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Thinking about Poem
How has the tree grow to its full size? List the words suggestive of its life and activity.
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Thinking about Poem
What is the meaning of “bleeding bark”? What makes it bleed?
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Thinking about Poem
The poet says “No” in the beginning of the third stanza. What does he mean by this?
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Thinking about Poem
What is the meaning of “anchoring earth” and “earth cave”?
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Thinking about Poem
What does he mean by “the strength of the tree exposed”?
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Thinking about Poem
What finally kills the tree?
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Thinking about the Poem
What is the snake trying to escape from?
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Thinking about the Poem
Is it a harmful snake? What is its colour?
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Thinking about the Poem
The poet finds the snake beautiful. Find the words he uses to convey its beauty.
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Thinking about the Poem
What does the poet wish for the snake?
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Thinking about the Poem
Where was the snake before anyone saw it and chased it away? Where does the snake
disappear?
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Find out as much as you can about different kinds of snakes (from books in the library, or from the Internet). Are they all poisonous? Find out the names of some poisonous snakes.
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Can you think of any scientists, who have also been statesmen?
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Activity:
Find Dhanuskodi and Rameswaram on the map. What language(s) do you think are spoken there? What languages do you think the author, his family, his friends and his teachers spoke with one another?

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Find the sentences in the text where these words occur:
|
erupt |
surge | trace | undistinguished | casualty |
Look these words up in a dictionary which gives examples of how they are used.
Now answer the following questions.
1. What are the things that can erupt? Use examples to explain the various meanings of erupt. Now do the same for the word surge. What things can surge?
2. What are the meanings of the word trace and which of the meanings is closest to the word in the text?
3. Can you find undistinguished in your dictionary? (If not, look for the word distinguished and say what undistinguished mean.)
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Answer of these question in a short paragraph (about 30 words).
How does the author describe: (i) his father, (ii) his mother, (iii) himself?
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Answer of these question in a short paragraph (about 30 words).
What characteristics does he say he inherited from his parents?
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“On the whole, the small society of Rameswaram was very rigid in terms of the segregation of different social groups,” says the author.
(i) Which social groups does he mention? Were these groups easily identifiable (for example, by the way they dressed)?
(ii) Were they aware only of their differences or did they also naturally share friendships and experiences? (Think of the bedtime stories in Kalam’s house; of who his friends were; and of what used to take place in the pond near his house.)
(iii) The author speaks both of people who were very aware of the differences among them and those who tried to bridge these differences. Can you identify such people in the text?
(iv) Narrate two incidents that show how differences can be created, and also how they can be resolved. How can people change their attitudes?
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- Why did Abdul Kalam want to leave Rameswaram?
- What did his father say to this?
- What do you think his words mean? Why do you think he spoke those words?
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Match the phrases in Column A with their meanings in Column B.
| A | B | ||
| (i) | broke out | (a) | an attitude of kindness, a readiness to give freely |
| (ii) |
in accordance with |
(b) | was not able to tolerate |
| (iii) | a helping hand | (c) | began suddenly in a violent way |
| (iv) | could not stomach | (d) | assistance |
| (v) | generosity of spirit | (e) | persons with power to make decisions |
| (vi) | figures of authority | (f) | according to a particular rule, principle, or system |
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