Advertisements
Advertisements
प्रश्न
Thinking about the Poem
Write the story of ‘A Legend of the Northland’ in about ten sentences.
Advertisements
उत्तर
Once Saint Peter stopped by an old lady’s cottage because he was feeling hungry and weak after the day’s fasting. The lady was baking cakes on the hearth. Since he was weak with fasting, he asked her for a cake from her store of cakes. The selfish lady tried to bake small cakes but each time they seemed too big for her to give away. Finally, she baked one that was as thin as a wafer. Unable to part with it too, she put it on a shelf and did not give any cake to the Saint. Saint Peter was very angry with her behaviour and said she was too selfish to live as a human and have food, shelter and a fire to keep her warm. He punished her by changing her into a woodpecker that would have to build a nest to live in, bore for food in the trunks of trees. Her clothes were burned and she was left with her scarlet cap on her head as she flew out through the chimney. Even today she still lives in the woods and is seen by all the country school boys.
APPEARS IN
संबंधित प्रश्न
While packing the hamper, George and Harris do a number of foolish and funny thing. Tick the statements that are true.
(i) They started with breaking a cup.
(ii) They also broke a plate.
(iii) They squashed a tomato.
(iv) They trod on the butter.
(v) They stepped on a banana.
(vi) They put things behind them, and couldn’t find them.
(vii) They stepped on things.
(viii) They packed the pictures at the bottom and put heavy things on top.
(ix) They upset almost everything.
(x) They were very good at packing.
What do Prashant and other volunteers resist the plan to set up institutions for orphans and widows? What alternatives do they consider?
Look at the following sentences. They each have two clauses, or two parts each with their own subject and verb or verb phrase. Often, one part (italicised) tells us when or why something happened.
• I reached the market when most of the shops had closed. (Tells us when I reached.)
• When Rahul Dravid walked back towards the pavilion, everyone stood up. (Tells us when everyone stood up.)
• The telephone rang and Ganga picked it up. (Tells us what happened next.)
• Gunjan has been with us ever since the school began. (Tells us for how long he has been with us.)
I. Identify the two parts in the sentences below by underlining the part that gives us the information in brackets.
1. Where other girls wore traditional Indian dresses, Santosh preferred shorts.
(Contrasts her dress with that of others)
2. She left home and got herself enrolled in a school in Delhi. (Tells us what happened after the first action.)
3. She decided to fight the system when the right moment arrived. (Tells us when she was going to fight the system.)
4. Little Maria had not yet celebrated her tenth birthday when she was packed off to train in the United States. (Tells us when Maria was sent to the U.S.)
'All right!' you 'll cry.'All right!' you'll say,
'But if we take the set away,
What shall we do to entertain
Our darling children?Please explain!'
We'll answer this by asking you,
'What used the darling ones to do?
'How used they keep themselves contented
Before this monster was invented?'
Have you forgotten? Don't you know?
We'll say it very loud and slow:
THEY ... USED ... TO ... READ! They'd READ and READ,
AND READ and READ, and then proceed
To READ some more. Great Scott! Gadzooks!
One half their lives was reading books!
The nursery shelves held books galore!
Books cluttered up the nursery floor!
And in the bedroom, by the bed,
More books were waiting to be read!
Read the lines given above and answer the question given below.
What should be done to keep the children occupied?
The waves beside them danced, but they
Out-did the sparkling leaves in glee;
A poet could not be but gay,
In such a jocund company!
I gazed-and gazed-but little thought
What wealth the show to me had brought:
Read the lines given above and answer the question that follow.
Which jocund company is the poet referring to ?
Easton, with a little laugh, as if amused, was about to speak again when the other forestalled him. The glum-faced man had been watching the girl’s countenance with veiled glances from his keen, shrewd eyes.
“You’ll excuse me for speaking, miss, but, I see you’re acquainted with the marshall here. If you’ll ask him to speak a word for me when we get to the pen he’ll do it, and it’ll make things easier for me there. He’s taking me to Leavenworth prison. It’s seven years for counterfeiting.”
“Oh!” said the girl, with a deep breath and returning color. “So that is what you are doing out here? A marshal!”
“My dear Miss Fairchild,” said Easton, calmly, “I had to do something. Money has a way of taking wings unto itself, and you know it takes money to keep step with our crowd in Washington. I saw this opening in the West, and—well, a marshalship isn’t quite as high a position as that of ambassador, but—”
Read the extract given below and answer the question that follow.
What is the relationship between Mr. Easton and Ms. Fairchild?
Read the following passage carefully and answer the questions that follow:
Every Monday, on his way back from work, Bipin Chowdhury would drop in at New Market to buy books. He had to buy at least five at a time to last him through the week. He lived alone, was not a good mixer, had few friends, and didn't like spending time in idle chat. Those who called in· the evening got through their business quickly and left. Those who didn't show signs of leaving would be told around eight o'clock by Bipin Babu that he was under doctor's orders to have dinner at eight-thirty. After dinner, he would rest for half an hour and then tum in with a book. This was a routine that had persisted unbroken for years
Today, Bipin Babu had the feeling that someone was observing him from close quarters. He turned around and found himself looking at a round-faced, meek-looking man who now broke into a smile.
"I don't suppose you recognize me." Bipin Babu felt ill at ease. It didn't seem that he had ever encountered this man before. The face seemed quite unfamiliar.
"Have we met before ?" asked Bipin Babu.
The man looked greatly surprised. "We met every day for a whole week. I arranged for a car to take you to the Hudroo falls. My name is Parimal Chose."
"Ranchi?"
Now Bipin Babu realized this man was making a mistake. Bipin Babu had never been to Ranchi. He smiled and said, "Do you know who I am?"
The man raised his eyebrows, and said, "Who doesn't know Bipin Chowdhury ?"
Bipin Babu turned towards the bookshelves and said, "You've to make a mistake. I've never been to Ranchi."
The man now laughed aloud.
"What are you saying, Mr. Chowdhury? You had a fall in Hudroo and cut your right knee. I brought you iodine. I had fixed up a car for you to go to Netarhat the next day, but you couldn't because of the pain in the knee. Can't you recall anything? Someone else you know was also in Ranchi at that time. Mr. Dinesh Mukherjee. You stayed in a bungalow. You said you didn't like hotel food. I'll tell you more; you always carried a bag with your books in it on your sightseeing trips. Am I right or not ?"
Bipin Babu spoke quietly, his eyes still on the books. "Which month in Nineteen fifty-eight are you talking about?"
The man said, "October."
"No, sir," said Bipin Babu. "I spent October Nineteen fifty-eight with a friend in Kanpur. You're making a mistake. Good day."
But the man didn't go, nor did he stop talking.
"Very strange. One evening I had tea with you on the verandah of your bungalow.
You spoke about your family. You said you had no children, and that you had lost your wife a decade ago."
When Bipin Babu had paid for the books and was leaving the shop, the man was still looking at him in utter disbelief.
Bipin Babu's car was safely parked in Bertram Street. He told the driver as he got into the car, "Just drive by the Ganga, will you, Sitaram." Driving up the Strand Road, Bipin Babu regretted having paid so much attention to the intn1der. He had never been to Ranchi. He had an excellent memory.
Unless he was losing his mind!
(a) Give the meaning of the following words as used in the passage.
One word answers or short phrases will be accepted.
(i) persisted (line 7)
(ii) decade (line 38)
(iii) intruder (line 43)
(b) Answer the following questions briefly in your our words:
(i) How did Bipin Chowdhury find time to read five books a week?
(ii) How did he get rid of visitors who stayed late?
(iii) Which sentence tells you that Bipin Babu will uncomfortable?
(iv) What strong argument did Bipin Babu give to prove that he was not in Ranchi at that time?
(v)What does Bipin Babu regret?
(vi) What is Bipin Babu's feelings at the end of the passage?
(c) (i) What memories of the trip does Parimal Ghose evoke to prove that Bipin Babu was indeed in Ranchi? Answer in not more than 60 words.
(ii) Give a title to your summary in 3(c) (i), Give a reason to justify your choice.
The phrases on the left in the following box occur in the text. Match each of them with a phrase on the right.
| (i) an endless stretch of sand | •fertile place with water and plants in a desert |
| (ii) waterless and without shelter | •not visible because the grass is thick |
| (iii) an oasis | •nothing but sand as far as one can see |
| (iv) hidden by a cover of grass | •no water and no shade |
Describe the stranger who came to the pet shop. What did he want?
Answer the following question.
When was the bear tied up with a chain? Why?
“He had the distinction of being the only member of the party to have bagged any game...”The phrase in underlined means
Mark the right answer.
By pressing the red button, Tilloo made the mechanical hand from the spacecraft cease to work.
Find in the poem an antonym (a word opposite in meaning) of the following word.
lost
What did Gopal’s wife think about him?
What does the poet tell you about the world of words? Do you agree with him?
The lane is dark and lonely because __________.
Read the extract given below and answer the questions that follow:
| GRATIANO: O learned judge! – Mark, Jew: a learned judge! SHYLOCK: I take this offer, then; pay the bond thrice, And let the Christian go. |
- Why does Shylock suddenly decide to accept this offer? [2]
- Who has made this offer? Who stops Shylock from accepting this offer? [2]
- Shylock decides to leave the court without even receiving the principal amount. What other crime is he accused of? What further punishment does he face for this crime? [3]
- Later in this scene, how does the Duke show that he is merciful? What does Shylock say in response to the Duke’s act of mercy? [3]
Complete the following sentence by providing a reason:
Towards the end of the poem Birches, the poet expresses a wish to return to Earth because ______.
Complete the following sentence by providing a reason.
In the short story, The Cookie Lady, Mrs. Drew wanted Bubber to keep visiting her because ______.
Tarapada, the central character in the short story, Atithi, is a free soul who cannot be restrained by the bonds of society. Examine this statement in 200-250 words.
