Here is a story about Swami and his grandmother. After reading the excerpt, change it into a conversation between Swami and his Grandmother.
After the night meal with his head on his granny’s lap, nestling close to her, Swaminathan felt very snug and safe in the faint atmosphere of cardamom and cloves. ‘Oh, Granny !’ he cried ecstatically. ‘You don’t know what a great fellow Rajam is.’ He told her the story of the first enmity between Rajam and Mani and the subsequent friendship.
‘You know, he has a real police dress,’ said Swaminathan. ‘Is it? What does he want a police dress for?’ asked Granny.
‘His father is the Police Superintendent. He is the master of every policeman here.’ Granny was impressed. She said that it must be a tremendous office indeed. She then recounted the days when her husband, Swaminathan’s grandfather, was a powerful sub-magistrate, in which office he made the police force tremble before him and the fiercest dacoits of the place flee. Swaminathan waited impatiently for her to finish the story. But she went on, rambled, confused, mixed up various incidents that took place at different times. ‘That will do, Granny,’ he said ungraciously. ‘Let me tell you something about Rajam. Do you know how many marks he gets in arithmetic?’
‘He gets all the marks, does he, child?’ asked Granny.
‘No silly. He gets ninety marks out of one hundred.’
‘Good. But you must also try and get marks like him…. You know, Swami, your grandfather used to frighten the examiners with his answers sometimes. When he answered a question, he did it in a tenth of the time that others took to do it. And then, his answers would be so powerful that his teachers would give him two hundred marks sometimes.
‘Oh, enough, Granny ! You go on bothering about old unnecessary stories. Won’t you listen to Rajam?’
‘Yes, dear, yes.’
‘Granny, when Rajam was a small boy, he killed a tiger.’
Swaminathan started the story enthusiastically : Rajam’s father was camping in a forest. He had his son with him. Two tigers came upon them suddenly, one knocking down the father from behind. The other began chasing Rajam, who took shelter behind a bush and shot it dead with his gun.
‘Granny, are you asleep?’ Swaminathan asked at the end of the story.
Now read the dialogue and complete the conversation:
Swarni: You don’t know what a great fellow Raj am is! In the beginning I could not get along with him but now he is my good friend. And you know, he has a real police dress.
Grandmother: Is it? What does he want a police dress for?
Swarni: His father is the Police Superintendent. He is the master of every policeman here.
Grandmother: I think, it must be a tremendous office. Do you know, your grandfather was a powerful submagistrate and the Police Force trembled before him? Even the fiercest dacoits of the place fled.
Swarni: That will do, Granny. It’s so boring. Let me tell you something about Raj am. Do you know how many marks he gets in arithmetic?
Grandmother: He gets all the marks, doesn’t he, child?
Read the following extract and answer the questions that follow by choosing the
correct options.
I offered to take her in here for a day or two, but she seemed to think it might distress
you.
(a) The Bishop wanted to take Mere Grngoire in because _________.
(i) she was sick.
(ii) she had no money.
(iii) she was unable to pay the rent of her house.
(iv) she was a close friend of Persome.
(b) Persome would be distressed on Mere Gringoire's being taken in because
________
(i) she did not want to help anyone.
(ii) she felt that Mere Gringoire was taking undue advantage of the Bishop.
(iii) she was a self-centred person.
(iv) she would be put to a great deal of inconvenience.
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emotion |
possession |
perception (often used with can) |
measurement |
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Some verbs, like the ones mentioned above, are not normally used in the continuous (- ing) form. However, we do sometimes use such verbs in the continuous form. Look at the following examples.
1. “I can’t concentrate on my work because I’m thinking about that beautiful scene.”
2. “I think it is beautiful.”
- Which sentence expresses an activity in progress at the moment?
- Which sentence expresses a decided opinion?
Be the Master of Ceremonies!
The Honey Bee Creative Club of your school is organising an annual cultural programme. You are the compere for the programme. Complete the following details by filling in with suitable modals and phrases. This will help you when you address a large audience.
Good evening, respected principal, teachers and my dear friends. Welcome to the Honey Bee Creative Club Cultural programme. The guest (a)_________ arrive. Many (b)__________presented this evening. We (c)__________ the programme with an invocation. The dancers are (d)__________ entertain you by performing the bhangra. The school choir (e)_________a song on National Integration. The programme (f)__________ with a formal vote of thanks by the principal.
Ravi has a problem, so he asks his friends for advice. Read the conversation below and underline the expressions that are used for giving advice. (This could be done as role-play)
Ravi : My neighbours play very loud music, which disturbs me when I'm studying.
Mohan: Why don't you try persuading them to turn down the volume?
Shiela: If that doesn't work you could think of changing your study time.
Rahim: Why should Ravi have to do that? He really ought to report such antisocial behaviour to the police.
Shiela: Before taking drastic action like that, I would advise you to sort it out amicably with your neighbours.
Rahim: If l were you, I would play my music even louder!
Mohan: That won't solve his problem. Ravi, I think you should ask your father to take it up with your neighours.