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Why does Ruskin feel that reading the work of a good author is a painstaking task? - English Elective - NCERT

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प्रश्न

Why does Ruskin feel that reading the work of a good author is a painstaking task?

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उत्तर

Ruskin feels that reading the work of a good author is a painstaking task as it is not very easy to get into the meaning of the words that the author has written. He says that one has to be prepared to work like an Australian Miner to understand a good book which is born of wisdom. Just as mining is a very painstaking task, so is reading a good book, according to the author. In other words, the essayist means that one has to go through between the lines to understand the pithy words in the good books. Like an Australian miner, one needs patience and hard work to understand the works of the good authors.

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  क्या इस प्रश्न या उत्तर में कोई त्रुटि है?
अध्याय 3.5: What is a Good Book? - Understanding the text [पृष्ठ १८०]

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एनसीईआरटी English (Elective) - Woven Words
अध्याय 3.5 What is a Good Book?
Understanding the text | Q 3 | पृष्ठ १८०

संबंधित प्रश्न

Read the extract given below and answer the questions that follow:    

...........On their slag heap, these children
Wear skins peeped through by bones and spectacles of steel
With mended glass, life bottle bits on stones. 
(a) Name the poem and the poet.
(b) Explain: 'slag heap'.
(c) What future awaits these children?
(d) Name the figure of speech used in the third line.

You are Smitha/Sunil, Secretary AVM Housing Society. You are going to organize a yoga camp. Write a notice in not more than 50 words, urging the members of your society to come in large numbers to attend the camp. Invent all the necessary details.


Complete the flow-chart : 


In ‘The Diary of a Young Girl’ how did the Franks and others celebrate two festivals, Hanukkah and St.  Nicholas Day in the Annexe ? 


Read the following passage and do the activities:
A1 True or False:
Rewrite the following statements and state whether they are ‘true’ or ‘false’.
(i) Mashelkar’s mother did menial work to bring him up.
(ii) Mashelkar’s father died when he was twelve.
(iii) Mashelkar was born in a very rich family.
(iv) Tatas added much value to Mashelkar’s life. 

I start with my greatest guru-my mother. I was born in a very poor family and my father died when I was six. We moved to Mumbai and my mother did menial work to bring me up. Two meals a day was a tough challenge. I studied under street lights and I walked barefoot until, I think, I was twelve. I remember when I passed the seventh standard and I wanted to go into the eighth standard, our poverty was such that even to secure 21 rupees for secondary school admission became a big challenge. We had to borrow from a lady, who was a housemaid in Chaupati in Mumbai. That was the tough life I had.

In fact, I remember, my passing the SSC Examination-i.e. 11th standard. Those days it used to be not 10th standard or 12th standard but 11th standard. I stood 11th among 1,35,000 but I was about to leave higher education and find a job. What helped me was the scholarship by Sir Dorab Tata Trust. It was just 60 rupees per month and would you believe that 60 rupees per month from Tatas added so much value to my life that I have been able to stand here today before you to speak to you.

 I am on the Board of Tatas now and it is very interesting that the same Bombay House where I used to go to collect that 60 rupees per month now one goes and sits there like a Director on the Board of Tata Motors. The turn that these 40 years have taken is very interesting. It has all been possible because of the chance I got to do higher studies at the insistence of my mother. She gave me the values of my life. She was one of the noblest parents I have met in my life.

So, my greatest guru was my mother. My second guru was Principal Bhave, about whom I made a mention earlier. He taught us Physics. Because it was a poor school, I remember, it had to innovate to convey to the young students the message of Science. 

A2  Complete: 
 Complete the following sentences and write:
(i) Mashelkar was inspired by his greatest guru _______
(ii) Mashelkar studied under _______
(iii) Principal Bhave taught _______
(iv) The scholarship by _______ Trust helped him in higher education. 

A3 Find the meaning:
Choose the appropriate meaning of the underlined words from the given alternatives:
(i)
We moved to Mumbai and my mother did menial work.
(a) skilled
(b) hard
(c) unskilled
(d) of low status

(ii) Because it was a poor school, it had to innovate to convey to the young students the message of science.
(a) do a cheap experiment
(b) introduce new things
(c) avoid
(d) try hard

(iii) I got to do higher studies at the insistence of my mother.
(a) firm saying
(b) being inspired
(c) being inspected
(d) being instigated 

(iv) That was the tough life I had.
(a) difficult
(b) soft
(c) cheap
(d) simple 

A4  Match:
Match the following sentences with their tags: 

  'A'   'B'
(i) I stood 11th 
 among 1,35,000 
(a) aren’t I? 
(ii) I am on the Board of Tatas  (b)  didn’t we? 
(iii) It was a poor school  (c) didn’t I? 
(iv) We moved to Mumbai  (d)  wasn’t it? 

A5  Personal Response: 
 “Mother is the greatest Guru.” Discuss.


Read the following passage carefully and complete the activities given below :
A.1) Complete the web :
Write the words from the passage on the web. 

          We saw small bits of grass peeping through the small cracks in concrete pavement. It left us thinking: however impossible things may look, there is always an opening…………
             We saw a tree bare of all leaves in the cold winter months. We thought its chapter was over. But three months passed, spring set in and the tree was back to its green majesty once again, full of leaves, flowers, birds, and life. What if we too had the conviction that, however difficult things are right now, it will not remain so forever. Remember, this too shall pass.
             We saw an army of ants lugging a fly which was at least ten times the ant’s size. The ants organized themselves around the fly, lifted it on frail feelers and carried it to quite a distance. Their teamwork and perseverance were impressive. What if we too are consistent, organized, focused ……… Spider webs are delicate, yet very strong. A rainbow colors the entire sky. Oysters take in a grain of sand they open up with a pearl. Innumerable stars shine across the infinite sky. Clouds take new shapes with every passing moment. The wind makes trees dance with unhindered passion. Water, without a hint of ego, changes its form according to the dictates of the sun and the wind. When we see a caterpillar turn into a butterfly, a flower turns into a fruit, we experience the alchemy of nature ………. We touch it and become gold ourselves.

A.2)  Finding meanings :
Write what you mean by :
(i) _______ there is always an opening.
(ii) _______ its chapter was over.
(iii) _______ the tree was back to its green majesty.
(iv) _______ this too shall pass. 

A.3) Matching :
Match the words in Column ‘A’ with their synonyms in Column ‘B’: 

  Column 'A'   Column'B"
(i) conviction  (a) strong feeling 
(ii) alchemy (b) delicate
(iii) frail  (c) mysterious/magical power 
(iv) passion  (d) strong belief 


A.4) Language study : 
Rewrite the sentence using the correct question tag given in the brackets :
(i)
Water changes its form. (does it?, do it?, do they?, doesn’t it)
(ii) However impossible things may look, there is always an opening. (Rewrite using ‘but’) 

A.5)  Personal Response :
Nature is the best teacher. Explain. 


Briefly comment on:
The purpose of the author’s journey to Mount Kailash.


Tick the item that is closest in meaning to the following phrase.

to take issue with


The school system often curbs individual talents. Discuss.


There lies a great difference between text book medicine and the world of practising physician. Discuss.


How do the words in bold, in the lines below, illustrate the poet’s ability to convey criticism cryptically?
Our meddling intellect
Misshapes the beauteous forms of things:
We murder to dissect.


The following two common words are used in a different sense in the poem. Guess what they mean

bark compass

Why is the poem entitled 'Hawk Roosting'?


Read the extract and state whether the following statement is true or false. Correct the false statement.

The author wanted to grow the desi variety of rice.


Write down any two Slogans on 'Gender Equality'.


The mother was working, when the Swallow brought the yellow jewel.


Answer the given question in your own words.

What message do you get from this story?


Pick out the statements which aptly depict the theme of the poem.

  1. In the poem, the speaker memorises the past.
  2. In ‘The Planners’ the poet describes the unstoppable force of modernisation.
  3. The poet talks about the replacement of natural environment by the concrete jungle.
  4. The poet proposes to stop modernisation.
  5. The poet laments helplessly.

Answer the following question in short.

On what condition did Tenali Raman agree to take up the challenge?


Find at least two things from the poem that show the following:

It is the early morning.


Read the following sentence carefully and choose the correct meaning.

Fine feathers don’t make fine birds.


Describe the following with the help of the story.

The fabric is woven by Thiruvalluvar


There are some dialogues that are short, but quite effective. They give us enjoyment and add beauty to the main story. Find some more from the text.


Find sentences from the play related to the given points.

The tension between different loyalties

  1. It’s little we get but abuse from the people, and no choice but to obey our orders.
  2. ________________________________
  3. ________________________________
  4. ________________________________

Select the correct options :

A Midsummer-Night’s Dream is a ___________________.

  1. poetic drama
  2. comedy of errors
  3. a comedy based on fantasy
  4. a character play
  5. a revenge tragedy
  6. belongs to realm of dreams

Explain the following statement with reference to the context.

From now on The Herald shall be my artillery.


Explain the following statement with reference to the context.

You ought to be ashamed of yourself.


Portia saved Antonio in the court of law.


Read the following chains of words:

  • fortune - fortunate - fortunately - unfortunately 
  • know - knowing - knowingly - unknowingly
  • amaze - amazing - amazingly
  • possible - impossible - impossibly

Complete the following table.

No. Utterance Who said it To whom When
(a) I touched it in the hall at the ministry. ___________ ___________ ___________
(b) It will give us time to look some more. ___________ ___________ ___________
(c) I might have needed it. ___________ ___________ ___________
(d) You must have made a mistake. ___________ ___________ ___________
(e) Well, I lost it. ___________ ___________ ___________
(f) Mine was an imitation. ___________ ___________  ___________

Talk about your favourite season. (A one-minute activity.)


This story takes an unexpected turn when the lion decides to spare the camel’s life. Choose any fable, a story that you like, and rewrite it giving it an unexpected turn.


The following thing is mentioned in the poem.
Classify it as a happy and sad thing. 

flowers - falling leaves 


In what way can we help to reduce or minimize waste generation?
Discuss the issue in groups of 4 or 5 and note down all good suggestions.
Resolve to follow them yourself. Some have been given below for your reference.

  • Don’t waste food.
  • Take as much as you want but finish everything that’s on your plate.
  • Don’t throw away broken or half-used things. Repair them and use them.
  • Avoid things which can be used only once.
    For example: thermocol (polysterene) cups, plastic glasses, etc.
  • Reuse!
  • Recycle!

Write what the poet is doing. 
Does the poet like the experience? 
Write the line which tells us about it.


__________________was the chief of all spirits


What was the grandfather wearing?


We should develop the ability to learn from______

  1. self
  2. others
  3. books

soft vain fear joy love heard toiled mild good sand life harsh

The ______, the______, which it may bring.


Role play

Put students in pairs to role-play a conversation between:

  • Alice and her sister.
  • Alice and White Rabbit.

Read Section – III (para 1 and 4) and answer the following questions.

Paragraph 1

1. Who listened to the chipping sound of the chisel? ______

2. Who was working with the hammer and chisel? ______

Paragraph 4

1. Who was staring? ______

2. Who was the young stone carver? ______

3. What was he working on? ______


Vasantha could not see the rescue operation because ______


Complete the sentence given below with word/phrase.

The buffalo ______ in the hole.


What did Nilavan see through the window?


Why do the soldiers (people) die? When will it stop?


_______ broke out in the near by villages.


How does it welcome all?


Look at the picture and tick Choose the correct word.


Parents never let us get ______.


How does a friend support us?


Do you like this kind of world?


Name the things that good merchant offered for the plate


Name the animal and sound it makes.


What did his mother say in his dream?


A person who overcomes problems, will get ______ at the end.


Write the correct word.

 

rooster, king, hen, tiger, queen, tigress.


How did the tree help the boy earn money?


Why did the animals think that the jackal was a king?


What should parents do to ensure cyber safety for their wards? (Any three points)


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