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प्रश्न
The peacock is the national bird of India. Why do you think the peacock has been chosen?
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उत्तर
In 1963, the peacock was declared the National Bird of India because of its rich religious and legendary involvement in Indian traditions. The criteria for this choice were many. The bird must be well-distributed within the country so it could truly 'national'. It must be recognisable to the common man
APPEARS IN
संबंधित प्रश्न
B1. Complete the following statements:
(i) The poet is talking about............................. .
(ii) As a nation weare missing our .................................... .
(iii) Old people havekeys ........................... .
(iv) The elderly remember .......................... .
"Oh the value of the elderly! How could anyone not know? They hold so many keys, so many
things they can show.
We all will read the other side this I firmly believe.
And the elderly are closest oh what clues we could retrieve.
For their characters are closest to how we'll be on high.
They are the ones most developed, you can see it if you try.
They've let go of the frivolous and kept things that are dear.
The memories of so sweet, of loved ones that were near.
As a nation we are missing our greatest true resource,
To get to know our elders and let them guide our course."
B2 Express
State what the underlined words mean:
(i) Oh the value of the elderly! State the value ............. .
(ii) They are the ones most developed. 'They' stand for ............. .
B3: Match the words in Column A with their rhyming word in Column B:
| Column A | Column B |
| (i) Course | (a) Show |
| (ii) Believe | (b) resource |
| - | (c) retrieve |
We sang our school fight song dozens of times – en route to Arlington National cemetery, and even on an afternoon cruise down the Potomac River. We visited the Lincoln Memorial twice, once in day – light, the second time at dusk. My classmates and I fell silent as we walked in the shadows of those 36 marble columns, one for every state in the Union that Lincoln laboured to preserve. I stood next to Frank at the base of the 19 foot seated statue. Spotlights made the white Georgian marble seem to glow. Together we read famous words from Lincoln’s speech at Gettysburg remembering the most bloody battle in the war between the status : “………….we here highly resolve that these dead shall not have died in vain – that this nation, under God, shall have a new birth of freedom………..”
As Frank motioned me into place to take my picture, I took one last look at Lincoln’s face. He seemed alive and so terribly sad.
The next morning I understand a little better why he wasn’t smiling. “Clifton,” a chaperone said, “could I see you for a moment?”
(1) When did the boys visit Lincoln Memorial?
(2) What made the Georgian marble glow?
(3) What did the words: “………. We here highly resolve that these dead shall not have died in vain – that this nation, under God, shall have a new birth of freedom …………” remind them?
(4) Do you believe in building memorials? What kind should they be, if your answer is ‘yes’? If no, give reasons why you do not believe in memorials?
There were many reasons for Helen Keller's embittered childhood. What were they and how were they overcome?
Write a summary of the above passage in about 100 words.
Read the passage and complete the activities given below
B1 Complete the table :
A few facts about the Mehendi rituals during marriage ceremonies are given below :
Write them into appropriate columns :
(i) A simple family affair.
(ii) Song and dance performances accompanied by lavish food and entertainment.
(iii) Creative family members, apply Mehendi to the bride.
(iv) Beauticians are appointed to apply Mehendi to the bride.
Fill in the table as :
| Yesteryears | Present times |
| (i) | (i) |
| (ii) | (ii) |
Mehendi enjoys special attention during the wedding. In India, the day before the wedding is devoted exclusively to the elaborate ritual of applying Mehendi on the hands and feet of the bride. This practice is followed in Arab countries as well, except that it is held a few days prior to the wedding day. Songs are woven around the healing properties and lucky omens associated with mehndi are sung by the bride’s family and friends. An age-old belief handed down to generations lays great emphasis on the color of the bride’s Mehendi – a darker color suggests bountiful love and affection from the future in-laws and husband, and for this reason, brides take the pain to ensure that only the best quality henna is used for her wedding day.
The ritual of adorning the bride with henna is a sacred one and in some communities requires the initiation by the mother-in-law. A popular game during marriage function is the search for their names, by the bride and groom hidden within the elaborate pattern on the bride’s hands.
In certain parts of India, the bridegroom has his hands decorated with henna. The Mehendi function during marriages has evolved from simple family affairs of yesteryears to elaborate events of today. A lavish spread of food and entertainment in the form of song and dance performances have transformed it from a small function to a gala prelude. In earlier days, the task of applying Mehendi on the bride was the sole prerogative of creative family members. The demand for intricate and different style now, sees this job outsourced to beauticians skilled in this art. Beauty salons charge according to the style and complexity of pattern desired by the clients.
B2 What is the age-old belief related to the bride’s Mehendi color and its significance?
B3 Find the words :
Find the words from the passage :
| Noun | Verd | Adjectives |
| (i) attention | attend | _______________ |
| (ii) creation | _________________ | creative |
A lot of money is spent nowadays on marriage ceremonies. What is your opinion about it?
Read the following extract carefully and complete the activities given below :
A1 Complete the following :
(i) Books were found on the _____________ and ____________.
(ii) The tales are described as ______________ and __________.
|
Have you forgotten? Don't you know?
We'll say it very loud and slow:
THEY ... USED ... TO ... READ! They'd READ and READ,
AND READ and READ, and then proceed
To READ some more. Great Scott! Gadzooks!
One-half of their lives was reading books!
The nursery shelves held books galore!
Books cluttered up the nursery floor!
And in the bedroom, by the bed,
More books were waiting to be read!
Such wondrous, fine, fantastic tales
Of dragons, gypsies, queens, and whales
And treasure isles, and distant shores
Where smugglers rowed with muffled oars,
And pirates wearing purple pants,
And sailing ships and elephants,
And cannibals crouching 'round the pot,
Stirring away at something hot.
(It smells so good, what can it be?
Good gracious, it's Penelope.)
|
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.
Answer the following question in 150-200 words:
Why did Anne like her father more than she liked her mother?
What does “this circumstance” refer to?
Guess the meaning of the following word:
Kora
In which language are these word found?
Briefly explain the following statement from the text.
“You need some interaction to cause a transition.”
What were the attempts made by the author to get his watch repaired?
The peacock is a colourful bird. How does the poem capture the various colours that its plumage displays?
How did the author feel about her mother's passion to make her a dancer?
Discuss the following in pairs or in small groups.
Kumudini Lakhia's life is an inspiring illustration of the emancipation of women.
Read the extract and state whether the following statement is true or false. Correct the false statement.
The author did not succeed in finding Kasbai.
Find evidence from the lesson and write in your own words.
It is time to see ourselves as a developed nation.
Make a list of words related to agriculture.
Read the poem below and fill in the gaps, choosing appropriate pairs of rhyming words, to make them meaningful.
|
Little things Little drops of water, Thus the little minutes, Little deeds of kindness, |
(love - above / sand - land / be - eternity)
You will come across many blogs written by famous personalities on different topics and issues. Read and make a list of at least ten blogs available on the internet. Read and summarise a blog and present it before the class.
| Sr.No. | The topic of the Blog | Name of the Blogger |
| 1. | Don’t teach kids how to read, teach them why. (https://www.teachthought.com/literacy stop-teaching-kids-how-to-read-reading-practice/) | Terry Heick |
| 2. | ||
| 3. | ||
| 4. | ||
| 5. |
Your friend fell down learning to ride a bicycle and now has given it up altogether. What do you think will be the poet’s advice? Write it down.
Read the given extract (Act III)
Match column A with column B.
| Sr.No. | A | B |
| 1. | Dr. Thomas Stockmann | Opportunist |
| 2. | Katherine | Vulnerable |
| 3. | Peter Stockmann | Honest and upright |
| 4. | Petra | Coward |
| 5. | Hovstad | timid but supportive |
| 6. | Billing | Cuinng and corrupt |
| 7. | Aslaksen | Courageous |
Discuss the following question after you have seen a presentation of the ‘ad’.
How many times is the name Krispy Krunchy repeated in the ad? Why?
Discuss the following question after you have seen a presentation of the ‘ad’.
Think of the people you like. Do you like them because they have a fair (white) skin or because of some other qualities? List those qualities.
Write a short monologue using one of the following ideas. Write down the monologue and present it in the class.
Yonamine’s father worrying about getting her married.
‘Smart Answers’: Form a large group. Each person asks the next one a question to get him to say ‘yes’ or ‘no’. He/She can use appropriate statements, requests, or even other questions as a response. But if he/she says ‘yes’ or ‘no’, he/she is out. Otherwise, he/she continues the game. Questions cannot be repeated.
Imagine you are visiting the Science Fair. What other stalls (apart from the ones mentioned here) are you likely to find there? Try to list at least five more stalls.
Write any three of the silly remarks made by the characters other than Alice. Write why you think the remark is silly.
In the novel, the Lethargarians give a whole day’s time table of their activities. Can you guess what it would be like?
Use your own ideas and prepare their time table.
Using your imagination, write more sentences in the same pattern:
- But the more the lion had, the more he wanted.
- Whenever he took a walk, they followed him.
- To be king is good. But to be kind is better.
Answer in your own words.
What excuses did Neel give to avoid cleaning his room?
Make adjectives from the following.
- harm
- continue
- believe
- fear
- thought
- wish
- question
- courage
Pick out Archaic words from the poem and give their modern equivalents.
| Archaic Words | Modern Equivalents | |
| (a) | ||
| (b) | ||
| (c) | ||
| (d) | ||
| (e) |
In what season does the story take place?
Find out how the following game is played.
Table Tennis
Which event in the story tells us that the lion was brave?
WWW is a short form of World Wide Web.
Find ten other short forms related to ICT (Information and Communication Technology).
Read the following line from the poem and answer the question that follow.
So let the way wind up the hill or down, O'er rough or smooth, the journey will be joy: Still seeking what I sought when but a boy, New friendship, high adventure, and a crown,
- How is the way of life?
- How should be the journey of life?
- What did the poet seek as a boy?
Identify the character or speaker
I must finish my task before I take my rest.”
Who am I?
Who Am I? is a guessing game where players use ‘yes’ or ‘no’ questions to guess the identity of a famous person. Questions are based upon the traits and characteristics of a person everyone will be able to identify.
Divide the class into groups. One group should decide the personality while the other group should ask ‘yes’ or ‘no’ type questions. To win the game, a team needs to find out the person within 10 clues.
Sample questions to ask. Answers must be ‘yes’ or ‘no’ only
- Are you a male (female)?
- Are you a famous personality?
- Are you a singer (dancer, actor)?
- Are you a historical figure?
- Are you young (old)?
- Are you alive now?
- Does your name start with ‘___’?
- Is he/she ____ ?
Which gift did Anne value the most?
Read the data below and answer the following question.
Choose the correct answer.
Identify the three jobs where the same percentage of women work.
Write the name of the toys against each picture.
Which of these statements do you find in the speech?
- Inclusion is essential for us to do well in life.
- We should neglect others.
- Communicate politely with the less privileged.
- Teachers teach us to communicate well.
- Effective Communication is inessential to excel in life.
They may have______ in______.
- soft
- vain
- fear
- joy
- love
- heard
- toiled
- mild
- good
- sand
- life
- harsh
Fill in the blank.
______ is referred to as a festival of sacrifice.
Tackling the Issues
Ask the class to discuss solutions to an issue that plagues contemporary society at large or just your community—for example, homelessness, violence, environmental degradation, hunger.
Half the class should mention idealistic solutions to the chosen issue; the other half should mention only realistic approaches to solving the problem.
See if, in listening to both sides, someone can come up with a proposal that is both realistic and unconventional—an idea that hasn't been tried yet.
Look at the number pattern. Fill the blank in the middle of the series or end of the series.
ELFA, GLHA, ILJA, ______, MLNA
The ________ are trying to terraform Mars.
Name the planets the poet flies through.
Where is Jaswantgarh located?
Answer using Yes or No and pick sentence from the story to support your answer.
Was Robinson alone in the island?
Why did the greedy merchant get angry?
Write the word with same meaning.
tap- ______
What is the one thing you will try and improve after reading the story? How?
Write the correct word.
| rooster, king, hen, tiger, queen, tigress. |
What happens when the day is over?
Now, read the following biographical extract on Sujatha Rangarajan, a Sciencefiction writer, and answer the questions that follow.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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’.
- 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.
- How was Jeeno different from other robots?
- What precaution should one take while writing Science fiction stories?
- What inspired Sujatha’s themes?
- Why were Sujatha’s sci-fi stories impressive?
B. Find words from the passage which mean the same as the following.
- difficult to believe (para 1)
- a style or category of art, music or literature (para 2)
- having many sides (para 4)
- capable of being understood (para 5)
Read the following passage and answer the questions that follow:
The Stationmaster’s Supreme Sacrifice by Sanchari Pal (Adapted)
- Thirty-three years ago, on the night of December 2, 1984, Bhopal was hit by a catastrophe that had no parallel in the world’s industrial history. An accident at the Union Carbide pesticide plant in Bhopal had released almost 30 tons of a highly toxic gas called methyl isocyanate, turning the city into a vast gas chamber. The result was a nightmare; more than 600,000 people were exposed to the deadly gas cloud that left thousands dead and many more breathless, blind and in agonizing pain. Few people know that during the Bhopal gas tragedy a heroic stationmaster risked his own life to save others.
- On the evening of December 3, 1984, Ghulam Dastagir was settling down in his office to complete some pending paperwork. This work kept him in his office till 1am in the night, when he emerged to check the arrival of the Gorakhpur Mumbai Express. As he stepped on to the platform, the deputy stationmaster felt his eyes burn and a queer itching sensation in his throat. He did not know that poisonous fumes leaking from Union Carbide’s pesticide factory were stealthily enveloping the railway station.
- Beginning to choke, Dastagir did not know then that twenty-three of his railway colleagues, including his boss, station superintendent Harish Dhurve, had already died. It was later reported that Dhurve had heard about the deadly gas and had immediately tried stopping the movement of trains passing through Bhopal before collapsing in his office chamber. His suddenly worsening health and years of experience told Dastagir that something was very wrong. Though he did not fully comprehend what was happening, he decided to act immediately when he did not get any response from the station master. He alerted the senior staff at nearby stations, like Vidisha and Itarsi, to suspend all train traffic to Bhopal.
- However, the jam-packed GorakhpurKanpur Express was already standing at the platform and its departure time was 20 minutes away. Listening to his gut instinct, Dastagir summoned his staff and told them to immediately clear the train for departure. When they asked if they should wait until the order to do so came from the head office, Dastagir replied that he would take complete responsibility for the train’s early departure. He wanted to ensure that the train left immediately, without any delay. His colleagues later recalled that Dastagir could barely stand and breathe as he spoke to them. Breaking all rules and without taking permission from anyone, he and his brave staff personally flagged off the train.
- But Dastagir’s work was not done. The railway station was filling up with people, desperate to flee the fumes. Some were gasping, others were vomiting, and most were weeping. Dastagir chose to remain on duty, running from one platform to another, attending, helping and consoling victims. He also sent an SOS to all the nearby railway offices, asking for immediate medical help. As a result, four ambulances with paramedics and railway doctors arrived at the station. It was winter and the gas was staying low to the ground, a thick haze poisoning everything in its path. Besieged by hordes of suffering people, the station soon resembled the emergency room of a large hospital. Dastagir stayed at the station, steadfastly doing his duty, knowing that his family was out there in the ill-fated city. That day all he had for his protection was a wet handkerchief on his mouth.
- Ghulam Dastagir’s devotion to duty saved the lives of hundreds of people. However, the catastrophe didn’t leave him unscathed. One of his sons died on the night of the tragedy and another developed a lifelong skin infection. Dastagir himself spent his last 19 years shuttling in and out of hospitals; he developed a painful growth in the throat due to prolonged exposure to toxic fumes. When he passed away in 2003, his death certificate mentioned that he was suffering from diseases caused as a direct result of exposure to MIC (Methyl Isocyanate) gas. A memorial has been built at platform No.1 to pay tribute to those who sacrificed their lives in the line of duty on the fateful night of December 3, 1984. However, Ghulam Dastagir, who died later, is not one of them. A forgotten hero whose sense of duty and commitment saved countless lives, Dastagir’s story deserves to be recognized and remembered by our fellow countrymen.
- Why was the accident at Union Carbide unparalleled in the world’s industrial history?
- How was Dastagir affected by the poisonous gas?
- What was the action taken by the station superintendent?
- How did Dastagir and his staff break rules?
- What was the cause of Dastagir’s death?
- Find words from the passage which mean the opposite of the following.
- safeguard (para 1)
- common or familiar (para 2)
- prompt (para 4)
- cause (para 6)
Arrange a ‘Jokes’ session in the classroom where each student tells a joke. The jokes must be told in English.
