MODULE -1 MY MOTHER ABDUL KALAM

ANNOTATE THE FOLLOWING

A]SUCH WAS THE INDIAN CONCEPT OF HOSPITALITY ONCE UPON ATIME.

B]WHAT A LESSON THAT WAS FOR ME TO NEVER TO FORGET THE NEEDS AROUND ME?

C]HER FINGERS RAN TENDERLY THROUGH MY HAIR,COMFORTING,SOOTHING AND

UNDERSTANDING

D]NOW IT IS A SWEET REMINDER OF A BEAUTIFUL CHILDHOOD,OF PARENTS LOST TO

TIME ,OF A MOTHER WHO UNDERSTOOD HER BOY’S DEEPEST FEELINGS,EVEN IF THEY
REMAINED BURIED IN HIS HEART.

INTRODUCTION; This line is taken from the narrative essay’ MY MOTHER,’ written by APJ
Abdul Kalam .Kalam ,the missile man and former president of India, is a greatly admired
personality.

CONTEXT :In this context Kalam praises the rare attributes of his mother.

EXPLANATION:
1.kalam gives a touching account of the close relationship he shared with his mother.

2.Kalam’s mother Ashiamma, devoted her life to the service of the family.

3.Theirs was a middle class joint family.

4.The money earned by Kalam’s father was hardly enough to meet the needs of the
extended family.

5.When Kalam was 8 years old he took the job of a news paper delivery boy to help his
family

6.Ashiamma cooked daily for all the family members and patiently served the numerous
guests.She never showed anger or irritation despite the long hours of work often she gave
her share of food to Kalam.

7.She was a devout muslim who followed all the religious practices.

GENERAL RELEVANCE: It portraits the devotion and love with which Kalam’s mother served
the family.

WHEN MOTHER IS HAPPY FAMILY IS HAPPY

WHEN FAMILY IS HAPPY NATION IS HAPPY
QUESTION AND ANSWER

A]KALAM SAY’S ‘’MY MOTHER WAS A GENTLE, DOWN TO EARTH , PIOUS WOMAN,’
ELABORATE WITH THE INFORMATION PROVIDED IN ‘MY MOTHER’? [OR]

B]’….THE MAN WHOSE SIDE SHE [KALAM’S MOTHER] HAD NEVER LEFT FOR OVER EIGHTY
YEARS?
WHO WAS ‘THE MAN’? SHOW HOW SHE WAS AN IDEAL PARTNER TO KALAM’S FATHER?

C] NARRATE TWO MEMORIES OF KALAM RELATED TO EATING?

INTRODUCTION: The narrative essay’ MY MOTHER,’ is written by APJ Abdul Kalam. Kalam,
the ‘missile man’ and former President of India.

EXPLANATION; kalam gives a touching account of the close relationship he shared with his
mother.

Kalam’s mother Ashiamma, devoted her life to the service of the family.Theirs was a middle
class joint family.

The money earned by Kalam’s father was hardly enough to meet the needs of the extended
family.

When Kalam was 8 years old he took the job of a news paper delivery boy to help his family

Ashiamma cooked daily for all the family members and patiently served the numerous
guests
.She was a devout muslim who followed all the religious practices

WHEN MOTHER IS HAPPY FAMILY IS HAPPY

WHEN FAMILY IS HAPPY NATION IS HAPPY

MODULE -1 . A LITTLE GRAIN OF GOLD- RABINDRANATH TAGORE

ANNOTATE THE FOLLOWING IN ABOUT 100 WORDS EACH

a)thy golden chariot appeared in the distance lika a gorgeous dream [or]
b) “what hast thou to give to me?” [or]
c)……… I slowly took out the least little grain of corn and gave it to thee.[or]
d)……… I bitterly wept and wished that I had the heart to give thee my all

Poem and Poet ;These lines are extracted from the poem “A Little Grain of Gold” written by
‘Rabindranath Tagore’. This is the 50th poem of his collection of poems ‘Gitanjali’ .

Context :The poem is about the strange ways in which God tests His devotees .

Explanation: The speaker of the poem is a beggar. One day as he is seeking alms, he
suddenly sees a splendid chariot approaching .

The beggar is elated .His joy knows no bounds .He concludes that the owner of the golden
chariot is a very rich king.

He is sure that the king will notice him. All his woes would come to an end.But the king, to
the beggar’s shock and surprise asked him what he would give .

The beggar slowly took out a least little grain of corn from his bag and gave it to the king .

That evening , the beggar found a least little grain of gold in his alms.

The beggar wept bitterly, he wished he had the heart to give his all to the king who in fact
was God.

GENERAL RELEVANCE: The poem effectively explains that the point ‘ giving should come
before taking-

WHEN WE GIVE CHEERFULLY AND ACCEPT GRATEFULLY EVERYONE IS BLESSED

ANSWER THE FOLLOWING QUESTIONS IN ABOUT 100 WORDS EACH
1.”MY HOPES ROSE HIGH …. “ Whose hopes rose? What made his hopes rise? (or) 2. “I
bitterly wept….. ‘ Why did he weep bitterly? (or ) 3.The wise say, “We reap what we sow”
Does the poem .A little grain of gold support the saying? Explain?

INTRODUCTION: The poem “A Little Grain of Gold” is written by ‘Rabindranath Tagore’. This
is the 50th poem of his anthology of poems ‘Gitanjali’ in 1913.The poem is about the strange
ways in which God tests His devotees .

EXPLANATION:
1.The speaker of the poem is a beggar.

2.One day as he is seeking alms, he suddenly sees a splendid chariot approaching . The
beggar is elated .

3.His joy knows no bounds. He concludes that the owner of the golden chariot is a very rich
king.

4.He is sure that the king will notice him. The generous king would bestow wealth on him.

5.All his woes would come to an end. But the king, to the beggar’s shock and surprise asked
him what he would give .

6. The beggar slowly took out a least little grain of corn from his bag and gave it to the king .

7. That evening , the beggar found a least little grain of gold in his alms.

8. The beggar wept bitterly, he wished he had the heart to give his all to the king who in fact
was God.
MODULE-2 AIM FOR THE STARS – SAINA NEHWAL

ANNOTATIONS

A] Usha rani dreamt of the day when her daughter would get an Olympic Medal and she
constantly motivated her daughter to work towards that goal

B]Saina’s meteoric rise to success was not without its share of compromises

C]The strict regimen has been maintained even outside the court

D]Just a year later, like the proverbial phoenix , Saina rose from the ashes of dejection
and defeat

INTRODUCTION: These lines are taken from the essay “AIM FOR THE STARS – SAINA
NEHWAL” an article extracted from the internet.

CONTEXT: It contains a brief sketch of Saina Nehwal the badminton champion who was
ranked No. 1 in the world in 2015 .

EXPLANATION :

1.Saina’s mother Usha Rani was a reputed badminton player in her youth.

2. So she wanted her daughter too to excel in the game .

3. In fact, she hoped that Saina would win an Olympic medal some day.

4. From the age of 8 , Saina received rigorous training in badminton .

5. She was encouraged and motivated by her parents to aim for the stars .

6. In 2006 , Saina won the prestigious Philippines Tournament and in 2012 she won the
bronze medal at the London Olympics .

GENERAL RELEVANCE : The essay describes how Saina achieved success through
determination and hard work .
QUESTION AND ANSWER

1] WHY WAS THE PHILIPPINES TOURNAMENT IN 2006 A MEMORABLE ONE FOR SAINA
NEHWAL ?
2] SAINA NEHWAL MIGHT NOT HAVE BECOME A WORLD PLAYER WITHOUT THE SUPPORT
AND ENCOURAGEMENT OF HER PARENTS , HOW FAR IS THIS TRUE ?
3]WHAT WERE SOME OF THE COMPROMISES THAT SAINA NEHWAL HAD TO MAKE IN HER
JOURNEY TO SUCCESS AS A BADMINTON CHAMPION ?
4]DESCRIBE SOME OF THE MAJOR ACHIEVEMENTS OF SAINA NEHWAL IN BADMINTON?

INTRODUCTION: The essay “AIM FOR THE STARS – SAINA NEHWAL” is an article extracted
from the internet. It contains a brief sketch of Saina Nehwal the badminton champion who
was ranked No. 1 in the world in 2015 . The essay describes how Saina achieved
determination and hard work .

EXPLANATION:
1.Saina’s mother Usha Rani was a reputed badminton player in her youth.

2. So she wanted her daughter too to excel in the game .

3. In fact, she hoped that Saina would win an Olympic medal some day.

4. She was encouraged and motivated by her parents to aim for the stars .

5. Sania’s meteoric rise to success was not without its share of comprmises.Though abright
student , Saina was unable to complete Intermediate as the gruelling schedule left her with
little time to attend classes.

6. To remain in form ,she as topush herself to the very limits of physical and mental
endurance

7.She received several awards such as the Arjuna award ,the Rajeev khel Ratna,the Padma
Shri and the Padma Bhushan.

8.Saina won the prestigious Philippines Tournament and in 2012 she won the bronze medal
at the London Olympics .

PAIN IS ONLY TEMPORARY BUT VICTORY IS FOREVER.

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MODULE-2 THE ROYAL TOMBS OF GOLCONDA SAROJINI NAIDU

ANNOTATE THE FOLLOWING IN ABOUT 100 WORDS EACH

1 . The glimmering music of your spears the laughter of your royal bride [OR]
2. In vain ,O kings , doth time aspire to make your names oblivion‘s sport , (or) 3. Your
beauty wakens with the spring To kindle these pomegranate groves

Poem and Poet ; These lines are taken from the poem The Royal Tombs Of Golconda written
by Sarojini Naidu a famous Indian poet . Her poem depicts the Indian landscape and culture.
Context: In this context ,the poet brings alive the glory and grandeur of an ancient empire .
Explanation:
1.The poet visits the Qutub shahi tombs in Hyderabad.
2. As she looks around she feels that she has retreated into the past .
3. She can visualise the royal empire in all its glory and the brave kings getting their weapons
ready for war .
4.The spears glint in the sunshine .
5..The poet can hear the laughter and merriment of the young queens.
6.Monuments like the Golconda fort stand mute testimony to the nobility and foresight of
the king. 7.The reign of the Qutubshahi rulers was synonymous with peace, culture and
prosperity.
General Relevance: Centuries have gone by but legends about the valvour of kings and the
queens still abound.
SAVE OUR MONUMENTS
SAVE NATION PRIDE

Answer the question in about 100 word each

1.How does the poet sing the glory of Golconda king? (or) 2. How does the beauty of
Golconda queens kindle those promegranate groves ?

INTRODUCTION: The poem The Royal Tombs Of Golconda written by Sarojini Naidu a
famous Indian poet . Her poem depicts the Indian landscape and culture.In this Poem ,the
poet brings alive the glory of an ancient empire .

Explanation:
1.The poet visits the Qutub shahi tombs in Hyderabad.
2. As she looks around she feels that she has retreated into the past .
3. She can visualise the royal empire in all its glory and the brave kings getting their weapons
ready for war .
4.The spears glint in the sunshine .
5..The poet can hear the laughter of the young queens.
6.Monuments like the Golconda fort stand mute testimony to the nobility and foresight of
the king.
7.The reign of the Qutubshahi rulers was synonymous with peace, culture and prosperity.

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MODULE 3 ON THE RULE OF THE ROAD

ANNOTATION
1]LIBERTY IS NOT A PEROSONAL AFFAIR ONLY , BUT A SOCIAL CONTRACT
2]INDIVIDUAL LIBERTY WOULD HAVE BECOME ANARCHY
3]IN ALL THESE AND A THOUSAND OTHER DETAILS YOU AND I PLEASE OURSELVES AND
ASK NO ONE’S LEAVE
4] WE ARE ALL LIABLE TO FORGET THIS AND UNFORTUNATELY WE ARE MUCH MORE
CONSCIOUS OF THE INPERFECTIONS OF OTHERS IN THIS RESPECT THAN OF OUR OWN

INTRODUTION: This sentence is taken from the essay “ ON THE RULE OF THE ROAD “
written by A.G GARDINER .
CONTEXT: The essay is a short discussion on liberty.
EXPLANATION: Rule of the Road means that the liberties of all may be preserved , the
liberties of everybody must be curtailed .For Example a stout old lady walking down the
middle of the road instead of using the pavement .
When it is pointed, she says that she has every liberty to walk where ever she likes .If so ,
the cab driver drives on the pavement .This creates universal chaos. When a policeman at
Piccadilly Circus puts out his hand he is the symbol of liberty not tyranny .
In order to enjoy a social order we submit to a curtailment of private liberty , which makes
our liberty a reality.
GENERAL RELEVANCE: The writer convinces the readers that rights and responsibilities go
together .
“LIBERTY MEANS RESPONSIBITY.THAT IS WHY MEN DREAD IT.”

QUESTION AND ANSWERS

1] DESCRIBE THE INCIDENT ABOUT THE STOUT LADY WHO WALKED DOWN THE MIDDLE
OF A STREET , WHAT DO WE LEARN FROM IT
2]EXPLAIN WITH EXAMPLES WHAT THE RULE OF THE ROAD MEANS?
3]LIBERTY IS AN ACCOMODATION OF INTERESTS . ELABORATE WITH EXAMPLES FROM THE
ESSAY ?
4] W HAVE A WHOLE KINGDOM IN WHICH WE RULE ALONE – MENTION THE AREAS IN
WHICH WE RULE ALONE ?

INTRODUTION: The essay “ ON THE RULE OF THE ROAD “ is written by A.G GARDINER .
EXPLANATION:
1. Rule of the Road means that the liberties of all may be preserved , the liberties of
everybody must be curtailed .
2.For Example a stout old lady walking down the middle of the road instead of using the
pavement .
3.When it is pointed, she says that she has every liberty to walk where ever she likes .
4.If so , the cab driver drives on the pavement .This creates universal chaos
5.When a policeman at Piccadilly Circus puts out his hand he is the symbol of liberty not
tyranny .
6.In order to enjoy a social order we submit to a curtailment of private liberty , which makes
our liberty a reality.
The writer succeeds in convincing the readers that rights and responsibilities go together.
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MODULE -3 CLIMATE CHANGE - ANONYMOUS

I.ANNOTATE FOLLOWING LINES IN ABOUT 100 WORDS EACH

A] I don’t want my children to see the earth die [or]

B]To stop all this mess we should lend our hand![or]
C]If it dies ,we will die as well![or]
D]Let’s firstly take part in the global debate.

POEM AND POET: This line is taken from a thought _provoking poem ‘Climate change’
written by Julia Melnikova.

CONTEXT: The poem is a lament on the destruction of Nature by man.It is also a plea for
change.

EXPLANATION
1.Man does not realize that his activities are killing the earth. Drastic changes are taking
place.
2.The air the water are getting more polluted.
3. All fish and birds will die
4. Our lungs are getting affected by the emissions from factories and vehicles
5.Global temperatures are rising as a result low lying places are getting submerged.
6.We are responsible for all these problems.
7.We have to face the consequences for our reckless actions

General Relevance:- All of us should join hands in reversing the damage inflicted on Nature.

“THE EARTH IS NOT DYING-IT IS BEING KILLED.AND THE PEOPLE WHO ARE KILLING IT HAVE
NAMES AND ADDRESSES.”

II) QUESTION AND ANSWERS;

1] TO STOP ALL THIS MESS ….’WHAT DOES THE POET MEAN BY “ALL THIS MESS”EXPLAIN A
PARAGRAPH?. [or]
2.HOW CAN WE ALL LAND OUR HAND TO PREVENT NATURE FROM SAYING FAREWELL?
[OR]
3. LIST THE FACTORS THAT RESULT IN CLIMATE CHANGE SUGGEST STEPS TO SOLVE THIS
SERIOUS PROBLEM?

EXPLANATION:
Man does not realize that his activities are killing the earth. The air the water are getting
more polluted. All fish and birds will die.Our lungs are getting affected by the emissions
from factories and vehicles.
Global temperatures are rising as a result low lying places are getting submerged.
We are responsible for all these problems.We have to face the consequences for our
reckless actions.
Module- 4 Spoken English AND broken ENGLISH - George Bernard shaw
ANNOTATION
1.’NO TWO BRITISH SUBJECTS SPEAK EXACTLY ALIKE ‘.[OR]
[2].THE TWO SIMPLEST AND COMMONEST WORDS IN ANY LANGUAGE ARE ‘YES’ AND ‘NO’.[OR]
[3] …IF I WERE TO SPEAK TO MY WIFE AT HOME AS CAREFULLY AS I AM SPEAKING TO YOU. SHE
WOULD THINK THAT I WAS GOING MAD.
[4] IF YOU ARE LEARNING ENGLISH BECAUSE YOU INTEND TO TRAVEL IN ENGLAND AND WISH TO BE
UNDERSTOOD THERE , DO NOT TRY TO SPEAK ENGLISH PERFECTLY, BECAUSE , IF YOU DO , NO ONE
WILL UNDERSTAND YOU
Lesson and author ; This line is taken from the essay ‘SPOKEN ENGLISH AND BROKEN
ENGLISH’ written be George Bernard Shaw .
CONTEXT;
1. There are wide variations in intonation and pronunciation among native speakers of the
language .
2.Giving a small example , he says that he is a member of a committee whose task is to
identify correct spoken English which can be held as a model .
3.But even the simplest of words like ‘yes ‘ and ‘no’ are pronounced differently by the
members themselves .
4.There are Scottish ,Irish ,Welsh and American members ,each speaking in a distinct style .
5.It is foolish to say ,therefore ,that all native speakers of English speak correctly as there is
no fixed criterion for standard English .
GENERAL RELEVANCE ; In the speech Shaw reflects on the problem of defining what
exactly correct English speech is .
“NEVER MAKE FUN OF SOMEONE WHO SPEAKS BROKEN ENGLIGH . IT MEANS THEY
KNOW ANOTHER LANGUAGE.”

QUESTION AND ANSWER

1.WHAT DOES SHAW ASSERT THAT IT IS NON SENSE TO SAY THAT ALL NATIVE SPEAKERS OF ENGLISH SPEAK
CORRECTLY?
2.WHAT ARE THE PRECAUTIONS THAT THE WRITER WANTS YOU TO TAKE WHILE ADDRESSING THE
NATIVES ?
3.WHAT DOES THE WRITER SAY ABOUT THE USE OF PRONUNCIATION , THE USE OF STRESS ON SYLLABLES,
ACCENT ,AND SO ON BY THE NATIVE SPEAKERS OF ENGLISH ?
4.WHAT IS THE ADVICE OFFERED BY THE WRITER TO FOREIGN STUDENTS / SPEAKERS OF ENGLISH? DO YOU
AGREE WITH THE ADVICE ?
INTRODUCTION: The essay ‘SPOKEN ENGLISH AND BROKEN ENGLISH’ is written by
George Bernard Shaw .
EXPLANATION:
1. While addressing Shaw reflects on the problem of defining What exactly correct English
speech is .
2. There are wide variations in intonation and pronunciation among native speakers of the
language . 3.Giving a small example , he says that he is a member of a committee whose
task is to identify correct spoken English which can be held as a model .
4.But even the simplest of words like ‘yes ‘ and ‘no’ are pronounced differently by the
members themselves .
5.There are Scottish ,Irish ,Welsh and American members ,each speaking in a distinct style .
6.It is foolish to say ,therefore ,that all native speakers of English speak correctly as there is
no fixed criterion for standard English.
MODULE-4 STOPP ING BY WOODS ON A SNOWY EVENING - ROBERT LEE FROST

ANNOTATION
A]WILLNOT SEE ME STOPPING TO THIS WOODS FILL UP WITH SNOW [OR] BY LITTLE HORSE
MUST THINK IT QUEER TO STOP WITHOUT A FARMHOUSE NEAR.[OR] C]HE GIVES HIS
HARNESS BELLS A SHAKE TO ASK IF THERE IS SOME MISTAKE [OR] D] BUT I HAVE
PROMISES TO KEEP AND MILES TO GO BEFORE I SLEEP,AND MIL;ES TO GO BEFORE I SLEEP.

POEM AND POET;-These lines are taken from the poem”stopping by woods on a snowy
evening” composed by the famous American poet Robert frost.
CONTEXT AND MEANING:-.One winter evening the poet was passing through a wood on
horseback. The trees and ground were covered with snow. It was quiet and there was no-
one else nearby. The poet was struck by the beauty of the landscape. He lingered there for a
while.
He contemplated on the beauty of the scene. His horse however, was puzzled by the
behavior of the master. It wondered why they had stopped there..At this juncture the horse
shakes its harness bells ‘to ask if there is some mistake’.
Finally, the realization about his destination makes the poet move on. The poet retrospect
at life and says that he cannot stop here and behold the snowy wood .He needs to carry on
as he has some promises to keep.
GENERAL RELEVANCE;-The poet has a narrative thrust that tempts us to see the speaker
move on, even though he does not, just as too much insistence on the poem as stranded in
the present tense falsely makes it out static.
NEVER LEAVE THAT TILL TOMORROW
WHICH YOU CAN DO TODAY

QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS

A]’MY LITTLE HORSE MUST THINK IT QUEER’.WHAT DOES IT REFER TO? [OR] B]WHY DOES THE
‘HORSE’ GIVE ITS HARNESS BELLS A SHAKE? ?[OR] C]WHY DOES THE POET STOP IN THE MIDDLE OF
HIS JOURNEY? [OR] D] WHAT DO YOU UNDERSTAND BY THE LINES ‘BUT I HAVE PROMISED TO
KEEP AND MILES TO GO BEFORE I SLEEP?

INTRODUCTION;- ‘stopping by woods on a snowy evening’ is one of the celebrated poems

by Robert Frost.
EXPLANATION
1.One winter evening the poet was passing through a wood on horseback.The trees and
ground were covered with snow.
2.It was quiet and there was no-one else nearby.The poet was struck by the beauty of the
landscape.
3.He lingered there for a while. He contemplated on the beauty of the scene.
4.His horse, however was puzzled by the behavior of the master.
5.It wondered why they had stopped there.
6.At this juncture the horse shakes its harness bells ‘to ask if there is some mistake’.
7.Finally,the realization about his destination makes the poet move on.
8.The poet retrospect at life and says that he cannot stop here and behold the snowy
wood .He needs to carry on as he has some promises to keep.
 1. THE UMBRELLA MAN -ROALD DAHL
A]NARRATE THE EVENTS THAT LED THE LITTLE GIRL AND HER MOTHER TO WAIT IN THE
RAIN FOR ATAXI?
B]SKETCH IN A PARAGRAPH THE CHARACTER OF THE GENTLEMAN WHO APPROACHED
THE GIRL AND HER MOTHER WITH A REQUEST FOR AFAVOUR.
C]DESCRIBE THE APPROACH OF THE MOTHER TO THE OLD MAN,WHO REQUESTED THEM
TO HELP HIM.
D]WHAT DID THE GIRL AND HER MOTHER FIND OUT ABOUT THE GENTLEMAN AFTER HE
ENTERED TH PUB?

1.’THE UMBRELLA MAN’ is a popular short story written by Roald Dahl.

2.The narrator of the story and her mother are once waiting in the rain on a London road for
a taxi.
3.A little old gentleman approaches them ,requesting for a small favour.
4.He says he needs a pound to hire a taxi as he has left his wallet at home.
5.He offers to give away his silk umbrella worth 20 pounds.He refuses to take the pound
free.
6.The narrator’s mother questions him closely to make sure he isn’t a trickster.
7.On being satisfied,she gives him a pound and takes the silk umbrella happily.
8.As she is explaining to the narrator how cautious one should be with strangers.
9.The girl notices that the oldman is not trying to hire a taxi.
10.They follow him only to find out his ‘game’.to their surprise and shock.
11.He enters a pub ,consumes whisky worth one pound,comes out of the bar with
someone’s umbrella and sells it to another gentleman for a pound! that is his game.
“HELPING HANDS ARE BETTER THAN PRAYING LIPS”

2.HOW MUCH LAND DOES A MAN NEED?-LEO TOLSTOY

A]DESCRIBE HOW PAHOM BECAME MORE AND MORE GREEDY AS THE STORY PROGRESS?
B]HOW DID PAHOM’S GREED LEAD TO HIS DOWNFALL?
C]PAHOM BOASTED THAT IF HE HAD PLENTY OF LAND,HE NEED NOT FEAR EVEN THE
DEVIL.NARRATE HOW THE DEVIL TAUGHT PAHOM A LESON.
D]COMMENT ON THE TITIE OF TOLSTOY’S STORY.

1.The story ‘How Much Land Does a Man Need?” written by ‘Leo Tolstoy’ traces the
downfall of a man who was greedy.
2.Pahom,the peasant in the story,once boasted that with more land he need not fear even
the Devil.
3.The devil heard this.He accepted the challenge.The devil went on tempting Pahom with
offers of land.
4.First he was offered 25 acres of land free . His family got 125acres of land.But Pahom was
not satisfied.
5.Then came the news of the Bashkirs. There they sell land by the day.
6.As much land as one can go on foot in a day, is theirs.
7.Pahom grew greedy.He went on walking .He reached a point where exhaustion turned
fatal.
8.Greed for more land took his life.The Devil thus succeeded.
MODULE –II UNIT 2 .HOW MUCH LAND DOES A MAN NEED?
-LEO TOLSTOY
A]DESCRIBE HOW PAHOM BECAME MORE AND MORE GREEDY AS THE STORY PROGRESS?
B]HOW DID PAHOM’S GREED LEAD TO HIS DOWNFALL?
C]PAHOM BOASTED THAT IF HE HAD PLENTY OF LAND,HE NEED NOT FEAR EVEN THE
DEVIL.NARRATE HOW THE DEVIL TAUGHT PAHOM A LESON.
D]COMMENT ON THE TITIE OF TOLSTOY’S STORY.
About the writer :The short story ‘How Much Land Does a Man Need?” written by ‘Leo
Tolstoy’
About the story:
1. Pahom was a peasant in the story . He believed that if he had plenty of land he would be
very happy .
2.Soon after he got 40 acres of land . He was overjoyed . But he soon became restless .
3.He heard of a place where peasants who joined the commune were granted 25 acres of
fertile land each .
4.He sold his land and went there .
5.His family now owned 125 acres. Still he was not satisfied .
6.He then heard of bashkirs where they sell land by the day .
7. As much land as one can go on foot a day is theirs .
8.Pahom grew greedy . He went on walking . He reached point where exhaustion turned
fatal .
9. Greed for more land took his life .
“EARTHS PROVIDES ENOUGH TO SATISFY EVERY MAN’S NEEDS, BUT NOT EVERY MAN’S
GREED.”
MODULE-III THE MEDAL BIBHUTIBHUSHAN BANDYOPADHYAY
ANSWER THE FOLLOWING QUESTIONS IN ABOUT 100 WORDs
(a)WHAT DID SUREN FIND IN SUDIR’S HANDS?DESCRIBE IT IN DETAIL.
(b)WRITE IN A PARAGRAPH SUREN’S EXPERIENCES ON HIS WAY TO AND AT VRINDAVAN’S
HOUSE.
(c)HOW DID SUREN SPEND THAT NIGHT AT HIS HOME IN THE VILLAGE?
(d)WHAT DID SUREN FIND OUT AT SUDIR’S HOME ABOUT THE MEDAL?

A)ABOUT THE WRITER :The short story The Medal is written by Bibhutibushan Bandyopadhya
ABOUT THE STORY
1.Suren the narrator is a school teacher in a village.
2.One day he sees a big medal in the hands of Sudhir.
3.It is old and intricately engraved .
4.Suren feels like showing it to his village elders.
5.In his village ,he goes to meet his friend,Vrindavan .
6.As he walks across the bridge , he feels a strong urge to jump into the river.
7.He fails to understand the reason .
8.At Vrindavan’s house too he feels like jumping off the terrace.
9.That night, at his own home in the village ,he feels a pair of fierce eyes watching him all
through the night.
10.On Monday, Sudhir’s grandfather tells Suren that the medal carries a curse with it and
only Sudhir’s family can withstand that power.
“FEAR ALWAYS SPRINGS FROM IGNORANCE”
 3.THE ANTIDOTE -R.K.NARAYAN

A]WHY WAS GOPAL UPSET ON BEING TOLD BY THE DIRECTOR THAT HE HAD TO ENACT A
DYING SCENE?
B]HOW DID GOPAL TRY TO GET THE ENDING OF THE SCENE CHANGED?
C]GOPAL WAS INTIALLY AGITATED BUT WAS FINALLY RESIGNED TO HIS FATE.DO YOU
AGREE?
D]’THE ANTIDOTE’ IS A GENTLE SATIRE ON MAN’S BLIND BELIEFS AND
SUPERSTITIONS.COMMENT.
1.R.K.Narayan’s ‘The Antidote’ is a gentle satire on the superstitious nature of peple in
India.
2.Gopal was a film hero .One day ,as usual, he reported on the sets for a film shoot.
3.The director informed him that he had to enact a dying scene.
4.Gopal was upset and shocked .He revealed the reason.
5.He said that he was celebrating his forty ninth birthday that day.
6.Astrologrs had told him that if he reached that age ,his life would be smooth thereafter
7.He had come to the sets after propitiating the Gods.
8.He felt it would be inauspicious to enact a dying scene on his birthday.
“IT IS NOT IN THE STARS TO HOLD OUR DESTINY BUT IN OURSELVES”
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SHORT STORIES 4. A SERVICE OF LOVE -O.HENRY

A]DESCRIBE THE EVENTS THAT LED TO THE MARRIAGE OF JOE AND DELIA?
B] WHAT DID DELIA SAY SHE WAS DOING TO EARN MONEY?
C]WHO WAS THE MAN FROM PEORIA?HOW DID HE HELP JOE MAKE SOME MONEY?
D]HOW DID JOE COME TO KNOW THE TRUTH ABOUT THE BURNING OF DELIA’S HAND.
WHAT WAS HIS REACTION TO IT?
1]O. Henry’s ‘A Service of Love’ is a wonderful love story of Joe and Delia.
2]They come to Newyork with a big dream .They fall in love and get married.
3.To earn some money ,Delia says she gives music classes to one Ms Clementina.
4.At the end of the second week, she comes home with a bandaged hand.
5.She says Clementia has split a hot dish on her hand.
6.Joe looks at the oiled cotton on her wound .He asks for the exact time of burning.
7.Delia reveals the truth .she says she works in a laundry in the engine room.
8.Joe too confess that he has not sold any paintings, he too has been working in the engine
room for this same laundry and he was the one who sent up the cotton oil for a girl who had
her hand burned.
Indeed it is no longer their art that Joe and Delia love enough to work it is the other for
whom they work.
“LOVE IS A GAME THAT TWO CAN PLAY AND BOTH WIN.”
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