Advertisements
Advertisements
प्रश्न
Complete the following sentence by providing a reason.
In the short story, Atithi, Motilal Babu and Annapurna choose Tarapada as a prospective groom for their daughter because ______.
Advertisements
उत्तर
In the short story, Atithi, Motilal Babu and Annapurna choose Tarapada as a prospective groom for their daughter because they want to temper Charusashi’s wild nature/she was their only daughter and so would be able to stay with them even after marriage.
APPEARS IN
संबंधित प्रश्न
Answer of these question in a short paragraph (about 30 words).
What had once happened to Tommy’s teacher?
Now, read the play.
List of Characters.
Julliette - The owner of the villa
Maid - Juliette’s maid
Gaston - A shrewd businessman
Jeanne - His young wife
Mrs Al Smith - A rich American lady
Maid: Won't Madame be sorry?
Juliette: Not at all. Mind you, if someone had bought it on the very day I placed it for sale, then I might have felt sorry because I would have wondered if I hadn't been a fool to sell at all. But the sign has been hanging on the gate for over a month now and I am beginning to be afraid that the day I bought it, was when I was the real fool.
Maid: All the same, Madame, when they brought you the 'For Sale' sign, you wouldn't let them put it up. You waited until it was night. Then you went and hung it yourself, Madame.
Juliette: I know! You see, I thought that as they could not read it in the dark, the house would belong to me for one more night. I was so sure that the next day the entire world would be fighting to purchase it. For the first week, I was annoyed every time I passed that 'Villa for Sale' sign. The neighbours seemed to look at me in such a strange kind of way that I began to think the whole thing was going to be much more of a sell than a sale. That was a month ago and now, I have only one thought, that is to get the wretched place off my hands. I would sacrifice it at any price. One hundred thousand francs if necessary and that's only twice what it cost me. I thought, I would get two hundred thousand but I suppose I must cut my loss. Besides, in the past two weeks, four people almost bought it, so I have begun to feel as though it no longer belongs to me. Oh! I'm fed up with the place, because nobody really wants it! What time did those agency people say the lady would call?
Maid: Between four and five, Madame.
Juliette: Then we must wait for her.
Maid: It was a nice little place for you to spend the weekends, Madame.
Juliette: Yes . . . but times are hard and business is as bad as it can be.
Maid: In that case, Madame, is it a good time to sell?
Juliette: No, perhaps not. But still. . . there are moments in life when it's the right time to buy, but it's never the right time to sell. For fifteen years everybody has had money at the same time and nobody wanted to sell. Now nobody has any money and nobody wants to buy. But still. .. even so ... it would be funny if I couldn't manage to sell a place here, a stone's throw from Joinville, the French Hollywood, when all I'm asking is a paltry hundred thousand!
Maid: That reminds me, there is a favour I want to ask you, Madame.
Juliette: Yes, what is it my girl?
Maid: Will you be kind enough to let me off between nine and noon tomorrow morning?
Juliette: From nine till noon?
Maid: They have asked me to play in a film at the Joinville Studio.
Juliette: You are going to act for the cinema?
Maid: Yes, Madame.
Juliette: What kind of part are you going to play?
Maid: A maid, Madame. They prefer the real article. They say maids are born; maids not made maids. They are giving me a hundred francs a morning for doing it.
Juliette: One hundred francs!
Maid: Yes, Madame. And as you only pay me four hundred a month, I can't very well refuse, can I, Madame?
Juliette: A hundred francs! It's unbelievable!
Maid: Will you permit me, Madame, to tell you something I've suddenly thought of?
Juliette: What?
Maid: They want a cook in the film as well. They asked me if I knew of anybody suitable. You said just now, Madame, that times were hard. ... Would you like me to get you the engagement?
Juliette: What?
Maid: Every little helps, Madame. Especially, Madame, as you have such a funny face.
Juliette: Thank you.
Maid (taking no notice). They might take you on for eight days, Madame. That would mean
eight hundred francs. It's really money for nothing. You would only have to peel
potatoes one minute and make an omlette the next, quite easy. I could show you
how to do it, Madame.
Juliette: But how kind of you. ... Thank God I'm not quite so hard up as that yet!
Maid: Oh, Madame, I hope you are not angry with me ?
Juliette: Not in the least.
Maid: You see, Madame, film acting is rather looked up to round here. Everybody wants to do it. Yesterday the butcher didn't open his shop, he was being shot all the morning. Today, nobody could find the four policemen, they were taking part in Monsieur Milton's fight scene in his new film. Nobody thinks about anything else round here now. You see, they pay so well. The manager is offering a thousand francs for a real beggar who has had nothing to eat for two days. Some people have all the luck! Think it over, Madame.
Juliette: Thanks, I will.
Maid: If you would go and see them with your hair slicked back the way you do when you are dressing, Madame, I am sure they would engage you right away. Because really, Madame, you look too comical!
Juliette: Thank you! (The bell rings.) I am going upstairs for a moment. If that is the lady, tell
her I will not be long. It won't do to give her the impression that I am waiting for her.
Maid: Very good, Madame. (Exit JULIETTE, as she runs off to open the front door.) Oh, if I could become a Greta Garbo! Why can't I? Oh! (Voices heard off, a second later, the MAID returns showing in GASTON and JEANNE.)
Maid: If you will be kind enough to sit down, I will tell Madame you are here.
Jeanne: Thank you.
(Exit MAID)
Gaston: And they call that a garden! Why, it's a yard with a patch of grass in the middle!
Jeanne: But the inside of the house seems very nice, Gaston.
Gaston: Twenty-five yards of Cretonne and a dash of paint… you can get that anywhere.
Jeanne: That's not fair. Wait until you've seen the rest of it.
Gaston: Why should I? I don't want to see the kitchen to know that the garden is a myth and that the salon is impossible.
Jeanne: What's the matter with it?
Gaston: Matter? Why, you can't even call it a salon.
Jeanne: Perhaps there is another.
Gaston: Never mind the other. I'm talking about this one.
Jeanne: We could do something very original with it.
Gaston: Yes, make it an annex to the garden.
Jeanne: No, but a kind of study.
Gaston: A study? Good Lord! You're not thinking of going in for studying are you?
Jeanne: Don't be silly! You know perfectly well what a modern study is. Gaston: No, I don't.
Jeanne: Well . .. er.. . it's a place where . .. where one gathers . ..
Gaston: Where one gathers what?
Jeanne: Don't be aggravating, please! If you don't want the house, tell me so at once and we'll say no more about it.
Gaston: I told you before we crossed the road that I didn't want it. As soon as you see a sign 'Villa for Sale', you have to go inside and be shown over it.
Jeanne: But we are buying a villa, aren't we?
Gaston: We are not!
Jeanne: What do you mean, 'We are not'? Then we're not looking for a villa?
Gaston: Certainly not. It's just an idea you've had stuck in your head for the past month.
Jeanne: But we've talked about nothing else....
Gaston: You mean, you've talked about nothing else. I've never talked about it. You see, you've talked about it so much, that you thought that we are talking. . .. You haven't even noticed that I've never joined in the conversation. If you say that you are looking for a villa, then that's different!
Jeanne: Well... at any rate . . . whether I'm looking for it or we're looking for it, the one thingthat matters anyway is that I'm looking for it for us!
Gaston: It's not for us . . . it's for your parents. You are simply trying to make me buy a villa so that you can put your father and your mother in it. You see, I know you. If you got what you want, do you realize what would happen? We would spend the month of August in the villa, but your parents would take possession of it every year from the beginning of April until the end of September. What's more, they would bring the whole tribe of your sister's children with them. No! I am very fond of your family, but not quite so fond as that.
Jeanne: Then why have you been looking over villas for the past week?
Gaston: I have not been looking over them, you have, and it bores me.
Jeanne: Well...
Gaston: Well what?
Jeanne: Then stop being bored and buy one. That will finish it. We won't talk about it any
more.
Gaston: Exactly!
Jeanne: As far as that goes, what of it? Suppose I do want to buy a villa for papa and mamma? What of it?
Gaston: My darling. I quite admit that you want to buy a villa for your father and mother. But
please admit on your side that I don't want to pay for it.
Jeanne: There's my dowry.
Gaston: Your dowry! My poor child, we have spent that long ago.
Jeanne: But since then you have made a fortune.
Gaston: Quite so. I have, but you haven't. Anyway, there's no use discussing it. I will not buy a villa and that ends it.
Jeanne: Then it wasn't worth while coming in.
Gaston: That's exactly what I told you at the door.
Jeanne: In that case, let's go.
Gaston: By all means.
Jeanne: What on earth will the lady think of us.
Gaston: I have never cared much about anybody's opinion. Come along. (He takes his hat and goes towards the door. At this moment JULIETTE enters.)
Juliette: Good afternoon, Madame... Monsieur....
Jeanne: How do you do, Madame?
Gaston: Good day.
Juliette: Won't you sit down? (All three of them sit.) Is your first impression a good one?
Jeanne: Excellent.
Juliette: I am not in the least surprised. It is the most delightful little place. Its appearance is modest, but it has a charm of its own. I can tell by just looking at you that it would suit you admirably, as you suit it, if you will permit me to say so. Coming from me, it may surprise you to hear that you already appear to be at home. The choice of a frame is not so easy when you have such a delightful pastel to place in it. (She naturally indicates JEANNE who is flattered.) The house possesses a great many advantages. Electricity, gas, water, telephone, and drainage. The bathroom is beautifully fitted and the roof was entirely repaired last year.
Jeanne: Oh, that is very important, isn't it, darling?
Gaston: For whom?
Juliette: The garden is not very large . . . it's not long and it's not wide, but…
Gaston: But my word, it is high!
Juliette: That's not exactly what I meant. Your husband is very witty, Madame. As I was saying, the garden is not very large, but you see, it is surrounded by other gardens. . . .
Gaston: On the principle of people who like children and haven't any, can always go and live near a school.
Jeanne: Please don't joke, Gaston. What this lady says is perfectly right. Will you tell me, Madame, what price you are asking for the villa?
Juliette: Well, you see, I must admit, quite frankly, that I don't want to sell it any more.
Gaston : (rising) Then there's nothing further to be said about it.
Juliette: Please, I...
Jeanne: Let Madame finish, my dear.
Juliette: Thank you. I was going to say that for exceptional people like you, I don't mind giving it up. One arranges a house in accordance with one's own tastes - if you understand what I mean - to suit oneself, as it were - so one would not like to think that ordinary people had come to live in it. But to you, I can see with perfect assurance, I agree. Yes, I will sell it to you.
Jeanne: It's extremely kind of you.
Gaston: Extremely. Yes ... but ...er… what's the price, Madame?
Juliette: You will never believe it...
Gaston: I believe in God and so you see ...
Juliette: Entirely furnished with all the fixtures, just as it is, with the exception of that one
little picture signed by Carot. I don't know if you have ever heard of that painter,
have you ?
Gaston: No, never.
Juliette: Neither have I. But I like the colour and I want to keep it, if you don't mind. For the villa itself, just as it stands, two hundred and fifty thousand francs. I repeat, that I would much rather dispose of it at less than its value to people like yourselves, than to give it up, even for more money, to someone whom I didn't like. The price must seem...
Gaston: Decidedly excessive....
Juliette: Oh, no!
Gaston: Oh, yes, Madame.
Juliette: Well, really, I must say I'm.. Quite so, life is full of surprises, isn't it?
Juliette: You think it dear at two hundred and fifty thousand? Very well, I can't be fairer than this, Make me an offer.
Gaston: If I did, it would be much less than that.
Juliette: Make it anyway.
Gaston: It's very awkward ... I... Jeanne. Name some figures, darling .., just to please me.
Gaston: Well I hardly know ... sixty thousand....
Jeanne: Oh!
Juliette: Oh!
Gaston: What do you mean by 'Oh!'? It isn't worth more than that to me.
Juliette: I give you my word of honour, Monsieur, I cannot let it go for less than two hundred thousand.
Gaston: You have perfect right to do as you please, Madame.
Juliette: I tell you what I will do. I will be philanthropic and let you have it for two hundred thousand.
Gaston: And I will be equally good-natured and let you keep it for the same price.
Juliette: In that case, there is nothing more to be said, Monsieur.
Gaston: Good day, Madame.
Jeanne: One minute, darling. Before you definitely decide, I would love you to go over the upper floor with me.
Juliette: I will show it to you with the greatest pleasure. This way, Madame. This way, Monsieur. . .
Gaston: No, thank you . . . really... I have made up my mind and I'm not very fond of
climbing stairs.
Juliette: Just as you wish, Monsieur. (To JEANNE.) Shall I lead the way?
Jeanne: If you please, Madame.
(Exit JULIETTE)
Jeanne (to her husband): You're not over-polite, are you?
Gaston: Oh, my darling! For Heaven's sake, stop worrying me about this shanty. Go and
examine the bathroom and come back quickly.
(Exit JEANNE following JULIETTE)
Gaston (to himself): Two hundred thousand for a few yards of land . . . She must be thinking I'm crazy. . . . (The door bell rings and, a moment later, the MAID re-enters showing in Mrs Al Smith)
Maid: If Madame would be kind enough to come in. Mrs Al Smith: See here, now I tell you I'm in a hurry. How much do they want for this house?
Maid: I don't know anything about it, Madame. Mrs Al Smith: To start off with, why isn't the price marked on the signboard? You French people have a cute way of doing business! You go and tell your boss that if he doesn't come right away, I'm going. I haven't any time to waste. Any hold up makes me sick when I want something. (MAID goes out.) Oh, you're the husband, I suppose. Good afternoon. Do you speak American?
Gaston: Sure . . . You betcha. Mrs Al Smith: That goes by me. How much for this house?
Gaston: How much?... Well... Won't you sit down? Mrs Al Smith: I do things standing up.
Gaston: Oh! Do you? Mrs Al Smith: Yes! Where's your wife?
Gaston: My wife? Oh, she's upstairs. Mrs Al Smith: Well, she can stay there. Unless you have to consult her before you make a sale?
Gaston: Me? Not on your life! Mrs Al Smith: You are an exception. Frenchmen usually have to consult about ten people before they get a move on. Listen! Do you or don't you want to sell
this house?
Gaston: I? ... Oh, I'd love to! Mrs Al Smith: Then what about it? I haven't more than five minutes to spare.
Gaston: Sit down for three of them anyway. To begin with, this villa was built by my
grandfather...
Mrs Al Smith: I don't care a darn about your grandfather!
Gaston: Neither do I. ... But I must tell you that... er...
Mrs Al Smith: Listen, just tell me the price.
Gaston: Let me explain that... Mrs Al Smith: No!
Gaston: We have electricity, gas, telephone...
Mrs Al Smith: I don't care! What's the price?
Gaston: But you must go over the house...
Mrs Al Smith: No!... I want to knock it down and build a bungalow here.
Gaston: Oh, I see!
Mrs Al Smith: Yep! It's the land I want. I have to be near Paramount where I'm going to shoot some films.
Gaston: Oh!
Mrs Al Smith: Yep. You see I'm a big star.
Gaston: Not really?
Mrs Al Smith: (amiably): Yes! How do you do? Well now, how much?
Gaston: Now let's see. ... In that case, entirely furnished, with the exception of that little picture by an unknown artist ... it belonged to my grandfather and I want to keep it. ...
Mrs Al Smith: Say! You do love your grandparents in Europe!
Gaston: We have had them for such a long time!
Mrs Al Smith: You folk are queer. You think about the past all the time. We always think about the future.
Gaston: Everybody thinks about what he's got.
Mrs Al Smith: What a pity you don't try and copy us more.
Gaston: Copies are not always good. We could only imitate you and imitations are no better than parodies. We are so different. Think of it.... Europeans go to America to earn money and Americans come to Europe to spend it.
Mrs Al Smith: Just the same, you ought to learn how to do business
Gaston: We are learning now. We are practising...
Mrs Al Smith: Well then, how much?
Gaston: The house! Let me see. ... I should say three hundred thousand francs. . . . The same for everybody, you know. Even though you are an American, I wouldn't dream of raising the price.
Mrs Al Smith: Treat me the same as anybody. Then you say it is three hundred thousand?
Gaston (to himself): Since you are dear bought - I will love you dear.
Mrs Al Smith: Say you, what do you take me for?
Gaston: Sorry. That's Shakespeare. ... I mean cash. . ,
Mrs Al Smith: Now I get you . . . cash down! Say! You're coming on. (She takes her cheque book from her bag.)
Gaston (fumbling in a drawer): Wait... I never know where they put my pen and ink...
Mrs Al Smith: Let me tell you something, you'd better buy yourself a fountain pen with the money you get for the villa. What date is it today?
Gaston: The twenty- fourth.
Mrs Al Smith: You can fill in your name on the cheque yourself. I live at the Ritz Hotel., Place Vendome. My lawyer is...
Gaston: Who ...?
Mrs Al Smith: Exactly!
Gaston: What?
Mrs Al Smith: My lawyer is Mr. Who, 5, Rue Cambon. He will get in touch
with yours about the rest of the transaction. Good-bye.
Gaston: Good-bye.
Mrs. Al Smith: When are you leaving?
Gaston: Well...er ... I don't quite know . . . whenever you like.
Mrs. Al Smith: Make it tomorrow and my architect can come on Thursday. Good-bye. I'm
delighted.
Gaston: Delighted to hear it, Madame. (She goes and he looks at the cheque.) It's a very good thing in business when everyone is delighted! (At that moment, JEANNE and JULIETTE return)
Gaston: Well?
Jeanne: Well... of course ...it's very charming. ...
Juliette: Of course, as I told you, it's not a large place. I warned you. There are two large bedrooms and one small one.
Gaston: Well now! That's something.
Jeanne : (to her husband). You are quite right, darling. I'm afraid it would not be suitable. Thank you, Madame, we need not keep you any longer.
Juliette: Oh, that's quite alright.
Gaston: Just a moment, just a moment, my dear. You say there are two large bedrooms and a small one....
Juliette: Yes, and two servants' rooms.
Gaston: Oh! There are two servants' rooms in addition, are there?
Juliette: Yes.
Gaston: But that's excellent!
Juliette: Gaston, stop joking!
Gaston: And the bathroom? What's that like?
Juliette: Perfect! There's a bath in it. ...
Gaston: Oh, there's a bath in the bathroom, is there?
Juliette: Of course there is!
Gaston: It's all very important. A bathroom with a bath in it. Bedrooms, two large and one small, two servants' rooms and a garden. It's really possible. While you were upstairs, I have been thinking a lot about your papa and mamma. You see, I am really unselfish, and then the rooms for your sister's children. . . . Also, my dear, I've been thinking . . . and this is serious... about our old age. . . . It's bound to come sooner or later and the natural desire of old age is a quiet country life. . . . (To JULIETTE:) You said two hundred thousand, didn't you?
Jeanne: What on earth are you driving at?
Gaston: Just trying to please you, darling.
Juliette: Yes, two hundred thousand is my lowest. Cash, of course.
Gaston: Well, that's fixed. I won't argue about it. (He takes out his cheque book.)
Juliette: But there are so many things to be discussed before…
Gaston: Not at all. Only one thing. As I am not arguing about the price, as I'm not bargaining with you . . . well, you must be nice to me, you must allow me to keep this little picture which has kept me company while you and my wife went upstairs.
Juliette: It's not a question of value...
Gaston: Certainly not . . . just as a souvenir...
Juliette: Very well, you may keep it.
Gaston: Thank you, Madame. Will you give me a receipt, please? Our lawyers will draw up the details of the sale. Please fill in your name. . . . Let us see, it's the twenty-third, isn't it?
Juliette: No, the twenty-fourth. . . .
Gaston: What does it matter? One day more or less. (She signs the receipt and exchanges it for his cheque.) Splendid!
Juliette: Thank you, Monsieur.
Gaston: Here is my card. Good-bye, Madame. Oh, by the way, you will be kind enough to leave tomorrow morning, won't you.
Juliette: Tomorrow! So soon?
Gaston: Well, say tomorrow evening at the latest.
Juliette: Yes, I can manage that. Good-bye Madame.
Jeanne: Good day, Madame.
Gaston: I'll take my little picture with me, if you don't mind? (He unhooks it.) Just a beautiful souvenir, you know. .
Juliette: Very well. I'll show you the garden, on the way out.
(Exit JULIETTE)
Jeanne: What on earth have you done?
Gaston: I? I made a hundred thousand francs and a Carot!
Jeanne: But how?
Gaston: I'll tell you later.
CURTAIN
About the Author
Sacha Guitry (1885-1957) son of a French actor, was born in St. Petersburg (Later
Leningrad) which accounts for his Russian first name. Given his father's profession,
he became a writer of plays and films. Some of his own experiences with people
engaged in film production may be reflected in Villa for Sale.
Guitry was clever, irrepressible and a constant source of amusement. He claimed that
he staged a 'one-man revolt' against the dismal French theatre of his time. He was
equally successful on screen and stage. Besides being a talented author and actor, he
earned recognition as a highly competent producer and director.
What does he plant who plants a tree?
He plants, in sap and leaf and wood,
In love of home and loyalty
And far-cast thought of civic good____
His blessing on the neighbourhood,
Who in the hollow of his hand
Holds all the growth of all our land____
A nation's growth from sea to sea
Stirs in his heart who plants a tree.
Read the lines given above and answer the question that follow:
Does the man plant a tree because of his love of society and his nation?
The next man looking 'cross the way
Saw one not of his church
And Couldn't bring himself to give
The fire his stick of birch.
The third one sat in tattered clothes.
He gave his coat a hitch.
Why should his log be put to use
To warm the idle rich?
The rich man just sat back and thought
of the wealth he had in store
And how to keep what he had earned
From the lazy shiftless poor.
Read the lines given above and answer the question that follow.
Why did the rich man refuse to use his stick of wood?
Continuous as the stars that shine
And twinkle on the milky way,
They stretched in never-ending line
Along the margin of a bay:
Ten thousand saw I at a glance,
Tossing their heads in springhtly dance.
Read the lines given above and answer the question that follow.
What were the daffodils doing? Which literary device is used here?
It was my business to cross the bridge, explore the bridge head 3 beyond and find out to what point the enemy had advanced. I did this and returned over the bridge. There were not so many carts now and very few people on foot, but the old man was still there.’’Where do you come from?” I asked him.
“From San Carlos,” he said, and smiled.
That was his native town and so it gave him pleasure to mention it and he smiled.
“I was taking care of animals,” he explained.
“Oh,” I said, not quite understanding.
“Yes,” he said, “I stayed, you see, taking care of animals. I was the last one to leave the town of San Carlos.”
He did not look like a shepherd nor a herdsman and I looked at his black dusty clothes and his gray dusty face and his steel rimmed spectacles and said, “What animals were they?”
“Various animals,” he said, and shook his head. “I had to leave them.”
Read the extract given below and answer the question that follow.
What did the narrator see on the bridge when he returned?
The women came out on the shore, and made for the stepping—?stones. They had plenty to laugh and bicker about, as they approached the river in a noisy crowd. They girded up their skirts, so as to jump from stone to stone, and they clanked their sickles and forks together over their shoulders to have ease of movement. They shouted their quarrels above the gush of the river. Noise frightens crocodiles. The big mugger did not move, and all the women crossed in safety to the other bank. Here they had to climb a steep hillside to get at the grass, but all fell to with a will, and sliced away at it wherever there was foothold to be had. Down below them ran the broad river, pouring powerfully out from its deep narrow pools among the cold cliffs and shadows, spreading into warm shallows, lit by kingfishers. Great turtles lived there, and mahseer weighing more than a hundred pounds. Crocodiles too. Sometimes you could see them lying out on those slabs of clay over there, but there were none to be seen at the moment.
Read the extract given below and answer the question that follow.
What did the women carry?
It was the summer of 1936. The Olympic Games were being held in Berlin. Because Adolf Hitler childishly insisted that his performers were members of a “master race,” nationalistic feelings were at an all-time high.
I wasn’t too worried about all this. I’d trained, sweated and disciplined myself for six years, with the Games in mind. While I was going over on the boat, all I could think about was taking home one or two of those gold medals. I had my eyes especially on the running broad jump. A year before, as a sophomore at the Ohio State, I’d set the world’s record of 26 feet 8 1/4 inches. Nearly everyone expected me to win this event.
Read the extract given below and answer the question that follow.
Why was Owens expected to win the gold medal in the Long Jump hands down?
Read the extract given below and answer the questions that follow:
Lady Adela: Oh! Charlie, he did look so exactly as if he’d sold me a carpet when I was paying him.
Winsor: [changing into slippers] His father did sell carpets, wholesale, in the City.
Lady Adela: Really? And you say I haven’t intuition! [With a finger on her lips] Morison’s in there.
Winsor: [Motioning towards the door, which she shuts] Ronny Dancy took a tenner off him, anyway, before dinner.
(i) How did Dancy take a ‘tenner’ from De Levis?
How does De Levis later connect this trick with the theft?
(ii) Why, according to Lady Adela, did Dancy leave the army? Why does she call him reckless?
(iii) Where had De Levis kept the money which was stolen? Where had he gone after keeping the money? How much did he lose?
(iv) Why is Winsor outraged when De Levis says he had locked his door? What was the height of the room from the ground? How do they know that the thief did not use a ladder to climb up to De Levis’ room?
(v) How does General Canynge react when De Levis first accuses Dancy of committing the theft? What is your opinion of De Levis?
Give one reason to justify your answer.
Read the extract given below and answer the questions that follow:
Where the mind is without fear and the head is held high
Where knowledge is free
Where the world has not been broken up into fragments
By narrow domestic walls (Where the Mind is Without Fear: Rabindranath Tagore)
(i) To whom is the poet praying? Whose mind is the poet referring to at the beginning of the poem? Why?
(ii) In which situation is the lead held high? What does he mean by 'knowledge is free'? What are 'narrow domestic walls'?
(iii) What does the poet mean by 'tireless striving'? What does 'clear stream' refer to? Explain.
(iv) What is meant by 'dead habit'? What is 'dead habits' compared to and why?
(v) What does ti» poet wish for al the end ~f the poem? What does tl1e poem tell the readers about the poet? Give a reason to justify yow· answer.
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.
Complete the following poem with words from the box below. Then recite the poem.
Soldiers live in barracks
And birds in ———————,
Much like a snake that rests
In a ———————. No horse is able
To sleep except in a ———————.
And a dog lives well,
Mind you, only in a ———————.
To say ‘hi’ to an ant, if you will,
You may have to climb an ———————.
| hole | kennel | nests | anthill | atable |
Where did Mr Gessler live?
Mention the year when the cricket rules were written for the first time
The cook loved the bear like her own son. Justify.
What was the problem of the two shoppers? What were they going to try?
What does walking by dragging feet suggest?
Comment on the tone of the speaker when he says, “Trees are for no shade in winters.”
Describe the tone in which the narrator’s father dismissed his wife’s warnings every single time.
What lesson does the young child narrator learn from his mother?
Is it good to play with snakes which are not very dangerous?
Fill in the blank in the sentence below with the words or phrases from the box. (You may not know the meaning of all the words. Look such words up in a dictionary, or ask your teacher.)
I started early to be on time, but I was ______. There was a traffic jam!
Answer the following question:
How did she become an astronaut? What gave her the idea that she could be an astronaut?
Complete the following sentence.
The young boy spent his afternoons in the tree ________.
Match the sentences under I with those under II.
| I | II |
|
1. Jumman and Algu were the best of friends. |
1. He believed that his friend would never go against him. 2. She wanted justice. 3. In the absence of one, the other took care of his family. 4. The condition was that he would be responsible for her welfare. 5. The bond of friendship between him and Jumman was very strong. |
Replace the italicised portion of the sentence below with a suitable phrase from the box. Make necessary changes, wherever required.
He has been told not to take risks while driving a car through a crowded street.
What does the word ‘bake’ in the above passage mean?
What is meant by a ‘game of chance’? What lesson did the narrator learn from his experience at the fair?
Which of the given options contains the figure of speech that appears in the following line from Leigh Hunt's poem “The Glove and the Lions’: ‘Ramped and roared the lions’:
In Stephen Leacock’s ‘With the Photographer’, while waiting for the photographer, the narrator spent time ______.
