Sa eg hin SP Sah ct gete ON pee eee ae ae ae A Night-Rain in Summer | | = ih © ee , and let the air ‘upon face and hair, as it fills the night,Not a blink shall burn to-night In my chamber, of sordid light, Nought will | have, not a window-pane, *Twixt me and the air and the great good rain, Which ever shall sing me sharp lullabies; ‘And God's own darkness shall close mine eyes: ‘And | will sleep, with all things blest, In the pure earth-shadow of natural rest. Abridged from ‘A Night-Rain in Summer’ by James Leich HUNT Know the poet James Leigh Hunt (1784-1859) was an English poet who produced a variety of poetry in the nineteenth century. He is known today for his delightful poetry on friendship, patriotism, and appreciation of nature. Glossary (blink (noun): lamp. sordid (adjective): unpleasant “'twixt (preposition): between | lullabies (noun): soft soothing songs to put children to sleep Understand and answer my 1. Answer the following questions. a) What does the poet want to enjoy? Why does he want the windows opened? What season is this poem about? b) Why does the poet welcome the rain with such strong feelings? Scanned with VamScar©) Why does the poet not want any lamps on? d) What does the poet compare the sound of therainto? ) What are the things the poet will sleep blessed with? f) Find words in the poem which have the same meaning as these— i) room 4, Rhyme scheme is the arrangement of rhymes in a stanza or poem. Read these lines. ‘I never can do it; the little kite said, As he looked at the others high over his head: ‘Iknow | should fall if | tried to fly. ‘Try,’ said the big kite; ‘Only try! You will see that the last words of lines 1 and 2 and lines 3 and 4 have the same sound, and they rhyme. So the pattern of rhyming in the first two lines can be indicated as aa and the last two lines as bb. Then the rhyming pattern or rhyme scheme of the poemis aa bb. ii) nothing Think and appreciat Underline the rhyming words in the poem you have just read. What is the rhyme scheme of this poem? >cannea witn LamScarBribes, the Stomach = ache Cure! ig his stomach and groaning in in his stomach. Actually, | about this. He could g fried or sweet. His Hemant was holdin 7 pain. A storm was raging I there was nothing unusua not resist good food, anythin’ ; i insatiable hunger would often result in overeating and this would be the result. As long as the pain lasted, Hemant was full of regret and made unrealistic promises to never overeat, but all those went out of the window the moment he was well again. This time nothing seemed to help; the pain was getting worse. He felt he had never experienced this before. ‘It must have been the chicken, Hemant said aloud. ‘It didn’t look edible.’ ‘Really! Who asked you to eat it?’ said Hemant's wife. ‘You still ate eight large pieces! Edible or not, that’s enough to make anyone sick,’ ‘Don't be ridiculous,’ said Hemant, ‘You know my appetite, | can eat more than that. If it wasn’t the chicken, it must have been the rasagollas? ‘Well, you gobbled up the big bowl full of those in a wink of an eye!’ ‘Ooh ... ahh ... don’t just stand there,’ he grunted in pain. ‘Get me some green coconut water. That might give me some respite’ >cannea witn LamScarEo But the coconut water did not live up to his expectations. The pain was as severe as before. ‘Mother Goddess have mercy on this innocent soul,’ iyed Hemant aloud. ‘Please take away the pain pra er you a silver and | shall visit the temple to off horse!” ‘Think before you speak! Don't make empty promises to the goddess unless you mean to keep them!’ said Hemant’s wife. ‘Of course, | always fulfil my promises! said Hemant. “Just let me get better, and | shall go to the temple with the biggest silver horse | can find.’ “You seem to be getting your energy back. Is your stomach ache better?’ asked his wife suddenly. ‘You don't look nearly as pale as you did half an hour ago.” Carined witn VamScaritting UP. ‘1am a bi ht! said Hemant sitting UI a bit you're IgM better’ 5 to have heard your prayer gg seem: r ee ae ints anybody. Don’t forget the never ae fe oer horse Now. said his W' = ; It a surge of energy; he felt better. Hemant fel ddess, he said looking out of the window, pecs ‘a high’ He continued after a 3 e soaring hig! i ei ae giver horse would cost too much in aUse, these difficult times! Won't a hen suffice? A nice, pretty hen. fil get you one, the moment I’m well. | promise.’ it wos noon, the sun was at its peak. Hemant woke up from his sleep. His stomach ache was gone! But he was alittle hungry and thought he felt weak. He called his wife. ‘| hope you do not plan to starve me.’ ‘You are still thinking about food! How can you?” she answered. ‘You were screaming with pain a few hours ago.’ i ‘A bowl of boiled rice would be enough. | don’t want anything more.” Hemant said, grinning ear to ear. Hemant's wife stomped into the kitchen, talking to herself, “Moths eur a as a Said Hemant, ‘let’s be fair. | know always tought oe eo eed by example and have garland would a 9reed is a sin. So | think a flower © €nough to please you.’ ~~ Scanned with CamScar‘Here, take it!’ said Hemant's wife, giving him a bowl of rice. ‘That's it! Such a tiny bowl?’ grumbled Hemant. ‘Do get me some more! Wait! | think little bit of dal would do no harm. That's it, nothing else. And some pickle for flavour, please.’ ‘Do you think you can eat more?’ asked his wife. ‘am as healthy as an elephant, said Hemant. ‘Now that | think of it, the pain was mild and fleeting.’ ‘Was it?’ asked the wife. ‘It didn’t seem to be. The way you were writhing in pain and making promises to the Mother Goddess...’ ‘Did you really think | was serious about it?’ said Hemant. ‘You are a jester’s wife! Don’t disappoint me. | have a good sense of humour! Don’t you get it?” ‘Okay,’ said his wife rolling her eyes, ‘Il wish you wouldn't include Mother Goddess in your jokes! Aren't you going to offer her anything at all?” ‘Not a silver horse, for sure,’ said Hemant. ‘Nor a hen. Those would burn my pocket! | have a better idea. l'll ask Mother Goddess to create a silver horse herself. She has magical powers too!” Hemant’s wife raised her hands in annoyance. ‘You have no shame,’ she yelled and left the room. Hemant lazily stretched and dozed off on the bed. His sweet sleep was disturbed by an excruciating pain. It was his stomach. He sat up, breathing heavily and covered in sweat. ‘Mother Goddess,’ Scanned with GamScarlo he said in a weak voice, ‘you have me wrong. You misunderstand me. | actually meant to offer you a bright silver horse. | was just being witty in front of my wife!’ An Indian folk tale Glossary insatiable (adjective): always wanting more respite (relief): a short rellef stomped (verb): walked with heavy steps Understand and answer ae: ee 1. Choose the correct option. a) Hemant was screaming in pain because i) he had a sprained ankle. il) he had a stomach ache. iii) he had a headache, b) His wife 1) sympathized with him. ii) scolded him for eating too much. ili) took him to the doctor, ©) Hemant asked his wife to get him i) some coconut water, ii) some lemon juice. iil) a spoon of honey, 2. Answer these questions, Q) According to Hemant, what could cure his pain? b) What happened at noon? ) What did Hemant Say to Mother Goddess when he woke up? - >cannea witn LamScarThink and appreciate ks 1. Do you think Hemant kept his promise? Give reasons for your answer. 2. If you were to give the story another title, what would it be? 3, Write synonyms for these words. a) yelled b) large ¢) gobbled d) witty » . Read this sentence. e ‘lam as healthy as an elephant, said Hemant. The highlighted words in the sentence compare Hemant to an elephant. This comparison is called a simile. What do you think is the use of such comparisons? How does a simile add to a story? - >cannea witn vamScar. nes aro) Spicy ond stil Scanned with CamScanMyriads with beating Hearts of fire That geons Cannot vexor tire; Up the dome of heaven Like a great hill, | watch them marching Stately and still, And | know that | Am honored to be Witness of so much majesty. ‘SARA TEASDALE Know the poet Sara Teasdale (1884-1933) was an American poet, admired for her well-crafted language, full of music and emotion. She won the first Columbia Poetry Prize in 1918, a prize that was later renamed as the Pulitzer Prize for Poetry. | Glossary ' ' | Understand and answer ke Da _ 1. Answer the following. Q) are Poet in a city or in the Countryside? Pick out expressions in the Story that tell you this. ~ Scanned with CarnScarb) The poet Says the pines are ‘spicy’ because— i) she knows what they taste like. ii) she can smell Pine wood burning. lil) she can get the scent of pine wood in the air, ¢) Why does the Poet say that stars have ‘hearts of fire’? d) Pick out lines where the Poet suggests that stars go on forever. ) What feeling is the poet expressing in the last stanza? f) How do you feel when you listen to or read this poem? i) bored li) scared lil) peaceful iv) amazed at the beauty of the night sky Captured in this poem Give a reason for your answer. 2. Find words or expressions in the poem which suggest these— a) the curved appearance of the sky b) an army on the move ¢) royal dignity Think and appreciate 1. The poet loves to gaze at stars in a silent night. Discuss what you would like to do on such a pleasant night. 2. An oxymoron is an expression where two words contradictory in meaning to each other are used in combination. For example, deafening silence. =——$ i@ —WW\scanneowiurcamsScar] the stars are in the last stonza, the poet sau marching - still. Here, hit means ‘withou! means ‘moving ahead’ and ¢ moving’ ymorons in these sentences Underline the ox a) Two chairs were found missing from the c lassroom b) Good gr ief! What an ur © Her mouth wos open inG silent scream when the shodow moved. d) A small crowd gathered around the fallen boy ntidy room! nents were Clearly misunderstood t e) Her stot children. >cannea witn LamScarM by 4 The Skipping Shoes Kitty was a girl who never wanted to do what people asked her. She said ‘I won't’ and ‘I can't’ for everything she was asked, One day, her mother gave her a pair of new shoes. ‘I wish these were seven-leagued boots, like Jack the Giant Killer's. It would be easy to run errands all the time,’ Kitty said, To her surprise, the shoes gave a skip and set her on her feet! That scared some naughtiness out of her. She stood looking at the curious shoes; the bright buttons on them seemed to wink at her like eyes, while the heels tapped out a tune on the floor. Before she took a step, her mother called from thefrom snchen ty. ron ana get si fomatOeS FO the garden please 3 Pt wom to began Ky, wth @ whine ut the words were hardly ut of her mouth when vt Shows whirled her downstairs through the breathless by the time she came back to the kitchen withthe tomatoes "Thanks Kity deer’ Mother sola You wi have time to goto the post office before school and get your father’ lettrs? +cat begon kit but her shoes could! Away went the choes ond Kity out ofthe house and down the street s0 fost thatthe maid could nat catch up with hee ‘cant stop cried Kitty, The shoes dd not let her stop unt she was ot the post office. “What's the hury today? osked the mon, as he saw her ell rosy and breathless. i “Oh, might be lote for schoo!’ Kitty tld the man, ‘Titoke ofthese hortid shoes as soon as | get home. hope they wil go back slowly or people wll think fm crazy Kitty thought to herself, as she took the eters ond went awey, The shoes walked calmly along til she come to the bridge. She wanted to stop there and watch some boys in a boat, forgetting school and her father’s letters. But the shoes wouldn't stop. She held on to “Iwon't wear these horrid things another minute! said Kitty, sitting on the doorstep and trying to unbutton the shoes. kitty struggled hard, getting red and very engry, but not a button could she stir “Time for school un away, title git called her ‘mother, as the clock struck nine. ‘won't said Kitty, crossly, But she had to, for her shoes danced her off ond landed her ot her desk ‘Well, not late That's one comfort? she thought, wishing she could have come leisurely. She wanted to stare at the ducks in the pond and the puppies fon the lawn, Her legs were so tired with the long skips that she was glad to sit stil. This pleased the teacher. for Kitty was a very fidgety gir. At recess she got into trouble again. One of the children knocked down the house of ‘corn-cobs she had built, which made her angry “Now Ii kick yours down and see how you like it, Dorothy." Scanned with CamScanUp went her foot, but it didn't come down. Her foot stayed in the air and she stood there looking as if she were about to dance, ‘The chidren laughed seeing her, but she could do. ‘thing. So she told Dorothy in o great hurry, ‘Never 1 ' ‘mind. If you didn't mean to, Il forgive you ‘aty's foct come down at once. She felt so glad bout it that she tried to be pleasant, fearing new {rouble in those dreadful shoes. Suddenly she got ‘on idea. What if she had power over them? So, when one ofthe child bounced over the he for you, Wily (one nect leap, Kity was over the wall ond back e ‘9901n with the bol fen wanted his ball, which had 'd9@, she said kindly, ‘il get it How could you do t? cried the bor puch surprised None of them could dare to try uch ahigh leap ketty laughed and began 10 dar ‘and proud to find there was @ qood side to the: shoes after all She twirled and taking calcul ing ple steps and airy litle bounds The Intie gits were charmed and tried to imitate her. but no one could and they stood in a circle watching her dence tit the bell rang. Then a of them rushed ato tether teacher about t Kty kept he ite secret about he strange new shoes, hoping to have good tmes now Perhags more adventures awaited Kity Aecge ern Sheping Shs ae ‘by Lowsa Mar Accor know the author Louse May Alcott (152-188) wos on Amerean author known for her ehicrer's book, spay he classic Little Women it was based on recol ions trom, ther own chishood. Glossary ‘errands (noun): shor tips to da er get somthing. expel “forsomeone else wine (verb): give a shril troubled ery ora smi sound borid (adjective): very unpleasant oF untied leisurely (adverb): without hurry fidgety (achectve): restless; making on unnecessary fuss hedge (noun): fence or o boundary formed by @ dense row ‘of shrubs or low trees twiled (verb); revolved rapidly Scanned with CamScana understand and answer ae, _____nderston Tamme blonks wth words or phrasee fo complete the summaru. aft she ays refused wes ct on —— ad ‘One doy, her mother gifted her ‘oher surprise the shoes ‘ogainst her wish. She kitty reached ‘They made her do thought the shoes were. school on time because. In school, the shoes stopped her from Because of the shoes, Kitty behaved —__— Kitty was hoppy thot she could jump She realized that the shoes could 2. Answer the following. (©) What kind of actions ld the shoes stop Kitty from doing? bb) When did Kitty realize her shoes were ‘good’? 3. Some words used in the text have more than one ‘mecning. Read the meanings and identify which ‘mecning matches the use of the word in the text, stir ©)) tomoke or cause to make an especially small ‘movement or change of position ')) to disturb the quiet of «the beor stirred up the bees » circular mover Stirred the crowd> ° cn ‘o mlx dissolve, or make especilly by a continued 1) to call forth (as 0 memory) «stirred thoughts of home: li) 10 cause to take ploce 4) to be active or busy