feel inferior and low. So, she decided to kill a tiger in order to be in the limelight and also to make Loona feel small.

Q. 8. How did Louisa Mebbin manage to buy the pretty weekend cottage ?

Ans. Mrs. Packletide had killed the wrong animal and the tiger had died of heart attack. Only Louisa Mebbin knew this. Every newspaper and magazine reported the killing of the tiger and Mrs. Packletide did not deny it. Louisa found that enough reason to blackmail her and that is how she bought the cottage.

Q. 9. Why were the villagers happy ?

Ans. The villagers were very happy at the prospect of winning a thousand rupees. They posted boys at the outskirts, kept a goat as bait for the tiger and mothers hushed their singing.

Q. 10. Do you think that Louisa Mebbin was devoted to Mrs. Packletide ? Give reasons for your

answer.

Ans. No, she was not sincere and devoted because she threatened to disclose the true facts of the hunt, if she had not paid the money that would enable her to buy a cottage for herself.

Q. 11. “Mrs. Packletide indulges in no more big game shooting.” What put her off from going on further hunts ?

Ans. She had realized that shooting was an expensive affair after she was blackmailed by her friend and made to pay for her cottage apart from having to pay the villagers for helping her.

Q. 12. What did Mrs. Packletide carry with her when she went to hunt a tiger and why ?

Ans. When Mrs. Packletide went to hunt a tiger, she carried a fully loaded rifle and a pack of patience cards for her safety and the others to pass the time.

Q. 13. What were the villagers worried about in the lesson ‘Mrs. Packletide’s Tiger’?

Ans. They were worried that the weak, old tiger might die before the arrival of the fixed date for the shooting and they would not be able to earn a handsome amount of money.

Q. 14. Depict the instances of humour in ‘Mrs. Packletide’s Tiger’.

Ans. ‘Mrs. Packletide’s Tiger’ is full of witty remarks and Mrs. Packletide was a good shot is one of them. She decided to kill a tiger but paid one thousand rupees to the villagers to find a tiger who is old and she would not have to work hard on it. Secondly, when she fired a shot, the bullet, instead of hitting the tiger, hit the goat. It was her good luck that both the animals died but her shot was a missed shot.

Q. 15. “The incidental expenses are heavy”, she confides to inquiring friends. Who is the speaker ? What is she referring to here ?

Ans. Mrs. Packletide is the speaker. Her paid companion Louisa Mebbin knew that Packletide was unworthy of the honour received for having killed a tiger. She feared that Mebbin would reveal the truth of the tiger’s death. She had to please Mebbin who exploited the situation. The money spent on Mebbin is referred to as incidental expenses.

Q. 16. How did the villagers react to the tiger’s death?

Ans. In a moment, a crowd of excited natives had swarmed on to the scene, and they carried the glad news to the village, where a thumping of tomtoms took up the chorus of triumph. And their triumph and rejoicing found a ready echo in the heart of Mrs. Packletide.

Q. 17. Would you agree that Mrs. Packletide was jealous? Give reasons.

Ans. The following reasons show that she was jealous :

(i) Her compelling motive was the fact that Loona talked of nothing but the personally procured tiger skin, she also wanted to get one.

(ii) She wanted to throw a party in Loona’s honour just to spite her and get popularity for herself.

(iii) She competed with Loona by getting the attention of the press.

Q. 18. What preparation were made for the tiger shoot?

Ans. An old tiger was found for the tiger shoot. The villagers asked women carrying baby to hush their singing lest the tiger should be disturbed of its sleep. They left free the cheap goats and also guarded the jungle so that the tiger may not stray way in search of food. A platform was constructed on a tree and a goat was kept as a bait. Mrs. Packletide Waited on the platform with a rifle and a pack of cards.

Q. 19. What discovery annoyed Mrs. Packletide?

Ans. The discovery that she shot the wrong animal and the fact that the old tiger died of heart-failure due to the sound of the gun upset Packletide.

Q. 20. How much money did Mrs. Packletide pay to the villagers? Why?

Ans. Jealous of Loona Bimberton, Mrs. Packletide decided to hunt a tiger and send a tiger-claw brooch Loona Bimberton’s birthday. Since she was’ not a good hunter, she wanted the hunting to go without any risk. So, she paid one thousand rupees to the villagers to make arrangements for tiger hunt like finding an old tiger and not let it run away from that place.

Q. 21. Who was Miss Mebbin ? What was her relationship with Mrs. Packletide ?

Ans. Miss Mebbin was a paid companion of Mrs. Packletide. She was not at all devoted to her. She pretended to have a protective elder sister like attitude towards Mrs. Packletide.

Long Answer Type Questions

Q. 1. Mrs. Packletide’s desire became a constant trouble for her. Explain.

Ans. Jealous of Loona Bimberton, Mrs. Packletide wished to embarrass her. She wanted to outshine her by proving that she was more adventurous than her rival Loona Bimberton who had been carried eleven miles in an aeroplane by an Algerian pilot. In her wish to procure a tiger skin, she chose to shoot an old tiger. However, having a poor aim she shot a goat rather than the tiger. Mrs. Packletide achieved what she desired to prove her superiority over Loona Bimberton and to be popular for her amazing feat. But this fulfilment came with a price. She had to buy an expensive cottage for Miss Mebbin who threatened to expose her secret. Thus, her heart’s desire became a constant trouble for her as Miss Mebbin could blackmail her further whenever she wanted anything from her.

Q. 4. Write the character sketch of Mrs. Packletide.

Ans. Mrs. Packletide, as portrayed in the story, is a typical woman. She is competitive, jealous, materialistic and vain. When LoonaBimberton tells her about the personally procured tiger skin, she immediately decides to honour her and present her a tiger-claw brooch. This incident points towards her competitive and jealous nature. In order to hunt the tiger by all means, she goes to the extent of offering one thousand rupees to the villagers for shooting a tiger without any risk or exertion. In the end when she killed the goat instead of the tiger, the paid companion, Louisa tries to blackmail her by asking for a cottage which she does buy so that none comes to know the truth. So, she is a worldly lady who cares more for her reputation than her money.

Q. 5. What comment did Miss Mebbin make after Mrs. Packletide had fired the shot? Why did she make this comment ? How did Mrs. Packletide react to this comment?

Ans. Mrs. Packletidefired the shot, it hit the goat ahdnbt the tiger. But both the goat and the tiger died the goat from the bullet wound and the tiger due to the sound of bullet. He perhaps died of heart-failure. Miss Mebbin was the first one to note this and she told the same to Mrs. Packletide. Miss Mebbin was a very shrewd and calculative lady. She had made up her mind to blackmail Mrs. Packletide as she knew the lady would not like anyone else to know that the tiger had died a natural death and not because of her bullet. Mrs. Packletide bought a cottage for Miss Mebbin so that she kept quiet about all this.

Practice Question

Short Answers Type Questions

1.Louisa mebbin had a protective elder-sister attitude towards money in general. How?(2013)

2. “I suppose we are in some danger” said Miss Mebbin. What was the danger?

3.Why had the tiger turned to eating of small animals?

4. Why did Mrs. Packletide give up big-game shooting? (2014)

Long Answer (Value-based) type questions

1. The author aims to create a satire on the pretentious upper class Edwardian Society. Elaborate.

2. The pettiness of characters and their hunger for publicity evoke laughter. Elaborate with examples from the text.

3.A few years later Mrs. Packletide writes a diary entry about her experience of killing the tiger. As Mrs. Packletide, write this diary entry (2012)

4. Mrs. Mebbin feels extremely elated at the way she exploited Mrs. Packletide and made her to pay a huge sum as bribe. She takes a merry twinkle at her own cleverness and expresses her delight in a diary entry. Write the diary entry on her behalf. (2011)

THE LETTER

1. Who is the author?

Ans: Dhumaketu.

2. What is the poetic justice in the poem?

Ans: Ali used to separate birds from their loved ones and the birds used to feel pain. But now Ali is feeling the same pain of separation of his daughter.

Also the postmaster used to make fun of Ali who was waiting to receive the letter from his daughter. He used to be very rude with Ali. But now he understands and feels the pain that Ali had for 5 years while he was waiting for his daughter’s letter because his own daughter is ill and he is desperately waiting to hear from her.

3. What does the following phrase mean: a man with a face as sad and as inexpressive as a pumpkin? What is the poetic device used here?

Ans: The poetic device used here is simile. It means that he had no emotions, expressions and feelings. There was absolutely nothing about him which was outstanding or about which someone would talk about. There was nothing on his face that would make someone happy either.

4. But with a devout serenity born of hope and faith, he persevered and was always the first to arrive.

a. What does serenity, devout mean?

Ans: serenity means the state of being calm and peaceful.

Devout means committed, devoted and dedicated.

b. Who is he? Where does he arrive first?

Ans: He refers to Ali. At the post office.

c. Who was his daughter and where is she now?

Ans: Ali’s daughter is Miriam and she was married to a soldier. She now lives in the Punjab.

5. What lessons do you learn from this chapter?

Ans: We learn that we must not cause harm or disturb others. If we do that then one day we will face the same pain that we caused to others.

6. Ali displays qualities of love and patience. Give evience from the story to support your statement(2011)

Ali an epitome of love and patience

- visit to post of office daily.

- bore the taunts and insults of the post office employees

- sat in the veranda from morning till evening

- Gave his life’s savings to clerk Lakshmi Das.

7. What was the reason behind Ali’s change of attitude?

- Miriam got married to a soldier in Punjab- realized the futility of life – realized life is made up of love and the grief of separation is inescapable.

8. In the story ‘The Letter’ the postmaster called Ali ‘a pest’. Do you find his comments justified? Explain. (2011)

-shows irresponsible and indifferent attitude of those in power.

- should have shown some sympathy- Ali visited daily - behaved so under the given temperament.

9. Describe the early morning scene, when Ali visited the post office. (2013)

-whole town was asleep, more due to the cold and biting wind- Ali walking to post office with a tattered blanket- sounds of grinding mills, the screech of a bird, singing of women, occasional barking of dogs.

10. Ali in the story, ‘The Letter’, is a lonely man. How does the writer bring out his loneliness? (2016)

Ali lived all alone- Miriam married and left him- passed his days at the post office- Walks the lonely way to the post office- the whole town is wrapped in deathly silence. Realization of life – made up of love and grief of separation.

11. “For now the postmaster understood Ali’s heart and his very soul.” Explain.

- his daughter lay ill in another town – anxious waiting- this anxiety and waiting a day helped him to realize Ali’s waiting for five years- yearning for daughter’s letter.

Long Answer Type Questions

1. The Author Dhumaketu carefully builds up an atmosphere of loneliness and grief in the story ‘The Letter’. Bring out this element with instances from the text.

- The atmosphere of loneliness is built around the person – coachman Ali.- The description of the morning as he walks to the post office is highlight by loneliness.

- grief- some clerks playing practical joke on him. – Gave up hunting realizing ‘bewildered terror of the young partridges bereft of their parents.

- realized the world is made up of love and the grief of separation is inescapable.

Practice the Questions

1. Parents possess an unconditional love for their children whatever may be the status be of or the economic condition. Elaborate.

2. A man has to repent for the sins he has committed. Elaborate.

Shady Plot

Reference to the context

1. And I had never found it healthy......................he dunned me for a ghost.

a) Who was Jenkins?

b) Why did the author never contradicted Jenkins?

c) What is the meaning of the word ‘dunned’?

2. And when I got back to the office.......................... your attention until just now?

a) Who is the speaker?

b) What was she ready for and why?

c) what is the meaning of the word ‘Drivelling’?

3. The ghost nodded,................. My wife was opening the door.

a) Why did the lady disappear in pieces?

b) What is the meaning of the word ‘brogans’?

c)Why had the lady ghost visited the author?

4.You know I bought the loveliest things................ the possibility was too horrible.

a) who is the author talking about?

b) why did a chill creep up the back of the author’s neck?

c) what is the meaning of the word ‘premonitory’?

5. It had been all mysterious. ............................ the first fiction I had written.

a) what had been mysterious?

b) why did the narrator say: ‘but they seemed to specialize in me’?

c) what is the meaning of the word ‘mysterious’?

6.so I went home and sat down................... began to wander off on to other things (2016)

a) who is I

b) what did I wait for ?

c) What does the phrase ‘wander off’ means?

Short Answer Type Questions

1. Why and how had Helen, and other ghosts been helping the narrator write ghost stories?

- Writers Inspiration Bureau

2. Why were the ghosts annoyed over the use of Ouija Board?

- Disturbed them frequently. – Lacked rest.

3. Why did John hesitate in playing the Ouija Board game?

-did not liked to play Ouija board.

- Ghost had told to get his friends and relative out of playing the game.

4. Why did the ghosts organize the ‘writer’s inspiration Bureau’? what was their mode of working?

Long Answer Type Questions

1. The foundation of any long-lasting relationship is trust. Comment on this statement with reference to the character of Lavinia from the story A Shady Plot.
Value Points
· Mutual trust key to a healthy relationship
· Helps prevent suspicion and discord
· Improves understanding
· Strengthens the bond
2. Traitor, traitor. “Why she says it’s you, Mr. Hallock. What does she mean? ….. Lavinia stopped and began to look at me through narrowed lids.
Do you think Lavinia is justified in basing her suspicions on the Ouija Board? Give reasons for your answer.
Value Points
Ø Superstitions are irrational and misleading
Ø No concrete evidence

Patol Babu, Film Star

Read the following extracts and answer the questions that follow:

1. ‘‘I hope the part calls for some dialogue?’’ ‘‘Certainly, it’s a speaking part. You have acted before, haven’t you?’’
(a) Identify the two people exchanging the above dialogue.

Ans: This dialogue is between Naresh Dutt and Patol Babu.

(b) What reservations are expressed by the first person? Why?

Ans : Patol Babu wishes to confirm if he has a speaking part.

Ans : No, Patol Babu did not have any dialogue to speak. He just has to utter one monosyllable ‘Oh!’

2. Patol Babu hadn’t expected such news at the start of the day. That an offer to act in film would come to a 52 years old nonentity like him was beyond his wildest dreams.

(a) Why didn’t Patol Babu expect such news?

Ans : He hadn’t got any acting offers for the last 52 years for a film.

(b) Why did he consider himself a nonentity after acting in theatre?

Ans : He was extremely modest and there was a large gap of years between his theatre days and this offer.

Ans : He was thrilled and very pleasantly surprised.

3. ‘‘Counting your chickens again before they’re hatched, are you ? No wonder you could never make a go of it.’’

(a) Describe the context of the above statement.

Ans : Patol’s wife believes that Patol Babu was too happy prematurely.

(b) Why does the speaker use the expression, “never make a go of it’’?

Ans : His wife believes that Patol Babu could not be successful after so many years.

Ans : No, Patol Babu did perfectly the part he was given to play, even if it was a tiny role.

4. ‘‘Is that so? Well, I suggest you go and wait in the shade there. We have a few things to attend to before we get going ?’’

(a) Who is the speaker and the listener?

Ans : The speaker is Naresh Dutt and the listener is Patol Babu.

(b) What is the context of the above statement?

Ans : This is said when Patol Babu reports for shooting at the set.

Ans : The speaker is not much bothered about Patol Babu’s arrival.

5. ‘‘As an artist your aim should be to make the most of your opportunity and squeeze the last drop of meaning out of your lines.’’
(a) Who was supposed to have said these lines and to whom?

Ans : These lines were spoken by Gagon Pakrashi to Patol Babu.

(b) Discuss the relevance of the above statement in the given context?

Ans : Patol Babu is trying to derive inspiration from his mentor’s advice.

Ans : Yes, Patol Babu perfected the little role he was given after remembering his mentor’s words.

SHORT ANSWER QUESTIONS

1. Who was Nishikanto Babu and what proposal did he bring for Patol Babu?

Ans : Nishikanto Babu was Patol Babu’s neighbour and he brought a film offer for Patol Babu. Nishikanto’s relative, Naresh Dutt was looking for someone like Patol Babu for his film and Nishikanto had suggested Patol’s name.

2. This kind of offer was ‘‘beyond his wildest dreams’’. Why?

Ans : Patol Babu was already 52 years old and virtually unknown, in the field of acting. So he was pleasantly surprised that a nonentity like him had received a film offer. Moreover, he was very modest in his bearing and for quite sometime had nurtured such kind of dreams.

3. What kind of fame had Patol Babu achieved in ‘Jatras’?

Ans : At some time in his life, Patol Babu had a real passion for the stage. He had been simply obssessed. In the ‘Jatras’ he was very well-known and always in demand. His name appeared in handbills many times and people bought tickets specially to see him perform.

4. What kind of practice did Patol Babu do?

Ans : Patol Babu practised speaking ‘Oh!’ a thousand times. He tried to give it a different inflection, add all kinds of emotions and styles to this word. He practiced his body language, how he would act during collision with the hero, how he would fling his arms, how his body would crouch in pain and surprise.

5. What justification is rendered by Sasanko regarding PatolBabu’s speaking role?

Ans : Sasanko was a very clever and tactful person. He told Patol Babu that he had a regular speaking part and he was indeed very lucky to get such a part in Baren Mullick’s film. Most of the people had only crowd scenes and even the lead actor had no lines to speak that day.

6. Why did Patol Babu disappear before collecting his payment

Ans : Patol Babu was happy at his performance because he felt that he had done his best. But he was crestfallen at the indifferent behaviour of the film people. So he felt that no money could compensate for his great efforts and the hard work he had put in. He had been simply exhausted after the long wait and hard work he had put in. Now the reward of twenty rupees looked too meagre and insufficient.

7. Which message is the author trying to convey through the lesson ‘Patol Babu’?

Ans : Through the lesson, Patol Babu, the writer depicts the dreams and aspirations of the small timers and the apathy of film makers for whom making films is a business. Patol Babu, a talented and emotional artist, who is artist at heart and full of dramatic skills, was asked to perform a role after 52 years. Quite excited, he rehearsed the single word (oh) he was asked to speak. Everybody praised his performance but he did not wait there to collect his remuneration. Naresh Dutt asked for him but next minute all that was forgotten and the camera started rolling for another shot

VALUE BASED QUESTIONS

8. For some people work satisfaction is more vital than the money earned through the work. These people derive greater pleasure from their work than the ones who work largely for money. Give your viewpoint on such an attitude with reference to Patol Babu.

9. Every major creation is a combination of minor achievements. Explain how this has been exemplified in Patol Babu, Film Star.

10. ‘Remember one thing Patol; however small a part you’re offered, never consider it beneath your dignity to accept it. As an artist your aim should be to make the most of your opportunity, and squeeze the last drop of meaning out of your lines. A play involves the work of many and it is the combined effort of many that makes a success of the play.’
Some time back you had received a letter from your friend from Bangalore in which he had mentioned how upset he was when he was not given any role to perform in the Annual function but given a back stage duty. After reading the above lines you decide to write a reply to his letter advising him to change his attitude as no work is mean.
Value Points
Ø Dignity of labour
Ø Make the most of the opportunity that comes your way
Ø Team work – giving due credit to individuals
Ø Shouldering responsibility
Ø Respect / acknowledgement / appreciation of others
Ø A man is judged not by his position / status / the work assigned, but his performance
6. Patol Babu glanced at the paper and found a single word had been scrawled on it – ‘Oh’. ….. Sosanko said, “What’s the matter Grandpa? You don’t seem too pleased.”
Inspite of his initial disappointment, Patol Babu came to terms with what was offered to him and finally achieved satisfaction and happiness.
Write an article for your school magazine entitled – Take challenges in your stride.
Value Points
Ø Accept challenges life throws at you - will be able to overcome even toughest obstacle
Ø Enables you to realize your potential
Ø Challenges expose your weaknesses and strengths
Ø Work on weaknesses to overcome them
Ø Knowledge of your strengths give confidence

Practice Question

Short Answer Type Question

1. Why does Patol Babu’s wife tell him that he is counting his ‘chickens before they’re hatched’? (2016)

2. How did Patol Babu earn his living all through these years?

3. ‘Patol Babu had acted in many a play before but he still felt nervous because he hadn’t got his dialogues to rehearse’. What does this suggest about patol Babu?

4. ‘Well at least he had gathered some useful information’. Why did he gather that useful information?

Long Answer Type Question

1. Patol Babu was a true performer. Explain

2. The story criticizes the fact that art is not anymore a thing of passion but has become a totally commercialized commodity. Explain

3.Through the character of Patol Babu , Satyajit Ray has portrayed that personal satisfaction is more important than financial rewards. Explain this statement with reference to the story ‘Patol Babu, Film star’.

4. “Life was continuing its monotonicity for Patol Babu till came a welcome twist quite by chance.” What was the twist and was it really a welcome twists?

VIRTUALLY TRUE

1. How did the narrator happen to crack the video game?

Ans. Sebastian Shultz’s memory was intact in the computer. Someone stole the lot and it went to the Computer Fair. The narrator and his father bought that lot. The narrator played the game using Sebastian Shultz’s memory. He received an e-mail from Sebastian thanking him for saving him. It was possible through interactive psycho-drive games in 3-dimensional.

2. What had happened to Sebastian Shultz? How was he at present?

Ans. Sebastian Shultz had been badly injured in a motorway accident six weeks ago. His condition was critical but stable. Despite doctors’ hopes he did not regain consciousness. He was in coma at present.

3. How did the narrator rescue Sebastian Shultz after entering the ‘Warzone’?

Ans. The narrator and Sebastian Shultz ran amidst the fire and gunshots. They jumped in a jeep followed by a tank. When Sebastian Shultz applied brake suddenly he was thrown into a spin. He landed with a thud but the narrator pulled him up in a helicopter. The helicopter soared into the sky and in this way Sebastian Shultz was saved

4. How did the narrator come to know about Sebastian Shultz’s condition?

Ans. The narrator came to know about Sebastian Shultz’s condition from a newspaper article. He happened to see a lady reading the article titled ‘Miracle Reading’. It was about Sebastian’s accident and consequential coma.

5. What plan did Sebastian Shultz have for escaping from prison cell? How did it fail?

Ans. Sebastian Shultz had a plan that there was to be a helicopter on the roof. They were to fly in it to escape from the dragon. But unfortunately the helicopter was not there So the plan failed. Shultz fell down after he took a step backwards.

6. When did the first video game ‘Wildwest’ become complicated? Who was the second sheriff? How does the narrator describe ‘him’?

Ans. The first video game ‘Wildwest’ became complicated when the second sheriff entered. He entered through the back door shouting and waving his arms. Actually, the second sheriff was Sebastian Shultz. The narrator describes him as a boy of his age and also says that even though he looked like a computer image he didn’t look like one.

7. What Sebastian Shultz suggest to Michael, the narrator to save him? What happened when the narrator swiped a skeleton swipe-card?

Ans. Sebastian Shultz asked the narrator to try another videogame titled ‘Jailbreak’. When Michael and Shultz were out of the cell, sirens wailed, guard dogs howled and heavy boots came tramping.

8. When did the first video game come to an end and with what?

Ans. The narrator and the second sheriff, Sebastian Shultz went ahead on horseback being chased by the horseman. At that moment the sound of a gunshot echoed round the air. The sheriff groaned and slumped back against him. At this the game was over.

9. Justify the title of the lesson ‘Virtually True’?

Ans. The lesson is aptly and logically titled ‘Virtually True’. The lesson describes how Michael tries to rescue Sebastian Shultz, a virtually true image or character by the computer. In all four interactive psycho-driven games, ‘Virtual Reality’ is the controlling concept. The images created by the computer seem to be almost real to the person who is surrounded by them. The narrator himself says that whatever described in the lesson is true but ‘Virtually’.

Reference to the context

1. Sebastian Shultz. It isn’t a name you come across every day.

1. Who was Sebastian Shultz?

Ans. Sebastian Shultz was a 14 year old school boy from South London who was injured in motorway accident.

2. When did he meet Michael and where?

Ans. Sebastian met Michael in the first of psycho-driven game ‘Wildwest’ where he played the role of the second sheriff.

2. MIRACLE RECOVERY, the headline said.

a) What had happened to Sebastian Shultz?

Ans. Sebastian Shultz was badly injured in a motor accident and was in a coma.

b) What was the ‘Miracle Recovery’?

Ans. The miracle recovery was that Shultz woke up from a long coma miraculously only the previous day.

3. He wasn’t like the other characters in the saloon.

a) Where was Michael at that time?

Ans. At that time Michael was in a saloon drinking a glass of sarsaparilla

b) Who is being talked about in these lines?

Ans. The second sheriff who appeared suddenly in the game ‘Wildwest’ is being talked about in these lines.

4. I swung my sword. But it was no good. The dragon was only interested in Sebastian……

a) Who swung his sword and why?

Ans. Michael swung his sword to hit the wicked dragon.

b) Did the dragon harm Michael?

Ans. No, the dragon was only interested in Sebastian Shultz and didn’t do any harm to Michael.

Value based questions

1. How is ‘Virtually true’ different from the real truth? ‘Everything that I’ve described is true- Virtually!’ says the narrator. Justify the statement.

Ans. The story ‘Virtually True’ comes under the category of ‘Science Fiction’. Even the title of the story is ‘Virtually true’. The lesson is about interactive psycho-driven games. These games are based on the concept of Virtual Reality. The images are created by the computer. These images seem to surround the person who is looking at them. Hence, a thing that is ‘virtually true’ gives the impression of being actually true.

In all the psycho-driven games Michael tries to save Sebastian Shultz, a character created by the computer. In the end Michael receives a real message from the real Sebastian Shultz. The real Sebastian had a miraculous recovery when he wakes up from a coma. He thanks Michael for saving his life. He hopes to meet him soon and generously asks Michael to keep the games as he has earned them.

2. Describe interactive psycho-driven games. Out of the four psycho-driven games that Michael plays in the lesson, which one appeals you most. Why Michael couldn’t save Sebastian Shultz in ‘Wildwest’, ‘Dragonquest’, ‘Jailbreak’ but succeeds in saving him in the last game ‘Warzone’?

Ans. Interactive psycho-driven games are driven by mental power. In such games the man who plays them and the computer interact. They are terrific. With a virtual reality visor and glove we can change what we see. Better than that, we can control the action by what we are thinking.

All four psycho-driven games that Michael plays in the story are exciting and interesting. They take us to the romantic world of the ‘Wildwest’ with its dusty towns, castles, dragons and dungeons. There is plenty of action in them. Sebastian Shultz plays the second sheriff in ‘Wilwest’, the second knight in ‘Dragonquest’, a prisoner in ‘Jailbreak’ and a victim in ‘Warzone’. The last game ‘Warzone’ is the most appealing as here the actions of Michael and Sebastian Shultz are more coordinated and planned. Guns are booming. Bombs are exploding. But they dodge the sniper fire. They jump into a jeep parked by the wayside. The tank crushes into the jeep. Before they are killed or caught they make it to the waiting helicopter which soon soars into the sky. Michael is rewarded. His score touches 40,000,000 and he wins the jackpot. Finally, he is able to save Sebastian Shultz. In the end, the ‘real’ Sebastian Shultz sends a real message to Michael. He thanks Michal for saving his life and is eager to meet him soon. He also asks him to keep all the psycho-driven games with him as he has earned them.

3. “Dear Michael, it said. Thank you! I am not sure how it happened, but thanks. You saved my life.”

Even though Michael did not know Shultz personally, he made every attempt to save him.

What values did Michael display?

Value Points

· Compassion

· Empathy

· Never give up attitude

· Concern for the other

· Responsible citizen, helping a fellow citizen.

4. Answering a reporter’s question as to what the family was going to do next, Mr. Shultz

said that they were off to stock up on some games.

Computers, especially computer games, are a rage with children as well as adults. They play

an important role in our lives but they are also a major distraction and have their hazards. In

about 150 words, write an article on the hazards of addiction and how to overcome it.

Value Points

· Technology here to stay – move with times

· Advantages – education, entertainment, stress buster

· Disadvantages – addiction, distraction, one becomes anti-social, affects health, games

· inculcate violence

· Need to exercise self-control – strike a balance

· Time management

THE FROG AND THE NIGHTINGALE

1. Name some of the poetic devices used in the poem.

Ans: a. Alliteration. Eg: crass; cacophony, bingle; bog, scarf; sash, night; nightingale, art; adoration etc.

b. Allusion. Eg: Mozart

c. Metaphor. Eg: you’re Mozart

d. Satire. Eg: Frog is exploiting the nightingale

e. Onomatopoeia. Eg: ko-ash

f. Pun Eg: Owl, Duck, Mallard etc.

2. Who is the poet?

Ans: Vikram Seth

3. What lessons do you learn from the poem?

Ans: We learn that we should not trust strangers. We must not believe whatever they say. We also learn that we must have balance in our life. Anything too much is not good for us. Eg: The nightingale used to train everyday without any break in between. This led to her downfall.

4. What is the irony in the nightingale actions?

Ans: Before the nightingale came to the Bingle Bog, she could sing even if no one appreciated her. She liked to sing. After she came to the Bog, she was appreciated so much that when everyone stopped appreciating her, she no longer wanted to sing. She stopped singing.

5. Animals from miles around

Flocked towards the magic sound

And the frog with great precision

Counted heads and charged admission.

a. What does precision mean?

Ans: Exactness.

b. What is the magic sound?

Ans: The sound of the nightingale singing is the magic sound.

c. Why did the frog charge admission?

Ans: He charged admission because he wanted to take full advantage of the nightingale’s training and earn some profit.

Short Answer Type Questions

1. What is the meaning of the lines “ And the sumac tree was bowed with a breathless titled crowed”?

2.How did the frog exploit the nightingale?

3. What advice did the frog give to the nightingale?

Long Answer Type Question

1. Frog symbolizes the cunning and crafty people who can go to any extent to achieve their goal. Elaborate.

2. In spite of having a melodious voice and being a crowed puller the nightingale turns out to be a loser and dies. Do you think she is responsible for her own downfall?

3. The frog philosophizes that one’s song must be one’s own. Do you agree with it?

4. We cannot destroy a person by power but we can destroy him by crushing his morale. Elaborate

5. How does the poem shed light on the various traits of humans?

6. The frog, who was not at all talented, ruled in the end and the nightingale, which possessed the fineness and versatility of voice, died. Explain the irony o f the statement, highlighting g the values the frog should have possessed. (2016)

7. The poem ‘The Frog and the Nightingale’ highlights the fact that lack of confidence can lead to disaster. Keeping this in mind, elaborate the statement: ‘If you accept yourself, the whole world accepts you.’(2016)

MIRROR

Read the following extract and answer the questions that follow.

1. I am silver and exact. I have no preconceptions.

Whatever I see I swallow immediately

Just as it is, unmisted by love or dislike.

(a) What is the meaning of the poet by 'silver and exact'?

(b) What is the poetic device used in the stanza?

(c) What is the synonym of 'preconception'?

(a) It means that the mirror is clean and shows only the truth.

(b) The poetic device used here is personification.

2. In me she has drowned a young girl, and ... Like a terrible fish.

a) How has "she" drowned a young girl in the mirror?

b) How does "she" reacts when "she" looks at her face reflected in the mirror?

c) Why does "she" behave like a terrible fish?

a) She-meaning the woman was once a young girl. But now she has grown old. The physical changes brought about due to age and time seems to have "drowned" the young girl in the mirror and the older varnish of the woman now is reflected every time the woman looks at herself in the mirror.

b) "She" (the woman) feels very sad at the physical change. She looks into the depths of the mirror to see her young face again, but she cannot find it. She feels very upset over this fact.

c) She (the woman) behaves like a terrible fish which is out of water because she still imagines herself to be young and beautiful and cannot accept the fact that one grows old with the passage of time. She still has romantic ideas about her youth and beauty.

3. Now I am a lake. A woman bends over me,

Searching my reaches for what she really is

Then she turns to those liars, the candles or the moon.

I see her back and reflect it faithfully,

She rewards me with tears and an agitation of hands,

I am important to her

a) Who says: ‘Now I am a lake’?

b) Why is the woman in tears?

c) Explain: Searching my reaches’.

d) Who is ‘she’ in the above lines?

e) What does the mirror reflect faithfully?

a) It is the mirror that now calls itself a ‘lake’.

b) The woman is in tears because of the loss of her youth and beauty due to her aging.

c) ‘Searching my reaches’ means looking into me (mirror) for her lost youth and beauty.

d) ‘She’ is a lady who is looking at her reflection in the mirror.

e) The mirror reflects faithfully the image of the woman. It shows the sign of old age apparent on her face.

3. I am not cruel, only truthful –
The eye of a little god, four-cornered.
Most of the time meditate on the opposite wall.

a) How is the mirror not cruel, but truthful?
b) Explain “The eye of a little god, four-cornered”

c) How does the mirror “meditate”?

a) The person who does not like his or her own image calls the mirror cruel. The truth, however, is that mirror is only truthful – giving the true image.

b) The mirror is rectangular or square and so the poet calls it four-cornered. It is also like a little god, because like god it is impartial.
c) When there is no one before the mirror, it keeps on reflecting the wall before it. The word “reflect” also means thinking or meditating or introspecting.

5. Now I am a lake. A woman bends over me,

Searching my reaches for what she really is
Then she turns to those liars, the candles or the moon.

I see her back and reflect it faithfully,
She rewards me with tears and an agitation of hands

a) How is the mirror “a lake”?

b) What is the woman searching for in the depth of the lake?

c) Why are the candles and the moon called liars?

a) The mirror is described as a lake because the woman who stands before it, seeing her image tries to look deep into every part of her image. The depth and clarity can be seen in a lake only. Also, anyone can drown in a lake. So when one looks in the mirror, one is "drowned" in it, yet one can come out, of it "alive".

b) The woman bends over to see her reflection in the lake. She was once young and beautiful, but now she is wrinkled and old. She wants to see her young, beautiful face once again, so she searches inside the lake (mirror) for that

c) "The moon" and "the candles" have been called liars because they do not give intense light, which makes the face look beautiful as the wrinkles cannot be seen clearly. In their dim light, the woman who has now grown old can see her youthful face minus the wrinkles. Since this is not the true image of the woman, they have been referred to as "liars".

6. Each morning it is her face that replaces the darkness.
In me, she has drowned a young girl, and in me an old woman
Rises toward her day after day like a terrible fish

a) How has “she” drowned a young girl in the mirror?

b) How does “she” reacts when “she” looks at her face reflected in the mirror?

c) Why does “she” behave like a terrible fish?
a) She-meaning the woman was once a young girl. But now she has grown old. The physical changes brought about due to age and time seems to have “drowned” the young girl in the mirror and the older varnish of the woman now is reflected every time the woman looks at herself in the mirror.

b) “She” (the woman) feels very sad at the physical change. She looks into the depths of the mirror to see her young face again, but she cannot find it. She feels very upset over this fact.

c) She (the woman) behaves like a terrible fish which is out of water because she still imagines herself to be young and beautiful and cannot accept the fact that one grows old with the passage of time. She still has romantic ideas about her youth and beauty.

Short Answer Type Question

1. How has the wall become a part of the mirror's heart? What separates them?

Wall has become a part of the mirror's heart because the wall is always there and its reflection in the mirror is also permanent. They are separated only either by the faces or the darkness.

2. How do you think the old woman rises day by day?

The old woman once was a young and beautiful lady. As each day passes that woman grows older and older.

3. Why does the mirror appear to be a lake in the second stanza? What aspect of the mirror do you think is being referred to here?

In the second stanza, the mirror is compared to the lake. Lake cannot reflect exactly as a mirror. The lake also suggests the flow of time and age, hence the beauty being drowned in the lake.

4. The woman in the poem ‘Mirror’ searches for something in the depth of the mirror. What is it?

The woman in the poem ‘Mirror’ searches for her lost youth and beauty. She is also having a close look at her face to gauge the damage that time has done.

5. How the poem ‘Mirror' brings out the inevitability of aging and the death?

The poem brings out our sense of anxieties and confusion which is the result of aging. Nobody wants to grow old; everyone desires to remain young and beautiful ever. We fail to understand that life is transitory and aging and death are unavoidable and inevitable. Hence, we need to develop an objective outlook and an inner strength to face all stages of life gracefully.

6. Why has the mirror been called the “The eye of a little God”?

The mirror sees everything from all the four directions. The mirror has an all around perception. The mirror is unbiased and fair like God. The mirror gives its judgment in the form of images very truthfully. The God also is omnipresent and impartial to everyone.

7. Who disturbs the mirror’s meditation and how?

Answer: The mirror keeps on gazing at the opposite wall steadily like a person meditating with a stir in his mind and body. The mirror’s meditation is disturbed by darkness or whenever someone comes in front of the mirror and its opposite wall.

8. Who calls the ‘mirror’ cruel and why?

The woman calls the mirror cruel. She wants to live in a world of illusion and does not want to accept the truth that she has grown old. She does not have the maturity to understand that the mirror only reflects back what comes in front of it. It does not have the power to change somebody’s appearance. But the woman finds it difficult to acknowledge the truth and so, she the ‘mirror’ cruel.

Long Answer Type Questions

9. The poet says that the mirror has no preconceptions and is only truthful. Explain.

The mirror is free from preconceptions and prejudices. It shows only the true image of an object. Its view is not tinted. The mirror does not get carried away by emotions. It has a clear vision and does not get misted by looking at beautiful people or ugly faces. It is unbiased, unmisted. It is never bothered about the feelings of the person looking at it. It performs its job honestly and in the best manner. It shows the people their true images in true color. Like God, a mirror gives an impartial judgment through its images. Though people call it cruel, it is not so because it reflects the true image of a person without any distortion.

10. Why have the candles and moon been called liars?

The candles and the moon are called liars because under their dim and dull light the woman is not able to see the wrinkles and the lines on her face. The dim lights hide the reality that she has grown old and has lost her beauty; thus making her feel beautiful and satisfying her vanity.

11. Why does the woman turn to liars like the candles and moon again?

The woman wants to view her beautiful face in the mirror. But time and aging have ruined her beauty and her face is full of wrinkles. So, in order to satisfy her vanity, she turns to the candles or the moon which make her look beautiful in their soft and faint light.

12. Why is the woman agitated and has tears in her eyes?

The woman looks at herself in the mirror every day. She is fond of viewing her beauty in the mirror and rejoicing and exulting over it. But when she sees her wrinkled and aging face in the mirror she is upset, agitated and has tears in her eyes.

13. How does the mirror important to the woman?

The mirror is important to the woman because she looks at herself in the mirror every day to see her face. It is important to her because through it she meets her true self. She also muses over past, present, and future. She is upset when she sees her wrinkled and aging face but she turns again to the mirror because it is an important part of her life.

14. How do you consider the poem – optimistic or pessimistic? Explain.

The poem ‘Mirror' does have a tone of pessimism in it. The poet is a pessimistic person. She has set high aspirations for herself which she is not able to achieve and goes into depression. In the similar way, the woman in the poem is not able to come to terms with life. She is not able to accept the harsh reality that aging and death are inevitable. Her anxiety, tears, and agitation provide some pessimism to the poem. Our attitude makes a lot of difference. We should reconcile ourselves to reality, accept upheavals', upsets and death as an integral part of life. So, the poem does reflect some tinge of pessimism but all, in all it is not a pessimistic poem.

15. What is the significance of the expression ‘unmisted’ in the first stage of the poem?

The expression 'unmisted' means that it is not shadowed by love or dislike. A mirror always shows what it sees. It clearly reflects the truth and does not show any prejudice. In this poem too, we see that the mirror has shown the true image of the woman very clearly and without any love or dislike for her.

16. What is the central theme of the poem “mirror”?

The poem “Mirror” by Sylvia Plath, is a comment on a woman’s desire to look beautiful and always look young. For some woman, their day begins by looking into the mirror. She is glad when she finds herself looking young, charming and beautiful, but is inconsolable when the reality is otherwise.
For an old woman, the mirror is like a lake. She looks carefully deep into the mirror to see the youth that has drowned in it. She then looks to candles and the moon to reveal her appearance, but the mirror calls them liars because they hide many of her shortcomings like her age, and the wrinkles.

17. The mirror view of life is difficult to accept. Do you agree with the statement? Substantiate your answer with examples from the poem.

The mirror does not lie, it gives only the real or true image of a person standing before it. It has no preconceived nations – it has god-like fairness. However, very often it is difficult to accept reality. Especially women like to like to live in denial. They do not like to see their wrinkles reflecting the loss of age and youth. They would prefer to believe that they are still beautiful and young. Like the woman in the poem, they turn to the mirror every day looking for assurance of their beauty which they think is everlasting. They would prefer to see their faces in moonlight or candlelight because they blur and hide much of their ugliness.PRACTICE QUESTIONS

1.What is the significance of the expression ‘unlimited’ in the first stanza of the poem?

2. Explain the expression –‘I have no preconceptions’ in the context of human being.

3. Why has the mirror been called a four-cornered god? (2011)

-It is truthful and not cruel. It is concise and unbiased. Everyone is same in front of god, he see in all direction.

4. Explain –‘In me she drowned a young girl.’

5. What is the woman searching for in the depth of the lake?

6. How is the mirror ‘exact’?

7. Who call the mirror cruel and why?

8. Why are the candles and the moon called liars?

LONG ANSWER QUESTIONS

1. Why do you think people are not able to accept the change and enjoy life?

2. What kind of relationship does the woman share with the mirror?

3. What does the poet want to convey through the poem?

4. The mirror reflects the image or life as it is, but still people find it difficult to come to term with the truth. Why? (2015)

5. In her poem ‘Mirror’ the poet wants to convey that the chakra/wheel of time cannot be stopped and ‘old age and graying’ are inevitable. Explain.

6. ‘Man is so busy in enhancing the outer beauty that he has no time to peep into his heart spirit and to realise the beauty that lies within.’ Explain.

7. The poem is a monologue in which the mirror has been personified. The poet has used the device of personification very efficaciously. Explain.

- Personification is a poetic device where we attribute human qualities, a character or personality to inanimate or abstract things to make them appear like living beings.

‘I am not cruel only truthful’

‘The eye of a little god’

‘Now I am lake’

-not cruel to the human being but it is only truthful.

-omniscient like God.

NOT MARBLE, NOR THE GILDED MONUMENTS

Short Answer Type Question

1. In what way is the poet stronger than powerful rulers?

2.Why is war called wasteful?

3. Why does the poet refer to ‘time’ as being sluttish?

4. Describe how the monuments and statues bear the ravages of time.

5. Why do you think the rich and the powerful people get their statues and monuments erected in their memory?

6. How will the poet’s friend dwell in lover’s eyes? (2013)

7. What according to Shakespeare outlives the ravages of time?(2016)

8. In what ways are wars wasteful? (2016)

Long Answer Type Questions

1. The materialistic things do not last forever. What lasts is our good behaviour and values we posses. Elaborate.

2. What quality of the work of the author is reflected in this poem?

OZYMANDIAS

REFERANCE TO THE CONTEXT:

1. ‘The hand that mocked them, and the heart that fed;

And on the pedestal these words appear;

My name is Ozymandias, king of kings,’

a) Whom does the hand and heart refer to?

a. The hand refers to the sculptor’s hand which mocked the expression on ozymandias’ face, and heart here refers to the cold heart of Ozymandias that fed the expression.

b) How did the king look after his people?

a. He was cruel and ruthless. It is expressed in the lines ‘cold command’.

c) What quality of Ozymandias is revealed in the last line?

a. He was cruel, selfish and considered himself to be the mightiest. He was conceited and intoxicated with power.

2. ‘Look upon my works, ye Mighty and despair!

a) Whom does the poet refer to as mighty?

a. The poet refers to all those who think they are better than Ozymandias.

b) How does he challenge the mighty?

a. By telling them that they can never surpass him in great and therefore they need to live in despair.

c) What message is conveyed in the poem Ozymandias?

a. All great achievements, vanity, pride will crumble and get destroyed. Civilizations disappear with time, so man should not be conceited.

3. ‘Nothing beside remains, round the decay

Of that colossal wreck, boundless and bare

The lone and level sands stretch far away.’

a) What does the poem mean when he says ‘Nothing else remains’?

a. The poem implies that nothing else except the broken statue has survived.

b) What does the poet mean by ‘colossal wreck’?

a. The poet means the huge, ruined statue of Ozymandias.

c) Explain the last line.

a. The ravages of time had wiped every trace of the mighty kingdom of the mightiest of all rulers. Now only vast expanse of desert land was there.

QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS:

1. In what condition was the statue found?

A. The statue of Ozymandias was found in a distant desert. The head of the statue was broken and nearby two vast legs of stone stand without a body. The head is half sunk in the sand. The statue has a bitter and cruel expression of command and power.

2. Who has written the inscription on the pedestal below the statue? What did it indicate?

A. On the pedestal of the statue, the words inscribed were, ‘My name is Ozymandias, and I am the king of kings. If anyone wishes to know how great I am, then let him surpass my works. ‘These words indicate the arrogance, conceit and overconfidence of the king. The king appeared to sneer at people who were weak and helpless.

3. Describe the surrounding of the statue of Ozymandias?

A. The broken statue of Ozymandias was surrounded by vast stretches of sand and loneliness of deserts. These ruins prove that the king’s works and civilization has crumbles to dust. Nothing lasts forever, and loneliness, desertion conveys a feeling of crumbling under the cruel knife of time.

4. How did the poet come to know about the broken statue of Ozymandias?

A. The poet was told the story of Ozymandias by a speaker who had met a traveler from an ancient land. The story and the condition of Ozymandias’ statue are conveyed by word of mouth. This adds a tinge of obscurity and mystery to the statue.

VALUE BASED QUESTIONS:

1. After reading the poem, what is the lesson ingrained in it for the rest of mankind? Discuss.

A. Power, position and pelf should be used for the welfare of mankind. History may record one’s territorial achievements but if one wins the hearts of people, then that is real victory. One must command respect and not demand it. Many times, sages and saints are respected more than mighty kings. So, one must never misuse power and might. Time is a great leveler. So glorious deeds should be omitted to get respect from posterity, Shelley also demonstrates the fact that art and language long outlive the other legacies of power. Real power is in winning hearts and not in ruling the weak and the needy.

2. The futility of human beings is exposed in this poem. Explain.

A. In this poem, Ozymandias, Shelly talks about the transience of human life and our ever constant need to overcome this inevitable truth. The futility, or uselessness, of human ambition, to wish to be remembered and immortalized and to think that that is possible by making statues of oneself, is wishful thinking. Only the shattered visage is left behind after the onslaught of time, nothing remains of past grandeur but the bones of a colossal wreck. The justice of time is that no one can continue to hold power just on the might of their words; one must produce credible evidence through their works and actions to justify the laurels that are given to them.

3. The poem Ozymandias portrays the short living political power against the force of time and nature. Elaborate.

A. The poem conveys the message of supremacy of time over all human achievements. Political grandiosity being one such endeavor comes under the ambit of time. The partially destroyed statue of Ozymandias speaks of the uselessness of political power. The statue that once spoke of the grandeur of Ozymandias now stands cold and shattered, devoid of all power that is signified at one point of time. It is time alone that conquers all. Everything else is extremely short lived in comparison.

4. What message is conveyed through this poem?

A. Nothing is permanent in this world. Everything is transient and gets washed away by the tides of time. We might run after material pursuits but they do not give us permanent happiness. We are blinded by our ego, arrogance and thirst for power which is not lasting hence can never give lasting happiness. The king tried to perpetuate his name and wanted to create all that he could to prove to the worlds his might, his power. But little did he realize the irony of his fate would not let anything of the sort happen. Nothing was left with time –his kingdom, his self- everything mingled with dust. Only vast desert land remains.

The Rime of the Ancient Mariner

Read the following extracts and answer the questions.

(1) “The bridegroom’s doors are opened wide,
And I am next of kin
The guests are met, the feast is set :
May’st hear the merry din”.

(a) Who is next of kin?

Ans : The wedding guest is next of kin.

(b) Why is the wedding guest helpless and restless?
Ans : He is eager to join the wedding party.

(c) What does ‘merry din’ refer to?

Ans : The noise of celebration and festivities.

(2) “He holds him with his glittering eye
The wedding guest stood still
And listens like a three-year old child
The mariner hath his will”.

(a) Why does the mariner hold him?

Ans : The wedding guest is reluctant to listen to the mariner.

(b) Explain the figure of speech in line 3.

Ans : Simile

(c) What is the mariner’s will?

Ans : The mariner wants to hold the guest and relatehis tales of misery.

(3) The ship was cheered, the harbour cleared
Merrily did we drop
Below the kirk, below the hill
Below the light-house top.

(a) On what note does the journey begin?

Ans : The journey begins with optimism and cheering.

(b) What sights were seen on the way?

Ans : They saw a hill, a lighthouse when the ship cleared from the harbour.
(c) Discuss the use of ‘kirk’. What effect does it create?

Ans : It is an archaic word for ‘church’. It gives the
poem the flavour of a traditional ballad.

SHORTANSWER TYPE QUESTIONS

1. Why is the albatross greeted like a ‘Christian soul’? What relationship is forged between the albatross and the crew of the ship?[C.B.S.E. 2012

Ans : The albatross is welcomed as a good omen, like the grace of Lord Jesus. The sailors are very happy to welcome and feed him for he is the only sign of life that they have seen. Its arrival also coincides with the blowing of the south-wind, which makes the ship sail. The bird is
great company for all the sailors. It fills the crew with luck and hope. That is why the bird is called ‘a Christian soul’.

2. What situation did the mariners face in the land of snow and ice?
Ans : The ship is cheered and the journey begins on an optimistic note. But soon the ship is caught in a violent storm and trapped. It is tossed on high waves and the sailors have great difficulty in controlling it under the effect of the stormy blast, the ship is driven to the south, which is the land of snow and mist and wondrously cold. There are no men, no sign of life. All they see is ice and ice around them.

3. The crew of the ship demonstrate double standards and they have contradictory ethical values. Bring out the truth of this statement by giving examples from the poem.

Ans : Initially the albatross is welcomed and called a ‘Christian soul’. It is loved and petted. The sailors believe that the bird has brought luck and south wind. When the mariner kills the albatross, the sailors condemn this killing. When the weather improves and no mishap follows, they start blaming the bird for the fog and the mist and justify its killing. They become party to the sin, so they also undergo great suffering like the ancient mariner.

4. Describe the encounter between the ancient mariner and the wedding guest. How does the wedding guest react?

Ans : The Wedding Guest is forcibly detained by the mariner, who is in no mood to listen to his tale of ‘woe’ and misery. The Wedding Guest calls the mariner crazy and mad but the mariner holds the guest’s hand tightly. The wedding begins and the guest beats his breast but the glittering eyes of the mariner mesmerise him. Later the guest is also involved in this extraordinary story and by the strangeness of the mariner.

5. ‘We stuck, nor breath nor motion:
As idle as a painted ship
upon a painted ocean;’
Discuss how the ship came to be stuck and the
problems faced by the crew.
Or
What were the sufferings undergone by the mariners in the silent see.[C.B.S.E. 2012 (T-2)]

Ans : The ancient mariner and his crew were stuck in the middle of the silent sea. For a long time the sailor’s ship was stuck and there was no air or motion that could move the ship. The crew were in a state of sheer helplessness and the ship looked just like a painting. Initially south wind had driven the ship but suddenly the favourable wind stopped blowing and they were pushed towards a silent sea.

LONG ANSWER TYPE QUESTIONS

1. What is the dramatic significance of the role of the albatross in the poem ‘Rime of the Ancient Mariner’?

Ans : The albatross is the main pivot on which the whole poem hangs. The poem is an exploration of evil, both that of men and nature and of salvation. The whole poem is based on the Christian concept of sin, its punishment and redemption. The albatross is seen as a friendly spirit, a symbol of God’s favour, bringing good results. When the mariner kills the albatross, he taints himself with sin and loses connection with God. By destroying God’s creature, the mariner is exposed to the darker aspects of God. The albatross also exposes the fickle-minded nature of the sailors. In the end, when the mariner prays, albatross, a symbol of sin falls from him. The mariner is full of God’s grace. So the albatross is an instrument to expose the mariner’s sin and its redemption.

2. Whom did the mariners hold responsible for their misery? Was it correct to do so?

Ans : When the ancient mariner kills the albatross, the sailors are frightened that great evil will befall them. Killing a bird who brought the south wind and was great company, hurts the sailors very badly. But when no punishment follows the sin, the weather improves and the ship makes great advancement, the sailors change their opinion. But soon punishment follows, nemesis strikes them. The ship gets stuck in the silent sea and cannot move at all for days altogether. Then they undergo spells of thirst and parched throats. They are plagued by the polar spirit for killing the albatross. So they blame the mariner because it is their nature. They are too fickle-minded and have ‘herd-mentality’.

SNAKE

Read the following extracts and answer the questionthat follow.

1. To drink there
In the deep, strange-scented shade of the great carob-tree

(a) Name the poet and the person.
Ans : The poet is D.H. Lawrence and the poem is the Snake.

(b) Who has come to drink and what has he come for?

Ans : The poet has come to collect water in the pitcher and the snake has come for drinking water.

c) Describe the surroundings of the water trough?

Ans : The water-trough is in the open, under the shade of the sweet-scented carob tree.

2. He reached down from a fissure in the earth-wall in the gloom
And trailed his yellow-brown slackness soft bellied down, over the edge of the stone-trough

(a) From where had the snake appeared?

Ans : The snake had come from the inside portion of the earth-wall

(b) Identify the poetic device in ‘slackness, soft bellied’.

Ans : Alliteration

(c) Describe the path the snake took to reach the
water.

Ans : The snake came out from the crack in the wall and came trailing on the ground to reach the edge of the water trough.

3. and mused a moment
And stooped and drank a little more

(a) Explain ‘mused a moment?

Ans : It means ‘it appeared to be thinking for sometime’.

(b) What does the manner of the snake suggest?

Ans : The snake appears very relaxed and ‘unhurried and takes his time to drink water.

(c) Why is the poet watching every action of the snake?
Ans : The snake has fascinated the poet with his majestic behaviour.

4. And voices in me said, if you were a man
You would take a stick and break him now and
finish him off

(a) What are ‘voices’?

Ans : The voices refer to the beliefs that are ingrained in one’s mind due to society.

(b) What do the voices suggest? Why?

Ans : They suggest that the snake should be killed as he is poisonous.

c) Do you think it would be cowardice or manly for the poet to kill the snake? Why/Why not?

Ans : It was cowardice because the snake had not harmed the poet — to strike the snake behind its back is not ethical.

SHORT ANSWER QUESTIONS

1. Why does the poet repeat “hot”, “must wait” twice? What purpose does it serve?

Ans : These words are used repeatedly because the poet wishes to emphasise on them. ‘Hot’ means very hot as there are many reasons like the month of July, Etna volcano etc. ‘Must wait’ means compulsion. The poet believes that anyone who comes first, must be served first.

2. From where had the snake emerged? What do you think was the reason for the snake to come out in the open?

Ans : The snake had come out from the crack in the wall. It was very hot and scorching inside due to July month, active volcano etc. The snake wanted to drink water and satisfy his thirst.

3. Describe the relaxed manner in which the snake makes his way to the water trough and the manner in which he drinks water.

Ans : The movement of the snake is described as ‘slack’ ‘soft-bellied’, most relaxed and unhurried. He
appeared out of a crack in the wall and very languorously stretched himself and slow crawled to the edge of the water-trough. One reason could be that he had not seen the poet.

4. Why is the snake compared to cattle?

Ans : The relaxed manner in which the snake drinks water reminds the poet of cattle. Even the cattle drink water, then look up, muse a moment and continue. The snake also behaves similarly.

5. How were the poet’s beliefs regarding snakes conditioned by society?

Ans : Society ingrains certain preconceived notions in our mind and due to that we don’t judge situations by instinct — The poet was fascinated by the snake. He appreciated the snake’s majestic and harmless nature but the earlier instincts drilled in him by society force him to strike at the snake. He had been taught to kill snakes.

LONG ANSWER TYPE QUESTIONS

1. Describe the manner in which the snake arrived and departed.

Ans : The snake had come from the crack in the wall made of earth, from the darkness, from the scorching inside portion of the earth. The snake did not feel the threat of the poet’s presence, so its movement is very languid, very relaxed and unhurried. It stretched its long and slack body, drank water with great spells of flavour
and enjoyment. It licked its lips, it mused and put his head on the edge of the water-trough. Its departure was exactly the opposite—quick, clumsy, abrupt like the speed of lightning.

2. . What ideas and thoughts come to the poet's mind when he finds a poisonous snake drinking water at his water trough?

Ans : After reaching his water trough on a very hot day, the poet finds a snake drinking water from his water trough. He waits for the snake to finish drinking water first
since he is very particular regarding protocol. The snake was brown in colour. The poet makes a frank confession that he really liked the snake but educational and social conventions make the poet think that the golden brown snakes were poisonous, so they must be killed. The inner instinct of the poet makes him feel honoured that a snake had come to seek his hospitality from the deep recesses of the earth.

3. Discuss about the indecisive nature of the man in the light of the poem ‘Snake’.

4. Snake is a poem that has a unique way of dealing with the moral consciousness of society’. Explain the statement citing examples from the poem.

The Dear Departed

Read the following extract carefully and answer the questions that follow?

1. ‘And you, too. Are you such a poor creature that you must do every dirty thing she tells you?” (2015)

a) who is the ‘poor creature’?

b) why is he/she being called a ‘poor creature’?

c) Which word in the extract is the opposite of ‘clean’?

Short Answer Type Questions

1. Why were Mr. And Mrs. Jordan visiting the Slaters after so many years?

2. Henry says, ‘I suppose it’s in the family’. Why does Henry make this comment and what does it reflect about the two sisters?

3.Why does Mr. Abel Merryweather decide to make another will? What is the reactions of the others?

4.What are the three things Grandpa plans to do on Monday (2011)

5. ‘My heart’s fit to break when I see the little trifles that belonged to grandfather lying around and think he’ll never use them again. Does Mrs. Slater really mean what she says?

6. Mrs. Jordan says that she has a feeling that father has not paid his insurance premium. How does all react to it? (2016)

7. What does the shifting of the bureau tell us about the character of Mrs. Slater? (2016)

Long Answer Type Question

1. In what way is the play satirical? Comment on the nature of its characters.

2.The grandfather had been living with his daughters turn by turn. What he needed was only love but what he received was greed and loneliness. Keeping this in view, write an article on ‘LUST is all GET...Love is all Give.(2014)

3.Even at the time when the grandfather is supposedly dead, the sisters are trying to pull each other down. With reference to the play, Dear Departed, mention the traits that the sisters display. Do you approve of them? Give a reasoned answer? (2016)

JULIUS CAESAR

1.Read the extract given below and answer the following questions.

Antony: O, pardon me, thou bleeding piece of earth,
That I am meek and gentle with these butchers!
Thou art the ruins of the noblest man
That ever lived in the tide of times.
Woe to the hand that shed this costly blood!
a) Where is Antony at this time?
b) Why does Antony call Caesar’s body ‘thou bleeding piece of earth’?
c) How and when had Antony been ‘meek and gentle with these butchers’?

Short Answer Type Question

1.Why do you think Brutus spared Antony?

Brutus was a man of honor and noble character. Killing Caesar was a painful decision for him. He was not a good judge of character so he believed what the conspirators told him about Caesar. He loved Caesar but felt Rome was more important. He did not want to kill Antony for no fault of his.

2. How did nature foretell Caesar’s death?

3. Why did Cassius not want Antony to speak on Caesar’s funeral?

4. Who killed Caesar and why?

5. What had Calpurnia seen in her dream?

6. How did Decius conclude Calpurnia’s dream?

7. How does Mark Antony instigate the mob?

8. Why had Brutus and other conspirators assassinated Caesar?

9.What was Caesar’s Will?

Long Answer Type Question

1. How did Antony prove to be a better orator than Brutus?

Ans. He knew he could exploit the people by arousing their feelings like sympathy and love.

Speech was passionate and emotional.

2. Antony was a skilful orator and he changed the mood of the mob by his skilful oratory. Vivekananda, also won over the heart of English people by his wonderful speeches. Our words have great power. So we should always think before we speak. A skilful orator has the power to bring about a revolution. Comment

- Vivekananda was a great orator.

- Words have a lot of power.

- Harsh words can cause a lot of pain.

- Sweet words can heal the wounds.

- A skilful orator can bring about a lot of transformation in the people.

- Words should always please others.

- We can change a situation in our favour with our skilful oratory.

3. And turn pre-ordinance and first decree into the law of children. Laws of country are made for the betterment of the people of the country and to make their lives easier. So, laws should be obeyed. But these days, laws are broken causing a lot of disturbance everywhere. Do you feel laws are like paper tigers which can be moulded as per the need? Discuss.

- Yes, Laws are like paper tigers.

-Laws can be modified and changed.

- People don’t respect laws.

- female infanticide, child marriages still happen.

- Low caste people still live in inhibition.

- Drinking and driving is common. Govt. should strictly follow laws to curbs such crimes.

- Laws are for the betterment of the society not for the disintegration of it.

Grammar

1-DETERMINERS

What are determiners?

Determiners are the words which are used before nouns to determine or fix their meaning.

Types:

1- Articles : a/an, the

2- Demonstrative adjectives : this, that, these, those

3-Possessives : my, our, your, his, her, its, their

4- Adjectives (Quantity & Number) : some, any, much, many, all, both,

little, few,several, less, one, two, etc.

5- Others : each, every, next, another, either, either,

first, second , etc.

Additional information

Nouns

Countable Uncountable

(Oil,water, furniture, etc.)

Singular Plural

(Boy) (Boys)

1- Articles

Indefinite Definite

(a/an) (The)

Indefinite article (a/an)

1- Used before singular countable nouns.

2- Represents a class or kind in general.

e.g. - a cow gives us milk.

(Every cow)

A- Used before singular countable nouns beginning with consonant sound.

Example- a one-eyed man, a unique place, a European, a University, a Mango etc.

An- Used before singular countable nouns beginning with vowel sound.

Example- an Indian, an hour, an umbrella, an honest boy (Mute ‘h’)

Definite article (the) – Used before both countable and uncountable nouns.

Usage:-

1- When we talk about something for the second time in the same context or anything qualified by a phrase.

i- I met a girl at the gate of the school. The girl was weeping.

(First time reference) (Second time reference)

ii- The book which is on the table is mine.

(Phrase)

2- Used before superlatives

She is the tallest girl of the class.

3- Used before the names of water bodies i.e. - rivers, seas, oceans

The Ganges, the Arabian Sea, The Pacific ocean, etc.

Note: - Not used before the names of lakes.

e.g. The Dal Lake

4- Used before the names of mountain ranges.

e.g. The Himalayas

Note: - Not used before the names of peaks.

e.g. The Mount Everest

5- Used before the names of satellites, planets, stars.

e.g. The moon, the earth, the sun

6- Used before the names of monuments and memorials.

e.g. The Red Fort, the Taj Mahal

7- Used before the names of states/countries that have a common noun in their name.

e.g. The Punjab, The Congo, the USA, the UAE, the UNO, the UK

8- Used before the names of scriptures.

e.g. The Ramayan, the Quran, the Guru Granth sahib, The Bible

9- Used before the names of newspapers, magazines.

e.g. The Times of India, the Competition Success Review, The Reader’s Digest

10- Used before an adjective when the noun is understood.

e.g. The poor, the rich(The rich becomes richer, the poor becomes poorer).

11- When proper noun used as common noun.

Kalidas is the Shakespeare of India.

(A great dramatist)

2- Demonstrative adjectives

This- to demonstrate nearby things

That- to demonstrate far off things

These- plural of ‘this’

Those- plural of ‘that’

3-Possessives

These are used to show belongingness/ownership.

e.g.- This book is mine.

That is his book.

4- Adjectives (Quantity & Number)/others

Adjectives	Before countable nouns(number)	Before uncountable nouns (quantity)	Remark
Some	ü	ü
Any	ü	ü	Used in negative & interrogative sentences
Much		ü
Many	ü
All	ü
Both	ü
Little		ü	Little- hardly any A little- Not much but sufficient The little-Not much but all that is
Few	ü		Few- hardly any A few- not many but some The few- all of them, but not many
Several	ü
Less		ü
One, two, etc.	ü		Cardinal numbers
Each, every	ü
Next	ü
Another	ü
Either, neither	ü	ü
First, second, etc.	ü		Ordinal numbers

2-Tenses

Tense refers to the time at which an action takes place.

Types:

Tense

Present Past Future

1- Indefinite

2- Continuous

3- Perfect

4- Perfect continuous

Additional information

1-Types of sentences:

1- Affirmative

2- Negative

3- Interrogative

i- Yes/No type

ii- question word/Wh words type

4-Interrogative- Negative

i- Yes/No type

ii- question word/Wh words type

2- Subject

1- Singular

2- Plural

Main

3-Verb Helping

Auxiliaries Modals

First (I, We)

4- Person Second (You)

Third (He, She, It, They)

Present tense:

1-Indefinite (Simple)

Hence forth-

MV- Main verb

HV- Helping verb

Usage:

1- Habitual actions He gets up early in the morning.

2- Scientific facts Water boils at 100⁰Centigrade.

3- Universal facts/ General truth The sun rises in the east.

Key- words: Daily, never, always etc.

Verb:

MV- I form (Plural Subject), I form+ e/es(Singular Subject)- Affirmative sentences

HV- Do (Plural Subject)/Does (Singular Subject)-Negative & Interrogative Sentences

NB- No ‘s/es’ with ‘ do/does’

2-Continuous (Progressive, Imperfect)

Usage:

1- Action taking place at the time of speaking.

I am teaching ‘The Rime of the Ancient Mariner’ by ST Coleridge at present.

2- Action continued over a period of time in the present.

I am working on a science project nowadays.

Key- words: Nowadays, at present, these days etc.

Verb:

MV- I form + ing

HV- Is, Am, Are

3- Perfect Tense

Usage:

Just completed action.

I have completed my homework just now.

Key- words: Recently, Just now

Verb:

MV- III form

HV- Has (Singular Subject)/ Have (Plural Subject)

4- Perfect Continuous Tense

Usage:

Action started somewhere in the past but being done now.

I have been living in Baroda for the last two years.

She has been studying in this school for two years.

Key- words: Since, for

Verb:

MV- I form + ing

HV- Has been (Singular Subject)/ have been (Plural Subject)

NB- Since- Point of time

For- Period of time

Past tense:

1-Past indefinite (Simple)

Usage:

Action done in remote past.

I went to Mathura yesterday

I did not go to Mathura yesterday.

Key- words: - yesterday, last etc.

Verb:

MV- II form (Affirmative sentences)

HV- Did

NB- 1-HV ‘Did’ is used in negative & interrogative sentences.

2- With HV ‘Did’, I form of MV.

2-Past Continuous

Usage:

An action done progressively in the past.

He was working on a project, when I last visited him.

Key- words: those days, etc.

Verb:

MV-I form + ing

HV- was, were

3-Past Perfect

Usage:

An action completed in the past before a said time or another action.

The patient had died before the doctor came.

Earlier past Past

Key- words: before, when, as soon as etc.

Verb:

MV- III form (earlier past) & II form (Past)

HV- had (earlier past)

4-Past Perfect Continuous

Usage:

An action being done continuously for the said period in the past.

She had been reading for two hours when I reached her house.

Key- words: since, for

Verb:

MV- I form + ing

HV- had been

Future tense:

1- Future indefinite (Simple)

Usage:

Refers to simple action which is to take place.

I will go to Surat tomorrow.

Key- words: tomorrow, next, coming etc.

Verb:

MV- I form

HV- will, shall (Modals)

NB- 1- I^stPerson (I, We) - shall

II^nd& III^rdPerson (You, He/ She, It, They)-will

2- During three situations, i.e. determination, promise, threatening ‘shall will & will shall.

2-Future Continuous

Usage:

A progressive future action.

At this time tomorrow, she will be doing her homework.

Key- words: tomorrow at this time etc.

Verb:

MV- I form + ing

HV- will, shall (Modals) + be

3-Future Perfect

Usage:

Refers to an action which will be completed at the said time in future.

e.g. I will have prepared support material by Saturday.

Key- words: after, by, etc.

Verb:

MV- III form

HV- will, shall (Modals) + have

4-Future Perfect Continuous

Usage:

An action which will begin before a definite time in the future and will just end up at that time or may continue even after that.

When I reach my school at 08:30 a.m tomorrow, the teacher will have been giving remedial classes.

Key- words: - Since, for, after three years, etc.

Verb:

MV- I form + ing

HV- will, shall (Modals) + have been

Tense Table

Active Voice

Tense	Present	Past	Future
Indefinite	I form/I form +s/ es (Affirmative sentences) Do/does+ I form ( Negative/ Interrogative sentences)	II form (Affirmative sentences) Did+ I form ( Negative/ Interrogative sentences)	Will/Shall + I form
Continuous	Is/ Am/ Are+ I form + ing	Was/were+ I form +ing	Will/shall + be+ I form + ing
Perfect	Has/have + III form	Had +III form	Will/shall+ have +III form
Perfect-Continuous	Has/Have + been+ I form +ing+ since/for	Had+ been+ I form+ ing+ since/for	Will/shall +Have +been+ I form +ing +since/for

Future Time Reference

1- By using ‘will/shall’

I’ll go to Agra tomorrow.

2- By using ‘Simple present tense’

What time does the match begin?

3- By using ‘Present Continuous tense’

The PM is leaving for America next week.

4- By using ‘Going to’ form.

I am going to take bath.

5-By using ‘about to’ form,

The train is about to come.

3-Non-finites

He always tries an easy way.

They always try an easy way.

He always tried an easy way.

(Limited by number, person & time) (Not limited by number, person & time)

(Finites) (Non-finites)

1- Participle:

Present: Verb+ ing= adjective (function)

Past III form= adjective (function)

Examples:

Computer is a calculating machine.

I saw a crashed aircraft.

2- Gerund:

Verb+ ing= Noun (function)

Examples:

Swimming is a good exercise.

3- to-infinitives to show purpose

Examples:

I went to post a letter.

4-Relatives

Give information about a person or thing.

Relatives	usage
Who(whose, whom)	Persons
Which	Inanimate things and animals
That	Persons and things
Where	Place
what	Things

5-Comparison

When we compare things, persons and places.

Degrees of comparison:

1- Positive degree- No comparison is made.

Lata is a tall girl.

Maya is a beautiful girl.

Ramesh is junior to me.

2- Comparative degree- Comparison between two.

Gayatri is taller than Lata.

Ravita is more beautiful than Maya.

3- Superlative degree- Comparison between more than two.

Seema is the tallest girl of class X B.

Savitri is the most beautiful girl of class X B.

Note:

1- Use of ‘than’ in comparative degree.

2- Use of ‘to’ in comparative degree.

3- Use of article ‘the’ in superlative degree of comparison.

4- Formation of comparatives and superlatives of double and more than

double syllable words i.e. beautiful.

6-Modals

Modals are the auxiliaries that are used to convey special idea.

Modal Verbs	Function/Idea conveyed
Can	Ability, Permission(informal)
Could	Past of ‘Can’
May	Possibility, Permission(Formal)
Might	Past of ‘May’
Will &Shall	To express future time, to express determination, promise and threatening, to make requests
Should, Ought to	Moral obligation, to express advice
Must, have to	Social obligation( compulsion),duty, necessity
Used to	Past habit

7-Active and Passive

Used when work done is more prominent than the doer.

Active to Passive:

Steps:

1- Change Object to Subject. (Refer noun case below)

2- Change the verb according to tense.

3- Change Subject to Object and add ‘by’ before it. (Refer noun case below)

Additional information

Noun case

Subjective	Possessive	Objective
I Person
I	my	me
We	our	us
II Person
You	your	you
III person
He	his	him
She	her	her
It	its	It
They	their	them

Types of Objects

I teach you English.

1- What do I teach you?

Answer- English Direct Object

2- Whom do I teach English?

Answer-You Indirect Object

Example: (Active to Passive voice)

I write a letter.

A letter is written by me.

Passive Voice Tense Table

Tense	Present	Past	Future
Indefinite	Is/am/are+ III form	Was/were+ III form	Will be/shall be+ III form
Continuous	Is/am/are + being+ III form	Was/were+ being+ III form	X
Perfect	Has/have + been +III form	Had + been +III form	Will/shall + have + been +III form
Perfect-Continuous	X	X	X

8-Reported Speech

Direct speech Reported speech

(Actual words of speaker are quoted) (Words of speaker are reported)

Example:

He said to me, “How are you?” Direct speech

Reporting verb reported speech

He asked me how I was. Indirect/Reported speech

Steps to change direct speech into reported speech:

1- Change the reporting verb-according to type of sentence of reported speech.

2- Remove commas- use conjunction- according to type of sentence of reported

speech.

3- Change the verb of reported speech- according to tense of reporting verb.

4- Change the personal pronouns in reported speech.

5- Always use full stop (.) at the end.

Change of reporting verb

Reporting verb(said to)changed to	Type of sentence (reported speech)
told	Declarative
asked	Interrogative
Asked/advised/requested/ordered	Imperative

Removal of commas (Conjunction used)

Type of sentence (reported speech)	Conjunction used
Declarative	that
interrogative
i- yes/No type	If/whether
ii- Wh-words type	Wh- word
Imperative
i- Affirmative ( begins with I form)	To
ii- Negative ( begins with ‘Do not”	Not to

Changing the verb of reported speech

Verb (direct speech)	Verb ( reported/Indirect speech)
Reporting verb (Present/future tense)
Verb (direct speech)	No change
Reporting verb (Past tense)
I form	II form
Is/am/are	Was/were
Has/have	Had
II form	Had+ III form
Was/were	Had been +I form + ing
Will/shall	Would
Can	Could
May	Might
Must	Must/had to
Would	No change
Could	No change
Might	No change
Universal fact	No change

Changing the personal pronouns

I person- with the speaker

II person- with the listener

III person- No change

(Refer ‘noun case’ table for changing the personal pronouns)

Sentence reordering

Easy Capsule -- Recapitulation of hints like reading the phrases or group of words properly, making several groups of two words relevant to each other reducing the blocks,counting the number of words without missing any of them or adding any

Tips

1- First look for the subject (Noun/ Pronoun).

2- Look for the helping verb.

3- Look for the Main Verb.

4- Look for the object (direct & indirect).

5- Also look for Wh-word.

6- Arrange the words in a meaningful sentence.

Solved exercises

1. Look at the words and phrases below. Rearrange them to form meaningful sentences. The first one has been done as an example.

the watermelon/thirst quenchers/in summers/is/one of the best.

One of the best thirst quenchers in summers is the watermelon.

a- around/it is/96 countries/cultivated in/the world.

b- in Africa/about 5000 years/grown/ago/it was/first.

c- say that/at the/it was grown/some researchers/same time/in India.

d- the travellers/across a desert/it was/when they/used by/travelled.

Answers

a- It is cultivated in 96 countries around the world.

b- It was first grown in Africa about 5000 years ago.

c- Some researchers say that it was grown in India at the same time.

d- It was used by travellers when they travelled across a desert.

2. ( a) water supply/they get/they eat/from/all their/the leaves

(a) inhabited//tree leaves/so,/by koalas/in areas/of/is high/demand

(b) one group/it takes/to support/several acres/of koalas/of trees

ANS: (a) They get all their water supply from the leaves they eat.

(a) So, in areas inhabited by Koalas demand of tree leaves is high.

(b) It takes several acres of trees to support one group of Koalas.

Unsolved exercises

3. Look at the words and phrases below. Rearrange them to form meaningful sentences.

a- no parallel/discipline/of any kind/has

b- go together/duties/should/discipline/and rights

c- equally important/should be/treated/for a/they/satisfying life

d- the other/or ignored/very bad/it will/if one/prove/overlaps

4. Rearrange the following to form meaningfulsentences.

Peruvian foraging societies were already chewing coca leaves 8,000 years ago foraging societies/Peruvian/8,000 years ago/chewing coca leaves/were already

(a) showed evidence/of chewed coca/in the northwestern Peru/and calcium richrocks/ruins.

(b) such rocks/to create lime,/would have been burned/chewed with coca.

Compounds.

(d) of the Incas/for medicinal purposes/of coca leaves/the chewing/was a pastime

5. a) depicted/architecture of/has been/the Veena/about 500 A.D. /in temple

b) no takers/sadly/instruments/but/of all/this mother/has/today

c) to whom/there are/students/turn to/few/ can/exponents/the rare

d) subject in /it is/a subsidiary/ not even/university curricula

6. a) paralytic attack/is/prolonged/main cause/high/of/ blood pressure/the

b) tongue, lip, and the vocal cords/people effected/can communicate/either with limbs/with a paralytic stroke

c) to answer/some can/their eyes/even blink

d) nervous system/to the voluntary/due to extensive damages/is impossible/ but in a

few even a small gesture

7. a) left me/my/city/parents/her/with/they/in /went/live/when/to/the

b) morning/to/wake/used/up /the/in/she/me

c) said/in a /prayers/sings song/monotonous/morning/she/her

d) listened/ I /loved /I/ voice /because/her

8.The given paragraph, are in jumbled form. Rearrange them to form meaningful sentences.
(a) A poor/suggest/in/career/failures/examinations
(b) Success/ in exams/is/in terms of/measured/secured/marks
(c) Youngsters / every year/ grieve/ and parents/over/failures
(d) Leaders / history/many/records/failures

9. Look at the words and phrases below and rearrange them to form meaningful sentences.
(a) remain/anymore/Pepsi/the choice/on the campus/may not
(b) the soft drink / the Delhi University / is out / students union / to shake.
(c) on the / students/ North Campus / the Coke bottles / smashed / the
(d) ransacked / most / which / canteens / store / coke /were / and Pepsi
(e) The move / supported / the students / the teachers / and / have

10. Look at the words and phrases below and rearrange them to form meaningful sentences.

And a very / the king / named Acanthus / talented sculptor / Pygmalion was /of Cyprus /of a village.
Pygmalion was the king of Cyprus and a very talented sculptor of a village named Acanthus
A. had finished/he smiled/when he / the ivory statue / of a beautiful woman/one day.
B. smile /at having found/it was/ the innocent/new and unique / of a child/ something
C. by the beauty/ that/to worship it /he was / falling down / he felt like / so impressed / on his knees/
of the statue.
D. that he / a masterpiece / and called / he realized / this beauty, / had created / Galatea.
E. was a devoted / to the goddess / he prayed / to breathe life / into it / of Aphrodite,/ since he /
follower.
F. to life and / married her / after the goddess/ his wish, / Pygmalion / Galatea came / granted him.

11. Look at the words and phrases below and rearrange them to form meaningful sentences.

in the / is swimming / with tremendous / one sport / potential / country /
One sport in the country with tremendous potential is swimming.
(a) our/is/full of/talented swimmers/country /
(b) not / utilized / potential / fully / their / is /
(c) academic subjects / other activities / take precedence / over / in school /
(d) has done / the sport / the government / very little / to boost /

12. Look at the words and phrases below and rearrange them to form meaningful sentences.

in the / is swimming / with tremendous / one sport / potential / country /
One sport in the country with tremendous potential is swimming.
(a) our / is / full of/ talented swimmers / country /
(b) not / utilized / potential / fully / their / is /
(c) academic subjects / other activities / take precedence / over / in school /
(d) has done / the sport / the government / very little / to boost /

13. Look at the words and phrases below and rearrange them to form meaningful sentences.

a fashion /has become /with/ eating out/ people/ today/ the.
Eating out has become a fashion with the people today.
1. by /relished /home cooked food/ no longer /the youngsters/ healthy/ is,
2 to /the popularity/ every corner/ junk food/ has led/ of/ eating joints/ around / of/ the opening
3. what / that /do not realize /we / be pleasing / may not be /to/ to /so/ our digestive system/ may/
the taste buds

14. Rearrange the words/ phrases such that they form meaningful sentences.

(a) The line/tragic consequences/Sita/violated/and/faced
(b) Built/a model hut/has been/ in Parnasala
(c) And /has/it/of /life-sized figures/Sita, Rama/Lakshamana
(d) Are/to be/’of/on display /also/rocks/with/Sita and Rama/footprints/believed

Editing/Omission

Tips:

· Read the passage carefully. Identify the tense of passage.

· Underline the error/identify the missing word

· Look for errors/missing words in the use of

Ø Determiners

Ø Tenses/Verb

Ø Subject-verb agreement

Ø Non-finites

Ø Relatives

Ø Connectors

Ø Comparatives

Ø Modals

Ø Prepositions

Ø Gender

Ø Number(singular-plural)

Editing

Easy Capsule -- Recapitulation of hints like reading the passage carefully,underlining the error, looking for errors in the use of Preposition, Determiners, Tenses, Modals, Connectors, Subject-verb agreement, Passive voice, Non-finite verbs etc. and writing the correct answer in the space provided.

Solved exercises

1.The following passage has not been edited. There is one error in each line. Underline the error and write the incorrect word and the correction. The first one has been done as an example.

Incorrect word correction

Inactivity is the greater cause of overweight greater greatest

these days. People physical activity a-_________ __________

had decreased these days. The main reason b-__________ __________

is there are many labour saving devices c-__________ __________

They does not want to walk on foot. d-__________ __________

They spend enough time sitting and e-__________ __________

watch television. Their excess weight f-__________ __________

make them sick and they have to spend g-__________ __________

money in medicine. h-__________ __________

Answers

Incorrect word correction

Inactivity is the greater cause of overweight greater greatest

these days. People physical activity a-people people’s

had decreased these days. The main reason b-had has

is there are many labour saving devices c-is being

They does not want to walk on foot. d-does do

They spend enough time sitting and e-enough more

watch television. Their excess weight f-watch watching

make them sick and they have to spend g-make makes

money in medicine. h-in on

Unsolved exercises

2.The following newspaper report has not been edited. There is one error in each line. Underline the error and write the incorrect word and the correction.

Incorrect word correction

A three year old girl has rescued by the police a-_________ __________

last Tuesday. She was kidnap by a neighbour b-__________ __________

due to ransom. The mother c-__________ __________

inform the police about the missing girl. d-__________ __________

a probe had supervised by the DSP himself. e-__________ __________

Greater than fifty residents were questioned .f-__________ __________

Ultimately, Rohit , one of the residents of the

colony admit the crime and disclosed g-__________ __________

where the girl was hiding h-__________ __________

Omission

Easy Capsule -- Recapitulation of hints like identifying the tense in which the given passage has been written,looking for determiners,prepositions,connectors etc and reading the passage carefully after answering.

Solved exercises

3. In the passage below one word has been omitted in each line. Put a slash (/) where the word has been omitted. Write the missing word in the space provided.

One thing we all must do to cooperate a- _______________

with police and pay heed to their advice. b-_______________

They warn us not touch unidentified, c-________________

unclaimed suspicious objects like transistors, d-________________

brief cases etc. we need watch out for e-________________

abandoned cars, scooters report the f-_________________

deatails such objects to the nearest police g-_________________

control room dialing 100. One should h-________________

not touch the objects till the bomb disposal squad arrives.

Answers

One thing we all must do /to cooperate a- is

With/ police and pay heed to their advice. b- the

They warn us not /touch unidentified, c- to

/unclaimed suspicious objects like transistors, d-and

brief cases etc. we need/ watch out for e-to

abandoned cars, scooters /report the f-and

details/ such objects to the nearest police g-of

control room/ dialing 100. One should h-by

not touch the objects till the bomb disposal squad arrives.

Unsolved exercises

4. In the passage below one word has been omitted in each line. Put a slash (/) where the word has been omitted. Write the missing word in the space provided. The first one has been done as an example.

The small town was the at

foot of the mountains. Most the a-_______________

people were farmers. There traders also b-________________

in the town. Though not rich were c-________________

happy contended. At one d-________________

time the peace broken by e-_________________

several robberies. The people frightened f-_________________

The Mayor the town called for g-________________

a meeting discuss the matter. h-________________

5. In the passage given below, one word has been omitted in each line. Write the missing word along with the word that comes before and the word that comes after it in your answer sheet. Ensure that the word that forms your answer is underlined as shown. (½x6=3 marks)

Egyptian pyramids served tombs for kings	served as tombs
and queens, but they also places of ongoing	a)
religious activity. After a ruler died, his her	b)
body carefully treated and wrapped to	c)
preserve it a mummy. According to ancient	d)
Egyptian belief, the pyramid, the mummy	e)
was placed, provided a place the monarch	f)
to pass into the afterlife.

6. In the passage given below, one word has been omitted in each line. Write the missing word along with the word that comes before and the word that comes after it in your answer sheet. Ensure that the word that forms your answer is underlined as shown. (½x8=4 marks)

English is / useful language. The people	is a useful
who speak English today make the	a)
largest speech community the world.	b)
A speech community is similar other	c)
kinds communities. The people who	d)
form speech community share a common	e)
language. Often they live side side as	f)
they in a neighbourhood, a village or a city.	g)
More often form the whole country.	h)

7. The following passage has not been edited. There is one error in each line. Write the incorrect word and the correction in your answer sheet as given below against the correct blank number. Remember to underline the word you have supplied. The first one has been done for you. [8 × 1/2= 4 marks]
The house on which we were to live                                                               e.g. on                         in
was in one end of the village.                                                                         (a) _________                         _________
It was hiding behind a screen of                                                         (b) _________                        ________
mango and orange tree and bushes                                                     (c) _________                         _________
of hibiscus full from enormous                                                           (d) _________                                    _________
scarlet flowers. The house were adequate                                          (e) _________                         ________
without be luxurious, We had just finished                                                    (f) _________             _________
unpacking when they were greeted by the                                                     (g) _________             _________
housekeeper which name was Paula.                                                              (h) _________             _________

8. The following passage has not been edited. There is one word missing in each line. Write the missing word along with the word that comes before and one that comes after it in your answer sheet against the correct blank number. The first one has been done as an example. Ensure that the word which forms your answer is underlined. [4]
For migrating animals, setting at                                                                                 setting             off      at
the right time is just important                                                                                    (a) ______________________
as,- ending up the right place.                                                                                     (b) ______________________
Their timing amazingly precise.                                                                                  (c)______________________
Cuckoos, example, nearly always                                                                               (d) ______________________
arrive Britain during the                                                                                              (e) _____________________
second third week of April.                                                                                        (f) ______________________
To do this, use an inbuilt 'body                                                                                   (g) ______________________
clock' keeps time by changing length of days                                                            (h) ______________________

Gap filling

Easy Capsule -- Recapitulation of hints like reading the paragraph as a whole, forming a general idea about the paragraph and the tense of the paragraph and the tense paragraph, usually filling up with articles, prepositions, modals, verbs, nouns, relative pronouns, adjectives, conjunction, auxiliary, pronouns or determiners and finally removing ambiguity if any.

Tips:

Ø Read the passage carefully and form a general idea.

Ø Mind the tense of the paragraph.

Ø Check for subject-verb agreement

Solved exercises

Fill in the blanks with the most appropriate option from those given below.

1.Complete the passage given below choosing the correct alternatives: ½ x 8 = 4 marks

Tokyo was rocked by its (a) ------ earthquake in more than a year today, but escaped (b) ----- little damage because it (c) ------ centered far beneath the floor of the Pacific Ocean .The quake (d) -------- struck shortly before noon with a magnitude of 6.6 ,(e) -------- large buildings sway back and forth . The intense (f) ----- for about one minute caught people (g) -------- guard in Tokyo and other cities (h) ------- east.

(a) 1 big (b) 1 from (c 1 is (d) 1 who

2bigger 2 by 2 was 2 whom

3 biggest 3 with 3 has 3 whose

4 very big 4 for 4 have 4 which

(e) 1 make (f) 1 shake (g) 1in (h) 1 to

2 made 2 shaker 2 on 2 towards

3 send 3 shaking 3 of 3 for

4 sent 4shook 4 off 4 forward

ANS:

(a) biggest (b) with (c) was (d) which

(e) made (f) shaking (g) off (h) towards

FOR PRACTICE

2.In fruit farms fruits are picked before they are fully ripe for otherwise they (a) ----- become overripe or decay (b) ------ reaching customers. Fruit picked too young (c)---------- never ripen. It’s a problem to predict whether a certain fruit will ripen (d) ------- not. Now a scanner has (e)--------- developed which can predict those fruits (f) ------- ultimately will ripe so that farmer (g) ------- sort out future fruits from the too-green .The scanner works (h) ---- a ripeness predictor.

(a) 1 must (b) 1 while (c) 1 will (d) 1 and

2 shall 2 after 2 are 2 or

3 may 3 when 3 being 3 but

4 should 4 before 4 were 4 so

(e) 1 being (f) 1 who (g) 1 can (h) 1 for

2 been 2 whom 2 need 2 by

3 be 3 that 3 dare 3 so

4 was 4 whose 4 shall 4 as

ANS: (a) -------------- (b) ----------- (c) ---------------- (d) -----------------

(e) -------------- (f) ----------- (g) ---------------- (h) ------------------

3.Cataract is a (a) ------- in the lens of the eye. Today, modern (b) -------- advances have made cataract surgery very successful. The cause of the cataract (c) ------ are not fully known. It is basically (d) -------- ageing phenomenon .Next to old age (e) -------- other factors like deficiency of food like proteins (f) -------- vitamins ,some toxic drugs and general diseases (g)--------- diabetes ,infections and injuries. Nourishing diet rich (h) -------- proteins and vitamins can delay the onset of cataract.

(a) 1 opaque (b) 1 medicine (c) 1 forming (d) 1 a

2 opaqued 2 medicinal 2 formed 2 an

3 opaqueness 3 medical 3 forms 3 the

4 opacity 4 medicated 4 formation 4 some

(e) 1 is (f) 1 or (g) 1 like (h) 1 at

2 was 2 and 2 so 2 on

3 are 3 but 3 as 3 with

4 were 4 so 4 such 4 in

ANS: (A) --------- (b) ------ (c) ------ (d) -----

(e) ---------- (f) ------- (g) ------ (h) -------

4.We invited(a).......... of our friends over to our house for a barbecue. We had done(b)....... of the prepareation the day before only. All of us enjoyed (c) .............. lot.

5. Savita has lost the (a)............... pens she had. Now she has spent the (b).............. money she had on buying more. So she is giving (c).............. worried look.

6. There are so .(a).................. ways of entertainment in life. (b) ............................circus is one of the most entertaining media. Last Sunday(c) ....................... of (d).......................friends went to see the Diamond circus. My uncle took us there.(e). ............... one paid for(f) ..................... ticket

7. Yesterday I ................(receive) a phone call that my father.................(be) unwell. I ............ (book) a ticket online and ............(leave) for Amritsar. On the way, I ................ (meet) a young man who ...............(offer) me some biscuits.

8. Tomorrow I (go)........... for an entrance test at BB public School. If I (clear)............... that test, I (be)...................get a job in an MNC called Satian. There (be).................. five thousand candidates for that job. I (work)............... very hard for that test. Let’s see what (happen) ...................

9. Mohan distributed the sweets(a).......................Ram and Shyam. Shyam is fond (b)........... sweets but Ram is not. Ram eats Chocolates which are made (c)................milk. He says that Chocolate is superior (d)..................... sweets. He is addicted (e)............... chocolate milk. Most of the boys prefer chocolate (f)..................... sweets.

10 To me, (a)........... recent odd-even car use ruling in Delhi is (b) ................... watershed. It doesn’t address (c).............. environmental issues that it seeks to ad

cbse910

Monday, 30 October 2017

QUESTION BANK ENGLISH COMMUNICATIVE (101)

Reference to the context

Value based questions

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