My Mother at Sixty Six—Kamala Das

THEME: The poem "My Mother at Sixty- six" examines the themes of:
(i) Advancing age
(ii) The fear of loss & separation.
Summary:
The poetess was on her way back to Cochin, the previous Friday morning to catch a flight. Her mother was
seated beside her in the car. The old woman started feeling drowsy. She had her mouth open. Her face looked
pale and ash-colored as that of a dead body. The poetess became panicky. She thought that her mother would
not live long. She was deeply pained.
She tried to overcome her fear. She looked out of the window. The young trees appeared to be running back at
full speed. She also saw cheerful children coming out of their homes. They were in sharp contrast to her own
aged mother. They reached the airport and passed through the formal security check. From the distance of a few
yards, the poetess looked at her mother again. The mother was weak and pale like the moon in a late winter
night. The sight of her revived the narrator’s old childhood fear of being away from her mother. There was no
hope of improvement in her condition.
But before bidding her farewell, the poetess just smiled and expressed hope to see her again.
Stanza wise Explanation
1. Driving from.....................
..................................................................
..................................................................
......................................... though away.
While driving to Cochin from her parent’s home, the poetess’ mother accompanied her in the car to see her off.
She sat beside the poetess. At one moment when the poetess turned and looked at her mother, she noticed that
her mother was dozing and her mouth was open. Her face had turned ashen i.e., it seemed as if it had lost the
vitality of life and her face looked like that of a corpse (dead body). The poetess was frightened as the reality
seized her that her mother had grown old. She was not ready to accept it as old age is followed by death. So she
tried to put the thought away.
Simile - Ashen like that of a corpse.

2. ...................................................... and
..................................................................
.............................................Smile ..........
She started looking out in order to take away the frightening thought from her mind. She noticed the trees
sprinting in contrast to her mother who looked lifeless while sitting beside her. She also noticed children coming
out of their home happily. The happy children are the representatives of youth and power. Probably they were
reminding her of the time when the poetess was a child and her mother was young. Then they reached the
airport. After the security check at the airport, she again looked at her mother who was standing a few yards
away. She again felt that old familiar ache of losing her mother who looked like a late winter’s moon which loses
its beauty in the fog. She felt that her mother had also lost her youth, vitality and had become inactive. She had
a childhood fear of permanent separation from her mother. But she did not show it to her mother. She kept on
smiling and smiling and said ‘see you soon, Amma. These were the words of reassurance that they would meet
again and she smiled in an attempt to hide her feelings.

Imagery - Trees sprinting

Simile - As a late winter’s moon Alliteration -
See you soon
Repetition - Smile and smile
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Points toRemember
• On her way back to Cochin, the poet looks at her mother.
• Finds her weak lacking in energy and life.
• Her mother's ageing, decaying health and fear of losing her, cause the poet much pain.
• In order to divert her mind from such negative thoughts, she starts looking outside.
• Finds the trees running, the young children spilling/rushing out of homes.
• The face of poet's mother symbolizes frailty, dullness, and inactivity whereas, merry children and young
trees symbolize vigor, energy, zeal, and joy.
• As the late winter's moon loses its magnificence and beauty when it gets covered with fog, similarly poet's
mother has lost her youthful look, vitality and charm.
• At the airport while parting from her mother the poet smiles and reassures her mother that all is well also
she tries to hide her fear of losing/reparation from her mother.
POETIC DEVICES:
SIMILE-: her face ashen like that of a corpse, as a late winter’s moon.
REPETITION-: smile and smile and smile
CONTRAST-: Old mother in the car has been contrasted with the young trees running and happy children coming out of
their homes to the sadness of the poet on realizing the advancing age of her mother.
Personification - trees sprinting
Imagery - children spilling similar her face ashen like that of a corpse’ wan pale as a late winter’s Moon.
Irony - see you soon Amma and her prolonged smile her ironical as they are a sharp contrast to the fear and
agony which the poetess experiences.
Symbols - tree sprinting and merry children stand you for youth, vigor vitality, life and growth. Winter’s moon symbolizes
frail health, decay and death.

Tone & Mood :

Predominantly pensive and sorrowful
Q.1. Read the following extracts and answer the questions that follow:

1. Driving from my parent's home to Cochin last

Friday morning, I saw my mother beside me,
doze, open mouthed, her face ashen likethat
of a corpse and realized with pain
that she was as old as she looked but soon put that thought away.
(a) Where was the poet driving to?
Ans. She was driving from her parent's house to Cochin airport.

(b) What did the poet notice about her mother?

Ans. She noticed that her mother was growing old.

(c) What does the poet compare her mother's face with?
Ans. She compares her mother's face with that of a corpse.

(d) Name the poetic device used in the stanza.

Ans. Simile

2
……and felt that
Old familiar ache, my childhood fear, But all I
said was, see you soon,
Amma, all I did was smile and smile and smile.

(a) Name the poem and the poet. (1m) 2

Ans. The name of the poem is My Mother at Sixty-Six and the poet is Kamala Das.
(b) What is the poet's childhood fear? (1m)
Ans. The fear of separation from her mother.
(c) What were the parting words of the poet? (1m)
Ans. The poet said, “See you soon Amma".
(d) Why did the poet smile and smile? (1m)
Ans. The poet smiled to hide her real feelings

3
…Driving from my parent's
Home to Cochin last Friday Morning: I saw my mother, Beside me;

(a) Name the poem and the poet.

(b) Where was the poet going?
(c) What was her mother doing?
(d) Who is "I"?

4. Driving from my parent’s

Home to Cochin last Friday
Morning: I saw my mother,
Beside me, Doze, open mouthed, her face
Ashen like that Of a corpse

(a) Where was the poet going?

(b) Explain: I saw my mother, beside me, doze, open mouthed
(c) Explain the simile used in this extract.
(d) What emotion does the poet feel immediately after observing her mother?
ANSWERS
(a) The poet was going to Cochin to take a flight.
(b) The poet observes her mother that she was dozing. Her face was looking lifeless.
(c) The simile is ‘her face ashen like that of a corpse’. The grayish, lifeless face is compared to a corpse.
(d) The poet feels pain and sorrow immediately after observing her mother.

5. …..realised with Pain

That she was as old as she
Looked but soon Put that
Thought away, and
Looked out at young
Trees sprinting, the merry children spilling
out of their homes,

(a) What pained the poet?

(b) Who do you think ‘put that thought away’?
(c) Explain the significance of, ‘trees sprinting, the merry children spilling out of their homes’
(d) Find the word from extract which means similar to “Running fast”
ANSWERS
(a) The poet feels pain and sorrow immediately after observing her mother’s ‘face. The grayish and
lifeless face is compared to a corpse. The poet thinks that her mother may not live long as she has
become very old.
(b) The poet put that thought away.
(c) ‘Trees sprinting, the merry children spilling out of their homes’ signify life, youth, joy of being alive
and carefree days of life .The mother and the children reflect two different perspectives of life. Youth
represents cheerfulness and joy of living. The old age represents maturity and melancholy.
(d) Sprinting

6. ………but after the airport’s 3

 Security check, standing a few yards
Away, I looked again at her, wan, Pale
As a late winter’s moon and felt that old
Familiar ache, my childhood’s fear,
But all I said was see you soon, Amma
All I did was smile and smile and smile…….

(a) Who did the poet look at and why?

(b) What dos the poet means by, I looked again’?
(c) Explain ‘wan, pale’. What is it referred to?
(d) What does the poet mean by ‘and felt that old’?
(e) What is the ‘old familiar ache’?
ANSWERS
(a) The poet looked at her mother because the poet was about to leave and board a flight.
(b) The poet had observed her mother on the way to the airport. She had observed her mother’s pale face
that ashened like that of a corpse.
(c) The words ‘wan’ and ‘pale’ are synonyms and mean ashen, drawn, colourless and dull.
(d) The poet compares her mother’s face to a winter moon, which appears old and colourless.
(e) ‘The old familiar ache’ refers to the fear of poet of losing her mother one day. The poet overcomes
her emotions by smiling and saying “See you soon, Amma.”
Short answer questions
Answer the following questions in about 30-40 words each.
1) What do the poet’s parting words to her mother signify?
Answer: The poet’s parting words of assurance and her smile provide a stark contrast to the old familiar fear of
childhood. Her words and smiles are a deliberate attempt to hide her real feelings. She is trying to hide her fear about
her mother’s frail and deteriorating health which might separate her from her mother.
2) Why are the young trees described as ‘sprinting’?
Answer: The young trees are ‘sprinting’ that is rushing past the poet as she is travelling in a very fast-moving car. While
travelling in a speeding vehicle, the objects outside appear to be rushing past us in the opposite direction. These
sprinting trees are in stark contrast to the passive old lady sitting inside the car.

3) How did Kamala Das put away the thought of her mother’s old age?
Answer: The poet started looking out of the window because she wanted to drive away the pain and agony she was
experiencing by looking at her aged mother. She looked outside at the world which was full of life and activity. She saw
young trees running past her and merry children sprinting out of their homes to play.
4) Why did Kamala Das add the image of merry children to her poem?
Answer: The merry children symbolise the spring of life, its energy, vigour and happiness. Their image presents a sharp
contrast to the poet’s limp and ageing mother. This image is also imperative for the understanding of the process of old
age which is associated with decay. The spontaneous outpouring of life symbolised by these children is in contrast to
the poet’s mother’s passive and inactive life.
5) What helped Kamala Das put away the thought of her mother’s old age?
Answer: The poet started looking out of the window because she wanted to drive away the pain and agony she was
experiencing by looking at her aged mother. She looked outside at the world which was full of life and activity. She saw
young trees running past her and merry children sprinting out of their homes to play.
6) What were Kamala Das’ fears as a child? Why do they surface when she is going to the airport?
Answer: Since her childhood perhaps Kamala Das always feared that she would lose her mother or in some way be
separated from her. Now that her mother is old and her health has deteriorated, the poet’s fear surface again when she
is going to the airport.
7) What were the poet’s feelings at the airport? How did she hide them?
Answer: At the airport the poet, Kamala Das, feels fearful of leaving her pale, ageing mother alone and unattended. She
has an ache and fear inside her heart and is not sure if she will be able to see her mother again. She hides her feelings
of anxiety by giving a long and cheerful smile to her mother as she bids her at airport.
8) Why are the young trees described as ‘sprinting’?
Answer:The young trees are ‘sprinting’ that is rushing past the poet as she is traveling in a very fast-moving car. While
travelling in a speeding vehicle, the objects outside appear to be . rushing past us in the opposite direction. These
sprinting trees are in stark contrast to the passive old lady sitting inside the car.
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9) In the last line of the poem, ‘My Mother at Sixty-six’, why does the poet use the word ‘smile’ repeatedly?
Answer: The word ‘smile’ has been used repeatedly by the poet as behind her elongated smile she attempts to hide her
fear and anxiety regarding her mother’s frail health. The poet smiled and smiled in an effort to reassure herself that she
will be able to meet her mother again.
10) Why does Kamala Das compare her mother to a late winter’s moon?
Answer:The winter season is a traditional symbol of death and the moon, especially, if it is pale, it enhances the image
of decay. The mother’s pale and colourless face that has becomes rather wrinkled due to old age gives her a look that
the poet compares with ‘the late winter’s moon’.
11) What childhood fear does Kamala Das have? Why?
Answer: Kamala Das’ childhood fear is that she would lose her mother to the cruel hands of death and thus would be
separated from her forever. She has had this fear since her childhood as she knows her mother will be scourged by age
and time.
Long Answer Questions
Question 1. Ageing is a natural process; have you ever thought what our elderly parents expect from us?
Answer: Ageing is a natural process. When the person be-comes old he becomes weak, he needs support .both
emotional and physical. Thus, it becomes our duty to provide our old parents the love-, emotional support and respect
they deserve. Our parents usually give us their best period of life to bring us up. Therefore it becomes our moral duty to
reciprocate the same when they become old.
But unfortunately, due to rank materialism and nuclear family system the old people are treated as an unnecessary
commodity. They are harassed and sometimes even beaten up. Many a time the old people are sent to old age homes,
where they lack emotional support which the family can provide. It is very shameful for the younger generation. Our
parents do not deserve such shabby treatment in their old age.
Question 2. How does Kamala Das describe her mother? What kind of pain does the poet feel?
Answer: The poet Kamala Das describes her mother as an old woman who had grown pale, weak and fragile with age.
She appeared to the poetess as a corpse whenever she dozed off beside her. Her dead appearance was apparent
through her still face and body. The poetess feels pain on seeing the pale and corpse-like face of her mother and it's
said that her old familiar pain or the ache returns. Perhaps she has experienced this fear since her childhood. The poet
feels that her mother has grown so old that she couldn’t grow older. She means to say that her mother might not live
long with her. Therefore, the poet feels pain and ache.
Question 3. Describe the world inside the car and compare it to the activities taking place outside?
Answer: The thought of the ageing mother at sixty-six and her pale and ashen face looking like a corpse becomes too
heavy for the poet to bear. She needs a distraction, a diversion and therefore she looks outside. She watches young
trees. These trees speed past them and appear to be sprinting. Then she sees happy children moving out of their
houses and making merry.The pale and faded face of the poet’s mother looks lifeless like a corpse. Her dozing with
mouth wide open suggests passivity, decay and death. Outside the car, the poet watches young trees speeding past
them. They seem to be running fast or sprinting. Happy children are moving out of their homes cheerfully. They present
an image of life, dynamism and activity.
Question 4. Why does the poet smile and what does she say while bidding good bye to her mother?
OR
With fear and ache inside her heart and words of assurance on lips and smile on the face, the poet presents
two opposite and contrasting experiences. Why does the poet put on a smile?
Ans: The ‘wan’, ‘pale’, face of the poet’s mother at sixty-six brings an image of decay and death. It brings that old
familiar fear of separation back. She fears the ultimate fate of human beings. But she has to put on a brave face. She
regains self-control. She composes herself and tries to look normal. She utters the words of assurance that they will
meet again soon. She tries to hide her ache and fear by smiling continuously. The poet’s parting words of assurance
and her smiles provide a stark contrast to the old familiar ache or fear of the childhood. Her words and smiles are a
deliberate attempt to hide her real feelings. The parting words: “See you soon, Amma” give an assurance to the old lady
whose ‘ashen face’ looks like a corpse. Similarly, her continuous smiles are an attempt to overcome the ache and fear
inside her heart.

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 LOST SPRING - Anees Jung

The theme of the story: Social Injustice & Inequality

The story 'Lost Spring' addresses the pitiable condition of the poor children who are unable to enjoy their
childhood due to their poor socio economic condition that prevails in the place they dwell in.
Summary:
‘Sometimes I find a Rupee in the garbage’
The author comes across a boy, Saheb every morning. She always found him searching for
something in a heap of garbage. When he was asked why he did it, he replied, “I have nothing else
to do.” She told him to go to the school but there was no school in his neighborhood. She told him
that she was going to start a school. Saheb was happy. He would go to her school. But she did not
intend to start a school.
Saheb’s full name was Saheb-e-Alam. It means the ‘Lord of the Universe’. But the poor boy
wandered on roads along with other barefooted poor boys like him. The author talked to the other
companions of Saheb. One of the barefooted boys said his mother would not bring his chappals
down from the shelf. One of them was wearing shoes though they did not match. Another boy who
never had footwear, wished he had a pair of shoes.
Many children walk barefoot. Some people argue that lack of money is not the reason. It is a
tradition to walk barefoot, but the author does not agree with them. She asserts that perpetual state of
poverty is the real cause. Some children are lucky. Their prayers to get shoes have been granted. But
the rag-pickers remain barefoot.
The rag pickers live in Seemapuri. So the author went there. Seemapuri is very close to Delhi but
there is a world of difference between the two.
About 10,000 rag-pickers live in Seemapuri. They live in mud structures with roofs of tin and
tarpaulin. They lack all civic amenities like sewage and running water. Living in Seemapuri enables
them to cast their votes. They move about and pitch their tents wherever they can find food. Rag-
picking is their sole means of earning a livelihood.
Saheb used to stand outside a club. He watched two young men playing tennis. Tennis fascinated
him. He wished to play tennis. Someone gave him a pair of discarded tennis shoes. Half of his
dream came true. Of course, playing tennis was out of his reach.
Saheb got a job at a tea stall. He was paid 800 rupees a month and all meals. Still he was not happy.
He lost his carefree look and his freedom. He was no longer his own master.

“I want to drive a car”

The author visited Firozabad. Firozabad is famous for its bangle making industry. Almost every
other family in Firozabad is engaged in making of glass bangles for women all over India. Glass
bangles are a symbol of bliss for a married woman’s life.
She came across a boy named Mukesh. His family too was engaged in manufacturing bangles.
Mukesh took her to his house. They went through stinking lanes choked with garbage. Families of
bangle makers lived there. Their houses had crumbling walls and wobbly doors.
They entered Mukesh’s house which was like any other house in the lane. A frail young woman was
cooking meals on a firewood stove. Her eyes were filled with smoke. She greeted the author with a
smile. She was the wife of Mukesh’s elder brother. She was respected as the daughter in-law of the
family. Mukesh’s father also came in. The daughter in law covered her face with her veil as the
custom demanded.
Mukesh’s father was old and weak. He had lost his eyes working on furnaces at polishing bangles.
He had worked hard all his life. But he could not afford to send his two sons to school. He could
only teach them the art of making bangles. He had built the house but could not repair it. Mukesh’s
grandmother expressed her belief in destiny. She said that on account of their karam (deeds) they
were born in the bangle- makers’ caste. It was their destiny to suffer and no man could change what
was ordained by fate. In fact, her belief was shared by all.
Another woman told the author that despite hard work, they had never had a full meal in their
whole life. 6
The author could see bangles everywhere. She saw boys and girls sitting with parents before
flickering oil lamps. They welded pieces of colored glass that she had learnt. Their eyes got used to
dark and they lost their eyesight before they were adults. At home, families worked hard all day
before furnaces with high temperatures. All the operations of bangle making cause blindness.
Generation after generation, families of bangle makers have been engaged in making bangles. They
live in poverty; they work hard, and die in poverty. Nothing has changed with the passage of time.
They find themselves in the clutches of middlemen and moneylenders. The police and the
administration do not help them. If they try to pull out of the vicious circle, they are in trouble. The
police beat them up and put them in jail.
Points to Remember
Saheb-e-Alam
• name means – lord of the universe
• but earns living by rag-picking
• lives inSeemapuri
• walks barefoot
Living conditions in Seema Puri
• on the outskirts of Delhi, yet miles away from it, home of 10,000 rag pickers
• make their living by rag-picking
• food and survival more important than an identity
• garbage to them is gold because it is a means of survival
Mukesh
• the bangle maker of Firozabad
• high temperature
• dreams of being a motor mechanic, wants to break the lineage
Hazards of Working in Glass Bangle Factory
• work place – small and dingy
• long working hours in front of hot furnaces
• boys and girls assist parents in the dim light of flickering oil lamps.
• eyes more adjusted to dark than light.
• dust from polishing bangles affect their eyes, skin and health
• exploited by money lenders, police, bureaucrats, politicians.
• fear of being ill-treated by police.
• live in a state of intense poverty.

• live in stinky lanes

• overcrowded place with humans and animals.
Character & Characteristic
Saheb-E-Alam : Shaeb-e-alam was a rag-picker who lived in Seemapuri. His family had migrated from Dhaka,
Bangla Desh to India in 1971 with the hope of finding better life conditions. Every morning he roamed about
streets collecting garbage. Many other boys also accompanied him. His family lived in miserable conditions. He
could not afford to go to school. He did not have even a pair of slippers to wear. He wished to play lawn tennis
which was beyond his reach. He also found a job at a tea-stall where he ran various errands for the tea-stall
owner. Though he earned rupees eight hundred monthly along with meals every day, yet he was not happy
7
working there. His rag-picking bag was lighter than the canister. He was his own master; but now he had to
work under someone.

Mukesh : Mukesh seems to be strong determined boy belonging to the family of bangle makers. He has got
courage and dare to move away from his traditional work since the family is engaged in the God- given-
lineage. But he is prone to his occupation. He is well aware about the inconveniences; health hazards in the role
of many people who conspire to keep them engaged in the bangle making .He frankly tells the writer that he
will become Motor Mechanic. He would learn to drive a car and ready to cover any distance to get learnt. It
shows his will power & his ability to take initiative. He denied being a victim of poverty.

Tone & Mood of Author

The theme of the chapter is about perpetual poverty of certain groups of people and the traditions which
make poor children to live a life of exploitation. They are stuck in a vicious cycle. This way the entire
chapter reflects a mood with full of remorse, pain, grief & discontented and the tone seems to be
appealing.

A Few Extract Based Questions

Note : Remember to be as brief as possible.

Answer the questions that follow.

1) Wherever they find food, they pitch their tents that become transit homes. Children grow up in them
becoming partners in survival. And survival in Seemapuri means rag-picking. Through the years, it has
acquired the proportions of a fine art. Garbage to them is gold. It is their daily bread, a roof over their
heads, even if it is a leaking roof. But for children it is even more.
1. Who are 'they' in the first line?
2. What impression do the words, 'transit homes' give you about the kind of life 'they' lead?
3. Why is 'Garbage to them...gold'?
4. Why is garbage 'even more' for the children?
Answers
1) Poor children of Seemapuri doing ragpicking.
2) Very miserable.
3) As the job is adventurous & they explore.
4) As for parents it was a means of survival but for children it was more as they enjoy exploring new things.

2) For one who has walked barefoot, even shoes with a hole is a dream come true. But the game he is
watching so intently is out of his reach.
1. What is the significance of walking 'barefoot'?
2. Why is it a big deal to have even shoes with a hole?
3. What game is 'he' watching so intently?
4. Why does the author state the game 'is out of his reach'?
Answers
1) Means no shoes which signifies height of poverty.
2) As for the one without shoes it would be a big deal to have torn shoes at least.
3) Tennis
4) As of his extreme poverty.

3) The bag was his. The canister belongs to the man who owns the tea shop. Saheb is no longer his own
master.
1. What was he carrying in the bag?
2. How is the sentence, 'The bag was his.' significant to the lesson?
3. Why is it significant that 'The canister belongs' to the owner of the tea shop?
8
 4. Explain the statement, 'Saheb is no longer his own master.'
Answers
1) Rags & garbage.
2) As it tells that Saheb-e-Alam was not happy, carrying a canister.
3) It says that Saheb is no longer his own master.
4) It means that now Saheb is in under control of some other person.

4) "It is his karam, his destiny," says Mukesh's grandmother, who has watched her own husband go blind
with the dust from polishing the glass of bangles. "can a god-given lineage ever be broken?" she implies.
Born in the caste of bangle-makers, they have seen nothing but bangles'.
1. What is the prevalent belief that has prevented them from emancipating themselves?
2. Identify and explain one hazard of working in the bangle-making industry that has been mentioned
in the extract.
3. Why can't a "god-given lineage" be broken?
4. Name the chapter & author.
Answer
1) As they believe it is god given, it’s their destiny.
2) Being blind at very young age.
3) As they do not have courage to go for change.
4) Lost spring and Anees Jung.
SHORT ANSWER QUESTIONS
1. What is the irony in the name "Saheb-e-Alam"?
Ans. 'Saheb-e-Alam' means the 'Lord of the Universe' but Saheb was oblivious of what it meant. Contrary to
what his name represented, he roamed the streets with his friends, an army of barefooted boys scrounging in the
garbage heaps to make both ends meet.
2. Why have the ragpickers settled in Seemapuri?
Ans. Several families like Saheb have been the victims of nature's fury. They left Dhaka after storms swept
away their fields and houses and settled in seemapuri.
3. Is Saheb happy working at the tea stall? Explain.
Ans. Saheb is not happy working at the tea stall. Even though he is paid more and given his meals, but he is no
longer his own master. The steel cansister seem to be heavier than the plastic bag. He has lost his carefreelook.
4. Who is Mukesh? What is his dream?
Mukesh is a young boy whose family is engaged in making bangles. His dream is to change his fate. He wants
to be a motor mechanic. He is sure to find some garage who will take him as an apprentice. He is confident that
if he works hard enough he will realize his dream.
5. Is Saheb happy working at the tea stall? Why/ why not?
Though Saheb was paid 800 rupees a month at the tea stall he was not happy. He has lost his freedom and
carefree look. He is no longer his own master. He is now someone's servant.
6. Why could the bangle-makers not organize themselves into a co-operative?
The bangle-makers could not organize themselves into a co-operative because they find themselves in the
clutches of the middlemen and money lenders. The police and the administration prey upon them instead of
helping them. They conspire with the middlemen and money lenders to keep the bangle-makers in poverty.
Their condition has not changed for generations because they are illiterate and fatalists and nothing can be done
to alter their lot.
7. Mention any two hazards of working in the glass bangle industry.
Ans. Working in the glass bangle industry can be dangerous for the eyes; there are chances of losing ones
eyesight. Secondly it is bad for the skin as well there was possibility of skin bum too.
8. What does the writer mean when she says `Saheb is no long his own master’?

9
Ans. The author says that Saheb was no longer his own master because he had lost his carefree look and
freedom. He was now working for the tea shop owner. Saheb's full name was 'Saheb-e-Alam' which means
`Lord of the Universe'; the poor boy was not even his own master. This is the paradox to Saheb's name.
8. Why did Saheb become a rag picker? What did he look for in the garbage dumps? What is Saheb
looking for in the garbage dumps? From where did he came and why?
Ans. Saheb's family came from Bangladesh in 1971 to live in Seemapuri, Delhi. They had come there because
their homes and fields were destroyed by storms. They, had nothing to live on. He was always searching for a
coin or a rupee or something valuable in the garbage dumps. He did this as he had no other work to do.
9. What was Mukesh's dream? In your opinion would he achieve his dream?
Ans. Mukesh wished to change his fate. He wants to be motor mechanic. He is sure to find some garage that
will take him as an apprentice. If he works hard in spite of hardships, he will be able to realize his dream.
10. Seemapuri is on the periphery of Delhi and yet miles away from it. Why does the author say so?
Ans. Seemapuri is on the periphery of Delhi and yet miles away from it. The author says this because the area
is very close to Delhi yet lacked all basic amenities. It was a dark contrast from Delhi where surroundings were
cleaner.
11. Do you think Saheb was happy to work at the tea stall? Give reasons
Ans. No, Saheb was not at all happy working at the tea stall. He was not happy because he had lost his freedom.
He was no longer independent. He was someone's servant.
12. What does the title, 'Lost Spring' convey?
Ans. The title "Lost Spring" conveys us about a social evil i.e. child labour, which is a curse in our society and
it must be eliminated; childhood is a period of mental. as well as spiritual development. If a child leads a
carefree life and interacts with same age children, play with them, only then his development is possible. "Lost
spring" is symbol of his lost childhood.
LONG-ANSWER QUESTIONS
1) How in your opinion, can Mukesh realise his dream?
Ans. Mukesh was different from the others of his community. By daring to dream, he has already taken the first
step towards a big change. He wants to become a motor mechanic and drive a car. He can realise this dream
with determination and hard work. There might be many obstacles on his way but a strong willpower will help
him move towards the way to success. The fact that he is willing to walk a long distance in order to learn the
vocation, underlines his firm resolve. The only thing left for him to do is to make that first journey to that
garage and request the owner to take him in and guide and direct him on his journey as a mechanic.
2) The bangle makers of Firozabad make beautiful bangles and make everyone happy but they live and die
in squalor. Elaborate.
Ans. Firozabad is the hub of India’s glass-blowing industry where families have spent generations making
bangles to adorn married women. The stark reality of these families is that in spite of the back breaking hard
work that they put in, they cannot have two square meals a day.They work in deplorable conditions and
many lose their eyesight early. To top it all, they live in unhygienic conditions where there is a lack of basic
amenities too.The sad reality is that the workers cannot organise themselves into a cooperative. They are
devoid of all enthusiasm and do not dare to dream of anything better. The fear of the police and lack of
leadership among themselves have confined them to a vicious circle of poverty, indifference and greed.
Thus, while they bring happiness to everyone’s life, their own life is steeped in poverty and squalor
3) Most of us do not raise our voice against injustice in our society and tend to remain mute spectators.
Anees Jung in her article, “Lost Childhood” vividly highlights the miserable life of street children and
bangle makers of Firozabad. She wants us to act. Which qualities does she want the children to develop?
Answer: Anees Jung feels that there is dire need to provide these poverty-stricken children a life of dignity
and respect. This can mainly be done through the medium of education, which will further provide them
with opportunities wherein they will be able to pursue their dreams. Lost Spring’ conveys how millions of
children in India lose out on living the ‘spring’ of their lives that is their childhood. The best phase of life is
lost in the hardships involved to earn their livelihood. Poverty forces these young children to work in the
most inhuman conditions as a result of which they miss out on the fun of childhood which hampers their
growth. There is utter lack of compassion and concern for unfortunate children like Saheb and Mukesh.
They are caught in a vicious circle of poverty and exploitation. The author wants all the children to become
aware of their basic rights which will empower them and enable them to organize themselves into
cooperatives whereby they will not be ruthlessly exploited. 10
 On the Face of it
- By Susan Hill
The theme of the story: The sad world of the physically impaired.
The theme revolves around the idea that people with physical disabilities suffer from loneliness and
mental pain. The play gives us an insight into how appearances are deceptive most often.

Summary:

1. Derry Enters Lamb’s Garden

Derry walks slowly and cautiously through the long grass. He enters Lamb’s garden. Mr.
Lamb speaks to him when he is close at hand. Derry is startled. He is apologetic. He didn’t know
if there was anybody there. Mr. Lamb tries to make Derry comfortable. Mr. Lamb says that he
can pick up crab apples. Derry need not go away on Mr. Lamb’s account. Mr. Lamb doesn’t
mind who comes in the garden. The gate is always open. Derry did not need to climb over the
wall of the garden. Derry says he didn’t come there for stealing apples. Mr. Lamb assures him
that he can stay there.

2. Derry’s Burnt Face

Derry says that people are afraid of him. They look at his face and find it terrible and ugly. Even
when, he himself sees his face in the mirror, he is afraid of himself. Mr. Lamb says that he will
get the ladder and a stick and pull down crab apples. He makes jelly from them. Derry doesn’t
want Mr. Lamb to change the subject. He wants to talk about himself. Mr. Lamb thinks that
perhaps Derry’s face got burnt in a fire. Derry corrects him. Derry says he got acid all down on
that side of his face and burnt it all way. The acid ate up his face.

3. Lamb Has a Tin Leg

Mr. Lamb is old. Derry is young. Derry has got a burnt face. Lamb has got a tin leg. Similarly,
one green plant is called a weed and another a flower. All are life. Mr. Lamb lost his leg. Some
kids call him “Lamey Lamb”. A tin leg and a burnt face are not the only things to be taken notice
of or to be stared at. There are so many other things like crab apples, weeds and sunflowers.
They deserve our attention and Mr. Lamb enjoys life and people as much as he can.

4. Derry Suffers from a Complex

Derry says that people have already told him many fairy stories to console him. They say that it is
not important what you look like. People tell these comforting lies only to console him. But Derry
knows that he will not change. He will stay as a ‘monstrous beast’. No one will kiss him ever. Only
his mother and she too kisses him on the other side of his face. He doesn’t care if nobody ever
kissed him. Mr. Lamb asks Derry if he doesn’t care to be kissed by pretty girls. Girls with long hair
and large eyes. Will he not like to be kissed by the people he loves? Derry replies that no one will
ever kiss and love him. He is grieved that he won’t ever look different. Even when he grows as old
as Mr. Lamb, he will look the same. He will still only have “half a face”. Mr. Lamb replies that
Derry may have a ‘half face’ but the world has got a ‘whole face’. He should look at it.

5. Derry Indulges in Self-pity

Derry is obsessed with what people say and comment. People remind Derry that there are
people even worse than him. They might be blind, dumb or may be mad by birth. Sometimes
people can be very cruel. A woman looked at him. She said to another woman. “Look at that,
that’s a terrible thing”. She told her that only a mother could love such a face. Mr. Lamb advises
Derry to keep his ears shut. Derry says that he doesn’t like being close to people. He can’t stand
people staring at him and passing cruel comments about him.

6. Mr. Lamb Shows the Way

Mr. Lamb reminds Derry that he can’t lock himself up in a room and never leave it. Then, he 11
 narrates to him the story of a man who was afraid of everything in the world. So he went into
his room, locked the door and stayed there. A picture fell off the wall on to his head and killed
him. Mr. Lamb says that he enjoys life as it comes. He sits in the sun and reads books. He is not
fond of curtains. Mr. Lamb motivates Derry. Derry has got two arms, two legs, eyes and ears. He
has got a tongue and also a brain. He can get on the way he wants like all others. And if he
chooses, he can “get on better than all the rest”. Derry asks “How?” Mr. Lamb replies that Derry
can live the same way as he himself does. For him everybody is welcome. The gate is always
open. Derry says that there are some people whom he hates. Mr. Lamb says that hatred is more
harmful than a bottle of acid. Derry gets up and prepares to go. He says he will come back. Mr.
Lamb says that generally people say so but never come back.

7. Derry Comes Back but Mr. Lamb Dies

Derry comes home. His mother warns him not to go back there. Derry assures her that she need not
fear. Only an old man with a tin leg lives there. He has a huge house and a garden. He is Mr.
Lamb. He says things nobody else has e v e r said. Derry runs to Mr. Lamb’s garden. He opens the
garden gate. He cries that he has come back. Suddenly, there is a crash. The ladder falls back, Mr.
Lamb also falls down with it. He dies. Derry begins to weep. He goes on crying “Lamey-Lamb! I
did come back”.
Points to Remember
1. Mr. Lamb is sitting all alone in his garden.
2. Suddenly Derry entered the garden thinking no one was inside the house. Although
the gate of the garden was open. Derry entered by jumping over the wall.
3. Derry is scared to see Mr. Lamb sitting in the garden.
4. Mr. Lamb told him that his gates were always open for all people.
5. Mr. Lamb assured him, that he could stay there if he wanted to sit there.
6. Derry told him that people were afraid of his burnt face and hated him.
7. Mr. Lamb convinced him that both of them were similar as both of them faced adisability.
8. Mr. Lamb also told him that he should not bother about what others say.
9. Derry was impressed by the positive thoughts of Mr. Lamb.
10. Gradually Derry was able to realise that he too was better than people
11. He decided to go home informed his mother and came back to help Mr. Lamb.
12. Derry fascinated by Mr Lamb’s talk, motivated and drawn towards Lamb.
13. When Derry came back he was shocked to see that Mr. Lamb had fallen from the ladder and had
bled to death.
14. Derry cried, turned emotional but gained confidence to face the world.

Character & Characteristic

Mr. Lamb Derry(14 years)

Owns an apple orchard, garden
Keeps gate open for people to meet him
Bomb blew up his leg-has tin leg
Lonely yet optimistic
Keeps his spirit high
His visitors temporary-never come back
Lives in a house with open windows& no
curtains
Enjoys life& loves people
Secretly enters Lamb's garden-jumps over the
wall
Introvert, fears people
Face spoilt by acid, pessimistic
Pained by people's attitude &their pity
Weak from inside, immature
Looks for isolation & loneliness

12
Tone & Mood of Author
The play deals with the sense of loss, a sense of isolation and how to overcome it. The actual pain caused by a
physical impairment is often lesser than the sense of alienation & isolation. Henceforth mood of author is sad
& pensive whereas tone is appealing & sermonizing.

A Few Extract Based Questions

Note : Remember to be as brief as possible.

a. ”Lord, boy, you've got two arms, two legs and eyes and ears, you've got a tongue and a brain. You'll
get on the way you want, like all the rest. And if you chose, and set your mind to it, you could get on
better than all the rest”

1. Who is the speaker in the above lines?

2. Whom is he speaking to?

3..How is the listener as good as 'all the rest'?

4. How can the listener be 'better than all the rest'? Mention any two.
Answers

1) Mr.Lamb
2) Derek (Derry)
3) As He is a perfect creation with all the forms of body except a burnt face.
4) i) Could be better in sports.
ii) could do better in studies.

b. “It's what I think and feel and what I want to see and find out and hear. And I'm going back there.
Only to help him with the crab apples. Only to look at things and listen. But I'm going.”

1. Who is the speaker in the above lines and whom is he speaking to?

2. What does the word, 'there' refer to?

3. Who is 'him' in the above extract?

4. Why does he want to go 'there' to meet 'him'?

Answers

1) Derry to his mother

2) Mr. Lamb’s garden
3) Mr. Lamb
4) To acquire the world of hope and life.

c. “Some call them weeds. If you like, then....a weed garden, that. There’s fruit and there are flowers,
and trees and herbs. All sorts. But over there....weeds. I grow weeds there. Why is one green,
growing plant called a weed and another ‘flower’? Where’s the difference. It’s all life.... growing. Same
as you and me.”

1. Name the speaker & Listener

2. Explain” Some call them weeds. If you like, then....a weed garden…”
3. What did speaker like to convey?
4. Name the Chapter & author.
13
 Answers

1) Mr.Lamb to Derry
2) As per speaker, the listener can see the world as the way he wants to see.
3) Our Life depends upon the way we perceive the world.
4) On the Face of it & Susan Hill.

Short Answer Questions

1. Why did Derry avoid people?

Ans. Derry used to avoid people, became repulsive and introvert. Actually, his physical deformity took a toll
on his mental health. he perceived that everybody was looking at and thinking about him. Thus he
developed a sort of inferiority complex and shut himself with in his self-imposed confinement, out of reach
of the outer word.
2. Why did Mr. Lamb keep the door of his house open?
Ans. Mr. Lamb was projected as the other side to the coin, in sharp contrast to a reclusive and cocooned Derry.
Mr. Lamb was a forthcoming person with open personality despite his physical impairment. His open
personality is represented by the open doors and curtain less windows of his home.

3. Why Did Derry come back to meet Mr. Lamb?

Ans. Mr. Lamb's attitude towards life changed the mind set of Derry. Derry found wings, a new perception
About himself which opened a whole new world for him and gave him a new lease of life. Though, his
mother tried to stop him to revisit Mr. Lamb, but Derry did not listen to her.

4. What did Derry's mother think of Mr. Lamb? Or Why did Derry's mother stop him, going to Mr.
Lamb ?
Ans. Derry's mother does not hold a good opinion about Mr. Lamb. She has heard many things about the old man,
therefore, she stops Derry from visiting Mr. Lamb

5. Why does Derry go back to Mr. Lamb in the end?

Ans. Mr. Lamb teaches Derry the most important lesson of life. He advises him not to care about the
comments made by others. He now no longer cares about his burned face or looks. He now wants to
think, feel, to hear and see. And therefore he returns to Mr. Lamb.

6. How does Mr Lamb influence Derry?

Ans. Lamb tells Derry that he is old and had a tin leg. Children call him Lamey-Lamb, but still they come to
this garden. They are not afraid of him because he is not afraid of them. He never bothered about his old age
or tin leg as life has many more things to offer.

7. Do you think all this will change Derry’s attitude towards Mr Lamb?
Ans. Before coming in contact with Mr Lamb, Derry showed signs of loneliness and disappointment. He felt
separated due to the behaviour of the people. Initially, he thought Mr Lamb was like other people who draw
back from him. But, he found Mr Lamb to be different from others. Mr Lamb said peculiar (odd) things which
Derry was unable to understand, yet he felt that these things did matter. Mr Lamb was able to inspire in him
self-confidence and courage.

8.Why Derry panic and want to go back when addressed by Mr. Lamb?
Ans. Derry came into Mr. Lamb’s garden quietly climbing the wall. However, when he was walking through
the long grass, Mr. Lamb asked him to walk carefully as the long grass was littered with the crab apples
dropped by wind. Derry panicked and desired to go back.

9. What did Derry know about fairy tale ‘Beauty and the beast’? Why he not convinced by its moral?
Ans. Derry had heard about the fairy tale ‘Beauty and the beast’. Beauty liked a monstrous beast for herself.
When she kissed him, he converted into a handsome prince. Its moral was that it is not how you look 14 like
rather it is what you are inside. Derry was not convinced by this moral as even if somebody kissed him, he
could never have changed his face. He would never have a whole face.

10. Why does Derry think that Mr. Lamb is in a better position than he?
Ans. Mr. Lamb has got a tin leg. He could at least put on trousers and cover up his tin leg .People don’t notice
it or stare at it .However, Derry could not cover his face. He could not stop people from staring at his burnt
face. Thus, Derry thinks that Mr. Lamb is in a better position than he.

11. What qualities of Mr. Lamb attracted Derry towards him?

Ans. Mr. Lamb impressed Derry with his positive and open attitude. He motivates Derry to think positively.
Mr. Lamb gives his own examples that he himself was a cripple. Children laughed at him, but he enjoyed his
life as it is. He never avoided others. This quality of Mr. Lamb attracted Derry towards him.

12. What does Mr. Lamb say when Derry says, “There are some people I hate.”
Ans. Mr. Lamb tells Derry that hatred could do harm him more than any battle of acid. Acid could burn only
his face but hatred could do a worse thing. It could burn him away inside.
Extra question-

 How are Derry and Mr. Lamb different in their attitude to their disability?
 Why does Derry decide to come back to Mr. Lamb’s house?
 The play “On the Face of It” ends tragically yet leaves one with a sense of hope. Explain.
 “Because if I don’t go back there. I’ll never go back anywhere in the world. “, says Derry to his
mother. How do these words reflect Derry’s state of mind? How did he come to feel this way?
 The play is an apt depiction of the loneliness and the sense of alienation experienced by people on
account of a disability. Elaborate.
 “So you are not lost, not all together”, said Mr. Lamb to Derry. What does it signify?
 What does Derry’s mother think of Mr. Lamb?
 Will Derry get back to his old seclusion pr will Mr. Lamb’s brief association effect a change in
the kind of life he will had in the future?

Long Answer Questions

Q.1. The actual pain or inconvenience caused by a physical impairment is often much less than the
sense of isolation felt by the person with disabilities. How can we help and support them?
Ans. Actual pain or inconvenience caused by physical impairment is often less than the sense of alienation
felt by the person with disabilities. Physical disabilities cause pain once in life time and cause mental
agony. Mr. Lamb is called Lamey Lamb and mothers were afraid of sending their children to him
because of his tin leg. Derry has burnt face and everyone pities him. Only the mother could love that
face. Both Mr. Lamb and Derry are victims of verbal atrocities. Mr. Lamb takes comments lightly. But
Derry does not have the attitude like Mr. Lamb. The attitude of people needs to be changed. Disabled
persons do not want sympathy. They want to be accepted as they are. Wounds get healed but bitter
comments are never forgotten as they leave behind scars.
Q.2. Who is Mr. Lamb? How does Derry get into his garden?

Ans. Mr Lamb is an old man. Probably he had served in the army where one of his leg was blown off in the
war. Now he has a tin leg. He stays in a big house and has a garden. He even keeps the gate of his garden
open. Everyone is welcomed in his garden. Most of his time is spent in reading books or sitting in the
garden. Mr Lamb has just adjusted himself with his physical impairment. He has learnt how to keep
himself steady on the ladder while plucking apples from the branches. Children used to call him ‘Lamey
Lamb’ when he goes down the street but is undisturbed taking it as fun. Thus, they are not afraid of him.
They come into his garden for apples and pears. So, Mr Lamb has a jolly good time 15
 Derry gets into his garden by climbing the wall even though the gate is open. Perhaps he does not want to
be noticed by the people while entering through the garden.
Q.3. What was it that draws Derry towards Mr. Lamb in spite of himself?
Ans. Derry felt Mr. Lamb to be a peculiar old man saying peculiar things which he did not understand.
However, he is influenced towards him. He came to know that in spite of his disability, Mr. Lamb was at
peace with himself and the people around him. Children used to call him 'Lamey-Lamb' when he went
down the street, but he was not bothered. He had no bitterness towards them. So they were not afraid of
him and came to his garden for apples and pears. Mr. Lamb gave confidence and courage to Derry. He
suggested Derry how to get over his physical impairment. Instead of brooding over his burnt face he
must consider himself blessed that even he has got two arms, two legs and eyes and ears, a tongue and a
brain. If he had the ability and set his mind to it, he would get on better than all the rest. So, Mr. Lamb
taught Derry how to get on this world in spite of his physical impairment. This drew Derry towards Mr.
Lamb in spite of the fact that he himself was suffering from physical impairment.

Q.4. In which section of the play does Mr. Lamb display signs of loneliness and disappointment? What
are the ways in which Mr. Lamb tries to overcome these feelings?
Ans. At the end of the play, Mr. Lamb shows signs of loneliness and disillusion. Derry desires to go back
home otherwise his mother would be worried. However, he promises to come back. Left isolated, Mr.
Lamb says to himself, "We all know. I'll come back. They never do, though, Never do come." We
discover Mr. Lamb showing signs of loneliness and disappointment. However, these feelings do not
overpower him.
He has evolved certain ways to overcome his feelings. He has accepted the reality of having a tin leg.
Thus, he doesn't get disturbed when children call him 'Lamely Lamb'. Instead he feels amused and
regards it as a game. Likewise, he spends time by sitting in his garden or reading books. The gate of his
garden is always open. Children could come there for apples, pears and toffees. Everyone who wanted to
come to his garden was welcome.

Q.5. Will Derry get back to his old seclusion or will Mr. Lamb's brief association effect a change in the
kind of life he will lead in the future?
Ans. Mr. Lamb's brief link with Derry was a turning point in life of Derry. Before meeting Mr. Lamb, he led a
secluded life due to the behavior of the people. People were horrified and draw back as they look at his
burnt face. So he began to avoid people and lived in seclusion. He came in the garden of Mr. Lamb
stealthily by climbing the walls even though the gate was open as he does not like to be seen by people.
Over there, he came in contact with Mr. Lamb who, like him was physically impaired. Mr. Lamb had a
tin leg as the real one was blown off in the war. Mr. Lamb who was like him had inspired Deny to face
the world in spite of his physical impairment. Instead of brooding (weeping) over his burnt face, he
should regard himself lucky that he had got two arms, two legs, and eyes and ears, a tongue and a brain.
If he set a goal to do something, his burnt face would not stand in the way and he could do even better
than all others. So Mr. Lamb infused (gave) a new spirit and zest of life in Derry who now would lead a
new life after meeting him. This was evident from the fact that he went back to Mr. Lamb's garden
despite stiff resistance of his mother.

16
 A THING OF BEAUTY
-John Keats
Theme
A thing of beauty is a source of constant joy. Beauty can be found everywhere. It is something that has the ability
to transform life. It also highlights the fact that beauty has a therapeutic quality, i.e. the ability to remove negativity.
It can be any object, nature, tales or even noble deeds of our ancestors.
Summary
According to the poet, John Keats, a thing of beauty is a source of constant joy. Its beauty goes on increasing. It
never fades away i.e. it never passes into nothingness. A beautiful thing is as comforting as a bower which is a
peaceful and pleasant place in the shade of a tree, providing shelter and protection from the hot rays of the sun,
giving us sound sleep, full of pleasant dreams, health and peaceful breathing.
As a result of this, every morning we are weaving a flowery wreath to bind us to the beauties of the Earth despite
our feelings of sadness and depression. We all possess negative attributes of hatred and disappointment. We
suffer from lack of noble qualities and follow unhealthy, evil ways. In spite of all this, a beautiful thing helps us to
remove the cover of gloom or darkness from our lives. It makes us love life despite the things that make us sad
and dampen our spirits.
Here are a number of beautiful things that have the power to uplift our spirits like the Sun, the Moon and old and
young trees. The trees sprout and spread their branches to provide shelter within their green. covering (shade) for
the simple sheep (humans). Similarly, the sight of daffodils blooming within their green surroundings, the clear
and small streams of water which make a cooling shelter for themselves against the hot season, the thick mass of
ferns looking grand with their beautiful musk roses are all things of beauty that makes us feel happy.
The mighty dead people whose achievements have made them great and powerful inspire us through their sagas
of noble works. Their legends and stories enthuse us and we imagine their magnificence. A beautiful thing is also
a source of joy just as the lovely tales we have heard or read give us profound happiness. It is like a fountain of
immortality gushing out from nature's endless fountain pouring its sacred and immortal drink into the heart and
soul of man and is a source of immense joy for us.
Poetic Devices
Metaphor:
bower quiet -- refers to a quiet shady part in the garden
sweet dreams' -happy dreams
wreathing a flowery band' -connecting to nature
'pall --a covering like a shroud
‘endless fountain of immortal drink' --refers to the deeds of great men and women that have made them a
source of inspiration for people of all times
The list of beautiful things are metaphors and symbols of nature.
flowery band, o'er darkened ways, dark spirits
Alliteration:
'noble natures' 'band to bind' ‘cooling covert’
Imagery
'flowery bands' ‘shady boon’ 'cooling covert
'daffodils in green world' 'clear rills' 'grandeur of dooms'
'endless fountain of eternal drink'
Symbol:
'simple sheep' refers to mankind, as Christ is considered the shepherd who leads human souls out of the dark
world of sins and temptations.
Transferred epithet:
'gloomy days' 'unhealthy and o'er darkened ways'
Oxymoron
'mighty dead'
VALUE POINTS
 "A Thing of Beauty" is an excerpt from the poem "Endymion"
 The poem is written in rhyming couplets.
 The rhyming scheme is 'aabb'
Mood
First, Keats describes the beauty in nature and secondly he tells us about the joy and relief nature can bring. He
refers to the sun, the moon, daffodils, and trees, stating that beauty gives life meaning and significance. Even
when beauty of nature grows fainter, we look forward to its resurrection. It can elevate our mood. Beauty is
timeless and with us to stay.
17
Extract based questions
Read the extracts given below and attempt the questions that follow:
1. A thing of beauty is a joy forever
Its loveliness increases, it will never
Pass into nothingness; but will keep
A bower quiet for us, and a sleep
Full of sweet dreams, and health, and quiet breathing.
Questions
(i) 'pass into nothingness' means
(a) never increases (b) brings nothing (c) never fades away (d) passes away
(ii) The beauty of lovely things
(a) is a bower (b) gets diverted (c) is short-lived (d) increases
Answers
(i) (c) never fade away
(ii) (d) increases
2. Therefore, on every morrow, are we wreathing
A flowery band to bind us to the earth,
Spite of despondence, of the inhuman dearth
Of noble natures, of the gloomy days,
Of all the unhealthy and o'er-darkened ways
Made for our searching: yes, in spite of all,
Questions
(i) Find a word from the extract which means 'disappointment'.
(a) spite. (b) despondence (c) wreath (d) dearth
(ii) 'are we wreathing' means
(a) we are weaving (b) we are weathering (c) we are waving (d) we are hassled

(iii) The figure of speech in 'flowery band' is

(a) simile (b) metaphor (c) pun (d) irony
Answers
(i) (b) despondence
(ii) (a) we are weaving
(iii) (b) metaphor
3.
Some shape of beauty moves away the pall
From our dark spirits. Such the sun, the moon,
Trees old, and young, sprouting a shady boon.
For simple sheep...... (HOTs)
Questions
(i) Find a word from the extract that means 'covering'.
(a) pall (b) shape (c) sprouting (d) boon
(ii) What is the figure of speech in 'simple sheep"?
(a) simile (b) metaphor (c) alliteration (d) pun
(iii) 'Our dark spirits' is a reference to
(a) things of beauty (b) wreathing a flowery band
(c) our dampened and demoralised spirits (d) grandeur of the dooms
Answers
(i) (a) pall
(ii) (c) alliteration
(iii) (c) our dampened and demoralised spirits
4. ...and such are daffodils
With the green world they live in; and clear rills
That for themselves a cooling covert make
'Gainst the hot season; the mid forest brake,
Rich with a sprinkling of fair musk-rose blooms; (HOTs)
Questions
(i) Find a word/phrase in the extract which means 'small streams'.
(a) clear rills (b) brake (c) blooms (d) sprinkling
18
(ii) 'Cooling covert' is a
(a) simile (b) metaphor (c) personification (d) alliteration
(iii) 'Cooling covert' in the extract means
(a) cold and calm (b) cool shelter of thicket
(c) shade of a tree (d) the cool green surroundings
(iv) The thick bushes in the forest have an abundant growth of
(a) rills (b) ferns (c) musk roses (d) daffodils
Answers
(i) (a) clear rills
(ii) (d) alliteration
(iii) (b) cool shelter of thicket
(iv) (c) musk roses
5.
And such too is the grandeur of the dooms
We have imagined for the mighty dead;
All lovely tales that we have heard or read;
An endless fountain of immortal drink,
Pouring unto us from the heaven's brink
Questions
(i) The immortal drink pours on
(a) the daffodils (b) us (c) rills (d) covert
(ii) 'the Mighty dead' are our
(a) great royal ancestors (b) spirits in heaven
(c) great dooms (d) pall
Answers
(i) (b) us
(ii) (a) great royal ancestors
Questions
1. What makes the poet believe that a thing of beauty can never pass into nothingness?
Important Points-
– As a worshipper of beauty, Keats strongly believed that the loveliness of beauty increases manifold and
refreshes itself every time we recall it.
– Thus the joy derived from a beautiful object remains forever and can never pass into nothingness.
2. What pleasure does a beautiful thing give us? Are beautiful things worth treasuring?
Important Points-
– A beautiful thing gives us the pleasure of joy, peace and everlasting spiritual comfort.
– Certainly, beautiful things are worth treasuring as they never fade away and their beauty keeps on growing with
every new beholder.
3. Life is full of sorrows. What brings joy in it?
Or
How do we get joy from life which is otherwise full of sorrows?
Important Points- (HOTs)
– Joy comes to our lives, which are otherwise full of sorrows from beautiful natural objects and views.
– The scenic beauty around us motivates us by providing eternal joy and peace.
4. Mention any two ‘things of beauty’ that Keats has described in his poem. How do they make us joyful?
(Comptt. Delhi 2010)
Answer:
According to Keats every small or big thing of nature is a thing of beauty and a source of pleasure. The sun, the
moon, the trees and daffodil flowers are all things of beauty. So are the small streams with clear water, mass of
ferns and the blooming musk roses.
5. Mention any two things which, according to Keats, give us pain and suffering. (Comptt. All India 2010)
Answer:
According to Keats man suffers from pain and suffering due to the inhuman dearth of noble natures on earth and
due to the inhuman and hostile attitude that makes our days sad and darkens our ways with distress and
wretchedness.
6. Keats feels that nature binds us to the earth. How does he justify this?
Answer.
According to Keats, man has a strong relationship with nature. Man is bound to the earth despite the gloom and
misery that abounds his existence. Beauty relieves man of gloom and misery The beauty that man sees around
19
him, brings him joy and respite; it is a joy forever" because of the bond he forges with nature. Like other
Romantics, Keats is a believer in the healing powers of nature. He talks about the different elements of nature that
surrounds man and overwhelms him in its magnificence.
7. Bring out the theme of love and beauty in the poem A Thing of Beauty.
Answer.
Keats, an advocate of beauty begins the verse of celebrating a thing of value which is always considered
beautiful. It remains forever in the hearts as cause of. Hence, despite human misery on earth, man is inexplicably
tied to this world. The poet discusses how the beauty of the nature bring about joy and drives away sorrow, Keats
also discusses how the legends and stories of martyrs instil inspiration in people. The various things of beauty,
love and inspiration that poet celebrates through his poem contributes to the pleasure; he calls these divine
influence that like an eternal fountain is bestowed on man.
8. According to John Keats, what is a thing of beauty? (HOTs)
Answer
John Keats, in the poem A Thing of Beauty says that nature’s creations like the Sun, the Moon, trees, sheep,
daffodils, flowing streams and bushes of musk roses are all things of beauty. He also says that the tales of the
brave men are also equally beautiful.
9. What do you understand by the term ‘a thing of beauty’?
ANSWER
A thing of beauty means a beautiful and loving creation of God which gives immense pleasure and happiness to
everyone. All creations like the Sun, the Moon, the flowers, trees, flowing streams, animals and birds, etc. are
things of beauty for various reasons. They provide light, heat, shelter, food or are just good to look at. Also, the
tales of brave men are things of beauty because they make us proud and inspire us.
10. How does Keats show his unhappiness with his fellow human beings? (HOTs)
Answer:
Keats shows his unhappiness by saying that there are only few people, who are noble in character and who rise
above pretty differences by being magnanimous and generous. There is a dearth of such noble souls on our
earth; as man is selfish and self-centred. Trials and tribulations of life spread the pall of despondence over our
dark spirits. We can remove it by making life worthwhile by enjoying the beautiful things of life bestowed upon us
by nature, but we are keen on destroying them.
11. Why is ‘grandeur’ associated with the ‘mighty dead’? (All India 2012) (HOTs)
Answer:
Grandeur is associated with the mighty dead because of their grand deeds and achieve-ments. Their
achievements make their lives extraordinary. Therefore, the grandeur of the mighty dead is a thing of beauty that
is a source of inspiration for other.
12. What makes human beings love life in spite of troubles and sufferings? (All India 2012)
Answer:
It is the occasional phases of joy and happiness that make life beautiful and make human beings love life in spite
of troubles and sufferings. Natural beauty in its various forms, like the clear rivers, the gurgling brooks and forest
vegetation, motivates us to live life and moves away the pall from our dark spirits.
13. Describe any three things of beauty mentioned in the poem, ‘A Thing of Beauty’. (All India 2012)
Answer:
The poet sees beauty in various natural things. He sees simple and scenic beauty in the image of the sun, the
moon, the trees, the sheep, the green pastures and the clear water of the small streams. All these things of
beauty are a constant source of joy for us
14. Why does a thing of beauty never pass into nothingness? (Comptt. Delhi 2012)
Answer: (HOTs)
The joy provided by a thing of beauty is ever-lasting. It leaves an indelible imprint on our mind. Its loveliness never
fades away and so it does not pass into nothingness. It increases manifold each time we think about it and thus
we are forever able to relive the joyful experience.
THE THIRD LEVEL
THEME
‘The Third Level’ is a story that weaves together a psychological journey of the narrator into past,
present and moves towards future. There is always a natural human tendency to constantly move
between the past, the present and the future. Past, present and future are strategically and organically
interconnected.
Man is mortal and has many good and bad aspects of life like love, profit, loss, good, bad, etc. All these
aspects tend to affect the human mind. Then existential worries act like a catalyst for making the human
mind constantly move between the past, the present and the future. ‘The Third Level’ is a study of
human mind caught in this cycle of time. 20
SUMMARY
‘Charley is convinced that there are three, not just two, levels of Grand Central Station. Charley’s
psychiatrist Sam Weiner and his friends think his delusion is a ‘waking-dream-wish fulfilment’ and like his
stamp collection, a temporary refuge from a world full of insecurity, fear, war and worry’.
Charley describes how one evening while hurrying home from office he decides to take the subway from
Grand Central Station, and gets lost. He eventually finds himself on a strange third level with spittoons,
gaslights, an ancient locomotive and people whose appearance and clothes look strange. He realizes
that he has somehow gone back in time to 1894, which is confirmed by the newspaper’s lead story on
President Cleveland.
Charley tries to buy tickets to Galesburg, Illinois, a wonderful town… with big old frame houses, huge
lawns and tremendous trees…, and where summer evenings were twice as long and people lived in
peace and harmony. But the clerk won’t accept his 1950 currency and so he leaves the station.
During his lunch break the next day, Charley withdraws nearly all his savings and buys old-style
currency to buy tickets to Galesburg of 1894. But he can never again find the entrance to the third level
at Grand Central Station. Charley finds evidence that the third level actually exists when he discovers a
letter dated July 18, 1894 addressed to his grandfather at Galesburg, Illinois, from his psychiatrist Sam
Weiner who it seems was not skeptical of the third level as he had appeared.
VALUE POINTS
Charlie : 31 year old, office goer, claims visiting the third levels
• Description of the Third level
– Small room, few ticket windows and train gates, wooden and old looking information booth.
– Men had beards, side burns, fancy moustaches
– Women wore skirts, high buttoned shoes and leg of muttons sleeves.
– A man looking at a pocket watch
– Old style locomotive with funnel shaped stack
– Open gaslights being used
– Brass spittoons on floor
– Wants to visit his home town, Galesburg
– Past is quiet and peaceful
– Tries to buy two tickets to Galesburg (one ticket for his wife Louisa)
– Clerk grows suspicious as Charlie doesn’t have old style currency.
– Back to present day world
• People’s reaction to Charlie’s experience
– Presidents of NY railroads swear on the existence of two levels.
– Psychiatrist friend Sam refuses to believe
– Interprets it as an escape from insecurity fear, war and worry of the modern world.
– Louisa too disbelieves Charlie
• Charlie’s determination to find the Third Level
– Withdraws money, buys old currency worth 300 dollars.
– Fails to find the Third Level
– Louisa and Psychiatrist worried.
• Unexpected Ending
– Sam disappears
– Charlie finds a first day cover, never seen before
– Note from Sam dated 18th July 1894 from Galesburg
– Sam asks Charlie and Louisa to come to Galesburg and enjoy quiet and peaceful life.
– Charlie discovers Sam had bought old currency worth 800 dollars.
– Enough to help him start hay and grain business in 1894 at Galesburg
CHARACTERS
The chapter majorly revolves around just three characters - Charlie, Sam and Louisa. Let us talk in detail
about these three characters of the chapter “Third Level”.

Charlie: Charlie is the protagonist of the story and also the narrator of the story. He is a thirty one-year-
old man. He was not happy with his present life, and one night he had a weird incident when21he
experienced the third level of the Grand Central Station of New York, which supposedly has only two
levels. He saw people with old fashioned dresses on this third level and he also found a newspaper
saying the date June 11, 1894. Charlie started to believe in the existence of this third level, which was
operated in the 1890s. When he told about this experience to his wife (Louisa), she started to worry
about him and sent him to his psychiatrist friend, Sam. he told Charlie that because he was unhappy
with his life, he experienced “a waking dream wish fulfilment”.
Sam: Sam is the second most important character in the story. He is a psychiatrist and a friend of the
protagonist, Charlie. When Charlie experiences the presence of the third level in the grand central
station of New York, he visits Sam for consultation due to his wife. Sam said that Charlie is unhappy with
his life due to which he got this experience and called Charley’s experience as “waking dream wish
fulfilment” and declared it a mere “Temporary refuge” from the tensions of the real world. But after some
time, he finds himself entangled in this imaginary world. Sam has to listen to the worries of many psychic
patients daily, which affects Sam’s life badly. And to escape this stressful life, he got caught in the
imaginary world.
Louisa: Louisa Mebbin was the protagonist’s wife. She was a shrewd and cunning woman, who
perfectly knew how to grab any opportunity that comes at her door. She was also called an opportunist
in the story. She got worried when her husband told her about his experience of the third level of Grand
Central Station of New York.
Poetic Devices
It was a waking dream – Metaphor
Well, who doesn’t – Rhetorical Question
In and out – Antithesis
Like a tree – Simile
Like roots – Simile
I didn’t pass a soul – Synecdoche
Have you ever been there? Rhetorical Question
Extract based questions
(1) The presidents of the New York Central and the New York, New Haven and Hartford railroads will swear on a
stack of timetables that there are only two. But I say there are three, because I've been on the third level of the
Grand Central Station. Yes, I've taken the obvious step: I talked to a psychiatrist friend of mine, among others. I
told him about the third level at Grand Central Station, and he said it was a waking dream wish fulfillment.
a. Name the chapter.
1. The Last Lesson
2. Should Wizard Hit Mommy
3. . On the Face of It
4. The Third Level
b. Name the author of this chapter.
1. Alphonse Daudet
2. • Jack Finale
3. • Jack Finney
4. • John Updike
c. Who is 'I' in the above extract?
1. • Charley
2. • Louisa
3. • Sam
4. Coin Dealer

d. "There are only two" What is two in this statement?

1. • Blocks
2. • Platforms
3. • Levels
4. • Towers
Answers
a.The Third Level 22
b.• Jack Finney
c.• Charley
d.• Platforms
(2) But that’s the reason, he said, and my friends all agreed. Everything points to it, they claimed. My
stamp collecting, for example; that ‘s a temporary refuge from reality.’
(i) Who is ‘he’ in the above extract?
a. Galesburg
b. Sam
c. Charley
d. Jack
(ii) Which reason of the problem is being cited here?
a. Charley wanted to have refuge from reality.
b. Charley wanted to become rich.
c. Charley wanted to have a political career.
d. Charley wanted to marry again.
(iii) Which other evidence did prove that Charley was an escapist?
a. Hobby of collecting coins
b. Hobby of collecting butterflies
c. Hobby of collecting stones
d. Hobby of collecting stamps
(iv) Who in Charley’s ancestors pursued philately?
a. His father
b. His Grandfather
c. His Great grandfather
d. His maternal uncle
Answers
(i) b. Sam
(ii)a. Charley wanted to have refuge from reality.
(iii)d. Hobby of collecting stamps
(iv) b. His Grandfather
(3). The Presidents of the New York Central and the New York, New Haven and Hartford railroads will
swear on a stack of timetables that there are only two. However, I say there are three, because I’ve
been on the third level of the Grand Central Station.
(i) Who is ‘I’ in the above lines?
a. Jack
b. Galesburg
c. Sam
d. Charley
(ii) What will the presidents of railway stations swear?
a. There is only one level.
b. There are only two levels.
c. There are only three levels.
d. There is sometimes a third level.
(iii) Why did ‘I’ contradict them?
a. He feels that there are two levels.
b. He feels that there are three levels.
c. He has never seen the third level.
d. None of these
(iv) Pick up the word which has the similar meaning as ‘a pile of objects’.
a. Swear
b. Stack
c. However
d. Been
Answers
(i)d. Charley 23
(ii)b. There are only two levels.
(iii)b. He feels that there are three levels.
(iv)b. Stack
(4). That night, among my oldest first-day covers, I found one that shouldn’t have been there. But there it
was. It was there because someone had mailed it to my grandfather at his home in Galesburg; that’s
what the address on the envelope said.
(i) What did ‘I’ find one night?
a. a strange coin
b. a strange stamp
c. a strange cover
d. a strange butterfly
(ii) What is first-day cover?
a. coins bought on the first day of sale
b. envelopes mailed with stamps, on the first day of their sale
c. coins purchased that day
d. stamps purchased that day
(iii) Who had mailed the letter to ‘I’?
a. Sam
b. Charley
c. Jim
d. Louisa
Answers
(i)c. a strange cover
(ii)b. envelopes mailed with stamps, on the first day of their sale
(iii)a. Sam
(5) I talked to a psychiatrist friend of mine, among others. I told him about the third level at Grand
Central station, and he said it was a waking dream wish fulfilment. He said I was unhappy. That made
my wife kind of mad, but he explained he meant the modern world is full of insecurity, fear, war, worry
and all the rest of it, and that I just want to escape.
(i) Who is the psychiatrist friend of ‘I’?
a. Jack
b. Galesburg
c. Sam
d. Charley
(ii) How did his psychiatrist friend diagnose his problem?
a. sleeplessness
b. anxiety
c. waking dream wish fulfilment
d. both a and b
(iii) Why did the psychiatrist’s analysis made Louisa lose her temper?
a. he had analysed that Charley was unhappy.
b. he had analysed that Charley was a prince.
c. he had analysed that Charley had become mad.
d. he had not shared his analysis report with Louisa.
(iv) How did psychiatrist explain the problem of ‘I’ and appease Louisa?
a. he was trying to escape his fears and frustrations.
b. he was trying to lead a happy life.
c. he was trying to become sufficiently rich.
d. he was trying to guide him.
Answers
(i)a. Jack
(ii)c. waking dream wish fulfilment
(iii)a. he had analysed that Charley was unhappy.
(iv)a. he was trying to escape his fears and frustrations. 24
Short answer questions
Question 1.
What does the third level refer to? What is the significance of the third level? (2001; 2004, Delhi)
Answer:
The third level is a medium of escape through which man yearns to be away from life’s harsh realities.
Modem life is devoid of peace and tranquility so man in his quest to seek solace escapes to a place
where his aim is to seek the realization of his dreams and unfulfilled wishes of his subconscious mind.
Question 2.
What convinced Charley that he had reached the third level at Grand Central Station and not the second
level? (2010 Delhi)
Answer:
The general layout of the third level was different from that of the second level. It had comparatively
smaller rooms, fewer ticket windows and lesser train gates. The infor¬mation booth in the centre was
made of wood and looked old. The place with its brass spittoons did not look very bright. So Charley was
convinced it was not the second level.
Question 3.
How does Charley, the narrator describe the third level at Grand Central Station? (2013 Delhi)
Answer:
Charley says that the rooms on the third level were smaller than that of the second level. There were
fewer ticket windows and train gates and the information booth in the centre was wood and old looking.
There were open- flame gaslights and brass spittoons on the floor. Everyone at the station was dressed
in nineteenth century dresses.
Question 4.
How did Charley make sure that he was not in the present time? (2002 Delhi)
Answer:
To make sure that he was not in the present time, Charley did a reality check. He looked at the
newspapers which were on sale at a kiosk and found a copy of the newspaper ‘The World’, which
carried the main story on President Cleveland. Then he confirmed from the Public Library files that the
newspaper he had seen was dated 11th June, 1894.
Question 5.
How did Charley often get lost on the Grand Central Station? (2010 Delhi)
Answer:
The Grand Central Station was growing like a tree pushing out endless corridors, doorways and stairs
like roots. It had intricate and tangled pathways. The network of passages was so complicated that
instead of reaching his destination, one did tend to move up and down to look for entries and exits. So,
Charley often got lost on this station.
Question 6.
Why did Charley suspect that Sam had gone to Galesburg? (2011 Outside Delhi)
Answer:
When Sam disappeared all of a sudden and no one knew about his whereabouts, Charley suspected he
had gone to Galesburg as Sam was a city boy and liked Galesburg very much. Then Charley found an
envelope mailed to Sam by his grandfather from his home in Galesburg and so it confirmed that Sam
was indeed in Galesburg.
Question 7.
How does Charley describe Galesburg as it used to be in 1894? (2013 Comptt. Outside Delhi)
Answer:
Charley describes Galesburg as a quiet, simple and peaceful place with big old frame houses, huge
lawns and tremendous trees. The summer evenings were rather long and people sat out on their lawns
in a peaceful world, men smoking cigars and women waving palm-leaf fans.
Question 8.
What did Charley learn about Sam from the stamp and coin store? (2012 Outside Delhi)
Answer:
From the stamp and coin store Charley gets to know that Sam had bought old style currency worth eight
25
hundred dollars. This money was sufficient to set him up in a little hay, feed and grain business in
Galesburg.
Question 9.
How did Sam reach Galesburg? What did he advise Charley to do? (2012 Outside Delhi)
Answer:
Sam was fascinated by Charley’s description of Galesburg. He was so burdened by the tensions and
stress of modem life that he thought of escaping to the peaceful world of Galesburg. His advice to
Charley is that, he (Charley) and his wife, Louisa should come over to Galesburg through the medium of
the ‘third level’.
Question 10.
Why did the booking clerk refuse to accept the money? (2010 Delhi)
Answer:
The booking clerk refuses to accept the money because the notes Charley had given him were of old
style. He did not pay in the currency notes that were in circulation in 1894. So the clerk stared at him and
told him, “That ain’t money, Mister”. He thought Charley was trying to cheat him and even threatened to
get him arrested.
Question 11.
Why did Charley rush back from the third level? (2012 Outside Delhi)
Answer:
When Charley took out the modem currency to pay for the two tickets to Galesburg, the ticket clerk
accused him of trying to cheat him. He threatened to hand Charley over to the police. Charley was
frightened and he decided to rush back from the third level, lest he was arrested and put into prison.
Question 12.
How did Charley reach the third level of Grand Central? How was it different from the other levels?
(2009 Delhi; 2012 Comptt. Delhi)
Answer:
One night Charley worked till late at the office. Then he was in a hurry to get back to his apartment. So
he decided to take the subway from Grand Central. He went down the steps and came to the first level.
Then he walked down to the second level from where the suburban trains left. He ducked into an arched
doorway that headed to the subway. Then he got lost. Knowing that he was going wrong he continued to
walk downward. The tunnel turned a sharp left and then taking a short flight of stairs he came out on the
third level at the Grand Central Station. Here he saw many unusual things. There were very few ticket
windows and train gates that were old-looking and made of wood. Dim gaslights flickered and men wore
derby hats and four-button suits. It was a rather strange world of sideburns, beards and fancy
moustaches.
Question 13.
Do you think that the third level was a medium of escape for Charley? Why? (2005; 2008 Delhi)
Answer:
The fears, anxieties and insecurities of the modem world are taking a toll on man’s mind. He feels
helpless and frustrated and seeks temporary respite from life’s harsh realities. Charley too was unable to
cope up with his fastpaced and stressful life so his flight to the third level was undoubtedly a medium of
escape for him. It is nothing but a creation of Charley’s own mind. He wants to escape from the modern
world’s insecurity, fear, worries and stress and so seeks an exit, a medium to get away into the world of
dreams and fancies.
Question 14.
What made Charley believe that the was actually standing at the third level? (2010 Comptt. Delhi)
Answer:
One night Charley worked late at the office. He was in a hurry to get to his apartment. So he decided to
take the subway from Grand Central. He ducked into an arched doorway and then he got lost. He
walked down the steps to the second level, turned left and kept on walking. He came out on the third
level at the Grand Central Station. This was a different, old and romantic world. So he was convinced
that he was actually standing at the third level. There were fewer ticket windows there which were made
of wood and were old-looking. There were open flame gaslights. He saw people with beards, sideburns
and fancy moustaches. Then he caught a glimpse of an old locomotive and also saw an 1894 issue of26
‘The World’ newspaper. Perhaps Charley is under pressure to escape from the harsh world of realities.
He would like to escape to the peaceful world of 1894.
Question 15.
What kind of people did Charley ‘See’ at the third level? (2011 Outside Delhi, 2010 Comptt. Outside
Delhi)
Answer:
Having worked late at the office Charley decided to take a train back home. So he came to Grand
Central Station and from the second level he got lost while ducking into an arched doorway and found
himself inside a tunnel. This tunnel took him to another light of stairs and he found himself on the third
level of the station. As compared to the second level, the third level had smaller rooms, fewer ticket
windows and train gates. Everyone there was dressed in ‘eighteen-ninety-something’. Charley came
across men and women wearing 19th century dresses. Men sported fancy moustaches, beards and
sideburns. Tiny lapels, four-button suits, derby hats and pocket gold watches seemed to be in vogue.
Women were wearing fancy cut sleeves, long skirts and high-buttoned shoes. Charley was confused to
see people sporting old-fashioned clothes and hair styles at the third level.
Question 16.
How does Charley make his description of the third level very realistic? (2013 Comptt. Delhi)
Answer:
To make his description of the third level very realistic, Charley describes its minute details, vividly
comparing it to the second level of the Grand Central station. He says the rooms here were smaller.
There were fewer ticket windows and train gates, and the information booth was wooden and old-
looking. He also gives a detailed description about the people he saw at the third level and their dresses.
He says the people wore nineteenth century dresses; many men had beards, sideburns and fancy
moustaches. He also buys tickets to Galesburg, Illinois thus making the reader believe that he was
actually at the third level.
Question 17.
You have read ‘Adventure’ by Jayant Narlikar in Hombill Class XI. Compare the inter weaving of fantasy
and reality in the two stories.
Answer:
The lesson ‘Adventure’ written by ‘Jayant Narlikar’ describes about the past’s happening and its major
effect on history of the world. Professor Gaitonde made transition from one world to another during his
unique experience about battle of Panipat and the professor went back to that time, supposing
Maratha’s victory, thus he experienced a different world.
In ‘the third level’, Charley and Sam both escaped from the present situations and experienced a
different world. Both the stories are the interweaving of fantasy and reality, facing past and present
experiences of the characters and define their mental condition and imaginations
Question 18.
Philately helps keep the past alive. Discuss other ways in which this is done. What do you think of the
human tendency to constantly move between the past, the present and the future?
Answer:
Philately Stamp collecting, the study of postage stamps, postal routes, postal history etc. is a way
adopted by many persons to keep the past alive in their minds. Except this way, various other ways
keep our past alive as through museums, historical buildings & monuments, things used by the past
persons, photographs, old books; we travel into our past.
Its the common tendency of human beings to travel or to constantly move between the past, the present
and the future. Actually, we live in present but through the gift of memory given by God, we go years
back and through the power of imagination, we try to step into future also. This shifting is controlled by
our conscious and unconscious both parts of mind and thus we find satisfaction and enjoy and survive in
this world in the present.
Going Places
Theme of the Story:

27
Barton explores the theme of adolescent fantasizing and hero-worship in this story through the character
Sophie. The author also coveys through the story that it is natural for the adolescents to fantasize but to
a certain level because there is no use of building castles in the air.
Summary
Sophie and Jansie are two teenagers who are coming back from school. They both work in a biscuit
factory. Sophie is lost in her imagination of owning a boutique shop and becoming famous like Mary
Quaint, a fashion designer. Jansie tells her not to dream big as it requires lots of money which they don’t
have. To this she replies that she will become an actress, earn a lot and then own a boutique. Jansie
being a realistic person does not support her thoughts. On reaching home Sophie feels choked in that
small house which is full of the stove’s steam and looks untidy because of the dirty dishes. Her father is
eating and her mother is busy in the kitchen. She goes to meet her elder brother Geoff, who is a trainee
mechanic and is busy repairing some motorcycle part. Geoff talks very less about his personal life which
made her imagine of his personal life which she considers very interesting and wants to be part of it. She
shares a secret with him that she met Danny Casey the famous footballer in a boutique. Her brother and
her father do not believe her. But she tries to make them believe this. She also tells her brother about
her date with Casey. Her brother does not believe her but gives her a chance to believe her story. On
Saturday Sophie and her family go to watch a football match as all of them are great fans of football.
Their favorite team wins due to a goal made by Casey. All of them feel so overjoyed. When Sophie
returns home with her little brother Derek, Jansie questions her about the reality behind her meeting with
Danny Casey. Sophie gets angry with her brother because of letting her secret out but tries to handle the
situation and succeeds. She then visits a secret place near a canal to meet her hero Casey who doesn’t
show up. She knows that it was just her imagination but she was so lost in his love that she doesn’t want
to come out of this. In the end she returns back to her home with sadness in her heart. But when she
comes across the Royce’s boutique, she again finds herself lost in her hero’s dreams.
GIST OF THE LESSON
 The lesson explores the theme of adolescent fantasies and hero worship.
 Sophie and Jansie are both in the last year of high school and both knew that they were destined
to work in the biscuit factory as they belong to a working class family.
 Yet, Sophie, always dreams of big and beautiful things, glamour and glory. 94
 Her ambitions are not rooted in reality i.e., have no relation with the harsh realities of life.
 In contrast is Jansie, Sophie’s friend, a realistic and practical girl.
 Sophie lives in male-dominated family where her mother was only a shadow. The men were
football fans and the conversations around the dinner table were about Danny Casey, their Hero.
 Sophie wants some attention from her father and brother and telling them that she met Casey,
was her way of drawing their attention towards her.
 But she carries her fantasies too far when she starts to live them.
CHARACTER SKETCH OF IMPORTANT CHARACTERS:
Sophie:
1. Teenager
2. DayDreamer
3. Lives in her own fantasies
4. Dislikes Jansie for discouraging her to have wild thoughts.
5. Is ambitious and wants to open a boutique, be an actress or a fashion designer. sensitive and
innocent
6. Escapes into an unrealistic world so that she could reach those places where she can never be there
in real.
Geoff:
1. Sophie's elder brother
2. He is an apprentice mechanic
3. Lives a very private and secret life
4. Did not speak much, very quiet
5. His ventures in life make way for Sophie's unrealistic ad wild thoughts.
Jansie :
1. Sophie's friend 28
2. Sensible and practical
3. Brings Sophie back to the real world by making her realize that they both are embarked to work in the
biscuit factory and that her father will never allow Sophie to open a boutique.
4. Nosey
5. She cannot keep a secret.
6. The exact opposite of Sophie.
Sophie’s Father
1. He is not named in the story, but the writer describes him as a drunkard and a grim person.
2. He is very cold in his attitude toward her daughter and doesn’t pay any heed to her dreams and
illusions.
3. He always reprimanded her for telling cock and bull stories; his attitude scared the readers and
children.
5. Danny Cassey
He is the story is the famous Irish footballer and the love charm of teen girl Sophie. He has been
described as young, bright, and having gentle and soft eyes and Sophie added that he is no bolder and
no taller than her.
6. Sophie’s Mother
She is the homemaker of the family and is described as having no affection and attachment toward her
family. She wears an apron all the time and is fed up with doing household chores.
Short answer questions
Question 1.
“Damn that Geoff, this was a Geoff thing not a Jansie thing.” Why did Sophie say so? (Delhi
2010)
Answer:
Sophie had cooked up the story of her meeting with Danny Casey to impress Geoff who was a great fan
of the football prodigy. She knew this news would be of great interest to her brother. She had also
thought her brother would keep her secret. She did not want Jansie, who was ‘nosey’, to know about
this. So when Geoff told Jansie, Sophie cursed him because she knew Jansie would spread her story in
the entire neighbourhood.
Question 1.
“Damn that Geoff, this was a Geoff thing not a Jansie thing.” Why did Sophie say so? (Delhi
2010)
Answer:
Sophie had cooked up the story of her meeting with Danny Casey to impress Geoff who was a great fan
of the football prodigy. She knew this news would be of great interest to her brother. She had also
thought her brother would keep her secret. She did not want Jansie, who was ‘nosey’, to know about
this. So when Geoff told Jansie, Sophie cursed him because she knew Jansie would spread her story in
the entire neighbourhood.
Question 2.
Why did Sophie like her brother Geoff more than any other person? (All India 2010)
Answer:
For Sophie, her brother Geoff was the only person who listened to her fantasies and long cherished
dreams. She only trusted Geoff to keep all her secrets to himself.
Question 3.
Why didn’t Sophie want Jansie to know about her story with Danny? (All India 2010)
Answer:
Jansie told Sophie that Geoff had given her the news of her (Sophie’s) meeting with Danny Casey.
Sophie cursed Geoff for telling Jansie this because it was meant to be something special between Geoff
and her. ‘It wasn’t the jansie kind of thing at all’. Jansie was ‘nosey’ and now the whole neighbourhood
would come to know her story.
Question 4.
What did Sophie tell Geoff about her meeting with Danny Casey? (All India 2010)
Answer:
29
Sophie told Geoff that she had met Danny Casey, the wonder footballer. As she was looking at the
clothes in a shop’s window Casey came and stood beside her. Geoff did not believe her. Sophie then
went on to tell him that Casey had green and gentle eyes and he was not very tall.
Question 5.
Why didn’t Sophie want Jansie to know about her story with Danny? (Delhi 2011)
Answer:
Sophie did not want Jansie to know anything about her meeting with Danny Casey because she knew
Jansie was good at spreading rumours. Telling anything to Jansie was like telling the whole town.
Sophie had made up this story only for her family and she did not want this story to spread in the town.
Question 6.
Did Geoff keep his promise to Sophie? How do you know? (Delhi 2011)
Answer:
No, Geoff did not keep his promise to Sophie. He told Sophie’s secret to Jansie’s brother Frank who in
turn told Jansie about it. We know this because Jansie questions Sophie about her meeting with
footballer, Danny Casey and Sophie is startled that Jansie knows about this meeting.
Question 7.
How did Sophie’s father react when Geoff told him about her meeting with Danny Casey? (Delhi
2011)
Answer:
When Geoff told their father about Sophie’s meeting with Danny Casey he did not believe it and
suspected it was one of Sophie’s wild stories. He was filled with disdain and did not want to encourage
her in any way. So he warned her to keep herself out of any kind of trouble.
Question 8.
What thoughts came to Sophie’s mind as she sat by the canal? (All India 2011)
Answer:
Sophie considers the spot along the canal the best place for a date, as it is away from the rush of the
city. As she sits by the canal she is lost in the world of her dreams. She imagines Casey coming along
the river and her own excitement thereafter.
Question 9.
Which was the only occasion when Sophie got to see Danny Casey in person? (All India 2011)
Answer:
The only occasion when Sophie got to see Danny Casey in person was when she had gone to see the
football match with her family. Sitting among the spectators, she saw Danny Casey from a distance.
Question 10.
Why did Jansie discourage Sophie from enter¬taining thoughts about the sports-star, Danny
Casey? (All India 2011)
Answer:
Jansie is a practical girl who lives in the real world. She knows that Danny Casey, a sports- star is far
beyond Sophie’s dreams and imagination. So she discourages Sophie from entertaining any kind of wild
thoughts about him.
Question 11.
Did Geoff keep his promise? How do you know? (Comptt. Delhi 2011)
Answer:
No, Geoff did not keep his promise. He told Frank about Sophie’s meeting with Danny Casey though he
had promised her he would not disclose it. Even Jansie came to know about it. Sophie was happy to
know that Geoff had at least not revealed the date of her meeting with Casey.
Question 12.
Why did Sophie not want Jansie to know any¬thing about her meeting with Danny Casey?(All
India 2012)
Answer:
Sophie did not want Jansie to know anything about her meeting with Danny Casey because she knew
Jansie was good at spreading rumours. Telling anything to Jansie was like telling the whole town.
Sophie had made up this story only for her family and she did not want this story to spread in the town.
Question 13. 30
What do you think of Sophie’s dream about her career? (Comptt. Delhi 2012)
Answer:
Sophie’s dreams of her future life are far removed from her reality. She dreams of owning a boutique, of
becoming an actress but the fact was that she was earmarked for the biscuit factory. Sophie drifts into a
world of fantasy and wants to live her dreams by stepping out of her middle-class status.
Question 14.
Though Sophie and Jansie were good friends, how were they basically different from each
other? (Comptt. All India 2012)
Answer:
Although Sophie and Jansie were good friends they were completely different from each other.
Sophie lived in a world of dreams and fantasy, a world which was far removed from reality. Jansie, on
the other hand, was a sensible and realistic girl who was grounded to her reality.
Question 15.
Why did Sophie want to keep her story with Danny a secret from Jansie? (Comptt. All India 2012)
Answer:
Sophie did not want Jansie to know anything about her meeting with Danny Casey because she knew
Jansie was good at spreading rumours. Telling anything to Jansie was like telling the whole town.
Sophie had made up this story only for her family and she did not want this story to spread in the town.
Question 16.
Why did Sophie like her brother, Geoff more than any other person? (Delhi 2013)
Answer:
For Sophie, her brother Geoff was the only person who listened to her fantasies and long cherished
dreams. She only trusted Geoff to keep all her secrets to himself.
Question 17.
Why was Sophie jealous of Geoff’s silence? (All India 2013)
Answer:
Sophie’s brother’s hallmark is his silence. Sophie feels “words have to be prized out of him like stone out
of the ground.” She is jealous of his silence and is very keen to enter the recesses of his mind. There is
so much about her brother that Sophie only suspects because she has never really known anything
about him.
Question 18.
Did Geoff keep up his promise? How do you know? (All India 2013)
Answer:
No, Geoff did not keep his promise. He told Frank about Sophie’s meeting with Danny Casey though he
had promised her he would not disclose it. Even Jansie came to know about it. Sophie was happy to
know that Geoff had at least not revealed the date of her meeting with Casey.
Question 19.
What is unrealistic about Sophie’s dreams of her future life? (Comptt. Delhi 2013)
Answer:
Sophie’s dreams of her future life are far removed from her reality. She dreams of owning a boutique, of
becoming an actress but the fact was that she was earmarked for the biscuit factory. Sophie drifts into a
world of fantasy and wants to live her dreams by stepping out of her middle-class status.
Question 20.
Why does Jansie discourage Sophie from living in a world of fantasy? (Comptt. Delhi 2013)
Answer:
Jansie was a realistic and practical girl who knew both she and Sophie were earmarked for the biscuit
factory. So she discouraged Sophie from living in a world of fantasy. Whenever Sophie expressed her
wishes aloud Jansie became melancholic and told Sophie to behave sensibly.
Question 21.
Why did Sophie not want Jansie to know about her story with Danny? (Comptt. Delhi 2013)
Answer:
Sophie did not want Jansie to know anything about her meeting with Danny Casey because she knew
Jansie was good at spreading rumours. Telling anything to Jansie was like telling the whole town.
31
Sophie had made up this story only for her family and she did not want this story to spread in the town.
Question 22.
How do we know that Sophie’s family lived in poor circumstances? (Comptt. All India 2013)
Answer:
We know that Sophie’s family lived in poor circumstances as her father worked hard as a manual
labourer. Her mother’s back had become crooked due to the burden of household work. Their house
was rather small, easily suffocated with steam from the stove.
Question 23.
Why did Sophie want to be admitted into Geoff’s affections? (Comptt. All India 2013)
Answer:
Geoff was an apprentice mechanic who traveled to the far side of the city every day. Sophie wished she
could be admitted into Geoff’s affections so that someday he might take her with him to meet those
exotic and interesting people whom he never spoke about.
Question 24.
Whom did Sophie like more than anyone else in the story? Why? (Comptt. All India 2013)
Answer:
Sophie liked her brother Geoff more than anyone else. She was most fascinated by his evasiveness and
wanted to travel with him to his enigmatic world. Her brother’s lost and inquisitive eyes captivated her
and his silence intrigued her.
Question 25.
Why did Sophie long for her brother’s affection? (All India 2014)
Answer:
Sophie longed for her brother’s affection because she trusted him more than any other member of her
family. He symbolised freedom and she wanted to be a part of his exotic and adventurous world. He was
the only one to whom she could look for approval as her father was critical and disapproving and she
hero- worshipped him.
Question 26.
How are Jansie and Sophie different from each other? (Comptt. Delhi 2014)
Answer:
Although Jansie and Sophie are classmates and friends, their approach to life is completely different
from each other. While Jansie is practical and grounded to reality, Sophie lives in a make-believe world
of her own, which she ‘invents’ in her imagination.
Question 27.
Why is Sophie attracted to Danny Casey? (Comptt. Delhi 2014)
Answer:
Danny Casey is an Irish football prodigy and Sophie is attracted to him because like most youngsters
she idolizes and hero-worships him. So she envisions her meetings with the football star and also gives
vivid details of their meetings.
Question 28.
What was Sophie’s ambition in life? How did she hope to achieve that? (Delhi 2017)
Answer:
Sophie’s ambition in life was either to have her own boutique and be a fashion designer or to be an
actress. She wanted to do something a bit sophisticated. She hoped to achieve her ambition by being a
manager at a boutique to start with and then save enough money to have her own boutique.
Question 29.
Why did Jansie discourage Sophie from hav-ing dreams? (All India 2017)
Answer:
Jansie was a realistic and practical girl who knew both she and Sophie were earmarked for the biscuit
factory. So she discouraged Sophie from living in a world of fantasy. Whenever Sophie expressed her
wishes aloud Jansie became melancholic and told Sophie to behave sensibly.
Long Answer Type Questions
Question 30.
Contrast Sophie’s real world with her fantasies. (Delhi 2009)
Answer:
32
Sophie belongs to a lower middle class family and lives a humble life with her parents and elder brother.
But her dreams far supercede the reality in which she is living. Her dreams are far beyond her reach. So
she wishes to open a boutique, entertains the idea of being an actress and also aspires to be a fashion
designer. Her dreamy disposition and romantic allusions lead her to hero-worship the wonder-footballer,
Danny Casey towards whom she develops a romantic fascination. Though she sees him only once in
person she sits for hours imagining Danny Casey coming to her. The incurable dreamer in her remains
an escapist who wants to remain away from her real world.
Question 31.
Describe the character of Sophie’s father and the role played by him. (Delhi 2009)
Answer:
Sophie’s father is a happy-go-lucky and carefree man. He does not appear to be either soft or even
sophisticated. He is a heavy breathing man. He usually sits in his vest at the table. Sophie, it appears,
fears him. He does not believe in his daughter’s ‘wild stories’ and so he ignores her completely and
prefers to go and watch television than listen to her. Even when his son Geoff tells him that Sophie had
met the Irish prodigy Danny Casey, he completely ignores this news. He is extremely interested in
football and, like all his children, he also adores Danny Casey. He is a middle-class man who goes to
the pub on his bicycle to celebrate his team’s victory and the fact that Casey had scored a second goal.
He is a rather dominating person and a typical representation of the lower middle-class family of that
time.
Question 32.
Jansie is just as old as Sophie but she is very different from her. Bring out the contrast bet¬ween
the two friends citing relevant instances from the story, “Going Places”. (All India 2009)
Answer:
Sophie and Jansie were classmates as well as friends. They both belonged to lower middle- class
families. But that is where their similarity ends. There is a striking contrast between their characters.
Sophie is a day-dreamer and Jansie is practical. Sophie lives in a world of dreams and does not want to
come out of this fairyland. She is an incurable escapist and dreams of having a boutique, becoming an
actress or a fashion designer. Jansie, on the other hand, is very grounded. Jansie has her feet firmly
planted on the ground and knows they are both ‘earmarked for the biscuit factory’. She knows big things
require big money and experience which they lack desperately. She advises Sophie to be sensible and
not entertain wild dreams. Sophie and Jansie’s temperaments differ greatly. While Sophie shares her
dreams only with one person, her brother Geoff, Jansie on the other hand is nosey. She takes an
interest in learning new things about others and can spread stories in the whole neighbourhood.
Question 33.
Contrast Sophie’s real world with her fantasies. (Comptt. All India 2011)
Answer:
Sophie belongs to a lower middle class family and lives a humble life with her parents and elder brother.
But her dreams far supercede the reality in which she is living. Her dreams are far beyond her reach. So
she wishes to open a boutique, entertains the idea of being an actress and also aspires to be a fashion
designer. Her dreamy disposition and romantic allusions lead her to hero-worship the wonder-footballer,
Danny Casey towards whom she develops a romantic fascination. Though she sees him only once in
person she sits for hours imagining Danny Casey coming to her. The incurable dreamer in her remains
an escapist who wants to remain away from her real world.
Question 34.
Compare and contrast Sophie and Jansie high¬lighting their temperament and aspirations. (Delhi
2012)
Answer:
Sophie and Jansie were classmates as well as friends. They both belonged to lower middle- class
families. But that is where their similarity ends. There is a striking contrast between their characters.
Sophie is a day-dreamer and Jansie is practical. Sophie lives in a world of dreams and does not want to
come out of this fairyland. She is an incurable escapist and dreams of having a boutique, becoming an
actress or a fashion designer. Jansie, on the other hand, is very grounded. Jansie has her feet firmly
planted on the ground and knows they are both ‘earmarked for the biscuit factory’. She knows big things
require big money and experience which they lack desperately. She advises Sophie to be sensible and 33
not entertain wild dreams. Sophie and Jansie’s temperaments differ greatly. While Sophie shares her
dreams only with one person, her brother Geoff, Jansie on the other hand is nosey. She takes an
interest in learning new things about others and can spread stories in the whole neighbourhood.
Question 35.
Attempt a character sketch of Sophie as a woman who lives in her dreams. (Delhi 2012)
Answer:
Sophie belongs to a lower middle class family and lives a humble life with her parents and elder brother.
But her dreams far supercede the reality in which she is living. Her dreams are far beyond her reach. So
she wishes to open a boutique, entertains the idea of being an actress and also aspires to be a fashion
designer. Her dreamy disposition and romantic allusions lead her to hero-worship the wonder-footballer,
Danny Casey towards whom she develops a romantic fascination. Though she sees him only once in
person she sits for hours imagining Danny coming to her. The incurable dreamer in her remains an
escapist who wants to remain away from her real world.
Question 36.
Why did Sophie enjoy living in a world of dreams? Describe some of her dreams. (All India 2012)
Answer:
Sophie, like most girls of her age, enjoyed living in her world of dreams which provided to her the refuge
she needed from her middle – class reality. Through her dream world she visualised for herself a life that
she would like to lead. Her imagination drew into her life all the things she desired and people she
idolised but could never make a part of her real life. Sophie dreams of having her own boutique after she
leaves school, a boutique which will be the most amazing in the city. Becoming an actress or a fashion
designer is also her dream. She was conscious of a vast world which waited for her and she was very
sure that she would adjust easily in that world. In her dream world, Sophie dreams of meeting the
sensational footballer Danny Casey. She even fixes a date with him and actually travels to that place
and waits for him to come. In her world of fantasy, Sophie moves rapidly from one dream to another
through the leaps of her mind.
Question 37.
Has Sophie met Danny Casey? What details of her meeting with Danny Casey did she narrate to
her brother? (Delhi 2014)
Answer:
No, Sophie had never met Danny Casey. Her story is merely a part of her fantasy. Her fertile mind made
up the story of her encounter with him. She told her brother that she had met Danny Casey in the
arcade. When she was looking at the clothes in Royce’s window someone came and stood beside her
and she looked around and saw Danny. She also told Geoff that Danny Casey has gentle, green eyes
and he is not as tall as one would think him to be. She also asked Danny for his autograph but could not
get it as none of them had a paper or pen with them. Sophie’s dream world makes her travel into those
aspects of life which she may never be able to achieve in reality.
Question 38.
What were Sophie’s plans for her future? Why would you call her dreams unrealistic? (Delhi
2014)
Answer:
Sophie had rather unrealistic plans for her future. She wanted to own a boutique and have the most
amazing shop in the city. She also dreamed of being an actress or a fashion designer. Considering her
meagre resources and family’s position, her dreams are quite unrealistic, in fact they are in sharp
contrast to her reality. Her father works hard for a living and so she is never likely to be a part of the
sophisticated world. Her mother bears the back-breaking burden of household chores. I Ier brother
works as an apprentice mechanic. Considering her circumstances she would actually have to work in the
biscuit factory. So her dreams would just remain dreams and never become a reality.
Question 39.
Sophie lives in a world full of dreams which she does not know she cannot realise. Comment.
(All India 2015)
Answer:
Sophie, like most girls of her age, loves to fantasize and live in a world full of dreams which is far away
from reality. She envisions a life for herself which she would like to lead not knowing that she might 34
never be able to realise her dreams. She dreams of owning a boutique which again she might never be
able to fulfil. The best part of her fantasy is that she is unaware of the fact that her dreams may never
materialise. Though her friend Jansie tries her best to keep her grounded, Sophie is undeterred.
Sophie’s dream world makes her traverse into those spheres of life which she may never be able to
achieve in reality and this does not cause her any anxiety. She blissfully ignores the fact that she comes
from a lower middle class family and continues to dream on.
Question 40.
How different is Jansie from Sophie?(All India 2015)
Answer:
Sophie and Jansie were classmates as well as friends. They both belonged to lower middle- class
families. But that is where their similarity ends. There is a striking contrast between their characters.
Sophie is a day-dreamer and Jansie is practical. Sophie lives in a world of dreams and does not want to
come out of this fairyland. She is an incurable escapist and dreams of having a boutique, becoming an
actress or a fashion designer. Jansie, on the other hand, is very grounded. Jansie has her feet firmly
planted on the ground and knows they are both ‘earmarked for the biscuit factory’. She knows big things
require big money and experience which they lack desperately. She advises Sophie to be sensible and
not entertain wild dreams. Sophie and Jansie’s temperaments differ greatly. While Sophie shares her
dreams only with one person, her brother Geoff, Jansie on the other hand is nosey. She takes an
interest in learning new things about others and can spread stories in the whole neighbourhood.
Question 41.
It is not unusual for a lower middle class girl to dream big. How unrealistic were Sophie’s
dreams? (All India 2015)
Answer:
Sophie belongs to a lower middle class family and lives a humble life with her parents and elder brother.
But her dreams far supercede the reality in which she is living. Her dreams are far beyond her reach. So
she wishes to open a boutique, entertains the idea of being an actress and also aspires to be a fashion
designer. Her dreamy disposition and romantic allusions lead – her to hero-worship the wonder-
footballer, Danny Casey towards whom she develops a romantic fascination. Though she sees him only
once in person she sits for hours imagining Danny Casey coming to her. The incurable dreamer in her
remains an escapist who wants to remain away from her real world.
Her friend Jansie continued to ground her to reality by stating that they were earmarked for the biscuit
factory. Her father also stated that if she ever had enough money she would first buy them a decent
house to live in. Sophie’s little brother Derek too feels that his sister thinks money grows on trees.
Question 42.
Every teenager must dream big. Yet the dream should also be rooted to the ground. Write a
character sketch of Sophie in the light of this remark. (Comptt. All India 2015)
Answer:
Every teenager must dream big. Yet the dream should also be rooted to the ground. This statement is so
true for Sophie whose dreams are larger than life and far supercede her real life. Sophie had rather
unrealistic plans for her future. She wanted to own a boutique and have the most amazing shop in the
city. She also dreamed of being an actress or a fashion designer. Considering her meagre resources
and family’s position, her dreams are quite unrealistic, in fact they are in sharp contrast to her reality.
Her father works hard for a living and is never likely to be a part of the sophisticated world. Her mother
bears the back-breaking burden of household chores. Her brother works as an apprentice mechanic.
Considering her circumstances she would actually have to work in the biscuit factory. So her dreams
would just remain dreams and never become a reality.
Question 43.
Teachers always advise their students to dream big. Yet, the same teachers in your classrooms
find fault with Sophie when she dreams. What is wrong with Sophie’s dreams? (Delhi 2016)
Answer:
There is nothing wrong with having big dreams. Infact it is an advice given to us by our teachers. But
then our dreams must not be in j complete contrast to our reality. This is the fault with Sophie’s dreams.
Her dreams are not ! only over-ambitious but also most impractical. She is an incurable escapist and
lives in the world of her dreams. She drifts into the world of her fantasy and wants to make her dreams 35
her reality. Dreaming the unachievable can have a negative impact on one’s personality. It can lead to
depression. Sophie blissfully ignores the fact that she comes from a lower middle class family and is ear-
marked for the biscuit factory. She dreams of owning a boutique, becoming a fashion designer or an
actress, dreams which she may never be able to fulfill. Sophie not only dreams big but concocts stories
about her imaginary meeting with the Irish prodigy, Danny Casey. She envisions her meeting with the
football star and also gives vivid details of the meeting. Such unrealistic dreams need to be discouraged.
Question 44.
Every teenager has a hero/heroine to admire. So many times they become role models for them.
What is wrong if Sophie fantasizes about Danny Casey and is ambitious in life? (All India 2016)
Answer:
Dreams and fantasies are an integral part of every teenager’s life. Their dreams motivate them to
achieve their goals. Every teenager has an idol to admire and these idols become role models for them.
Same is the case with Sophie who idolizes Danny Casey. The only thing wrong with Sophie’s fantasy is
that she nurtures unrealistic dreams which are in sharp contrast to her reality. Her ambitions too are way
beyond the confines of her lower middle class status. Sophie has never met Danny Casey but she
envisions her meeting with the football star and even invents vivid details of this meeting. Her over-
imaginative mind concocts stories and she starts living in her make-believe world. Through her dreams
Sophie escapes from the harsh realities of life and such people find it difficult to cope with reality.
Question 45.
Describe the fantasies Sophie had about Danny Casey. (Comptt. All India 2016)
Answer:
Sophie had never met Danny Casey. Her story is merely a part of her fantasy. Her fertile mind made up
the story of her encounter with him. She told her brother that she had met Danny Casey in the arcade.
When she was looking at the clothes in Royce’s window someone came and stood beside her and she
looked around and saw Danny. She also told Geoff that Danny Casey has gentle, green eyes and he is
not as tall as one would think him to be. She also asked Danny for his autograph but could not get it as
none of them had a paper or pen with them. Sophie’s dream world makes her travel into those aspects
of life which she may never be able to achieve in reality. Sophie imagines Danny Casey coming to her,
her own excitement and subsequent disappointment.
Question 46.
Geoff and Sophie are different from each other, though they belong to the same family.
Com¬ment with examples from the text. (Comptt. All India 2016)
Answer:
Though Geoff and Sophie belong to the same family they are very different from each other. Geoff,
Sophie’s elder brother is an apprentice mechanic who travelled to work to the far side of the city
everyday. He lived in reality and spoke little. In fact Sophie felt that words had to be prized out of him like
stone out of the ground. He had a life of his own and though he listened to Sophie’s fantasies, he did not
believe her. Sophie, on the other hand, lived in a dream world. She dreams of having a boutique,
becoming an actress or a fashion designer. She is a day-dreamer and an incurable escapist. She
imagines meeting the football prodigy Danny Casey. Geoff is the most important member of her family
for Sophie who wishes to be admitted into her brother’s affections so that some day he might take her
with him to meet the exotic and interesting people whom he never spoke about.
THE RATTRAP by Selma Lagerlof
THEME
The Rattrap is based on the theme that the essential goodness in a human being can be awakened
through understanding and love. The story is set amidst the iron mines of Sweden. The author has
beautifully brought out human loneliness and the need to bond with others.
Summary
The Rattrap Peddler and his Thoughts About the World
Once upon a time, there was a vagabond who went around selling small rattraps. He made them from
the material he got by begging. The business was not profitable, so he had to beg and even steal to
survive. His clothes were in rags, his cheeks were sunken and hunger gleamed in his eyes.
36
While he was engrossed in his thoughts about rattraps one day, a very amusing thought came to his
mind that the world was a big rattrap. It offered comforts and joys just like the rattrap offered cheese and
pork. As soon as a rat was tempted to touch the bait, it trapped him.
The Crofter Treats the Peddler Nicely but the Peddler Cheats him
One dark evening, as he was trudging along the road, he went to a small grey cottage, seeking shelter
for the night. The owner, who had once been a Crofter, not only invited him in, but was happy to get
someone to talk to. The Crofter, who had no wife or children, was very talkative and shared,much about
himself with the Peddler. He informed the Peddler that during his days of prosperity, he worked at the
Ramsjo Ironworks. Now, his cow supported him. He even shared the fact that he had earned thirty
kronor by selling the cow’s milk.
The guest seemed incredulous, so the Crofter showed him the money, also revealing where it was kept.
Next day, both left the cottage at the same time. But, half an hour later the Peddler returned. He went up
to the window, smashed a pane and took out the thirty kronor from the pouch in which they were kept.
The Vagabond is Pleased with his Smartness; Gets Lost in the Woods
The vagabond was quite pleased with his smartness. He avoided the public highway and turned into the
wood, as he felt he would be safer and no one would be able to catch him. It was a big and confusing
forest. He tried to walk in a definite direction, but the paths twisted back and forth so strangely that he
was perplexed. He walked on and on and soon realised that he had been walking around in the same
part of the forest.
All at once, he recalled his thoughts about the world being a rattrap. Now, his own turn had come. He
had let himself be fooled by the bait and had been caught in a rattrap. The entire forest, with its trees,
trunks and branches, seemed to him like a prison that offered no escape.
The Peddler Meets the Ironmaster; Declines his Invitation
Finally, he saw no way out. He was so overwhelmed with exhaustion that he sank down to the ground,
tired to death, thinking that his last moment had come. Just then, he heard the sound of the regular
thumping of a hammer. He realised that the sound was coming from an iron mill. He summoned all his
strength and walked in the direction of the sound. He reached the Ramsjo Ironworks, which was then a
large plant with smelter, rolling mill and forge. He entered the ironworks amidst the different sounds
coming from the work going on in full swing. It was quite usual for vagrants like him to be attracted by
the warmth and shelter of the forge, so he was ignored by the blacksmiths. The master blacksmith rather
haughtily granted him permission to stay. Soon, the ironmaster came into the forge for his inspection
and noticed the ragamuffin. He mistook him in the dim light for an old regimental comrade and
addressed him as Nils Olof. The Peddler didn’t try to clear his doubt, as he thought the ironmaster might
give him some money. The ironmaster invited him home. The Peddler thought that going to the manor
house would be like ‘throwing himself voluntarily into the lion’s den’. So, he declined the invitation.
Ironmaster Sends his Daughter Edla to Persuade the Peddler
The ironmaster assumed that the Peddler felt embarrassed because of his miserable clothing. He tried
to comfort the Peddler by informing him that there was nothing to be ashamed about. He further told him
that his wife Elizabeth was dead, his sons were settled abroad and he lived with his daughter Edla. But
the tramp constantly refused to go with him. The ironmaster went away, but he was not deterred by the
Peddler’s persistent refusal. He sent his daughter to persuade the Peddler. When Edla came to the
ironworks, she found the man alarmed and frightened.
She tried to comfort him. She somehow sensed that his fear conveyed that he was either a thief on the
run or an escaped prisoner. Still, she was very friendly and kind to the Peddler. The Peddler felt
confidence in her and accepted the invitation. He felt guilty and cursed himself for stealing the Crofter’s
money.
Edla Expresses her Doubts About the Peddler
The next day was Christmas Eve. The ironmaster was happy that he would be spending his time with an
old friend. He told Edla that they needed to feed him well and provide him with a better business than
selling rattraps. Edla said that she was doubtful about the Peddler, as he didn’t display the slightest sign
of being educated. However, the ironmaster told her to have some patience. Just then the door opened
and the stranger entered the room. He was now well groomed. He was wearing clothes which belonged
to the ironmaster.
The Ironmaster Gets Angry; the Peddler Retaliates 37
The ironmaster realised that the tramp was no friend of his. The Peddler made no attempt to delude
them any longer. He explained that he never said to the ironmaster that he was Nils Olof. He had even
pleaded and begged for not coming to the manor house. He added that no harm had been done and he
could put on his rags and go away. The ironmaster said that the Peddler had not been very honest and
he would take him to the sheriff. The Peddler got agitated. He said that the world was like a big rattrap,
and some day the ironmaster would also be tempted to touch the bait and would be doomed. The
ironmaster started laughing.
Edla Argues on Behalf of the Peddler
The ironmaster asked the Peddler to leave. But Edla wanted him to stay back. She felt that they had
promised the Peddler Christmas cheer, and it would be wrong to send him away. The vagabond was
surprised by this gesture. Edla further added that the Peddler must have been through a bad time, as he
was always chased away. He could not even sleep unafraid.
The ironmaster gave in. The Peddler was allowed to stay on for Christmas, but the only thing he did was
to sleep soundly after that. Once or twice he was woken up to have food but besides that, he only slept.
It seemed as though he had never slept as quietly and safely. The ironmaster and Edla gifted him the
suit that he was wearing as a Christmas present. She told him that he was welcome tospend even the
next Christmas with them. The Peddler kept staring at her in boundless amazement.
The Peddler Becomes a Changed Man
The next morning the ironmaster and his daughter went to the church for Christmas service, leaving the
vagabond at home. They returned home and Edla was very sad. At the church, they had learned that a
rattrap Peddler robbed an old Crofter who once worked at their Ramsjö Ironworks. The ironmaster was
furious.
They thought that by the time they would reach home, the Peddler would have escaped with all their
silver and other valuables. When they got home, the ironmaster asked the valet if the Peddler was still
there. The valet informed him that the fellow had left but he had not taken anything with him. Instead, he
had left. something for Edla. Edla opened the package and found a rattrap. In the rattrap were three
wrinkled ten kronor notes and a letter.
The vagabond had written that since Edla had treated him like a real captain, he also wanted to be nice to her. He
wanted the money to be returned to the Crofter. He further wrote that he would not have been able to escape the
rattrap, if he had not been raised to the status of a captain. He even signed the letter as ‘Captain von Stahie’. He
was a changed man.
Value points
In the summary of The Rattrap, we can understand that when one is given the respect they
deserve, they live up to it, too. It is love, compassion, understanding and respect that makes life
worth living, and not materialistic things such as riches, fame and objects.
The Rattrap was originally published in the Swedish newspaper Göteborgsposten on 8 August
1887. It was then republished in several other periodicals in different language editions. The
story was the most successful of all the stories she wrote during her career. Selma Lagerlöf
herself called The Rattrap her best work, even though it is the most pessimistic of all her works.
This story has often been described as "one of the best examples of Swedish 19th-century
literature." It has also been compared to the French fable L'Homme aux petits pieds, written by
Aesop, which concerns a man who spends his life making traps for rats and is considered by
some to be the best story ever written.
The story deals with the social issue of poverty, through the character's life, as he lives a humble
life with no shelter or warm clothes, but he struggles to keep himself alive. He only survives
because he keeps selling rat traps to support himself.
The characters that Lagerlöf used for her story are real-life people. The first character, Isak
Skottsberg, is the real Selma Lagerlöf's husband, whom she gave the last name "Lagerlöf". The
last character, Fredrik Törne, is a real human, however, the name is not the same because it
was an error in the first edition. The two real people, both men, also have their names
translated from Swedish to English. The first one is called Isak Skottsberg and the other one is
Fredrik Törne. 38
About the Characters
The Peddler A poor man who sold rattraps for a living and was a petty thief.
The Crofter A simple trusting person who is robbed by the Peddler.
The Ironmaster A stern taskmaster and law-abiding person, he trusts the Peddler due to his daughter’s
persuasion.
Edla Willmansson The ironmaster’s daughter is a kind and compassionate lady.
Literary Devices
Rattrap – Metaphor
To keep body and soul together – Euphemism
As the rattrap – Simile
The bait – Metaphor
The world had never been kind to him – Metonymy
Like an impenetrable prison – Simile
The stranger said no, and no, and again no – Repetition
Why had she done it? What could the crazy idea be? – Rhetorical Question
Money pouch as a bait – Simile
As if I was a real captain – Simile
Onomatopoeia :
Thump
Groan
Crack
Roar
Mumble
Read the extracts given below and attempt the questions that follow:
1. No one can imagine how sad and monotonous life can appear to such a vagabond, who plods along
the road, left to his own meditations. But one day this man had fallen into a line of thought, which really
seemed to him entertaining. He had naturally been thinking of his rattraps when suddenly he was struck
by the idea that the whole world about him- the whole world with its lands and seas, its cities and
villages - was nothing but a big rattrap. It had never existed for any other purpose than to set baits for
people.
Questions
(i) What type of life did the rattrap man lead?
(a) An adventurous life. (b) A sad and monotonous life
(c) A cultured and happy life. (d) A worried and irritated life
(ii) What idea struck the rattrap man as he ploded along the road? seller.
(a) He should give up being a rattrap seller
(b) Someone would donate some amount of sm to money to him.
(c) He would sell many rattraps so that he should have something to eat on Christmas Day.
(d) The whole world is nothing but a big rattrap.
(iii) How did he find the thought of the world as one big rattrap?
(a) The world seemed so huge.
(b) People were always trying to trap each other into doing wrong.
(c) The world had never been kind to him and it gave him joy to think ill of it.
(d) He was tired and unhappy and found it hard to sell his rattraps.
(iv) Why did the rattrap man live as a vagabond?
(a) He had no companions. (b) His business was not profitable.
(c)He wanted to become rich at once. (d) He always thought about the rattrap business.
(v) The word 'plods' implies that the peddler was
(a) walking fast (b) walking in a light hearted manner
(c) walking in a bored manner. (d) walking slowly and heavily
Answers
(i) (b) A sad and monotonous life
(ii) (d) The whole world is nothing but a big rattrap.
(iii) (c) The world had never been kind to him and it gave him joy to think ill of it. 39
(iv) (a) He had no companions.
(v) (d) walking slowly and heavily
2. "My name is Edla Willmansson," said the young girl. "My father came home and said that you wanted
to sleep here in the forge tonight, and then I asked permission to come and bring you home to us. I am
so sorry, Captain, that you are having such a hard time." She looked at him compassionately, with her
heavy eyes, and then she noticed that the man was afraid. "Either he has stolen something or else he
has escaped from, jail", she thought, and added quickly, "You may be sure, Captain, that you will be
allowed to leave us just as freely as you came. Only please stay with us over Christmas Eve."
Questions
(i) Why did Edla Willmansson come to the forge at night?
(a) Her father had said that an acquaintance w of his had fallen on bad days and was at the Ironworks.
(b) The blacksmith had conveyed to the ironmaster that a ragamuffin was at the Ironworks.
(c) The rattrap man had come to the Ironworks asking for the ironmaster.
(d) The rattrap had come to the Ironworks and was creating a lot of noise.
(ii) What did she notice about the man that her father did not notice?
(a) The man was not cultured. (b) The man was very frustrated.
(c) The man was very angry. (d) The man was afraid of something.
(iii) What opinion did she have of the rattrap man?
(a) He certainly has seen better days than what he was having now.
(b) He seems not to have slept for days together.
(c) He has either stolen something or has escaped from the prison.
(d) He looked like an old uncle when her father was in the regiment.
(iv) Did she assure the rattrap man that he could leave just as freely as he came?
(a) The man seemed reluctant to go home with her.
(b) She badly wanted someone to share Christmas cheer with her.
(c) She did not want to disappoint her father and go home along.
(d) She was a social worker and did not want the rattrap man to spend the night at the Ironworks.
(v) Who was Edla?
(a) the owner of the forge. (b) the ironmaster's daughter
(c) the peddler's old friend. (d) the ironmaster's wife
Answers
(i) (a) Her father had said that an acquaintance of his had fallen on bad days and was at the Ironworks.
(ii) (d) The man was afraid of something.
(iii) (c) He has either stolen something or has escaped from the prison.
(iv) (b) She badly wanted someone to share Christmas cheer with her.
(v) (b) the ironmaster's daughter
3. The wagon had hardly stopped at the front steps when the ironmaster asked the valet whether the
stranger was still there. He added that he had heard at church that the man was a thief. The valet
answered that the fellow had gone and that he had not taken anything with him at all. On the contrary,
he had left behind a little package which Miss Willmansson was to be kind enough to accept as a
Christmas present. The young girl opened the package, which was so badly done up that the contents
came into view at once. She gave a little cry of joy. She found a small rattrap, and in it lay three wrinkled
ten kroner notes. But that was not all. In the rattrap lay also a letter written in large, jagged characters.
Questions
(i) Where did the ironmaster and his daughter hear that the rattrap man was a thief?
(a) At the mall (b) At the clubhouse
(c) At the Ironworks. (d) At the church
(ii) What did the rattrap man leave behind for Edla Willmansson?
(a) The suit which her father had given him.
(b) A small rattrap with three wrinkled ten kroner notes.
(c) A thank you note for the Christmas dinner.
(d) A dozen rattraps saying that he saw a number of rats at the Ironworks.
(iii) What did the letter in the rattrap say?
(a) He had never had such a rotten Christmas. 40
(b) He had never had such a wonderful Christmas.
(c) He wanted to be nice to her because she had been nice to him all day.
(d) He would never ever come back to the Ironworks.
(iv) How did the rattrap man sign the note to Edla Willmansson?
(a) Nils Olof (b) Captain Von Stahle
(c) Styernstrom. (d) The Rattrap man
(v) What according to the peddler is a big rattrap?
(a) Islands and seas (b) The whole world (c) Cities and villages (d) All of these
(vi) Who did the Kroner notes originally belong to?
(a) Edla. (b) rattrap. (c) crofter. (d) all of these
Answers
(i) (d) At the church
(ii) (b) A small rattrap with three wrinkled ten kroner notes.
(iii) (c) He wanted to be nice to her because been nice to him all day.
(iv) (b) Captain Von Stahle
(v)(b) The whole world
(vi) (c) crofter.
4....it was a big and confusing forest which he had gotten into. He tried, to be sure, to walk in a definite
direction, but the paths twisted back and forth so strangely! He and walked without coming to the end of
the wood, and finally he realised that he had only been walking around in the same part of the forest. All
at once he recalled his thoughts about the world and the rattrap. Now his own turn had come. He had let
himself be fooled by a bait and had been caught. The whole forest, with its trunks and branches, its
thickets and fallen logs, closed in upon him like an impenetrable prison from which he could never
escape.
Questions
(i) How would you characterise the mood of the extract?
(a) mysterious, restful. (b) ominous, despairing
(c) thoughtful, whimsical. (d) philosophical, anguished
(ii) By what bait had the peddler been fooled?
(a) He had chosen to take the 'safe' forest route.
(b) He had decided to avoid the public highway.
(c) He had stolen money from the trusting crofter.
(d) He didn't realise the power of his rattrap analogy
(iii) The consequence of 'his own turn' having come was that the peddler had:
(a) got irreversibly lost in the thick, warped forest.
(b) been fooled and imprisoned in a hopeless prison
(c) been walking around the same part of the forest.
(d) walked the whole forest without finding the end.
(iv) Where did the reach coming out of the forest?
(a) Ramsjo Iron Mill. (b) Edla Ironworks
(c) Stjernstrom Iron Mill (d) None of these
(v) Why did the peddler go into the forest?
(a) to escape from being caught (b) to meet Edla Willmansson
(c) to meet blacksmith (d) none of these
Answers
(i) (b) ominous, despairing
(ii) (c) He had stolen money from the trusting crofter.
(iii) (a) got irreversibly lost in the thick, warped forest.
(iv) (a) Ramsjo Iron Mill
(v) (a) to escape from being caught.

5. Immediately he put the porridge pot on the fire and gave him supper; then he carved off such a big
slice from his tobacco roll that it was enough both for the stranger's pipe and his own. Finally he got out
41
an old pack of cards and played 'mjolis' with his guest until bedtime. The old man was just as generous
with his confidences as with his porridge and tobacco.
The guest was informed at once that in his days of prosperity his host had been a crofter at Ramsjo
Ironworks and had worked on the land. Now that he was no longer able to do day labour, it was his cow
which supported him. Yes, that bossy was extraordinary. She could give milk for the creamery every
day, and last month he had received all of thirty kroner in payment.
Questions
(i) Why did the crofter seem happy to welcome the stranger?
(a) He was lonely without wife or child.
(b) He had just made a lot of money.
(c) He was in the habit of entertaining guests.
(d) He had just finished making dinner.
(ii) After dinner, how did he make sure that his guest was happy?
(a) He showed him a movie.
(b) He told him a story.
c) He played mjolis with him till bedtime.
(d) He acted out a scene from Shakespeare.
(iii) What was the old man generous with other than his porridge and tobacco?
(a) By offering the best bed he had.
(b) By inviting him to stay with him.dam
(c) By telling him all about Ramsjo's Ironworks.
(d) By revealing him all his confidences.
(iv) What means of support did the old man have now that he no longer worked at Ramsjo's
Ironworks?
(a) He did a lot of carpentry work.
(b) He had a cow that gave milk for the creamery every day.
(c) He worked as a gardener in people's houses.
(d) He was a handyman in the village.
(v) What does 'mjolis' refer to?
a) the crofters cow (b) the tobacco roll
(c) a card game (d) a type of food
Answers
(i) (a) He was lonely without wife or child.
(ii) (c) He played mjolis with him till bedtime.
(iii) (d) By revealing him all his confidences.
(Iv) (b) He had a cow that gave milk for the creamery every day.
(v) (c) a card game
SHORT ANSWER QUESTIONS
Question 1.
Edla sat and hung her head even more dejectedly than usual.” Which two reasons forced her to behave
in that manner?
Answer:
Edla was sad and upset as she had heard that a crofter of ironworks had been robbed. This led her to
think that the peddler to whom she gave shelter was responsible for this misdeed. Her father also added
to her doubts by saying that he had heard the peddler was a thief.
Question 2.
Why was the peddler surprised when he knocked at the door of the cottage?
Answer:
The peddler was surprised as he was not only welcomed at the night time but was also provided food
and shelter. He was treated like a guest and not as a beggar. The crofter was a lonely man, he also
needed company.

Question 3.
What made the peddler finally change his ways? 42
Answer:
The peddler changed his way of living because of the love and hospitality shown by Edla, daughter of
the ironmaster. He lived a pathetic life, but when he was respected and cared, he changed his way of
life. He began to live with dignity and respect.
Question 4.
Why did the peddler keep to the woods after leaving the crofter’s cottage? How did he feel?
Answer:
The peddler kept to the woods after leaving the crofter’s cottage because he wanted to avoid police. He
was afraid as he had stolen the crofter’s money. If he took to the road, he might be caught or seen by
policemen or the crofter.
Question 5.
Who was the owner of Ramsjo iron mill? Why did he visit the mill at night?
Answer:
The owner of that mill was a very prominent ironmaster. His greatest ambition was to ship out good iron
to the market. He insisted on quality and kept a watch on the work round the clock. He came to the forge
on one of his night rounds of inspection.
Question 6.
How did the ironmaster react on seeing the stranger lying close to the furnace?
Answer:
The ironmaster adjusted his hat to see the stranger very carefully. He seemed to him as one of his
acquaintances, so he offered to take him home.
Question 7.
Why didn’t the stranger tell the ironmaster that he was not Nils Olof?
OR
How did the peddler react when he saw that the ironmaster had recognised him as Nils Olof, an old
regimental comrade?
Answer:
The peddler was mistaken by the ironmaster to be an old acquaintance from the regiment. He assumed
that the ironmaster would hand him a few kronors and therefore, made no attempts to deny the
reference being made. He replies by saying that things had gone down hill for him. However, when the
ironmaster said that he should not have resigned and suggested that “Nils Olof” should accompany him
to the manor, he flatly refused to do so, for fear of being recognised.
Question 8.
Why did Edla invite the peddler to stay with her family?
Answer:
Edla was a kind and compassionate young lady. It was Christmas and she wanted the peddler to be a
guest for the occasion and share all the goodies that were prepared for Christmas. She had also sensed
his fear, but she wanted him to spend some time in her house without any fear and relax in comfortable
security.
Question 9.
Why did the peddler think that the world was a rattrap?
Answer:
The peddler was a very poor man. He earned his living by selling rattraps made out of material bought
by begging. Suddenly, he realised that the whole world was a rattrap. The riches and luxuries and
comforts are the baits. Like rats, people allow themselves to be tempted by these baits. Once caught,
everything is lost and even struggles would not let anyone escape.
Question 10.
What did the gift of the rattrap signify?
Answer:
In the story ‘The Rattrap’, the peddler leaves a small rattrap with thirty kronors and a note for Edla. He
confesses his mistake and asks Edla to return the money to the crofter. He admits that he got caught in
his own rattrap. He also thanks her for treating him as a real captain and for giving him another chance.
Life is one big rattrap, one gets trapped by his own deeds. The gift of the rattrap signified that the
43
peddler was releasing himself from the trap he had very nearly got into. It was an expression of gratitude
to Edla, for enabling him get out of it because of her behaviour towards him. It is important that everyone
gets a second chance to improve oneself, and Edla had given him his chance.
Question 11.
Why was the peddler amused at the idea of the world being a rattrap?
Answer:
The peddler believed that the world with all its riches and joys, food and shelter appears as a rattrap to
tempt people. He was amused to think of many other people he knew, who were already caught in the
trap, and some others who were circling around the bait.
Question 12.
What hospitality did the peddler receive from the crofter?
Answer:
The peddler was surprised as he was not only welcomed at the night time but was also provided food
and shelter. He was treated like a guest and not as a beggar. The crofter was a lonely man, he also
needed company.
Question 13.
What do we learn about the crofter’s nature from the story, ‘The Rattrap’?
Answer:
he crofter was lonely and trusting. He was hospitable and gullible. Without any doubt on the peddler, he
invites the peddler inside his house at night and shares not only his food but also the whereabouts of his
hard-earned money. He was friendly and talkative. He felt proud of his cow that gave him enough milk to
support him and talks a lot about it.
Question 14.
Why did the crofter show the thirty kronors to the peddler?
Answer:
The crofter felt proud of the cow that gave him enough milk to support him. So he told the peddler that
he had got thirty kronors from the creamery as the payment of previous month’s supply. However, he felt
that the peddler did not believe him. Thus, he showed the money to convince him.
Question 15.
Why did the ironmaster speak kindly to the peddler and invite him home?
Answer:
The ironmaster mistook the peddler to be “Nils olof ”, his old regimental comrade. He goes on to tell him
that he would not have allowed him to resign if he had been in service. As if to make amends for what
had happened, the ironmaster tells the peddler to accompany him to the manor, so that he can be
received honourably like an old regimental comrade.
Question 16.
Why was Edla happy to see the gift left by the peddler?
Answer:
Edla was happy to see the gift as it was a Christmas Eve and her mother was dead and
brothers were abroad. On this festival, a stranger left a gift for her and shared the feelings of happiness
and bonding as she was feeling lonely.
Question 17.
What was the content of the letter written to Edla by the peddler?
Answer:
The peddler had left a packet behind for Edla which contained a rattrap, as a Christmas gift. Inside the
packet, there was a letter and thirty kronors. In the letter, he has thanked Edla for her kindness and
hospitality towards a stranger. He also repented for his crimes in the letter.
Question 18.
What did Edla notice about the stranger?
Answer:
Edla noticed that the stranger was very scared. He seemed to be either a thief or a runaway from a
prison. As per her observation, he did not seem to be educated to be a captain.

Long Answer Type QUESTIONS

Question 1. 44
Describe the events which led to the change in the peddler’s way of life.
Answer:
The peddler had been living a despicable life of poverty, despair and frustration. His only aim in life was
to accomplish things in life. He did not care about the means he chose to acquire the material
substances in life. Be it beggary, theft or cheating someone, he did not shy away from anything. His view
towards the society was in fact shaped by the apathetic and indifferent attitude of the society towards
him. He was never shown any understanding, respect or kindness by anyone. He did not have any
respect for any one and viewed the whole world as a rattrap.

He felt that the riches and luxuries of life were baits to entice people into a vicious cycle of struggles,
from which there was no escape. Neither the crofter’s hospitality nor the ironmaster’s invitation to his
house brought about any change in him. It was only when he met the ironmaster’s daughter, Edla that
his outlook towards life changed. Edla’s warmth, kindness, compassion and genuineness touched him.
He left a rattrap as a Christmas gift for Edla and enclosed a letter thanking her for her kindness.

He also confessed to stealing money from the crofter and left the money to be restored to the owner.
This way, he redeemed himself from his dishonest ways and emerged as an altogether transformed
person. In this transformation process, he behaved like a real captain, the way Edla addressed him.
Question 2.
Do you think the title, ‘The Rattrap’ is appropriate? Give examples from the text in support of your view.
Answer:
Selma Lagerlof gives a very apt and logical title to the story. The metaphor of the rattrap is very
effectively used. The whole world is nothing but a big rattrap. All riches, joys, food and shelter are just
baits. These baits make people restless, helpless and powerless. The moment anyone touches the bait,
the rattrap closes in on him. Then everything comes to an end.

The story revolves around the vagabond, who, though philosophises about the world being a rattrap,
falls into its trap. Though the crofter shows him kindness by offering him food and shelter, he robs him.
His greed for money makes him fall in the rattrap. Further, when the ironmaster mistakes him to be an
old friend, he does not correct him. He decides to cheat him of his money. So even though the peddler
tries hard not to fall into the rattrap or worldly riches and materialistic benefits, he ultimately falls into
one.
Question 3.
Attempt a character sketch of the peddler in the story, ‘The Rattrap’.
OR
The peddler enjoys the sympathy of readers right from the beginning of the story. Draw a character
sketch of the peddler, justifying the sympathy he generates among the readers.
Answer:
Selma Lagerlof draws the character of the peddler with all sympathy and understanding. Selma wants to
give a definite message. The peddler represents some human weaknesses. He is in fact the product of
circumstances. But he is never devoid of basic human goodness. Only it lies in hibernation for some
time. The essential goodness in him is awakened through love and understanding of Miss Edla
Willmansson.

The peddler is so many things, all rolled in one. He is a vagabond cum beggar cum etty thief. At
moments, he can raise himself to a philosopher. He philosophises life and compares the world to a big
rattrap. Finally, he transforms himself into a ‘gentleman’. The peddler is a pragmatist. He finds his
business not quite profitable. He doesn’t mind resorting to both begging and petty thievery. Nor is he
above temptations. He steals 30 kronors of his generous host, the old crofter.

The peddler raises himself above petty worldly temptations in the end. His essential human qualities
raise him to heroic heights. He is witty and humorous. He knows how to deal with men and tricky
situations. He thanks Miss Edla for her kindness and hospitality. She gives a little cry of joy when he
decides to return 30 kronors to the rightful owner. She is requested to return the money to its rightful 45
owner, the old crofter. The readers forgive him for his little human weaknesses. They develop sympathy
and appreciation for him.
Question 4.
Describe the peddler’s meeting with the ironmaster. Why did he decline his invitation?
Answer:
It was by chance that the peddler found himself at the Ramsjo Ironworks. It was a dark evening before
Christmas. The peddler opened the gate and stood close to the furnace. It was nothing unusual for poor
vagabonds to have night shelter in the winter in front of the fire. The ironmaster noticed the peddler.

He walked close up to him and looked him over very carefully. He mistook him for Captain Stahle, an old
comrade of his regiment. He felt sorry that he had resigned from the regiment long ago. The ironmaster
invited the peddler home as their special guest on Christmas. The peddler was not amused. He didn’t
want to be received by the owner like an old regimental comrade. He looked quite alarmed and declined
the invitation.

Going to the manor house appeared like throwing himself voluntarily into the lion’s den. He didn’t want to
go there. He only wanted to spend the night in the forge. He wanted to sneak away in the morning
unnoticed. Then he thought of the thirty kronors. They were a bait and he couldn’t resist the temptation.
Now again the bait had been thrown at him. He had to resist the temptation and decline the invitation.
The ironmaster only assumed that the peddler felt embarrassed because of his miserable clothing.
Question 5.
Edla proved to be much more persuasive than her father while dealing with the peddler. Comment.
OR
The peddler declined the invitation of the ironmaster but accepted the one from Edla. Why?
Answer:
The peddler was afraid as he was carrying stolen money with him. The peddler knew that .the
ironmaster had mistaken him for an old regimental comrade and feared that the ironmaster would send
him to the police. He felt as if he were walking into a lion’s den. He didn’t want to go there. He only
wanted to spend the night in the forge. He wanted to sneak away in the morning unnoticed. Then he
thought of the thirty kronors.

They were a bait and he couldn’t resist the temptation. However, he accepted Edla’s invitation as she
spoke kindly to him. She realised that he was afraid. Therefore, she assured him that no harm would
come to him and he was at liberty to leave whenever he wanted. The compassionate manner of the
daughter won the confidence of the peddler who agreed to go to her home.
Question 6.
Why did the crofter repose confidence in the peddler? How did the peddler betray that and with what
consequences?
OR
How did the peddler betray the confidence reposed in him by the crofter in ‘The Rattrap’?
Answer:
The peddler did betray the confidence reposed in him by the crofter. He considered this world nothing
but a big rattrap. It sets baits for people. The peddler unwillingly allowed himself to be tempted to touch
the bait. Those thirty kronors which the crofter stuffed into the pouch proved to be bait. He stole the
money. By doing so, he committed a breach of trust. It was nothing but simple moral degeneration. One
dark evening, as he was walking along the road, he saw a gray cottage by the roadside. He knocked on
the door to ask shelter for the night. He was well received there.

The owner was an old man (crofter) without wife or child. He was happy to find a man to talk to in his
loneliness. The old crofter served him supper, gave him tobacco and played a game of cards with him.
The old man went to the window and took down a leather pouch. He counted thirty kronors and put it
into the pouch. It provided a big bait. The peddler was tempted to steal them. In this way, he betrayed
the confidence that was reposed in him by the host.
Question 7. 46
The story ‘The Rattrap’ focuses on human loneliness and the need to bond with others. Explain.
OR
The story also focuses on human loneliness and the need to bond with others.
Answer:
In this story, the author tells us that as normal human beings, we always like to share something with
others, be it joy or sorrow. It means that humans do not want to be lonely and they want company of
others. In this story, first the peddler is lonely, and to overcome this, he sells rattraps. The crofter is
lonely, so he welcomes the peddler to have a conversation with him. The ironmaster and his daughter
are also lonely. They are rich and have a big house, but they do not have anybody to give them
company. Hence, they request the peddler to spend Christmas eve with them. The author has very
subtly focused on the loneliness of humans and how they strive hard to get a good companion.
Question 8.
How can we transform and clean an evil doing person? Give example from the story.
OR
Have you known/heard of an episode where a good deed or an act of kindness has changed a person’s
view of the world?
Answer:
The writer has highlighted a universal theme in this story. It is that we can arouse the goodness in the
life of a man by love, understanding, sympathy and respect. Once upon a time, there was a man who
went around selling self-made small rattraps of wire. His condition was too miserable to beg and do petty
thefts. He was in rags with sunken cheeks and hungry eyes.
One day, an idea flashed into his mind. He thought that the whole world around him was a big rattrap. It
offered riches, joys, food, shelter, clothing like a bait offering cheese

and pork in a rattrap for the rats. Those who were tempted to touch the bait, fell. It closed on them
bringing an end to everything. One dark evening, while staying at the crofter’s cottage, he was given
food and lodging. But the next morning, the tramp stole his thirty kronors. He kept on walking the same
path in the forest. On hearing the sound of hammer strokes, he reached the iron mill and lay near the
furnace.

The ironmaster mistook him to be his old acquaintance and invited him for Christmas cheer but he
refused. He sent his daughter Edla, who persuaded him to their house. After having him well dressed,
the ironmaster found that he mistook him as Captain ‘Nils Olof.’ So he ordered him to get out at once.
The young girl interceded for him and said that she wanted him to stay as they promised him Christmas
cheer. He was treated like a real captain with food. In their absence, when they were at church, he left.
In the church, they learnt that the rattrap seller had robbed the old crofter. So they became worried.

When they returned, the valet told that he had taken nothing with him and had rather left behind a
Christmas gift for Miss Willmansson. She found a small rattrap, thirty kronors and a letter in it. The letter
stated that she had taken him as if he were a captain, so he would be nice to her as a captain. It had
given him power to cleanse himself.
Question 9.
Greed is the greatest evil force that has tempted man into doing a lot of misdeeds. It is greed that has
led to so much corruption, violence and mayhem in the world. The peddler in ‘The Rattrap’ is not
conscientious nor does he think twice before robbing a crofter. Bearing these thoughts in mind, write an
article discussing the qualities that are required for overcoming the Evil of Greed.
Answer:
Value Points:
Greed is the greatest evil that paralyses the goodness of man.
It spreads like wildfire and makes a man immune to goodness and kindness.
Money, fame, power and property acquired by unfair means is like a vicious cycle never lets anyone rest
in peace.
The consequences of greed are deep and never-ending.
47
Meditation, consultations, keeping the company of good and honest people can keep the bridle on such
men.
It is most important that the desire to overcome greed should come from within.
Question 10.
The peddler thinks that the whole world is a rattrap. This view of life is true only of himself and of
no one else in the story. Comment.
Answer:
The Swedish peddler is a victim of retrenchment that occurred with machines taking over man, in the
second half of the 19th century. Industrialisation made him a travelling rattrap salesman. Even the
crofter and the ironmaster of Ramsjo Ironworks are fellow sufferers, the peddler’s own experience,
perhaps makes him conclude ‘the world with its lands and seas, its cities and villages-was nothing but a
big rattrap’. It existed for no other reason than as baits for everybody.

‘It offered riches, joys, shelter and food, heat and clothing exactly as the rattrap offered cheese and fork,
and as soon as anyone let himself be tempted to touch the bait, it closed in on him, and everything came
to an end.’ The peddler was likewise trapped into stealing the thirty kronors; he gives into Edla and
accepts the invitation for a stay and Christmas dinner, but he is able to save himself in the end by
leaving the thirty kronors behind, along with a rattrap and a touching letter to Edla.
Question 11.
Very soon after stealing the crofter’s money, how did the peddler realise that he was himself
caught in a rattrap?
Answer:
After stealing the crofter’s money, the peddler started walking towards the forest to stay safe. He tried to
walk in a definite direction, but the paths were strangely twisted. He kept on walking without coming to
the end of the woods. Finally, he realised that he had been walking around the same part of the forest.
He then realised that the whole forest, with its trunks and branches, its thickest and fallen logs, closed in
upon him like an impenetrable prison from which he could never escape. This time he was trapped in a
rattrap.
Question 12.
Edla’s empathetic and compassionate behaviour changed the life of the rattrap seller. Do you
think that an act of kindness can change a person’s view of the world?
Answer:
An act of kindness does change a person’s perspective and nature as well as his view of the world. The
peddler had been living a despicable life of poverty, despair and frustration. Everywhere he was not
welcomed and had the fear of being caught. No one was there in his life who would love him. Edla’s
hospitality and kindness deeply touched him.
He never received such kind treatment being a stranger to Edla. It was her generosity which made
Peddler to confess his mistake and he repaid for his wrong doings by behaving like a real captain. He
left rattrap as a Christmas gift for her and wrote a letter of thanks leaving behind the stolen money. This
way he redeemed himself from a thief to real captain and emerged altogether as a transformed person.
Question 13. How does the peddler interpret the acts of kindness and hospitality shown by the
crofter, the ironmaster and his daughter?
The peddler seems to have interpreted the kind acts of hospitality of the three persons in different ways.
The crofter was the first of the three who showed kindness and hospitality. He gave him food, played
cards with him and shared his confidences. Inspite of the great generosity shown by the crofter, the
peddler does not seem to think very high of him. Perhaps he considered him only a simpleton. He is in
the beginning very happy after stealing his kronors and considers himself smart. Even at the end of the
story, he thinks him a fool who tempts poor vagabonds because he keeps his money hanging by the
window frame.
Ironmaster’s hospitality he had refused, he never believed him. He knew well that he was behaving with
such kindless only because of a mistaken identity.
It was the act-of kindness and hospitality shown by the ironmaster’s daughter which the peddler greatly
appreciates. It was her compassionate behaviour which persuaded him to accept the invitation which he
48
had earlier refused. Later on when his identity is revealed, the ironmaster asks him to leave at once. But
the girl intercedes on the peddler’s behalf. More than her father, the peddler is surprised. He interprets
her idea as crazy. Her kind behaviour throughout his stay stirs his conscience. He interprets that she
Was treating him as a real Captain. It is this interpretation which compels him to change himself
completely.
Question 14 What are the instances in the story that show that the character of the ironmaster is
different from that of his daughter in many ways?
There are several instances in the story to show that the character of the ironmaster is different from that
of his daughter. The first of these is when they invite the peddler home. The iron master thought it was
his old acquaintance Nils Olof. So he invites him home but his words show his arrogance. He points out
the Captain’s mistake and says that it happened only because he, the ironmaster, was not in service at
that time. Thus he thinks that the man has been refusing because he is too poor to ennter his manor
house. He returns unsuccessful.
His daughter is, however, full of compassion. She can see that the man is terribly afraid and needs an
assurance that he will be allowed to leave as freely as he has come. When she gives her word about it,
he readily goes with her. Thus while the ironman is proud. The daughter is compassionate.
The second instance is when the identity of the man is revealed. The ironmaster is angry, thinks that he
has been cheated and even wants him jailed. The daughter is still compassionate and remembers her
word. She persuades her father to let him live to enjoy the Christmas eve.
The third and the last instance which reveals their character is when the man has left and the ironmaster
and his daughter know that he is a thief. The ironmaster cannot hide his feelings. He is worried about his
silver spoons, the young girl is only more dejected than usual.
Question 15 The story has many instances of unexpected reactions from the characters to
others’ behaviour. Pick out instances of these surprises.
The first surprising reaction is of the crofter. The peddler never expected the hospitality given to him. He
expected as usual a sour face. But the crofter gave him food and tobacco and played cards with him.
The peddler was most surprised at the crofters unexpected reaction to his expression of being
incredulous. The crofter’s showing the money was most unexpected. It was not only the peddler’s fate to
come across unexpected reactions. But other characters have also their share.
The iron master does not understand why his supposed friend is insistent on living in the forge. When
his daughter comes to persuade the peddler, the peddler’s reaction of fear was very unexpected to her.
The peddler was not surprised when he was asked to leave by the ironmaster but her daughter’s
behaviour on that occasion surprised him a great deal. He calls it a ‘crazy idea.’
Last but not least, the peddler’s reaction to the young girl’s kindness was also most unexpected. No one
could think that the thief would leave the house not only without taking anything away but on the contrary
leaving a decent present for the young lady. The girl was rightly and of course, pleasantly surprised.
Question 16. What made the peddler finally change his ways?
It was the young girl’s kindness and compassion which made the peddler finally change his ways. Unlike
her father, the ironmaster, she had doubts of his being a Captain from the very beginning. However,
when it is revealed to everyone that he is just a poor peddler, the ironmaster is ready to throw him out of
his house. The yoiung girl, however, is compassionate. She persuades her father to let him live there to
enjoy the Christmas eve. The peddler himself is much surprised and wonders “What could the crazy
idea be ?”
Then, all through the day she looks after him as an honoured guest. After taking his share of Christmas
fish and porridge, he wished good night to everyone. At this time the young girl told him to keep the suit
he was wearing as a Christmas present and to visit them again next Christmas if he so felt. The peddler
had then only stared at the young girl with boundless amazement.
In his letter, he makes it clear that it was due to these kind acts of her that he had decided to behave in
an honourable manner.
Question 17 How does the metaphor of the rattrap serve to highlight the human predicament?
The metaphor of the rattrap serves to highlight the human predicament very well indeed. The world
offers riches and joys, shelter and food, heat and clothing exactly as the rattrap offers cheese and pork.
The rats are trapped when they are tempted by these bits of cheese and pork. In the same way, as soon
as anyone lets himself be tampted, by any of the baits offered by the world, the world closes in on him
and then everything comes to an end. 49
This has been illustrated in the story by the example of the rattrap seller. As soon as he was tempted the
thirty kronors of the crofter, his life became difficult. He had to leave the road for the fear of being
arrested. When the ironmaster’s daughter lifted his cap from his eyes, he trembled out of fear as if he
had stolen something or had run from the jail. So the metaphor of the rattrap is quite apt.
Question 18 The peddler comes out as a person with a great sense of humour. How does this
serve in lightening the seriousness of the theme of the story and also endear him to us?
The peddler comes out as a person with a great sense of humour. There is no doubt that this serves in
lightening the seriousness of the theme of the story and also endear him to us. The first instance of it is
just in the beginning when he enjoys his dreary ploddings thinking of the world as a rattrap. It of course
pleased his heart that the world which was denied to him was after all not worth having as it was nothing
but a rattrap. After stealing the crofter’s money, he left the public highway and lost his way in the forest.
Though heart-broken, his sense of humour is alive as he thinks of himself as the one who has been
trapped like a rat. The forest seemed to him like an impenetrable prison from which he could never
escape.
The peddler provides humour again when he jumps up abruptly and quite frightened. It happens when
the ironmaster’s daughter lifts up his hat from his eyes. He shows a good sense of humour when the
ironmaster threatens to report his case to the sheriff. Instead of being frightened, he strikes the table
with his fist. Then he gives his views about the world being a rattrap. The ironmaster laughs and idea of
the sheriff is dropped. His letter to the ironmaster’s daughter again reveals his sense of humour. He calls
himself captain Von Stahle who, but for lady’s kindness, would have remained a rat caught in this
wordl’s rattrap.
There is no doubt that this sense of humour helps to endear him to us.
Question 19 In what sense was the world a big rattrap, according to the peddler?
The peddler was a vagabond, who went around selling rattraps. One day, as he was simply thinking
about his own rattraps, he was struck by the idea that whole world was nothing but a big rattrap. It
existed only to set baits for people. It offered riches and joys, shelter and food, heat and clothing in the
same manner as the rattrap offered cheese and pork. As soon as someone let himself be tempted to
touch the bait, it closed on him and then everything came
to an end.

50
Theme
‘The Enemy’ gives the message that humanism transcends all man made prejudices and barriers. Dr. Sadao upholds the ethics
of medical profession in treating an enemy. The story is a great lesson of peace, love, sympathy, fellow feeling and humanism.
Summary
Sadao was a Japanese surgeon. He studied in America and returned with Hana, a Japanese girl whom he met there, and
married her in Japan and settled down comfortably. While most of the doctors were sent to serve the Japanese army in the
World War II, Sadao was allowed to stay home because he was wanted by the old General who was dying. But one night into
his uneventful life came an American Navy-man, shot, wounded and dying. Though unwilling to help his enemy, Sadao took
the young soldier into his house and provided him with medical aid. He was in danger from that moment. Soon his servants
left him. Dr. Sadao saw that the soldier was getting well and absolutely alright. Once his patient was no more in need of him,
the doctor turned out to be his assassin, conspiring to kill him in his sleep. He informed the General of the American and the
General promised, he would send his private men to kill the American. Sadao awaited the American’s death every morning but
to his gloom the man was still alive, healthier and posing danger to him. At this point Sadao becomes the real man in him, a
true human being who realizes the essential worth of human life and universal brotherhood. He thinks beyond countries and
continents and races and wars. He finds no reason to believe that the American is his enemy. Sadao rescues the American.
Thus Sadao rises above narrow prejudices and acts in a truly humanitarian way.
GIST OF THE LESSON:
 Sadao, a Japanese surgeon finds a wounded American soldier on the beach near his house.
 He is unable to throw him back though he was his enemy as he was a doctor and his first duty was to save a life.
 Hana, his wife, though initially reluctant because it was dangerous for all including the children to keep the enemy in the
house, joins her husband in operating and nursing the enemy soldier back to health, even though the servants desert the
house.
 Hana assists Dr. Sadao in operating the soldier in spite of her physical discomfort and hesitation.
 Though it was war time and all hands were needed at the front, the General did not send Sadao with the troops as he is an
expert surgeon and the General needed him.
 Sadao tells him about the enemy soldier but he does not take any action as he is self-absorbed and forgets his promise that
he would send his private assassins to kill the enemy and remove his body.
 Taking advantage of the general’s self-absorption Sadao decides to save the soldiers life. After the soldier is out of danger
Dr. Sadao helps him to escape from his house to safety.
51
 Characters
1. Dr. Sadao Hoki: A Japanese doctor trained by Americans.
2. Sadao’s father: much concerned about his son’s education, a true patriot.
3. Hana: Wife of Dr. Sadao, met in America, became friends and got married in Japan.
4. Tom: An American prisoner of war, a soldier of U.S. Navy.
5. The old General: a sick Japanese army General, needed an operation, trusted only Dr. Sadao.
6. An officer: A messenger of the General.
7. Gardener: an old gardener in the house of Dr. Sadao.
8. Yimi: Hana’s maid servant.
9. The cook: an old cook in the house of Dr. Sadao.
LITERARY DEVICES
Like a fowl – Simile
It is only feathers and skeleton – Metaphor
Like flickers of rumour – Simile
He probed with his fingers every atom of this body – Hyperbole
Cardinal sin – Allusion
Flicker of terror – Simile
REFERENCE TO CONTEXT Read the extracts given below and attempt the questions that follow:
1. Dr Sadao Hoki's house was built on a spot of the Japanese coast where as a little boy he had often played. The low, square stone house
was set upon rocks well above a narrow beach that was outlined with bent pines. As a boy Sadao had climbed the pines, supporting
himself on his bare feet, as he had seen men do in the South Seas when they climbed for coconuts. His father had taken him often to the
islands of those seas, and never had he failed to say to the little brave boy at his side, "Those islands yonder, they are the stepping stones
to the future for Japan." "Where shall we step from them?" Sadao had asked seriously. "Who knows?" his father had answered. "Who
can limit our future? It depends on what we make it."
Questions
(i) Who is referred to as 'he' in the above extract?
(ii) What had Sadao climbed as a boy?
(a) coconut trees (b) palm trees(c) pines(d) walls
(iii) Where did Sadao's father often take him?
52
(a) coast(b) islands (c) Japan (d) USA
(iv) What did Sadoa's father say to Sadao about the islands?
Answers
(i) In this extract 'he' refers to Dr. Sadao Hoki.
(ii) (c) pines
(iii) (b) islands
(iv) Sadao's father said to Sadao that islands yonder were the stepping stones to the future for Japan.

2. It was at this moment that both of them saw something black come out of the mists. It was a man. He was flung up out of the ocean-
flung, it seemed, to his feet by a breaker. He staggered a few steps, his body outlined against the mist, his arms above his head. Then the
curled mists hid him again. "Who is that?" Hana cried. She dropped Sadao's arm and they both leaned over the railing of the veranda.
Now they saw him again. The man was on his hands and knees crawling. Then they saw him fall on his face and lie there.
Questions
(I) Hana cried, "Who's that?" This reveals
(a) concern (b) anger (c) anxiety (d) hope
(ii) Who was 'flung out' of the ocean? () The phrase, "...his body outlined against the mist," means..........
(a) his body was covered with mist
(b) his body seemed flowing in the mist
(c) his body was going against the direction of the mist
(d) his body was slightly visible in the mist (i) What does the expression "flung up out of the ocean" suggest?
Answers
(i) (a) concern
(ii) A man was flung out of the ocean.
(iii) (d) his body was slightly visible in the mist
(iv) It suggests crawling out of the ocean.

53
3. I wondered, Your Excellency," Sadao murmured. "It was certainly very careless of me," the General said. "But you understand it was
not lack of patriotism or dereliction of duty." He looked anxiously at his doctor. "If the matter should come out you would understand
that, wouldn't you?"
"Certainly, Your Excellency," Sadao said. He suddenly comprehended that the General was in the palm of his hand and that as a
consequence he himself was perfectly safe. "I swear to your loyalty. Excellency," he said to the old General, "and to your zeal against the
enemy.
Questions
(i) What was 'carless' of the General?
(ii) What would happen if the matter should come out?
(iii) What did Sadao comprehend?
(iv) What did the General want Sadao to understand?
(a) It was his illness.
(b) It was not lack of patriotism.
(c) It was dereliction of duty.
(d) he did not have the assassins.
Answers
(i) The General had promised Dr Sadao that he would send his personal assassins to eliminate the enemy.
(ii) The General would be accused of not performing his duty and showing lack of patriotism by not arresting the POW.
(iii) Sadao understood that the General was obliged to him and as a consequence, he himself was safe.
(iv) (b) It was not lack of patriotism.

4. Thus agreed, together they lifted the man. He was very light, like a fowl that had been half- starved for a long time until it is only
feathers and skeleton. So, his arms hanging, they carried him up the steps and into the side door of the house. This door opened into a
passage, and down the passage they carried the man towards an empty bedroom. It had been the bedroom of Sadao's father, and since
his death it had not been used. They laid the man on the deeply matted floor. Everything here had been Japanese to please the old man,
who would never in his own home sit on a chair or sleep in a foreign bed. Hana went to the wall cupboards and slid back a door and took
out a soft quilt. She hesitated. The quilt was covered with flowered silk and the lining was pure white silk.
54
Questions
(i) Who is being talked about in the extract?
(ii) 'She hesitated' means that Hana didn't want to.....
(a) carry the wounded man as he had a limp leg
(b) use her silk as he was their guest
(c) use her white silk as the man was bleeding
(d) share her stuff
(iii) "his arms hanging" indicated the state of the man. Pick the option that correctly tells his state.
(1) Unconscious. (2) Weak
(3) Strong. (4) Rebellious
(5) Calm. (6) Conscious
(a) (1) and (2)
(b) (2) and (3)
(c) (5) and (6)
(d) (4) and (5)
(iv) They laid the man on the
(a) shore. (b) hospital bed
(c) matted floor (d) veranda
Answers
(i) The injured man is being talked about in the above extract.
(ii) (c) use her white silk as the man was bleeding
(iii) (a) (1) and (2)
(iv) (a) shore

55
5. She had the bottle and some cotton in her hand. "But how shall I do it?" she asked. "Simply saturate the cotton and hold it near his
nostrils," Sadao replied without delaying for one moment the intricate detail of his work. "When he breathes badly move it away a little."
She crouched close to the sleeping face of the young American. It was a piteously thin face, she thought, and the lips were twisted. The
man was suffering whether he knew it or not. Watching him, she wondered if the stories they heard sometimes of the sufferings of
prisoners were true. They came like flickers of rumour, told by word of mouth and always contradicted. In the newspapers the reports
were always that wherever the Japanese armies went the people received them gladly, with cries of joy at their liberation.
Questions
(i) What is Hana doing?
(a) cleaning up the wounded soldier
(b) helping Sadao.
(c) watching the wounded soldier
(d) observing the wounded soldier
(ii) Which of these questions does Hana start reflecting on in the extract?
(a) Why did men like the young American choose to fight?
(b) What should she and her husband do about the enemy?
(c) Is the Japanese army actually emerging victorious or is it all fake news?
(d) How different was the reality of prisoners from what she was led to believe?
(iii) What did Hana observe about the young American
(a) he was breathing badly.
(b) the man was suffering
(c) he was young and strong
(d) he was a repulsive American
(iv) How do Hana and Sadao react to the situation of the wounded man?
Answers
(i) (b) helping Sadao.
(ii) (d) How different was the reality of prisoners from what she was led to believe?

56
(iii) (b) the man was suffering
(iv) Hana is confused about it but Sadao is confident about it.

6. "A white man!" Hana whispered. Yes, it was a white man. The wet cap fell away and there was his wet yellow hair, long, as though for
many weeks it had not been cut, and upon his and tortured face was a rough yellow beard. He was unconscious and knew nothing that
they did for him. Now Sadao remembered the wound, and with his expert fingers he began to search for it. Blood flowed freshly at his
touch. On the right side of his lower back Sadao saw that a gun wound had been reopened. The flesh was blackened with powder.
Sometime, not many days ago, the man had been shot and had not been tended. It was bad chance that the rock had struck the wound.
Questions
(i) Who does 'white man' refer to here?
(ii) Hana's remark "A white man!" on seeing the white man indicated what she was feeling. Pick the option that correctly states her
feeling.
1. Horror 2. Shocked
3. Unfamiliar 4. Annoyed
(a) 1 and 2
(b) 2 and 3
(c) 2 and 4
(d) 1 and 4
(iii) How did the white man's face appear?
(a) Old
(b) Tortured
(c) Fresh
(d) Annoyed
(iv) Why didn't he know the presence of Dr Sadao and Hana?
(a) As he was sleeping.
(b) As he was pretending to be unconscious.
(c) As he was unconscious.
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(d) None of these.
Answers
(i) Here 'white man' refers to an American prisoner of war.
(ii,) (a) 1 and 2 .
(iii) (b) Tortured
(iv) (c) As he was unconscious.
The Enemy Extra Questions and Answers Short Answer Type
Question 1.
What was his father’s chief eoncern about Dr Sadao?
Answer:
Sadao’s father was very serious about his son’s future. He would never joke or play with him. His father’s chief concern was his son’s
education. Therefore Sadao was sent to America at the age of twenty-two to learn all that could be learned of surgery and medicine.

Question 2.
In what condition did Dr Sadao find the American soldier at the seashore?
Answer:
The American soldier was badly wounded and the t sand on one side of him had already a stain of red soaking through. On the right side
of his lower back Sadao saw that a gun wound had been reopened. If immediate treatment was not given to the man he would certainly
die.

Question 3.
What role did the American professor play in bringing Sadao and Hana together?
Answer:
Both Hana and Sadao met at the professor’s house. Sadao started liking Hana. Though the professor’s wife was very voluble yet they
were kind people and Sadao also started living there as a paying guest. Thus we can say that the American professor and his wife proved
instrumental in bringing Sadao and Hana together.

58
Question 4.
What was Dr Sadao’s father dream for his son ? How did Sadao realise it?
Answer:
Dr Sadao’ father wanted his son to be an educated and successful man. He never played or joked with him. Sadao was sent to America to
learn everything about surgery and medicine. Eventually, Sadao became one of the most famous surgeons and scientists of Japan. In this
way Sadao realised his father’s dream.

Question 5.
Why did Dr Sadao treat the American soldier even though it was an unpatriotic act on his part?
Answer:
As a doctor Dr Sadao’s was trained he should never let a person die if he could help. Thus it was nothing unpatriotic on part of Dr Sadao.
He even told the old General about the soldier. Dr Sadao only performed his duty and saved the life of a human being not an American.

Question 6.
The General did not take any action against Dr Sadao even when he came to know about his sheltering of the American soldier?
Answer:
The General needed Dr Sadao’s services as a doctor and surgeon for his treatment. He himself told Dr Sadao that no one in the entire
Japan is so capable to save his life. Any action against Dr Sadao would also lead to his own death.

Question 7.
How did Hana help Dr Sadao?
Answer:
Hana helped her husband in the operation. She her-self washed the man. While Sadao performed the operation, Hana helped him in
giving the anaesthetic. She acted as a nurse while her husband was performing the operation.

Question 8.
59
Why had Hana to wash the wounded man her-self?
Answer:
Hana asked the governess, Yumi, of her baby to help to wash the man. But Yumi bluntly refused saying she had never washed a white
man and would never wash one. Moreover that man was their enemy. Therefore Hana had to wash the man herself.

Question 9.
How could you say that the American was tortured? Who could have tortured him?
Answer:
There were red scars on the back side of the neck of the American. It clearly showed that the man was badly tortured. The Japanese
General Takima was a very cruel man. He must have tortured the man.

Question 10.
Why did the servants leave Dr Sadao’s house?
Answer:
Dr Sadao had given shelter to an enemy soldier. According to the servants, it was an act of treason. They looked upon the Americans as
their enemies since Japan and America were at war. When they found that instead of handing over the enemy soldier to the police, Dr
Sadao had decided to treat him, they decided to leave his house.

Question 11.
Why was Dr Sadao not sent to the battlefield?
Answer:
Dr Sadao was a famous surgeon and scientist of Japan. He was perfecting a discovery to make the wounds completely clean. Besides, he
was treating the old General. The General might need an opertation any time. Therefore, Dr Sadao was not sent to the battlefield.

Question 12.
How did Dr Sadao get rid of the enemy soldier?
60
Answer:
Dr Sadao had saved the man with great efforts. He didn’t want him to hand over to the police and get him killed. Therefore he decided to
help the man get away in his boat’ He loaded his boat with sufficient provisions. He asked the man to row the boat to a nearby island.

Question 13.
How did Dr Sadao take bullet out of the body of the American soldier?
Answer:
Dr Sadao had to perfom an opertation to take bullet out of the body of the American soldier. The soldier was given anaesthetic. Dr Sadao
felt the tip of his instrument with some hard object. It was a bullet. Then Dr Sadao probed with his fingers and took out the bullet with
cleanest possible manner.

Question 14.
What was the second thing that happened in the afternoon? Why did this frighten the doctor’s wife, Hana too much?
Answer:
In the afternoon, the second thing happened. A mes-senger came to their house in official’uniform. Hana became quite frightened. She
thought that perhaps he had come to arrest her husband. But the man wanted Dr. Sadao to come with him as the old General was in
pain.

Question 15.
How did the General react on Dr Sadao’s story . about harbouring the enemy soldier?
Answer:
Dr Sadao went to the old General and narrated him the whole story. He also told him since he had done great effort to save that man and
he didn’t want him to hand over the police. Now, the General offered him to send his private assassins. He said that they were very
competent and expert in internal bleeding.

Question 16.
Why do you think that the General spare the American soldier?
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Answer:
The old General was very selfish. He knew if the matter about the enemy soldier had come to light,Dr Sadao would come to a great
trouble. He might be arrested for treason. The General did not want it happen. He needed Dr Sadao’s services for his treatment.

Question 17.
Did Hana think that the Japanese torture their prisoners of war? Why?
Answer:
Yes, Hana did think that the Japanese torture their prisoners of war. She found red scars on the back-side of the neck of the American
soldier. It was a clear fact that he was tortured badly by the Japanese.

Question 18.
Why did Sadao wait to fall in love with Hana?
Answer:
Sadao had met Hana in America, but he had waited to fall in love with her until he was sure she was Japanese. He knew his father would
only accept any girl who had been pure in her race.

Question 19.
Who was Dr Sadao? Where was his house?
Answer:
Dr Sadao was a famous Japanese surgeon and scientist. He was perfecting a discovery to make wounds completely clean. His house was
set upon rocks well above a narrow beach that was outlined with bent pines.

Question 20.
Was Dr Sadao arrested on the charge of harbouring, an enemy?
Answer:
No, Dr Sadao not arrested on the charge of harbouring an enemy. He has already told the old General about the enemy. Also the old
General needs his medical help, therefore, he never wanted that any harm may come to Dr Sadao.
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Question 21.
Did Hana help the wounded man and wash him herself ?
Answer:
Hana was a very understanding wife. She knew that her husband treated the man though he was the enemy of their country. He would
never desist from doing his duty. So she helped her husband and washed the man herself since their maid had refused to do that.

Question 22.
What did Dr Sadao and his wife do with the man?
Answer:
After Dr Sadao’s treatment the man was now out of danger. But still he was very weak. If they handed him over to the police, he was sure
to be killed. Therefore, they decided to keep the man with them in their house.

Question 23.
What did Dr Sadao do to get rid of the man?
Answer:
Dr Sadao had saved the man with great efforts. He didn’t want him to hand over to the police and get him killed. Therefore he decided to
help the man get away in his boat and he loaded his boat with sufficient provisions. He asked the man to row the boat to a nearby island.

Extra Questions and Answers Long Answer Type

Question 1.
To choose between professional loyalty and patriotism was a dilemma for Dr Sadao. How did he succeed in betraying neither?
Answer:
As a doctor, Sadao was taught that he should never let a person die if he could help. One evening, he found a badly injured enemy soldier
on the sea beach near his house. The man could die if not given proper medical aid. Now, Dr Sadao decided to perform an opertation on
the man though he was an enemy soldier. He tended him well and took great care of him.
In this way Dr Sadao was able to maintain his professional loyalty. But Dr Sadao was a patriotic from the core of his heart. He knew it was
an act of treason to harbour an enemy soldier. Therefore, he wrote a letter to the authorities about it and put it in his drawer. He even
63
told the old General everything about the enemy soldier. It is other thing that the General did not take any action against the enemy
soldier. But Dr Sadao was able to maintain a perfect balance between his professional loyalty and patriotism.
Question 2.
Good values are far above any other value system. How did Dr Sadao succeed as a doctor as well as a patriot?
Answer:
Dr Sadao is full of finer values of humanity kindness, love for human beings and also love for one’s passion. As a doctor, he is taught not
to let a person die if he could help. One evening he found a badly injured enemy soldier on the sea beach near his house. The man could
die if not given proper medical aid.

Now Dr Sadao decided to perform an opertation on the man though he was an enemy soldier. He tended him well and took great care of
him. In this way Dr Sadao was able to maintain his professional loyalty.

But Dr Sadao was a patriotic from the core of his heart. He knew it was an act of treason to harbour an enemy soldier. Therefore he
wrote a letter to the authorities about it and put it in his drawer.He even told the old General everything about the enemy soldier. It is
other thing that the General did not take any action against the enemy soldier. Thus, Dr Sadao succeeded as a doctor as well as a patriot.

Question 3.
How can you say that Sadao’s father was very serious about his son’s study?
Answer:
Dr Sadao’s father was very serious about his son’s studies. Dr Sadao’s lived with his father in a house that was situated on the high rocks
near the sea beach. He used to play there as a school boy. There were some islands near the Japanese beach. His father would often take
him there and told him that those islands there were the stepping stones to the future for Japan. Sadao’s father was very serious about
his future. He would never joke or play with him. Sadao knew that his education was his father’s chief concern.

Sadao was sent to America at the age of twenty-two to learn all that could be learned of surgery and medicine. He came back at thirty
and eventually became a famous scientist and surgeon. As he was perfecting a discovery which would render wounds entirely clean, he

64
had not been sent abroad with the troop. We can say that because of his father’s efforts, Dr Sadao was able to become a famous surgeon
and a scientist.
Question 4.
Explain the reaction of the servants in Dr Sadao’s house when he decided to give shelter to an enemy in the house.
Answer: The servants in Dr Sadao’s house did not like the idea of giving shelter to an enemy soldier. Yumi, the nurse of the doctor’s child
bluntly refused to wash the white man. She said that she had never and would never wash a white man. The old gardener was a
superstitious man. He said that there was no business in saving the man.
HOTS
Q1. What impression do you form about Dr. Sadao on reading thechapter “ The Enemy”
He told Hana bluntly that the white man ought not to be saved. First he had been shot. Then the sea had caught him. But when they
found that Dr Sadao was not going to hand over the man to the authorities they thought that he had turned traitor. They decided to leave
his house.
Question 5.
Write in brief the character-sketch of General Takima.
Answer:
General Takima was an old Japanese General. He was a very cruel person. He used to beat his wife mercilessly. He also tortured the
prisoners of war very ruthlessly. He even had private assassins to have anyone killed. He offered Dr Sadao to send two of them to kill the
American soldier. He said that they were quite capable and could also remove the dead body of the soldier.
But later he did not do that. In fact there was a selfish motive behind it. He needed Dr Sadao’s services as a doctor. He didn’t want any
problem should come to him. Therefore, he left the entire matter on Dr Sadao to solve. He pretended to be a patriot, but in fact he was a
very selfish person. He didn’t want him involve himself in the matter. Perhaps, he wanted Dr Sadao to kill the man himself. The General
was indeed a very self-absorbed person.
Question 6.
Dr Sadao faced a dilemma. Should he use his ‘ surgical skills to save the life of a wounded American POW or should he hand him over to
the Japanese police? How did he resolve the clash of values? (2015 AI)
Answer:

65
As a doctor, Sadao is taught that he should never let a person die if he could help. One evening he finds a badly injured enemy soldier on
the sea beach near his house. The man could die if not given proper medical aid. Now, Dr Sadao uses his surgical skills and perform him
an opertation on the man though he is an enemy soldier. He tends him well and took great care of him. In this way, Dr Sadao maintains
his professional loyalty and he is able to save the life of the POW with his surgical skills.

But Dr Sadao is a patriotic person also. Therefore he informs everything to the old General. The Gen-eral ensures him to send his private
assassins to kill the man. However Dr Sadao has saved that man with great effort. Naturally he does not want any harm should come to
that man. Therefore he helps escape the man in a boat in the end of the story.

Question 7.
How did Dr Sadao help then American POW to escape? What humanitarian values do you find in his act?
Answer:
Dr Sadao saved the life of American POW with great effort. Naturally he did not want that any harm should come to him and thus all his
efforts be wasted. Therefore he decided to arrange for the escape of that man. Dr Sadao decided to leave his boat on the seashore. He
also decided to load the boat with sufficient provisions. The American was dressed in Japanese clothes which Sadao had given him, and at
the last moment Sadao wrapped a black cloth about his blond head.

He was told to row the boat to a nearby island, where nobody lived because it remained submerged in the sea most of the year. The
doctor displays finer human values in this story. Though his country is in a state of war with America, he does not forget his duty and
obligations . as a doctor. He saves the life of the enemy even-at the sake of his life and reputation.

Question 6.
There are moments in life when we have to make hard choices between our roles as private individuals and as citizens with a sense of
national loyalty. Discuss with reference to the story you have just read?
Answer:

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Every individuals has his or her views. But he/she is expected to follow the rules of society and be loyal to his country. However,
sometimes the situation comes when we have to make hard choices between our roles as private individuals and as citizens with a sense
of national loyalty. In this situation we must keep national interest at top priority. But some exceptions are always there.
In this story, Dr Sadao meets a badly wounded soldier who is on the verge of death. Now he is taught that he must not let the individual
die if he can help. A doctor is not supposed to kill a person even if he happens to be his enemy. But he is a loyal citizen of his country.
Though he treats the enemy soldier yet he remains in the state of dilemma. He himself doesn’t know what he is doing.
Question 7.
Dr Sadao was compelled by his duty as a doctor to help the enemy soldier. What made Hana, his wife, sympathetic to him in the face of
open defiance from the domestic staff?
Answer:
Dr Sadao has been trained not to let a person die if he could help. The enemy soldier is badly wounded. He is sure to die if he is not given
proper medical care. On the other hand, Dr Sadao feels that it is his national duty to hand the enemy over to the authorities. Dr Sadao’s
wife, Hana, understands her husband well. She has spent great deal of time with him.
The house staff of Dr Sadao do not like the idea of harbouring the enemy soldier. They bluntly refuse to help their master in tending the
enemy soldier. At this juncture, Hana herself washes the enemy soldier and also helps Dr Sadao in giving anaesthetic to the soldier. She
feeds the soldier with her own hands. However, she likes her husband wants to get rid of the soldier but she doesn’t know how.

Question 8.
How would you explain the reluctance of the soldier to leave the shelter of doctor’s home even when he knew he couldn’t stay there wit
out risk to the doctor and himself?
Answer:
The soldier belonged to the American navy. He was prisoner of the war and somehow he had escaped from the prison. He had a gunshot
in his back. It was Dr Sadao who operated on him and saved his life with great effort. He gave the American soldier shelter in his house. It
was a big crime and Dr Sadao could be arrested for it. But for Dr Sadao his profession was the first. He was taught that he should not let
the person die if he could help it. Dr Sadao did his job with complete honesty.

67
He saved the prisoner’s life. The American kept on living there. He knew that he would be killed if he left Dr Sadao’s house. He had full
confidence in Dr Sadao. He knew that after saving his life Dr Sadao would not let him die. He left it to the doctor to escape from the
problem anyway he liked. And indeed, Dr Sadao found a way to save the life of the prisoner.
Question 9.
What explains the attitude of the General in the matter of the enemy soldier? Was it human consideration, lack of national loyalty,
dereliction of duty or simple self absorption?
Answer:
Japanese General Takima was a ruthless person. He even had private assassins to kill anybody. He used to torture the prisoners of war
very badly. Dr Sadao told him about the American soldier. He assured the doctor that he would send his private assassins to get the
soldier killed. But he does not do any such thing. He perhaps leaves it on Dr Sadao to handle the situation any way he likes. The General is
worried of himself and he needs Dr Sadao’s services. Therefore he does not want that any harm should come to him.
He does not want anyone know that Dr Sadao has given shelter to an enemy soldier. Therefore he does not send any of his assassins to
kill the enemy soldier. It was not in fact human consideration. It was lack of national loyalty and dereliction of duty. The General
knowingly does not send any of the assassins. He wants Dr Sadao to deal with the prisoner as he wants.
Question Question10.
While hatred against a member of the enemy race is justifiable, especially during wartime, what makes a human being rise above narrow
prejudices?
Answer:
Every human being has love and hatred in their heart. When we think what harm has been caused by the enemy, our heart gets full of
hatred for the enemy. But when we find the same enemy badly battered, our hatred diminishes. Then we tend to look at him like a
human being who needs our care and sympathy. In this story the same thing happens.
The American soldier belonged to the enemy country. Dr Sadao found him when he was badly wounded. Dr Sadao told himself that he
would have handed over that man to the police if he had been fit. But that man had a gunshot on his back. He was badly injured. He
could die if he was not given proper medical aid. Dr Sadao had been taught that he would not let the person die if he could help.
Therefore. Dr Sadao saved the enemy soldier with great effort.
Question 11.
Do you think the doctor’s final solution to the problem was the best possible one in the circumstances?
68
Answer:
The doctor had harboured an enemy soldier in his house. All the servants of the house had left their job. It was a grave crime to shelter an
enemy soldier. Dr Sadao could be arrested for that. Therefore, Dr Sadao wanted to get rid of that man as soon as possible. He did not
want him to handle him over to the police. He knew that they would certainly kill the man. He was in a fix what to do.
Now the man had gained sufficient strength. Dr Sadao adopted the method that could be the best in the given circumstances. He
provided the soldier his boat. He also loaded the boat with sufficient provisions. In this way Dr Sadao rose above the narrow
considerations and acted in a true humanitarian form. His solution to the problem was the best possible one in the circumstances.
Question 12.
Does the story remind you of ‘Birth’ by A.J. Cronin that you read in Snapshots last year? What are the similarities?
Answer:
Both the stories have one common theme. They both deal with the doctors who have great passion for their profession. In the story
‘Birth’, Dr Andrew Manson brought back life into the still born child with great effort. He knew that for the Morgans that child had great
value. It was their first child after twenty years of their marital life.In this story, Dr Sadao saved the enemy American soldier though it was
a great crime to shelter an enemy soldier. He operated on him and gave him proper care and treatment. In the end he helped him to
escape by providing his own boat.Thus in both stories it has been shown that for a doctor his true job is to save the life of his patient. He
is above the considerations of caste, creed or nationality.
KEEPING QUIET
THEME
The main theme of the poem Keeping Quiet is Peace, Fraternity and Unity. Throughout the poem, the poet talks about
destruction caused by greed and selfishness. We are destroying our environment, killing our brothers and hurting
ourselves and while doing all this, we never introspect ourselves and our actions.
OR
The poem Keeping Quiet is, in essence, anti-war poetry. The poet is worried about violence, animal brutality, and the
fate of manual laborers. Many of our social, political, and religious problems can be solved in a very easy way,
according to the poet. Self-introspection is the answer.
Keeping Quiet Summary – “Keeping Quiet” is a peace poem written by the Chilean poet Pablo Neruda. The poet asks humanity to count numbers from one to twelve –
twelve being the number of hours shown in a clock or the number of zodiac signs. He requests everyone not to speak because languages create barriers between
people. The moment when everyone stops moving their body will be very special and different as we have never experienced such a moment before.
69
 The poet says that in this period of inactivity the fishermen would not harm the whales, the salt gatherers will not hurt their hands, those who are busy destroying the
nature will adopt a new approach towards life, The men who are preparing for wars and victory based on deaths of innocent people will join their enemy and stand in
unity with them, doing nothing. No one will harm himself or any other person. Everyone will unite and ponder upon his acts and realize the results of his deeds.
The poet clarifies his idea and says further that he does not want that people should stand idle. He wants that there should be no war because he does not want to see
trucks laden with dead bodies of the soldiers. He is promoting Universal brotherhood and peace.
The poet says that everyone is working continuously, to achieve one’s goals. People are threatened by death and the fear forces them to work endlessly so that they can
achieve everything quickly. In this mad rush, they do not realize the repurcutions of their acts. He wants us to pause and come out of the mad rush. He wants us to be
happy about our achivements and celebrate them. He wants us to overcome the fear of death and to relax for a while. We should know the results of our deeds and
celebrate our achievements.
When the people will remain quiet for a while, they will realize the purpose of their lives. Just like all the creations of nature undergo a rebirth with the change of seasons,
similary, keeping quiet will be a rebirth for the human soul. It will give a new meaning to our life. Again, the poet says that he will count till twelve and asks everyone to
remain quiet while he leaves.
VALUE POINTS
First stanza
Now we will count to twelve
and we will all keep still.
For once on the face of the Earth
let’s not speak in any language,
let’s stop for one second,
and not move our arms so much.

1. The poet asks everyone to count up to twelve in their mind. The number twelve represents the hours of the day or the months of a year.
2. He wants all of us to be calm and still.
3. People across the nations have to unite together, so, they shall not speak their own languages, rather they all shall keep quiet and speak the language of silence.
4. This will bring unity among all the humans on the face of the Earth.
5. For at least one moment, no one shall move his arms either to signal, or to fight, or argue with each other.
The poet here requests everyone to count till twelve in their own mind and to stop for a while. May be this ‘twelve’ referred by the poet is the twelve hours in the clock or
the twelve months in an year. He wants everyone to stop and calm down. The poet urges everyone not to speak any language. As we all know that there are different
languages spoken in different parts of the earth which sometimes become a barrier in our way for peace. So, he asks people not to speak. Not only this, he also wants
us to stop moving our arms. By using the word ‘arms’ he means the weapons which are used by different countries to raise a war against each other. So basically the
poet is demanding peace from all of us.

Literary devices:
Assonance: Use of vowel sound ‘o’ and ‘e’ (Now we will count to twelve, not move our arms so much)
Anaphora: Two consecutive lines starting with the word ‘Let’s’
let’s not speak in any language,
let’s stop for one second,
Alliteration: the repetition of a consonant sound at the start of 2 or more closely placed words.
‘we will’ – ‘w’ sound is repeated 70
 Second stanza
It would be an exotic moment
without rush, without engines,
we would all be together
in a sudden strangeness.
Fishermen in the cold sea
would not harm whales
and the man gathering salt
would look at his hurt hands.

When everything will come to a standstill, it will be a rare situation.

1. No one will be in a rush, there will be no engines running.
2. Everyone will be calm and quiet, united with each other in a strange atmosphere.
3. It will be strange because it has never happened earlier.
4. No person would be harming any other living being either for food or to earn his livelihood.
5. All the people who work endlessly will get some time to look at their injuries and the damage they have caused to their body.
Poet says that it would be a rare situation when there will be no engines working. Here he wants to stay that if everything comes to standstill, it will be a very different
moment. If all the engines like the vehicles and machines stop, then there will be a sudden, strange situation as the world will experience a sudden calmness. People will
not be in a rush to achieve material things one after another. Further the poet says that the fisherman will also stop and not harm whales in the sea. This means that the
poet is urging everyone not to harm the animals. Here he gives the example of whales which are being hunted for the purpose of food or trade. He also wants people to
calm down so that they can stop and see what they have achieved or lost. For this he gives the example of the man who gathers salt, whose hands are hurt. Here he
wants everyone to stop for a while in order to see and feel their achievements and how much they have lost for the sake of attaining such materialistic things.

Literary devices:
Alliteration- ‘we would’ – ‘w’ sound is repeated, ‘sudden strangeness’ – ‘s’ sound is repeated, ‘his hurt hands’ – ‘h’ sound is repeated
Third stanza
Those who prepare green wars,
wars with gas, wars with fire,
victory with no survivors,
would put on clean clothes
and walk about with their brothers
in the shade, doing nothing.
What I want should not be confused
with total inactivity.
Life is what it is about;
I want no truck with death.
Explanation
1. The people who exploit the green wealth of nature by deforestation, or mining, or fishing in the deep seas and the soldiers who use weapons to kill fellow human beings
need some time to introspect into the consequences of their actions. They are merely doing their job or following orders. 71
2. He wants them to put on ‘new clothes’ i.e. to adopt a new approach towards life and to realize that killing so many people is not a victory.
3. He wants all of us to be united as one, consider our enemy to be our brother.
4. He is promoting brotherhood, peace and unity.
5. He does not want us to stop our works but to take some time and analyze the results of our deeds.
The poet asks everyone to stop those activities which are damaging the environment. Today all the human beings are making money by damaging the environment with
their activities such as mining, deforestation, letting the chemical waste into rivers, etc. The poet asks us not to do so. He also requests people not to involve in wars as
there is no benefit of achieving such victory in which no one is left alive. He says so because wars and environmental damage will lead to no life on earth. Rather, he
wants people to adopt a new approach towards life and mankind. He says that you should treat your enemy like brothers and promote peace and harmony in the world.

Literary devices:
Alliteration: ‘wars with’ – ‘w’ sound is repeated, ‘clean clothes’ – ‘c’ sound is repeated
Assonance: use of vowel ‘o’ (victory with no survivors, would put on clean clothes and walk about with their brothers)
Repetition: use of ‘war’
Fourth stanza
If we were not so single-minded
about keeping our lives moving,
and for once could perhaps a huge silence
might interrupt this sadness
of never understanding ourselves
and of threatening ourselves with death.

Explanation
1. All human beings work endlessly with the aim of completing all their tasks.
2. They are driven by the target of survival and the threat of death.
3. So they are in a mad rush to accomplish all their works.
4. He says that perhaps, if they pause for a while, they can appreciate their achievements and their lives would become happier.
5. He suggests that by keeping quiet, we will be able to understand the true purpose of our life.
Now the poet wants to clarify to his readers that when he asks them to stop from saying or doing anything, he doesn’t want anyone to become a non active person. Non
active is a person who remains idle and doesn’t do anything. Here, he simply means that we should stop and see the consequences of our deeds. The poet doesn’t want
to see people being killed due to their greed for money and expansion of territories. Further, he says that people are continuously working to achieve their tasks without
even thinking about their results. They are in fear of death and therefore, want to achieve most of the things before their death. Here he urges them to stop for a while
and take some moment to relish on what they have achieved till now. Everyone here is living a life in which he wants to achieve various things one after another. But
now the poet says it is the time to stop and see what has been achieved and should be enjoyed. This will help us skip the sadness which has become so prominent in
our lives. The sadness of not enjoying what we have achieved and the greed to achieve what next is in the list to be achieved.

Literary devices:
Alliteration: we were, so single – minded
enjambment: and for once could perhaps a huge silence……..of threatening ourselves with death.
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 Fifth stanza
Perhaps the Earth can teach us
as when everything seems dead
and later proves to be alive.
Now I’ll count up to twelve
and you keep quiet and I will go.
Explanation
The poet suggests us to take a teaching from nature.
1. As the Earth undergoes changes, in winter, everything freezes, becomes lifeless but after some time, the season changes again, and everything comes back to life.
2. Similarly, taking a pause and introspecting into our lives will give it a new meaning. We will be able to understand the purpose of our life. It will be like a re birth of the
soul.
3. The poet has conveyed to all the people the purpose of his message and so, he asks them once again to take a pause, count till twelve and walks out of the scene,
keeping the scene open for all the people on the Earth to experience this for times to come.
So, now the poet suggests to the human beings that we should learn a lesson from Earth. During the winters everything freezes and becomes lifeless. But when season
changes and its the onset of spring season, everything present in the nature such as the trees, birds, rivers, etc gets life. So here, the poet, by giving the example of
nature, wants to say that all the human beings should stop and try to judge their deeds. They can try and make their life better with calmness, peace. Finally, he ends up
by saying that now he will count upto twelve so that we all may become quiet. Here ‘quiet’ means to calm down ourselves and move towards the path of peace and
harmony. After saying this he says ‘I will go’. He says so as he has conveyed his message to the people and wants them to be left alone to think about it and work in the
direction of peace.

Extract Based Questions:

Question 1.
Read the extract given below and answer the questions that follow: (All India 2009)
Now we will count to twelve
and we will all keep still.
For once on the face of the Earth
let’s not speak in any language,
let’s stop for one second,
and not move our arms so much.

1. How long does the poet want to stay still?

2. What does he hope to achieve by keeping quiet?
3. What does the poet mean by ‘not move our arms so much’?
Answer:
1. The poet wants to count upto twelve and stay still during the time we are counting to twelve.
2. By keeping quiet the poet hopes that he will be able to live a fascinating moment and then realise the value of calm reflection and quiet
introspection. The ! poet believes that by keeping quiet, we will be able to hear the voice of our conscience in these moments of silence.

73
3. Whenever man has used his arms he has caused undue harm to others. So the poet uses the phrase, ‘not to move our arms so much’ to
emphasise the importance of physical inactivity to lessen destruction caused by man in the world.
Question 3.
Read the extract given below and answer the questions that follow: (Delhi 2010)
It would he an exotic moment
without rush, without engines,
we would all be together
in a sudden strangeness.

1. What does ‘TP’ refer to?

2. Who is the poet speaking to?
3. What would be the moment like?
Answer:
1. TP refers to that moment of silence and quietness when peace and calmness will prevail.
2. The poet is addressing mankind who has no time for quiet introspection in its over-hectic, busy life.
3. The moment would be exotic and unusual, a new experience in which mankind will experience a sense of bonding and togetherness with each
other.
Question 11.
Read the extract given below and answer the questions that follow: (Delhi 2012)
For once on the face of the Earth
let’s not speak in any language,
let’s stop for one second,
and not move our arms so much.

1. Why does the poet want us to keep quiet?

2. What does he want us to do for one second?
3. What does he mean by ‘not move our arms’?
Answer:
1. The poet wants us to keep quiet because this moment of quietness will give us the time to meditate and introspect upon the kind of turmoil we
have created on earth through our ill-actions. Too much activity and rush has only brought misfortunes to mankind, so it is better to be quiet and
still.
2. The poet wants us to do nothing and remain inactive for one second.
3. The phrase ‘not move our arms’ implies that no physical activity should be carried out for one second. Man has used his arms only to kill and
destroy others. Therefore, let him not move his arms to harm others.
Short Answer type Questions:
Question 1.
What is the exotic moment the poet Pablo Neruda wishes for? (Delhi 2009)
Answer:
74
Pablo Neruda wishes for that exotic moment when mankind will be free from greed, cruelty and harmful actions. Unnecessary rush and noise have
caused unpleasantness and troubles. The poet wishes the noise of engines and machines should cease and peace and tranquility should prevail.
Question 2.
How can suspension of activities help? (All India 2012)
Answer:
Suspension of activities will give us time to introspect and reflect on our follies. It will give us the much needed time to forget our differences, wither
away our discriminations and enter into a world of peace.
Question 3.
What is the exotic moment the poet Pablo Neruda wishes for? (Comptt. All India 2011)
Answer:
Pablo Neruda wishes for that exotic moment when mankind will be free from greed, cruelty and harmful actions. Unnecessary rush and noise have
caused unpleasantness and troubles. The poet wishes the noise of engines and machines should cease and peace and tranquility should prevail.
Question 4.
Do you think the poet advocates total inactivity and death in the poem, ‘Keeping Quiet’? Give reasons. (Comptt. Delhi 2011)
Answer:
No, the poet especially says that keeping quiet should not be confused with total inactivity. He wants no association with death. He wants to keep
quiet as this will prepare mankind for introspection and regeneration.
Question 5.
What is the sadness that the poet, Pablo Neruda refers to in the poem ‘Keeping Quiet’? (All India 2011)
Answer:
The sadness that Pablo Neruda is worried about in his poem is the sadness of isolation that has made modern man its victim. This sadness has
made man self-centered and uncaring to the needs of his fellowmen. He has sacrificed the needs of his emotional self in favour of materialism.
Question 6.
According to the poet, what is it that human beings can learn from Nature? (All India 2010)
Answer:
Earth can teach a lesson to mankind on the preservation and resurrection of life and how new life is believed to rise from the ashes of the dead
remains. The Earth never attains total inactivity. Nature remains at work under apparent stillness and keeps the Earth alive. Life never ceases on
earth when everything appears to be dead only one thing remains alive and that is earth itself.
Question 7.
Why is Pablo Neruda against ‘total inactivity’? (Comptt. Delhi 2010)
Answer:
Pablo Neruda is against ‘total inactivity’ because that would amount to death and he has no association with death. Life is a continuous and on-
going process and so is all about being on the move. Life should not come to a standstill under any circumstance.
Question 8.
Which sadness is Pablo Neruda worried about in his poem? (Comptt. All India 2010)
Answer:
The sadness that Pablo Neruda is worried about in his poem is the sadness of isolation that has made modern man its victim. This sadness has
made man self-centered and uncaring to the needs of his fellowmen. He has sacrificed the needs of his emotional self in favour of materialism.
75
Question 9.
Do you think the poet, Pablo Neruda advocates total inactivity and death? Why/ Why not? (Delhi 2011)
Answer:
No, the poet Pablo Neruda does not advocate total inactivity and death. He wants to give mankind an opportunity of quiet introspection to know and
realize how he has been harming himself and others. He makes it clear that stillness should not be confused with inactivity. Stillness means halting
of harmful human activities. He also wants mankind to understand that life is about sprouting out of seemingly dead surroundings.
Long Answer Type
Question 1.
Write in brief the summary of the poem.
Answer:
The poet wants everyone to count up to twelve in their mind. He wants every one of us to be calm and still. The poet wants that one should not talk
in any language. He means to say that every person of the world should be quiet for few seconds. There would not be any rush. There would not be
the jarring sounds of machines. The poet wants that the fishermen should not hunt whales in the sea. He also wants that the persons who gather
salt should suspend their activities for a few seconds.
The poet says that the people who destroy forests also wage a war against their own coming generations. There are wars with fire, chemical
weapons and poisonous gases. The was bring so much destruction that no side could be called victorious. The poet knows that the soldiers have to
follow the orders. He implores them to leave the army and instead of uniforms wear clean clothes. They should walk with their civilian brothers and
suspend their all war-related activities and walk idly under the shade.
The poet wants that we should not be self-centred. The poet says that the people are rushing to complete their tasks. But he says that by keeping
quiet for a few seconds, they can understand the true purpose of life. The poet wants that we should not be self-centred. The poet says that the
people are rushing to complete their tasks. The poet says that by keeping quiet for a few seconds they can understand the true purpose of life. The
poet says that the earth can provide us all type of guidance.
He says that it appears dead and lifeless in winter. But when the summer season comes everything again comes to life. Similarly, after taking a
short pause we can restart our activities in a new way. Therefore, the poet asks the people to take a pause, count to twelve and walks out of the
scene.
Question 2.
Write the central idea of the poem.
Answer:
In this poem, the poet tells us about the value of quiet introspection. He wants us to keep quiet for twelve seconds and stop every movement of the
body. He implores the fishermen not to harm the whales. He also wants the man gathering salt to stop his activities for a few minutes, since he has
hurt his hands. The poet says that wars are useless.
These wars leave no survivors. However the poet doesn’t advocate total inactivity. He says that something that appears to be dead now later proves to be alive.
Total inactivity is death, the poet just wants us to suspend our activities for a few seconds.

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 Deep Water
Theme
Deep Water is about the writer's journey of overcoming the fear of water, which is deeply rooted in him since childhood. The
author started fearing water since the age of four. It starts when he was visiting California with his father. He visits a beach
where a wave knocks him down and sweeps over him.

Summary
William 0. Douglas recalls a misadventure of childhood. It had happened when he was ten or eleven years old. He had decided to learn to swim.
There was a pool at the Y.M.C.A. in Yakima, which was safe. It was only two or three feet deep at the shallow end and nine feet deep at the other.
The drop was gradual. He got a pair of water wings and went to the pool. He hated to walk naked into water and show his very thin legs.
The author had developed an aversion to the water when he was three or four. His father had taken him to the beach in California. They stood
together on the surf. The waves knocked him down and swept over him. He was buried under water. His breath was gone. He was frightened. His
father laughed, but the overpowering force of the waves filled terror in the young author’s heart.
Unpleasant memories were revived when he went to the Y.M.C.A. pool for the first time. Childish fears were stirred. But soon he gathered
confidence. He watched other boys paddling on water with their water wings. He tried to learn by imitating them. He did this two or three times on
different days. He was just beginning to feel comfortable in the water when the misadventure happened.
When he went to the pool, there was no one else. So he sat on the side of the pool to wait for others. Shortly afterwards a big boy, a boxer, came.
He was probably eighteen years old and had beautiful muscles on his legs and arms. He called the author ‘Skinny and asked how he would like to
be plunged in water.
The boxer boy picked Douglas and threw him into the deep end. He struck water in a sitting position. He swallowed water and at once went to the
bottom. He was frightened, but did not lose his wits. He made a plan. He would make a big jump when his feet hit the bottom. He would come to the
surface like a cork, lie flat on it and then paddle to the edge of the pool.
Those nine feet appeared more than ninety. Before he touched bottom his lungs were ready to burst. When his feet hit the bottom, he made a great
jump upwards, but he failed to reach the surface at once. He came up slowly. His eyes and nose came out of water, but not his mouth. He moved
around his legs on the surface of water. He swallowed water and choked. He tried to bring his legs up, but they hung as dead weights. He again
went down to the bottom of the pool.
He was shrieking under water because terror had seized him. He was paralysed under water, but his heart and the pounding in head told him that
he was still alive. When he hit the bottom, he jumped with his full might. The jump made no difference. The water was still around him. His arms and
legs wouldn’t move. He trembled with fear. He tried to call for help, to call mother, but nothing happened. Then he rose up. His eyes and nose were
almost out of water. He sucked for air and got water. He started going down a third time.
Then all efforts ended and he relaxed. A blackness swept over his brain and wiped out terror. There was no more panic. He felt drowsy and wanted
to sleep. He gave up all attempts. He forgot everything. When he came to his senses, he found himself lying on his stomach beside the pool
77
 vomiting. The boy who had thrown him in said, “I was only fooling.” Someone said that the kid had nearly died. Then they took him to the locker
room.
He walked home after several hours. He was weak and trembling. He shook and cried when he lay on his bed. He couldn’t eat that night. For days
a haunting fear was in his heart. He never went back to the pool. He feared water and avoided it whenever he could.
A few years later, he came to know the waters of the Cascades. He wanted to get into them. Whenever he did so, the terror that had seized him in
the pool, returned. His legs would become paralysed. An icy horror would grab his heart. This handicap remained with him even as time passed.
Wherever he went, the haunting fear of water followed him. It ruined his fishing trips. It deprived him of the joy of canoeing, boating, and swimming.
He used every method he knew to overcome his fear. Finally, he decided to get an instructor and learn to swim. He went to a pool and practised
five days a week, an hour each day. The instructor put a belt around him. A rope attached to the belt went through a pulley on an overhead cable.
He held on to the end of the rope. They went on this way for many weeks. On each trip across the pool a bit of panic seized him. Each time the
instructor relaxed his hold on the rope and the author went under water, some of the old terror returned and his legs froze.
It was three months before the tension began to slack. Then the instructor taught him to put his face under water and exhale, and to raise his nose
and inhale. He repeated the exercise hundreds of time. Very slowly, he shed some of the old panic as his head went under water.
Then the instructor held him at the side of the pool and had him kick with his legs. He did so for weeks. Gradually his legs relaxed. Thus, piece by
piece, he built a swimmer. When he had perfected each piece, he put them together into an integrated whole. He had started practising in October
and in April the trainer told him that he could swim. He asked the author to dive off and swim the length of the pool. He began with crawl stroke.
When he swam alone in the pool tiny remnants of the old terror would return. But now he could rebuke his terror. This went on till July. He was still
not satisfied. So he went to Lake Wentworth in New Hampshire. There he dived off a dock at Triggs Island. He swam two miles across the lake to
Stamp Act Island. He swam the crawl, breast stroke, side stroke and back stroke. The terror returned only once. When he was in the middle of the
lake, he put his face under and saw nothing but bottomless water. He asked terror what it could do to him and it fled away.
Some doubts still remained. So he went up the Tieton to Conrad Meadows, up the Conrad Trail to Meade Glacier. He camped in the high meadow
by the side of Warm Lake. Next morning, he dived into the lake and swam across to the other shore and back. He shouted with joy, and Gilbert
Peak returned the echo. He had conquered his fear of water.
The experience had a deeper meaning for him. Only those who have known stark terror and conquered it can appreciate it. In death there is peace.
There is terror only in the fear of death. Roosevelt knew it. He said, “All we have to fear is fear itself.” Douglas had experienced both the sensation
of dying and the terror that fear of it can produce. The will to live somehow grew in intensity.
At last Douglas felt liberated. He was free to walk the trails and climb the peaks and to ignore (dismiss) fear.
Gist of the lesson:
 William O. Douglas had a desire to learn swimming since childhood.
 At the age of three or four, he was knocked down and buried by a wave at a beach in California.
 He developed a great aversion to water.
 At the age of ten or eleven he decided to learn to swim with water wings at the Y.M.C.A pool since it was safe at the
shallow end.
 A misadventure:- while sitting alone and waiting for others to come at the Y.M.C.A pool, a big boy came and threw
Douglas into deep end of the pool.
 Douglas swallowed water and went straight down to the bottom of the pool. 78
 While going down he planned to make a big jump upwards but came up slowly. Tried to shout but could not.
 As he went down the pool second time, he tried to jump upwards but it was a waste of energy.
 Terror held him deeper and deeper.
 During the third trial he sucked water instead of air.
 Light was going out and there was no more panic.
 So he ceased all efforts and he became unconscious.
 He crossed to oblivion.
 When revived he found himself vomiting beside the pool.
 He was in grip of fear of water and it deprived him of the joys of canoeing, boating swimming and fishing.
 Hired an instructor to learn swimming.
 The instructor taught him swimming piece by piece.
 He went to different lakes to swim and found tiny vestiges of fear still gripped him.
 He challenged the fear and swam.
 Swimming up and down the Warm Lake he finally overcame his fear of water.
 He realized that in death there is peace and there is terror only in fear of death.
Characters & Places
 Douglas: Narrator of the story
 YMCA Pool: A swimming pool runs by Young Men’s Christian Association
 Yakima: Yakima is a US city located about 60 miles southeast of Mount Rainier in Washington.
Literary Device:

Simile :

Nine feet were like ninety

Like a cork

As dead weights

Like a great charge of electricity

Tender arms like Mother’s

79
I went down, down, endlessly – Repetition

Personification :

The water heard me

Stark terror seized me

Terror that knows no understanding

Terror that knows no control

Blackness wiped out fear and terror

Curtain of life – Metaphor

Back and forth – Antithesis

He held on to the end of the rope, hour after hour, day after day, week after week. – Climax

The instructor was finished. But I was not finished. – Antithesis

“Trying to scare me, eh? Well, here’s to you!” – Apostrophe

Mr. Terror – Personification

As Doug Corpron – Simile

Gilbert Peak returned the echo – Personification

All we have to fear is fear itself – Paradox
REFERENCE TO CONTEXT
1. My breath was gone. I was frightened. Father laughed, but there was terror in my heart at the overpowering force of the waves. My introduction to the Y.M.C.A. swimming
pool revived unpleasant memories and stirred childish fears. But in a little while I gathered confidence. I paddled with my new water wings, watching the other boys and trying
to learn by aping them. I did this two or three times on different days and was just beginning to feel at ease in the water when the misadventure happened. (CBSE)
Questions
(I)(Choose the correct option with reference to the two statements given below: Statement 1: The author's father laughed to mock his son's inability to swim.
Statement 2: The author wanted to swim just to prove to his father that he can swim.
(a) Statement 1 is true but Statement 2 is false. 80
 (b) Statement 1 is false but Statement 2 is true.
(c) Both Statement 1 and Statement 2 cannot be inferred.
(d) Both Statement 1 and Statement 2 can be inferred.
(ii) "My introduction to the Y.M.C.A. swimming pool revived unpleasant memories and stirred childish fears." It can be inferred that this was a clear case of............
(a) suppression (b) oppression
(c) depression (d) repression
(iii) The misadventure that took place right after the author felt comfortable that..
(a) the author slipped and fell into the swimming pool
(b) a bully tossed him into the pool for the sake of fun
(c) his coach forgot to teach him how to handle deep water
(d) his father couldn't help him from drowning | into the water
(iv) The author's fear of water was
(a) very terrifying
(b) a sweet memory
(c) his regular companion
(d) vanishing slowly
Answers
(i) (c) Both Statement 1 and Statement 2 cannot be inferred.
(ii) (d) repression
(iii) (b) a bully tossed him into the pool for the sake of fun
(iv) (c) his regular companion
(vi) It means 'copying'.
(iii)"I went down, down, endlessly. I opened my eyes. Nothing but water with a yellow glow dark water that one could not see through. And then
sheer, stark terror seized me, terror that knows no understanding, terror that knows no control, terror that no one can understand who has not ein
experienced it. I was shrieking under water. I was paralyzed under water-stiff, rigid with fear. Even the screams in my throat were frozen. Only my
heart, and the pounding in my head, said that I was still alive."
(CBSE)
Questions
(i) How did he feel under water?
(a) Calm
(b) Peaceful
(c) Stiff and rigid with fear
(d) Relaxed
(ii) What seized him while going down to the bottom of the pool?
(a) Fear
(c) Reason 81
(b) Stark terror
(d) Wit
(iii) Who can understand terror better? (iv) How could he know that he was still alive?
(a) Because his brain was working. zis
(b) Because of his screams.
(c) The pounding of the heart.
(d) None of these. Bar
(iii) The incident described in the above extract took place in .............
(a) a beach in California
(b) the Y.M.C.A. pool
(c) the yellow river
(d) the village pond
(vi) Pick out the literary device in the statement 'sheer stark terror seized me'.
(a) hyperbole
(b) simile
(c) personification
(d) alliteration
Answers
(i) (c) Stiff and rigid with fear (ii) (b) Stark terror
(iii) The person who has experienced it in life.
(iv) (a) Because his brain was working.
(v) (a) a beach in California
(vi) (c) personification
Short Answer Type Questions (3-4 Marks)
Question 1.
How did Douglas finally get rid of the fear he had of water? (Delhi 2009)
Answer:
The terror that seized Douglas because of his misadventure with water twice was so intense that he sought professional help to overcome this fear.
He engaged a swimming instructor who gave him intensive training for six months to ensure he overcame his fear of water which he eventually did.
Question 2.
How did the incident at the YMCA pool affect Douglas? (All India 2009)
Answer:
Douglas, a ten year old boy, was standing alone at the YMCA pool when a big bully of a boy picked him up and tossed him into the deep end and at once he was
at the bottom of the pool. Though he did manage to come up with extreme difficulty, he could never again go back to the pool. He started fearing and avoiding
water. Whenever he went near water a haunting terror would seize him.
Question 3.
Why was Douglas keen to overcome his fear of water? (All India 2009)
Answer:
82
Douglas was determined to overcome his fear of water because this phobia had ruined his fishing trips. Moreover, he had also never been able to
enjoy water sports like canoeing, boating, and swimming. He was determined to get an instructor and learn swimming to get over his fear of water.
Question 4.
When Douglas realised that he was sinking, how did he plan to save himself? (Delhi 2010)
Answer:
When Douglas realised he was sinking he was frightened out of his wits and it was then that he decided to make a big jump and come up to the
surface. He thought of lying flat on water for some time and then to paddle to the edge of the pool.
Question 5.
What did Douglas experience as he went down to the bottom of the pool for the first time? (Delhi 2010)
Answer:
When Douglas is pushed into the pool, he at once goes to the bottom of the pool. The nine feet deep pool appears like ninety feet to him. He feels a
sense of acute uneasiness and as if his lungs are ready to burst. Despite feeling absolutely suffocated he makes desperate efforts for survival.
Question 6.
What sort of terror seized Douglas as he went down the water with a yellow glow? How could he feel that he was still alive? (Delhi 2010)
Answer:
When Douglas went down the water with a yellow glow it was a nightmarish experience for him. His legs were almost paralysed, his lungs were
aching and his head was throbbing. He felt the thumping of his heart and the pounding in his head and these made him realize that he was still
alive.
Question 7.
Why did William Douglas develop aversion to the water when he was three or four years old? (Comptt. Delhi 2010)
Answer:
William Douglas developed an aversion to water when he was three or four years old. He stood at a beach with his father when a wave Swept over
him and knocked him down. He was buried under water and became breathless. He was petrified and developed a permanent fear for water.
Question 8.
What misadventure did William Douglas experience at the YMCA pool? (Comptt. All India 2010)
Answer:
A misadventure at the YMCA pool wherein Douglas was thrown into the deeper end of the pool by a big boy made Douglas afraid of water. He went
down into the water three times but failed to come up. Though he was ultimately saved, a terror of water developed in him as his lungs filled with
water. His head throbbed and his legs felt paralysed thus making him fear water permanently.
Question 9.
Why was Douglas determined to get over his fear of water? (Delhi 2011)
Answer:
Douglas was determined to overcome his fear of water because this phobia had ruined his fishing trips. Moreover, he had also never been able to
enjoy water sports like canoeing, boating, and swimming. He was determined to get an instructor and learn swimming to get over his fear of water.
Question 10.
Why did Douglas go to Lake Wentworth in New Hampshire? (Delhi 2011)
Answer:
Douglas went to Lake Wentworth in New Hampshire to test whether he still had any fear of water. After his vigorous swimming practice he was still
83
not very sure if his terror for water had left him. So he wanted to try out his swimming skills at Lake Wentworth. He dived into the lake and only after
swimming across the shore and back did he feel certain his terror of water had fled.
Question 11.
Which factors led Douglas to decide in favour of YMCA pool? (All India 2011)
Answer:
When Douglas decided to overcome his childhood fear of water he preferred to go to YMCA swimming pool to learn swimming because it was safe.
It was only two or three feet deep at the shallow end; and although it was nine feet at the other end, the drop was quite gradual.
Question 12.
What did Douglas learn from his experience at the YMCA pool? (Comptt. Delhi 2011)
Answer:
His experience of drowning at the YMCA pool had a very deep impact on Douglas. He became extremely terrorised and fearful of death. He had
experienced both the sensation of dying and the terror that fear of it can produce. So his will to live grew in intensity. He learnt slowly to become a
swimmer brushing aside his fear gradually.
Question 13.
Why was Douglas determined to get over his fear of water? (Delhi 2012)
Answer:
Douglas was determined to overcome his fear of water because this phobia had ruined his fishing trips. Moreover, he had also never been able to
enjoy water sports like canoeing, boating, and swimming. He was determined to get an instructor and learn swimming to get over his fear of water.
Question 14.
Why did Douglas go to Lake Wentworth in New Hampshire? How did he make his terror flee? (All India 2012)
Answer:
Douglas went to Lake Wentworth in New Hampshire to test whether he still had any fear of water. After his vigorous swimming practice he was still
not very sure if his terror for water had left him. So he wanted to try out his swimming skills at Lake Wentworth. He dived into the lake and only after
swimming across the shore and back did he feel certain his terror of water had fled.
Question 15.
What efforts did Douglas make to get over his fear of water? (All India 2012)
Answer:
Douglas was determined to get over his fear of water. He engaged a professional instructor who understood the intensity of his fear and decided to
not just teach him how to swim but ‘build’ a swimmer out of him slowly and steadily.
Question 16.
Which two frightening experiences did Douglas have in water in his childhood? (Comptt. Delhi 2012)
Answer:
Douglas’ first frightening experience in water was when he was three or four years old. He was knocked down by waves while surfing at California
beach. He had been terror-struck at that time. Years later, his experience at the YMCA pool revived unpleasant memories when an eighteen year
old boy had hurled Douglas into the deep end of the pool. Both these experiences led Douglas to develop a fear of water.
Question 17.
How did the instructor turn Douglas into a swimmer? (Delhi 2013)
Answer:
To ‘build a swimmer’ out of Douglas, the instructor began his training with extreme caution. He attached a rope to a belt and put it around Douglas. 84
The rope went through a pulley that ran on an overhead cable. Supported by the cable, they went to and fro in the pool and practiced for weeks
together. The instructor taught Douglas to put his face underwater and exhale and to raise his nose and inhale. He then taught him to kick in water
for many weeks. Finally after seven months, the instructor told him to swim the length of the pool and Douglas’ persistent fear started fading.
Question 18.
How did Douglas make sure that he conquered the old terror? (All India 2013)
Answer:
Douglas went to Lake Wentworth in New Hampshire to test whether he still had any fear of water. After his vigorous swimming practice he was still
not very sure if his terror for water had left him. So he wanted to try out his swimming skills at Lake Wentworth. He dived into the lake and only after
swimming across the shore and back did he feel certain his terror of water had fled.
Question 19.
How did William Douglas’s aversion to water begin? (Comptt. Delhi 2013)
Answer:
William Douglas developed an aversion to water when he was three or four years old. He stood at a beach with his father when a wave Swept over
him and knocked him down. He was buried under water and became breathless. He was petrified and developed a permanent fear for water.
Question 20.
Why did William Douglas use the YMCA pool and not Yakima river to learn swimming? (Comptt. Delhi 2013)
Answer:
Douglas used the YMCA pool and not the Yakima river to learn swimming because the river was treacherous His mother continually warned him
against it and kept the details of each drowning in the river fresh in his mind. On the other hand the YMCA pool was safe, only two or three feet
deep at the shallow end.
Question 21.
What happened when ‘a big bruiser of a boy’ tossed Douglas into the YMCA pool? How did Douglas plan to come out? (Comptt. Delhi 2013)
Answer:
Douglas landed inside the pool in a sitting position, swallowed water and went at once to the bottom. He was frightened but on the way down he
planned how he would come out. When his feet would hit the bottom, he would make a big jump, come to the surface, lie flat on it and paddle to the
edge of the pool.
Question 22.
Which two incidents in Douglas’ early life made him scared of water? (Comptt. Delhi 2014)
Answer:
Douglas’ first frightening experience in water was when he was three or four years old. He was knocked down by waves while surfing at California
beach. He had been terror-struck at that time. Years later, his experience at the YMCA pool revived unpleasant memories when an eighteen year
old boy had hurled Douglas into the deep end of the pool. Both these experiences led Douglas to develop a fear of water.
Question 23.
Why did Douglas prefer to go to YMCA swimming pool to learn swimming? (Comptt. Delhi 2014)
Answer:
When Douglas decided to overcome his childhood fear of water he preferred to go to YMCA swimming pool to learn swimming because it was safe.
It was only two or three feet deep at the shallow end; and although it was nine feet at the other end, the drop was quite gradual.
Question 24.
What did Douglas feel and do when he was pushed into the swimming pool? (Comptt. All India 2014) 85
Answer:
Douglas landed in the pool in a sitting position, swallowed water and went at once to the bottom. Though he was frightened, on the way down he
planned that when his feet would hit the bottom he would make a big jump and come to the surface.
Question 25.
How did his swimming instructor ‘build a swimmer’ out of Douglas? (Comptt. All India 2014)
Answer:
To ‘build a swimmer’ out of Douglas, the instructor began his training with extreme caution. He attached a rope to a belt and put it around Douglas.
The rope went through a pulley that ran on an overhead cable. Supported by the cable, they went to and fro in the pool and practiced for weeks
together. The instructor taught Douglas to put his face underwater and exhale and to raise his nose and inhale. He then taught him to kick in water
for many weeks. Finally after seven months, the instructor told him to swim the length of the pool and Douglas’ persistent fear started fading.
Question 26.
Why did Douglas’ mother recommend that he should learn swimming at the YMCA swimming pool? (Delhi 2015)
Answer:
Douglas’ mother recommended that he should learn swimming at the YMCA pool because it was safe. It was only two to three feet deep at the
shallow end; and while it was nine feet deep at the other end, the drop was gradual.
Question 27.
How did Douglas remove his residual doubts about his fear of water? (Delhi 2015)
Answer:
To remove his residual doubts about his fear of water, Douglas went up the Tieton to Conrad Meadows, up the Conrad Creek Trail to Meade
Glacier. He camped in the high meadow by the side of the warm lake. There he dove into the warm lake, swam across to the other shore and back
just as Doug Corpron used to do.
Question 28.
How did Douglas’s experience at the YMCA pool affect him? (Delhi 2015)
Answer:
The drowning experience left Douglas weak and trembling. He was unable to eat that night and was haunted by extreme fear for days. The slightest
exertion would upset him, making his knees wobble and his stomach sick. He developed a complete aversion to the swimming pool and this
aversion stayed with him for years.
Question 29.
What lesson did Douglas learn when he got rid of his fear of water? (Comptt. Delhi 2015)
Answer:
After getting rid of his fear of water Douglas realized that ‘what one has to fear is fear itself’ and if he is able to overcome that fear he can achieve
anything he wants.
Question 30.
How did the instructor turn Douglas into a swimmer?
Answer:
To ‘build a swimmer’ out of Douglas, the instructor began his training with extreme caution. He attached a rope to a belt and put it around Douglas.
The rope went through a pulley that ran on an overhead cable. Supported by the cable, they went to and fro in the pool and practiced for weeks
together. The instructor taught Douglas to put his face underwater and exhale and to raise his nose and inhale. He then taught him to kick in water
for many weeks. Finally after seven months, the instructor told him to swim the length of the pool and Douglas’ persistent fear started fading. 86
Question 31.
How did his experience at the YMCA swimming pool affect Douglas? (Delhi 2016)
Answer:
The drowning experience left Douglas weak and trembling. He was unable to eat that night and was haunted by extreme fear for days. The slightest
exertion would upset him, making his knees wobble and his stomach sick. He developed a complete aversion to the swimming pool and this
aversion stayed with him for years.
Question 32.
What deep meaning did his experience at the YMCA swimming pool have for Douglas? (All India 2016)
Answer:
After his experience at the YMCA there was a haunting fear in Douglas’ heart. The experience of fear and death and its conquest made him live
intensely. Conquering fear made him realise the true value of life and helped him enjoy every moment.
Question 33.
‘All we have to fear is fear itself.’ When did Douglas learn this lesson? (All India 2016)
Answer:
Douglas learnt this lesson after he had conquered his fear of water completely. He went to Lake Wentworth, dived into the warm lake, and swam
across to the other shore and back. He shouted with joy at finally having con¬quered his fear of water and realized the meaning of Roosevelt’s
words.
Question 34.
When did Douglas first become afraid of water? (Comptt. Delhi 2016)
Answer:
Douglas first became afraid of water when he was three years old and had gone to the California beach with his father. He went under a wave for a
few seconds and though he was not in any kind of danger, yet he developed a fear of water.
Question 35.
When did Douglas’ dislike of water first begin? (Comptt. All India 2016)
Answer:
Douglas’ dislike of water first began when he was three years old and had gone to the Cali-fornia beach with his father. He was knocked down by
the waves which swept over him and he was buried under the water. His breath was gone and he developed a fear of water.
Question 36.
How did his experience at the YMCA pool make Douglas feel scared of water? (Comptt. All India 2016)
Answer:
A misadventure at the YMCA pool wherein Douglas was thrown into the deeper end of the pool by a big boy made Douglas afraid of water. He went
down into the water three times but failed to come up. Though he was ultimately saved, a terror of water developed in him as his lungs filled with
water. His head throbbed and his legs felt paralysed thus making him fear water permanently.
Question 37.
What shocking experience did Douglas have at YMCA pool? (Delhi 2017)
Answer:
A misadventure at the YMCA pool wherein Douglas was thrown into the deeper end of the pool by a big boy made Douglas afraid of water. He went
down into the water three times but failed to come up. Though he was ultimately saved, a terror of water developed in him as his lungs filled with
water. His head throbbed and his legs felt paralysed thus making him fear water permanently. 87
Question 38.
Why did Douglas fail to come to the surface of the pool as he hoped to? (All India 2017)
Answer:
Douglas had hoped that when his feet hit the bottom of the pool, he would make a big jump and come to the surface but before he touched the
bottom his lungs were ready to burst. Then when his feet hit the bottom and he summoned up all his strength to spring upwards, he came up slowly
and saw nothing but water.
Question 39.
How did Douglas’ introduction to YMCA pool revive his childhood fear of water? (All India 2017)
Answer:
Douglas’ introduction to the YMCA swimming pool revived unpleasant memories and stirred his childish fears when he was knocked down and
swept over by the waves in a beach in Cali¬fornia and had been buried in water. Thereafter he had an aversion to water when he was near it.
Question 40.
When did Douglas first start fearing water? (Comptt. All India 2017)
Answer:
Douglas first became afraid of water when he was three years old and had gone to the California beach with his father. He went under a wave for a
few seconds and though he was not in any kind of danger, yet he developed a fear of water.
Question 41.
What was the deep fear in William Douglas’ mind? How did he get over it? (Comptt. AI 2017)
Answer:
William Douglas had a deep fear of water. Douglas had to resort to professional assistance to overcome his fear of water. He employed an
instructor to teach him how to swim. He practiced five days a week, an hour each day with the instructor and piece by piece the instructor built a
swimmer out of Douglas.
Question 42.
What happened to Douglas at the YMCA pool?
Answer:
As Douglas was sitting on the side of the YMCA pool waiting for others, a boy who was around eighteen years old came there and yelled, ‘Hi,
Skinny! How’d you like to be ducked?” saying this, he picked up Douglas and tossed him into the deep end of the pool.
HOTS andLong Answer Type Questions:
Question 1.
” There was terror in my heart at the overpowering force of the waves.” When did Douglas start fearing water? Which experience had further
strengthened its hold on his mind and personality? (All India 2010)
Answer:
As a child of three or four years, Douglas had been knocked down by the waves at California beach. The waves swept over him and he was buried
under them. The overpowering force of water terrorized him and he developed an aversion for water. This aversion to water resurfaced once again
when Douglas was eleven years old and further strengthened its hold on his mind and personality. An eighteen years old boy tossed little Douglas
into the deep end of the pool. This downward journey into water for the second time was a nightmarish experience. His legs were almost paralysed,
his lungs ached, his head throbbed and he felt suffocated. Keeping his wits intact, he pushed himself up to the surface of the swimming pool but all
his efforts proved futile. Finally when he came to his senses he was lying on his stomach beside the pool. Now the haunting fear of water gripped
his heart and he continued to be mortally scared of water for a very long time. 88
Question 2.
How did Douglas develop an aversion to water? (Delhi 2011)
Answer:
When Douglas was three or four years old, his father had taken him to the beach in California. As he and his father had stood together in the surf,
the waves had knocked him down and swept over him. He was buried in water. His breath was gone and he was frightened. Then, when he was
about ten or eleven years old and had decided to learn to swim, he had gone to the YMCA pool. There an eighteen year old boy picked him up and
tossed him into the deep end of the pool. After this incident he never went back to the pool. He developed a fear of water and avoided it whenever
he could. Even when he went wading or boating in water the terror that had seized him during these experi¬ences would come back and take
possession of him completely. His legs would become paralysed and icy horror would grab his heart.
Question 3.
How did Douglas try to save himself from drowning in the YMCA pool? (Delhi 2011)
Answer:
When his feet hit the bottom of the pool Douglas summoned up all his strength and made a great spring upwards thinking he would bob to the
surface like a cork. But when nothing like that happened Douglas tried to yell but no sound came out. Now a great force was pulling him under. He
was paralysed under water stiff and rigid with fear. Then in the midst of the terror came a touch of reason that he should remember to jump when
he hit the bottom. As soon as he felt the tiles under him he reached out his toes towards them and jumped again with all his strength. Yet again the
jump did not make any difference. The water was still around him. Stark terror took an even deeper hold on him and he shook and trembled with
fright. He could not move his arms and legs. He tried to call for help but nothing happened. Finally he ceased all his efforts and decided to relax as
blackness swept over his brain.
Question 4.
How did the instructor make Douglas a good swimmer? (All India 2011)
Answer:
The instructor put in serious efforts to ‘build a swimmer’ out of Douglas. He understood Douglas’ mortal water-phobia and practiced five days a
week, an hour each day, with him. He devised a unique way to teach him how to swim. He attached a rope to Douglas’ belt that went through a
pulley which ran over an overhead cable. Holding the end of the rope in his hand, he made Douglas move back and forth in the pool without
causing him much fear. Douglas was taught how to exhale under water and raise his nose to inhale.
This exercise was repeated numerous times and they went to and fro across the pool week after week. The instructor then taught Douglas to kick
with his legs. At first his legs would not work but finally he was able to control and command them. Finally he was transformed into quite a perfect
swimmer by his instructor.
Question 5.
What horrific experiences did Douglas have in his childhood? What impact did they have on him? (Comptt. All India 2011)
Answer:
When Douglas was three or four years old, his father had taken him to the beach in California. As he and his father had stood together in the surf,
the waves had knocked him down and swept over him. He was buried in water. His breath was gone and he was frightened. Then, when he was
about ten or eleven years old and had decided to learn to swim, he had gone to the YMCA pool. There an eighteen year old boy picked him up and
tossed him into the deep end of the pool. After this incident he never went back to the pool. He developed a fear of water and avoided it whenever
he could. Even when he went wading or boating in water the terror that had seized him during these experi¬ences would come back and take
possession of him completely. His legs would become paralysed and icy horror would grab his heart.
89
Question 6.
What misadventure did Douglas experience at the YMCA swimming pool? (Comptt. All India 2013)
Answer:
As the timid Douglas sat alone at the side of the YMCA swimming pool waiting for other people to come, a big bruiser of a boy, probably eighteen
years old came there. He asked Douglas whether he would like to be ducked. Saying this he picked up Douglas and tossed him into the deep end
of the pool. Douglas landed inside the pool in a sitting position, swallowed water and went at once to the bottom of the pool. Though Douglas was
extremely frightened he had his wits intact so on his way down he started to plan. He decided that when his feet would hit the bottom he would
make a big jump, come to the surface, lie flat on it and then paddle to the edge of the pool. At that moment the nine feet deep pool seemed like
ninety feet to him and before he touched the bottom he felt his lungs were ready to burst.
Question 7.
Describe the efforts made by Douglas to save himself from drowning in the YMCA swimming pool. (Comptt. All India 2013)
Answer:
Douglas was picked up and tossed into the deep end of the YMCA swimming pool. At that time those nine feet seemed a long way down. As his
feet hit the bottom he summoned all his strength and made an upward spring. He came up slowly, opened his eyes and saw only water. He
reached up as if to grab a rope and his hands clutched only at water. He flailed at the surface of the water, swallowed and choked. He tried to bring
up his legs but they hung as if paralysed. He again started on a journey back to the bottom of the pool.
Then he remembered the strategy —he would spring from the bottom of the pool and come like a cork to the surface. He would lie flat on the water,
strike out with his arms and thrash with his legs. Then he would get to the edge of the pool and be safe. Yet again the jump made no difference and
finally Douglas ceased all efforts and relaxed as blockness swept over his brain.
Question 8.
How did Douglas’s experience at the YMCA pool affect him and how did he overcome his fear of water? (Comptt. All India 2013)
Answer:
The big bully of a boy found Douglas alone at the pool. He picked him up and tossed him into the deep end of the pool. Douglas was thrown at the
bottom of the pool and feared that he would be drowned. This ‘misadventure’ caused Douglas a lot of trouble and agony. He developed an aversion
to water as he experienced a series of fears and emotions. Icy horror grabbed his heart and made him panicky. This experience had a lasting effect
on Douglas. It deprived him of the joys of boating and swimming. This fear of water ruined his fishing trips. He never went back to the pool. This
fear of water stayed with him as the years rolled by.
Whenever he tried to enter water, he was seized by fear. Wherever he went his joys of fishing, boating and swimming were ruined. This fear of
deep waters stayed with him for years and firmly held him in its grip. Douglas had to resort to professional assistance to overcome his fear of water.
He employed an instructor to teach him how to swim. He practiced five days a week, an hour each day with the instructor and piece by piece the
instructor built a swimmer out of Douglas.
Question 9.
The story “Deep Water” has made you realize that with determination and perseverance one can accomplish the impossible. Write a paragraph in
about 100 words on how a positive attitude and courage will aid you to achieve success in life. (Delhi 2014)
Answer:
Douglas was afraid of water from a very young age. His misadventure at the YMCA pool further increased his water phobia. He was unable to enjoy
fishing and boating trips. Finally he decided he had to overcome his fear. He could not do it without seeking professional help, so he appointed an
instructor who gradually made him an excellent swimmer. Still Douglas was not satisfied. He made use of every opportunity to swim and dive in
90
water thus challenging his fear. He was able to overcome his fear completely and this led him to make the statement that what one is afraid of is
fear itself and if we are able to overcome that fear then we can achieve anything in life.
Question 10.
Desire, determination and diligence lead to success. Explain the value of these qualities in the light of Douglas’ experience in “Deep Water”.
(Comptt. All India 2014)
Answer:
Determination and perseverance is a combination of attributes and abilities that drive people to set goals for themselves and then to take the
initiative to achieve these goals. Douglas was able to overcome his fear of water by the values of positive attitude and courage. Initially he was
afraid of water but his grit and determination made him get an instructor and overcome his fear. Determination today leads to our success
tomorrow. It is that innate quality in our soul, which comes to surface when an incident irks it. It is a reflection of our values taught to us by society
and circumstances and enables us to overcome all obstacles.
There is always admiration for heroes like William Douglas who face challenges courageously and finally emerge successful. For years the fear of
water haunted him. It deprived him of the joy of canoeing, swimming, fishing and boating. However, it was deliberate, planned and continuous
efforts that enabled Douglas to get over his fear. He was absolutely determined to get rid of his fear and it was due to his perseverance and
resoluteness that he emerged victorious.
Question 11.
“All we have to fear is fear itself.” Describe Douglas’s experiences which led to the making of this statement. (Comptt. Delhi 2015)
Answer:
Douglas was afraid of water from a very young age. His misadventure at the YMCA pool further increased his water phobia. He was unable to enjoy
fishing and boating trips. Finally he decided he had to overcome his fear. He could not do it without seeking professional help, so he appointed an
instructor who gradually made him an excellent swimmer.
Still Douglas was not satisfied. He made use of every opportunity to swim and dive in water thus challenging his fear. He was able to overcome his
fear completely and this led him to make the statement that what one is afraid of is fear itself and if we are able to overcome that fear then we can
achieve anything in life.
Question 12.
With the help of courage one can achieve a lot. How did Douglas overcome his fear of water? (Comptt. Delhi 2016)
Answer:
Douglas was afraid of water from a very young age. His misadventure at the YMCA pool further increased his water phobia. He was unable to enjoy
fishing and boating trips. Finally he decided he had to overcome his fear. He could not do it without seeking professional help, so he appointed an
instructor who gradually made him an excellent swimmer. Still, Douglas was not satisfied. He made use of every opportunity to swim and dive in
water thus challenging his fear. He was able to overcome his fear completely and this led him to make the statement that what one is afraid of is
fear itself and if we are able to overcome that fear then we can achieve anything in life.
Question 13.
We always admire those as heroes who face challenges bravely in different phases of life and emerge successfully. Elaborate on this statement
with reference to William Douglas. (Comptt. Delhi 2017)
Answer:
Determination and perseverance is a combination of attributes and abilities that drive people to set goals for themselves and then to take the
initiative to achieve these goals. Douglas was able to overcome his fear of water by the values of positive attitude and courage. Initially he was
afraid of water but his grit and determination made him get an instructor and overcome his fear. Determination today leads to our success 91
tomorrow. It is that innate quality in our soul, which comes to surface when an incident irks it. It is a reflection of our values taught to us by society
and circumstances and enables us to overcome all obstacles.
There is always admiration for heroes like William Douglas who face challenges courageously and finally emerge successful. For years the fear of
water haunted him. It deprived him of the joy of canoeing, swimming, fishing and boating. However, it was deliberate, planned and continuous
efforts that enabled Douglas to get over his fear. He was absolutely determined to get rid of his fear and it was due to his perseverance and
resoluteness that he emerged victorious.

92
 Memories of Childhood
Summary
This extract is a painful revelation of a particular period of the life which the writer had to suffer during her
hostel days. It was the first day of her boarding school situated in the land of apples. The children were given
the task of apple picking in the bitter and biting cold. They were taken to the breakfast hall and the girl was
feeling stressed. She did not know the table manners. She was being watched very carefully by a strange pale-
faced woman. The girl felt very fearful and insulted. Her friend who could understand some English, told her
that the pale strange woman intended to cut her long hair. Zitkala-Sa learned from her mother that hair would
be shingled only for the unskilled warrior, cowards and mourners. She decided to fight back and got herself
hidden in a dim room under the bed. Everybody looked for her and called her name but eventually caught. Her
long hair was cut, although she resisted a lot. She spent her rest of the life there like a small animal being a part
of a herd, which was driven by a herder.

PART – II
The second part is an excerpt from the autobiography ‘Karukku’ by Bama – a Tamil Dalit.
She was in her third grade when she becomes aware of the indignities that the lower caste people face.
She happens to see an elderly person from her community abase himself in front of a higher caste person as he
was not supposed to touch the food that he was ordered to fetch for the landlord. 109
Later, her brother explains to her that the incident was not at all funny as she initially thought, but very pathetic.
The people from the lower caste were treated as untouchables.
She was deeply saddened and decided to study hard to overcome discrimination.
Theme
It highlights the despise, racial discrimination and unhealthy treatment towards the humanity in general and
women in particular.
Characters
1. Gertrude Simmons: the narrator of the story
2. Zudewin: a friend of Gertrude Simmons
3. A pale-faced woman: a teacher or a member of staff at the Carlisle Indian Industrial School in Carlisle.

GIST OF THE LESSON PART –I

The first part deals with the account of Simmons, An American Indian, who fought against the prejudices of the
society against American Indians.
She describes her experiences on her first day at the Carlisle Indian School.
The customs and rules of the place were strange and new to her.
She was forced to wear clothes that were considered undignified in her culture.
At breakfast, she was embarrassed as she did not know the routine of the place.
When she comes to know that they were planning to cut her hair, she protests by hiding under the bed, even
though she knew it was futile. In her culture, it was the cowards whose hair was shingled.
She felt like an animal driven by a herder.

93
SHORT ANSWER TYPE QUESTIONS
Q1. What does Zitkala-Sa remember about her ‘first day in the land of apples’?
Ans. It was a bitter-cold day. The snow still covered the ground. The trees were bare. A large bell rang for
breakfast. Its loud metallic sound crashed through the belfry overhead and penetrated into their sensitive ears.
Q2. How did Zitkala-Sa react to the various sounds that came when the large bell rang for breakfast?
Ans. The annoying clatter of shoes on bare floors disturbed the peace. There was a constant clash of harsh
noises and an undercurrent of many voices murmuring an unknown tongue. All these sounds made a bedlam
within which she was securely tied. Her spirit tore itself in struggling for its lost 3. Where were the girls taken
and how ?
Ans. The girls were marching into the dining room in a line. The Indian girls were in stiff shoes and tightly
sticking dresses. The small girls wore sleeved aprons and shingled hair. They did not seem to care that they
were indecently dressed.
Q4. “I felt like sinking to the floor”, says Zitkala-Sa. When did she feel so and why ?
Ans. It was her first day at school. She was marching into the dining room with other girls in a line. She walked
noiselessly in her soft moccasins. But she felt that she was immodestly dressed, as her blanket had been
removed from her shoulders. So, she felt like sinking to the floor.
Q5. “But this eating by formula was not the hardest trial in that first day”, says Zitkala-Sa. What does
she mean by ‘eating by formula’ ?
Ans. The ringing of a large bell summoned the students to the dining room. Then a small bell tapped. Each
pupil drew a chair from under the table. Then a second bell was sounded. All were seated. A man’s voice was
heard at one end of the hall. They hung their heads over the plates. The man ended his mutterings. Then a third
bell tapped. Everyone picked up his/her knife and fork and began eating.
Q6. How did Zitkala-Sa find the ‘eating by formula’ a hard trial?
Ans. She did not know what to do when the various bells were tapped and behaved unlike others. When the
first bell rang, she pulled out her chair and sat in it. As she saw others standing, she began to rise. She looked
shyly around to see how chairs were used. When the second bell was sounded, she had to crawl back into her
chair. She looked around when a man was speaking at the end of the hall. She dropped her eyes when she found
the paleface woman looking at her. After the third bell, others started eating, but she began to cry.
Q7. What did Judewin tell Zitkala-Sa? How did she react to it?
Ans. Judewin knew a few words of English. She had overheard the paleface woman. She was talking about
cutting their long, heavy hair. Judewin said, “We have to submit, because they are strong.” Zitkala-Sa rebelled.
She declared that she would not submit. She would struggle first.
Q8. ‘Why, do you think, was Zitkala-Sa so opposed to cutting of her hair?
Ans. Zitkala-Sa had heard from her mother that only unskilled warriors, who were captured, had their hair
shingled by the enemy. Among their people, short hair was worn by mourners, and shingled hair by cowards.
Since she was neither, she was dead against cutting of her long hair.
Q9. How did Zitkala-Sa try to avoid the inevitable loss of her long hair ?
Ans. She crept up the stairs and passed along the hall. She did not know where she was going. She turned aside
to an open door. She found a large room with three white beds in it. The windows were covered with dark green
curtains. She went to the comer farthest from the door and crawled under the bed in the darkest corner.
Q10. How was the search made for Zitkala-Sa?
Ans. First, they called out her name in the hall in loud voices. Then the steps were quickened. The voices
became excited. The sounds came nearer. Women and girls entered the room. They opened closet doors. They
peeped behind large trunks. Someone threw up the curtains. The room was filled with sudden light. Someone
stooped, looked under the bed and found her there.
Q11. How was Zitkala-Sa treated on being traced from her hiding place ?
Ans. Zitkala-Sa was dragged out. She tried to resist by kicking and scratching wildly. But she was
overpowered. She was carried downstairs and tied fast in a chair. She cried aloud and kept shaking her head.
Q12. What did Zitkala-Sa feel when her long hair was cut? ‘
Ans. When she heard them remove one of her thick braids, she lost her spirit. She had suffered utmost
indignities there. People had stared at her. She had been tossed about in the air like a wooden puppet and now
her long hair was shingled like a coward’s. In her anguish, she moaned for her mother. She felt herself as one of
the many little animals driven by a herder.
Q13. Which words of her brother made a deep impression on Bama? [Delhi 2014]
Ans. While returning home, Bama’s elder brother told her that although people do not get to decide the family
they are bom into, they can outwit the indignities inflicted upon them. It left a deep impression on her.
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Q14. Name some of the novelties and oddities in the streets that attracted Bama?
Ans. These included the performing monkey, the snakecharmer’s snake, the cyclist who had kept on biking for
three days, the spinning wheels, the Maariyaata temple and the huge bell hanging there. She also noticed the
pongal offerings being cooked in front of the temple.
Q15. What were the articles in flit stalls and shops that fascinated Bama?
Ans. She saw the dried fish stall by the statue of Gandhiji; the sweet stall, and the stall selling fried snacks.
There were many other shops next to each other. Then there was the narikkuravan huntergypsy. He had his wild
lemur in cages. He sold needles, clay beads and instruments for cleaning out the ears.
Q16. What sort of shows or entertainments attracted the passers-by?
Ans. Sometimes various political parties put up a stage. They addressed people through their mikes. There
might be a street play, a puppet show, or a “no magic, no miracle” stunt performance. There was some
entertainment or the other happening there from time to time.
Q17. Which actions of the people would Bama watch keenly in the bazaar?
Ans. She watched how each waiter in the various coffee clubs would cool the coffee. He would lift a tumbler
high up. Then he would pour its contents into another tumbler held in the other hand. She observed how the
people, chopping up onion, would turn their eyes elsewhere to avoid irritation in their eyes.
Q18. Why was Zitkala-Sa in tears on the first day in the land of apples? [All India 2014]
Ans. On the first day in the land of apples, Zitkala-sa was in tears. The main reason of tears was that her hair
was mercilessly cut. She had heard from her mother that only unskilled warriors, who were captured, had their
hair shingled by the enemy. That is why she shook her head in resistance.
Q19. Which fruit or sweet delicacies did she observe in the bazaar?
Ans. There would be mango, cucumber, sugar-cane, sweet potato, palm-shoots, gram, palm- syrup, palm-fruit,
guavas and jack-fruit, according to the season. She would see people selling sweet and savoury fried snacks,
payasam, halva, boiled tamarind seeds and iced lollies each day.
Q20. How were the threshing proceedings going on in the corner of the street?
Ans. There was a threshing floor set up in the comer of the street. People were hard at work. They were driving
cattle in pairs, round and round, to tread out the grain from the straw. The animals were muzzled so that they
couldn’t eat the straw. Bama stood there watching for fun. The landlord was watching the proceedings. He was
seated on a piece of sacking spread over a stone ledge.
Q21. What, do you think, made Bama want to double up and shriek with laughter?
Ans. Bama saw an elder of their street coming along from the direction of the bazaar. He was a big man. He
was carrying a small packet, holding it out by its string. The manner in which he was walking along made
Bama want to double up. She wanted to shriek with laughter at the funny sight.
Q22. How did the elder approach the landlord and offer him the packet?
Ans. The elder went straight up to the landlord. Then he bowed low and extended the packet towards him. He
cupped the hand that held the string with his other hand. The landlord opened the parcel and began to eat the
vadais.
Q23. What explanation did Bama’s elder brother Annan give her about the elder’s “funny” behaviour?
Ans. Annan told Bama that the man was not being funny when he carried the package by the string for his
landlord. The upper caste people believed that others must not touch them. If they did, they would be polluted.
That was the reason why he (the elder man) had to carry the package by its string.
Q24. How did Bama react on learning about untouchability?
Ans. Bama became sad on listening how the upper caste people behaved towards low caste persons like them.
She felt provoked and angry. She wanted to touch those vadais herself. She wondered why their elders should
run errants for the miserly rich upper caste landlords and hand them over things reverently, bowing and
shrinking all the while.
Q25. How did the landlord’s man behave with Annan?
Ans. The man thought that Annan looked unfamiliar, and asked his name respectfully. However, his manner
changed as soon as Annan told his name. The man immediately asked the name of the street he lived in. The
purpose was to identify his caste from the name of the street.
Q26. How, according to Annan, was the caste system discriminatory? How can one overcome the
indignities?
Ans. Annan said that the lower caste people were never given any honour or dignity or respect. They were
deprived of all that. Thus, the caste system was discriminatory. But, if they studied and made progress, they
could throw away those indignities.
Q27. What advice did Annan offer Bama? What was the result?
Ans. Annan advised Bama to study with care and learn all that she could. If she was always ahead in her 95
lessons, people would come to her of their own accord and attach themselves to her. Bama followed her
brother’s advice and studied hard. She stood first in her class, and because of that, many people became her
friends.
LONG ANSWER TYPE QUESTIONS
Q1. Why did Zitkala-Sa feel oppressed in new establishment?
Ans. Since the day, the author was taken away from her mother, she had suffered extreme indignities. People
had stared at her. She had been tossed about in the air like a wooden puppet. Her blanket had been removed
from her shoulders. She felt that she was immodestly dressed. She was so shocked and oppressed that she felt
like sinking to the floor. Later, her soft moccasins were taken away. These were the traditional footwear of the
local Indian American. They were replaced by squeaking shoes. She saw other Indian girls in stiff shoes and
tightly sticking dresses. The small girls wore sleeved aprons and shingled hair. The worst indignity she suffered
was the cutting of her long hair. The coward’s shingled hair made her moan with anguish. She felt she was not
a human being but one of the little animals driven by a herder. The systematic erosion of their culture and
disrespect to women was quite oppressive.
Q2. “But this eating by formula was not the hardest trial in that first day”, says Zitkala-Sa.What do you
understand by ‘eating by formula’ and how did she find it a hard trial?
Ans. There was a fixed procedure laid down for breakfast. Zitkala-Sa calls it ‘eating by formula’. The ringing
of a large bell summoned the inmates to the dining room. Boys and girls entered the dining room in lines from
separate doors. Then a small bell was tapped. Each of the pupil drew a chair from under the table. The writer
also did so. She supposed this act meant they were to be seated. So she slipped into the chair. She found others
standing. Just when she began to rise, looking shyly, the second bell sounded and all sat down. Then she heard
a man’s voice at one end of the hall. She looked around to see him. But all the others hung their heads over
their plates. She found the paleface woman watching her. When the man ceased his mutterings, a third bell was
tapped. Everyone picked up his knife and fork and began eating. She began to cry. She was so afraid that she
could not do anything further. Her discomfiture was caused by her unfamiliarity with the procedure. However,
she found it a difficult experience—a sort of trial.
Q3.“I will not submit! I will struggle first!” says Zitkala-Sa. What was she going to resist and why? What
efforts did she make and what was the outcome?
Ans. Zitkala-Sa had long, heavy hair. Her Mend Judewin had overheard the paleface woman talk that their hair
was to be shingled. Zitkala-Sa decided to resist it. Among their people, short hair was worn by mourners, and
shingled hair by cowards. Unskilled warriors captured by the enemy also got their hair shingled. Cutting a
woman’s long hair was thus against their tradition and culture.
She tried to avoid it. She crept up the stairs quietly and hid herself under the bed in a room with dark green
curtains. She had crawled to the comer farthest from the door and lay close in the darkest comer. Soon she
heard her name shouted in the hall. Then the steps were quickened and voices became excited. Women and
girls entered the room. They opened closet doors and peeped behind large trunks. Someone threw up the
curtains. The room was filled with sudden light. Someone stooped, looked under the bed and saw her there. She
was dragged out though she resisted by kicking and scratching wildly. She was carried downstairs and tied fast
in a chair. She cried aloud and kept shaking her. head till the scissors cut her long hair.
Q4. What diversions in the streets, shops and the bazaar attracted Bama, tethered her legs and stopped
her from going home?
Ans. There were many novelties and oddities that attracted Bama. These included the performing monkey, the
snakecharmer’s snake, the narikkuravan huntergypsy’s wild lemur in cages, -the cyclist who had been pedalling
for three days, the spinning wheels, the Maariyaata temple and its huge bell. She also noticed the pongal
offerings being cooked in front of the temple. There was a dried fish stall near the statue of Gandhiji. There was
a sweet stall and a stall selling Med snacks. There were many shops next to each other.
The public meetings of political parties, street plays, puppet shows, and stunts were other entertainments. She
would watch how the waiters would pour coffee from a tumbler held high to another low down to cool it. Then
she saw people who chopped onion kept their eyes to another side to avoid irritation. She admired the various
fruits that came to the bazaar according to the season. She also noticed people selling sweet and savoury fried
snacks. These were the usual scenes and sights that tethered her legs and stopped her from going home.
Q5. How did Bama react to the threshing proceedings in a corner of their street and the spectacle of a big
man carrying a packet by its string ?
Ans. Bama watched the threshing floor, people working with cattle to tread out the grain and the muzzled
animals with a child’s curiosity. She stood there watching the fun. The landlord was also watching the
proceedings. He was seated on a piece of sacking spread over a ledge.
Then she saw a big man, an elder of her street, coming along from the direction of the market. The manner in 96
which he was walking along made her want to double up. She wanted to shriek with laughter at the sight of
such a big man carrying a small packet by its string, without touching. She thought that the package might
come undone and its contents fall out. ‘
Then the elder went straight upto the landlord, bowed low and extended the packet towards him. He cupped the
hand that held the string with his other hand. The landlord opened the parcel and began to eat the vadais. She
found the whole scene quite funny and amusing. She related it to her brother in all its comic details.
Q6. How did Bama’s brother explain the elder’s behaviour to her? What was her immediate reaction?
Ans. Bama’s elder brother, Annan, told her that the big man was not being funny when he carried the package
by the string for his landlord. The upper caste people believed that others must not touch them. If they did so,
they (people belonging to upper caste) would be polluted. That was why he did not touch the contents but held
the packet by its string. Bama didn’t want to laugh any more now. She felt terribly sad. She could not
understand how the vadai, first wrapped in a banana leaf and then parcelled in a paper, would become
disgusting if one of them held that package in his hands. She felt so provoked and angry that she wanted to
touch those vadais herself straightaway. She wondered why they had to fetch and carry for these people. She
was infuriated that an important elder of theirs went meekly to the shops to fetch snacks and then handed them
over reverently, bowing and shrinking to the fellow who sat there and stuffed them in his mouth. She felt that
they too were human beings. Their people should not do petty jobs for the miserly rich upper castes. They
should work in their fields, take home their wages and leave it at that.
Q7. What indignities did the caste system heap on the lower castes? How could they end the
discrimination? How did Bama react to her brother’s advice?
Ans. According to Annan, the caste system was highly discriminatory. It put the lower castes in a very
disadvantageous position. They were never given any honour, dignity or respect. They were deprived of all
that. The only way to end this social discrimination was self¬improvement. They should study hard and make
progress. Then they could throw away all those indignities.
He advised Bama to study with care and learn all that she could. If she was always ahead in her lessons, people
would come to her of their own accord and attach themselves to her. The words “work hard and learn” became
the guiding principles of Bama’s life. She studied hard with all her breath and being. She was almost in a
frenzy. She stood first in her class and, because of that, many people became her friends. This was the
beginning of her illustrious career.
Q8. What oppression and discrimination did Zitkala-Sa and Bama experience during their childhood?
How did they respond to their respective situations?
Ans. Zitkala-Sa was a victim of social and cultural oppression by the victors who had overpowered them by
their sheer strength. They were prejudiced towards Native American culture and women.
They adopted force and oppression to compel the natives to shed their age-old traditions and customs. The
cutting of the long hair of Zitkala-Sa is a symbol of their oppression. She opposed this prejudice and oppression
by rebelling against it. She protested with all her strength.
Bama was a victim of caste system. She had seen, felt and experienced the evils of untouchability when she was
studying in the third standard. She felt humiliated by what it was. She struggled hard against this social
discrimination. She studied hard and topped in her class. Many students became her friends.
Thus, both Zitkala-Sa and Bama fought the existing circumstances with courage and determination and ended
the prejudice, discrimination and oppression.

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 READING COMPREHENSION

Introduction
 The word ‘comprehension’ means to fully understand the text using one’s intellect. A
comprehension passage is a text set for testing the reader’s ability to comprehend (understand) the
meaning being implied by the text and the theme of that particular passage. The students need to to
fully understand the text by using their intellect.
 Questions based on a passage generally appear as a chronological relationship with the passage. Usually
the first question has the answer in the initial paragraphs and so on but if the answers are inferential then
the matter might have to be collected from various paragraphs and for this, one needs to be familiar with
the entire passage.

Types of Comprehension Passage :

1. Factual Passages : As the name suggests, factual passages give some facts, be it historical or about the
achievements of a particular person. They can also provide instructions. They can be reports or even
descriptions of something.
2. Discursive Passages : These kinds of passages involve an opinion. They have a logical flow and are
argumentative in nature.
3. Literary Passages : These are the extracts from a literary piece

STRATEGIES FOR ATTEMPTING COMPREHENSION

1- Read the title.
2- Quickly skim through the questions. This will help you to predict what the passage/ poem is about. It will
help you to read and understand its contents with more clarity and will keep your mind focused on its
theme.
3- Focus on the question that tests vocabulary skills. Read the antonym/synonym given. Look at the numbers
of the paragraphs. Write each word against its respective paragraph. This gives you a ready reference and
helps you to identify the word in the passage / Para while reading.
4- While reading do the following:
a. Underline the content words
b. Underline the possible answers of the given questions. It will help you to identify the answers faster.
c. Encircle the words that are answers for the vocabulary. Normally a noun for noun, a verb for a verb
and an adverb for an adverb etc.
5- Answer the questions -
a. The underlined content will help you to find the answer.
b. If confused between two words:
i. Choose the word of the same part of speech / form
ii. Read the sentence with the word in the question in place of the ones you are choosing from the
passage.

98
6- Additional tips:
a. Write clearly and neatly.
b. Keep in mind the marks allotted to each question.
c. Do not leave any question unanswered.

Tips To Know
How to read a passage for comprehension:

Following are some guidelines that should be followed while attempting an unfamiliar passage:
1. Read silently. Do not read aloud.
2. Read the entire sentence together to make out the sense or meaning.
3. Read the passage thoroughly to determine the main idea before you have a good look at the
questions.
4. Don’t panic about the words you do not understand.
5. Go through the questions carefully and read that part again which contains the answer.
6. Initially if you are unable to understand the meaning of a word, try to make out the meaning
of that particular word in context of the passage.
7. Answers must be relevant and to the point.
8. Write complete sentences for the answers.
9. Try to write the answers in your own words and if required they can be copied from the passage.
10. Maintain the order in which the questions appear in the test paper.
11. Read the passage thoroughly first and then the questions.
12. Give a second reading to the passage. This time keep marking the points you feel, can be the
answers to the asked questions.
13. While answering the questions, be very specific and write simple and to the point sentences.
14. Write your answers in your own words as much as possible. Do not copy from the passage and
write.
15. Do not give information which has not been included in the passage.
16. When asking the vocabulary questions, your answer should be in the same parts of speech as the
question.

Case Based (Factual) Unseen Passage

1. Read the passage given below:

Milkha Singh, also known as The Flying Sikh, was an Indian track and field sprinter who was introduced to
the sport while serving in the Indian Army. He is the only athlete to win gold in 400 metres at the Asian
Games as well as the Commonwealth Games. He also won gold medals in the 1958 and 1962 Asian Games.
He represented India in the 1956 Summer Olympics in Melbourne, the 1960 Summer Olympics in Rome
and the 1964 Summer Olympics in Tokyo) He was awarded the Padma Shri, India’s fourth-highest civilian
honour, in recognition of his sporting achievements .
The race for which Singh is best remembered is his fourth-place finish in the 400 metres final at the 1960
Olympic Games. He led the race till the 200 m mark before easing off, allowing others to pass him. Singh’s
fourth-place time of 45.73 seconds was the Indian national record for almost 40 years.
From beginnings that saw him orphaned and displaced during the partition of India, Singh became a sporting
99
icon in the country. In 2008, journalist Rohit Baijnath described Singh as “the finest athlete India has ever
produced”.
He was disappointed with his debut performance at the 1956 Melbourne Olympics. *1 returned to India,
chastened by my poor performance in Melbourne. I had been so excited by the prospects of being part of the
Indian Olympics team, but, hadn’t realized how strong and professional the competition would be. My
success in India had filled me with a false sense of pride and it was only when I was on the track that I saw
how inconsequential my talents were when pitted against superbly fit and seasoned athletes. It was then that
I understood what competition actually meant, and that if I wanted to succeed on the international arena, I
must be prepared to test my mettle against the best athletes in the world.”
Then he decided to make sprinting the sole focus of his life. “Running had thus become my God, my
religion and my beloved”. My life during those two years was governed by strict rules and regulations and a
self-imposed penance. Every morning I would rise at the crack of dawn, get into my sports kit and dash off
to the track, where I would run two or three miles cross-country in the company of my coach.”
On how he pushed himself through the tough days of vigorous training. “I practiced so strenuously that often
I was drained of all energy, and there were times when I would increase my speed to such an extent that
after my rounds, I would vomit blood or drop-down down unconscious through sheer exercise. My doctors
and coaches warned me, asked me to slow down to maintain my health and equilibrium but my
determination was too strong to give up. My only focus was to become the best athlete in the world. But
then images of a packed stadium filled with cheering spectators, wildly applauding me as I
crossed the finishing line, would flash across my mind and I would start again, encouraged by visions of
victory.”

* Based on your reading answer any five questions from the six given below: 1×5=5

(i) What is Milka Singh known as? What realization did Milkha Singh have when he was on the track during
the Melbourne Olympics?

(ii) List any two of Milkha Singh’s achievements.

(iii) What strict rules and regulations did Milkha Singh follow?

(iv) State two consequences of his hard and strenuous practice.

(v) What motivated Milkha Singh to become the best athlete in the world?

(vi) Explain the phrase ‘I would start again’ in the last sentence.

ANSWERS

1. Milkha Singh was known as ‘The Flying Sikh’.

He realised how inconsequential his talents were when pitied against superbly fit seasoned athletes. He also
realised that he needed to prepare well to test his mettle against the best athletes in the world.

2. (i) The only athlete to win 400 meters at the Asian Games as well as Commonwealth Games.

(ii) Won gold in 1958 and 1962 Asian Games. His national record stood unbroken for 40 years.

(iii) He was awarded Padam Shiri for his sporting achievements.

3. Every morning he would rise at the crack of the dawn, get into his sports kit and dash off to the track,
where he would run two or three miles cross-country with his coach.

4. ( i) He was drained of all energy.

100
(ii) He would vomit blood or drop-down unconscious through sheer exercise.

5. He was motivated by his vision of victory at a packed stadium with spectators cheering and applauding
him as he crossed the finishing line.

6. ‘I would start again’ means here that he was encouraged to shun any complacency and start again with the
double energy and determination to become the best athlete.

Q.2 Read the following excerpt from a Case Study. J.K. Rowling – A Journey.

Rowling was constantly writing and telling stories to her younger sister Dianne. “The first story I ever wrote
down was about a rabbit called Rabbit.” Rowling said in an interview. “He got the measles and was visited
by his friends including a giant bee called Miss Bee. And ever since Rabbit and Miss Bee, I have always
wanted to be a writer, though I rarely told anyone so.

However, my parents, both of whom come from impoverished backgrounds and neither of whom had been
to college, took the view that my overactive imagination was an amusing personal quirk that would never
pay a mortgage or secure a pension.

A writer from the age of six, with two unpublished novels in the * drawer, she was stuck on a train when
Harry walked into her mind fully formed. She spent the next five years constructing the plots of seven
books, one for every year of his secondary school life.

Rowling says she started writing the first book, Harry’ Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone, in Portugal, where
she was teaching English.

At first nobody wanted to publish Harry Potter. She was told that plot was too complex. Refusing to
compromise, she found a publisher.

n 1997 Rowling received her first royalty cheque. By book three, she had sky rocketed to the top of the
publishing world. A row of zeroes appeared on the author’s bank balance and her life was turned upside
down. Day and night she had journalists knocking on the unanswered door of her flat.

Rowling’s quality control has become legendary, as her obsession with accuracy. She’s thrilled with Stephen
Fry’s taped version of the books and outraged that an Italian dust jacket showed Harry minus his glasses.
“Don’t they understand that the glasses are the clue to his vulnerability.”

Annual earnings of J.K. Rowling from 2010 to 2019

On the basis of your understanding of the passage answer any five of the six questions given below. 1×5=5

(i) Explain J.K. Rowling’s ‘near magical rise to fame’.

(ii) What reason did the publishers give for rejecting Rowling’s book?

(iii) What was the drawback of achieving fame?

(iv) Why was Rowling outraged with the Italian dust jacket?

(v) Find a word in the last para that means the same as ‘insecure/helpless.

(vi) According to the graph, how many years did it take Rowling to become very successful?
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Answers:

(i) Jk Rowling’s near magical rise to fame is well known as the character she creates I.e. her popular
characters led her to magical fame. She was on top of the world of publishing house after the book three was
published and her bank balance increased tremendously.

(ii) She was told that her plot of Harry Potter was too complex.

(iii) The draw back was that she was approached day and night by journalists knocking at the door of her
flat. It was becoming a nuisance and she did not respond all of them.

(iv) She was obsessed with quality and accuracy and therefore was outraged at an Italian just Jacket for
showing Harry without glasses.

(v) vulnerability

(v) It took around 6 years for Rowlings to become very successful.

Q. 3Read the passage and answer the questions that follow:

Australia’s 2019-2020 Bushfire Season was not Normal

Data from satellite sources assembled by the United Nations Environment Programme’s (UNEP) World
Environment Situation Room confirms that the wildfires in Australia in the last two months of 2019 and the
first six weeks of 2020 were far from normal. 2019 was the second hottest year on record since 1880, and
Australia recorded its warmest temperatures ever in December 2019.
“Rising temperatures continue to melt records. The past decade was the hottest on record. Scientists tell us
that ocean temperatures are now rising at the equivalent of five Hiroshima bombs a second. One million
species are in near-term danger of extinction. Our planet is burning,” says United Nations Secretary-General
António Guterres.
“The trend is very clear: 37 of the last 40 years were the warmest recorded since 1880, and the six warmest
years recorded were the last six years,” says Pascal Peduzzi, Director of UNEP’s Global Resource
Information Database in Geneva. “For those who think Australia is always burning, graphs clearly show that
these fires were exceptional.”
“This service, accessible via the UNEP’s World Environment Situation Room, is provided for all countries
at national and provincial levels. It identifies trends in wildfire activity since 2003, when the data first
became available and monitoring began. We have sliced and diced the satellite-based data on wildfires
worldwide from 2009 to the present day. We analyse the wildfires’ data by month, type of land cover,
protected area, province and nation to produce information products,” Peduzzi adds. (Source: UN
Environment)
Choose the correct option to answer the questions based on the above passage and graphics. Do any ten.

(a) What do the reports confirm about the 2019-20 Australian fires?
(i) the fires were not normal
(ii) the fires were normal
(iii) the fires were natural
(iv) data inconclusive

(b) What was the difference in the recorded temperatures in 2019 from the 1880s?
(i) 2019 recorded the wettest temperatures since 1880s
(ii) 2019 recorded the hottest temperatures ever
102
(iii) 2019 recorded the cooler temperatures than 1880s
(iv) 2019 recorded the warmest temperatures since 1880s

(c) What comparison has been made between the rising sea temperatures and Hiroshima?
(i) ocean temperatures are rising at the equivalent of three Hiroshima bombs a second
(ii) ocean temperatures are rising at the equivalent of five Hiroshima bombs a second
(iii) ocean temperatures are rising at the equivalent of five Hiroshima bombs an hour
(iv) none of these

(d) Choose the option that lists the CORRECT answers for the following:

“Rising temperatures continue to melt records. The past decade was the hottest on record.
Scientists tell us that ocean temperatures are now rising at the equivalent of five Hiroshima
bombs a second”. Whose statement is this?

“The trend is very clear: 37 of the last 40 years were the warmest recorded since 1880, and
the six warmest years recorded were the last six years.” Whose statement is this?

(i) (1) is from United Nations Secretary and (2) is from the UN President
(ii) (1) is from the UN President and (2) is from the UN General Secretary
(iii) (1) is from United Nations Secretary and (2) is from the Director of UNEP
(iv) (1) is from the UN General Secretary and (2) is from the UN President

(e) Based on your understanding of the passage, choose the option that lists the inherent qualities of climate
in the present times.
(i) 1 and 3
(ii) 2 and 6
(iii) 3 and 4
(iv) 5 and 6

(f) Which of the following independent data source is NOT PRESENT in the given graph?
(i) NASA
(ii) NOAA
(iii) ISRO
(iv) JMA

(g) Choose the option that lists the CORRECT statement.

(i) Pascal Peduzzi is the Director of UNEP’s Global Renaissance Information Database
(ii) Pascal Peduzzi is the Director of UNO’s Global Resource Information Database
(iii) Pascal Peduzzi is the Manager of UNEP’s Global Resource Information Database
(iv) Pascal Peduzzi is the Director of UNEP’s Global Resource Information Database

(h) How can you say that the UN is concerned about the rising numbers of coal plants?
(i) UNDP Secretary General António Guterres is calling for curbs on new plants
(ii) UN Secretary General António Guterres is calling for curbs on new plants
(iii) UN Executive Secretary António Guterres is calling for curbs on new plants
(iv) UN Secretary General Antony Guterres is calling for curbs on new plants

(i) UNEP’s World Environment Situation Room has been tracking the world temperatures since.
(i) 2003
(ii) 2013
(iii) 2000
(iv) 2001

(j) The graph compiled with data from four different sources shows that the global surface temperatures
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have been _.
(i) steady
(ii) falling
(iii) on the rise
(iv) none of these

(k) Which word in the passage means the same as “collect”?

(i) assembled
(ii) extinction
(iii) exceptional
(iv) provincial

(l) Which word in the passage is opposite to the meaning of ‘vague/murky’?

(i) assembled
(ii) clear
(iii) extinction
(iv) provincial

Answers:

(a) (i) the fires were not normal

(b) (iv) 2019 recorded the warmest temperatures since 1880s
(c) (ii) ocean temperatures are rising at the equivalent of five Hiroshima bombs a second
(d) (iii) (1) is from United Nations Secretary and (2) is from the Director of UNEP
(e) (i) 1 and 3
(f) (iii) ISRO
(g) (iv) Pascal Peduzzi is the Director of UNEP’s Global Resource Information Database
(h) (ii) UN secretary general António Guterres is calling for curbs on new plants
(i) (i) 2003
(j) (iii) on the rise
(k) (i) assembled
(l) (ii) clear

Q.4 Read the passage given below and answer the questions that follow:
Hyderabad — The City of Nizams GOLCONDA

FORT

1. In the 16th century, when Golconda was the capital of Qutb Shahi Kingdom, it is believed that a shepherd
boy came across an idol on the hill. It was then that the Kakatiya dynasty’s ruler built the fort, which is 120
m high. After it was captured by Aurangzeb, the Mughal emperor, the fort fell into ruins.

2. The beautiful ruins of the fort have a story to tell. They make you wonder how the fort may have looked
in its days of glory and grandeur. The fort also organises a sound and light show every day and the history of
this fort is narrated in such an interesting manner that even a child can understand and enjoy it. The climb to
the fort is a difficult one and unless you are physically fit, you should avoid the climb and relax in the
gardens below. The view from the top is breath-taking.

CHARMINAR

3. The next place is Charminar. The literal meaning of the monument is ‘four minarets’. There is a mosque
on the second floor. It is said that when the state was hit by severe plague, Sultan Muhammad Quli Qutb
Shah, the fifth ruler of the Qutb Shahi dynasty, prayed to end the plague and promised to build a mosque in
the very place where he was praying. Thus, Charminar came into being!

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4. The walk from the bottom to the top of the monument is a little frightening, owing to the narrowness of
the pathway and the steepness of the steps. Once you reach the top, the view of the crowds moving below
will surely lift your spirits.

5. Make sure you visit the nearby Laad Bazaar, where there are rows of shops selling the famous Hyderabadi
glass bangles and lac bangles.

SALAR JUNG MUSEUM

6. The Salar Jung Museum is the third largest museum in the country and boasts of owning the biggest one-
man collection of antiques in the world. A visit to the Salar Jung Museum is a must even if you are not a fan
of antique stuff. You can view the Nizam’s collection of textiles, arms, metalware, ivory carvings, Indian
bronzes and carpets.

7. The main attraction is definitely the Musical Clock, made by Cook and Kelvy of England. Inside the
clock is a timekeeper. Every hour, he comes out and beats a gong as many times as the time indicates.
Another attraction of the museum is the Veiled Rebecca, an amazing sculpture made by the Italian sculptor,
Giovanni Maria Benzoni.

On the basis of your understanding of the above passage, answer any ten of the following questions:

(f) How does one feel after reaching the top of Charminar ?

Ans: delighted/elated/joyful

(g) What is unique about the Salar Jung Museum ?

Ans: owns the biggest one-man collection of antiques in the world.

(h) What else can one find in this museum apart from antiques ?

Ans: collection of textiles, arms, metalware, ivory carvings, Indian bronzes and carpets.

(i) Name the two attractions of the Salar Jung Museum.Passage 7

Ans: i) the Musical Clock made by Cook and Kelvy of England ii) the Veiled Rebecca,an amazing sculpture
made by an Italian sculptor.

Q. 5. Read the passage given below and answer the questions that follow.

1. I recently had submitted an article ‘Reforming our Education System’ wherein the need for our
educational system to shift its focus from insisting upon remembering to emphasising or understanding was
stressed upon.

2. This article brought back the memory of an interesting conversation between my daughter and myself in
the recent times, wherein I had learnt that Economics and Physics were a few of the most difficult subjects
for her as she had to mug up the answers. Though I offered to help her out with the immediate problem on
hand, 1 learnt subsequently that many a time it pays to mug up the answer properly, because the teachers
find it easier to evaluate that way. It seems, the more deviation there is from the way the sentences are
framed in the textbook, the more risk one runs of losing marks.

3. This reminded me of a training session I had attended at work, where we were required to carry out an
exercise of joining the dots that were drawn in rows of three without lifting the pen and without crossing the
trodden path more than once. Though the exercise seemed quite simple, almost 95 per cent of us failed to
105
achieve the required result, no matter how hard we tried. The instructor then informed us cheerily that it
happened all the time because the dots that appeared to fit into a box like formation do not allow us to think
out of the box. That was when I realised that all of us carry these imaginary boxes in our minds. Thanks to
our stereotyped upbringing that forces our thinking to conform to a set of pattern.

4. “What is the harm in conforming as long as it is towards setting up a good practice?”, someone might
want to ask. Perhaps, no harm done to others but to the person being confined to “think by rote” may mean
being deprived of rising to the heights he/she is capable of rising to, even without the person being aware of
the same.

5. If we instil too much fear of failure in the children right from the young age, the urge to conform and play
safe, starts stifling the creative urge which dares to explore, make a mistake and explore again. As we know,
most of the great inventions were initially considered to be most outrageous and highly impractical. It is
because the people inventing the same were not bothered about being ridiculed and brave enough to think of
the unthinkable that these inventions came into being.

6. For many children, studies are the most boring aspect of their lives. Learning, instead of fun is being
considered the most mundane and avoidable activity. Thanks to the propagators of an educational system
which is more information- oriented than knowledge-oriented. Too much of syllabus, too many students per
teacher, lack of enough hands-on exercises, teaching as a routine with the aim of completing the syllabus in
time rather than with the goal of imparting knowledge, the curriculum more often than not designed keeping
in view the most intelligent student rather than the average student are the important factors in this regard.
Peer pressure, high expectations of the parents in an extremely competitive environment, the multitude of
distractions in an era of technological revolution are adding further to the burden on the young minds.

7. For a change, can we have some English/Hindi poems ickle, tickle and pickle the young minds and send
them on a wild goose chase for the pot of gold at the end of a rainbow? Can we have lessons in History that
make the child feel proud of his heritage, instead of asking him to mug up the years of the events? Can
physics and chemistry lessons be taught more in the laboratories than in the classrooms? Can a system be
devised so as to make the educational excursions compulsory for schools, so that visits to
historical/botanical places are ensured without fail? Can the educational institutes start off inter-school
projects on the internet, the way the schools in abroad do, so as to encourage the child to explore on her own
and sum up her/his findings in the form of a report?

8. Finally, can we make the wonder of the childhood lost and get carried forward into the adulthood, instead
of forcing pre-mature adulthood on children? I, for one, have realised that it is worth doing so, hence, I have
asked my child to go ahead by choosing to write the answers on her own, in her own language by giving
vent to her most fanciful imagination! (Source: The Hindu)

A. On the basis of your understanding of the passage, answer the following questions by
choosing the most appropriate option. (1 × 5 = 5 marks)

Question (i)
What were the difficult subjects for the writer’s daughter?
(a) Biology and Chemistry
(b) Economics and Physics
(c) Political Science and English
(d) History and Maths
Answer:
(b) Economics and Physics

Question (ii)
Why does it pay to mug up answers?
(a) Because teachers find it easy to evaluate
(b) Because students find it easy to write
106
(c) Because teachers find it easy to teach
(d) Because students find it easy to remember
Answer:
(a) Because teachers find it easy to evaluate

Question (iii)
What stifles the creative urge in children?
(a) The urge to be always right
(b) The urge to do well in everything
(c) The urge to conform and play safe
(d) The urge to take risks
Answer:
(c) The urge to conform and play safe

Question (iv)
How is learning considered now?
(a) An interesting activity
(b) A mundane and avoidable activity
(c) A fun-filled activity
(d) An interesting but avoidable activity
Answer:
(b) A mundane and avoidable activity

Question (v)
What is adding further to the burden on the young minds?
(a) Knowledge-oriented educational system
(b) High expectations of the parents
(c) Lack of hands-on exercises
(d) Learning instead of fun
Answer:
(b) High expectations of the parents

B. Answer the following questions briefly. (1 × 7 = 7 marks)

Question (i)
What does the article “Reforming our Education System” emphasise upon?
Answer:
It emphasised the need for shifting education from remembering to understanding.

Question (ii)
What exercise was the writer given in her training session?
Answer:
They had to join dots that were drawn in rows of three without lifting the pen and without going through the
same path.

Question (iii)
What are the “imaginary boxes” referred in the passage?
Answer:
These are the ways of thinking that we cannot change.

Question (iv)
What is the harm that may occur if a person is taught to always think by rote?
Answer:
There is the likelihood that such a person may never rise in his ability to think.

107
Question (v)
List the factors that have made learning a very boring process.
Answer:
Too much syllabus; too many students per teacher; no hands-on exercise; curriculum designed for the bright
child only.

Question (vi)
Find a word from the passage (para-3) which means ‘to behave according to the usual standards of
behaviour which is accepted by the society’.
Answer:
conform

Question (vii)
Find a word from the passage (para-6) which means ‘very ordinary and therefore not interesting’.
Answer:
mundane

Q. 6Read the following passage carefully. (12 marks)

1. Many of us believe that ‘small’ means ‘insignificant’. We believe that small actions and choices do not
have much impact on our lives. We think that it is only the big things, the big actions and the big decisions
that really count. But when you look at the lives of all great people, you will see that they built their
character through small decisions, small choices and small actions that they performed every day.

They transformed their lives through a step-by-step or day-by-day approach. They nurtured and nourished
their good habits and chipped away at their bad habits, one step at a time. It was their small day-to-day
decisions that added up to make tremendous difference in the long run. Indeed, in matters of personal
growth and character-building, there is no such thing as an overnight success.

2. Growth always occurs through a sequential series of stages. There is an organic process to growth. When
we look at children growing up, we can see this process at work: the child first learns to crawl, then to stand
and walk, and finally to run. The same is true in the natural world. The soil must first be tilled, and then the
seed must be sowed. Next, it must be nurtured with enough water and sunlight, and only then it will grow,
bear fruit and finally ripen, and be ready to eat.

3. Gandhi understood this organic process and used this universal law of nature to his benefit. Gandhi grew
in small ways, in his day-to-day affairs. He did not wake up one day and find himself to be the “Mahatma”.
In fact, there was nothing much in his early life that showed signs of greatness. But from his mid-twenties,
he deliberately and consistently attempted to change himself, reform himself and grow in some small way
every day. Day-by-day, hour-by-hour, he risked failure, experimented and learnt from the mistakes. In small
and large situations alike, he took up rather than avoid responsibility.

4. People have always marvelled at the effortless way in which Gandhi could accomplish the most difficult
tasks. He displayed great deal of self-mastery and discipline which was amazing. These things did not come
easily to him. Years of practice and disciplined training went into making his success possible. Very few
saw his struggles, fears, doubts and anxieties, or his inner efforts to overcome them. They saw the victory
but not the struggle.

5. This is a common factor in the lives of all great people: they exercised their freedoms and choices in small
ways that made great impact on their lives and their environment. Each of their small decisions and actions,
added up to have a profound impact in the long run. By understanding this principle, we can move forward,
with confidence, in the direction of our dreams. Often, when our “ideal goal” looks too far from us, we
become easily discouraged, disheartened and pessimistic. However, when we choose to grow in small ways,
taking small steps one at a time, it becomes easy to achieve the goal. [CBSE Sample Paper 2015]

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A. On the basis of your understanding of the passage, answer the following questions by choosing the most
appropriate option. (1 × 5 = 5 marks)

Question (i)
What do many of us believe?
(a) Small choices and small actions are performed every day
(b) There is no such thing as an overnight success
(c) Small actions and choices do not have much impact on our lives
(d) ‘Small’ means ‘significant’
Answer:
(c) Small actions and choices do not have much impact on our lives

Question (ii)
What does the writer mean by saying ‘chipped away at their bad habits’?
(a) Steadily gave up bad habits
(b) Slowly produced bad habits
(c) Gradually criticised bad habits
(d) Did not like bad habits
Answer:
(a) Steadily gave up bad habits

Question (iii)
Which of the following statement is true in the context of the third paragraph?
(a) Gandhi became great overnight.
(b) Gandhi showed signs of greatness in childhood itself.
(c) Every day, Gandhi made efforts to change himself in some small way.
(d) Gandhi never made mistakes.
Answer:
(c) Every day, Gandhi made efforts to change himself in some small way.

Question (iv)
Why have people always marvelled Gandhi?
(a) For his effortless way to accomplish difficult tasks
(b) For his great deal of self-mastery and discipline
(c) For his fears, doubts and anxieties
(d) For his struggle
Answer:
(a) For his effortless way to accomplish difficult tasks

Question (v)
What do great people do to transform their lives?
(a) They approach life on a day-by-day basis.
(b) They build character in small ways.
(c) They believe in performing everyday.
(d) All of these
Answer:
(b) They build character in small ways.

B. Answer the following questions briefly. (1 × 7 = 7 marks)

Question (i)
What is “organic process of growth”?
Answer:
They have an impact gradually. Slowly good habits are nurtured and bad habits
are given up.
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Question (ii)
What, according to the writer, is the ‘universal law of nature’?
Answer:
Growth of a child is an example of an organic process. The child first learns to crawl, then to stand and walk
and finally to run.

Question (iii)
How did Gandhi accomplish the most difficult tasks effortlessly?
Answer:
According to the author, the ‘universal law of nature’ is that growth is gradual.

Question (iv)
Which part of Gandhi’s life is not seen by most people?
Answer:
Gandhiji accomplished the most difficult tasks effortlessly by practice, self-mastery, and discipline. He
worked on small things and learnt from his mistakes.

Question (v)
How can we achieve our ‘ideal goals’?
Answer:
Gandhi’s struggles, fears, doubts and anxieties, or his inner efforts to overcome them were not seen by most
people.

Question (vi)
Find a word from the passage (para-3) which means ‘intentionally’ or ‘purposely’.
Answer:
deliberately

Question (vii)
Find a word from the passage (para-5) which means ‘of deep significance’.
Answer:
profound

Q. 7Read the following passage carefully. (12 marks)

1. One of the greatest sailing adventures of the past 25 years was the conquest of the Northwest Passage,
powered by sail, human muscle, and determination. In 100 days, over three summers (1986-88), Jeff
Maclnnis and Mike Beedell accomplished the first wind-powered crossing of the Northwest Passage.

2. In Jeff Maclnnis’s words…Our third season. We weave our way through the labyrinth of ice, and in the
distance, we hear an unmistakable sound. A mighty bowhead whale is nearby, and its rhythmic breaths fill
us with awe. Finally, we see it relaxed on the surface, its blowhole quivering like a volcanic cone, but it
senses our presence and quickly sounds. We are very disappointed. We had only good intentions – to revel
in its beautiful immensity and to feel its power. Mike thinks how foolish it would be for this mighty beast to
put any faith in us. After all, we are .members of the species that had almost sent the bowhead into
extinction with our greed for whale oil and bone. It is estimated that around 38,000 bowheads were killed off
eastern Baffin Island in the 1800s; today, there are about 200 left.

3. The fascinating and sometimes the terrifying wildlife keeps us entertained during our explorations.
Bearded harp and ring seals greet us daily. The profusion of birdlife is awesome; at times, we see and smell
hundreds and thousands of thick¬billed murres clinging to their cliffside nests. Our charts show that we are
on the edge of a huge shoal where the frigid ocean currents upswell and mix nutrients that provide a feast for
the food chain. At times, these animals scare the living daylights out of us. They have a knack of sneaking
up behind us and then shooting out of the water and belly, flopping for maximum noise and splash. A
110
horrendous splash coming from behind has a heart-stopping effect in polar bear country.

4. We have many encounters with the “Lords of the Arctic”, but we are always cautious, observant, and ever
so respectful that we are in their domain. In some regions, the land is totally devoid of life, while in others,
the pulse of life takes our breath away. Such is the paradox of the Arctic. Its wastelands flow into oasis that
are found nowhere else on the face of the earth. Many times we find ancient signs of Inuit people who lived
here, superbly attuned to the land. We feel great respect for them as this landscape is a challenge at every
moment.

5. We face a 35-mile open water passage across Prince Regent Inlet on Baffin Island that will take us to our
ultimate goal – Pond Inlet on the Baffin Bay. The breakers look huge from the water’s edge. Leaning into
the hulls, like bobsledders at the starting gate, we push as hard as we can down the gravel beach to the sea.
We catch the water and keep pushing, until we have plunged waist-deep, then drag ourselves aboard.
Immediately, we begin paddling with every ounce of effort. Sweat pours off our bodies. Ahead of us,
looming gray-white through the fog, we see a massive iceberg riding the current like the ghost of a
battleship. There is no wind to fill our sails and steady the boat, and the chaotic motion soon brings sea-
sickness. Slowly, the wind begins to build. Prince Regent Inlet now looks ominous with wind and waves.
The frigid ocean hits us in the face and chills us to the bone.

6. We were on the fine edge. Everything at the Arctic that had taught us over the last 90 days was now being
tested. We funneled all that knowledge, skill, teamwork, and spirit into this momentous crossing… If we
went over in these seas, we could not get the boat back up. Suddenly, the wind speed plummeted to zero as
quickly as it had begun…. Now, we were being pushed by the convulsing waves toward sheer 2,000 -foot
cliffs. Two paddles were our only power. Sailing past glacier-capped mountains, we approached the end of
our journey. At 5:08 in the morning of our hundredth day, speeding into Baffin Bay, the spray from our twin
hulls makes rainbows in the sun as we complete the first sail-powered voyage through the Northwest
Passage.

7. We have journeyed through these waters on their terms, moved by the wind, waves, and current. The
environment has always been in control of our destiny; we have only tried to respond in the best possible
way. We’ve been awake for nearly 23 hours, but we cannot sleep. The joy and excitement are too great. Our
Hobie Cat rests on the rocky beach, the wind whistling in her rigging, her bright yellow hulls radiant in the
morning sunlight. She embodies the watchword for survival in the Arctic adaptability. [CBSE Sample Paper
2016]

A. On the basis of your understanding of the passage, answer the following questions by choosing the most
appropriate option. (1 × 5 = 5 marks)

Question (i)
What is the passage about?
(a) Author’s sailing adventure through the Northwest Passage
(b) Flora and fauna of the Arctic
(c) Survival skills needed while sailing
(d) Saving of the Arctic
Answer:
(d) Saving of the Arctic

Question (ii)
Why were bowhead whales killed for?
(a) Whale oil and bone
(b) Head and tail
(c) Flesh and bone
(d) None of these
Answer:
(a) Whale oil and bone
111
Question (iii)
What does “Lords of the Arctic” refer to?
(a) Windbreakers
(b) Icebergs
(c) Polar bears
(d) Inuits
Answer:
(c) Polar bears

Question (iv)
What is the name of the author’s sailing vessel?
(a) Prince Regent
(b) Hobie Cat
(c) Perception
(d) Arctic
Answer:
(b) Hobie Cat

Question (v)
What does ‘we were on the fine edge’ refer to?
(a) The Prince Regent Inlet
(b) The ominous sail
(c) The frigid ocean
(d) Their expedition
Answer:
(b) The ominous sail

B. Answer the following questions briefly. (1 × 7 = 7marks)

Question (i)
Why does the author feel disappointed when the bowhead whale disappeared into the ocean?
Answer:
The author senses the presence of the author and his friend and quickly sounds, j They are disappointed
because they only had good intentions. They are sad to know the whale doesn’t trust humans.

Question (ii)
How does his sailing partner rationalise it?
Answer:
Mike thinks how foolish it would be for this mighty beast to put any faith in them. After all, they are
members of the species that had almost sent the bowhead into extinction with the greed for whale oil and
bone.

Question (iii)
What reason does the author give for the thriving wildlife in the Arctic?
Answer:
According to the author, on the edge of a huge shoal, the frigid ocean currents upswell and mix nutrients that
provide a feast for the food chain. This would lead to thriving wildlife in the Arctic.

Question (iv)
What is the paradox of the Arctic?
Answer:
In some regions, the land is totally devoid of life, while in others, the pulse of life takes our breath away. Its
wastelands flow into an oasis that is found nowhere else on the face of the earth.

112
Question (v)
How did certain skills help the author and his partner survive the adventure?
Answer:
Knowledge, skill, teamwork, and spirit helped the author and his partner to survive the adventure.

Question (vi)
Find a word from the passage (para-4) which means ‘an area of territory owned or controlled’.
Answer:
domain

Question (vii)
Find a word from the passage (para-7) which means ‘the act of arranging dishonestly for the result of
something’.
Answer:
rigging

Q. 8Read the passage given below and answer the questions that follow.

1. New Year is the time for resolution. Mentally, at least most of us could compile formidable lists of ‘dos
and don’ts’. The same old favourites recur year in and year out with monotonous regularity. We resolve to
get up early each morning, eat healthy food, exercise, be nice to people whom we don’t like, and find more
time for our parents. Past experience has taught us that certain accomplishments are beyond attainment. If
we remain deep-rooted liars, it is only because we have so often experienced the frustration that results from
failure.

2. Most of us fail in our efforts at self-improvement because our schemes are too ambitious and we never
have time to carry them out. We also make the fundamental error of announcing our resolution to
everybody, so that we look even more foolish when we slip back into our bad old ways. Aware of these
pitfalls, this year I attempted to keep my resolutions to myself. I limited myself to two modest ambitions, to
do physical exercise every morning and to read more in the evening. An overnight party on New Year’s Eve
provided me with a good excuse for not carrying out either of these new resolutions on the first day of the
year, but on the second, I applied myself diligently to the task.

3. The daily exercise lasted only eleven minutes and I proposed to do them early in the morning before
anyone had got up. The self-discipline required to drag myself out of bed eleven minutes earlier than usual
was considerable. Nevertheless, I managed to creep down into the living room for two days before anyone
found me out. After jumping about in the carpet and twisting the human frame into uncomfortable positions,
I sat down at the breakfast table in an exhausted condition. It was this that betrayed me.

The next morning, the whole family trooped in to watch the performance. That was really unsettling, but I
fended off the taunts and jibes of the whole family good-humouredly and soon everybody got used to the
idea. However, my enthusiasm waned. The time I spent at exercises gradually diminished. Little by little, the
eleven minutes fell to zero. By January 10, I was back to where I had started from. I argued that if I spent
less time exhausting myself at exercises in the morning, I would keep my mind fresh for reading when I got
home from work. Resisting the hypnotising effect of television, I sat in my room for a few evenings with my
eyes glued to a book. One night, however, feeling cold and lonely, I went downstairs and sat in front of the
television pretending to read. That proved to be my undoing, for I soon got back to the old bad habit of
dozing off in front of the screen. I still haven’t given up my resolution to do more reading. In fact, I have
just bought a book entitled ‘How to Read a Thousand Words a Minute’. Perhaps, it will solve my problem,
but I just have not had time to read it.

A. On the basis of your understanding of the passage, answer the following questions by
choosing the most appropriate option. (1 × 5 = 5 marks)

Question (i)
113
What were the writer’s resolutions?
(a) Physical exercise in the morning
(b) Read more in the evening
(c) Both (a) and (b)
(d) Not to make more resolutions
Answer:
(c) Both (a) and (b)

Question (ii)
How much time did the daily exercise last initially?
(a) 10 minutes
(b) 11 minutes
(c) 5 minutes
(d) 8 minutes
Answer:
(b) 11 minutes

Question (iii)
How many days did the writer continue his resolution?
(a) 8 days
(b) 9 days
(c) 10 days
(d) 7 days
Answer:
(b) 9 days

Question (iv)
What did the writer do one night, when he was feeling cold and lonely?
(a) Sat in front of the TV pretending to read
(b) Completed an entire book
(c) Went for a walk
(d) Gave up the idea of reading
Answer:
(a) Sat in front of the TV pretending to read

Question (v)
Which book did the writer buy?
(a) How to Read a Thousand Words a Minute
(b) How to be a Good Reader
(c) How to be Firm on your Resolutions
(d) The Importance of Exercising
Answer:
(a) How to Read a Thousand Words a Minute

B. Answer the following questions briefly. (1 × 7 = 7 marks)

Question (i)
According to the writer, what has past experience of New Year’s resolutions taught us?
Answer:
The past experience of New Year’s resolutions has taught us that certain accomplishments are beyond
attainment.

Question (ii)
According to the writer, why do most of us fail in our efforts for self-improvement?
Answer:
114
Most of us fail in our efforts for self-improvement because our schemes are too ambitious and we never
have time to carry them out.

Question (iii)
Why is it a big mistake to announce our resolution to everybody?
Answer:
It is a big mistake to announce our resolution to everybody because when we do not accomplish what we
had resolved, we look even more foolish.

Question (iv)
Why did the writer not carry out his resolution on New Year’s Day?
Answer:
An overnight party on New Year’s Eve provided the writer with a good excuse for not carrying out either of
his new resolutions on the first day of the year.

Question (v)
“I fended off the taunts and jibes…”. Whose taunts and jibes is the writer talking about? Why was he being
taunted?
Answer:
(a) The same old favourites occur with monotonous regularity.
(b) We never have time to carry them out.

Question (vi)
Find a word from the passage (para-1) which means ‘not changing and therefore boring’.
Answer:
monotonous

Question (vii)
Find a word from the passage (para-3) which means ‘to become weaker in strength or influence’.
Answer:
weave

Q. 9.Read the following passage carefully.

1. I recently had submitted an article ‘Reforming our Education System’ wherein the need for our
educational system to shift its focus from insisting upon remembering to emphasizing or understanding was
stressed upon.

2. This article brought back the memory of an interesting conversation between my daughter and myself in
the recent times, wherein I had learnt that Economics and Physics were a few of the most difficult subjects
for her as she had to mug up the answers. Though I offered to help her out with the immediate problem on
hand, 1 learnt subsequently that many a time it pays to mug up the answer properly, because the teachers
find it easier to evaluate that way. It seems, the more deviation there is from the way the sentences are
framed in the textbook, the more risk one runs of losing marks.

3. This reminded me of a training session I had attended at work, where we were required to carry out an
exercise of joining the dots that were drawn in rows of three without lifting the pen and without crossing the
trodden path more than once. Though the exercise seemed quite simple, almost 95 per cent of us failed to
achieve the required result, no matter how hard we tried. The instructor then informed us cheerily that it
happened all the time because the dots that appeared to fit into a box like formation do not allow us to think
out of the box. That was when I realised that all of us carry these imaginary boxes in our minds. Thanks to
our stereotyped upbringing that forces our thinking to conform to a set of pattern.

4. “What is the harm in conforming as long as it is towards setting up a good practice?”, someone might
want to ask. Perhaps, no harm done to others but to the person being confined to “think by rote” may mean
115
being deprived of rising to the heights he/she is capable of rising to, even without the person being aware of
the same.

5. If we instil too much fear of failure in the children right from the young age, the urge to conform and play
safe, starts stifling the creative urge which dares to explore, make a mistake and explore again. As we know,
most of the great inventions were initially considered to be most outrageous and highly impractical. It is
because the people inventing the same were not bothered about being ridiculed and brave enough to think of
the unthinkable that these inventions came into being.

6. For many children, studies are the most boring aspect of their lives. Learning, instead of fun is being
considered the most mundane and avoidable activity. Thanks to the propagators of an educational system
which is more information-oriented than knowledge-oriented. Too much of a syllabus, too many students
per teacher, lack of enough hands-on exercises, teaching as a routine with the aim of completing the syllabus
in time rather than with the goal of imparting knowledge, the curriculum more often than not designed
keeping in view the most intelligent student rather than the average student are the important factors in this
regard. Peer pressure, high expectations of the parents in an extremely competitive environment, the
multitude of distractions in an era of the technological revolution are adding further to the burden on the
young minds.

7. For a change, can we have some English/Hindi poems ickle, tickle, and pickle the young minds and send
them on a wild goose chase for the pot of gold at the end of a rainbow? Can we have lessons in History that
make the child feel proud of his heritage, instead of asking him to mug up the years of the events? Can
physics and chemistry lessons be taught more in the laboratories than in the classrooms? Can a system be
devised so as to make the educational excursions compulsory for schools, so that visits to
historical/botanical places are ensured without fail? Can the educational institutes start off inter-school
projects on the internet, the way the schools abroad do, so as to encourage the child to explore on her own
and sum up her/his findings in the form of a report?

8. Finally, can we make the wonder of the childhood lost and get carried forward into adulthood, instead of
forcing pre-mature adulthood on children? I, for one, have realised that it is worth doing so, hence, I have
asked my child to go ahead by choosing to write the answers on her own, in her own language by giving
vent to her most fanciful imagination! (Source: The Hindu)

A. On the basis of your understanding of the passage, answer the following questions by choosing the most
appropriate option. (1 × 5 = 5 marks)

Question (i)
What were the difficult subjects for the writer’s daughter?
(a) Biology and Chemistry
(b) Economics and Physics
(c) Political Science and English
(d) History and Maths
Answer:
(b) Economics and Physics

Question (ii)
Why does it pay to mug up answers?
(a) Because teachers find it easy to evaluate
(b) Because students find it easy to write
(c) Because teachers find it easy to teach
(d) Because students find it easy to remember
Answer:
(a) Because teachers find it easy to evaluate

Question (iii)
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What stifles the creative urge in children?
(a) The urge to be always right
(b) The urge to do well in everything
(c) The urge to conform and play safe
(d) The urge to take risks
Answer:
(c) The urge to conform and play safe

Question (iv)
How is learning considered now?
(a) An interesting activity
(b) A mundane and avoidable activity
(c) A fun-filled activity
(d) An interesting but avoidable activity
Answer:
(b) A mundane and avoidable activity

Question (v)
What is adding further to the burden on the young minds?
(a) Knowledge-oriented educational system
(b) High expectations of the parents
(c) Lack of hands-on exercises
(d) Learning instead of fun
Answer:
(b) High expectations of the parents

B. Answer the following questions briefly. (1 × 7 = 7 marks)

Question (i)
What does the article “Reforming our Education System” emphasise upon?
Answer:
It emphasised the need for shifting education from remembering to understanding.

Question (ii)
What exercise was the writer given in her training session?
Answer:
They had to join dots that were drawn in rows of three without lifting the pen and without going through the
same path.

Question (iii)
What are the “imaginary boxes” referred in the passage?
Answer:
These are the ways of thinking that we cannot change.

Question (iv)
What is the harm that may occur if a person is taught to always think by rote?
Answer:
There is the likelihood that such a person may never rise in his ability to think.

Question (v)
List the factors that have made learning a very boring process.
Answer:
Too much syllabus; too many students per teacher; no hands-on exercise; curriculum designed for the bright
child only.

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Question (vi)
Find a word from the passage (para-3) which means ‘to behave according to the usual standards of
behaviour which is accepted by the society’.
Answer:
conform

Question (vii)
Find a word from the passage (para-6) which means ‘very ordinary and therefore not interesting’.
Answer:
mundane

Q. 10.Read the following passage carefully.

1. Many of us believe that ‘small’ means ‘insignificant’. We believe that small actions and choices do not
have much impact on our lives. We think that it is only the big things, the big actions and the big decisions
that really count. But when you look at the lives of all great people, you will see that they built their
character through small decisions, small choices and small actions that they performed every day.

They transformed their lives through a step-by-step or day-by-day approach. They nurtured and nourished
their good habits and chipped away at their bad habits, one step at a time. It was their small day-to-day
decisions that added up to make tremendous difference in the long run. Indeed, in matters of personal
growth and character-building, there is no such thing as an overnight success.

2. Growth always occurs through a sequential series of stages. There is an organic process to growth. When
we look at children growing up, we can see this process at work: the child first learns to crawl, then to stand
and walk, and finally to run. The same is true in the natural world. The soil must first be tilled, and then the
seed must be sowed. Next, it must be nurtured with enough water and sunlight, and only then it will grow,
bear fruit and finally ripen, and be ready to eat.

3. Gandhi understood this organic process and used this universal law of nature to his benefit. Gandhi grew
in small ways, in his day-to-day affairs. He did not wake up one day and find himself to be the “Mahatma”.
In fact, there was nothing much in his early life that showed signs of greatness. But from his mid-twenties,
he deliberately and consistently attempted to change himself, reform himself and grow in some small way
every day. Day-by-day, hour-by-hour, he risked failure, experimented and learnt from the mistakes. In small
and large situations alike, he took up rather than avoid responsibility.

4. People have always marvelled at the effortless way in which Gandhi could accomplish the most difficult
tasks. He displayed great deal of self-mastery and discipline which was amazing. These things did not come
easily to him. Years of practice and disciplined training went into making his success possible. Very few
saw his struggles, fears, doubts and anxieties, or his inner efforts to overcome them. They saw the victory
but not the struggle.

5. This is a common factor in the lives of all great people: they exercised their freedoms and choices in small
ways that made great impact on their lives and their environment. Each of their small decisions and actions,
added up to have a profound impact in the long run. By understanding this principle, we can move forward,
with confidence, in the direction of our dreams. Often, when our “ideal goal” looks too far from us, we
become easily discouraged, disheartened and pessimistic. However, when we choose to grow in small ways,
taking small steps one at a time, it becomes easy to achieve the goal. [CBSE Sample Paper 2015]

A. On the basis of your understanding of the passage, answer the following questions by choosing the most
appropriate option. (1 × 5 = 5 marks)

Question (i)
What do many of us believe?
(a) Small choices and small actions are performed every day
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(b) There is no such thing as an overnight success
(c) Small actions and choices do not have much impact on our lives
(d) ‘Small’ means ‘significant’
Answer:
(c) Small actions and choices do not have much impact on our lives

Question (ii)
What does the writer mean by saying ‘chipped away at their bad habits’?
(a) Steadily gave up bad habits
(b) Slowly produced bad habits
(c) Gradually criticised bad habits
(d) Did not like bad habits
Answer:
(a) Steadily gave up bad habits

Question (iii)
Which of the following statement is true in the context of the third paragraph?
(a) Gandhi became great overnight.
(b) Gandhi showed signs of greatness in childhood itself.
(c) Every day, Gandhi made efforts to change himself in some small way.
(d) Gandhi never made mistakes.
Answer:
(c) Every day, Gandhi made efforts to change himself in some small way.

Question (iv)
Why have people always marvelled Gandhi?
(a) For his effortless way to accomplish difficult tasks
(b) For his great deal of self-mastery and discipline
(c) For his fears, doubts and anxieties
(d) For his struggle
Answer:
(a) For his effortless way to accomplish difficult tasks

Question (v)
What do great people do to transform their lives?
(a) They approach life on a day-by-day basis.
(b) They build character in small ways.
(c) They believe in performing everyday.
(d) All of these
Answer:
(b) They build character in small ways.

B. Answer the following questions briefly. (1 × 7 = 7 marks)

Question (i)
What is “organic process of growth”?
Answer:
They have an impact gradually. Slowly good habits are nurtured and bad habits
are given up.

Question (ii)
What, according to the writer, is the ‘universal law of nature’?
Answer:
Growth of a child is an example of an organic process. The child first learns to crawl, then to stand and walk
and finally to run.
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Question (iii)
How did Gandhi accomplish the most difficult tasks effortlessly?
Answer:
According to the author, the ‘universal law of nature’ is that growth is gradual.

Question (iv)
Which part of Gandhi’s life is not seen by most people?
Answer:
Gandhiji accomplished the most difficult tasks effordessly by practice, self-mastery and discipline. He
worked on small things and learnt from his mistakes.

Question (v)
How can we achieve our ‘ideal goals’?
Answer:
Gandhi’s struggles, fears, doubts and anxieties, or his inner efforts to overcome them were not seen by most
people.

Question (vi)
Find a word from the passage (para-3) which means ‘intentionally’ or ‘purposely’.
Answer:
deliberately

Question (vii)
Find a word from the passage (para-5) which means ‘of deep significance’.
Answer:
profound

Q. 11. Read the following passage carefully.

1. One of the greatest sailing adventures of the past 25 years was the conquest of the Northwest Passage,
powered by sail, human muscle, and determination. In 100 days, over three summers (1986-88), Jeff
Maclnnis and Mike Beedell accomplished the first wind-powered crossing of the Northwest Passage.

2. In Jeff Maclnnis’s words…Our third season. We weave our way through the labyrinth of ice, and in the
distance, we hear an unmistakable sound. A mighty bowhead whale is nearby, and its rhythmic breaths fill
us with awe. Finally, we see it relaxed on the surface, its blowhole quivering like a volcanic cone, but it
senses our presence and quickly sounds. We are very disappointed. We had only good intentions – to revel
in its beautiful immensity and to feel its power. Mike thinks how foolish it would be for this mighty beast to
put any faith in us. After all, we are .members of the species that had almost sent the bowhead into
extinction with our greed for whale oil and bone. It is estimated that around 38,000 bowheads were killed off
eastern Baffin Island in the 1800s; today, there are about 200 left.

3. The fascinating and sometimes the terrifying wildlife keeps us entertained during our explorations.
Bearded harp and ring seals greet us daily. The profusion of bird life is awesome; at times, we see and smell
hundreds and thousands of thick¬billed murres clinging to their cliffside nests. Our charts show that we are
on the edge of a huge shoal where the frigid ocean currents upswell and mix nutrients that provide a feast for
the food chain. At times, these animals scare the living daylights out of us. They have a knack of sneaking
up behind us and then shooting out of the water and belly, flopping for maximum noise and splash. A
horrendous splash coming from behind has a heart-stopping effect in polar bear country.

4. We have many encounters with the “Lords of the Arctic”, but we are always cautious, observant, and ever
so respectful that we are in their domain. In some regions, the land is totally devoid of life, while in others,
the pulse of life takes our breath away. Such is the paradox of the Arctic. Its wastelands flow into oasis that
are found nowhere else on the face of the earth. Many times we find ancient signs of Inuit people who lived
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here, superbly attuned to the land. We feel great respect for them as this landscape is a challenge at every
moment.

5. We face a 35 mile open water passage across Prince Regent Inlet on Baffin Island that will take us to our
ultimate goal – Pond Inlet on Baffin Bay. The breakers look huge from the water’s edge. Leaning into the
hulls, like bobsledders at the starting gate, we push as hard as we can down the gravel beach to the sea. We
catch the water and keep pushing, until we have plunged waist deep, then drag ourselves aboard.
Immediately, we begin paddling with every ounce of effort. Sweat pours off our bodies. Ahead of us,
looming gray-white through the fog, we see a massive iceberg riding the current like the ghost of a
battleship. There is no wind to fill our sails and steady the boat, and the chaotic motion soon brings sea-
sickness. Slowly, the wind begins to build. Prince Regent Inlet now looks ominous with wind and waves.
The frigid ocean hits us in the face and chills us to the bone.

6. We were on the fine edge. Everything at the Arctic that had taught us over the last 90 days was now being
tested. We funneled all that knowledge, skill, teamwork, and spirit into this momentous crossing… If we
went over in these seas, we could not get the boat back up. Suddenly, the wind speed plummeted to zero as
quickly as it had begun…. Now, we were being pushed by the convulsing waves toward sheer 2,000 -foot
cliffs. Two paddles were our only power. Sailing past glacier capped mountains, we approached the end of
our journey. At 5:08 in the morning of our hundredth day, speeding into Baffin Bay, the spray from our twin
hulls makes rainbows in the sun as we complete the first sail powered voyage through the Northwest
Passage.

7. We have journeyed through these waters on their terms, moved by the wind, waves and current. The
environment has always been in control of our destiny; we have only tried to respond in the best possible
way. We’ve been awake for nearly 23 hours, but we cannot sleep. The joy and excitement are too great. Our
Hobie Cat rests on the rocky beach, the wind whistling in her rigging, her bright yellow hulls radiant in the
morning sunlight. She embodies the watchword for survival in the Arctic adaptability. [CBSE Sample Paper
2016]

A. On the basis of your understanding of the passage, answer the following questions by choosing the most
appropriate option. (1 × 5 = 5 marks)

Question (i)
What is the passage about?
(a) Author’s sailing adventure through the Northwest Passage
(b) Flora and fauna of the Arctic
(c) Survival skills needed while sailing
(d) Saving of the Arctic
Answer:
(d) Saving of the Arctic

Question (ii)
Why were bowhead whales killed for?
(a) Whale oil and bone
(b) Head and tail
(c) Flesh and bone
(d) None of these
Answer:
(a) Whale oil and bone

Question (iii)
What does “Lords of the Arctic” refer to?
(a) Wind breakers
(b) Icebergs
(c) Polar bears
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(d) Inuits
Answer:
(c) Polar bears

Question (iv)
What is the name of the author’s sailing vessel?
(a) Prince Regent
(b) Hobie Cat
(c) Perception
(d) Arctic
Answer:
(b) Hobie Cat

Question (v)
What does ‘we were on the fine edge’ refer to?
(a) The Prince Regent Inlet
(b) The ominous sail
(c) The frigid ocean
(d) Their expedition
Answer:
(b) The ominous sail

B. Answer the following questions briefly. (1 × 7 = 7marks)

Question (i)
Why does the author feel disappointed when the bowhead whale disappeared into the ocean?
Answer:
The author senses the presence of the author and his friend and quickly sounds, j They are disappointed
because they only had good intentions. They are sad to know the whale doesn’t trust humans.

Question (ii)
How does his sailing partner rationalise it?
Answer:
Mike thinks how foolish it would be for this mighty beast to put any faith in them. After all, they are
members of the species that had almost sent the bowhead into extinction with the greed for whale oil and
bone.

Question (iii)
What reason does the author give for the thriving wildlife in the Arctic?
Answer:
According to the author, on the edge of a huge shoal, the frigid ocean currents upswell and mix nutrients that
provide a feast for the food chain. This would lead to a thriving wildlife in the Arctic.

Question (iv)
What is the paradox of the Arctic?
Answer:
In some regions, the land is totally devoid of life, while in others, the pulse of life takes our breath away. Its
wastelands flow into oasis that are found nowhere else on the face of the earth.

Question (v)
How did certain skills help the author and his partner survive the adventure?
Answer:
Knowledge, skill, teamwork, and spirit helped the author and his partner to survive the adventure.

Question (vi)
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Find a word from the passage (para-4) which means ‘an area of territory owned or controlled’.
Answer:
domain

Question (vii)
Find a word from the passage (para-7) which means ‘the act of arranging dishonestly for the result of
something’.
Answer:
rigging

Q. 12.Read the following passage carefully.

1. I was in Hyderabad, giving a lecture, when a 14-year-old girl asked me for my autograph. I asked her
what her goal in life was. She replied, “I want to live in a developed India.” For her, you and I will have to
build this developed India. You must proclaim: India is not an underdeveloped nation; it is a highly-
developed nation.

2. Allow me to come back with vengeance. Got ten minutes for your country? YOU say that our government
is inefficient. YOU say that our laws are too old. YOU say that the municipality does not pick up the
garbage. YOU say that the phones don’t work, the railways are a joke, the airline is the worst in the world
and mails never reach their destinations. YOU say that our country has been fed to the dogs and is the
absolute pit. YOU say, say and say.

3. What do YOU do about it? Take a person on his way to Singapore. Give him a name – YOURS. Give him
a face – YOURS. YOU walk out of the airport and you are at your international best. In Singapore, you
don’t throw cigarette butts on the roads or eat in the stores. YOU are as proud of their Underground Links as
they are. You pay $ 5 (approx. 60) to drive through Orchard Road (equivalent of Mahim Causeway or
Pedder Road) between 5 p.m. and 8 p.m.

4. YOU come back to the parking lot to punch your parking ticket, if you have overstayed in a restaurant or
a shopping mall, irrespective of your status or identity. In Singapore, you don’t say anything, DO YOU?
YOU wouldn’t dare to eat in public during Ramadan in Dubai. YOU would not dare to go out without your
head covered in Jeddah. YOU would not dare to buy an employee of the telephone exchange in London at
10 pounds (? 650) a month to “see to it that my STD and ISD calls are billed to someone else.” YOU would
not dare to speed beyond 55 mph (88 kph) in Washington and then tell the traffic cop, “Do you know who I
am? I am so and so’s son. Take your two bucks and get lost.” YOU wouldn’t chuck an empty coconut shell
anywhere other than the garbage pail on the beaches in Australia and New Zealand. Why don’t YOU spit
paan on the streets of Tokyo? Why don’t YOU use examination jockeys or buy fake certificates in Boston?
We are still talking of the same YOU.

5. YOU, who can respect and conform to a foreign system in other countries but cannot in your own. YOU,
who will throw papers and cigarettes on the road, the moment you touch Indian ground. If you can be an
involved and appreciative citizen in an alien country, why cannot you be the same here in India. Once in an
interview, the famous ex-municipal commissioner of Bombay Mr Tinaikar had a point to make, “Rich
people’s dogs are walked on the streets to leave their affluent droppings all over the place,” he said. “And
then the same people turn around to criticise and blame the authorities for inefficiency and dirty pavements.
What do they expect the officers to do? Go down with a broom every time their dog feels the pressure in his
bowels? In America, every dog owner has to clean up after his pet has done the job. Same is in Japan. Will
Indian citizens do that here?” He’s right.

6. We go to the polls to choose a government and after that forfeit all responsibility. We sit back wanting to
be pampered and expect the government to do everything for us whilst our contribution is totally negative.
We expect the government to clean up, but we are not going to stop chucking garbage all over the place nor
are we going to stop to pick up a stray piece of paper and throw it in the bin. We expect the railways to
provide clean bathrooms, but we are not going to learn the proper use of bathrooms. We want Indian
123
Airlines and Air India to provide the best of food and toiletries, but we are not going to stop pilfering at the
least opportunity. This applies even to the staff, who is known not to pass on the service to the public.

When it comes to burning social issues like those related to women, dowry, girl- child and others, we make
loud protests and continue to do the reverse at home. Our excuse? “It’s the whole system which has to
change, how will it matter if I alone forego my son’s rights to a dowry.” So who’s going to change the
system? What does a system consist of? Very conveniently for us, it consists of our neighbours, other
households, other cities, other communities and the government. But definitely not me and YOU.

7. When it comes to us, in making a positive contribution to the system, we lock ourselves along with our
families into a safe cocoon and look into the distance at countries far away and wait for a Mr Clean to come
along and work miracles for us with a majestic sweep of his hand, or we leave the country and run away.
Like lazy cowards, hounded by our fears, we run to America to bask in their glory and praise their system.
When New York becomes insecure, we run to England. When England experiences unemployment, we take
the next flight out to the Gulf. When the Gulf is war struck, we demand to be rescued and brought home by
the Indian government. Everybody is out to abuse and rape the country. Nobody thinks of feeding the
system. Our conscience is mortgaged to money.

8. Dear Indians, the article is highly thought inductive, calls for a great deal of introspection and pricks one’s
conscience too….I am echoing J. F. Kennedy’s words to his fellow Americans to relate to Indians….

9. “Ask What we Can Do for India and Do What has to be Done to Make India What America and Other
Western Countries a Today”.

10. Let’s do what India needs from us.

A. On the basis of your understanding of the passage, answer the following questions by
choosing the most appropriate option. (1 × 5 = 5 marks)

Question (i)
What was the writer doing in Hyderabad?
(a) Touring with friends
(b) Giving a lecture
(c) Attending a function
(d) Organising an event
Answer:
(b) Giving a lecture

Question (ii)
What was the 14-year-old girl’s goal in life?
(a) To live in a developed India
(b) To become an astronaut
(c) To become a scientist
(d) To make her country proud of her
Answer:
(a) To live in a developed India

Question (iii)
What happens after choosing a government?
(a) We expect the government to do everything
(b) We forfeit all responsibilities
(c) We want to be pampered
(d) All of these
Answer:
(d) All of these
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Question (iv)
What does a system consist of?
(a) Our neighbours and other households
(b) The government
(c) Other cities and other communities
(d) All of us
Answer:
(d) All of us

Question (v)
Where do Indians run when New York becomes insecure?
(a) England
(b) Gulf
(c) India
(d) Japan
Answer:
(a) England

B. Answer the following questions briefly. (1 × 7 = 7 marks)

Question (i)
What are the negative remarks we make about our country?
Answer:
Government is inefficient; laws too old; municipality does not pick up garbage; phones don’t work; railways
a joke; airline is the worst in the world; mails don’t reach their destinations.

Question (ii)
How does an Indian behave in Singapore?
Answer:
In Singapore, an Indian is at his international best; doesn’t throw cigarette butts on roads; eat in stores; pays
5 dollars to drive through Orchard Road.

Question (iii)
List two deeds an Indian would not dare to do while travelling abroad.
Answer:
Indians do not dare to eat in public during Ramadan in Dubai; go out in Jedah without covering their heads;
do not dare to bribe an employee of telephone exchange in London; do not dare to speed beyond 55 mph in
Washington; do not chuck empty coconut shell anywhere; do not spit paan on streets.

Question (iv)
What is our attitude towards elections and social issues?
Answer:
We go to polls to choose a government and after that forfeit all responsibilities expecting the government to
do everything for us. For social issues, make loud protestations and continue to do the reverse at home.

Question (v)
What do you understand by the statement, “Our conscience is mortgaged to money”?
Answer:
It means that we leave the country and run away to make more money; we don’t do anything to improve our
country.

Question (vi)
Find a word from the passage (para-6) which means ‘to steal things of small value’.
Answer:
125
pilfering

Question (vii)
Find a word from the passage (para-8) which means ‘the examination or observation’.
Answer:
introspection

126
What is Notice Writing?

*Notice writing is a formal letter that you write to notify someone of an impending event. It is usually
written in a formal tone and can be used to notify your customers, employees, or suppliers about
changes in the company’s policy or services.

* Notice writing format differs depending on the type of organisation they are issued. Here, listed ,
few types in offices, schools, colleges, newspapers, online portals, etc.

: Informative Notice

: Warning Notice

: Public Notice

: Invitation Notice

The Proper Order of Elements in a Notice

* The heading paragraph should be the first paragraph of the notice. It should contain the following
information:

* The date of publication of the notice.

* The full name of the person giving notice.

* The address at which notices can be given to that person.

* If a person is giving more than one notice in a particular period, each notice should have a different
date, and that date should be included in each heading paragraph.

Here is a representation of the notice writing format-

* Notice is always brief and to the point.

* NOTICE WRITING FORMATION

* Name of the Organization/School/Institution/ issuing the notice notice

* Issue Date of the Notice

* Title or Subject of NoticeBody of the Notice: You must provide the following information in the text
or body of your notice.LocationTimeTarget audienceAgenda.

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Ideas for Writing a Proper Notice –

# To write good notice, always stick to the 50-word limit.

# At the top of the page, write the word NOTICE. This helps to drive the attention of the readers.

# The name and location of the institution, organization, or agency that is sending the notice should
be mentioned clearly.

# Give it a good heading for the notice.

# Mention the date on which the notice was issued.

# Make it clear who your target audience is (for whom the notice is to be displayed).

# State the objective/purpose of the notice.

# Include all pertinent information (date, venue, time).

# The individual issuing the notice’s signature, name, and designation.

# Place the notice in a box

••Value points For a Notice Writing of events

1. Name

2. Objective

3. Date and Time

4. Place

5. Eligibility

6. Contact Address

128
••Value Points for a Notice Writing of Meeting

1. Date and Time

2. Venue

3. Agenda

4. Who to attend?

5. Contact Address

••Value points for a notice Writing of Lost and Found

1. Name of the article lost and found

2. Time and Date

3. Place

4. Mark of Identification

5. Contents

6. Whom to Contact

••Value points for a notice writing of Tours and Camps

1. Nature

2. Occasion

3. Venue

4. Objective

5. Date and Time

6. Duration and Place

7. Contact Address

••Value Points of notice writing for inviting entries

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1. Name of the Competition

2. Time and Date

3. Venue

4. Specific Instructions

5. Contact Address

#Starting lines of a notice Writing#

=It gives me great pleasure to inform all the students that……………………

OR

= It is to inform all the students that………………

OR

=All the students are hereby informed that…………………………….

OR

= This is informing all the students……………..

* Notice Writing Samples

Question 1: Water supply will be suspended for eight hours (10 am to 6 pm) on 6th of March for
cleaning of the water tank. Write a notice in about 50 words advising the residents to store water for
a day. You are Karan Kumar/Karuna Bajaj, Secretary, Janata Group Housing Society, Palam Vihar,
Kurnool.

Answer:

Janata Group Housing Society, Palam Vihar, Kurnool.

NOTICE

March 01, 201X

ATTENTION!

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This notice is to inform all the residents regarding the suspension of water supply for 8 hours. It is
being done to clean the water tank. The details are as follows:

DATE- March 6

TIME- 10am – 6 pm

Thus, we request you to store the required amount of water beforehand to minimise the difficulty.
Thank youKaran Kumar/ Karuna Bajaj

(signature)

Secretary

# SUGGESTED VALUE POINTS #

[Any other relevant title]

– what – suspension of water supply for 8 hours

– when – 6th March; 10am – 6pm

– where – Society

– reasons for cut – cleaning of water tank–

- steps to be taken – store water

– any other relevant details

Question 2: While walking in a park in your neighbourhood you found a small plastic bag containing
some documents and some cash. Write a notice in about 50 words to be put on the park notice board
asking the owner to identify and collect it from you. You are Amar/Amrita 9399123456.

Answer:

NOTICE

March 01, 20XX

FOUND!

131
This is to inform all the readers that a plastic bag has been found in the neighbourhood park. It has a
few documents and some cash in it. The plastic bag is red in colour and is medium-sized. It was found
on February 27, at around 6pm near the fountain in the park. The owner of the bag shall contact me
on 9399123456 along with an identity proof. Thank youAmar/Amrita

# SUGGESTED VALUE POINTS #

Heading : [LOST & FOUND / FOUND / any other relevant title]

-What – plastic bag with documents and cash

-When – date & approx. time

-Where – park

-description of bag- colour, material, size -owner to claim with identifying details -Contact details-
AMAR/ AMRITA -Phone no. – 9399123456

(any other relevant detail)

Question3. On the occasion of Christmas your school has planned a feast for all the students. As the
principal of your school, write a notice inviting all the students to this gathering. Provide all the
necessary details yourself.

Question 4.Yesterday, during lunch break you misplaced your notes on chemistry lectures. You want
to get them back. Write a notice in about 50 words for the school noticeboard. You are Karuna/Karan,
a student of class XII A.

132
Answer:

Avn Public School!

Notice

February 27, 20xx

Chemistry Notes Misplaced

I have lost my chemistry lecture notes on 14 January, 20XX during lunch break ! ! between 12-12.30
p.m. They were in a red Classmate folder It was left in the school j ! ground, on a seat in the east
pavilion. Whosoever has found it, kindly return it to me.

Karuna

Class XII A

Question5. Imagine you are Pratibha. You have a set of books that you wish to sell at a discount of
more than 50%. Write a notice giving details about the books.

Question 6. While traveling by taxi from Lucknow airport to Hazratganj, you left behind a small bag
containing some important documents. Draft a notice in about 50 words for the lost and found
column of National Herald, Lucknow describing the loss and promising a reward to the person who
gets it back to you. You are Karan / Karuna and can be contacted at 9191909089.

Answer:

133
National Herald, Lucknow

NOTICE

Date: 14 February 202X

Lost and Found

When I was traveling by taxi from Lucknow Airport to Hazratganj, I left behind a small bag containing
some essential documents. If anyone of you finds it, kindly return it to the mentioned contact number.
A reward will be given to the person who finds it.

Kumar/Karuna

Contact Number: 9191909089

Question 7.The Principal, Sunshine Public School, Dindigul, has invited the Inspector of Police (Traffic)
to deliver a lecture on ‘Road Safety’ in her school. Draft a notice in about 50 words informing the
students to assemble in the school auditorium.

Answer:

Sunshine Public School, Dindigul

NOTICE

10th February 2021

Lecture on Road Safety

Our school has invited Mr Ram Kumar, the Inspector of Police (Traffic), to deliver a lecture on Road
Safety in our school on 15th March from 10:00 AM to 11:30 PM. All students are requested to
assemble in the school auditorium with their respective class teachers before 10:00 AM.

Thank You,

Principal,

Sunshine Public School

Question 8 .As Sports Secretary with the name Yash Shetty of St. Ursula School, Goa, prepare a notice
for your school’s notice board in no more than 50 words alerting pupils about the sale of your school’s
outdated sports equipment.

Answer:

134
SPORTS SECRETARY

St. Ursula School

Goa

Notice

2/10/2021

Old Spoils Goods for Sale Students are hereby notified that on October 20th, 2021, our school will
have a sale of its outdated sports equipment, such as cricket bats, badminton & lawn tennis rackets,
footballs, cricket & racquet clothing, and so on, in the P.E. room. Interested students who wish to
purchase these should come to the P.E. Room during their free periods or recess time on the
designated date.

Yash Shetty,

Sports Secretary

Question 9. You are the Secretary of Ramkrishna Apartment, Rajiv Khadye. You’re planning to hold a
blood donation drive. Write a notice of no more than 50 words asking your society’s members to
attend in great numbers for this worthy cause. Make a list of all the details you’ll need.

Answer:

Ramkrishna Apartment Mumbai

NOTICE

September 22nd, 2021

Blood Donation camp on October 2, 2021, from 10.30 a.m. to 5.00 p.m., our society will have a blood
donation camp in the Sports Club. All necessary preparations will be made, including beverages and
snacks for all donors. The camp is being run under the competent direction of the Holy Cross Society’s
doctors and nurses. Residents are urged to ensure that this camp receives a large turnout by
convincing their friends and family to volunteer for this great cause.

Secretary,

Rajiv Khadye

135
Question 10. Your school has planned an excursion to Lonavala near Mumbai during the autumn
holidays. Write a notice in not more than 50 words for your school notice board, giving detailed
information and inviting the names of those who are desirous to join. Sign as Naresh/Namita, Head
Boy/Head-Girl,D.V.English School, Thane, Mumbai.

Answer:

RANI AHALYA DEVI SENIOR SECONDARY SCHOOL, GWALIOR

LOST! LOST! LOST!

4TH March 20xx

The Students Council of your school has organized a well long educational tour to Lonavala near
Mumbai during the autumn break for senior students under the careful guidance of Sh.A. Kumar, 30th
Sept. in the evening by 4.00 pm. Interested students may deposit Rs.1400 as tour expenses with a
consent letter from their parents within five days in school office.

Naresh/Namita

Secretary

Question11. You are Keshav/Karuna, Secretary, Interact Club, Vidhyapeet, Bengaluru. Draft a notice in
not more than 50 words to be put up on your school notice board asking all the club members and the
other students to join a walk on the World Diabetes Day to create an awakening among people about
diabetes.

Answer:

VIDHYAPEET, BENGALURU

NOTICE

4TH March 20xx

WORLD DIABETES DAY

The Interact Club of the school has arranged a walk on World Diabetes Day to create an awakening
among people about diabetes. Therefore, all the club members and the other students of the school
are supposed to join the walk on 05 Sep. 20xx in a large number. Those who are interested in the
event should reach the school ground at 6:30 a.m. positively on the day. For further details, please
contact undersigned.

Keshav/Karuna

Secretary, Interact Club.

136
Question 12. Chennai Book Society is going to organize a week-long book fair in the city during the
coming autumn vacation. It has requested your school for volunteers to manage various counters. As
Secretary, Cultural Club, Chennai Public School, write a notice in about 50 words inviting the names of
those who want to help. You are Lalith/Latha.

Answer:

Chennai Public School

NOTICE

Date: 05 March 202X

Volunteers For Book Fair

Volunteers must manage various counters at a week-long book fair organized by the Chennai Book
Society in the coming autumn vacation. Interested students in volunteering should submit their
names to the undersigned latest by 29 February 202x.

Lalith/Latha

Secretary, Cultural Club

Question13. You are the manager of the East Coast Mart, Mumbai. You have opened a new branch
and you want the local people to visit your store. Put up a notice letting them know about the new
store.

Answer:

East Coast Mart, Mumbai

NOTICE

24/04/2022

Sale with Exciting Offers

The East Coast Mart has opened a new branch in Malad region, Mumbai. On the eve of the opening of
the store, East Coast Mart is organising a Sale Bonanza. We are also giving out exciting offers on every
purchase. We request everyone to be present at the Grand Opening of the East Coast Mart this
Sunday at 7:00 P.M. First 15 shoppers will have a chance to win a Gold Coin.

Miss Penny Matthews

137
MANAGER, EAST COAST MART

Question15. You are the Secretary of the Royal Housing Complex. Draft a notice requesting the people
of the housing complex to meet at the community hall for a charitable cause.

Answer:

Royal Housing Complex, Dehradun

NOTICE

20/02/2022

Be A Part, Make A Difference

All the residents of the Royal Housing Complex are hereby requested to come to the Community Hall
tomorrow at 5:30 P.M. The Housing Members Association has organised a donation event for the Holy
Child Orphanage. Residents of the housing complex are requested to attend this event and help the
children of the orphanage. Residents who want to donate things for this event can contact the office
of the Housing Members Association by today evening.

Mr. Biswajit Mukherjee

SECRETARY

138
 KANHA MAKHAN PUBLIC SCHOOL
Class -12 Subject- English
Topic- Invitation and Replies
Introduction
To invite someone for an occasion, we use the written form Invitation. Invitations are generally printed cards through
which we invite our guests on some auspicious occasions like wedding, birthday, wedding anniversary, house warming, the
inauguration of a shop/factory, etc.
Types of Invitation
Invitations are of two types:
(a) Formal and
(b) Informal.
These can be printed on cards or can be drafted in the form of letters
Main Characteristics:
An invitation is a complete information. It answers the questions: who, whom, when, where, what time and for what. The
important components of an invitation, therefore, are:
Occasion
Name(s) of the invitee(s)
Name(s) of the host(s)
Date, time and venue.
Name(s) of the chief guest or special invitees, in case of an official invitation
FORMAL INVITATION
Formal invitations are formal letters. They can be printed on cards or can be drafted in the form of social letters.
Formal invitations can be of two types:
 Printed invitation cards inviting guests to be present on a particular occasion. Such invitations do not include the
name of the addressee.
 Formal typed (handwritten) letter addressed to a VIP invited to preside over a social, cultural and educational
function. In these invitations to VIPs the name of the addressee appears prominently.
Formal invitations are formal and polite, pleasant and courteous.
Format of Formal Invitations
 NAME OF THE HOST ISSUING THE INVITATION
 Standard expression for invitation(…. Cordially invite(s) , request the pleasure of your company, solicit your
benign/gracious presence)
 Purpose of occasion (reason for invitation)
 Name of honouree (people for whom the event is organized like marriage/ birthday)
 Day, Date and time of the event
 Venue of the event (complete address)
 In case of VIP, name of chief guest /VIP
 R.S.V.P (Respondez S’il Vous Plait –i.e. respond if it pleases you)
 Telephone or mobile number of the host
 Address of the host
 Special note if any. (e.g. Keep phone on silent mode / Please be seated by …)
SENDER’s ADDRESS- The sender’s address is usually put on the top right-hand corner of the page.
DATE (In expanded) – The sender’s address is followed by the date just below it, i.e. on the right side of the page.
This is the date on which the invitation is being written. It is to be written in expanded form.
RECEIVER’s ADDRESS
SUBJECT- Then we sum up the purpose of writing the invitation in one line. This helps the receiver focus on the
subject of the invitation in one glance. It is important to underline the subject.
SALUTATIONS- This is where you greet the person you are addressing the invitation to.
———BODY——-
COMPLEMENTARY CLOSURE- Mention the name given in the question paper. Do not mention your personal details.
DESIGNATION
Characteristics of Formal Invitations:
1. Meant for a lot of invitees:
 These are written in the third person
 In case a VIP is invited as the chief guest, the name of the VIP must appear prominently.
 Name of the invitee is not to be included. The addressee’s address is to be written only on the envelope.
 Simple present tense is to be used.
 The date of writing is not to be given.
 There is no signature of the host. 139
  The abbreviation RSVP (French: repondez silvers plait) i.e. ‘Please reply’ is written below on the left side with
name(s), address and phone number of the host(s).
 Put the invitation into a box.
 Do not exceed 50 words.
2. Meant for an individual (a formal letter of invitation)
 Include the name of the invitee.
 These are to be written on run-on lines. The sentence is not broken into different words/phrases.
 Other details are similar to the mass-scale invitations.
Marking Scheme
Formal/Informal Invitation
 Format 01 mark
 Organisation of Ideas 01 mark
 Content 02 marks
 Accuracy of Spelling and grammar 01 mark
Total 05 marks
SUGGESTED VALUE POINTS AS PER CBSE GUIDELINES:
Suggested value points
– Invite the artiste
– What – school organising one-act play competition
– Date, time, venue
– Details of the event – classes involved, theme, category (interschool / inter-house)
– Request to confirm
– Any other relevant details.
Common expressions to begin a formal invitation
 We request the honor of your presence… …
 We request the pleasure of your company…
 Together with our parents, we invite you…
 We ask you to be present with us at the ceremony uniting…
 We invite you to share with us a celebration of love…
 You are, of course, most cordially invited to take part in this work.
 Let’s relive the days from our past for just one day as we all plan to get together on (date) at (place). Don’t miss it!
 request the honor of your company
 request the pleasure of your benign presence
 Your gracious presence will act as a catalyst and inspire us all.
 Would you like to join me for dinner tomorrow? (‘Would you’ is a formal and a polite way of inviting your
Colleague.)
 Would you care to join us for dinner?
 I was just wondering if you would like to come over for Dinner tonight?
 We’d be pleased/delighted/very happy to have you over for Dinner tonight.
EXAMPLES OF STANDARD EXPRESSIONS
– Cordially request the pleasure of your company
– Solicit the your gracious presence
– Request your benign presence
– Invite you to join
– Cordially invite you to
– Request the pleasure of your company
– Seek the pleasure of your company/ presence
– Cordially request the honour of your presence
TIPS FOR WRITING FORMAL INVITATION
 Must be enclosed in a box
 It is a single sentence presentation
 In line commas are allowed
 End line punctuations are skipped
 Answer the five W’s
 WHO – is the host?
 WHAT – is the occasion?
 WHOM – for whom is the occasion?
 WHEN – is the date, time? 140
 WHERE – is it being held?
  Be brief and stick to the word limit (50 words)
 Write the invitation in 3rd person
 It has to be polite and courteous
 Month to be written in words (1st January,20XX)
 Write in simple present tense
 No signatures are required
 Name of VIP is included in VIP invitations
 Name of invitee not written in invitation but on the envelope
FORMAT OF FORMAL INVITATION / PRINTED CARD
Each of the following is written in a separate line
1) Name of host /hosts
2) Formal phrase of invitation/ standard expression
3) Purpose / Reason of invitation (wedding, birthday, inauguration, annual function)
4) Name of honouree (birthday person, groom, bride)
5) Day / date /time of function or event
6) Venue with complete address
7) Complimentary close
8) RSVP (Respond if it pleases you)
9) Address of host
10) Contact number

NOTE- Printed card invitations are written in simple present tense. (no punctuations) (Date of issuing invitations are not
written)
INFORMAL INVITATION
Informal invitations generally take the shape and form of personal letters. We use these to invite our friends, relatives and
dear ones with whom we have intimate, personal and friendly relations.
In informal invitations the tone and treatment is relaxed, informal and friendly
Format of an informal invitation
SENDER’s ADDRESS- The sender’s address is usually put on the top right-hand corner of the page.
DATE (In expanded) – The sender’s address is followed by the date just below it, i.e. on the right side of the page. This is the
date on which the invitation is being written. It is to be written in expanded form.
RECEIVER’s ADDRESS
SUBJECT- Then we sum up the purpose of writing the invitation in one line. This helps the receiver focus on the subject of
the invitation in one glance. It is important to underline the subject.
SALUTATIONS- This is where you greet the person you are addressing the invitation to.
———BODY——-
COMPLEMENTARY CLOSURE- Mention the name given in the question paper. Do not mention your personal details.
DESIGNATION
Writing Informal Invitations:
Informal
• Written in a letter form, in an informal format. Such letters are very persuasive in nature.
• Written in the first person.
• Salutation is ‘dear + name’.
• Complimentary close ‘Yours sincerely’.
• Date of writing the invitation is given.
• Sender’s address appears on the left-hand side.
• Various tenses used to suit the sense

Expression to make, accept or decline invitation in informal situation

Making invitation
 Why don’t you come to…v1………………..?
 Like to come to …v1…….…
 Come and ……v1…
 Shall we come to …v1………
 You must come to ….v1….…
WRITING REPLIES
(FORMAL AND INFORMAL)
OR
RESPONDING TO INVITATIONS 141
A formal reply is usually very short. It is brief and to the point. The quality of a good reply is that it must always be
pleasant. Even while declining the invitation or expressing inability to attend one must be polite and courteous. Formal
replies demand a formal tone and treatment. There is no room for unnecessary details or superfluous matter in them.
An informal reply or private letter may, however, express personal feelings or desires in an intimate style and informal
tone.
Main characteristics:
(a) Formal Replies
 Acknowledge the invitation.
 Express thanks in third person.
 Mention acceptance/regret.
 Specify the reason for refusal.
 Be brief and specific.
 Be formal in tone and treatment.
 Do not exceed the word limit (usually 50 words).

(b) Informal Replies

 Acknowledge the invitation in first person.
 Use second person for the sender of invitation.
 Mention acceptance/regret.
 Specify the reason in case of refusal.
 Use warm and simple language.
 Do not exceed the word limit (usually 50 words).
TIPS FOR WRITING FORMAL REPLY
 Write in brief
 Acknowledge the invitation express gratefulness
 Write thanks in third person
 Mention acceptance or regret (specify reason for not attending)
 Use polite and formal language
 Give ‘Best wishes’ in case of decline
 Stick to word limit 50 words if word limit is not given

TIPS FOR WRITING INFORMAL REPLY

 Write in brief
 Acknowledge the invitation express gratefulness
 Write thanks in first person
 Use second person to address the sender
 Mention acceptance or regret (specify reason for not attending)
 Use friendly and informal language
 Give ‘Best wishes’ in case of decline
 Stick to word limit 50 words if word limit is not given.
Replies
Replies Accepting or Declining
Formal Follow a set formula:
• Formal words: ‘kind invitation’, ‘great pleasure’, ‘regret’, etc.
• Use third person (‘they’) instead of first person (T, ‘We’)
• Address of the writer and the date to be written.

Informal – Accepting or Declining

• Like an ordinary letter
• Do not use any formal expressions, but use informal words and expressions
• Use first person (‘I’, ‘We’).
FORMAL REPLIES
Formal phrases to accept an invitation :
• Thank you! I’d love to.
• Thank you! I’d be delighted to. What time should I be there.
• Yes, thank you. That would be wonderful/great.
• Oh certainly! Thank you. 142
• That’s very kind of you
 • We’d like very much to…v1….
• What a delightful idea
• With the greatest pleasure
• Thank you very much for inviting me
• It’s delightful to…v1…..

Formal phrases to decline an invitation :

• I’d love to, but I’m afraid I’m busy tonight
• I’m terribly sorry. I have other plans.
• Thanks for asking. I’m afraid I’m busy tonight.
• I’m very sorry, I don’t
• Think I can.
• I’d like to, but ….(appropriate sentence)….
• I’m afraid I’ve…v3………………..
• Already promised
• Thank you for asking me, but….(appropriate sentence)……
• Unfortunately , I can’t…v1……………
INFORMAL REPLIES
Accepting invitation
 I would/will ……v1……………..
 That would be very nice
 OK,I will be there !
 I’d like love to come.
 All right.
 Sure, I am coming

Declining invitation
 Sort, I can’t.
 I’d love to, but ……….(appropriate sentence)….……..
 I don’t think I can.
 In wish I could, but …….(appropriate sentence)….
 Sorry, I am very busy
 Sorry, may be next time
 Thank you, but I can’t
 Sorry, I don’t think ….(appropriate sentence)….…………
 Can’t make it
 I’m so sorry I can’t make it

SOLVED QUESTION
FORMAL INVITATION
1.As Secretary of the Literary Club of St. Anne’s School, Ahmedabad, draft a formal invitation in not more than 50 words for
the inauguration of the club in your school.
nne’s School
St. Anne’s School
Ahmedabad

We cordially invite all staff, students and parents for the inauguration of the
Literary Club of the School on 29th July between 8.30 a.m. to 11.30 a.m.
within the school premises. Well, known novelist, Mr Sandeep Kumar will
be our Chief Guest. You all are also requested to join us in the auditorium
for tea and snacks after the inauguration ceremony.
Secretary

Ahmedabad

143
We cordially invite all staff, students and parents for the inauguration of the
Literary Club of the School on 29th July between 8.30 a.m. to 11.30 a.m. within the
2.Draft an invitation on behalf of Mr & Mrs Raj Karan of 38, Kamal Kunj, Varanasi, which they may use to invite their friends
and relatives on the 5th birth anniversary of their son Nikhil at their residence on 28 December 20XX.

3. You are Sachin Bansal, the Head Boy of Springdales Public School, Gurgaon. Your school is holding an inter-school T-20
cricket championship from 2 Oct. to 8 Oct., 20XX. Write a formal invitation to Sh. B.S. Bedi, the legendary cricketer, to
inaugurate the championship on 2 Oct. 20XX at 10 a.m. at your school grounds.
Answer-
Springdales Public School
Gurgaon
25 Sept. 20XX
Sh. B.S. Bedi
2/27 Jorbagh, New Delhi
Sir
Sub: Inauguration of Cricket Championship
Our school is holding an inter-school T-20 cricket championship from 2 Oct. to 8 Oct. 20XX. All the schools of the area are
likely to participate. Your presence in our midst will act as a catalyst and inspire us. You are requested to inaugurate the
championship on 2 Oct. 20XX at 10 a.m. in our school grounds.
Kindly confirm your availability by 30 Sept.
Yours faithfully,
Sachin Bansal
Head Boy

INFORMAL INVITATION
1.You are Leena Sen. The wedding of your elder sister Reena Sen is going to be held on
The 15th May, 20XX at Hotel Lake View, Udaipur. Write out an informal invitation to your friend Vinnie requesting her to
attend the function.
Answer:
4357, Vasant Kunj
Raj Nagar
1 May, 20XX
Dear Vinnie
You will be pleased to know that the wedding of my elder sister Reena Sen is going to be held on the 15th May, 20XX at
Hotel Lake View, Udaipur. The whole family will move there in the morning. I invite you to join us at lunch in the hotel on
the 15th. The wedding ceremony will take place at 8 in the evening.
I do hope you will join us on the auspicious occasion.
Yours sincerely 144
Leena
2.Write a letter to your friend inviting him on the house-warming-ceremony of your newly constructed house.
Answer:
27, Urban Estate
Sector 15
Karnal
25 July, 20XX
Dear Vineet
I invite you at the house-warming-ceremony of our newly constructed house in Urban Estate. The ‘hawan’ ceremony is at 10
a.m. It will be followed by lunch at 1.00 p.m. Kindly do join us on this auspicious day. I’ll introduce you to my parents and
close relatives.

Yours sincerely
Arun Gulati

3.You are Manoj. You are going on a picnic with a group of your classmates to Kama Lake, near Karnal. Write an informal
invitation to your friend Mohit to join you on that day.
Answer:
2436 Urban Estate
Sector-15
Karnal
25 Aug, 20XX
Dear Mohit
You will be pleased to learn that we have devised a way to beat the heat. I, along with five of my classmates, have decided to
go on a picnic to Kama Lake this Sunday, i.e., 30th August, 20XX. We’ll assemble at my house at 8 a.m.
Do join us and have fun.
Yours sincerely
Manoj

FORMAL REPLIES
Q 1. Mr Devkumar Singh had received an invitation from Mr. Vivek Sharma for his daughter’s birthday celebration. Write a
reply of his behalf.

Answer:- Accepting

Mr. Devkumar Singh thanks Mr. Vivek Sharma for the

kind invitation for his daughter’s birthday celebration.
He is delighted to accept the invitation and confirms
his presence.

Answer: – Declining
Mr. Devkumar Singh thanks Mr. Vivek Sharma for the
kind invitation for his daughter’s birthday celebration,
but regrets his inability to accept the same due to a
prior engagement. However, he extends blessings for
the little girl.

INFORMAL REPLIES
Q. You are Vivek. Your friend Hardik has invited you to celebrate Christmas party at his home. Draft a reply declining/
accepting his invitation.

INFORMAL REPLIES – DECLINING

10. Park Avenue
Kolkata -4
20th December, 20XX

Dear Hardik

I am happy to receive your invitation for the Christmas Party on 25th December. 20XX at 7:00 pm at your home. I regret to
inform you that I would not be to join the celebrations due to some prior engagements. Merry Christmas and best wishes for
you and your family.

Yours affectionately 145

Vivek
INFORMAL REPLY- ACCEPTING
10. Park Avenue
Kolkata -4
20th December, 20XX

Dear Hardik

I am happy to receive your invitation for the Christmas Party on 25th December. 20XX at 7:00 pm. I am glad to inform you
that I would be delighted to join the party at the specified time. Looking forward towards an enjoyable evening with old
friends.

Yours affectionately
Vivek

Q. You are Sujaya Hajra of A.G Church School, Raipur. You have been invited by the Principal of St. Vincent School,
Raipur to act as one of the judges at a debate Contest to be held on 10th February, 20XX. But you are unable to accept this
invitation due to a previous engagement. Write a formal reply to the Principal expressing your inability to accept the
invitation.

Refusal
A.G. Church School
Raipur
5th February, 20XX

The Principal
St. Vincent School
Raipur

Sub : Reply to invitation

Madam

I really feel a great honour on being invited to act one of the judges at a debate contest to be held on 10th February, 20XX in
your school. I regret to inform that I am unable to accept this invitation due to my previous engagement. I send my good
wishes for the success of the Contest.

Yours truly
Sujaya Hajra

Q . You are Sujaya Hajra of A.G Church School, Raipur. You have been invited by the Principal of St. Vincent School,
Raipur to act as one of the judges at a debate Contest to be held on 10th February, 20XX. Write an formal reply to the
Principal accepting the invitation.

Acceptance
A.G. Church School
Raipur
5th February, 20XX

The Principal
St. Vincent School
Raipur

Sub : Reply to invitation

Madam

I really feel a great honour on being invited to act one of the judges at the debate contest to be held on 10th February, 20XX
in your school. I confirm my presence at the programme and look forward to the event.

Yours truly
Sujaya Hajra
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 KANHA MAKHAN PUBLIC SCHOOL
Class-12. SUBJECT-English
Topic-LETTER WRITING
INTRODUCTION
Letters are a very effective means of communication for keeping contact with friends and
relatives, who live a, distance .Though e-mail and fax have overtaken letter writing, still its
significance cannot be underestimated. A letter can be more expressive, emotional and can
be preserved for posterity.

TYPES OF LETTERS
Letters are generally of two kinds:
(i) Informal letters: They are letters written to friends, relatives, letters of invitations.
(D Formal letters: They are letters written to (i) Institutions/Organisations (I)
Firms,businessmen; (iii) Public or b Government authorities,Managers/Directors/b
Commissioners; (iv) Customers/Manufacturers,(b) Applications; (vi)Letter to the editors of
newspapers.(vii) Letters to school authorities or principal regarding admissions,
schoolissues, requirement or suitability of courses, etc.

FORMAL LETTER
A formal letter is a professional letter, which is written in formal language, in a prescribed
format and in the stipulated format. This letter is mainly used for professional
communication.

PARTS OF FORMAL LETTER

(1) The Heading
 It consists of the Sender's full address. (telephone no. is optional.)
 It is followed by Receiver's address in full.
 Date can be either written as 1 July, 2018, or July 1, 2018.

(2)The Salutation
It is a form of address or a greeting. It is written a little below the date, the first and the
second words of salutation are capitalised like - Dear Sir.
For formal social business letters, the salutation Dear is followed by the addressee's title or
family name like, Dear Mr. Yadav, Dear Dr. Sharma etc.
In business letters salutations, the writer may also write other forms like Dear Colleague,
Dear Publisher etc.

(3)Subject
It should be very concisely expressed. This can come either before the salutation or after.

(4)Body of the Letter

This forms the main part of the letter. It should be written in simple, direct language and
divided into the paragraphs unless it is very short.
It should end with a complimentary close asking for further information like "Hoping to hear
from you soon.

147
(5)Subscription/Complimentary Close.
This is the leave-taking phrase. It is written below the last line of the body of the letter and
depends upon degree of relationship between the writer and the addressee like "Yours
truly"

(6)The Signature
This is written below the subscription or the leave-taking phrase.
Please note, an apostrophe () should never be put before 's' in yours. It is a very common
error to write )
The correct way is to write 'yours'.

FORMAT OF FORMAL LETTER

Important points to remember while drafting letters:

 Write the letter in full block format (i.e., to the left).

 State your reason for writing in the first paragraph and stay on track.
 Always include specifics that will help ease the recipient’s task. For instance, if
you are writing to a bank, mention your account number.
 If you refer to other correspondence, quote date of the letter(s), reference
numbers, file numbers, order numbers, cheque number with date. Include
copies, whenever possible.
 Gently and respectfully direct the recipient’s course of action.
 It may be strongly worded, but always be courteous and use polite language
and pleasant tone.
 Self-introduction should be avoided.
 Informal expressions, greetings or contracted forms of words should not be
used.
 The language should be simple, straight forward and to the point.
 Leave a line/additional space between paragraphs since no indentation is
followed.
 Open punctuation to be followed (no punctuation marks to be used).
 Do not mix up the old format and the new format.
 In letters to the Editor:

148
 o Do not ask the editor to solve the problems.
 Inob application Letters:
o Curriculum Vitae (CV)/Biodata Format/Resume should be
written.
o It should not be included in the body of the letter but after the
complimentary close, as an enclosure.
 In the letter to the Editor:
o use ‘yours truly’ or ‘yours sincerely’, as the complimentary

SOME USEFUL HINTS FOR BEGINNING A LETTER

1. Job Application
 I was excited to find an opening in human resources with Company Y because your
work with XYZ (be specific) has been important to me for a long time. I am the
perfect candidate for this position because it combines my experience with human
resources and XYZ.
 With reference to your advertisement (TOI,dated 5 June) I would like to apply……….
 I am interested in applying for the post of……
 I am a graduate from Lucknow University and would like to join the MBA programme
advertise by you in the newspaper……
 My name is (name). I am applying for the (position) in your organization. I have
been working as (position) at (organization name) for the past three years.
 I want to apply for the job of "mention the post name" at your esteemed business. I
am fully competent in performing all the tasks mentioned in the job description and
meet the criteria of job specifications.

2. Complaints
 lam sorry to inform you that the consignment you sent us was defective.
 I am writing to complain that our order for books has not reached us on the due
date.
 It is very disheartening to complain about goods sent to us by such a well-known
company.
 I am writing in connection with..to complain about... to draw your attention to...
 I have to say that I was not at all satisfied with...
 I am sorry to say that I was extremely disappointed
 I am writing to express my concern about the fact
 I wish to complain in the strongest terms about.……..
 I would like to draw your kind attention to the extremely tardy progresss made by
the ..…..regarding ……dated …
 I am pained to inform you that my …….plans have been jeopardised on account
of…….

3.Inquiry Letter
 Our school is arranging a tour of Rajasthan. I am interested in the package deal your
Travel and Tours Co, gives.

149
  Could you please send us a list of the recent publications by your company?
 Please send us a price catalogue and samples of
 I am writing in regard to our intention to inquire about
 With reference to the mail I received dated 28/12/2021; I would like to enquire
about the
 After having seen your advertisement in … , I would like …
 I received your address from … and would like … .

4.Letter to Editor
 I would like to draw the attention of the authorities through the column of your daily
newspaper, to the pitiable conditions/……
 I was deeply pained to read the press report in your newspaper captioned ‘
The……...’ that appeared on the …..
 Through the esteemed columns of your newspaper,I would like to draw your kind
attention towards
 I am (name),resident of……... I am writing to you in order to raise the issue people
face …….
 I am (name) writing this letter to highlight the issue of………

Common Expression to finish a formal letter

1.Job Application
 Thank you for taking the time to review my resume. I genuinely believe that my
experience and education would make me a valuable asset to your organization. I'm
particularly excited about the opportunity to learn more about
 I look forward to any opportunity to discuss the position and what I can do for your
company.
 I appreciate your time and consideration and hope that my skills and experience
align with your needs. I'm attaching my resume, ………
 Thank you for considering my application. I believe my (insert skill/credential) would
be valuable in the (specialization of the company) space, and I look forward to any
opportunity to show you how I can be of assistance in your organization.
 Thank you for your time , I look forward to hearing from you
 Thank you for considering my application. I hope to bring my industry expertise and
experience to an organization like yours, where I can contribute to its growth and
success. Please don't hesitate to contact me at (insert phone number or email) if you
need any additional information.

2.Complaints
 I feel you had a responsibility to inform us of these problems before we set off on
the cruise, which is why we demand a partial refund.
 “I appreciate your time looking into this matter. I would appreciate any reasonable
correction of the issue as outlined above. I would like to know the resolution of this
complaint as quickly as possible, but definitely no later than 30 days of today’s
date.”“Please feel free to reach out to me for any clarification or additional
documentation.”

150
  I hope I hear back from you about this incident soon.Please contact at your earliest
convenience at (contact number) or email.....
 I hope that this matter cane be resolved.....
 I hope that you will deal with this matter promptly as it is causing me considerable
inconvenience.
 I feel/believe that I am entitled to a replacement/refund...
 I demand a full refund/an immediate replacement/etc or I shall be forced to take
legal action/the matter further. I hope that I will not be forced to take further action,

3. Inquiry Letter
 Thanks for your consideration; please let me know if you have any questions. My
deadline is Friday, so I hope to get your perspective on this matter soon. Your
guidance has been invaluable, and I hope to work with you again soon.
 Thankyou for your time.I look forward to meeting you.
 We would be looking forward to hear from you on this. Please share all the details
on the subject so that we can take it ahead. You can call me at 9898989898 or email
me at.........Thanking in anticipation.
 I look forward to your reply.
 Look forward to hearing from you
 I look forward to seeing you.
 We hope that we may continue to rely on your valued custom.
 We look forward to a successful working relationship in the future.

4.Letter to Editor
 Through your reliable and trusted media coverage, I would like to request you to
highlight the above-mentioned concerns for the benefit of the people.
 Hence, through the pages of your esteemed newspaper, I would like to appeal
 I hope my letter will get an appropriate space in your esteemed newspaper.
 It would be beneficial if you lent a column to highlight this issue....
 It would be great if you acknowledged this issue in one of your columns
 Perhaps the phrases in your illustrious publication will awaken the authorities
 Hopefully, you will address this grave issue in your next column

Useful Phrases for Writing Formal Letters

 Starting
 We are writing you with reference to (the above order).
 With reference to your advertisement/letter of 10 March……
 We are pleased to have your inquiry of 25 of July….
 We acknowledge the receipt of your letter dated 12 April …..
 With reference to your letter inquiring about…
 With reference to our telephone conversation yesterday (about…),…
 We wish to remind you that…..
 I am writing this letter to request the cancellation of……..
 I am writing this letter to complain in the strongest terms about the poor service that
I have received from your company.

151
 Action
 Please advise us as soon as the…….
 Please open a ………….in favour of (name of the company)……….
 Payment can be made on any basis acceptable to you.
 Could you please supply us with information about the company’s standing.
 We have been informed (by one of our clients) that……….
 We regret to inform you, (however,) that….
 Please accept our apologies for the inconvenience caused.
 We must insist on…
 Please note that the closing date/deadline for the ……… is 30 September, so will you
please complete the attached forms and return them as soon as possible.
 Any information you supply will be treated confidentially.
 May we remind you that your statement is still outstanding.
 Will you kindly balance your account promptly.
 We are puzzled to have had no remittance from you.
 You already have an overdraft of….
 Please give the matter your immediate attention.
 We will be left with no alternative but to (take legal action)… unless payment is
received within the next seven days.
 Our circumstances do not allow us to wait/to go on waiting any longer.
 Please look into the matter.
 We were dissatisfied to find that….
 We shall have to terminate the contract.
 On examination we have found…
 We greatly appreciated your patience in this matter.

 Enclosures and attachment

 We would be grateful if you could forward/send any further information (you may
have) about…. (products and terms of payment/this case)
 We will be pleased to supply any further information you require.
 We are sending the herewith the……
 We look forward to doing business to our mutual advantage.
 We would like to make a decision on this as soon as possible.
 In the meantime, we suggest that you call the ………
 We hope to meet your requirements.
 Please send us by return the terms and conditions on …………..
 For purposes of quick contact a reply by telephone would be appreciated.
 We look forward to the opportunity of being at your service.
 Could you please let us know in your earliest convenience whether the above terms
and conditions are acceptable for you.
 We hope that the matter will be settled to our mutual satisfaction.
 We very much hope that you will be able to…..
 I would be grateful if you could spare me a few minutes.
 As our demand/request/issue is very urgent, a quick answer would be appreciated.
 Would you (also forward details of charges)………. At your earliest convenience?

152
  I should/would be pleased if you could send me …….
 We trust/hope you will find this condition acceptable.
 If there is any other information you need, please do not hesitate to contact us at
the above e-mail address.
 Thanking you in advance.
 I would be most grateful if you would reply as soon as possible so that this matter
can be resolved to everyone’s satisfaction.
 Please find enclosed….
 I am enclosing…….
 Please find attached….

Writing Letter about Employment

 The standard opening for formal correspondence is Sir/Ma’am

Format of date- DD/MM/YY
For ex- 19/11/2022
NOTE -If sender’s address is not given in the question then you can write “examination
hall” or any address that you can make up. It doesn’t matter if it is not mentioned in the
question. Writing examination hall is a safer side.

Useful phrases:
 I am writing in response to your advertisement in [publication]
 I am writing to apply for the post of
 Thank you for your letter of [date] offering me the post of
 I am delighted to accept the position of [job title]
 I look forward to starting work with you

153
154
155
SOLVED QUESTIONS

JOB APPLICATION LETTER

1.You are Ashish/Nimmi Dhar B – 94 Fort Road, Jamrhu. You have read the advertisement
given below. You are qualified for the job. Write an application in 120 – 150 words along
with resume.

India Chemical Industries, Delhi

Requires
Accounts Officers
Qalification : BCom.
Experience : Minimum 4 years
Job requirement : Maintaining books of accounts,
preparation of Balance Sheet, etc.
Salary : Best in the industry
Apply to : Managing Director, ICI, B – 12
Answer: Barakhamba Road, New Delhi
B – 94
Fort Road
Jammu XXXXXX
22 March 2017
The Managing Director(ICI)
B – 12.
Barakhamba Road
New Delhi 1IOXXX

Dear Sir,
Subject: Application for the post of Accounts Officer

This is in response to your advertisement in The Times of India of 21 March. I wish to apply
for the same as I have the requisite qualification and experience. My resume is enclosed
herewith for your kind perusal and consideration. I can assure you that if selected, I shall
prove to be an asset to your company.

Yours faithfully
Nimmi Dhar

RESUME

Name : Nimmi Dhar

Mother’s Name : Sheela Dhar
Father’s Name : Ashok Dhar

156
Date of Birth : 10th April 1990
Sex : Female
Marital Status : Married
Permanent Address : B – 94, Fort Road. Jammu
Address for Correspondence : C2/8 Janak Pun, New Delhi 1100XX
Educational Qualifications : B. Corn (Hons), Kalinga University, Jammu
Job Experience : 5 years in Alcove Chemical Industries New Delhi
Reference : Ranvir Mehta, kicharge, Accounts Division, Alcove chemical Industries New Delhi

2. Bal Vidya Public School, Bhilai, urgently requires a post – graduate teacher to teach
political science for which they have placed an advertisement in The Bhilai Express. You are
Sanjay/Sanjana Sharma from 21, Yasant Marg, Bhilai. Draft a letter including a CV, applying
for the advertised post. (120 – 150 words)

Answer:

28, Vasant Marg

Bhilai XXXXXX

Chhattisgarh

2 June 2018

The Principal

Bal Vidya Public School

Ravidas Marg

Bhilai XXXXXX

Chhattisgarh

Dear Sir

Subject: Application for the post of a postgraduate teacher (political science)

With reference to your advertisement in the The Bhilai Express dated 10 May 20XX for the
post of Postgraduate teacher in Political Science, I wish to submit my application for the
same. I am also attaching my CV herewith.

Yours faithfully
Sanjay Sharma
Enel. CV

157
 Curriculum Vitae

Name : Sanjay Sharma

Father’s Name : Shri A.K. Sharma
Place of birth : Pune, Maharashtra
Address for communication : 21, Vasant Marg, Bhilai, Chhattisgarh
Date of birth : 21 September 1990
Contact Number : 981002XXXX
Email ID : sanjay2012@gmail.com
Marital Status : Unmarried
Educational Qualifications : BA (political science) & MA (political science), Bed, Med from
Delhi University
Languages known : Hindi, English
Work Experience : Worked as PGT (political science) in SKB Public School Bhilai from March
2013 to February 2017
Last salary drawn : ?45,000 per month (gross)

COMPLAINT LETTER

1.You bought a refrigerator two months ago from Mohan Sales, Ashok Vihar, Bangalore. It
has developed certain problems regarding its functioning. Cooling has stopped and it is
making a lot of noise. Write a letter of complaint to the Manager asking him for immediate
repair/replacement of the same. You are Sachin/Shashi, 61 Pratap Enclave, Bangalore. (100
– 125 words)

Answer:
61, Pratap Enclave
Bangalore 5300XX
17 December 20XX
The Manager
Mohan Sales
Ashok Vihar
Bangalore 5300XX

Dear Sir
Subject: Complaint against a defective refrigerator
On 15 October 20XX, I bought a new refrigerator model Whirlpool NEO DF278 PRMZ from
your showroom. I am extremely disappointed as it stopped working after one month of
purchase.

I would like the problem to be resolved between us. However, if the matter is not resolved, I
will have to move the consumer court.

Looking forward to hearing from you.

Yours faithfully
Sachin

158
2.Last month, you went to Ooty and stayed at Hotel Greenview for a week. Within two days
you found that the facilities provided were not good and you had to leave the hotel. On
reaching home at Chennai you decided to write a letter of complaint to the manager
describing all that went wrong there. Demand a refund of the money paid in advance. Write
the letter in 120 – 150 words. You are Omar/Amna, 12 B, Mount Road, Chennai

Answer:
12 B, Mount Road
Chennai
10 June 20XX
The Manager
Hotel Greenview
Church Road, Ooty
Tamil Nadu

Dear sir
Subject: Poor in – house service

I stayed at your hotel for a week. Within two days I found that facilities being provided were
below par. The bathroom fittings were faulty and the room service was very bad. I was very
much disturbed as an extremely noisy neighbour kept on entertaining visitors till 2 a.m.
There was no caretaker during my stay in the hotel. As a result, I had to leave the hotel.

In view of the unsatisfactory customer service, I would request you to refund the money
that I paid in advance. An amount of X 10,000 (Rupees Ten Thousand only) was deposited
with you.

Yours faithfully
Omar

INQUIRY LETTER

1.Simmi, a student of class XII and resident of 12, Commissioner lane, New Delhi, wants to
be a choreographer. She writes to the National Institute of Choreography, Mumbai, seeking
information about their course, admission procedure, eligibility criteria and other necessary
details.

Answer:
12, Commissioner Lane
New Delhi 1100XX
26 January 20XX
The Director
National Institute of Choreography
Versova Link Road
Andheri (West)
Mumbai 4000XX

159
Dear Sir
Subject: Inquiry regarding courses in choreography
Refer to your advertisement regarding the courses in choreography offered by your
reputable institute, I am currently in XII class and preparing for my final exam. I am very
much interested in dancing and want to take it as a career.

I Please send me the prospectus containing all the information regarding the course and $ie
application form. I would be highly grateful if you could provide information about the
following:

The department and programme faculty

Scholarships available
Admission procedure
Eligibility criteria
Hostel facilities
Kindly send me the latest brochure with the above details along with the enrolment form at
the ; earliest to enable me to register myself for the course.

Yours faithfully
Simmi Garewal

2.You are awaiting your class XII results. Meanwhile you would like to do a short – term
course in Personality Development. Write a letter to the Director, Personal Care,
Hyderabad, enquiring about the details about the course. You are Kailash/Kusum of 148,
Model Town, Delhi (125 – 150 words).

Answer:
148, Model Town
New Delhi 1100XX
26 January 20XX
The Director
Personal Care 18,
Char Minar Road
Hyderabad XXXXXX

Dear Sir
Subject: Enquiry about short – term course in Personality Development

I came across your advertisement in yesterday’s newspaper. I would like to know in detail
about the courses offered by your institute.
I am a class XII student and wish to pursue a course in Personality Development in the
summer vacation after my board exams. Kindly send me the following details,

The programme faculty

Fee structure and mode of payment

160
Curriculum details
Duration of sessions
Timings of classes
Number of students in a batch
Transport facility
Kindly make it clear whether smart boards are provided in the classes.

Yours faithfully
Kusum Prasad

LETTER TO EDITOR

1.National Book Trust organised a week-long book fair at Anna Grounds, Chennai. You
visited the fair and bought a few books. You were pleased with the arrangements,
enthusiasm of the visitors and the fact that books have not yet lost their relevance in the
world of the Internet. Write a letter in 120 – 150 words to the editor of a local newspaper to
express your feelings. You are Lalit/Latha, 112, Mount Road, Chennai.
Answer:
112, Mount road
Chennai
23 March 20XX
The Editor
City Newspaper
New Delhi 1100XX

Dear Sir,
Subject: Relevance of books

I am writing this letter to share with your readers, my delightful experience of having visited
a week long book fair recently, organized by National Book Trust at Anna Grounds. People
thronged the place belying even the expectations of the organizers. The arrangement was
something seen to be believed.

The parking lot had volunteers to guide, there were clear sign – boards indicating the
directions to various halls and gate numbers. Each hall had different sections, well –
demarcated, and the reception desks for queries.
One could see how enthusiastically, book lovers were making purchases. What impressed
me the most and made me realize was that books still hold a special place in people’s hearts
and have not lost their relevance in the tech – sawy world of the internet.

Yours faithfully
Latha

2.Apart from newspapers, 24 – hour news channels on TV are a major source of information
for the common man. As compared to foreign news channels, the Indian channels are full of
advertisements. Write a letter to the editor of a national newspaper urging the news

161
channels to create a healthy balance between news and commercials. You are
John/Elizabeth, 18, Civil Lines, Meerut.
Answer:
18, Civil Lines
Meerut
22 May 20XX
The Editor
The Indian Nation
New Delhi

Dear Sir
Subject: To create a healthy balance between news and commercials
Through the columns of your esteemed daily, I would like to raise the issue of news
channels in India, airing more advertisements in comparison to foreign news channels. The
24 – hour TV news channels are a major source of information for the common man.
However, of late the so – called “News” on TV has hit an all – time low. Driven primarily by
ad sponsors and corporate lobbying, TV channels in India have been commercial – friendly.
Look at the foreign news channels, news, prima facie, is more important than
advertisements. The Indian TV news channels need to create a healthy balance between
news and commercials. The main focus of TV news channels should be on education and
entertainment. TV news channels should be entertainment – friendly rather than ad –
friendly.

Yours faithfully
Elizabeth

162
 KANHA MAKHAN PUBLIC SCHOOL
SUBJECT: ENGLISH
CLASS : 12
TOPIC: ARTICLE

What is Article?
An article is an expression of one’s thought on an issue or a subject logically and coherently written
in meaningful paragraphs.
An article is a written work published in a print/electronic medium. It may be for the purpose of
propagating news, researching results, academic analysis, or debate. Generally, it is a piece of
writing that is published in a newspaper or Magazine.
The format of an article consists of the following parts –
 Heading,
 By line, and
 Body
HEADING
The heading should be catchy and in not more than 5-6 words. You can go as creative as you
want with this one just make sure you do not devote too much time on it in the exam.
BY LINE
It refers to the name of the person writing the article. It is generally given in the question. If not
given, then do not write your personal details.
BODY
It is the main part of your writing piece. It generally consists of 3-4 paragraphs.
 PARAGRAPH 1: It is always prescribed that you begin with a short introduction of the topic;
it’s meaning to be precise. Briefly tell what the article is about giving some quotations or
startling facts to arouse the interest of the readers.
 PARAGRAPH 2 or PARAGRAPH 2&3: Now this part can be written in either one or two
paragraphs. You are required to do a complete analysis of the subject matter in question. It
may include-
1. TYPES – In how many forms does the problem exist? You are required to mention the
various possible types (if it exists).
2. CURRENT SCENARIO – Then you need to explain the current situation, the problems
(if any) and whether after any corrective actions, betterment in the situation has
been observed or not.
3. It may include advantages/ disadvantages depending upon the topic in question.
4. CAUSE AND EFFECT RELATIONSHIP– Develop the cause and effect relationship by
supporting it with facts or data. You may also write the consequences.
5. Any other relevant and related information.
 PARAGRAPH 3 or PARAGRAPH 4: The conclusion. It is the concluding paragraph. It is
important to conclude what you’ve started. Never leave an article open-ended. Now, it is to
be remembered that wherever you elaborate a problem, you always have to mention the
steps being taken to improvise the situation and suggest a few solutions as well. Predictions
and personal problems may be included. This paragraph needs to be short and precise. Here
also, you could add some glitter to your art piece with some quotes.

163
Points to Remember:

 Give a title that catches the attention of the reader.

 Begin with a striking opening sentence which addresses the readers and gets them
interested in the topic.
 Present a strong argument for your ideas supporting it with evidence or elaboration.
 Use linking devices (‘however’, ‘therefore’, ‘although’, ‘even though’, ‘in order to’) to
make the composition appear a whole.
 Introduce a new point at the beginning of each paragraph that follows to strengthen
your ideas.
 Develop your ideas as much as you can to make them interesting and substantial.
 Conclude with your strongest point.
 Use passive voice, humour, emotive language, rhetorical questions to provide a
specific effect. Split-up of marks

Tips

 Plan Before you pen- it is important that you follow a sequence. Jot down the points
at the back of your answer sheet and ensure a proper sequence of ideas. Introduce,
Analyse, Suggest and conclude.
 It is possible that you have too many points or very few points. When you have a lot
of varied points, it is better you choose a few best ones and write a line or two on
each. In case you have very few already, explain them in at least two-three lines each.
 MOST IMPORTANT- Always begin with your strongest point. You can accommodate
the weaker ones in between and end with another strong point. (REMEMBER:
Strong-Weak-Strong)
 You have to strictly follow the prescribed word limit in a restricted time frame so just
do not go on writing and writing.
 Feel free to give your personal opinion in one or two lines.

164
  It is very important that you do not deviate from the topic. There are chances you
may get ideas linking from one to another that may deviate you from the main point.
You have to refrain from doing so.
 Avoid repetition of ideas.
 Underline all the important points.
 Make sure you double-check for grammatical accuracy and spellings. They carry
marks.
 Always have a few general quotes in handy. They help in the presentation and show
that you’re prepared.
 Read editorials in a few newspapers and notice the pattern.
 Make small sentences. It restricts the scope of grammatical inaccuracies

Marks will be awarded for:

1. Format (Title + Writer’s name)
2. Content (logical organisation, relevance)
3. Expression (Accuracy + Fluency)

Live Life, Don’t Just Exist

By Sonali Shinde

To lead a life of adventure is certainly very exciting and amazing. It involves breaking free of
certain social conditioning and challenging yourself to work upon your mental fears, which
are mostly in your mind, and discovering unlimited freedom and opportunities. We,
therefore, need to be willing to undertake adventure as it is a necessary part of happy
existence. It is important to spend your limited time on earth doing some of those things
that make a difference and give one enjoyment rather than simply sinking all the time
playing the normal routine game of “delayed gratification”.

Taking action helps one to build a more enriching life and enables you to embrace life with
more passion each day. The desire for sameness never contributors to anything exciting but
makes our life and spirit dull. A variety of sports and recreation are adventurous to a lot of
people today. Some people race cars, skydivers jump out of a 5 aeroplane, mountain-
climbers scale peaks etc. This helps them to escape their daily stress and gives them a ‘high’.
So it is important to live life to the fullest and it is also surely worth making the effort to
‘live’ with an adventurous spirit.
SOLVED QUESTIONS
1. Grow more trees to reduce pollution.’ Write an article in 150-200 words on the
topic given above for your school magazine.
(SOURCE- CBSE compartment 2018)
Grow More Trees to Reduce Pollution
Radhika
“Trees are poems the earth writes upon the sky.”
Trees and plants are one of the main reasons why mankind came into existence. The
importance of planting trees has been emphasized time and again. This is because of the
numerous benefits they offer.They make the world a better place to live in. They exhale
oxygen and inhale carbon dioxide to maintain the ecological balance in the environment.
They also absorb all the harmful gases and give us fresh air to breathe. Trees build a sheet to
protect us from the harmful ultraviolet rays. Not only this, they serve as a habitat for birds
and various species of animals. This is not it. Trees help in controlling water pollution and
165
preventing soil erosion. The places inhabited by large numbers of trees are quite cooler compared
to the concrete jungles that cannot do without air conditioners. Unfortunately, urbanisation is leading
to clearing of forests and parks despite the numerous benefits they offer. People come here for
morning walks, evening strolls, yoga sessions and laughter therapy. These also serve as a safe place
for the kids to play and socialise. The only way left to preserve them and reap these benefits is by
growing them at a faster rate.
As a Chinese proverb states, “The best time to plant a tree was 20 years ago. The second best time
is now.” So do your bit and make this place more beautiful.
Thank you.

2. India is a land of diversity. One way in which it makes us feel proud of it is the
number of festivals we enjoy. Write an article in 150-200 words on ‘Festivals of
India’. You are Karuna/Karan. 10
(SOURCE- CBSE 2016)

:
FESTIVALS OF INDIA
– Karan/ Karuna

It is said that “Greatness of a culture can be found in its festivals”. India has proved every word of
the saying right by being famously known as the “Land of Festivals” .
True to this belief, India has scores and scores of festivals that bring happiness and joy all across the
country.
verse cultures that exist in this subcontinent. All these different cultures and religions get tied
together in bonds of love with these invisible threads of celebrations. Every festival has a social,
religious and mythological value. Accordingly, Dussehra has a great significance. Similarly, the
Janmashtami festival has also a great religious and social significance. This is the occasion when Lord
Krishna was born to kill Kansa and other demons and save the people from a great danger. This
festival also teaches us how to fight evil and falsehood and establish truth.
On these festivals, people offer prayers to their deities, wear ethnic clothes and make merry with
their near and dear ones. Ganesh Chaturthi, Eid Ul Fitr, Baisakhi, Onam, Pongal, Gurupurab, Ram
Navami and Durga Puja are some of the festivals that are celebrated with immense zeal in different
parts of India with some of these being specific to a particular region.
No wonder, our country is called a land of festivals.
Thank you.

3. Our performance in the Rio Olympics has told us that we do not pay enough
attention to athletics and outdoor games. It is time we revised our attitude.
Sports should be an important part of school’s daily routine. Write an article in
150-200 words in ‘Importance of Outdoor Games’. You are Sreeja/Thomas.
(SOURCE- CBSE 2017)

IMPORTANCE OF OUTDOOR GAMES

– By Sreeja/ Thomas

Sports occupy a prominent place in the life of a nation. It not only helps keep you healthy and fit but
also plays an important part as a recreational event. Unfortunately, in our country, the trend is such
that it focuses only on the academic front. To grow a tree, we have to water it’s roots; just like that,
to prepare athletes that could play for the country, we need to inculcate the concept of sports at the
primary level, i.e., the school level. What we are missing out is that sports play a vital role in
imparting complete education.

Clearly, things did not go well in the Rio Olympics, and as everyone gets down to doing the post-
mortem of our performances, often breathless, blame the quality of attention being given to athletics.
The benefits of playing sports are several, as it leads to balanced mental growth. It teaches the
166
children life skills like team efforts, leadership, patience and social skills. It inculcates confidence,
discipline and playing without crossing the rules.

Thus, it becomes all the more important to change the attitude of schools towards sports. It should
be made a compulsory activity. It has been rightly said,

“Children learn as they play. Most importantly, in play, they learn how to learn.”
Thank you.

4. By 2050, India will be amongst the countries which will face acute water
shortage. You are highly alarmed and terrified of the future world without water.
So, write an article on “Save water- are we doing enough?” for the local daily in
150-200 words.
(SOURCE- SAMPLE QUESTION PAPER 2018-19)

SAVE WATER- ARE WE DOING ENOUGH?

Many people are living with less water than they need, whether in the world's most prosperous
cities or in its bountiful agricultural heartlands.
Droughts have also become more frequent, more severe, and affecting more people around the
world. As many as four billion people already live in regions that experience severe water stress for at
least one month of the year. With populations rising, these stresses will only mount.
Water is the precious gift of God on earth. Life exists on the earth because of the availability of
water. Itself being tasteless, odourless and colourless, it adds taste, colour and nice smell in the life
of living beings on the Earth. Here are different methods we can follow to save clean drinking water
and deal with the water scarcity. Rain water harvesting is one of the most effective and suitable
methods among save water techniques.
Deforestation is also a good method as it reduces the surface runoff and recharges the groundwater.
It promotes underground water conservation. By practicing such methods we can conserve more
water naturally and ensure the availability of it for future generations. We should take a pledge and
make it a lifelong motto to preserve water because,
“If you conserve water, it means you conserve life.”

Thank you.

5. Recent floods in many metropolitan cities of the country during the monsoon
season laid bare the hollowness of the claims of the civic authorities of their
preparedness. The poor had to bear the brunt of the problem while no one was
ever held accountable. Write an article in 150 – 200 words on the common
man’s woes during the monsoons and the need for accountability of the
officials concerned. You are Sumit/Smita Verma.
(SOURCE- CBSE 2018)

COMMON MAN’s WOES DURING MONSOON

-by Sumit/ Smita Verma

The much awaited Monsoon brings respite from the scorching heat. But Monsoon
and madness walk together. Every year during the monsoons, chaos reigns supreme.
The roads are flooded; the sewage system collapses; a huge loss of crops, fruits, life,
and property is caused. Water logging and breeding of mosquitoes together becomes
the reason for a lot of people falling ill. Network connectivity gets weak.

167
 In spite of 71 years of independence, the Indian Government has not been able to
tackle the flood
Problem caused by monsoons. Recent floods have laid bare the hollowness of the
claims of the civic
Authorities of their preparedness. The poor had to bear the brunt of the problem.
One of the causes behind this chaos is the lack of strict laws and accountability of the
officials and the Ministries responsible for tackling the floods. The Government
formulate and pass strict laws regarding the projects launched to relieve people of
their distress but there is hardly a sign of effective implementation of the scheme.
There needs to be strict accountability.

When the Ministers will be accountable, they will ensure the officers, officials
involved in the projects surely create foolproof systems. It is only through strict
accountability laws the system can be made
Efficient.
Thank you
ALL THE BEST.
“Work hard in silence, let your success make the noise.”

6. many parts of our country girls are still discouraged from going to school. Consequently, a
sizable section of the population is deprived of education. Schemes like Sarva Shiksha
Abhiyan, CBSE scholarship to the single girl child and the Government’s policy of giving
free education to girls have come as a boon to our society. Write an article in 150-200 words
on the education of the girl child in the country. (Delhi 2010)
Answer:
Education Of The Girl
Child In The Country
Education of girls has been a high priority with the Government of India. In the new millennium, India has
consolidated its earlier educational reforms with increased resources and stronger policy commitments for
achieving elementary education, particularly for girls. Reaching out to the girl child is primary to the efforts to
universalise elementary education. ‘Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan’ or ‘Education For All’ programme recognizes that
ensuring the education of the girl child requires changes not only in the education system but also in society’s
norms and attitudes.
A two-pronged gender strategy has hence been adopted to make the educational system responsive to the needs of
the girls through targeted interventions which serve as a pull-factor to enhance access and retention of girls in
schools on the one hand and generate community demand for girls’ education through training and mobilisation on
the other hand. The CBSE has also come up with the novel scheme of providing free education from the sixth
standard onwards to the single girl child. The need of the times is that the government should further improve the
educational infrastructure and make it more accessible and meaningful for the girl child.
EXERCISE

1. is a large country having a very rich cultural tradition. It has the potential to provide
great geographical and cultural diversity. Even then we have not been able to attract
tourists to the extent that even the small countries have been able to do. Write an
article in 150 – 200 words on how to promote tourism in the country. You are
Mohan/Mohini.
2. Advertisements have become a big business. They are promoted by celebrities drawn
from various fields like films, sports, etc., leaving their influence on all people
specially the young. Write an article in 150-200 words on ‘The Impact of
Advertisements on the younger generation’.

168
3. The present-day youth are greatly stressed due to cut-throat competition and consumerist
culture. Write an article in 150-200 words on the causes of the stress on the modem
generation suggesting suitable solutions.
4. As compared to the older generation the youth of today are greatly inclined to pursue
adventurous activities either for money or for fun. There is a latest craze for joining
reality shows, rafting, rock climbing, mountaineering etc. Write an article in 150-200
words on which life you would prefer—safe or adventurous. (All India 2010)
5. India is standing at the threshold of joining the developed nations but that is not possible till
we achieve complete literacy in the country. The contribution of students may be very
significant in achieving our goals. Write an article in 150-200 words on ‘The Role of the
Students in Removing Illiteracy’. (All India 2010)
6. Compulsory value-based education is the only remedy for inculcating values among the
future citizens of the country. This will also help in the prevention of crime in the country.
Write an article in 150-200 words on the need of compulsory value-based education.

169
 KANHA MAKHAN PUBLIC SCHOOL
SUBJECT: ENGLISH
CLASS : 12
TOPIC : REPORT WRITING

What is report writing?

A report is a brief account of an event that has already taken place. A report of an event includes
one’s ideas, opinions and impressions about the event. It attempts to present the firsthand
information of an incident or event. It is a systematic and well organised presentation of facts and
findings of an event that has already taken place somewhere. Reports are used as a form of written
assessment to find out what you have learned from your reading, research or experience and to
give you experience of an important skill that is widely used in the work place.

KINDS
They are of following 3 kinds
• Newspaper report
• Magazine report
• A Report for a survey

Tips for Report writing:

 Should be brief and follow specifications and format
 Should be well structured, logical and coherent
 Should be presented in a consistent orderly manner
 Information should be analysed and presented with facts if required
 Should be free of grammatical, spelling and lexical errors
 Conclusion should round up the matter without leaving any loose threads.
 Must be in past tense
 Passive voice is used
 Short sentences should be preferred.
 Try to jot down the points in rough before writing.

Report writing: Marking scheme:

Format 1M

170
 Content 2M
Expression 2M

Characteristics of a Newspaper Report

a) A news report should have a headline, date, place of origin of the news.
b) It must contain the byline/name of the reporter.
c) It must contain only relevant information.
d) The newspaper report must have appropriate language for a report.
e) It must contain a logical development of ideas, i.e. causes/reasons, effects or consequences.
f) It must include the opinions of people and it should be comprehensive. It should contain
views of all sides involved.
g) Personal pronouns are to be avoided.

A Report should answer the questions:

What – name of event and occasion, by whom conducted

Where
When -date and time Activities (Teaching & Social Work) held
(A comment on the quality of the activities organized)

1. Magazine report

The main purpose of newspaper or magazine reports is to cover a particular event or

happening. They generally elaborate upon the 4Ws and 1H, i.e. What, Where, When, Why,
and How.

FORMAT OF A MAGAZINE REPORT

1. Heading– A descriptive title which is expressive of the contents of the report.

2. By line– Name of the person writing the report. It is generally given in the
question. Remember, you are not supposed to mention your personal details in
your answer.
3. Opening paragraph (introduction) – It may include the ‘5 Ws’ namely, WHAT,
WHY, WHEN and WHERE along with WHO was invited as the chief guest.

171
 4. Account of the event in detail– The proper sequence of events that occurred
along with their description. It is the main paragraph and can be split into two
short paragraphs if required.
5. Conclusion- This will include the description of how the event ended. It may include
quote excerpts from the Chief Guest’s speech or how did the event wind up.

Sample magazine report

GNPS Rajouri Garden Celebrated World Environment Day

HEADING

by Ravi Sharma BY LINE

New Delhi, 2nd July, 20XX : Students of Guru Nanak Public School, Rajouri Garden
participated in a function to celebrate World Environment Day on 5th June at Vigyan Bhavan.
It was also the 30th anniversary of National Museum of Natural History. President of India,
Pranaba Mukherjee was the Chief Guest. The other guests included Narain Meena, Minister of
State for Environment,S Raghupathy, Minister of State (Forests and Wildlife), Meena Gupta,
Secretary, Ministry of Environment and Forests and Sudhir Mittal, Joint Secretary, Ministry of
Environment and Forests.
The students presented ‘Prakriti Vandana’ a song and dance. An effective skit ‘Kahan gaya
wo dharti ka swarg’ was also presented, wherein experts from National Museum of Natural
History including Dr Naaz Rizvi and school teachers Jyoti Cheema and Rajvindra Kaur
directed the students. The song presentation prepared under the able guidance of Bhupinder
Kaur, Inderjeet Kaur and S Amritpal Singh forced the audience to introspect.
The School chairman, S Inder Singh and vice chairman, S Singh Ratra were also present.
The vote of thanks was proposed by the Director, National Museum of Natural History, Dr
Venugopal

What did you observe in this Report?

 The report has a headline that attracts a reader’s attention.

 The report tells what, when, where, how (description) and why was the event organised.
 Finally, the report has the name of the writer or reporter.

2. Newspaper report

Newspaper report must be comprehensive, but brief, factual yet interesting. Hence, factual
reporting is the accurate and truthful coverage of an event.

FORMAT OF A NEWSPAPER REPORT

172
1. Headline- A descriptive title which is expressive of the contents of the report.
2. By line- Name of the person writing the report along with the designation. It is
generally given in the question. Remember, you are not supposed to mention your

personal details in your answer.

3. Place and date of reporting- It is generally not mentioned in a magazine report

separately, but here, it is. Ex: New Delhi; 22nd March.20XX:

a. Opening paragraph- It includes expansion of the headline. It needs to be short

as it is a general overview of the report.

b. Account of the event in detail– It is generally written in two parts: First,

complete account of what happened in its chronological sequence (preferably)
What , When, Where, How (eg- Reason in case of accidents / Proceedings I case
of events) and second, reaction of people and authorities (messages from
guests) the witness remarks.

4. Concluding paragraph- This will include the action that has been taken so far or that
will be taken. It is the last paragraph

Newspaper report- ones which are published in newspapers.

Ten Killed In Himachal Accident

HEADING Thursday, April 04, 2013, by TANS)
BY LINE
Shimla, April 4

173
 The people were killed and 25 injured when a private bus skidded off the road and fell
into a gorge in Himachal Pradesh’s Chamba district Monday morning, police said. This is
the third major road accident in Chamba district in less than a month. The accident
took place in Koti Village, about 22 km from Chamba town where it was headed to.
Superintendent of police Madhusudhan told TANS over the phone from the spot. He
said the injured were admitted to the zonal hospital, some 450 km from state capital
Shimla. The dead were mainly men and belonged to nearby villages.

Last month, 32 members of a marriage party were killed when their mini-truck rolled
into a 500-metre deep gorge near Sherpur village, some 50 km from Chamba.

On the same day in the other accident, a pick up a van carrying employees of a private
company executing a hydropower project fell into a gorge near Bharmour, 65 km from
Chamba, killing nine people on the spot.

3. REPORT OF A SURVEY

The survey report presents the results of the survey objectively, summarizing the
responses. Most survey reports show the results in visually appealing ways by including
graphs and charts.

I STRUCTURE

 Introduction

State the purpose/aim of the report, when and how the information was gathered.

 Main Body

All the information collected and analysed is presented clearly and in detail (break down the
respondents into groups according to sex, age and place of residence, state the main
differences between groups). Subheadings, numbers or letters can be used to separate
each piece of information.

174
  Conclusion

Sum up the points mentioned above. If necessary a recommendation can be included as

well (one way of summing up is making some general comments).

II Useful hints and phrases:

 Present Tenses, Reported Speech and an impersonal style should be used in survey
reports. Use a variety of reporting verbs such as claim, state, report, agree, complain,
suggest, etc.
 When reporting the results of a survey, the figures gathered should be given in the form
of percentages and proportions. Expressions such as “one in four” or “six out of ten” can
be used, or exact percentages e.g. 25% of the people questioned, 68% of those who
filled in the questionnaire, etc. Less exact expressions such as: the majority of those
questioned, a large proportion of, a significant number of, etc. can also be used.

III Useful language for reports:

 To introduce: The purpose/aim of this report, As requested, This survey was carried out/
conducted by means of…,the questionnaire consisted of etc.
 To generalize: In general, generally, on the whole, etc.
 To refer to a fact: The fact is that…, In fact, In practice, etc.
 To conclude/ summarise: In conclusion, All things considered, To sum up, All in all, It is
not easy to reach any definite conclusions, If any conclusions may be drawn from the
data, It is clear that, The survey shows/indicates/demonstrates, etc.

IV A Sample Survey Report

Survey of Academic and General Reading in English

175
 On 8th February 1999, a survey was conducted among 16 overseas post¬graduate
students at the University of England. The purpose of the survey was to discover the
reading habits in English of the students.
The survey was conducted by means of a questionnaire given to the stu¬dents to
complete. The first part of the questionnaire dealt with the type of reading and its
frequency. The second section was concerned with newspapers: the type of items read
and those that were read first.
From the table of data, the most significant items are as follows. In the first section 81%
of the students regularly read academic books” while 44% regularly read academic
journals. Nothing else is read regularly or often by 40% or more of the students. The
following comments can be made about the reading of newspapers, magazines and
fiction. 75% sometimes read regional or local newspapers, 69% sometimes read books
of fiction, 62% sometimes read general magazines, and 56% sometimes read national
daily newspapers. On the other hand, 37% never read Sunday newspapers and 31%
never read fiction.
In the second section, not surprisingly, 100% read news about their own country in
newspapers and 56% read this first. 94% read international news,
25% read this first. 81% read about Britain and look at radio and TV informa¬tion. The
only other item that is usually read by more than 50% of the students is current affairs
(read by 56%).
If any conclusions may be drawn from the data, they are, perhaps, as fol¬lows.
Overseas students presumably have little time for general reading: most of their reading
time is spent on books and journals on their own subject. Out¬side their studies, apart
from reading news about their own country, interna¬tional news, and news about
Britain, they probably spend most time watching TV and listening to the radio.
/from Academic Writing Course by R.R. Jordan/

Q1. You are Karan/ Kirti of L.M. Memorial Public School, Dwarka. Your school has
adopted a village as a social responsibility. Students are being taken to teach the
children of that village on a regular basis. Write a report, for your school magazine,
on the various other programmes organized there in 120 – 150 words.

(SOURCE- CBSE Sample Question Paper 2018-19)

176
Answer:

VILLAGE ADOPTION- A STEP TOWARDS BEING SOCIALLY RESPONSIBLE

-BY KARAN/ KRITI

On the occasion of World Literacy Day, L.M. Memorial Public School, Dwarka has taken an oath
to embrace the village named Rajpur.

The school has taken the responsibility of educating the people residing in the village. Selected
students from each standard are taken there every weekend, during school hours to impart
knowledge. The first 6 month motive is to make each and every person capable of reading and
writing. Free books and stationery is being provided for quality education. Children are given
time to spend with each other, play games and interact. Apart from the educational needs,
special care is devoted to hygiene and sanitation. Girls are being given awareness on the
importance of menstrual hygiene as well. Various talent hunts have been organised which left
everyone overawed. The immense enthusiasm and zeal in the people to learn is the main
driving factor.

A family kind of environment is being created. The school treats the people of the village as its
own students and is unbiased. By adopting a village, the school is making its students sensitive
towards the needs of the environment at a young age. It is committed towards raising the
leaders of tomorrow.

Q2.Cultural Society Sunshine Public School, Nellore organised an adult literacy

camp in its neighbourhood. Write a report in 120 – 150 words on the camp for your
school newsletter. You are P.V. Sunitha, Secretary. Use the following clues: no. of
volunteers – hours spent in teaching – location of the class – chairs, blackboards –
no. of people attending the camp – benefit.

(SOURCE- CBSE 2017)

ADULT LITERACY CAMP

-BY P. V. SUNITHA, SECRETARY

177
An adult literacy camp was organised by Cultural Society Sunshine Public School, Nellore in the
school neighbourhood yesterday extending educational options to those adults, who have lost
the opportunity and have crossed the age of formal education. The activities of the camp were
carried out by the cultural society of the school and there were a total of 25 volunteers.

The camp began with the welcome speech for the chief guest, Mrs. Kavita Naik, a renowned
social worker. 400 people were a part of the camp. They were divided into different groups in
accordance with their competencies. They were taught the basics for being able to read and
write. Free books and stationery is being provided for quality education. All the arrangements
including desks and blackboard were done in advance. Apart from the educational needs,
special care was devoted to hygiene and sanitation. They were taught basics of cleanliness like
types of wastes and their management. Refreshments were also provided to the participants.
The immense enthusiasm and zeal in the people to learn iwas the main driving factor.

The chief guest distributed the certificates of participation among the volunteers. The camp
ended on a positive note. There was an atmosphere of learning and growing together.

Q3. You are Sandhya/ Sohan an active member of the Animal Lovers Club which
works for the welfare of animals by preventing cruelty to them. Recently you visited
Mahatma Gandhi Animal Care Home. You were pleasantly surprised to see the good
treatment given to the animals. Write a report in 120 – 150 words on your visit.

You may use the following points: injured dogs and cats – abandoned pets – very
old animals – all very well cared for – well-equipped medical room – veterinary
surgeon – green surroundings.

(SOURCE- CBSE 2018 compartment)

Visit to Mahatma Gandhi Animal Care Home

-Sandhya/Sohan

Animal Lovers Club was recently invited by the Mahatma Gandhi Animal Care Home for a visit where an
opportunity to oversee the working of the organisation was given.
It is a home to abandoned pets, rescued animals and the ones injured on the streets. There were many old
animals as well. It was astounding to see the quality of care the animals are being given. They have a family-
like environment for them. This helps them to heal faster and stay happy. The animal home has all the
facilities ranging from well- equipped medical room to a veterinary surgeon. Regular check-ups of those
unwell by a team of veterinary specialists are carried out. The surroundings are animal-friendly as well. They
are not being ruthlessly kept in cages. They have green surroundings with enough space for them to play
and nurture.
178
Mahatma Gandhi Animal Care Home is doing a mind-blowing job by understanding and fulfilling the
needs of those who can’t speak for themselves. The experience was an overwhelming one.

Q 4. shortage is becoming a norm these days. Your city is facing this problem regularly. Write a
report for publication in your school magazine in 150-200 words highlighting this problem and
offering solutions.:

Time for a Power Cut Again!

by Many a, XU C

Talking about Ghaziabad specifically Burgeoning population, booming industries, sprawling

malls; all these have one thing in common—they guzzle electricity. Till now, the government has
been providing them the much-needed power by cutting down electricity meant for households
and villages but for how long?
Unfortunately, power supply has been limited in contrast to our demand which know no
boundaries. Till the time government works out a long-term solution in terms of nuclear energy,
we as responsible citizens should make the judicious use of electricity. Here’s a slew of measures
that can be taken.
Switch off all lights, fans, coolers, ACs and geysers immediately after use. One must avoid
unnecessary and extravagant display of lights, especially on marriages and other functions.
Everyone must make optimum use of sunlight by using solar lamps, geysers and coolers. Moreover,
light fixtures must be kept clean and dirt free so that there is no wastage of power. As citizens of a
responsible country, theft of electricity should be prevented and pay electricity bills regularly.
Pledge together to SAVE ELECTRICITY NOW.
Remember, it’s now or never!

Q5 Rohini/Rehan. Your school KRM Senior Secondary School, Gurgaon organised a workshop on how to
conserve energy. A number of CBSE schools participated in it. Many eminent personalities addressed the
students. Write a report in 100-125 words for your school magazine.
Answer:

Energy Conservation Workshop

by Rohini

KRM Senior Secondary School, Gurgaon organised a workshop on how to conserve energy on 26th February
20XX in its promises. A number of CBSE schools participated in it. To start the programme the lights were
switched off for 5 minutes. Then the Principal took the dais and made an Eco-Pledge. Many eminent
personalities including environmentalist and scientists addressed the students. They included engineers
from the State Electricity Board who explained the environmental benefits of conserving electricity by
switching off appliances when not required. Scientists from the Pollution Control Board highlighted the
environmental benefits of switching off automobile engines at stop lights. Environmentalists from NGOs
explained the necessity of preserving the environment for future generations. The highlight of the workshop
was the display of various models from the participating schools which focused on the methods to conserve
energy.
179
Q 6. You are Roshan/Rohini, School Pupil Leader of Meerut Public School, Meerut. Your school joined a
campaign organised by various agencies of your city to create awareness among people to conserve water.
Write a report in 100-125 words highlighting the activities such as rain water harvesting, etc.
Answer:

Conserve Water Campaign

by Rohirri, School Pupil Leader

Students of Meerut Public School, Meerut participated in a campaign on 23rd March 20XX, organised by
various agencies to create awareness among people to conserve water. The campaign was held keeping in
view the approaching summer and the impending water scarcity. The students formed many groups and
went to visit many places where reports of water shortage were prevalent. They presented many street
plays, displayed posters and handed out booklets containing information about the need to conserve water.
The agencies involved presented various scientific models which caught the eye of the masses. Moreover,
the play on the theme of ‘Rainwater Harvesting’ remained the talk of the town and was hugely appreciated.
The Principal applauded the efforts of the students and announced that the school will continue to
participate in such causes.

Q7.: Your school has recently arranged a musical night in the school auditorium. Write a report in 100-125
words on this programme, for your school magazine. You are Mahima/Mahesh, Cultural Secretary of Vasant
Vihar Public School, Itarsi. Invent the details.
Answer:

A Musical Night
by Mahesh Gupta, Cultural Secretary Vasant Vihar Public SchoolItarsi

Itarsi, 6th April, 20XX To promote an awareness of cultural activities and to enhance the talent of students,
particularly in the field of music, the management and staff of the school recently organised a musical night
in the school auditorium. Mr Prabhu Shekhar, the DM of Itarsi, inaugurated the programme as the chief
guest.
Participants were very enthusiastic about the event. Many of them performed quite well and received great
applause from the audience. Parents of almost all the students were also present. One girl, Adhiti, of class XII
won the hearts of almost all present by her melodious and sweet songs. One group of boys and girls
performed the folk dance that represents the cultural heritage of our state. It was a fascinating show.

Q8. .culturaled a road accident near Nalbandh Chowraha at Agra in which a bus and a scooter were involved.
Write a report for Amar Ujala in 100-125 words. Sign as Vivek/Vimala, Special Correspondent.
Answer:

Speeding Bus Claims a Life

by Vivek Jain Special Correspondent, Amar Ujala

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Agra 26th May 20XX It was very early morning of 25th May 20XX. A middle aged person was going on his
scooter. He was not driving very fast, but the bus that appeared suddenly on Nalbandh Chowraha was in
great speed. It was a clear case of rash driving on the part of the bus driver. He didn’t even blow the horn
and just hit the scooterist from behind running the vehicle over his body. All this happened in a second.
There were the only four commuters at that time. The victim was rushed to the nearby hospital, but he had
succumbed to his injuries.
The doctors present could not do anything and declared him ‘brought dead.’
The police has registered a case. The Superintendent of Police has assured an early action.

Q9. You are Cultural Secretary of PND Xavier School, Jamshedpur. Your school organised a debate on the
topic, ‘The impact of reality shows on the younger generation.1 Write a report in 100-125 words to be
published in ‘The Times of India’, Jamshedpur.

[(SOURCE- CBSE 2018 compartment)

Answer:

An Impactful Debate
by Vinod Kumar, Cultural Secretary PND Xavier School, Jamshedpur

Jamshedpur 4th September 20XX An Inter School Debate Competition was hosted by PND Xavier School,
Jamshedpur on 1st
September, 20XX. The debate was held on the topic ‘The impact of reality shows on the younger generation.
May reputed schools of the town participated in the debate. As a matter of debate, some expressed their
views in favour and some against the topic.
Students of Bharti Public School who spoke for the motion, won the first prize. The District Magistrate, who
was the chief guest, concluded by saying that everything has two aspects-we need to identify the positive
aspects. Prizes and certificates were given to the winners.

Questions

1. You are Sweety/Suresh of L.M. Jain School, Ajmer. As Secretary of your School Co-curricular
Activities Club, you visited a slum area in your city where the people suffered a great loss of life
and property in a massive fire. The students of your school rendered their services and material
help to the victims. Write a report in 100-125 words for your school magazine. (Delhi 2010)
2. major bus mishap which left several people seriously injured took place at Nicholas Road,
Nungambakkam, Chennai. Luckily no life was lost. Collect the information from the eyewitnesses
and send a report in 100-125 words to ‘The Nungambakkam Times’. You are Vinod/Vinodhini, a
reporter. (Delhi 2011)
181
3. Your state government has banned the use of plastic bags. Your are Amarjeet, a reporter of The
National Herald. Write a report in 100-125 words on how the ban is being ignored and what
damage the indiscriminate use of plastic bags in causing to the environment. (Comptt. Delhi 2010)

4. Cultural Society Sunshine Public School, Nellore organised an adult literacy camp in
its neighbourhood. Write a report in 120 – 150 words on the camp for your school
newsletter. You are P.V. Sunitha, Secretary. Use the following clues: no. of volunteers
– hours spent in teaching – location of the class – chairs, blackboards – no. of people
attending the camp – benefit.
5. You are Sandhya/ Sohan an active member of the Animal Lovers Club which works
for the welfare of animals by preventing cruelty to them. Recently you visited
Mahatma Gandhi Animal Care Home. You were pleasantly surprised to see the good
treatment given to the animals. Write a report in 120 – 150 words on your visit.
6. You may use the following points: injured dogs and cats – abandoned pets – very old
animals – all very well cared for – well-equipped medical room – veterinary surgeon
– green surroundings.
7. Independence Day was celebrated in your school. District Magistrate, Ms. Indu Bala
Sharma was the Chief Guest. Write a report on the function in 120 – 150 words
describing all the activities that took place. You are Head boy/Head girl

182
5. A ROADSIDE STAND
THEME: -
The main theme of this poem is that Frost asks people to help the individuals who work day and
night but they do not get anything in return. He tells readers how it is tormenting and distressing to
see the deprived people.
The poem, ‘The Roadside Stand’ is Robert Frost’s scathing criticism of an unequal society where there
is a huge division between the rich and the poor, the haves and the have-nots, owing to the inequitous
distribution of wealth. The poem depicts, with clarity, the plight of the poor and the complex dynamics of
their existence. It also focuses on the unfortunate fact that the unequal progress and development
between cities and villages have led to the feelings of distress and unhappiness in the rural people.
SUMMARY WITH REAL LIFE CONNECT: -
The poem “A Roadside Stand”, composed by Robert Frost deals with the lives of poor deprived people.
Furthermore, the poet contrasts the struggling lives of the countryside people with the insensitive life of
the city dwellers. The city dwellers don’t even bother to ponder on the harsh condition of the roadside
stand people. These poor people only wanted to earn their daily bread and for the same they put a little
new shed in front of their house on the edge of a road. Several thousands of cars speed past it. He
desires to sell wild berries, squash and other products. He does not like charity. He tries to sell his
products for money. He believes that money can give him a better lifestyle as he saw in the movies.
However, his hopes are never fulfilled. People in cars go past without even giving a cursory look at his
stall. And if few of them happen to look at it, they see how the letters N and S had been turned wrong.
They believe that such badly painted signs spoil the beauty of the countryside.
Nevertheless, a few cars did stop. One of them desired to take a U-turn. It came into the farmer’s yard
and spoiled the grass. Another car stopped to know the way. And one of them stopped as it needed
petrol, though it was quite evident that the farmer did not sell petrol.
The poor village people had little earning. They have not seen much money. They lead a life of poverty.
It is known that some good-doers plan to remove their poverty. They aimed to buy their property on the
roadside to build theatres and stores. They plan to shift the villagers into the village huddled together.
They wished to teach them the ways that could change their good and healthy habits. They even aimed
to teach them to sleep during day time. The ‘greedy good-doers’ and ‘beneficent beasts of prey’ desired
to force the benefits on the poor village people and befool them.
The poet feels quite miserable at the pitiable sufferings of the poor village folk. He even had a childish
desire for all the poor to be done away with at one stroke to end their pain. But he knew that it is childish
and vain. So, he desires that someone relieves him of his pain by killing him.
REAL LIFE CONNECT: -
1.We all are in habit to purchase our edibles from big malls, super-market and so on. The reason beside
this is our own mind-set. We feel Roadside sellers are not bringing fresh things moreover they bring it in
an unhygienic way. But it is not true. Big market also purchases things from the same cultivators as the
Road sellers do.
2.Now these day it has become the trend to go for online shopping and we are ready to pay them even
before the delivery of the things. Moreover, there is no guarantee about the things whether they are
fresh or not.
183
POETIC DEVICES: -
Transferred Epithet
. Polished traffic
. Selfish cars
Personification
. The sadness that lurks behind the window
. The roadside stand that too pathetically pled
Alliteration
. greedy good doers
. beneficent beasts of prey
. pathetically pled
Oxymoron
. greedy good doers
. beneficent beasts of prey

Value points: -
1. To highlight the miserable and pathetic condition of roadside seller.
2.Huge division between the rich and the poor, the haves have –nots, owing to the iniquitous distribution of
wealth.
3.The roadside stand and the moving cars are a contrast.
4.The people in the rural areas make an appeal to the people of the city as they are not beggars but farmers with
produce to sell.
5.The people of the city only halt their cars at times to plough the grass and use the yard to back and turn
around.
6.The city folks are mean and selfish.
7.Rich are possessive about their money and have no concern for the poor villagers and only stop by selfish
reason.
8. The poet conveys the ardent desire of the rural poor to feel some cash in their hands which help them to
expand their living conditions.
9. They may live the prosperous life depicted in movies which the party in power forbids them to enjoy.
10. The poet openly talks about the exploitation that takes place in the villages.
11. The villagers are lured with the promise that they can stay near a theatre or a store and are Frost expands his
theme by saying that 'good-doers' who want to re-locate the country people into the cities and lure them with
the promise that if they went there, they would be able to access stores and cinemas.
12. Thus, they deprive them of their reasoning skills and do more harm. They force these people to be
dependent on others.
13. The exploiters and the exploited lose their sleep. The exploiters lose their sleep because those who have
earned their living by illicit means fail to have a good sleep at night.
14. The exploited repent their foolish decisions and pine over the way in which they were cheated by others and
are not able to sleep at night
184
15.. Moreover, in the cities they are not able to work as they did in the rural places. Hence, they can’t sleep.
TONE AND MOOD OF THE POET: -
The mood of the poem; “The Road Not Taken” is a feeling of anticipation because the traveller has to
choose which road to take. The tone of this poem is satisfy with a bit of curiosity because even though
the speaker wishes he could have taken both roads, the speaker is pleased with the one he chose.
EXTRACT BASED QUESTION: -

No, in country money, the country scale of gain,

The requisite lift of spirit has never been found,
Or so the voice of the country seems to complain,
I can’t help owning the great relief it would be
To put these people at one stroke out of their pain.
And then next day as I come back into the sane,
I wonder how I should like you to come to me
And offer to put me gently out of my pain.
Questions
(a) What is not found in country money?
(b) Who complains and why?
(c) How poet finds himself helpless?
(d) Why was poet wondered?
Answers
(a) The requisite lift of spirit is never found in country money, at the country scale of gain.
(b) The voice (villagers) of the country complains because no relief is given to them
from the government or greedy good-doers.
(c) The poet finds himself helpless as he is unable to put those people out of their pain at one stroke.
(d) The poet was wondered because he was expecting them to come to him and put him gently out of
his pain.
It is in the news that all these pitiful kin
Are to be bought out and mercifully gathered in
To live in villages, next to the theatre and the store,
Where they won’t have to think for themselves any more,
While greedy good-doers, beneficent beasts of prey,
Swarm over their lives enforcing benefits
That are calculated to soothe them out of their wits,
And by teaching them how to sleep they sleep all day,
Destroy their sleeping at night the ancient way.
Questions
(a) What is in the news?
(b) What, according to the greedy good-doers, is the benefit of the farmers?
(c) ‘Swarm over their lives enforcing benefits’, explain.
(d) How their sleeping would be destroyed?
(a)
185
Answers
 (a) It is in the news that all these pitiful kin are to be brought out and gathered mercifully, these
farmers would be settled in the villages near the theatre and the store.
(b) The farmers won’t have to think for themselves any-more.
(c) Aborie mentioned line means : Capturing the lives of the farmers by enforcing their own
benefits; using them for purposes.
(d) By teaching them how to sleep, their ancient way of sleeping would be destroyed.
VERY SHORT ANSWER QUESTION: -
1. Why do the people who run the roadside stand wait for the squeal of brakes so eagerly?
Ans. The “squealing of brakes” means that a car has stopped at their roadside stand. It raises
their hopes that the city-folk have stopped there to buy something from their roadside stand and
some city money will come into their hands.
2. What was the plea of the folk who had put up the roadside stand?
AnsThe folk who had put up the roadside stand pleaded to the city dwellers to stop and buy their wares
so as to enable them to earn some extra money for a decent living. They wanted that the rich people
who passed from there in their cars should stop there and buy some goods from them. The money that
these folks would earn from the rich people would help them to lead a better life.
3.What is the ‘childish longing’ of the folk who had put up the roadside stand? Why is it ‘in vain’?
Ans. The ‘childish longing’, the poet refers to, is the dreams and desires of the rural folk who
have a child-like longing for a better life that they hope to live with the help from the city dwellers.
Their longing is in vain because the city folk are not willing to help them and so their ‘childish
longings’ are not likely to be fulfilled.
4. Why didn’t the ‘polished traffic’ stop at the roadside stand?
Ans. The ‘polished traffic’ conveniently overlook the roadside stand and do not stop there as their
mind is focussed only on their destination. Moreover, they were critical of the poor decor of the
stand, its artless interior and paint.
5. What news in the poem ‘A Roadside Stand’ is making its round in the village?
Ans. The news making its round is about the resettlement of the poor, rural people who will be
resettled in the villages, next to the theatre and the store. They would be close to the cities and
will not have to worry about themselves any more.
6. Why do people at the roadside stand ask for city money?
Ans. The rural people running the roadside stand are poor and deprived, unlike the people of the
city. They thus ask for city money so that they too can lead a life of happiness and prosperity.
This much-needed city money can give them the life that had been promised to them by the party
in power.

186
 THE LAST LESSON
THEME OF THE CHAPTER: -
It is linguistic chauvinism of the proud conquerors and the pain that
is inflicted on the people of a territory by them by taking away the
right to study or speak their own language and thus make them
aliens in their own land of birth.

SUMMARY OF THE CHAPTER: -

The story is narrated by a French boy, Franz. He is lazy but sensitive
and likes to play. He dislikes studying French and hates his teacher
M. Hamel.
After overpowering their districts of Alsace and Lorraine in France,
Berlin has ordered that German language instead of French be
taught in the school there.
It is the last day of their French Teacher M. Hamel, who has been
there for forty years. He is full of grief, nostalgia and patriotism. As a
mark of respect to his hard work, the village men also attend his ‘last
lesson’. They are sad as they did not learn their mother tongue,
French in their childhood.
Franz is shocked to know that it’s his last lesson, as he does not know
French. Now, suddenly, he gets interested in learning it and
understands everything taught on that day!
He develops an instant liking for the teacher, M. Hamel and respects
him for his sincerity and hard work.
He feels sad at departing from him and is ashamed for not being able
to recite the lesson of participles.

187
M.Hamel tells them that they all are at fault for not being eager
enough to learn, putting it off to the next day. He blames himself for
not teaching them sincerely.
His patriotism is reflected in his praise for the French language as
being the most beautiful and most logical language in the world. He
tells the class to guard their language as being close to one’s
language is the key to escape from the prison of slavery. It will help
them in getting free from the Germans.
They realize the importance of learning their mother tongue and that
they have been defeated by the Germans because of their illiteracy.
Franz feels that it is not possible to take away one’s language from a
person as it is natural to each being, may it be the “coo “to the
pigeons or “French” to the Frenchmen.
VALUE POINTS: -
#Back Ground- Franco-Prussian War (1870-1871)
#Prussia won the War (Prussia=Austria+Poland+Germany)
#Order from Berlin- only German would be taught in the schools
in Alsace and Lorraine
#Last Lesson of French – teacher M. Hamel
#M. Hamel 40 years dedicated faithful service to the
country
#Little Franz surprised: -
1)School unusually quites as if it were Sunday Morning
2)M. Hamel did not scold for late coming and not learning participles
3)M. Hamel was wearing his special dress, frilled coat, embroidered
shirt and his hat. He used to wear it on inspection and prize days

188
4)Villagers were sitting on the back benches
#Villagers gathered to show their gratitude and respect:
1)for 40 years dedicated service to the country
2)Old Hauser, former Mayor, many other villagers were sitting in the
class on the backbenches
3)Old Hauser with a primer in his hand
#Contents of the last lesson taught by M. Hamel:
1)Rules of the past participles
2)Read and explained the grammar lessons
3)Writing work was given
4)Lesson in History
5)Chanting of Alphabets for babies
6)Patient and nice explanation
7)Franz listened very carefully as he did never before
8)Attempt to teach everything at one stroke
#Reasons to Reproach themselves:
1)Little Franz and students
a) Seeking eggs in nest by bunking classes
b) going on the sand dunes for slides on soars
c)Putting leaning on tomorrow
2)Teacher for:
a) telling to students to water plants in the garden
b) For giving holidays when he would go for fishing
3)Villagers:

189
a) for sending children to the farms and mills for small amount of
money
Importance of Mother tongue: Lesson by M. Hamel
Mother tongue is a key to the prison if you ever get
enslaved
End of the lesson:
1) Old Hauser crying in a trembling voice
2) M.Hamel Choked with emotion
3) Hides his face keeps his head on the board
4) Writes on the board ‘Vive La France’
5) Signs class is dismissed with his hand
Little Franz remembered ‘The Last Lesson’ clearly
CHARACTERS AND THEIR CHARACTERISTICS: -
Franz (The Narrator)
Franz was a boy who lived in the district of Alsace. He studied in one
of the schools in Alsace. He was not fond of attending school and
studying. He liked the out world more than the environment of the
school. Learning French was something he never gave much
importance to. He was scared of his French Teacher M. Hamel. The
time when the people of Alsace came to know that as per the new law,
German would be taught in the school in the place of French, he
experienced a different feeling for French altogether. Apart from
being surprised, he felt sorry for himself for not paying attention
while studying French. He was very disappointed and sorry to attend
the last lesson of French in his school.

M.Hamel

1)A sincere French teacher

. Knew the subject well
2)Is passionate about the French language

190
. Considers French the clearest, the most beautiful and the most
logical language in the world
. Feels that language is the key to a person’s sense of freedom
. Advises villagers to hold on to French, despite the ban on using the
language
3)Is proud of being French
. Upset and distressed by the occupation of Alsace by the Germans
. Attached to his town, school and people
4)Is a hard task master
. Particular about discipline
. Emphasise proper learning of the subjects
. The students are scared of him
5)An honest and sensitive man
. Shattered by the news of the occupation of Alsace
. At the arrival of Prussian soldiers, becomes overwhelmed with
emotions and his voice chokes
6)Blames himself for being selfish at times
. Blames himself for not being sincere and taking holiday or going for
fishing
. Also for making his students run errands for him during class time
Moreover, he was emotional, hardworking, patriotic, loyal, honest
and sensitive

SHORT ANSWER TYPE QUESTIONS

1.What was the mood in the classroom when M. Hamel gave

his last French lesson?
Ans. When M. Hamel was giving his last French; lesson, the
mood in the classroom was solemn and sombre. When he
announced that this was their last French lesson everyone
present in the classroom suddenly developed patriotic feelings
for their native language and genuinely regretted ignoring their
mother tongue.

191
2. What had the narrator counted on to enter the school,
unnoticed?
Ans. The narrator (Franz) had counted on the hustle and bustle
that was usual when the school began in order to enter there
unnoticed. He had thought he could depend on the commotion
to get to his desk without anybody noticing that he was late for
the class.
3. “This is your last French lesson.” How did Franz react to this
declaration of M. Hamel?(HOT)
Ans. When M. Hamel declared that it was their last French
lesson a grim realisation dawned on Franz that he had so much
more yet to learn. He felt sorry for whiling away his time and
skipping his lessons. Now he did not want to part with his
books, which he had earlier considered a nuisance. He was
also deeply pained at the thought that M. Hamel was leaving.
4. “What a thunder clap these words were to me!” Which were
the words that shocked and surprised little Franz?(HOT)
Ans. When M. Hamel mounted on the chair and announced
that he was there to teach his last French lesson that day,
Franz was shocked and surprised. He felt very guilty for
deliberately ignoring to learn his native language and he
suddenly developed a strange fascination for his language and
his school.
5. What changes came over little Franz after he heard M.
Hamel announcement?
Ans. When M. Hamel announced that this was to be their last
French class a grim realisation dawned on Franz that he could
hardly write his language and now he was being deprived of the
opportunity to learn it. He felt very guilty of neglecting his
classes and escaping school. The thought of losing his teacher,
M. Hamel, also pained him.

192
6. What was tempting Franz to keep away from school That
morning’?
Ans. Franz was very late for school ‘that morning’. M. Hamel
was to question the students on participles and Franz knew
nothing and feared a scolding. The bright weather, woods,
fields and chirping of birds tempted him to spend the day
outdoors.

7. What was unusual about M. Hamel’s dress and behaviour on

the day of his last French lesson?
Ans. On the day of his last French lesson M. Hamel was
expectantly kind. He had put on his beautiful green coat, frilled
shirt and an embroidered black silk cap that he normally wore
only on inspection and prize days. In his last lesson he explains
everything with unusual patience as if he wants to teach them
everything he has ever learned in their last French class.
8. Why had the bulletin-board become a centre of attention
during the last two years?
Ans. The bulletin-board had become a centre of attention
because for the last two years all the bad news had come from
there. It was the source of all bad news-the lost battles, the
draft and the orders of the commanding officers.
9. What was Franz expected to be prepared with for the school
that day?
Ans. Franz had started very late for school that morning. He
feared facing his class-teacher, M. Hamel. Because he was
expected to be prepared with his grammar lesson on participles
and he did not know even the first word about them. So he
feared a scolding.
10. What had been put up on the bulletin board?
Ans. A notice had been put up on the bulletin board informing
the people about the order from Berlin which declared that only

193
German was to be taught in the schools of Alsace and Lorraine.
They had also been informed that the new German teacher
was coming on the following day.
11. Who did M. Hamel blame for the neglect of learning on the
part of boys like Franz?
Ans. Mr. Hamel blamed various people for different reasons for
neglect of learning on the part of boys like Franz. First he
blamed the parents for not being anxious to have their children
learn and rather engaging them into household work. He
blamed the boys themselves for preferring to work on mills and
farms. He also blamed himself for sending boys on errands for
his convenience.
12. Franz thinks, “Will they make them sing in German, even
the pigeons?” What does this tell us about the attitude of the
Frenchmen? (HOT)
Ans. During his last French class Franz hears the pigeons
cooing and wonders if the Prussians would make them sing in
German too. His thought reveals the Frenchmen’s fear of
complete domination by the Germans whereby they would try
to enslave even their minds.
13. “What announcement did M. Hamel make? What was the
impact of this on Franz?
Ans. When M. Hamel declared that it was their last French
lesson a grim realisation dawned on Franz that he had so much
more yet to learn. He felt sorry for whiling away his time and
skipping his lessons. Now he did not want to part with his
books, which he had earlier considered a nuisance. He was
also deeply pained at the thought that M. Hamel was leaving.
14. Who were sitting on the back benches during M Hamel’s
last lesson? Why?(HOT)

194
or
Why had the villagers come to school on the day of the last
lesson?
or
Why were the elders of the village sitting in the classroom
lesson? Why?
Ans. Some of the elderly people from the village were sitting on
the back benches during M Hamel’s last lesson. The villagers
had come there to attend his last lesson as it was their way of
paying respect to the master, who had given forty years of
faithful service to the school.
15.What words did M Hamel write on the blackboard before
dismissing the last class? What did they mean?(HOT)
Ans. Before dismissing the last class, M Hamel turned to the
blackboard, and wrote the phrase, ‘Vive La France!’ as large as
he could. These words meant ‘Long live France’, and spoke of M
Hamel’s great love for his country and his deep sense of
patriotism.
LONG ANSWER QUESTIONS: -
1. What did the French teacher tell his students in his last
French lesson? What impact did it have on them? Why?

Ans. M. Hamel told his students that a new order from Berlin
has declared that all schools of Alsace and Lorraine would
teach only German so this was going to be their last French
lesson. This new order aroused patriotic feelings in him and he,
in turn, wanted to arouse similar patriotism in his students and
the village elders. He made them conscious of the glory and
value of the French language and told them to safeguard it

195
among themselves and keep it alive at all costs as it was the
key to their unity and liberation. Everyone listened to him sadly
but with rapt attention and respect. Even little Franz listened to
his teacher’s words with a new-found interest. He felt sorry that
he had neglected learning French. Everyone from the village
assembled in the class to thank Mr. Hamel for his forty years of
faithful service to the community.
2. Everybody during the last lesson is filled with regret.
Comment. (HOT)

Ans. The one common feeling that fills each and every person
who is present in the last French lesson is an acute sense of
regret. M. Hamel reproaches himself for putting off his
students’ learning till the next day and sending them to water
his flowers instead of learning their lessons. He also gave his
students a holiday when he wanted to go fishing. Franz felt
sorry for not learning his lessons and escaping school. He
wished he had attended his classes more often and even the
thought of losing his teacher saddened him. The village
elders occupied the back benches of the class to atone for
their guilt and express their regret for not having attended
school regularly. They were now showing their respect for
the country that was theirs no more.

3. Our language is part of our culture and we are proud of it.

Describe how regretful M. Hamel and the village elders are
for having neglected their native language, French.
Ans. The feeling of regretfulness for having neglected their
native language, French comes quite late to M. Hamel and the
village elders. They realise rather late that their language is part
of their culture and they should be proud of it. It is only after
they have been deprived of learning their language that they
understand its value. The imposition of German language made
them suddenly realise the authority of their captors and they felt

196
a loss of freedom. So on the day of the last French lesson the
village elders are seated on the back desks and M. Hamel, who
had been teaching French at the school for the last forty years,
was wearing his formal suit as a mark of respect for the last
French lesson. M. Hamel expressed how they all had a great
deal to reproach themselves for as most of the people of
Alsace could neither speak nor write French. Parents preferred
to put their children to work on farms or mills.

M. Hamel regretfully said how he himself sometimes sent his

students to water his flowers instead of learning their language
lessons. While delivering the last lesson M. Hamel called upon
his students and the village elders to guard the French
language among themselves, declaring it to be the most
beautiful language in the world. Each one of them felt guilty for
having ignored the French lessons.

4. Our native language is part of our culture and we are proud

of it. How does the presence of village elders in the classroom
and M. Hamel last lesson show their love for French?(HOT)

Ans. Acquiring power over the French made the Prussians so

dominating that they decided to impose even their language on
them. So on the day of the last French lesson the village elders
were seated on the back seats of the classroom. They felt sad
and sorry for not having gone to school more often. Their
presence was also their way of thanking their master, M. Hamel
for his forty years of faithful service. M.Hamel himself had put
on his fine Sunday clothes in honour of the last French lesson.
Assuming the role of mentor, he advised the class to safeguard
and preserve their language among themselves and never
forget it. He called French the most beautiful and logical
language in the world. By the end of the class M. Hamel was so
choked with emotion and could not speak so he took a piece of
chalk and wrote on the blackboard “Vive la France!” (Long Live
France) and then dismissed the class.

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5. Describe the atmosphere in the class on the day of the last
lesson. (HOT)

Ans. On the day of the last French lesson the atmosphere in the
class was strange and solemn. The school was as quiet as if it
was a Sunday morning. The teacher (M. Hamel) moving in the
class with his ruler under his arm was wearing his special dress
for the last class. The elders of the village were sitting on the
backbenches of the classroom. All the students were studying
with complete attention and the teacher was teaching with full
dedication. All this was due to an order from Berlin that from the
next day German would be taught instead of French by a new
teacher. While delivering the last lesson, the teacher called
upon his students and the village elders to guard the French
language among themselves and never forget it, declaring
French to be the most beautiful language in the world.

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 AUNT JENNIFER’S TIGERS
THEME: -
The poem revolves around the desires and the depressingly harsh realities of Aunt Jennifer’s existence, using
sharp contrasts between the tigers and herself. The tigers appear to be in sharp contrast to her personality. The
tiger’s actions are smooth, uninhibited and proud. Aunt Jennifer, on the other hand, has great trouble even to
embroider because her movements are so weak.
Aunt Jennifer is evidently a lonely, pained old woman plagued by anxiety. The reason for her miserable plight is
the oppressive patriarchal family system, where in the whole soul of the family is the male and it is he, who
dominates the scene. She creates an alternative world of freedom- a world that she longs for through her tigers.
SUMMARY WITH REAL LIFE CONNECT: -
In this feminist poem, which is critical of the male world, Aunt Jennifer creates an alternate world of freedom in
her art. The tigers of Aunt Jennifer’s stitching are representative of her desire of a free spirit, emphasising the fact
that she pines for freedom from her burdensome husband.
The first stanza opens with Aunt Jennifer’s visual tapestry of tigers who are fearless of their environment. “Bright
topaz denizens of a world of green” – evoke an image that these tigers are unafraid of other beings in the jungle.
Here, ‘bright’ signifies their powerful and radiant persona. There is a sense of certainty and confidence in the way
these tigers move as can be seen in the line – “They pace in sleek chivalric certainty”.
In the second stanza, the reality of Aunt Jennifer is revealed as she is feeble, weak and enslaved, very much the
opposite of the tigers she was knitting. Her physical and mental trauma is depicted in the line – “find even the
ivory needle hard to pull”. Even though a wedding ring doesn’t weigh much, “the massive weight of uncle’s
wedding band, sits heavily upon Aunt Jennifer’s hand” signifies the amount of dominance her husband has
exercised over her. This also means that her inner free spirit has been jailed by the patriarchal society.
The last stanza starts on a creepy note about Aunt Jennifer’s death. Even her death wouldn’t free her from the
ordeals she went through which can be seen in “When Aunt is dead, her terrified hands will lie still ringed with
ordeals she was mastered by”. But her art work which was her escape route or in a way, her inner sense of
freedom, will stay forever, proud and unafraid.
REAL LIFE CONNECT: -
1.It is seen in many families that they go with the mind-set that education of girls is not at all a compulsion but for
the boys it is one of the mandatory thing.
2. After marriage also married women are not free to go anywhere. Even they can’t take any decision by their
own. No matter is whether they are taking valuable decision.
3.The women those who are working as a labour are not getting same wages as the men used to get for doing same
sort of work.
POETIC DEVICES
Alliteration
1.fingers fluttering
2.prancing proud
3.chivalric certainty
4.weight of wedding band
Metaphor
1.ringed with ordeals-even death would not fall her
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Transferred Epithet
1.terrified fingers
IMAGERY
1.Aunt Jennifer’s tigers prance across a screen,
Bright topaz denizens of a world of green.”
2.Aunt Jennifer’s fingers fluttering through her wool
Find even the ivory needle hard to pull
SYMBOLS
1.Tiger
2.Bright Topaz
3.Fluttering wool
4.Uncle’s Wedding Band
5.Ringed with Ordeals
VISUAL IMAGERY
1.bright topaz denizens
2.world of green
VALUE POINTS: -
1.Aunt Jennifer after the marriage is in search of freedom. To this she creates an alternate world of freedom.
2.She is embroidering tigers in the green forest who are moving freely without any pressure and tension.
3.Tigers are contrast to aunt Jennifer as she is feble, weak and enslaved but tigers are brave and fearless.
4. Aunt Jennifer is burdened by a lot of responsibility by her husband but her tigers do not.
5.Every responsibility will be over after her death but still the ring is in her finger because husband has not pass on
any instruction.
TONE AND MOOD OF THE POET
While the Poem is theoretically dazzling, the subjects that art endures beyond human life and that suffering may
be traded through art are almost not original. Rich, however, uses a resourceful image to reorganize these
conventional themes in a new way and even hints, in the image of Aunt Jennifer weighed down by an oppressive
marriage, at the feminism that would invade her later work. Yet the Poem remains quite impersonal. The reader
sees Aunt Jennifer but is not at all aware of the voice of the Poem’s narrator. For the reader, it is as though the
picture is framed by an invisible hand, in contrast to Rich’s later work, where the reader cannot help being aware
of the poet’s personal presence.
EXTRACT BASED QUESTION: -
Aunt Jennifer’s tigers prance across a screen,
Bright topaz denizens of a world of green.
They do not fear the men beneath the tree;
They pace in sleek chivalric certainty.

1. How are aunt Jennifer’s tigers described?

2. Why are they described as denizens of a world of green?
3. Why are they not afraid of the men?
Answer:
1. Aunt Jennifer’s tigers are described as powerful, strong and fearless.
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2. The tigers are inhabitants of the dense green forests so they are described as dwellers of a world of green.
3. Their courage and fearlessness gives them a confidence due to which they are not afraid of men.
Bright topaz denizens of a world of green.
They do not fear the men beneath the tree;
They pace in sleek chivalric certainty.

1. Who are ‘They’? Where are ‘They’?

2. Why are They’ not afraid of men?
Answer:
1. ‘They’ refers to the tigers that Aunt Jennifer has knitted on the panel. They are prancing jerkily in the forest
(across a screen).
2. The tigers are not afraid of men because they are gallant and fearless creatures who are undeterred by any
obstacles or hindrances and thus are not afraid of the men.
SHORT ANSWER QUESTION
1. What will happen to Aunt Jennifer’s tigers when she is dead?
Ans. Aunt Jennifer’s tigers will survive even after she is dead. She has created the tigers in a panel out of wool.
These objects of art are immortal. They will continue prancing, proudly and fearlessly. To express her desire for
freedom she had created the chivalrous tigers who will survive long after her death but her own longing for
freedom will remain unfulfilled.
2. What kind of married life did Aunt Jennifer lead?
Ans. Aunt Jennifer’s wedding band lies heavily on her hand. It reminds her of her unhappy married life. It
is symbolic of male authority and power of her husband who had suppressed her and made her a nervous
wreck. He
had dominated over her for so long that she had lost her identity.
3. How do the words, “denizens’ and ‘chivalric’ add to our understanding of Aunt Jennifer’s tigers?
Ans. Aunt Jennifer chose to embroider tigers on the panel because of the nature of the tigers. They
symbolise strength and splendour which was sharp contrast to her own meek nature. The massive weight
of the wedding band that sits heavily on her finger symbolises the ordeals and hardships of her married life
so she creates tigers as they are a striking contrast to the frail, meek old lady who created them.
3. Why do you think Aunt Jennifer created animals that are so different from her own character?
Ans. Aunt Jennifer’s tigers possessed all the qualities that Aunt Jennifer did not have. The tigers were free,
fearless, confident and proud whereas Aunt Jennifer was meek, submissive and without any identity. She was
a rather indecisive woman unlike the confident tigers she had created.
4. Describe the contrast between Aunt Jennifer ‘and her creation, the tigers.
Ans. Aunt Jennifer is totally victimised and suffers from oppression by her male counterpart. So she
creates an alternate world of freedom in her art. The tigers she creates go on prancing menacingly,
exhibiting their pride and fearlessness of any social group or gender conflicts.
5. Why did Aunt Jennifer choose to embroider tigers on the panel?
Ans. Aunt Jennifer chose to embroider tigers on the panel because of the nature of the tigers. They symbolise
strength and splendour which was in sharp contrast to her own meek nature. The massive weight of the wedding
201
band that sits heavily on her finger symbolises the ordeals and hardships of her married life so she creates tigers as
they are a striking contrast to the frail, meek old lady who created them.
.

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 INDIGO
Louis Fischer
THEME
The main theme of Indigo is how an effective leader overcomes the problem. The author describes the struggle
of Gandhiji for the poor peasants of Champaran, who had to share their crops with the British planters. They
suffered a great injustice and Gandhiji had to struggle for a year before bringing justice to the poor peasants.
SUMMARY
This story describes Gandhiji’s struggle for the poor peasants of Champaran. In those days most of arable land in
the Champaran district was divided into large estate owned by Englishmen and worked by Indian tenants. The
chief commercial crop was Indigo. The landlords compelled all tenants to plant 15% of their Indigo and surrender
the entire Indigo harvest as rent. This was done by long term contract.
The British didn’t need the Indigo crop any more when Germany had developed synthetic Indigo. Just to release
the peasants from the 15% agreement they demanded compensation. Some illiterate peasants agreed but the
others refused. One of the sharecroppers named Raj Kumar Shukla met Gandhi in this regard and compelled him
to visit Champaran because of the long-term injustice of landlords. Then the two of them boarded a train for the
city of Patna in Bihar. From there Shukla led him to the house of a lawyer named Rajendra Prasad. Mahatma
Gandhiji’s humble and simple attire made the servants mistook him as another poor peasant. He surveyed
before taking any vital step in order to get those peasants justice. It was the time when British government
punished those who in any condition gave shelter to national leaders or protesters.
Gandhiji’s arrival and the nature of his mission spread like a wildfire. Many lawyers and peasant groups came in
large numbers to support him. The lawyers accepted the fact that their charges were high and for a poor peasant
it will be irksome. Gandhiji rebuked them for collecting big fee from the sharecroppers. He stressed on
counselling as this would give the peasants enough confidence to fight their fear. He managed to get justice after
a yearlong battle for the peasants. He also made arrangements for the education, health, and hygiene for the
families of the poor peasants. He gave them the lesson of self-reliance
VALUE POINTS
 Raj Kumar Shukla
 a poor sharecropper from Champaran wishing to meet Gandhiji
 illiterate but resolute, hence followed Gandhiji to Lucknow, Cawnpore, Ahmedabad, Calcutta,
Patna, Muzzafarpur and then Camparan
 Servants at Rajendra Prasad’s residence thought Gandhiji to be an untouchable because of simple clothes
and the company of Raj Kumar Shukla
 Decided to go to Muzzafarpur first to get detailed information about Champaran sharecroppers
 Sent telegram to Professor J.B. Kripalani and stayed in the home of Professor Malkani (a teacher in a
government school)
 Indians afraid of showing sympathy to the supporters of home rule
 The news of Gandhiji’s arrival spread–sharecroppers gathered in large number to meet him
 Gandhiji chided the Muzzafarpur lawyer for taking high fee
 Champaran district was divided into estate owned by English people, Indians only tenant farmers
 Landlords compelled tenants to plant 15% of their land with indigo and surrender their entire harvest as
rent
 Germany had developed synthetic indigo–British landlords freed the Indian farmers from the 15%
arrangement but asked them to pay compensation
 Many agreed, some resisted and engaged lawyers
 Gandhiji reached Champaran–visited the secretary of the British landlord association to get the facts but
denied as he was an “outsider”
 Gandhiji went to the British Official Commissioner who asked him to leave Tirhu, Gandhiji disobeyed,
went to Motihari the capital of Champaran where a vast multitude greeted him
 Visited maltreated villagers, stopped by the police superintendent but disobeyed the order
 Motihari black with peasants’ spontaneous demonstrations, Gandhiji released without bail
 Civil disobedience triumphed
 Gandhiji
 agreed to 25% refund by the landowners, it symbolised the surrender of the prestige
 worked hard towards social economic reforms, elevated their distress aided by his wife, Mahadev Desai,
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Narhari Parikh
  taught a lesson of self-reliance by not seeking help of Mr Andrews
CHARACTERS
 Mahatma Gandhiji-a highly intelligent and perceptive man. His fundamental principles were non-violence
and self-reliance. His entire political campaign for the development of the country was based on these
two principles.
 Rajendra Prasad-a lawyer and later, the president of India
 Rajkumar Shukla-a poor peasant from Champaran, district in Bihar. He had come to Lucknow, where a
Congress session was being held, to complain about the injustice of the landlord system in Bihar. Though
he was illiterate, he was determined to fight against the injustice of the British landlords, and to fight
them, he went to meet Gandhiji to seek his help. It was because of Rajkumar Shukla that Gandhiji came
to Champaran and later, this struggle with British landlords became a turning point in the fight for the
independence of India.
 Charles Freer Andrews-an English pacifist who became a devoted follower of Gandhiji. He came to bid
farewell to Gandhi before going on a tour to Fiji Islands. Lawyers insisted him to stay and help them in the
battle, but Gandhiji strongly opposed saying that they must not rely on an Englishman but on themselves
to win the battle.
 Kasturba-wife of Gandhiji
 Devdas-youngest son of Gandhiji
EXTRACT BASED QUESTIONS WITH SOLUTIONS
1. A report came in that a peasant had been maltreated in a nearby village. Gandhi decided to go and see; the
next morning he started out on the back of an elephant. He had not proceeded far when the police
superintendent’s messenger overtook him and ordered him to return to town in his carriage. Gandhi complied.
The messenger drove Gandhi home where he served him with an official notice to quit Champaran
immediately. Gandhi signed a receipt for the notice and wrote on it that he would disobey the order. The
consequence, Gandhi received a summons of appear in court the next day.
Questions:
(a) What report came and what did Gandhi decide?
(b) What happened when Gandhi was on the way to the nearby village?
(c) What did the messenger do with Gandhi?
(d) What was Gandhi’s reaction to the notice?
Answers:
(a) A report came in that a peasant had been maltreated in a nearby village. Gandhi decided to go and see.
(b) When Gandhi was on the way to the nearby village, the police supertendent’s messenger overtook him and
ordered him to return to town in his carriage.
(c) The messenger served Gandhi with an official notice to leave Champaran immediately.
(d) Gandhi signed a receipt for the notice and wrote on it that he would disobey the order. In consequence, he
was summoned to appear in the court.
2. What about the injustice to the sharecroppers, Gandhi demanded. The lawyers withdrew to consult.
Rajendra Prasad has recorded the upshot of their consultations: “They thought, amongst themselves, that
Gandhi was totally a stranger, and yet he was prepared to go to prison for the sake of the peasants: If they, on
the other hand, being not only residents of the adjoining districts but also those who claimed to have served
these peasants, should go home, it would be shameful desertion.”
Questions:
(a) What did Gandhi demand to the lawyers?
(b) What was the reaction of the lawyers?
(c) What was the conclusion of their consultations?
Answers:
(a) Ghandi demanded the lawyers about the injustice to the sharecroppers.
(b) The lawyers withdrew to consult.
(c) The conclusion was that, if they would go home, it would surely be a shame and a defeat to them in the war
of injustice.
3. They thought he would demand repayment in full of the money which they had illegally and deceitfully
extorted from the sharecroppers. He asked only 50 per cent. “There he seemed adamant,” writes Reverend J.Z.
Hodge, a British missionary in Champaran who observed the entire episode at close range. “Thinking probably
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that he would not give way, the representative of the planters offered to refund to the extent of 25 per cent,
and to his amazement Mr. Gandhi took him at his word, thus breaking the deadlock.”
Questions:
(a) What landlords had done with the sharecroppers?
(b) Who was Reverend J. Z. Hodge?
(c) What did the representative of the planters offer to refund?
(d) How did Mr. Gandhi break the deadlock?
Answers:
(a) Landlords had illegally and deceitfully extorted money from the sharecroppers.
(b) Reverend J. Z. Hodge was a British missionary in Champaran who observed the entire episode at close range.
(c) Representative of the planters offered to refund to the extent of 25 per cent only.
(d) Mr. Gandhi broke the deadlock by getting agreement to the offer of 25 per cent refund by British planters.
SHORT ANSWER QUESTIONS
1. How did the development of synthetic indigo affect the English estate owners and the Indian tenants?
Ans. The English estate owners saw that indigo cultivation was no longer profitable. They wanted money from
the sharecroppers as compensation for being released from the 15 % arrangement. They obtained agreements
from their tenants to this effect and extorted money illegally and deceitfully.
2. What was the main problem of sharecroppers in Champaran?
Ans. The land was divided into large estates that were owned by Englishmen. The main commercial crop was
indigo. The landlord forced all the tenants to plant 15 % of their holdings with indigo and surrender the entire
indigo harvest as rent. This was done by a long-term contract.
3. How did Gandhiji react after receiving summon to appear in court the next day?
Ans. Gandhiji received a summon to appear in the court but disobeyed the order. He remained awake all night.
He telegraphed Rajendra Prasad to come from Bihar with influential friends. He sent instructions to the ashram.
He wired a full report to the Viceroy.
4. How did civil disobedience triumph for the first time in modern India?
Ans. Gandhiji did not obey the British authorities and the order to leave Chamapran. The summons were also
served but he remained firm. Then he received a written communication from the magistrate that the
Lieutenant Governor of the province had ordered the case to be dropped.
5. Why did Gandhi agree to a settlement of 25 % refund to the farmers?
Ans. For Gandhiji the amount of the refund was less important than the fact that the landlords had been forced
to return part of the money, and with it, part of their prestige too. So, he agreed to settlement of 25 % refund to
the farmers.
6. How was Gandhiji able to influence lawyers? Give examples.
Ans. Gandhi asked the lawyers what they would do if he was sentenced to prison. They said that they had come
to advise him. If he went to jail, they would go home. Then Gandhiji asked them about the injustice to the
sharecroppers. The lawyers held consultations. They came to the conclusion that it would be shameful desertion
if they went home. So, they told Gandhiji that they were ready to follow him even to jail.
7. Why do you think Gandiji considered the Champaran episode to be a turning-point in his life?
Ans. The Champaran episode began as an attempt to ease the sufferings of large number of poor peasants. He
got spontaneous support of thousands of people. Gandhiji admits that what he had done was a very ordinary
thing. He declared that the British could not order him in his own country. Hence, he considered the Champaran
episode as a turning-point in his life.
8. Why is the Champaran episode considered to be the beginning of the Indian struggle for Independence?
Ans. The Champaran episode began as an attempt to ease the sufferings of a large number of peasants. He got
spontaneous support of thousands of people. Gandhi declared that the British could not order him about in his
own country. Under his leadership, the peasants became aware of their rights. Many peasants fought
courageously and contributed in their own way to the movement and victory. The effects of Gandhi’s method of
non-violence and non-cooperation proved very fruitful in this movement. Hence, it can be said that the
Champaran episode is the beginning of the Indian struggle for independence.
LONG ANSWER QUESTIONS (VBQ)
1. What solution to the problems of the poor did Gandhi suggest? How far did the Champaran movement help
in this direction?
Ans. The sharecropper peasants had to grow indigo on 15 % of their holdings and surrender the indigo harvest as
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rent to the landlord. When Germany developed synthetic indigo, the British planters started extracting money
illegally and deceitfully as compensation from the peasants for being released from the 15 % arrangement. The
peasants were made to sign new agreements and pay money. The planters behaved as lords above the law.
Many peasants engaged lawyers at hefty fees and went to courts.
The Muzaffarpur lawyers briefed Gandhi about the peasants for whom they frequently represented in courts.
Gandhi realised that these peasants were badly crushed and scared. Freedom from fear was more important
than legal justice for them. Gandhiji was ready to be arrested. Thousands of peasants demonstrated
spontaneously around the court. The government had to release Gandhi without bail. This voluntary uprising of
the peasants marked the beginning of their liberation from the fear of the British.
2. Give an account of Gandhi’s efforts to secure justice for the poor indigo sharecroppers of Champaran.
Ans. Gandhi went to Champaran on receiving reports of exploitation of the poor sharecropper peasants at the
hands of British planters. He began by trying to get the facts. The British landlords as well as the Commissioner of
Tirhut were non-cooperative. Lawyers from Muzaffarpur briefed him about the court cases of these peasants.
Gandhi and the lawyers collected depositions by about ten thousand peasants. Notes were made on other
evidence. Documents were collected. The whole area throbbed with the activities of the investigators and
forceful protests of landlords.
The lieutenant governor summoned Gandhi. After four protracted interviews an official commission of inquiry
was appointed to look into the indigo sharecroppers’ condition. Gandhi was the sole representative of the
peasants. The official inquiry assembled huge quantity of evidence against the big planters. They agreed, in
principle, to make refunds to the peasants. After consultation, a settlement of 25 % refund to the farmers was
agreed on. This was a moral victory of the peasants. They recognised their rights and learned courage.
Within a few years the British planters gave up their estates. These now went back to the peasants. They became
the masters of land. Thus, indigo sharecropping disappeared.
3. How did Gandhi work for rural uplift during his stay in Champaran?
Ans. Gandhi wanted to do something to remove the cultural and social backwardness in Champaran villages. He
appealed for teachers. Two young disciples of Gandhi, Mahadev Desai and Narhari Parikh and their wives
volunteered themselves for work. Several others responded from distant parts of the country. Mrs Kasturba
Gandhi and Devdas, Gandhi’s youngest son, arrived from the Ashram. Primary schools were opened in six
villages. Kasturba taught the ashram rules on personal cleanliness and community cleanliness. She also talked to
women about their filthy clothes.
Health conditions were miserable. Gandhi got a doctor to volunteer his services for six months. Only three
medicines were available: Castor oil, quinine and sulphur ointment. Anyone who showed a coated tongue was
given a dose of castor oil; anybody with malaria fever received quinine plus castor oil; anybody with skin
eruptions received ointment plus castor oil.
Thus, Gandhi never contented himself with large political or economic solutions. He worked for total uplift of
villages and the poor sections of the society.
4. ‘Self-reliance, Indian independence and help to sharecroppers were all bound together.’ Elucidate on the
basis of reading ‘Indigo’ by Louis Fischer.
Ans. Gandhi stayed in Champaran for a long time. The Champaran episode was a turning point in his life. It was
during this struggle in 1917 that he decided to urge the departure of the British.
Champaran episode did not begin as an act of defiance. It grew out of an attempt to make the sufferings of large
numbers of poor peasants less severe. Gandhi concentrated on their practical day to day problems. He analysed
the root cause of the problem-fear, and tried to eradicate it. The voluntary demonstration of the poor peasants
against the government for putting Gandhi in trouble was the beginning of the end of their fear of the British.
In everything Gandhi did, he tried to mould a new free Indian who could stand on his own feet and thus make
India free. He taught his lawyer friends a lesson in self-reliance by opposing the involvement of C.F. Andrews, an
Englishman in their unequal fight. His help would be a prop. This would reflect their weakness. Their cause was
just and they must rely on themselves to win the battle. Thus self-reliance, Indian independence and help to
sharecroppers were all bound together.
5. What impression do you form about Gandhi on reading the chapter ‘Indigo’?
Ans. The chapter ‘Indigo’ pays a tribute to the leadership shown by Mahatma Gandhi to secure justice for
oppressed people through convincing argumentation and negotiation. Gandhi had a magnetic attraction and
great persuasive power. He could draw people of all classes to himself and make them partners in the freedom
movement. Even ordinary people were inspired to make contribution to the freedom movement.
Gandhi emerges as a champion of the downtrodden and the oppressed. Rural uplift was his favourite
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programme. His knowledge of legal procedure and respect for law is also highlighted. He does not want to be a
lawbreaker. At the same time, he wants to render the humanitarian and national service in obedience to the
higher law of our being, the voice of conscience. He also appears as a polite and friendly person. Gandhi’s ability
to read the minds of others made them speechless. He believed in self-reliance, just cause and purity of means
to achieve India’s Independence.
6. Patriotism is in political life what faith is in religion. John F. Kennedy said, “Ask not what your country can
do for you, ask what you can do for your country”. Those who sacrifice their comfort for the welfare of the
state get recognition. Write on the topic ‘Patriotism’. You can take ideas from the following hints:
“They thought, amongst themselves, that Gandhi was totally a stranger, and yet he was prepared to go to
prison for the sake of the peasants; if they, on the other hand, being not only residents of the adjoining
districts but also those who claimed to have served these peasants, should go home, it would be shameful
desertion.”
Ans. Patriotism implies love for one’s nation. A patriot is ready to sacrifice his comfort for the service of his
nation. It was for his country’s sake that Sardar Bhagat Singh kissed the gallows. It was for the love for their land
that Shivaji, Rana Pratap and Guru Govind Singh suffered untold hardships. True patriots respect other nations
and religions but don’t allow anyone to insult their nation. A great philosopher said, “It is not gold that makes a
nation great. It is the sacrifice and martyrdom of patriots that raises a nation to the heights of glory.” India is a
land where patriots are in abundance. It got its freedom only because of the efforts of its patriots. Patriotism is a
religion and an ideal. It is an ideology that guides the people of a nation. It is a feeling and a bond that unites the
people of various religions, beliefs and backgrounds together. A patriot must not be narrow minded. He should
develop an international progressive outlook.
7. Obstacles determine the quality of life. Hermits feel convinced that ‘sweet are the uses of adversity’.
Problems are opportunities. Elucidate the saying taking ideas from the given lines: “Events justified Gandhi’s
position. Within a few years the British planters abandoned their estates, which reverted to the peasants.
Indigo sharecropping disappeared.”
Ans. Adversity is the first path that leads towards the truth but one cannot forget the truth that ‘there is no wind
that always blows a storm’. Every individual aspires to attain phenomenal success in this era. No one can refuse
to accept the fact that material pleasures and prosperity bring happiness. But one cannot dare to ignore the
significance of trying circumstances. One wishes to be away from the situations which can be troublesome and
irksome. But one must not despair in those situations and should face the challenges of life. Prosperity makes a
person lazy and ease loving. Adversity, on the other hand, though full of hardships, has a chastening effect. One’s
character and personality become dynamic and vibrant if one fights bravely against the odd circumstances.

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 THE TIGER KING

Kalki

THEME

The Tiger King is a story about the transience of life and power. It is a satire on the conduct of
the people in power. It is found that most of the time, the rulers are not interested and
bothered about working for public welfare. Rather, they spend their time in foolish things.

SUMMARY

The tiger King is the story of a brave warrior whose death had been predicted when he was
born. The astrologer had predicted that he would be killed by a tiger. He was warned of danger
from the hundredth tiger.

When his killings reached 99 tigers, he desperately sought the next hunt. Fearing the king’s
harshness, the minister brought an old tiger in the forest for him to kill. The tiger escaped the
bullet. The royal hunters feared the king and did not inform him so they killed the beast
themselves.

The king was satisfied that he had evaded death and celebrated his son’s third birthday. He got
a wooden toy tiger as a gift for the prince. As the king was playing with the tiger, one of the thin
pieces of wood pierced the king’s right hand. The wound became infectious and he died.

VALUE POINTS

 The Tiger King was born as an extraordinary child

 When he was a ten-day old child, he surprised all by his intelligent questions
 The King became the only hunter of tigers, banned hunting in his state
 He married a princess whose kingdom had many tigers
 He killed ninety-nine tigers, but was unable to find one more tiger
 Dewan brought an old tiger from Madras
 The king thought that he had killed the hundredth tiger, but actually, one of the hunters
killed it
 The king purchased a wooden tiger as a birthday gift for his son
 its sliver pierced the hand of the king, caused infected wound and finally, his death

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CHARACTERS

 The Tiger King

 the Maharaja of Pratibandapuram
 a strong, determined, courageous, and firm ruler of his state
 a man of self-respect; he could pay any price to maintain it
 refused permission to the high ranking British officer to hunt tigers in his state
 had to give a bribe worth three lakh rupees to retain his kingdom
 could not escape his destiny

 Chief astrologer
 a royal foreteller of the state
 foretold that king’s death would come from a tiger

 Durai (in Tamil, means chief, leader)

 British high ranking officer
 wanted to hunt the tigers

 Durai’s wife (duraisani)

 greedy woman who takes all diamond rings sent by the king
 the Tiger King used her to avoid his kingdom being confiscated by the British
officer in response to being refused to do tiger hunting in his kingdom

 Dewan
 minister
 holds no authority
 scared of the Tiger King
 his practical knowledge helped the king to save his kingdom
 advised the king to gift diamond rings to duraisani to save the kingdom
 brought the 100th tiger from circus

SHORT ANSWER QUESTIONS

1. How was the Tiger King brought up?

Ans. As a child, the Tiger King was brought up by an English nanny and tutored in English. He
was given the milk of an English cow. He watched only English movies.
2. What did the State astrologer say he would do 'if the hundredth tiger were also killed'?
Ans. The State astrologer was so sure of his prediction that he announced that he would cut off
his ceremonial tuft, crop his hair short and become an insurance agent in case the king was able
to kill the 100th tiger too. He was sure that the Maharaja's death would be caused by the 100th

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tiger.
3. How and why was the hundredth tiger honored?
Ans. King had ordered that the hundredth tiger should be brought in the city in a procession
and a tomb should be built over its mortal remains. It was to commemorate the killing of the
hundredth tiger, his sole motive of life. After killing the hundredth tiger the king was very much
relieved and had a sense of achievement.
4. What did the high-ranking British officer wish to do? Was his wish fulfilled?
Ans. The high-ranking British Officer wanted to kill a tiger. He was denied the permission for
hunting. He sent a word to the king that he would be happy if he was allowed to get
photographed with the carcass of a tiger killed by the King. His wish remained unfulfilled.
5. How did the Maharaja get more tigers to kill, when he had killed all the tigers in his
kingdom?
Ans. Left with no other alternative, the king thought of getting married into a royal family. His
only criteria for selecting a bride was that she should be from a state that has many tigers.
Finally, he found his desired match.
6. What sort of hunts did the Maharaja offer to organize for the high-ranking British officer?
What trait of the officer does it reveal?
Ans. The Maharaja offered to organize a boar hunt, a mouse hunt or a mosquito hunt for the
high- ranking British officer. He offered to organise any hunt other than a tiger hunt. This
reveals that the officer was a man who was a meek man who, the Maharaja felt, would be
satisfied with any sort of hunt. It also reveals that he was very fond of hunting tigers and being
photographed.

7. Why did the Maharaja decide to get married?

Ans. The Maharaja had killed seventy tigers, and thus the tiger population became extinct in
the forests of his kingdom. It was then that he decided to get married to a girl in a royal family
in a state which had a large tiger population.

LONG ANSWER QUESTIONS (VBQ)

1. The story is a satire on the conceit of those in power. How does the author employ the
literary device of dramatic irony in the story?
Ans. The king was full of pride. He thought he could achieve anything, even overpower death.
He tried to prove the predictions of the royal astrologer as false. He had predicted death for the
king by a tiger. As the king killed one, he cautioned him against the hundredth tiger that he
came across.
Ironically, the king killed the hundredth tiger also and overpowered death but as it was
destined to be, the tiger escaped the bullet miraculously. He had killed ferocious tigers of flesh

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and blood but his satirical death came by a wooden toy tiger which he had got as a birthday gift
for his son. A tiny piece of wood from the toy wounded the tiger king’s hand and finally killed
him. This was an unexpected end of the mighty maharaja ‘the tiger king’.

2. How would you describe the behaviour of the Maharaja’s minions towards him? Do you
find them truly sincere towards him or are they driven by fear when they obey him? Do we
find a similarity in today’s political order?
Ans. The king’s minions feared him and tried to please him. They wanted to keep him happy
and so, spoke what was pleasing to the king’s ears. The astrologer was initially reluctant to
predict the king’s future. It was when the king asked him ‘to speak without fear’ that he spoke.
The minister did not advise the king not to kill so many innocent animals; rather he searched for
a kingdom with a high population of tigers for the king to kill. The royal hunters did not inform
the king about the hundredth tiger being alive as they feared losing their job. The shopkeeper
sold the toy tiger to the king at a high price because he feared punishment. In today’s political
order also, we can see that the people who are in subordination try to please their seniors in
order to retain their positions.

3. When did the Tiger King stand in danger of losing his kingdom? How was he able to avert
the danger?
Ans. A high-ranking British officer, who was actually a coward, wanted to kill a tiger to flaunt
himself before his compatriots. When he was not allowed to hunt a tiger he sent a word to the
King that he would be happy if he was just allowed to be photographed with a dead tiger killed
by the King. But the King was adamant and did not agree to his request because it would
encourage the other officers to come with similar demands. The King thus seriously angered
the visiting senior British officer and now ‘stood in danger of losing his kingdom itself’. So to
pacify the annoyed official, the King and his Dewan sent bribes of fifty expensive diamond rings
to the official’s wife hoping she would select one or two and return the rest. But the greedy
lady kept all the rings. The King, no doubt, lost a few lakhs but managed to save his throne and
was thus able to avert the danger of losing his kingdom.

4. Why did the Tiger King wish to hunt hundred tigers? How far was he able to fulfill his wish?
Ans. At the Tiger King’s birth, the astrologer had predicted that the death of the new born
future king would come through a tiger and he must specially beware of the hundredth tiger.
Amazingly the new-born prince growled “Let tigers beware!”. He meant that he would not be
afraid of tigers, instead tigers would be afraid of him and he would wipe them out to disprove
the astrologer’s prediction. So when he came of age he wreaked havoc on the tiger population
in an attempt to hunt a hundred tigers as soon as it was possible. The tiger king was able to kill
ninety-nine tigers successfully and he was under the impression that he had also killed the
hundredth tiger. But the hundredth tiger had survived his bullet shot. Ironically the death of the
Tiger King was brought about by a toy, a wooden tiger. Which he had bought as a special
birthday gift for his son.

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5. Giving a bribe is an evil practice. How did the Tiger King bribe the British officer to save his
kingdom? How do you view this act of his?

Ans. The Maharaja had annoyed a British officer by refusing him permission to hunt a tiger in
Pratibandapuram, and as a result he was in danger of losing his throne. Later to make amends
he bribed the officer by sending about fifty samples of expensive diamond rings to the officer’s
wife in the hope that she would keep one or two rings as a bribe. But the greedy lady kept all
the rings. So the Maharaja lost three lakh rupees but was still happy because he had managed
to retain his kingdom. The Maharaja was absolutely certain of one thing, that he would not let
anyone else shoot a tiger in his kingdom. He annoyed the British officer and later paid a heavy
bribe to appease the official. Even after losing a large amount of money the Maharaja was
happy because he had not only managed to retain his throne but also dissuaded the British
officer from shooting a tiger.

6. Even today so many among us believe in superstitions. An astrologer predicted about The
Tiger King’ that he would be killed by a tiger. He ‘killed’ one hundred tigers yet he was ‘killed’
by a tiger. How did the superstitious belief ‘prevail’?
Ans. The chief-astrologer had forewarned the king that a tiger would be responsible for his
death and he should be particularly beware of the hundredth tiger. After killing the hundredth
tiger the king was relaxed and became careless. He did not know that the hundredth tiger had
actually survived because the bullet had missed its mark. Finally, it was a tiger who was
responsible for the king’s death even though it was a toy-tiger which he had bought as a
birthday gift for his son. The carved toy tiger had a rough surface with sharp wooden splinters.
One of these sharp splinters pierced the king’s right hand and caused a deadly infection that
spread all over his arm. Three surgeons tried their level best but they could not save the king
and so the astrologer’s prediction did indeed come true. Despite the fact that the king took
every measure to avoid the circumstance of his death the hundredth tiger took its final revenge
upon the king as predicted by the astrologer.

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 Lesson 3
JOURNEY TO THE END OF THE WORLD
BY TISHANI DOSHI
About the Author
Tishani Doshi (9 December 1975) is an Indian poet, journalist and a dancer based in Chennai. Born in Madras,
India, to a Welsh mother and Gujarati father, she graduated with a Master’s degree in Creative Writing from the
Johns Hopkins University. She received Eric Gregory Award in 2001. Her first poetry collection Countries of the
Body won the 2006 Forward Poetry Prize for the best first collection.
Her First novel The Pleasure Seekers was published by Bloomsbury in 2010 and was long-listed for the Orange
Prize in 2011 and shortlisted for The Hindu Best Fiction Award in 2010. She works as a freelance Journey to the
End of the Earthwriter and worked with choreographer Chandralekha. Her poetry collection Everything Begins
Elsewhere was published by Copper Canyon Press in 2013. Her most recent book of poetry, Girls Are Coming Out
Of the Woods, was published by HarperCollins India in 2017. She writes a blog titled ‘Hit or Miss’ on Cricinfo, a
cricket related website.
Journey to The End of The Earth Theme
Tishani Doshi’s visit to Antarctica, the coldest, driest and windiest continent in the world, aboard the Russian
research vessel Akademik Shokalskiy, gave her a deeper understanding and a better perspective to the damage
caused by human impact on earth. Antarctica, though unpopulated, has been affected and there is a growing
concern for its half a million year old carbon records trapped under its ice sheets.

The ‘Students on Ice’ programme takes high school students to Antarctica to create awareness in them, the future
policy makers, and helps students realise that the threat of global warming is very real.
Significance of the Chapter –
A Journey to the End of the EarthThe story depicts a huge change in climate with passing years. The place has lost
a lot of flora and fauna. Moreover, for over 500 million years, Gondwana flourished. The extinction of the huge
living beings,i.eThe dinosaurs, Antarctica and India got separated. This story is a brief encounter of everything that
would happen and that happened. An overview of how it can affect mankind to a larger extent.
SUMMARY
The Narrator went on a trip along with the high school students with a program “Students on ice” which allows
them to get experience and understand the changes in the climatic pattern which is the biggest threat to human
life. The narrator starts by telling the minute details as soon she boarded the Russian Research ship- ‘The
Akademik Shokalskiy’ and the voyage began 13.09 degrees north of the equator in Chennai crossing nine times
zones and traveling 100 hours to reach the destination.
After reaching the destination, the narrator experienced the real scenario and saw 90 percent of the earth’s
surface is covered and stored in ice sheets. Antarctica is the place whether anyone can come and research about
earth’s past present and future conditions.
The simple bio life and Is the best place to experience and study the changes that can cause big threats to
humanity. It is warned by scientists all over the world that its further depletion of the ice sheets will cause4
depletion of the ozone layer which in turn will affect our lives and along with that affecting the flora and fauna of
our nature.
Moreover, the burning of fossil fuels has enveloped our atmosphere with greenhouse gases and the impact is
naturally devastating which can be seen as the rising of the earth’s average temperature and melting of ice sheets
in Antarctica.
The head of the ‘Students on Ice program’, Geoff Green believes firmly that students are the policymakers for the
future and they all will be concerned to save our planet and give suggestions to heal the wounds of the earth.
Further, if anyone wishes to study the narrator gave them an example of microscopic phytoplanktons- these are
single-celled plants and have the capacity to nourish the entire Southern Ocean. They need solar energy to carry
out this function and assimilate carbon dioxide and in turn, give out oxygen affecting marine life.
In the end, the Tishani thinks about the beauty of the place and wishes that it should remain the same as any
change here will have an impact on the entire human life.
Character Sketch
Tishani Doshi: She has love for adventure and her participation in the programme Students on Ice is an active
witness to her adventurous spirit. She has an eye for observation and a knack of giving minute details. Her
knowledge of the geophysical world is commendable and her command of written English merits appreciation.
She gets overwhelmed by the beauty of balance in play on earth. Her two weeks stay has left an epiphanic effect
on her and she carries back indelible memories of it.
Her first-hand knowledge of the Antarctic Circle, geology and ecology is very remarkable.
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Literary Devices
The story Journey to the End of the Earth has been written down in the form of an account or a travel document.
The author makes use of various literary devices such as similes, metaphor, imagery and foreshadowing to relate
her experiences in the isolated continent of Antarctica where the common laws of human civilization do not
apply. It is the one place on earth which has remained intact due to less human interference. The author alludes
this place as a vast ice desert which seems indefinite and stark in the continuous austral light of the sun. The story
is imbibed with a sense of awe and adventure with a hint of scientific imagination. It truly provides an appropriate
response to such an opportunity of travelling to this less accessed place. Thrilling multi-dimensional information
included by the author makes it a fascinating and knowledgeable read.
VALUE POINTS
 The Antarctica Journey --- the coldest, driest and windiest continent
 Begins from Madras, crosses nine time zones,six checkpoints,three bodies of water and many ecospheres
 History of Antarctica -- 6.50 million years ago, a giant supercontinent Gondwana existed.
 Gondwana thrives for 500 million years --- Dinosaurs wiped out, age of mammals begins.
 Formation of South America, drifts to Join North America
 Mind – Boggling Features of Antarctica - --- Devoid of any human markers--- no houses, buildings,
billboards.
 Complete silence only broken by falling of snow or ice
 Climate change – a hot topic for debate
 Totally pure for all half-million year old carbon records lying untouched in layers of ice.
 Students on Ice programme aims at bringing a life – changing experience for they are in an age to absorb,
learn and act.
 Antarctica – A Perfect Place to Study changes
 Little changes in the environment can have great repercussions
 Further depletion in ozone layer will affect the lives of all marine animals and birds and the entire global
carbon cycle.
 It’s the author’s belief that Only students bestowed with idealism, can save the world.
.
Reference to Context
Directions: Read the extracts given below and answer the questions that follow:
1. Six hundred and fifty million years ago a giant amalgamated Southern supercontinent Gondwana did
indeed exist , centered roughly around the present day Antarctica things were quite different then :
humans hadn't arrived on the global scene and the climate was much warmer, hosting a huge variety of
flora and fauna. For 500 million years going to thrive but around the time when the dinosaurs were wiped
out and the age of the mammals got underway, the landmass was forced to separate into countries
,shaping the globe much as we know it today.
A) The writer of the above extract is:
1) Geoff Green 2) Tishani Doshi 3) The Captain 4) Pearl S. Buck
B) Gondwana is a:
1) Giant amalgamated Southern supercontinent
2) Giant amalgamated western supercontinent
3) Giant amalgamated northern supercontinent
4) Antarctica
C) What does flora and fauna means?
D) Give an antonym of ' thrived’.
Answers
A) 2) B) 1). C) flora and fauna means plants and animals. D) deteriorated or declined
2. The rapid increase of human populations has left us battling with other species for limited resources ,and
the unmitigated burning of fossil fuels has now created a blanket of carbon dioxide around the world ,
which is slowly but surely increase in the average global temperature. Climate change is one of the most
hotly contested environmental debates of our time . Will the west Antarctic ice sheet melt entirely ? Will
the Gulf Stream Ocean current be disrupted ? Will it be the end of the world as we know it ?
A) Identify the factor that increases the average global temperature ,according to the extract. 1)
Rapid increase of human population
2) Limitless burning of fossil fuels use of
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 3) blanket in extreme cold weather negligent 4) Participation in environmental debates
B) How are other species being affected due to the rapid increase of human populations? 1)Ice
sheets are melting quickly
2) Natural Resources are limited and rapid growth in )Population leaves other species battling for
survival
3) It is creating a blanket of carbon dioxide around the world
4) Aquatic lives are getting disrupted
C) The unmediated burning of fossil fuels has now created a blanket of carbon dioxide around the
world . Here ‘unmitigated burning' means
1) Sumptuous burning 2) Rstricted burning
3) Unconditional burning 4) None of these
D) What are the consequences against climate change being deduced in the above extract?
1) Whether the eyes sheet of the west Antarctic will entirely melt
2) Whether the Gulf Stream ocean current will be distrupted
3)Whether we are getting closer to the end of the world
4) All of these
Ans. A) 2. B) 3). C) 3. D) 4
3) You lost all earthly sense of prospective and time here . The visual scale ranges from the microscopic to the
mighty: midges and mites to Blue whales and iceberg as big as countries . Days go on and on and on in surreal 24
hour Austral summer light ,and a ubiquitous silence interrupted only by the occasional avalanche or calving ice
sheet, consecrates the place it is an emergence that will force you to place. It’san immersion that will force you to
place Yourself in the context of the earth’s geological history. And for humans, the prognosis isn't good.
A) The ‘visual scale' refers to:
1) A measuring device 2) range of things one can see
3) Visionaries belief 4) The magnitude of preparation
B) Select the option that correctly fits the category of ' microscopic to the mighty ‘out of the ones given below.
a) Trace of a skin cell : trace of a bird’s egg b) A grain of rice : field of wheat
c) A scoop of ice cream: an ice cream cone d) A drop of water: Pacific Ocean
1) a&b. 2) c&d. 3) a&c. 4) b&d
D) Choose the option listing the elements that influences one to think of earth’s physicality
a) Breakage of an iceberg from a glacier b) Midges and mites
c) A regular seen avalanche d) Summer light in the Southern hemisphere
1) a&b. 2) c&d. 3) a&d. 4) avalanch
4. Students on Ice, the program I was working with on the Shokalskiy, aims to do exactly this by taking high
school students to the ends of the world and providing them with inspiring educational opportunities which will
help them faster a new understanding and respect for our planet. It has been in operation for 6 years now headed
by Canadian Geoff Green, who got tired of carting celebrities and retired, rich ,curiosity- seekers who could only'
give ‘back in a limited way . With students on ice , he offers the future generation of policy- makers a life-
changing experience at an age when they are ready to absorb, learn and most importantly, act.
A) Students on Ice is_______headed by Geoff Green. Select the option to fill in the blank correctly.
1) a travelogue 2) an expedition
3) a globetrotting. 4) a tour
B) Choose the option that marks the ODD ONE OUT based on your reading of the above extract.
1) Sumit donate 10% of his monthly income to the environment friendly NGOs.
2) Manmeet and her twin plant a new plant on their birthday every year.
3) Vivek invest in eco-friendly cosmetics that are packaged in plastic containers.
4) Afsana plans to decide a machine that recycles the biodegradable waste from home.
C) Pick the option that characterizes the celebrities based on your understanding of the extract.
1) Overachiever. 2) Zealous
3) Miserly. 4) Impassive
a) 1$2. B) 3&4
c) 1&3. D) 2&4
D) Choose the option that listS the reasons for Green’s Programme.
a) Making youngsters realise the Gori reality of the planet.
b)bProvoking the youth to think about the future earnestly .
c) Giving a chance of exploring the north pole to the young generation.
d) Providing travel opportunities to students that were unfortunate.
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1) a&b. 2) c&d
3) a&c. 4) b&d
Ans. A) 2. B) 3. C) 2. D) 1
SHORT ANSWER QUESTIONS
1.Why does the author say that to visit Antarctica is to be a part of history?
Ans. According to the author it is only when you visit Antarctica that you realise all that can happen in a million
years, where we have come from and where we could possibly be heading. We understand the significance of
Cordilleran folds , pre- Cambrian granite Shields ,ozone and carbon evolution and extinction.
2.Explain: ‘And for humans, the prognosis isn't good ‘.
Ans. The human civilization has been around for a mere 12000 years- barely a few seconds on the biological clock.
Yet we have managed to etch our dominance over nature with building megacities ,battling for limited resources,
and unity gated burning of fossil fuel.This has created a blanket of carbon dioxide around the world which is
increaseing average global temperature and causing global warming.
3.Antarctica is a door way to the past Explain.
Ans. Antarctica is the place to study the Earth’s past history. It can help us understand better the formation of
continents and mountains like the Himalayas as they are in the modern World. It’s ice cores hold over half million
years old Carbon records that are vital to study the Earth’s past, present and future.
4.For the narrator spending two weeks in Antarctica is a challenge not only for the body but also the mind.
Elaborate.
Ans. The narrator calls her trip to Antarctica a journey to the end of the earth. She was wondered at the sight of
the large continent ,its isolation and Serenity .She could not believe the fact that once India and Antarctica were
the part of the same land mass .She felt that she had reached to the part history.
5.Based on the chapter, elucidate any three consequences that global warming will have on Antarctica.
Ans. Antarctica is the perfect place to study the effects that global warming is causing. It is here that one can see
the effect of melting glaciers and collaping ice shelves and how this is likely to raise the water levels in the sea and
the ocean ,as a result of which low lying regions will be submerged underwater.
6.Antarctica is unlike any other place on Earth . Justify the statement.
Ans. Antarctica has simple ecosystem and lack of biodiversity ; above all , it is untouched by human beings .The
sound of occasional have avalanche or carving of ice sheets can only be heard in Antarctica. Only this continent on
Earth presently is in its purest and original form as it holds in its ice cores half- million -year -old carbon records
trapped in its layers of ice.
7.‘Students on Ice' is a program that prepares global citizens.Discuss.
Ans. Students on Ice is an educational journey to Antarctica. It takes high school students to show them the
terrifying impacts of human activities in Antarctica so that the students - the future policy makers of the earth-
will realise that the end of the Earth is quite near and therefore something should be done to save the planet.

LONG ANSWER QUESTIONS

1. What are Phytoplanktons? How are they Important for the Earth’s Survival?
Phytoplankton is a single-celled plant of the sea. These grasses of the sea feed the entire marine life of the
Southern Ocean. These microorganisms require a low degree of temperature for their survival. Their existence is
threatened due to the overheating and depletion of ozone layers. This chapter sends a message to the readers
that humans need to take care of small things so that bigger issues will fall in place.
3. Do you think that programmes like the Students on Ice do more harm than good? Support your answer.
Answer: I personally feel that such trips do more harm than good. We have ruined the earth as much as we could
and as wide as we could go, because Antarctica was far away and extremely cold. But now we have so many
reasons to go to this pristine continent. Let us not encourage such trips. After all, what else do we have to learn
about the earth than the fact that we have been running a business, not a service. Please spare Antarctica.
Student on Ice is an educational journey to Antarctica. It took high school students to Antarctica where they
understood the seriousness of the threat that the end of the earth is quite near. By visiting Antarctica, they would
act their bit to save the planet from further deterioration. The educational youth of today is the hope for the earth
and if they are more informed and more aware of the weakening strength of the earth, they will be able to steer
the government machinery of their countries as they grow up.
Question 3. What is the significance of the title ‘Journey to the End of the Earth’?
Answer: The title ‘Journey to the End of the Earth’, has more than one meaning. It describes an educational
journey to Antarctica undertaken by a group of high school students. To learn more about the real impact of
global warming and future of the earth 52 students went to the coldest, driest, windiest continent in the world
called Antarctica in Russian research vessel, the Akademik Shokalskiy.
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The author calls it a journey to the end of the earth because it began 13:09 degrees North of Equator in Madras,
involved crossing nine time zones, six checkpoints, three oceans and as many ecospheres. She travelled over 100
hours in combination of a car, an aeroplane, and a ship. The journey being to the extreme south of the earth, was
really towards the end of it. Another meaning of this title is more significant as the warnings that Antarctica gives
are shocking and much concerning the humanity and the millions of other species on the earth. The changes
taking place in Antarctica are pointing a warning finger at the existence of the earth; the earth is journeying to its
end.
Question 4. The author of ' Journey to the End of the Earth ' is Tishani Doshi who is now a famous poet and
dancer. As the narrator, write a speech discussing the impact of the ' Students on Ice ' programme on your life and
writing.
Ans. The Making of a Writer
Dear audience members, I didn’t simply take to writing. Many experiences of my life forced me to pick up the pen.
My journey to Antarctica under the programme ' Students on Ice ' led by Geoff Green in the Russian vessel '
Academic Shokalskiy ' was definitely a turning point of my life. Antarctica metaphorically and literally is the most
super - cool place on the planet. It is the coldest, driest , windiest and iciest continent with the longest days and
the longest nights. It is also separated from the rest of humanity by the stormiest body of water it the world -the
Southern ocean I want to see that it was in Antarctica that I found a beginning. This continent makes you think
about the beginning and ends. The truth is that each day was something utterly different from anything I had ever
seen or experienced before.

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 Lesson -7
THE INTERVIEW By CHRISTOPHER SILVESTER
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Christopher Silvester (1959) was educated at Lancing College Sussex, and Peter House, Cambridge, where
he read history. From 1983 to 1994, he worked for Private Eye, initially writing the ‘New Boys’ column. He
has written for several newspapers and magazines. He is also the Editor of The Penguin Book of Interviews:
An Anthology from 1859 to the Present Day and the author of The Pimlico Companion to Parliament. He
currently writes obituaries for the Times (of London) and book reviews. He is writing a three-volume social
history of Hollywood for Pantheon Books.
INTRODUCTION TO THE CHAPTER
‘The Interview’ is an extract from an interview of Umberto Eco. The interviewer is Mukund Padmanabhan :
from the ‘The HINDU’. Thousands of celebrities have been interviewed over the years. Our most vivid
impressions about contemporary celebrities are through interviews. But for some of them, interviews , are
‘unwarranted intrusion in their lives’.
In the second part of the chapter, the interviewer highlights how Umberto Eco considers himself as an .
academician first and a novelist later on. He considers himself a university professor who writes novels : on
Sundays – occasionally. The possible reasons of the huge success of Eco’s
THEME
The Interview’ written by Christopher Silvester briefs the new invention ‘Interview’ in the field of
journalism. Interview that was invented over 130 years has become a commonplace journalism. Today,
every literate or illiterate will have to experience interview at some points of their life. It is surprising to
notice that as an interviewer, each one is comfortable, whereas as an interviewee, they feel it much
disturbing and diminishing.
SUMMARY
Part 1
Interviews are commonplace these days. Those who look at interviews positively consider them a source
of truth and an art. Among the negative views on interviews is the opinion that they are an unwanted,
unprovoked and unnecessary intrusion and invasion into a man’s private life; they leave people wounded
and wrecked. There are some who have even described interviews as an ordeal and a thumbprint on their
windpipe.
But, in the modern world, interviews are a supremely serviceable medium of communication and help to
create impressions of our contemporaries. The interviewer holds a powerful position and influence.
Summary Part II
It is a passage from a meeting of Prof. Umberto Eco. In his meeting with Mukund Padmanabhan, Umberto
discusses his inclinations, his style, and the accomplishment of The Name of the Rose. He says that his
central advantages are philosophical and moral, and these are likewise the prevailing subjects of his
scholastic work and books. Indeed, even his books for youngsters are about peacefulness and harmony. He
says that there is a perky and individual quality in his works, which is an embraced one. He found his style
when he presented his doctoral theory. His theory recounted an account of his examination, his
preliminaries, and blunders. He, at that point, created his preference for portrayal. Henceforth his scholarly
works are not dry and exhausting. He explains how he uses even the briefest holes in the middle of two
unique bits of errand that give others a fallacious impression that he is doing endless things. He calls these
holes’ interstices’. Working during these interstices makes him do some incredible things.The Name of the
Rose was a splendid achievement and brought him awesome popularity. Its prosperity might be a direct
result of the troublesome understanding experience and interpretative perusing that is offered to the
peruser who didn’t generally look for simple understanding encounters.
MAIN CHARACTERS
Mukund Padmanabhan
He is an interviewer from ‘The Hindu’ who interviews Umberto Eco after his huge success of the book he
wrote.
Umberto Eco

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He is the author of the popular novel, ‘Name of the Rose’. He is a University Professor. Writing novel is his
hobby which he does only on Sundays. He had written 40 scholarly works of non-fiction and 5 novels. He
always identified himself with the academic community, and never with writers or novelists.
In in spite of such an output, Eco was most Frank and honest. He never boasted about his work and was
humble enough to state that even the publishers were surprised at the output of his work. Eco was most
inspiring and encouraging to Mukund he took all his questions sportingly and gave details and examples
which were relevant. He was more of a workaholic who never relaxed and was also busy composing one
thing for the other, even during the time when he was waiting for a lift for a taxi.
VALUE POINTS
Part-1
 Interview --- a form or part of journalism
 Positive opinions about interviews ---- a source of truth --- an art
 Negative opinions about interviews – Unwarranted intrusion into private lives
---- diminishing in nature
 Opinions of different celebrities about interviews
 V. S. Naipaul ---- wounding in nature
 Lewis Carroll --- a just horror of the interviewer
 Rudyard Kipling --- immoral
 H.G.Wells --- Ordeal
 Saul Bellow ---- Thumb prints on wind pipe
 Photography as per some primitive culture
 Taking away the soul of the persons being photographed
 Status of interviewer—powerful and influential
Part -2
 Interview of Umberto Eco by Mukund Padmanabhan
Umberto Eco ----- professor at a university in Itly
------ known for ideas on semiotics, literary interpretation, medieval aesthetic, literary
fiction, academic texts, essays, children’s books newspaper articles,etc.
---- Interstices – empty spaces between pieces of work
 The Name of the Rose
A serious novel ---- Detective with metaphysics, theology and medieval history
 Sold between 10-15 million copies
 Secret of success of the novel according to Mukund is its medieval historical background
 Umberto thinks the success of the book is a mystery.
REFERENCE TO CONTEXT
Read the extracts given below and answer the questions that follow by choosing the correct option.
1. Rudyard Kipling expressed an even more condemnatory attitude towards the interviewer. His
wife, Caroline, writes in her diary for 14 October 1892 that their day was wrecked by two
reporters from Boston. She reports her husband as saying to the reporters, “ Why do I refuse to
be interviewed? Because it is immoral! It is a crime, just as much of a crime as an offence against
my person, as an assault, and just as much merits punishment. It is cowardly and vile. Saul
Bellow, who has consented to be interviewed on several occasions, nevertheless once described
interviews as being like thumbprints on his windpipe.
A) Rudyard Kipling refused to be interviewed because according to him it is :
1) Crime. 2) an assault 3) Immoral 4) All of these
B) According to Rudyard Kipling, the exercise of interview:
1) Diminishes the stature of celebrities
2) Establishes reputation and makes them distinguished
3) Forms a fake identity of the interviewee
4) None of these

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 C) Had Kipling not had condemnatory attitude towards the interviewer, he would have
been:
1) Critising it’s practice 2) Mocking its practice
3) Appreciating its practice 4) Attacking it’s denunciation
D) Which of the following word is not an adjective?
1) Respectable 2) Frequent
3) Condemnatory 4) Interviewing
Ans. A)4. B) 1. C) 3. D) 4
2. Maybe I give the impression of doing many things. But in the end, I am convinced I am always
doing the same thing…. And then I have a secret. Did you know what will happen if you
eliminate the empty spaces from the universe, eliminate the empty space is in all the atoms? The
universe will become as big as my fist. Similarly, we have a lot of empty space in our lives. I call
them intestices. Say you are coming over to my place. You are in an elevator and while you are
coming up, I am waiting for you. This is an interstice, an empty. I work in empty spaces.
A) Based on your reading of part 1 of ‘ The Interview’ which one of the following may NOT
be and appropriate title to the above extract?
1. The empty spaces of Umberto Eco
2. Big Expose : Eco’s Secret Revealed !
3. I am always doing the same thing : Eco’s Echoes
4. Umberto Eco, Mr Prolific!
B) “I work in empty spaces”. Choose the option that most accurately captures Eco’s idea of
empty spaces.
a) Management of time
b) Organisation of space
c) Philosophical inclination
d) Command of thought
1) Option a& b 2) Option 3&4
3) Option 1&3 4) Option 2&4
C) Maybe I gave the impression of doing many things. To whom does Eco say these words
and why?
1) He says these words to Mukund in reply to a statement made by the latter about
him being able to do many things.
2) He says these words to himself as he had heard a statement about him being
able to do many things.
3) Mukunde says these words to Eco, to find out the truth about the statement he
had heard.
4) Mukund says these words to himself while explaining about the ability of Eco to
do many things
D) Interstices means the same as:
1) Continuity 2) Continuation 3) Hiatus 4) Progression
Ans. A) 2. B) 3. C) 1. D) 3
3. Saul Bellow, who has consented to be interviewed on several occasions, nevertheless once
described interviews as being like thumbprints on his wind pipe. Yet despite the drawbacks of
the interview, it is a supremely serviceable medium of communication. “ Almost everything of
moment reaches us through one man asking questions of another . Because of this, the
interviewer holds a position of unprecedented power and influence.
A) How would you describe Denis Brian’s opinion on interviews? Choose the most
appropriate option.
a) Appeasing b) Utilitarian 3) Approving 4) Praising
1) Option 1&2
2) Option 3&4
3) Option 2&3
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 4) Option 1&4
B) According to Saul Bellow, interviews are like thumbprints on his windpipe. What emotion
might best describe such an image?
1) Sadness 2) Frustration 3) Pain 4) Fear
C) The use of the word ,” serviceable “ implies that interviews are:
1) Significant 2) Powerful 3) Advanced 4) Useful
D) ‘ Contemporaries ' means the opposite of:
1) Present 2) Latest 3) In vogue 4) Preceding
E) Denis Brian states that the interviewer occupies a position of power and influence
as.,……………..
Ans. A) 3. B) 3 C) 4. D) 4. E) everything reaches us through one man asking questions of another
4. It was his horror of being lionised which made him thus repel would be acquaintances,
interviewers and the persistent petitioners for his autograph and he would afterwards relate the
stories of his success in silencing all such people.
A) Who is being referred to in these lines?
1) V.S.Naipul 2) Lewis Carroll 3) Rudyard Kipling 4) Joseph Stalin
B) What was ‘his terror ' mentioned in these lines?
1) Arrival of his acquaintances at his place
2) Gathering of autograph seekers
3) Being interviewed
4) None of the above
C) What did the person being horrified repel?
1) Acquaintances 2) Interviewers .
3) Autograph seekers 4) All of the above
D) What does lionise mean ?
E) Give an antonym of ‘repel’ .
Ans. A) 2. B) 3). C) 4. D) to treat somebody as a famous or important person. E)
attract or entice
SHORT ANSWER QUESTIONS
Question 1. How can we say that Umberto Eco had a wide range of writing?
Answer: Umberto Eco was an expertise in semiotics and other than this he started to write fiction,
literary fiction, academic texts, essays, children’s books, newspaper articles etc. So his versatility in
writings can be easily understood.
Question 2. Justify the title “The Interview’.
The title of the excerpt is quite logical and apt. Umberto Eco likes to be interviewed. He cooperates fully
with the interviewer, Mukund. He prefers himself to be called an Academician than a novelist. He tells
him that he started writing novel at the age of 50 iust by accident. He wrote 40 non-fictional writings
against 5 novels. He thinks of Himself a professor who writes novels on Sundays.
Question 3. What is the position of the interviewer during the interview?
According to Denis Brian, the interviewer holds a position of ‘unprecedented power and infuence’. He
holds the balance between the audience and the man who is being interviewed. Almost everything of
the celebrity reaches us through one man asking questions to another.
Question 4. How would you evaluate Mukund Padmanabhan as an interviewer? Mention at least two
qualities he displays in his interview, supported by textual evidence.
Ans. Mukund was a good interviewer. He had the questions which every reader wanted to know from a
novelist and he also maintained a good order in his questions by asking generic questions and then
getting deep into the matter gradually. He also made sure that the interviewee did not get annoyed by
any of his questions and never touched any Personal matter of the interviewee.
Question 5. How did Umberto Eco get to adopt an informal Approach and playful personal style in
writing his Scholarly work?
Ans. While presenting his first Doctoral Dissertation in
Italy, one of the professors appreciated his style very
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Much. He was rather very much impressed by his
Style which was totally the opposite to the traditional
One. Actually, Eco told the story of his research with
His trials and errors.
The Professor published his Dissertation as a book. This encouraged the 22 years old Eco and he adopted
that style in his writings.
Question 6. Why did Roland Barthes, a dear friend of Umberto Eco, die a frustrated man? Why did
Umberto never feel such frustration?
Ans. One of Umberto’s dear friends, Roland Barthes was an essayist. His scholarly essays did not give
him the satisfaction he aspired for. He had a strong urge to
do some creative writing. But unfortunately he died
before tasting the success in fictional writing, but
Umberto Eco never felt such frustration even before
he had taken to writing fiction. His scholarly work also
had narrative aspect.
Question 7. What are some of the positive views about the interviews? (CBSE 2020)
Ans. Despite several negative opinions of various celebrities, the interview is a genre that become a
common place of journalism. It is an art that Vivid description of the person being interviewed. It is an
extremely useful medium of communication.
Question 8. Why do most celebrities despise being interviewed?
Or
Why do celebrities find fault with an interview?
(CBSE 2020)
Ans. Most of the celebrities avoid being interviewed
because they firmly believe that interviews leave
a disparaging effect on their personalities. They
Consider them as unnecessary intrusion into their
Personal lives. Writers like V.S. Naipaul feel being
Wounded by interviews. Rudyard Kipling Condemn
them as immoral, while saul Bellow feels a sense of
Suffocation during the course of interview.
LONG ANSWER QUESTIONS
Question 1. Imagine you are Christopher Silvester. You have been invited to a seminar series titled –
Ethics and Techniques of Interviewing’. The organisers would like to speak about the challenges of
conducting interviews, and skills interviewers must have in order to conduct good and ethical interviews.
Based on your reading of The Interview, Part I and II, draft your speech. Include relevant details from the
text Support of your answer. (CBSE Ouestion Bank
Ans. Good morning everyone! I, Christopher Silvester, am feeling really grateful to be invited In the
seminar and to get an opportunity to speak about the challenges of conducting Interviews, and the skills
interviewers must have in order to conduct good and ethical Interviews.
We all know that the interviewer is solely responsible for the interview methods that he/she employs in
the interview. The interviewer’s conscience acts as the bbenchmark . The interviewer controls his/her
behaviour; it is not controlled by the interviewee.
The interviewer should view his/her behaviour as though it were to be published in the newspaper. If
the interviewer begins to rationalize or justify techniques used, then more than likely the techniques are
unethical. Interviews are built on informaton gathered by all possible sources. Interviewing is hard work
and should be established on thorough preparation. No excuse, including fatigue or disinterest, ethically
permits taking shortcuts in an interview. If unethical means are used, then the end cannot be trusted to
provide valid information.

Question 2. Though Umberto Eco identified himself with academic Community, his taste for narration
was there right from the beginning and it sustained itself throughout. Elaborate.
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Ans. Though Umberto Eco became spectacularly famous after the publication of his novel The Name of
the Rose. He always associated himself as an academician and a scholar. He never participated in
meeting of Penclubs and writers. He identified himself with Academic community and participated in
academic Conferences. Right from the beginning, his taste for Narrative was evident in his scholarly
writings also.
His non fictional work occupied him for the first fifty years of his life, when he submitted his first
Doctoral
Dissertation,His professor was impressed with his
Playful and personal style which, he commented was
Far from being dull, drab and depersonalised style. He
Then followed this style in all his umcoming writings.
the narrative aspect of his dissertation was richly Complimented and it was published as a book.
Sincethen Eco always told details of the story of his research and his essays made an interesting reading.
He wrote His first novel at the age of 50, “The Name of the Rose” Stormed the world which puzzled the
publishers and the journalists. It attracted mass audience.
Question 3. What impression do you form about Umberto Eco as a scholar and writer on the basis of
‘The Interview’?
Or
What was distinctive about Eco’s academic writing style?
Answer: Umberto Eco’s style is narrative, written in the manner of a story. This is in contrast to a
regular academic style which is invariably depersonalised, dry and boring. His scholarly work has a
certain playful and personal quality to it. He pursued his philosophical interests through his academic
work and novels. He also wrote books for children on non-violence and peace.
Umberto Eco, a professor at the University of Bologna, in Italy, is an authority on Semeiotics, the study
of signs. He is also a well known novelist. His scholarly works include academic texts, essays, childrens’
books and newspaper articles. He pursues his philosophical interests through his academic writings and
novels. In spite of having reached the zeniths of intellectuality, Eco is a humble and modest scholar. He
brushes aside compliments and never boasts about his achievements. He is keen to share his
experiences with others and shares the secret of accomplishing so much work by revealing the facts that
he makes use of time- gaps between different pieces of work. Eco follows an informal and playful style
of writing with a narrative aspect. Even his research work has a quality of creative writing and makes
informative as well as interesting reading.
Question 4. Mukund Padmanabhan’ was a reporter from ‘The Hindu’. In the context of the chapter, re-
veal his traits as an interviewer.
Answer: Mukund Padmanabhan was surely a successful and well thought-out reporter who always
used to ask answerable and dexterous questions to his interviewees. He used to plan and prepare to
con-duct an interview of a celebrity. He never asked ugly or embarrasing questions and on the other
hand, the celebrity whom he interviewed always seemed to be comfortable with his questions. Through
the inteviews, readers not only got the informations
About the celebrities but many other important aspects of Mukund’s personality also came in their
knowledge. He asked brief and quality questions to his interviewees scrupulously. He let the
interviewees spoke in their own manner and never tried to interrupt or cross-questioned them.
His interviewees used to be free and frank with him. He was always a prepared interviewer. Mukund, in
advance arranged the informations and personality traits of his interviewees and then with full
preparations, started his sessions. In all we can say that Mukund Padmanabhan was a disciplined and
dedicated interviewer.

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 Poets and Pancakes
About the Author:
“In general, it is best to approach fiction as fiction. Fiction reveals half-truths; they are not the truth. But,
half-truth, the unique characteristic of fiction enlivens fiction,” said Ashokamitran. Asokamitran (22
September 1931-23 March 2017) was a famous Tamil writer and Sahitya Akademi, winner. He was one of
the few writers who wrote fluently in both Tamil and English. In a career spanning over six decades, he
wrote 8 novels, 20 novellas and hundreds of short stories, on a wide range of issues. He spent the initial
years of his career in the famous Gemini Studios of Chennai. Although he was entrusted with the clerical
task of cutting and pasting newspaper articles, he learned a lot about the functioning of Gemini Studios,
which he humorously depicted in his autobiographical book My Years with Boss.
Introduction:
‘Poets and Pancakes’ fondly remembers the glorious Gemini Studios which was the hub of activity for all
the people associated with films. It is a sarcastic and humorous depiction of the various people who visited
the place. The extract is autobiographical in nature and subtly hints at the changes brought in by the
passage of time. The author has used an easy and conversational style to sketch the humorous image of
what went on at the studio. The entire extract is marked by subtle satire, a gorgeous undercurrent of
humour and an engrossing portrayal of people who thrive despite hardships. The story focuses on the
many aspects of contemporary life and on human situations and tendencies.
Theme:
1. Nepotism and Fawning at the place of work
Kothamangalam Subbu reaches the position of second in command at the Gemini Studios because of
favouritism, ‘by virtue of being born a Brahman. He had the ability to look cheerful at all times even
after...a flop film.’ He was a poet, a novelist, and yet, the office boy believes that all this success might have
been ‘because he seemed so close and intimate with The Boss’. Another reason for Subbu’s success might
be that ‘his general demeanour...resembled a sycophant’s’.
2. Hierarchy at the place of work
‘A strict hierarchy was maintained in the makeup department.’ The chief make-up man applied make-up
on the chief actors and actresses, his senior assistant looked after the second hero and heroine, and the
junior assistant looked after the comedian. The office boy, the one who feels jealous of Subbu, is on the
lowest stage of the hierarchical ladder.
3. Social Integration at the place of work
While partiality, flattery and grading order are argumentative in nature, it is surprising to know that social
assimilation was closely followed in Gemini Studios. As such, the make-up department was first headed by
a Bengali who was succeeded by a Maharashtrian. The Maharashtrian was assisted by a Dharwar
Kannadiga, an Andhra, a Madras Indian Christian, an Anglo-Burmese and then, of course, there were the
local Tamils.
4. Publicity at the place of work
Unfortunately, Gemini Studios became a battlefield for advertising in which the people, who worked in
Studios, became the confused, dazed and unfortunate victims in a war of attitudes and schools of thought
that they didn’t really understand! The Moral ReArmament army’s hidden agenda was to counter
‘International Communism’. It was with this express purpose that they visited Madras in 1952. Later when
Stephen Spender visited Gemini Studios, it was to propagate the virtues of Communism. Although his
speech was interspersed with words like ‘freedom’ and ‘democracy’, his accent left them ‘baffled’.
5. Jealousy at the place of work
Asokamitran describes jealousy at great length. In this case, there was one person who was jealous of
Kothamangalam Subbu. This was the office-boy who had ‘entered the studios years ago in the hope of
becoming a star actor or a top screenwriter’ but he had not managed to any of them. He was in his early
forties and looked at Subbu with envy. ‘In all instances of frustration, you will always find the anger
directed towards a single person openly or covertly and this man of the make-up department was
convinced that all his woes, ignominy and neglect were due to Kothamangalam Subbu.’ Subbu had
managed to write poetry, he had written a novel, and ‘He was an amazing actor’ all of which the Office boy
had wanted but could never achieve.
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Message Of The Lesson:
The narrative gives an insight into how different people work together despite their casual dislike for each
other and how different is the reel life from real life.
Summary of the Chapter:
1) The Make-up Department of Gemini Studios:
The make-up department of Gemini Studio was in a building which was said to be Robert Clive’s erstwhile
stable. In the studios, the make-up material with the brand name ‘Pancake’ was used profusely. All
actresses of yesteryears were familiar with it. However, the author feels that modern actresses may not be
even aware of its existence. The author mocks Robert Clive by saying that during his short life he is said to
have lived in a number of residences in Madras. He fought battles and even got married here.
2) A Vivid Description of the Make-up room:
The make-up room looked like a hair-cutting salon. It was filled with large mirrors and flooded with lights
at all angles. It was not a very pleasing experience to get the make-up done here because of the heat from
the dazzling lights.
3) The Make-up Department and National Integration:
This department of Gemini Studios is a symbol of National integration. Initially, it was headed by a Bengali.
He was succeeded by a Maharashtrian who was assisted by a Dharwar Kannadiga. Then different people
belonging to different states occupied the position. The author jokingly tells the readers about the ‘skills’ of
these make-up men. With quite a lot of Pancake and other potions and lotions, they could mar the beauty
of any person. However, Asokamitran clarifies by saying that perhaps the hideous crimson coloured make-
up was important to look presentable on the screen.
4) A Strict Hierarchy in the Make-up Department:
An elaborate division of work marked the make-up department. The chief make-up man dressed up the
actors in lead roles. His senior assistant looked after the ‘second’ hero and heroine while the junior
assistant took charge of the main comedian. The players who played the crowd were looked after by the
office boy of the department.
5) The Office Boy:
The office boy was not exactly a boy. He was a man in his early forties. He joined the studio years back and
aspired to be a top film star or top screen writer, director or lyric writer. He also wrote poetry.
6) The Narrator’s Work in the Studio:
The narrator worked in a cubicle. His work was to cut newspaper clippings and store them in files.
Everybody thought that his work was next to nothing and so he was continuously lectured by other
employees. The office boy often came to his cubicle and gave vent to his feelings of frustration and
irritation leading out of his failures. The narrator desperately wished to escape from his continuous tirade
and prayed for a crowd shooting.
7) Kothamangalam Subbu:
The narrator mentions that the office boy felt that the source of his problems was a man named
Kothamangalam Subbu. He was the No. 2 at Gemini Studios. According to the office boy, Subbu did not
deserve anything because he was neither well educated nor had any exceptional talent. His only virtue
was being a Brahmin, due to which he got opportunities readily. He was always cheerful. Even a flop film
couldn’t take away his cheerfulness. The narrator takes a dig at him by saying that he always needed
people to work for him but he was ever-loyal to the Chief. Subbu could offer countless solutions to the
problems of the producer of a film. The narrator comments that film making was quite simple with a man
like Subbu around.
8) Subbu: the Poet:
Although he was capable of writing on intricate topics, he wrote poetry for the masses. His success in films
overshadowed his literary genius. He composed ‘story poems’ in folk refrain and diction. He recreated the
mood and manner of the Devadasis of the early 20th century an even wrote a novel Thillana Mohanambai.
9) Subbu; the Actor and the Sycophant:
The narrator mocks Subbu by saying that he was an amazing actor. Although he played minor roles, he
performed them better than the lead actors. He always said nice things about everything and everyone. His

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house was crowded with acquaintances and relatives who stayed there permanently. He was really close
and intimate with the Boss and so had many enemies.
10) The Lawyer in the Story Department of Gemini Studios:
Although Subbu always stayed with the boss, he was taken to belong to the Story Department. The Story
Department comprised of a lawyer and a group of writers and poets besides Subbu. The lawyer was the
legal adviser but everybody referred to him as the illegal adviser! He had unintentionally brought about a
sad end to the career of a budding talented actress by recording her outburst against the producer. The
legal adviser looked different from the other members of his department as he wore pants and tie while
they wore khadi dhotis and white khadi shirts. He was close to the Boss and was allowed to produce a film
which flopped. The lawyer lost his job when the Boss closed the Story Department.
11) Gemini Studios: The Favourite Haunt of Intelligentsia:
Gemini Studios was a favourite among the poets of that time. It had an excellent mess which supplied good
coffee almost round the clock. Those were the days when the Congress government had implemented
prohibition and people enjoyed their leisure time over a cup of coffee. Almost everybody seemed to have
ample leisure time at the studio.
12) The Political Ideology at the Studio:
Most of the people at the studio wore khadi and greatly appreciated Gandhiji. All of them were opposed to
Communism and had many misconceptions about it. They thought Communists to be violent with no filial
or conjugal feelings.
13) Studio Hosts Frank Buchman’s MRA (Moral Re-armament Army):
The Gemini Studios was a host to Frank Buchman’s Moral Re-armament Army or The MRA, which visited
Madras in 1952. It comprised of 200 people and was criticised as an international circus. The MRA
presented two plays, ‘Jotham Valley’ and ‘The Forgotten Factor’. The Gemini family comprising of six
hundred members saw the plays repeatedly. Even though the messages of the play were simple, the Tamil
and Madras drama community were really impressed by them. The sunrise and sunset scenes of ‘Jotham
Valley’ were reproduced in almost all Tamil plays in a similar fashion as that play. It was later that the
narrator realised that the MRA was a kind of countermovement to communism. He felt that whatever be
the case the presence of the MRA was a welcome change in the monotony of the studios.
14) Another Visitor at Gemini Studios:
Soon another visitor was soon going to visit the Gemini Studios. The staff did not have the faintest idea
about him. He was rumoured to be a poet or editor. The visitor was not connected with any of the famous
British publications. However, the guest arrived and the Boss read out a very long speech that did not have
much to say about the visitor. When the guest’s turn came to address the audience, his accent could not
be understood by anybody. His visit remained an “unexplained mystery.”
15) A Short Story Contest Organised by ‘The Encounter’:
The narrator then refers to another event-a short story contest to be organised by a British periodical by
the name The Encounter. The narrator wanted to have an idea about the periodical’s credentials before
participating in the contest and spending on the postage. There was not much about the periodical in the
library and even the few copies found looked untouched. He checked at the British Council Library and
found out that the editor’s name was Stephen Spender. He recalled that this was the same editor who was
a guest at the Gemini Studios. The writer felt that he had discovered a long lost brother and immediately
sent his entry excitedly.
16) The Narrator Buys a Low-Priced book ‘The God That Failed’:
Some years after leaving his job at the Gemini Studios, the narrator bought a low-priced copy of a book
‘The God That Failed’ released on the 50th anniversary of the Russian Revolution. It was a compilation of
six essays by six different authors on their journey into Communism and their disappointed return.
Stephen Spender was one of the contributors. The narrator instantly recalled Stephen Spender’s visit to
the Gemini Studios. Thus, the mystery was finally solved.

About the Characters:

1) Mr SS Vasan:

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Mr SS Vasan is the founder of Gemini Studios. He had a liking for erudite and scholarly persons. He seems
to be a gullible man who is surrounded by shallow people and sycophants.
2) Subbu:
He is the no 2 at Gemini Studios. He always looked cheerful and was highly resourceful, charitable and of a
loving nature. He was also an amazing actor, poet and novelist. He was always seen with the Boss.
3) Legal Adviser:
He was a lawyer working in the Story Department of Gemini Studios. He unintentionally ended the career
of a budding actress.
4) Office Boy:
He is in the make-up Department of Gemini Studios and does the make-up of the players in the crowd
scenes of films. He aspired to be a top film star, screen writer, director or lyric writer, but was a highly
frustrated man because he could not become any of them.
EXTRACT BASED QUESTIONS:
Read the extracts given below and answer the questions that follow:
Q. 1.
His success in films overshadowed and dwarfed his literary achievements-or so his critics felt. He
composed several truly original ‘story poems;’ in folk refrain and diction and also wrote a sprawling novel
Thillana Mohanambal with dozens of very defty etched characters. He quite successfully recreated the
mood and manner of the Devdasis of the early 20th century. He was an amazing actor—he never aspired
to the lead rolesbut whatever subsidiary role he played in any of the films, he performed better than the
supposed main players. He has a genuine love for anyone he came across and his house was a permanent
residence for dozens of near and far relations and acquaintances.
(i) Which of these statements is NOT TRUE about Subbu?
(a) His literary accomplishments stole the limelight from his films.
(b) He was a gifted poet and writer and his literary works were noteworthy.
(c) He was selfless in nature and was empathetic towards others.
(d) He never hankered after lead roles and performed minor roles in films.
(ii) The word ‘sprawling’ has been used with the word ‘novel’. Pick the option with which the word
‘sprawling’ CANNOT be used.
(a) metropolis (b) handwriting (c) campus (d) portrait
(iii) The phrase ‘deftly etched’ shows that Subbu
(a) created the roles delicately.
(b) was skilful in creating the characters.
(c) pondered beyond necessity about the characters
(d) gave very little thoughts to the characters.
(iv) Pick the options that best describes Subbu according to the extract.
1. benevolent 2. powerful 3. accomplished 4. witty
5. generous
6. temperamental
(a) 4, 5 & 6 (b) 2, 3 & 4 (c) 1, 3 & 5 (d) 3, 4 & 6
(v) Pick the quote which best describes Subbu’s role in Gemini Studios based on the story.
1. Life’s too short to hang out with people who aren’t resourceful.
2. The more a person limits himself, the more resourceful he becomes.
3. Success is not about your resources. It’s about how resourceful you are with what you have.
4. Resourcefulness: Seeing where you want to go and taking the first step.
(a) Option 1 (b) Option 2 (c) Option 3 (d) Option 4
(vi) What was full name of Subbu?
(a) K. Mangalam Subbu (b) Subbu K. Mangalam
(c) Kothamangalam Subbu (d) Kotmangalam Subbu
Answers
(i) (a) His literary accomplishments stole the limelight from his films.
(ii) (d) portrait
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(iii) (b) was skilful in creating the characters.
(iv) (c) 1, 3 & 5
(v) (c) Option 3
(vi) (c) Kothamangalam Subbu

Q. 2.
Even in the matter of education, specially formal education, Subbu couldn’t have had an appreciable lead
over our boy. But by virtue of being born a Brahmin — a virtue, indeed! — he must have had exposure to
more affluent situations and people.
(i) Ashokamitran recounts his years at Gemini Studios in
(a) his book ‘My Years with Boss’ (b) his film ‘My Years with Boss’
(c) his book ‘My Experiment with Boss’ (d) ‘The Encounter’
(ii) What does Asokamitran’s book “My Years with Boss” talk of?
(a) his job (b) explain the nature of his boss
(c) explains his environment (d) impact of movies on every aspect of life in India.
(iii) Who are being compared here?
(a) Asokamitran and Vasan (b) Office boy and Subbu
(c) Stephen Spender and Vasan (d) Subbu and Asokamitran
(iv) Why was ‘being born a Brahmin’ called a virtue?
(a) His ‘birth’ got him better openings, opportunities and exposure due to favouritism.
(b) His ‘birth’ got him indifferent attitudes due to favouritism.
(c) His ‘birth’ got him enemies due to favouritism.
(d) His ‘birth’ got him better work place due to favouritism.
(v) How did this virtue affect the career of Subbu?
(a) He reached at no. three position in Gemini Studios.
(b) He reached at the position of The Boss in Gemini Studios.
(c) He reached at no. one position in Gemini Studios.
(d) He reached at no. two position in Gemini Studios.
(vi) Mention one attribute of Subbu’s character.
(a) Looked depressed after giving a flop film (b) Looked satisfied even after giving a flop film
(c) Looked cheerful even after giving a flop film (d) Looked depressed even after giving a hit film
Answers
(i) (a) his book ‘My Years with Boss’
(ii) (d) impact of movies on every aspect of life in India.
(iii) (b) Office boy and Subbu
(iv) (a) His ‘birth’ got him better openings, opportunities and exposure due to favouritism.
(v) (d) He reached at no. two position in Gemini Studios.
(vi) (c) Looked cheerful even after giving a flop film

Q. 3.
A few months later, the telephone lines of the big bosses of Madras buzzed and once again we at Gemini
Studios cleared a whole shooting stage to welcome another visitor.
(i) Who was the visitor for whom the shooting stage was cleared?
(a) Asokamitran (b) Vasan
(c) Stephen Spender (d) Subbu
(ii) Why is the Englishman’s visit referred as unexplained mystery?
(a) because of his appearance (b) because of his dress
(c) because of his hairstyle (d) because of his unfamiliarity and baffled looks
(iii) Who solved the mystery of ‘his visit’ years later?
(a) A book named ‘The God That Failed’ (b) A movie named ‘The God That Failed’
(c) A serial named ‘The God That Failed’ (d) A channel named ‘The God That Failed’.
(iv) What was the profession of the visitor?
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(a) Film director (b) Film producer
(c) An actor (d) An author
(v) What was the mystery about the visitor?
(a) He was a communist and was invited to change the anti-communist views of the people at Gemini
Studios.
(b) He was anti-communist and was invited to change the communist views of the people at Gemini
Studios.
(c) He was an author and was invited to guide the writers at Gemini Studios.
(d) He was a rich man and was invited to buy the Gemini Studios.
(vi) The author of ‘Poets and Pancakes’ has used ............... to sketch the humorous image of things at
the studio:
(a) subtle satire (b) a gorgeous current of humour
(c) an engrossing portrayal of people (d) All of these
Answers
(i) (c) Stephen Spender
(ii) (d) because of his unfamiliarity and baffled looks
(iii) (a) A book named ‘The God That Failed’
(iv) (d) An author
(v) (a) He was a communist and was invited to change the anti-communist views of the people at Gemini
Studios.
(vi) (d) All of these

SHORT ANSWER TYPE QUESTIONS

1 Through the mention of Robert Clive’s activities, how does the narrator bring out the spectacle of
those in power?
The make-up department of Gemini studios was in a building that was believed to have been Robert
Clive’s stable. So the place which was good to become a make-up room in a film studio had been misused
by the Britishers. The spectacle of the Britishers has also been brought out when the author mentions
that Robert Clive used to own several buildings.
2 Describe the make-up room of the Gemini Studios as described by the author.
The make-up room of the Gemini Studios looked like a hair cutting salon, with incandescent lights that
made the room very hot, placed at all angles around half a dozen mirrors. It was so hot there that the
people whose make-up was done there were subjected to a ‘fiery misery’.
3 “A strict hierarchy was maintained in the make-up department.’ Explain this statement.
Strict hierarchy was maintained in the make-up department so that each make-up man was allotted his
task according to his designation. The chief make-up man attended the chief actors and actresses, his
senior assistant attended the second hero and heroine, the junior assistant attended the main comedian
and the office boy in the department did the make up of the actors who played the crowd.
4 Why did the office boy often come to the author? Why did the author then start praying for crowd
shooting?
As the author was wrongly believed to have no work to do, the office boy often came to his cubicle to give
went to his frustration and impress upon him that the office boy’s great talent remained untapped and
was being wasted. As the author was bored with the office boy’s never ending tirade, he prayed for crowd
shooting so that the boy would be busy in doing the make-up of the crowd and would not pester him.
5 What advantage did the office boy think Subbu had?
The office boy thought that Subbu was in no way superior to him in talent or education. It was due to
Subbu’s birth in a Brahmin family that he had got a lead over him, as it helped him get better openings,
opportunities and exposure. Thus he had an advantage over the office boy.
6 Subbu was charitable and improvident, yet he had enemies. Why?
Subbu’s good qualities were overlooked as his desire to please the boss, the key to his success, made him
seem like a sycophant. His noncritical attitude was misconstrued as cleverness. So he had enemies such as
the office boy, all of whom blamed him for their failure in life.
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7 What made the lawyer lose his job? What was funny about it? or What made the lawyer lose his job?
What does the writer find so funny about the situation?
The closing down of the Story Department by the Boss made the lawyer lose his job. The writer found this
situation funny because he thought that this was perhaps the only instance in all human history where a
lawyer lost his job because the poets were asked to go home.
8 What was the opinion of the khadi clad poets of Gemini Studios about Communism?
The khadi clad poets of Gemini Studios were against Communism as that was the prevailing political
notion in South India. A Communist to them was a godless man, had no filial or conjugal love, could
unhesitatingly kill his parents or children and was always out to cause and spread violence and unrest.
9 Why did Stephen Spender visit Gemini Studios?
Stephen Spender was an anti-Communist, similar to the people at Gemini Studios. He had been invited by
the Boss to talk about his journey into Communism and his return after being disillusioned with
Communism.
10 What role did the canteen play at the Gemini studios?
The canteen at the Gemini studios played the role of giving leisure and entertainment to the employees,
as it supplied good coffee at all times of the day and for most part of the night. As Prohibition had been
imposed by the government in Madras, meeting over a cup of coffee was rather a satisfying
entertainment.
11 What shows that the Boss knew very little about the poet who was visiting Gemini Studios?
It was obvious that the Boss knew very little about the poet who was visiting Gemini studios because the
Boss’ speech was in the most general terms, although here and there it was peppered with words such as
‘freedom’ and ‘democracy’.
12 The Boss of Gemini Studios had nothing to do with Spender’s poetry but not with his ‘God that
failed’. Bring out the significance of this line.
This line is significant as the Boss had only invited Stephen Spender to Gemini Studios because he was a
contributing author to the book ‘The God that failed’, which detailed the failures of Communism. He did
not have any knowledge of Spender’s background: that is why he spoke about Spender only in general
terms while introducing him to the employees of Gemini Studios.
13 What kind of effect does Asokamitran’s style of writing have on the reader?
Asokamitran satirical style of writing has an underlying tone of humour which highlights the human
foibles. The description of the events and the people at the Gemini Studio makes the reader identify the
common foibles in people present not just in the story but also in real life.
14 Discuss the significance of the make-up room in the chapter, ‘‘Poets and Pancakes’?
The make-up room of the Gemini studio is the central crux of the story. It is the setting which takes us
towards the superficiality of the people in life and of the people in the studio. The people in the make-up
studio only accept what is popular much like people in reality who accept popular things blindly.
15 ‘‘In all instances of frustration, you will always find the anger directed towards a single person
openly or covertly…’’. Do you think it is right to direct our anger towards someone who is not
responsible for the cause of anger? Justify.
No, I feel that it is not justified to direct our anger towards someone who is not responsible for the cause
of anger. It shows that the person who does so needs someone to blame for his/her failures. Such a
individual comes out as rain and undetermined.

LONG ANSWER TYPE QUESTIONS

Answer the following question in about 120-150 words.
Q. 1. Imagine Asokamitran witnesses a film shooting and visits a film set of present day Bollywood. As
Asokamitran write a diary entry penning down the transformation you notice between film making of
yesteryears and today.
20th June, 2022
9 p.m.
Dear Diary,

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Today I went to the Gemini Studios and was totally taken aback. There hasn’t been a more exciting time
for aspiring filmmakers than now. Earlier, the storage of films was in the form of negatives that required
huge space, infrastructure and funds. There have been instances when copies of films were destroyed
subject to multiple calamities – natural and otherwise. We can now consider losing a cinema print as a
thing of the past. The process of showing a movie has become easier and cheaper. Therefore, releasing a
movie throughout the country at the same time has become a common practice. Earlier, analogue prints
had to be sent physically to different places of the country. Therefore, not every place in the country had
access to a movie at the same time. Movie enthusiasts had to wait for months to see a coveted film.
Currently, digital prints can be sent through the infinitesimally easier electronic route. One of the other
major advantages of cinema digitization has been in the arena of post-production. Computerized non-
linear editing has ensured more flexibility and better final products. The usage of Virtual Reality (VR),
Augmented Reality (AR), Mixed Reality (MR) and advanced Visual Effects (VFX) has transformed the
cinematic experience for viewers. If the story is good and the execution plan is neat, there is no reason as
to why the eventual product won’t be good. The audio-visual content is no longer the same anymore.
Asokamitran
Q. 2. After reading this story, you are impressed by the author’s use of gentle humour to point out
human foibles. Evaluate whether using such humour contributes towards bringing about change in
people’s attitude and accepting their foibles.
In the chapter, ‘Poets and Pancakes’, Asokamitran uses a lot of subtle humour and satire to highlight
human foibles. Petty professional differences and inconsequential differences not only keep our minds
occupied but also bring out a subtle humour that is spontaneous without being superfluous. The
characterisation of the office boy, Subbu and the legal advisor, have subtle touches of humour.
Asokamitran’s chatty style changes from one thought to the other rather quickly. For example, he makes
fun of the makeup applied to artists which can change any decent looking person into a hideous crimson
hued monster. Such references invoke laughter. The purpose of the visits of the Moral Rearmament Army
and the English poet also baffles everyone. Satire is also directed towards people who are against
communism and can go to any length to oppose it. The writer’s tone of ridicule is devoid of the slightest
trace of mockery, which is most commendable. In most of the cases of an individual, using such humour
doesn’t contribute towards bringing about change in people’s attitude and accepting their foibles. Rather,
it would be shame or embarrassment that causes emotional or mental anguish. Thus it does more harm
than good.
Q. 3. Author has used gentle and subtle humour to point out human foibles and idiosyncrasies in the
lesson ‘Poets and Pancakes’. Elucidate.
There are a number of instances of gentle humour in this piece. Especially the description of the make-up
department that consumed truckloads of pancakes (they did not eat them, of course) is very interesting.
The make-up room with mirrors and lights looked like a hair cutting salon. The make-up department was
a symbol of national integration because there was a gang of people from different parts of India. This
gang of nationally integrated make-up men could turn any decent looking person into a hideous crimson
hued monster. There was a strict hierarchy in the make-up department in the task of making actors ugly.
There was an office boy (though he was not a boy but a grown up man of forty). He had joined the Studios
years ago in the hope of becoming a star actor, or a top screen writer, director or lyrics writer. He came to
the author to enlighten him how great literary talent was being wasted. However, the author prayed for
crowd, shooting all the time to get rid of a genius of a bore.
Q. 4. Describe the make-up department of the Gemini Studios. How did it prepare the players for a
movie?
The make-up department of the Gemini Studios was located in the upstairs of Robert Clive’s stables. They
bought and lavishly used truckloads of a make-up material called Pancake. The make-up room contained
large mirrors and bright lights set at various angles. It looked like a hair-cutting salon. It was a terrible
experience for an actor or actress to undergo the make-up. The lights generated intense heat. The
members of the make-up department represented different parts of India. It symbolised national
integration. Ninetyfive per cent of the shooting of a film during those days was done on the sets. It
demanded that every pore of the actors’ faces should be closed. Thus, they were painted, and looked ugly.
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A strict hierarchy was maintained. The chief make-up man made the hero and the heroine ugly. The office
boy painted the crowd players ugly.
Q. 5. Subbu is described as a many-sided genius. Give an account, his multi-faceted abilities.
Author Asokamitran has projected Subbu as a man of versatile abilities who delves into different fields of
film making ‘successfully’. Ranging from storywriting to characterisation, to poetry writing, Subbu had
‘mastered’ all arts. He was ‘tailor-made for filmmaking’. Since Subbu was an extremely resourceful and
creative person, filmmaking was a lot easier when he was around. He gave the impression of being a
brilliant writer who deliberately wrote just for the masses rather than writing complex forms. His critics
were of the opinion that his poetic skills were overshadowed by his excellent film-making skills. A talented
actor, he never aspired for lead roles. A man with numerous ready solutions, he made filmmaking very
easy for his Boss. At the same time, his sycophancy earned him not only many favours from his Boss but
also numerous enemies. However, he loved people and his house was a permanent abode for relatives
and acquaintances. It seemed against Subbu’s nature to be even conscious that he was feeding and
supporting so many of them. Thus, he gave the impression of being a writer, an actor and a creative
assistant–all rolled into one, passing off as a many-sided genius with multi-faceted abilities.
Q. 6. Why is the Englishman’s visit referred to as an unexplained mystery?
The visit of the Englishman raised many queries and doubts in the minds of those who were working in
Gemini Studios. His name was unfamiliar and his credentials too were unconfirmed. This tall, very English,
very serious man’s visit and speech baffled the writer as well as others. No one could understand why he
had come to a studio that made Tamil films for simple people. His speech was incongruous and his accent
so indistinct that no one actually understood a word. He was talking about the thrills and travails of an
English poet. However, later the author discovered him to be Stephen Spender, the editor of a British
Periodical, ‘The Encounter’, and a co–author of the book ‘The God that Failed’. Through his book, he got
an idea of his journey into communism and his disillusioned return.
Q. 7. Why and how was the Moral Re-Armament Army welcomed at the Gemini Studios?
Frank Buchman’s Moral Re-Armament Army comprising of a group of 200 people belonging to 20
nationalities visited Madras in 1952. The MRA was seen to be a counter movement to International
Communism and people at the Gemini Studios did not think highly of communism and the Communist.
But Mr. Vasan, the boss of Gemini Studios was fascinated by the MRA, so they could not have found a
warmer than Gemini Studios in India. The MRA presented two plays ‘Jotham Valley and ‘The Forgotten
Factor’ in the most professional manner. Six hundred people of the Gemini Studios saw the plays many
times. These plays conveyed simple messages but their sets and costumes were very good. They
impressed both the Tamil drama community and the Gemini Studios. The sunrise and sunset scenes of the
‘Jotham Valley’ continued to be copied for years to come.

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

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 Summary Of The Poem

KEEPING Self- Help understand the

true purpose of life
QUIET Introspection

Do not speak in Do not move

Keep still
any language arms

Do not mean total inactivity but means to be harmless & peaceful

Look at our No Wars Conserve

hurt hands Nature

Creates a feeling of mutual understanding among

human beings & between humans and nature

Results in transition of
human mindset & rebirth of
human soul like the rebirth
of dead seeds in nature

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 KEEPING QUIET

About the Poet:

Pablo Neruda (1904 – 1973) was the ‘pen name’ and later, ‘legal name’ of a famous Chilean poet – diplomat –
politician. He won the Noble prize for literature in the year 1971. He wrote in green ink which was his personal
symbol for desire and hope. His writings are simple, wherein lies their beauty. Some of his most celebrated
works are Twenty Love Poems and a song of Despair, The Heights of Macchu Picchu, Canto General,
Extravagaria, One Hundred Love Sonnets and Residence on Earth to name a few. Championing the cause of
workers and standing for Social Justice, Neruda actively opposed exploitative practices of big business, a
glimpse of which can be seen in the poem, Keeping Quiet. Originally written in Spanish, the essence of this
poem is based on introspection and retrospection. The poet feels that some soul – searching is needed for us to
be at peace with ourselves and others.
Introduction:
‘Keeping Quiet’ is a splendid poem by Pablo Neruda that dwells on a quality which seems to have been lost in
the buzz of 21st century: the quality of silence. In an age which accepts rush in a celebratory gesture, Keeping
Quiet is a gentle reminder what life can be like in a brief moment of a silent pause. This message instantly
resonates in the digital age where “switching off” has become a much-needed life-hack. The theme of quietude
and stillness is accompanied with the themes of peace, pacifism, fellowship, solidarity, brotherhood, justice and
ecological conservation. To keep quiet is to stay still and understand that one is a thread, woven within the
exquisite fabric of the cosmic order. It is to identify oneself with all and in doing so, escape the “sadness of
never understanding ourselves”. To keep quiet is to escape the death with which we threaten ourselves and for
once, truly and genuinely, live.
Theme:
It is basically an anti-war poem. The poet is deeply concerned about violence, cruelty to animals and plight of
manual workers. The poet offers a very simple solution to many of our social, political and religious problems.
The solution is self-introspection. If it is acted upon, it will be the first major step towards uniting people. The
second step is that everyone should look within and analyse what is wrong and who is the wrong doer. This will
cleanse every heart and ennoble all people.
Message:
‘Keeping Quiet’ leaves a message of universal brotherhood and peace. It urges people to stop aggression,
including that towards the environment.
Title:
The title of the poem is quite appropriate and logical. It suggests the necessity of quiet introspection. The
people of the world are overactive and always on the move. Their activities have caused untold troubles and
sufferings. Keeping quiet will do them a lot of good. It will save them from many harmful and violent activities.
Moreover, it will help in reflecting over the fate of man and help in creating a feeling of mutual understanding
among human beings. There will be silence and all will set together and realise the value of collectiveness. Here,
we should not confuse 'stillness' with 'total inactivity’. Life should go on as it is doing about. Even the nature
remains at work and keeps the earth alive which remains busy in doing some activity. The poem stresses the
significance of mutual understanding and necessity for introspection.
Poem Outline:
Pablo Neruda in this poem has emphasised the importance of introspection. Man has become very selfish and
his own actions cause him many miseries. The world today stands divided by the man-made boundaries of
caste, creed, race, religion, language, culture, nationality and geographical divisions. We need to rise above
these ‘shadow lines’ and look at the larger picture. The poet talks about the necessity of creating a feeling of
mutual understanding among human beings.
Form & Style of the Poem:
Keeping Quiet by Pablo Neruda is a reflective piece of poetry which has philosophized a solution to the
problems caused in the world due to growing materialism, greed and power-lust. The poem speaks in favour of
inward self-fulfilment, independent of external factors. It is highly spiritual in the way it urges readers to shed
one’s ego and realize one’s identity as a human being. The poet’s writing style in the poem is very soulful and it
seems to come straight from the heart. This is probably why the poem appeals to the heart more than 238 to the
faculties of the intellect. This poem is not an activist’s call to action but a philosopher poet’s call to
introspection. The tone of the poem is calm throughout. Since the poet is urging his readers to stay silent and
still, he himself adopts a very tranquil serene tone, to set the mood of the poem. Although the topic being
addressed by the poet is a very pressing one, he goes on about it in the most composed way possible.
Tone of the Poem:
The tone of the poem is also highly reflective. In course of the thirty-five lines of the poem, the poet ruminates
over problems pertaining to humans individually and collectively as a society and reflects upon the most
plausible solution which is self-actualization through meditation.
Explanation of the Poem:
Stanza 1
“Now we will count to twelve
and we will all keep still.
For once on the face of the Earth
let’s not speak in any language,
let’s stop for one second,
and not move our arms so much.”
Explanation:
The poet urges each one of us to count upto twelve and then be quiet. The poet might have used the phrase
‘count to twelve’ as there are 12 hours represented on a clock or twelve months in a year. He might have
wanted the people to keep still as long as they could. He wants a moment of silence on the Earth when no
language is spoken. In this way, there will be no language barrier between people. No harsh words will be
spoken. In this moment of silence, the poet doesn’t want anyone to move their arms.
Stanza 2
“It would be an exotic moment
without rush, without engines,
we would all be together
in a sudden strangeness.”
Explanation:
The poet feels that such a moment of silence would be an unusual and exciting one. It will have miraculous
consequences. There will be no hurry or the sound of machines to pollute the atmosphere. It will be a strange
and unfamiliar moment with stillness all around. In this unusual period, the bonds of humanity will get stronger.
Stanza 3
“Fishermen in the cold sea would not harm whales
and the man gathering salt would look at his hurt hands.”
Explanation:
In this moment of inactivity, the fisherman would not be catching fish. Hence, the whales in the sea will be safe.
This idea is suggestive of the thought that human beings would not destroy nature. The man who gathers salt
will be able to tend to his wounded hands for which he had no time earlier. Thus, both nature and humans will
be able to recover from their wounds.
Stanza 4
“Those who prepare green wars,
wars with gas, wars with fire,
victory with no survivors,
would put on clean clothes
and walk about with their brothers
in the shade, doing nothing.”
Explanation:
The poet now speaks of those who wage wars against humanity or environment, wars of all kinds, including the
use of chemicals or poisonous gases, wars that bring death and destruction, wars that leave none to celebrate
victory. He says that such men should stop their activity, shed their clothes stained with the blood of humanity,
put on new clothes and walk with their brothers. The poet implies that the war-torn world should be replaced
by one with an atmosphere of peace, brotherhood and harmony.
Stanza 5 239
“What I want should not be confused
with total inactivity.
Life is what it is about;
I want no truck with death.”
Explanation:
The poet makes a clarification that though he is advocating the need for silence, his advice should not be
confused with total inactivity. He does not want any association with death. He says that life is meant to be
lived.
Stanza 6
“If we were not so single-minded
about keeping our lives moving,
and for once could do nothing,
perhaps a huge silence
might interrupt this sadness
of never understanding ourselves
and of threatening ourselves with death.”
Explanation:
The poet further advises that people should stop being self-centred and selfish. For one moment they should
not think of keeping their lives moving, meeting their ends or fulfilling their duties. That huge silence, which will
arise from such a moment, will only serve to help the people. It will help them introspect and overcome their
sadness of failing to understand themselves. People have been threatening themselves with death by their
activities. This moment of silence will give them time to understand themselves better.
Stanza 7
“Perhaps the Earth can teach us
as when everything seems dead
and later proves to be alive.
Now I’ll count up to twelve
and you keep quiet and I will go.”
Explanation:
The poet feels that the Earth can enlighten us and guide us in this process of keeping quiet. He wants us to
observe that there is some activity under apparent stillness; for instance, a seed appears to be ‘dead’, but huge
fruit-bearing trees are ‘born’ from such seeds lying ‘dead’ here and there. Finally, the poet thinks that he has
said what he intended to. Now he wants us to keep quiet while he is counting to twelve, after which he will
leave.

Poetic Devices:
1) Alliteration:
The same syllable is repeated at the beginning of successive words: e.g., sudden strangeness; his hurt hands;
clean clothes; noble natures; wars with
2) Repetition
Examples: without rush, without engines, wars with gas, wars with fire.
3) Personification
Perhaps the earth can teach us (The earth is given the human attribute of teaching)
4) Extended Metaphor
An extended metaphor can be found in the lines – “Perhaps the earth can teach us/as when everything seems
dead/and later proves to be alive”. Here the stillness which Neruda advocates is being compared to the stillness
of winter. Just like winter leads to rejuvenation, even the quietness recommended by the poet leads to re-
growth.
5) Symbolism:
Symbolism is abundant in Keeping Quiet. Fishermen and whale stand for the oppressor and oppressed
respectively. Salt gatherer is symbolic of humanity whereas ‘clean clothes’ symbolize peace.
6) Rhyme Scheme:
This poem is written in blank verse. 240
7) Metaphor
Examples: clean clothes; in the shade

EXTRACT BASED QUESTIONS

Read the extracts given below and answer the questions that follow:
Q. 1.
‘It would be an exotic moment
without rush, without engines,
we would all be together
in a sudden strangeness.’
(i) According to the poet, what would be an exotic moment?
(a) Dreams being fulfilled (b) Moments of disarmament
(c) Moments of stillness (d) Moments of singing
(ii) Why would it be exotic?
(a) It will give time for ensuring success of dreams.
(b)It will give time to get rid of destructive weapons.
(c) It will let everyone relive music.
(d) It will give time to introspect.
(iii) What would be the result of all being together?
(a) Brotherhood (b) Enmity
(c) Social upliftment (d) Political synchronisation
(iv) What does ‘sudden strangeness’ refer to?
(a) Silence (b) Loud music (c) Non-recognition (d) Loss of memory
(v) The poet uses conversational style and personal pronouns as ‘you’, ‘we’ and `I’ because:
(a) he wants to be intimate with mankind. (b) he tries to read out to the readers.
(c) he wants to establish contact easily. (d) third person is ineffective.
(vi) Man needs to learn a lesson from:
(a) moon (b) stars (c) earth (d) sun
Answers
(i) (c) Moments of stillness
(ii) (d) It will give time to introspect.
(iii) (a) Brotherhood
(iv) (a) Silence
(v) (b) he tries to read out to the readers.
(vi) (c) earth

Q. 2.
‘Fishermen in the cold sea
would not harm whales
and the man gathering salt
would look at his hurt hands.
Those who prepare green wars,
wars with gas, wars with fire,
victory with no survivors
would put on clean clothes
and walk about with their
brothers
in the shade, doing nothing.’
(i) What does the poet mean by ‘green wars’?
(a) War against green colour (b) War against grass
(c) War against environment (d) War against Dr. Green
(ii) What does the poet want to suggest?
(a) War is imperative. (b) War is defensive. 241
(c) War is the ultimate solution. (d) War is useless.
(iii) How will a few moments of introspection affect the mood, thinking and actions of the people?
(a) By bringing peace (b) By bringing harmony
(c) By discouraging sadness (d) All of these
(iv) What does ‘victory with no survivors’ indicate?
(a) There are no survivors. (b) There are no victories.
(c) There are no victories without survivors. (d) There are no survivors to enjoy victories.
(v) ‘Keeping Quiet’ uses fishermen to symbolize man’s:
(a) persistent pollution of the natural environment (b) rapid degradation of human values
(c) limitless exploitation of natural resources (d) constant participation in acts of terror
(vi) Poetic device in ‘Cold sea’ is:
(a) personification (b) transferred epithet
(c) metaphor (d) alliteration Answers
(i) (c) War against environment
(ii) (d) War is useless.
(iii) (d) All of these
(iv) (d) There are no survivors to enjoy victories
(v) (c) limitless exploitation of natural resources
(vi) (b) transferred epithet

Q. 3.
Perhaps the Earth can teach us
as when everything seems dead
and later proves to be alive.
(i) What can the earth teach us?
(a) Silence is not death. (b) Death is not silent.
(c) Silence and death are synonyms. (d) None of these
(ii) How can we achieve the state of ‘seems dead’?
(a) Taking out time to introspect. (b) Taking out time to synchronise.
(c) Taking out time to cry. (d) Taking out time to laugh.
(iii) What is the antonym of ‘nothing’ in the stanza?
(a) Teach (b) Everything (c) Dead (d) Later
(iv) Which word in the stanza means ‘not alive’?
(a) Teach (b) Dead (c) Alive (d) Seems
(v) ‘everything seems dead’ due to
(a) growing needs of man (b) growing greed of man
(c) unfulfilled desires (d) growing insensitivity of man to pain
(vi) The tone of the poem is:
(a) Partially calm (b) calm throughout
(c) pathetic (d) sympathetic
Answers
(i) (a) Silence is not death
(ii) (a) Taking out time to introspect.
(iii) (b) Everything
(iv) (b) Dead
(v) (d) growing insensitivity of man to pain
(vi) (b) calm throughout
SHORT ANSWER TYPE QUESTIONS
Answer the following question in about 40-50 words.
Q. 1. What does Neruda mean by ‘an exotic moment without rush’ in his poem, ‘Keeping Quiet’?
According to the poet, Pablo Neruda, the moment, when everyone is quiet, would be an exciting and thrilling
moment. There will be no rushing of everyday work, no sound of machines polluting the environment. It will be
a moment of world peace, where love is forged through introspection in silence. 242
Q. 2. How would keeping quiet affect life in and around the sea?
Keeping quiet would affect life in and around the sea in two ways. By keeping quiet, the fishermen will not kill
whales for some time. Also, salt gatherers will get some time to heal their hurt hands. Thus it will give time to
everyone for introspection.
Q. 3. According to Pablo Neruda, how would keeping quiet be an exotic moment?
According to the poet, keeping quiet would be an exotic moment because there would be no rush or
movements of cars or sound of machines working. There would be complete silence on Earth; everyone would
be together in a sudden strangeness. Everyone will be united.
Q. 4. What are green wars? Who wage them and with what result?
Green wars are wars against environment. Politicians, hunters etc. wage them which results in destruction of
the environment. Warmongers use bombs, shells and firearms that emit poisonous gases and pollute the
environment.
Q. 5. According to Pablo Neruda, what do we not do when we keep quiet?
According to the poet, when we keep quiet, we do not harm ourselves and environment. We are not divided, as
we do not speak different languages. We do not feel any differences and unrest, that prevail in the outside
world.
Q. 6. What will keeping still help us achieve?
Keeping quiet will create silence, it will give us time to think, to introspect, to evaluate our actions and to act
more responsibly. It will help us in fostering harmony and brotherhood which will, in turn, help in bringing was
to an end.
Q. 7. ‘Life is what it is about....’ How is Keeping Quiet related to life
‘Keeping Quiet’ is related to life because in life, we need to pause for a moment and introspect. It is only when
we introspect that we realise the consequences of our actions and are able to correct them. Introspection will
help us all live in peace and harmony. It will also help us to understand ourselves when we are sad so that we
don’t threaten ourselves with death. Keeping quiet will nurture good thoughts within us just like mother Earth.
Q. 8. How will ‘Keeping Quiet’ protect one’s environment?
‘Keeping Quiet’ will protect our environment, as it will give everyone time to introspect and to think about the
consequences of their actions. Human beings will not harm other creatures and all wars will come to an end.
Man will not indiscriminately exploit nature for his vested interests and harm himself.
Q. 9. Which symbol from nature does the poet use, that there can be life under apparent stillness?
The Poet uses two symbols to prove his statement: (i) ‘Earth’ seeming still is very much alive underneath/ has a
murmuring life under the apparent stillness, e.g., ‘when everything seems dead it later proves to be alive.’ (ii) In
winter, seeds buried are dormant but sprout in the spring.
Q. 10. What does the poem ‘Keeping Quiet’ teach us?
The poem ‘Keeping Quiet’, teaches us to be quiet for some time and introspect. The poet urges us to stop all
our activities, thoughtless actions, and also to stop the race of moving from one day to another. To know
ourselves and to rejuvenate ourselves, we must go inwards and introspect.

LONG ANSWER TYPE QUESTIONS:

Answer in 120-150 words
Q. 1. It could be said that the poem ‘Keeping Quiet’ presents the poet’s philosophy for a different kind of
world. If you were asked to highlight elements of Neruda’s vision that resonate in your specific social,
political and cultural context, which three main ideas would you engage with? Use relevant textual details to
support your analysis.
“Keeping Quiet,” by Pablo Neruda, might be one of the most beautiful poems ever written. In it, he encourages
us to keep quiet and still, even just for a second. It is also an invitation for us to take part in nature. It is about
re-encountering our true essences so that we can all embrace kindness and respect. And that way, each piece
that’s out of place will fit in where it belongs. The idea of silence, or keeping quiet, is definitely a recurring
theme in the field of psychology. But you can’t forget that the artistic and literary world have always given it a
ton of value. Claude Debussy said that silence is nothing more than what’s between one note and another. And
in that way, it is what gives so much force and beauty to every piece of music. Jorge Luis Borges also talked
about how the beauty and depth of silence are eye-opening in one of his poems. He said it is what helps you
remember who you are and what you love. But out of all these poetic and musical works, the message Neruda 243
gave us with his ode in “Keeping Quiet” stands out above all the rest for a few specific reasons. It is an invitation
to stop moving, to pause the grinding of your internal gears and rethink the empty, artificial meaning of things.
He wanted you to remember what’s most important.
Q. 2. The last two years of school tend to be about planning for life after school. This can be motivating,
overwhelming or encouraging for some, and stressful for others. Write a diary entry recording your thoughts
on the following: • Neruda’s ideas in ‘Keeping Quiet’ as a guide in this situation. • Thinking differently about
your decisions with reference to Neruda’s ‘Keeping Quiet’.
July 23, 2022
8 p.m.
Dear Diary,
After completing schooling, there are numerous things I want to do and accomplish in my life. My admirations
aren’t much different than the average person, but it will still take a lot of hard work to get to where I want to
be. I have many goals, but to accomplish these goals I have to get through the many obstacles that could get in
the way. Even though, I am not finished creating my goals and aspirations, I already have many. The two most
important are to be happy and successful. I want to be happy because even if I become rich or famous, if I am
not happy in life nothing else would matter. Success for me is simply doing something that I’ve always wanted
to do. That in itself is quite an achievement. First, I want to attend college and law school. After I start working
for a few years, I plan to settle down, get married, and have children. I still want to have a career, but I want to
raise a family too. I’m not sure what will happen after this or that even this will take place because I can’t really
plan out my life. Life is an unpredictable thing. There are many obstacles that may get in the way of perusing
my goals. You never know what will happen next. Some of the obstacles are college and law school. It takes a
lot of studying, hard work, and determination in becoming a lawyer. I know if I stay focused, I have the power to
get over the obstacles that stand in my way. Determination is not a teachable skill, but it has to take place to
accomplish goals in life. I am not sure if this is the way I want my life to be. Life tends to change direction very
often. What I plan to do now might not be what I want to do in a few years. Even if my plans do change, I will
always have goals for myself. With hard work and determination, I plan to accomplish my goals, whatever they
may be, and live up to.

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