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प्रश्न
This play, written in the 1950s, is a humorous and satirical depiction of the status of the mother in the family.
Do you think it caricatures these issues or do you think that the problems it raises are genuine? How does the play resolve the issues? Do you agree with the resolution?
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उत्तर
A model answer has been provided for students' reference.
It is strongly recommended that students prepare the answer on their own.
The issues that the story raises are genuine and we must heed them. In the story the major complaint of Mrs. Pearson is that her family does not spend time with her. The author has tried to highlight the fact that how lonely can a woman feel when all the members of her family leave early morning to work and then return in the evening just to get the supper and then leave again to socialise outside home. They pay her no time or attention. She selflessly makes the home and asks nothing in return. However, little do we realise that they also yearn for company and wish to spend time with their loved ones.
In the play, Mrs. Fitzgerald, a determined lady who lives in the neighbourhood and a fortune teller, helped Mrs. Pearson by exchanging body with her and dealt with Mrs. Pearson's family. She made the Pearsons understand that Mrs. Pearson is a human after all and that even after working 24x7 she receives no acknowledgement and appreciation from her family members. She did not prepare the supper and did not iron the clothes and made George, Doris and Cyril realise that how dependent they are actually on Mrs. Pearson. She is the sole pillar who keeps their lives in place and keeps everything ready for them before even they have asked for it. Finally when the three receive such harsh treatment and see Annie sitting back and not doing household chores, they feel helpless and find it all difficult to manage on their own. They realise that their lives are absolutely incomplete without Mrs. Pearson.
The resolution was perfect and very well decided. The Pearsons needed the harsh treatment after all else they would have never realised the blunder they were going on committing. After what all happened and when Mrs. Fitzgerald and Mrs. Pearson exchanged the bodies back to the original ones, Annie tells George, Doris and Cyril to stay back and play cards with her and proposed that kids would do cooking while she could sit back and relax while talking to her husband, to which the three approved merrily.
APPEARS IN
संबंधित प्रश्न
A1. (i) Two activities that mother was free to do:
(a)...........................................
(b)............................................
(ii)Two activities that children avoided doing because of television:
(a) .....................................
(b) ...................................
Oh yes, we know it keeps them still,
They don't climb out the window sill,
They never fight or kick or punch,
They leave you free to cook the lunch
And wash thedishes in the sink
But did you ever stop to think,
To wonder just exactly what
This does to your beloved tot?
It rots the sense in the head!
It kills imagination dead!
It clogs and clutters up the mind!
It makes a child so dull and blind
He can no longer understand
A fantasy, a fairyland!
His brain becomes as soft as cheese!
His power of thinking rust and freeze!
He cannot think - He only sees!
'All right!' you'll cry. 'All right!' you'll say,
'But if we take the set away,
What shall-we do to entertain
Our darling children? Please explain!'
We'll answer this by asking you,
'What used the darling ones to do?'
'How used they keep themselves contented
Before this monster was invented?'
Have you forgotten? Don't you know?
A2. According to the poem, why is excessive watching of TV harmful?
A3. His brain became as soft as cheese. The figure of speech is ..........because............
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 |
Answer the following in 30-40 words each:
(a) Why do you think the booking clerk refused to accept the money? Why did the narrator get out so fast?
(b) Why could the Russian research vessel, ‘The Akademik Shokaskiy’ not move any further? What did the captain decide then?
(c) What sort of hunts did the Maharaja offer to organize for the high-ranking British officer? What trait of the officer does it reveal?
(d) What did Jo want the wizard to do when Mommy Skunk approached him?
Read the following extract of the poem and complete the activities given below :
B1 State which of the following statements are
True or False :
(i) The elderly are nearest to our own exalted personality.
(ii) The elderly are those persons whose growth is stunted.
(iii) We should know our elderly people well, in order to receive guidance.
(iv) The elderly hold on to the frivolous aspects of life.
Elderly people should be around us. Justify.
(b) abb
(c) abba
Answer the following question in 200-250 words:
"The best and most beautiful things in the world can't be seen or even touched. They must be felt with the heart." Justify the famous quote of Helen Keller.
Notice these expression in the text. Infer their meaning from the context.
cairn of rocks
What do you infer from Darwin's comment on his indifference to literature as he advanced in years?
You know what ‘hide-and-seek’ is. What would ‘hide-and-speak’ mean?
Fill in the blank.
Moru Dada wanted to spray __________ on the moong crop.
Make a list of the preparations made for an assault on Tiger Hill.
They also explored to ______________.
Johnsy was hopeful that she will live.
‘The city now, doth, like garment wear’. The poet imagines that the city is wearing a beautiful garment. Hence, the figure of speech is personification. Find out more examples of personification from the poem.
Given below are some words from legal terminology used in court affairs. Discuss and complete the table accordingly.
| Sr. No | Legal Terminology | Description |
| 1. | Affidavit | A written statement confirmed by oath or affirmation for use as evidence in court. |
| 2. | Argument | |
| 3. | Consent | |
| 4. | Counsel | |
| 5. | Judgement | |
| 6. | Trial | |
| 7. | Verdict | |
| 8. | Contempt of Court | |
| 9. | Notice | |
| 10. | Stay order |
Select any four zoo animals mentioned in the poem. Imagine they are able to talk in English. Compose a dialogue among the four animals discussing their discomfort and illnesses.
Expansion of Idea:
Expand the following idea in about 100-150 words by using the points.
'Beauty is truth, truth beauty'.
- Meaning of the proverb
- Significance of the proverb
- Add your own points.
Go through the text again to understand the important features of blogs. Discuss various blogs and their features with your friends.
A blog helps us to express our - ___________.
- Feelings
- _________
- _________
- _________
Form groups and hold debates on the following topics. Make bulleted lists of points in favour of the topic (pros) and those against it (cons). (3-6 points each)
You should admit your mistakes.
If you saw someone abusing an animal, what would you do? Write about it in 5 lines.
Relate the themes of the Fair to your science textbook by writing the relevant chapter numbers under each theme.
Put the following events in chronological order.
- The sword in the stone appeared in the churchyard.
- Lord Uther died.
- Lord Uther drove the barbarians away.
- The Lords and knights began to fight for the kingdom.
- Sir Kay left his sword behind at home.
- Merlin announced that Arthur was the son of Lord Uther.
- Arthur brought the sword from the churchyard.
- Ancient Britain was invaded by wild barbarians.
- Many knights tried to pull the sword out of the stone.
- Arthur grew up in Sir Ector’s house.
- Merlin entrusted a baby to Sir Ector.
Read the passage and name the following.
He persuaded Helen to elope with him.
Write the following:
The sights seen through a railway carriage mentioned in the first stanza.
There were no human settlements on the moon.
From the play, find all the words that are related to the following:
knowledge and learning
Add other related words you know to the list.
Read the following from the Language Study pages:
- adjective clause
- adverb clause
- noun clause
Find one example of each from the passages. (Note the linking word when you do that.)
Who said the following, to whom, and when?
“He dwells within a cave of Himalaya.”
Imagine the following and write about it in your own words:
What the world looks like to a baby.
Form groups of four or five.
Try to find the answers to the following questions through observation and by talking to your teachers, parents and others. Discuss your answers in the group.
- How is waste generated?
- How is it removed or cleared?
- How can we help in the task of clearing or removing garbage?
What different names is ‘Rangoli’ known by in different regions?
Guess the meaning of the following word.
magnificent
Answer the question in a paragraph of about 100 – 150 word.
Write a detailed character sketch of Prospero.
Identify the speaker/character.
‘ It’s Somu’s thoughtless ways that reduce me to tears’
Which gift did Anne value the most?
In what ways are we doing injustice to nature?
What do you infer about speaking with others from this poem?
What did Amma mean when she said tomatoes, ladies' fingers and corn came from other countries?
What did mother ask Raj to buy?
Narrate the story based on the story map
Complete the sentence given below with word/phrase.
The whole earth smelled ______ and ______.
How does Patna differ from Delhi?
Try your own.
What did the father give to all the daughters?
According to the Indian army, Jaswant is still serving.
Does it work its best?
What robot will you make? Why?
Kaliyan worked in a ______.
Look at the picture and Choose the correct word.
Why did the bird catcher need fire?
Write the correct form for the present perfect tense.
They ______ (start) playing.
Every ______ they would go fishing.
Jana and her family moved to the village _______ ago.
Divya and Rani decided to draw a ________.
Moles dig ______ to catch earth worms.
Write the rhyming word.
larder- ______.
Who lived in the old house?
The rabbit had
Choose the right word.
The tamarind tree grows over Tansen’s ______.
Why did the child in the poem like looking at the pictures?
Say Aloud
| dash | bash | splash | cash | trash |
| steer | tear | clear | deer | dear |
| shower | power | tower | flower | mower |
| poked | croaked | soaked | stroked | joked |
| wept | kept | crept | leapt | slept |
