मराठी

Paul's final bet his family richer but cost him his life. Explain.

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प्रश्न

Paul's final bet his family richer but cost him his life. Explain.

थोडक्यात उत्तर
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उत्तर

Paul was a child that was doomed. There had to be some signs, indications of his disintegrating health, implying his mental situation. He was possibly an autistic child who needed more than general attention and care from his family. He heard the house whispering to him all the time that there must be more money. The child was possibly schizophrenic as well for he was hearing sounds that did not exist. And he was oedipal for sure. All these were already leading him to the inevitable, however, the child had no knowledge of what was happening to him. He tried and tried to earn for his mother's sake. He wanted to prove that he is lucky to earn and deserving of her love. And he did earn in Derby 80,000 pounds by predicting that Malabar would win through his clairvoyance. However, it deteriorated his health so much that he died in few days afterward.

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पाठ 1.3: The Rocking-horse Winner - Understanding the text [पृष्ठ ३५]

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एनसीईआरटी English Woven Words (Elective) Class 11
पाठ 1.3 The Rocking-horse Winner
Understanding the text | Q 4 | पृष्ठ ३५

संबंधित प्रश्‍न

Attempt in 120‒150 words a character sketch of Miss Sullivan.


Read the passage given below : 

1. Maharana Pratap ruled over Mewar only for 25 years. However, he accomplished so much grandeur during his reign that his glory surpassed the boundaries of countries and time turning him into an immortal personality. He along with his kingdom became a synonym for valour, sacrifice and patriotism. Mewar had been a leading Rajput kingdom even before Maharana Pratap occupied the throne. Kings of Mewar, with the cooperation of their nobles and subjects, had established such traditions in the kingdom, as augmented their magnificence despite the hurdles of having a smaller area under their command and less population. There did come a few thorny occasions when the flag of the kingdom seemed sliding down. Their flag once again heaved high in the sky thanks to the gallantry and brilliance of the people of Mewar.
 
2. The destiny of Mewar was good in the sense that barring a few kings, most of the rulers were competent and patriotic. This glorious tradition of the kingdom almost continued for 1500 years since its establishment, right from the reign of Bappa Rawal. In fact, only 60 years before Maharana Pratap, Rana Sanga drove the kingdom to the pinnacle of fame. His reputation went beyond Rajasthan and reached Delhi. Two generations before him. Rana Kumbha had given a new stature to the kingdom through victories and developmental work. During his reign, literature and art also progressed extraordinarily. Rana himself was inclined towards writing and his works are read with reverence even today The ambience of his kingdom was conducive to the creation of high-quality work of art and literature. These accomplishments were the outcome of a longstanding tradition sustained by several generations.
 
3. The life of the people of Mewar must have been peaceful and prosperous during the long span of time; otherwise, such extraordinary accomplishment in these fields would not have been possible. This is reflected in their art and literature as well as their loving nature. They compensate for the lack of admirable physique by their firm but pleasant nature. The ambience of Mewar remains lovely thanks to the cheerful and liberal character of its people.
 
4. One may observe astonishing pieces of workmanship not only in the forts and palaces of Mewar but also in public utility buildings. Ruins of many structures which are still standing tall in their grandeur are testimony to the fact that Mewar was not only the land of the brave but also a seat of art and culture. Amidst aggression and bloodshed, literature and art flourished and creative pursuits of literature and artists did not suffer. Imagine, how glorious the period must have been when the Vijaya Stambha which is the sample of our great ancient architecture even today, was constructed. In the same fort, Kirti Stambha is standing high, reflecting how liberal the then administration was which allowed people from other communities and kingdoms to come and carry out construction work. It is useless to indulge in the debate whether the Vijaya Stambha was constructed first or the Kirti Stambha. The fact is that both the capitals are standing side by side and reveal the proximity between the king and the subjects of Mewar.
 
5. The cycle of time does not remain the same Whereas the reign of Rana Sanga was crucial in raising the kingdom to the acme of glory, it also proved to be his nemesis. History took a turn. The fortune of Mewar – the land of the brave, started waning. Rana tried to save the day with his acumen which was running against the stream and the glorious traditions for some time.
 
On the basis of your understanding of the above passage answer each of the questions given below with the help of options that follow :
 
(a) Maharana Pratap became immortal because :
(i) he ruled Mewar for 25 years.
(ii) he added a lot of grandeur to Mewar.
(iii) of his valour, sacrifice and patriotism.
(iv) both (ii) and (iii)

(b) Difficulties in the way of Mewar were :
(i) lack of cooperation of the nobility.
(ii) ancient traditions of the kingdom.
(iii) its small area and small population.
(iv) the poverty of the subjects.
 
(c) During thorny occasions :
(i) the flag of Mewar seemed to be lowered.
(ii) the flag of Mewar was hoisted high.
(iii) the people of Mewar showed gallantry.
(iv) most of the rulers heaved a sigh of relief.

(d) Mewar was lucky because :
(i) all of its rulers were competent.
(ii) most of its people were competent.
(iii) most of its rulers were competent.
(iv) only a few of its people were incompetent.
 
Answer the following questions briefly:
(e) Who is the earliest king of Mewar mentioned in the passage?
(f) What was Rana Kumbha's contribution to the glory of Mewar?
(g) What does the writer find worth admiration in the people of Mewar?
(h) How could art and literature flourish in Mewar?
(i) How did the rulers show that they cared for their subjects?
(j) What does the erection of Vijaya Stambha and Kirti Stambha in the same fort signify?
(k) Find words from the passage which mean the same as each of the following:
(i) surprising (para 4)
(ii) evidence (para 4)

Answer any four of the following questions in 30 - 40 words each :
(a) What kind of gold did the people of Seemapuri look for in the garbage ? (Lost Spring)
(b) Why did Gandhi tell the court that he was involved in a 'conflict of duties' ?
(c) How do we get joy from life which is otherwise full of sorrows ? (A Thing of Beauty)
(d) For Aunt Jennifer, what do the tigers symbolise ?
(e) What made the chief astrologer place his finger on his nose ? (The Tiger King)
(f) On the seventh day after the American soldier was found by Dr. Sadao two things happened. Why did Hana feel scared of the second ?


Read the following extract and answer the questions given below:

How do you know
Peace is a woman?
 I know, for
I met her yesterday
on my winding way 
to the world's fare.
She had such a wonderful face
just like a golden flower faded
before her prime.

(1) How does the poet describe the face of peace?
(2) Do you think there is a way out of the war-ridden world? What is it?.
(3) Name and explain the figure of speech in the following line:
"I met her yesterday 
on my winding way."
(4) The poet asks the question and herself answers it. What effect does it create in the extract?


Discuss in groups of four.
The reasons why people willingly undergo the travails of difficult journeys.


Identify instances in the story that show the business acumen of Ramanand.


Why do you think Paul's mother was not satisfied with the yearly birthday gift of 1,000 pounds for five years.


How is humour employed to comment on the pains that the author took to get his watch set right.


Explain the metaphor in the line: ‘Poets are  the mirrors of gigantic shadows that futurity casts on the present’.


Comment on the lines that make you visualise the colourful image of the peacock.


The significance of reading an autobiography lies in drawing lessons from another life. What is the significance of Kumudini's account for us as readers?


Write in short about what your parents/guardians feel when they send you to school. 


List five of your favourite Hindi or Marathi poems or songs. Try to translate any one of them into English. 


How are fabrics used in our daily life? List all the things that are made up of fabrics in your home. (At least 25)


Comment on the given statement after reading the given dialogue -

It’s a pity some honest man not to be better of that ________________________________________________.


Discuss the following questions after you have seen a presentation of the ‘ad’.

Will you love your brother or sister only if she’s fair?


List the characters in the play and write one or two lines about each.


Visit a library:
Find stories about hosts and guests. Share them with the class. Classify the stories into funny and serious stories.


Read the passage and name the following.

He led the defense of Troy for nine years.


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.


Read the poem aloud with the proper rhythm. What does the rhythm remind you of?


Find three lines, that contain images of nature in the autumn season.

During daytime

  1. _______________________
  2. _______________________
  3. _______________________

Answer in your own words.

What excuses did Neel give to avoid cleaning his room?


Find the different units of measurement mentioned in the passage and get more information about them from the internet.


Read ‘The Story of the Amulet’ by E. Nesbit.


Choose the appropriate phrase to insert in the gap, to make the sentence meaningful. Use the appropriate form of the verb.

The minister ______ his personal body-guards. 


Find the meaning of the following word.

abused 


Guess the meaning of the following word.

barefoot 


Think of other funny names for imaginary creatures. Write any 3 of them. 


Discuss how you will measure the worth of a sports event.


Discuss how you will measure the worth of a friend.


Read the following. 

  • Skipper: captain of a ship or boat.
  • Dipper: This word has two meanings. Dipper means a container for taking out water. Also, there are two constellations called Little Dipper (Little Bear) and Big Dipper (Big Bear) in the sky.
  • Milky Way: The band of light consisting of stars that spreads across the sky at night. 

What does the poet want to know from the lark?


How did Helen overcome her handicaps?


Write the name of the toy against the picture.


What do the people do when the festival of Music is celebrated?


What qualities of Mr. Phileas Fogg are highlighted in this extract? Support your answer with suitable examples.


Identify the speaker/character.

Don't worry, Madam, it's only a warning.


Where did the boys and girls go?


What does ‘charges along like troops in a battle’ mean?


Name the vegetables harvested in the vegetation hab.


_________ is the memorial for the soldiers.


________ was a young talented doctor.


Put the given time expressions in the correct columns.

winter morning 2’ o clock evening 1947
March Sunday 15th August 4.30 PM wedding day

 

in at on
     

Name the character or speaker.

"Why don't you do that yourself?"


A robot advised her to______.


Vicky decided to ______ the robot at the end.


A man in ______ clothes stopped near him.


Identify the character or the speaker.

“I will camp here for the night.”


Who was Akilan’s inspiration?


All the children wished to go to the______.


Why did Jana have a nightmare?


Write the rhyming word.

countries- ______.


How did Bala help Amma and sisters?


What incident made Mugund make a wooden drum?


One day Chris tried to draw a ______.


Recite the poem Never give up with correct intonation.


Why did grandfather give the children money?


Now, read the following biographical extract on Sujatha Rangarajan, a Sciencefiction writer, and answer the questions that follow.

  1. Sujatha is the allonym of the Tamil author S. Rangarajan and it is this name that is recognised at once by the Tamil SciFi reading community. You might have seen the Tamil movie ‘Endiran’ where the robot Chitti exhibits extraordinary talents in an incredible manner. The robot could excel a human being in any act, beyond one’s imagination. Jeeno, a robotic dog which appeared in Sujatha’s science fiction novel “En Iniya Iyandhira” (My Dear Robot) formed the basis of Chitti’s character. Like Chitti, Jeeno was an allrounder who could cook, clean and fight. High-tech computer technology terms are used in the story. Jeeno, a pet robot, plays an important role throughout the story. As the story proceeds, it behaves and starts to think on its own like a human and instructs Nila, a human being, on how to proceed further in her crises.
  2. In the preface of ‘En Iniya Iyandhira’, the writer states the reason for his attraction to the genre: “Science gives us the wonderful freedom to analyse thousands and thousands of alternative possibilities. While using it, and while playing with its new games, a writer needs to be cautious only about one thing. The story should draw some parallels or association from the emotions and desires of the present humankind. Only then it becomes interesting. Jeeno, the robot dog, was intelligent. But the character became popular only because of the robot’s frequently displayed human tendencies.” It is no wonder that all his works echo these words and will remain etched in the minds of the readers who enjoy reading his novels to have a wonderful lifetime experience.
  3. It was Sujatha, who set the trend for sci-fi stories. He had tracked the origin from Mary Shelly’s Frankenstein to his short stories. He has written 50 sci-fi short stories and these were published in various Tamil magazines. His stories have inspired many readers to extend their reading to English sci-fi writers like Isaac Asimov. The themes were bold, even if there was a dependence on a very well-established characterization of English fiction. Sujatha opened up a new world to us with his writings on holograms, computers and works like ‘En Iniya Iyanthira’ inspire many to study computer science.
  4. He has been one of the greatest writers for more than four decades. He combined reasoning and science in his writings. Being a multifaceted hi-fi and sci-fi humanistic author, he expressed his views distinctively. He was the one who took Tamil novels to the next level. As an MIT alumnus and an engineer at BHEL, he was very good at technology. He could narrate sci-fi stories impressively. His readers always enjoyed reading all his detective and sci-fi novels which featured the most famous duo ‘Ganesh’ and ‘Vasanth’.
  5. Sujatha has played a crucial role as a playwright for various Tamil movies which have fascinated movie lovers. Hence, it is fathomable that the writer’s perspective of future India enthuses every reader and paves a new way to reading sci-fi stories in English.

A. Answer the following questions in a sentence or two.

  1. How was Jeeno different from other robots?
  2. What precaution should one take while writing Science fiction stories?
  3. What inspired Sujatha’s themes?
  4. Why were Sujatha’s sci-fi stories impressive?

B. Find words from the passage which mean the same as the following.

  1. difficult to believe (para 1)
  2. a style or category of art, music or literature (para 2)
  3. having many sides (para 4)
  4. capable of being understood (para 5)

Read the following passage carefully and answer the following questions.

Pollution is the introduction of contaminants into the environment that cause harm to the ecosystem. The different kinds of pollution are air pollution, water pollution and land pollution. The release of various gases, finely divided solid particles, or liquid droplets that escape into the atmosphere to disperse and dilute in the environment is called air pollution. Modern society is also concerned about specific types of pollutants, such as noise pollution, light pollution, and plastic pollution.

Particulate Matter (PM), also known as particle pollution, is a complex mixture of extremely small particles and liquid droplets that get into the air. These particles if inhaled can affect health. The impact of PM 2.5 is particularly high in South Asia. Outdoor pollution is caused by a variety of pollutants like public and private vehicles, waste burning in the open, power production industries and construction and even cigarette smoking in public places.

Presently, air pollution is a major and growing risk factor for ill health in India. Delhi is one of the most air polluted cities in India. The air in the city as well as areas surrounding it has worsened to extremely hazardous levels in the recent years. This year’s pollution level is the worst in four years. Several studies have shown that poor air quality is a cause for many health issues among people with lower respiratory disorders with symptoms like dry cough, breathlessness, wheezing, chest discomfort, serious lung infections and cardio vascular diseases. Some studies throw light on the fact that about 16 per cent of the deaths worldwide in 2015 were due to pollution.

Air Masks are an option to protect oneself outdoor. Air masks can be used while commuting or while one is exposed to a polluted area. Some of these masks also include a layer of Activated carbon to filter the air. They protect us from suspended air particles and particulate matter up to the size of 2.5 microns and above. Their usage is limited to some days and should be disposed off after their prescribed duration of usage. The price for air masks starts from Rs 100 and can go up to Rs 500 and more.

We have to take active measures to control pollution and protect ourselves to lead a healthy and pollution free life.

  1. What is meant by pollution? Mention the different kinds of pollution.
  2. How does Particulate Matter cause air pollution?
  3. Identify three major causes of pollution in air
  4. Name the types of pollution we encounter now.
  5. What sort of health issues do people face due to air pollution?
  6. How can we protect ourselves outdoor from air pollution?
  7. Suggest a suitable title to the passage.
  8. Identify the meaning of the word similar to the one used in the fourth para:
  1. emerging
  2. filtering
  3. floating
  4. falling

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