A Visit to Cambridge

Solution 1
(i) Yes, the prospect of meeting Stephen Hawking made the writer nervous. He was to meet a great  personality 
and that too one who had achieved  greatness  despite  his disabilities. Clearly, it was a big moment, a great 
honour for the writer. So it is not surprising that he was nervous at the prospect of meeting Stephen Hawking.
(ii) Yes, he felt excited at the same time because it made him stronger to see somebody like him achieving 
something  huge.  This  made  him  aware  of the  many  possibilities present before him, thereby helping him to
reach out further than he ever thought he could.

Solution 2
The writer might have asked the scientist if he had been brave to reach where he had.

Solution 3
The writer thought that there was a choice. Stephen Hawking could have chosen to leave everything,
and be sad and depressed. He could have sulked and done nothing. However, he chose to live
creatively knowing the reality of his disintegrating body.

Solution 4
Stephen Hawking's mind was active with many thoughts that he wanted to express. However, his
thoughts came out in frozen phrases and sentences stiff as corpses, without reflecting his feelings or
emotions. His sentences were mere words and lines, without  any  sentiment expressed through his
computer. The writer felt he could understand his anguish and frustration at that.

Solution 5
The writer asked Stephen Hawking if he found it annoying that someone like him came and disturbed him in his
work. To this query, the scientist replied in  the affirmative, frankly and honestly. Then, he smiled his one way
smile and this was what endeared him to the writer. The writer felt that he was looking at one of the most
beautiful men in the world.

Solution 6
The most beautiful sentence in the description is, "...you look at his eyes which can speak, still, and
they are saying something huge and urgent...it is hard to tell what ".

Solution 7
(iii) To the writer, Cambridge was the real England.

Solution 8
(ii) The writer phoned Stephen Hawking's house from outside a phone booth.

Solution 9
(ii) Every time he spoke to the scientist, the writer felt guilty because he forced the scientist to use his voice
synthesiser.

Solution 10
(i) In  the given context,  the highlighted words  refer  to shifting in the  wheelchair, turning the wrist.

Solution 11
The writer expressed his gratitude to Stephen Hawking because he had been an inspiration for him. He
saw Stephen as the embodiment of his bravest self. He felt that if he had been as brave as Stephen,
he would have achieved a lot. He felt he was moving towards that embodiment that he had believed in
for many years. That is why he expressed his greatest gratitude to him as he had made him realise
what great heights he could reach.

A Short Monsoon Diary Exercise

Solution 1
The author was not able to see Bijju because of the monsoon mist that had covered the surroundings
and hence nothing is visible.

Solution 2
When the mist comes up, the birds fall silent. The mist covers the hills and blankets them in
silence. The forest becomes deathly still as though it were midnight.
Solution 1
The monsoon begins in June and ends by the end of August. We prepare for the monsoons by getting
our rainwear that includes raincoats, umbrellas and rain shoes ready.
We also make sure that there are no leakages in the roofs of our houses and that windows close easily.
We ensure that the drainage pipes from our terraces, balconies etc of our houses or buildings are all
clean so that the rain water can flow through properly.

Solution 2
The author has described Mussoorie in the diary entry

Solution 3
It rained without stopping for eight or nine days. Since there was nowhere to go, the author paced in his room
and looked out of the window at a few bobbing umbrellas.

Solution 4
The snakes and rodents take shelter in roofs, attics, and godowns because  they are flooded out of their holes
and burrows due to excessive rain.

Solution 5
The author received a cheque in the mail.

Solution 1
June 24 was the first day of monsoon mist. All the birds fell silent as the mist climbed up the hills. The
author calls the mist melancholy because not only does it conceal the hills, it blankets them in silence
too. The forest too is deathly still.
On June 25, there was some genuine early monsoon rain. It was warm and humid, contrary to the cold
high-altitude weather that the author had been experiencing all year. It seemed to the author that the
plants knew it too, and the first cobra lily reared its head from the ferns. He described the weather as
'a paradise that might have been'. 
On August 2, it rained all night the rain drops drumming on the corrugated tin roof. There had been no
storm or thunder just a steady swish of a tropical down pour. The author experienced a feeling of
"being untouched by, and yet in touch with, the rain".
March 23 marked the end of winter. The blackest cloud he had ever seen spread over Mussoorie and
then it hailed marbles for half an hour. The hailstorm cleared the sky and he saw a rainbow forming.

Solution 2
The grandmother asked the children not to  kill the Chuchundar because it was considered lucky. She said that it
brought money.

Solution 3
The seeds of the cobra lily turning red signified that the monsoons were about to end.

Solution 4
(i) Bijju is not seen but his voice is heard because of the mist concealing everything in the surroundings.
(ii) The writer describes the hill station and valley as a paradise that might have been.
(iii) The leopard was successful in attacking one of Bijju's cows but had to flee when Bijju's mother came screaming curses.
(iv) The minivets are easily noticed because of their bright scarlet colour.
(v)  It looks like a fashion display on the slopes when ground orchids, mauve lady's slipper and the white butterfly orchids
bloom.
(vi) During the monsoon season, snakes and rodents are found in roofs and attics because they have been
flooded out of their holes and burrows.

Solution 5
(i) The word 'springing' means 'to develop suddenly'. The writer says that tin roofs are prone to
developing unexpected leaks.
(ii)The writer was physically untouched by the rain as the tin roof stopped the rain from leaking into his
house.
(iii) The writer was in touch with the rain at the same time because he could feel the rain by listening
to its drumming sound on the corrugated tin roof.

Solution 6
When there is endless rain for days together, everything becomes damp and soggy. There is no place
for anybody to go to. One can only pace the room and look out of the window at a few bobbing
umbrellas. The hillsides are lush as late monsoon flowers such as wild balsam, dahlias, begonias and
ground orchids begin to appear.

Solution 7
When monsoon begins, the first cobra lily appears from the ferns. When the seeds of the cobra lily turn red, it
signifies that the monsoon is coming to an end

1:In what way is the forest pool different from the one which Ranji knewin the Rajputana
desert?
Ans: The forest pool was clean, cold and inviting, whereas the Rajputana desert had sticky, muddy
pools where buffaloes wallowed and women washed clothes.
2:The other boy asked Ranji to ‘explain’ himself.
(i) What did he expect Ranji to say?
(ii) Was he, in your opinion, right or wrong to ask this ?
Ans: (i) He expected Ranji to apologise to him and immediately leave the pool.
ii) He was wrong to ask this  because the pool was in the forest. It was not his personal property.
3: Between Ranji and the other boy, who is trying to start a quarrel? Givea reason for your
Ans.
Ans: Between Ranji and the other boy, the other boy was trying to start a quarrel. When Ranji saw
him, he did not say anything. It was the otherboy who asked Ranji to explain himself. Ranji was
prepared to be friendly, but was taken aback by the boy’s hostile tone. He even asked the boy to
come and swim with him. However, the boy said that it was his pool, and started a fight by calling
himself a ‘warrior’.
4:”Then we will have to continue the fight,” said the other.
(i) What made him say that?
(ii) Did the fight continue? If not, why not?
Ans: (i) When even after a lot of fighting Ranji refused to leave the pool, the other boy said that
they would have to continue their fight.
(ii) No, the fight did not continue. After they decided to continue the fight, neither of them took
the initiative. Then, the other boy said that they would continue the fight the next day if Ranji
dared to come back to the pool.
1: What is it that Ranji finds difficult to explain at home?
Ans: At home, Ranji found it difficult to explain the cuts and bruises that showed on his face, legs
and arms. It was difficult to hide the fact that he had been involved in a fight.
2: Ranji sees his adversary in the bazaar.
(i) What does he wish to do?
(ii) What does he actually do, and why?
Ans: (i) When Ranji saw his adversary in the bazaar, he wished to turn away and look elsewhere.
Then, he wished to throw the lemonade bottle at his enemy.
(ii) He actually stood his ground and scowled at the other boy. He did not throw the lemonade
bottle because he did not want to start a fight in the bazaar.
3:Ranji is not at all eager for a second fight. Why does he go back to the pool, then?
Ans: Ranji left home on the second day rather unwillingly. His body still pained again. Yet he could
not refuse a challenge. To gain his respect, he had to defy his enemy. As long as he fought, he had
a right to the pool in the forest.
4:Who was the better swimmer? How do you know it?
Ans: Ranji was the better swimmer. When the other boy made fun of him by saying that he would
not be able to swim across the pool, Ranji dived straight into the water and surfaced at the other
end in a flash. The boy was amazed at how well Ranji had dived, and later, at how he had swum
underwater. He said that he did not know how to dive or swim underwater, and asked Ranji to
teach him both.
7: Ranji’s superiority over the other boy is obvious in the following:
physical strength, good diving, his being a fighter, sense of humour, swimming under water,
making a good point, willingness to help.
Underline the relevant phrases.
Ans: good diving, swimming under water and willingness to help.
8:What, according to you, makes the two adversaries turn into good friends in a matter of
minutes? Explain it as you have understood it.
Ans: The two adversaries admired certain skills in each other, which they themselves lacked. When
the other boy saw how well Ranji dived and swam underwater, he forgot about the fight and asked
him to teach him these skills. Ranji’s willingness to help the other boy made their friendship
possible. Noticing Ranji’s thin body, the other boy promised him that he would turn him into a
wrestler like himself. As a result, in a matter of minutes, the adversaries turned into good friends.
1: Why had Framton Nuttel come to the “rural retreat”?
Ans: Framton Nuttel had come to the “rural retreat” to undergo a nerve cure.
2: Why had his sister given him letters of introduction to people living there?
Ans: His sister had given him letters of introduction to people living there as he did not know
anyone there. She knew that he would not speak to anybody and his nerves would be worse from
moping.
That is why she gave him letters of introduction to all the people she knew there.

3: What had happened in the Sappleton family as narrated by the niece?

Ans: The niece told Nuttel that about three years ago Mrs Sappleton’s husband and her two
younger brothers had gone for their day’s shooting through the open French window. They never
came back. In crossing the moor to their favourite shooting spot, they were all engulfed in a piece
of bog. It was a wet summer and places that were safe in other years gave way suddenly without
warning. Their bodies were never recovered.
1: What did Mrs Sappleton say about the open window?
Ans: Mrs Sappleton said that she hoped Framton did not mind the open window. She told him
that her husband and her brothers would be coming home directly from their shooting, and they
always came that way.
2: The horror on the girl’s face made Framton swing around in his seat. What did he see?
Ans: When Framton turned around, he saw a silhouette of three men and dog in the evening light.
Then a hoarse voice was heard shouting at the dog.
1: What was the girl’s explanation for his lightning exit?
Ans: The girl said that the spaniel was the reason for his lightning exit. She said that he had a
horror of dogs. She explained that he was once hunted into a cemetery somewhere on the banks
of the Ganges by a pack of dogs. He had to spend the night in a newly dug grave, with the
creatures snarling, grinning and foaming just above him.
1: Is this a mystery story? Give a reason for your Answer.
Ans: While explaining the mystery behind the open French window, theevents narrated by Mrs
Sappleton’s niece manage to create a sense of foreboding. Later, when the three men approach
the open window, the reader (like Framton) can only logically conclude that they were ghosts.
Hence, one can say that this story does contain elements of the mysterious.

1:Why didn’t he pay the school fees on the day he brought money to school?
Ans: He did not pay the school fees on the day he brought money to school because Master
Ghulam Mohammed, the teacher who collected the fees was on leave, and it would be collected
the next day.
2: (i) What were the coins ‘saying’ to him?
(ii) Do you think they were misguiding him?
Ans: (i) The coins were asking him to buy the jalebis.
(ii) Yes, they were misguiding him. Even though the money was for the payment of fees, they
urged him to spend all on jalebis.
3:Why didn’t he take the coins’ advice? Give two or three reasons.
Ans: He did not take the coins’ advice because:
→ He was an honest boy.

→ He was studious and had a image to protect in the school.

→ He did not want to get caught doing wrong things.

4: (i) What did the oldest coin tell him?

(ii) Did he follow his advice? If not, why not?
Ans: (i) The oldest coin said that they were trying to tell him something for his own good. It said
that he would get the scholarship money the next day, and with that money he could pay his fees.
Hence, he could very well buy the jalebis with the fees money.
(ii) No, he did not follow its advice. Even though his mouth watered, he remembered the fact that
he was among the most promising students at school. In the fourth standard exams, he had even
won a scholarship of four rupees a month. Also, he came from a particularly well-to-do family and
enjoyed considerable prestige. He had never once been beaten. On the contrary, his teacher had
got him to beat the other boys. He thought that for a child of such status, standing in the middle
of the market and eating jalebis was inappropriate. Giving these reasons, he returned home.
5:He reached home with the coins in his pocket. What happened then?
Ans: When he reached home, the coins began to speak again. When he went inside to have lunch,
they began to shriek. He was so thoroughly fed up that he rushed out of the house barefoot and
ran towards the market. Although he was terrified, he quickly asked for a whole rupee worth of
jalebis. The halwai opened up a whole newspaper and heaped a pile of jalebis on it.
1: (i) Why didn’t he eat all the jalebis he had bought?
(ii) What did he do with the remaining jalebis?
Ans: (i) He did not eat all the jalebis he had bought because he had eaten so many of them that if
anybody pressed his stomach a little, jalebis would have popped out of his ears and nostrils.
(ii) He distributed the remaining jalebis to the children who had assembled in the gali where he
was eating the jalebis.
2:”The fear was killing me.” What was the fear?
Ans: The fear was of getting caught and his parents finding out that he had eaten so many jalebis.
He burped with every breath. With every burp, there was the danger of bringing out a jalebi or
two. This fear was killing him.
3:“Children’s stomachs are like digestion machines.” What do you understand by that? Do
you agree?
Ans: This means that children have a robust digestive ability. They can digest more than usual diet.
4:How did he plan to pay the fees the next day?
Ans: He planned to pay the fees with the previous month’s scholarship that he would get the next
day.
5:When it is time to pay the fees, what does he do? How is he disobeying the elders by doing
so?
Ans: When it was time to pay the fees, he tucked his bag under his arm and left the school. He
kept walking, praying for some miracle to happen which would save him that one time. He reached
the Kambelpur railway station. The elders had warned him to never cross the railway tracks. They
had also warned him that one must never eat sweets with one’s fees money. However, he had
disobeyed them by doing so.
1:What was the consequence of buying jalebis with the fees money? 
Ans: The consequence of buying jalebis with the fees money was that for the first time in his life he
was absent from his school.
2: His prayer to God is like a lawyer’s defence of a bad case. Does he argue his case well?
What are the points he makes?
Ans: He did not argue well. He was mostly trying to impress God and make promises. He said that
he had memorised the entire namaaz. He even knew the last ten surats of the Quran by heart. He
said that he was a devoted servant of God and needed the fees money. He admitted his mistake.
However, in his defence, he also said that he did not eat all the jalebis.
He shared them with other children. He promised that he would never eat sweets with fees money
again and if he did, then he would deserve a thief’s punishment. He said that there was no
shortage of anything in God’s treasury. Even the chaprasi got a lot of money for his work. He finally
said that he was the nephew of a big officer and therefore, God should give him the money as he
had asked for only four rupees.

3:He offers to play a game with Allah Miyan. What is the game?
Ans: The game was that he would go from where he was standing to the signal. Then, God would
secretly place four rupees under a big rock. Meanwhile, he would touch the signal and come back.
Then, when he would lift the rock and find the four rupees underneath.
4:Did he get four rupees by playing the game? What did he get to see under the rock?
Ans: No, he did not get four rupees by playing the game. When he lifted the rock, he saw a big
hairy worm curling, twisting and wriggling towards him.
5:If God had granted his wish that day, what harm would it have caused him in later life?
Ans: If God had granted his wish that day, he would never have learnt from his mistake. He would
have continued doing such wrong deeds, believing that God would save him after his persuasion