मराठी
महाराष्ट्र राज्य शिक्षण मंडळएस.एस.सी (इंग्रजी माध्यम) इयत्ता १० वी

Read the Passage Carefully and Complete the Activities Given Below : Cross-cutting Swords Were Used to Seal the Wall.

Advertisements
Advertisements

प्रश्न

Read the passage carefully and complete the activities given below :
A1 True or False

(i) Cross-cutting swords were used to seal the wall.
(ii) Hearing Mataprasad’s footsteps the cobra glided out of the wall.

                                               Passage
“Go, tell Neel,” I whispered to Akhil. “Tell him to get help.
”While I waited, I prayed that Rex would not make any sudden movements. The cobra would lash out in swift, sure revenge. I do not know how long I stood there, riveted by the horrifying tableau being enacted before me. At last, I heard footsteps coming along the passage. It was Mataprasad, the mali, with a solid reassuring stick.

At the sound of his approach, the cobra lowered its head and glided out of a hole in the wall.
 
The next day, masons came to seal the hole through which the cobra had slid in. And men in gumboots armed with scythes and grass-cutting swords cleaned up the compound. They hacked away at the tall grass. And what had lain hidden for years surfaced. For instance, we discovered that someone had laid out a badminton court many years ago. And we discovered a grave. It was a small grave, close to the boundary wall. There was a moss blackened stone at its head with just the faintest trace of the words engraved on it. We identified the words with our fingers.

A2  Mention the two things that were found when the tall grass was hacked.

A3 The narrator prayed that Rex should not make any sudden movements meets. Explain giving reasons.
थोडक्यात उत्तर
Advertisements

उत्तर

A1
(i) False
(ii) True

A2 When the tall grass was hacked, a badminton court that had laid hidden for years surfaced and a small grave close to the boundary wall with a moss blackened stone at its head having the faintest trace of words engraved on it was also discovered.

A3 The narrator was scared that if Rex made a sudden move the cobra would lash out at him in revenge. The narrator was of the opinion that if Rex remained still, the cobra would recede without causing any harm to him. Because of these reasons, the narrator prayed that Rex should not make any sudden movements.

shaalaa.com
Reading Skills
  या प्रश्नात किंवा उत्तरात काही त्रुटी आहे का?
2013-2014 (March)

APPEARS IN

संबंधित प्रश्‍न

(a) crushing/destructive (pars 1)
(b) used to (pare 2)
(c) searching (pare 4)


Using a dictionary/internet note down the main difference between self-reliant and self-assured.


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


Guess the meaning of the following from the context.

The meadow is wrapped in shadow.


Write about what you would like to do if ‘Time’ was your friend.


Write about Malti and Rima using the following points:

Appearance... Appearance...
Studies... Studies...
Singing... Singing...
Attitude to others... Attitude to others...
Weak points... Weak points...

Use details from the story and your own imagination when you write the above descriptions.


Read the following incident carefully to answer the question that follow.

The tie that does not bind

“Oh, so you’re going abroad? Can you bring me back…..?” I’ve been asked to bring back a vaccine for a course. Once I searched the suburbs of Paris for two days for a special brand of ceramic paint. Having spent a lot of money for Cartier lighter refills, I had them confiscated at the airport just before boarding because the gas might be dangerous in the air.

Now, two months before a trip, I stop talking to people so they won’t suspect I’m about to travel. But someone always catches me.” I’ve heard you’re going to New York, and I want you to get something for me. It’s just a little thing you can find anywhere. I don’t know exactly how much it costs, but it shouldn’t be much. We’ll settle up when you get back”.

What Gilson asked me to buy was, in fact, a little thing: a tie. But not just any tie. He wanted a tie with a small embroidered G. Any colour would do, as long as it had his initials. Look, this is a special flight, I explained. We are only staying Saturday through Tuesday. On the day we arrived I didn’t have time to think about the tie, but strolling around on Sunday I did see ties bearing various letters in more than one shop window. They were cheap, just a dollar, but all the shops were closed.

On Monday, lunch lasted the whole afternoon. Then it was Tuesday morning, time to leave. It was only when I saw our airport bus waiting outside the hotel that I remembered the tie.

I told the group to go on. I would get a taxi to the airport. And so I went in search of a nearby shop where I had seen ties.

But I couldn’t find it. I walked further down the street-one, two, three blocks - all in vain. Back at the hotel, a bit anxious now, I took my suitcase, got a taxi and asked the driver to rush to the street where I had seen them.

The driver stopped at each shop we passed so I could look from the window. The stores had all sorts of ties, but not the kind I was looking for.

When I finally thought I had located the right shop, I decided to go in and check. The driver refused to wait. Parking was prohibited, he said. I promised to double the fare, jumped out and ran into the shop. Was I going to miss the plane just for a damned tie?

The salesman was unbearably slow. When I realized that the smallest change I had was a ten dollar note , I grabbed ten ties of different colours so I wouldn’t have to wait for change. I rushed out with the ties in a paper bag.

On the street I looked around. The taxi had vanished, taking my suitcase. What is more, I was going to miss the plane.

I ran to the corner, and hope flared up again: the taxi was waiting in the next street. Quick to the airport! As I settled down inside the taxi. I sighed with relief. Gilson was going to have enough initialized ties to last him a lifetime.

When I reached the airport, I paid the taxi driver the double fare and grabbed my suitcase. Panting, I boarded the plane under the reproachful gaze of the other passengers, all primly seated with their seat belts fastened. Ready to take off. Departure had been delayed because of me.

“At least I hope you found your tie”, said one who knew the story.
“I did”, I answered triumphantly.
After making myself comfortable, I reached for the paper bag to show the ties.
I had left it behind; in the taxi.

Fernando Sabino.

Read the incident again and answer the following question.

What was the writer always asked to do whenever he planned to go abroad?


Is the brother boastful? What makes you think so?


What should we vow for?


Choose the correct one.

Elephant


Share
Notifications

Englishहिंदीमराठी


      Forgot password?
Use app×