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Question
Describe Pi’s struggle to find drinking water.
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Solution
Pi was just two feet above Richard Parker. He moved the yellow tarpaulin. Thirst egged him on to unroll the tight tarpaulin. He saw the bow and it had an end bench. Upon it, a harp glittered like a diamond. He found a lid shaped like a rounded-out triangle. He found a pile of orange life jackets. He undid the harp and opened the lid. It opened onto a locker. The open locker shined with new things. He found water cans piled up.
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We judge people around us, based on their qualities and actions. We brand some people as good and some bad. What qualities, do you think, characterise a gentleman? Some of them may be merely external and some others internal

Rearrange the following sentences in a meaningful sequence and write the summary of the play.
| a) Baldwin who returned home after meeting Gresham, informed his family that Gresham had offered a hundred thousand, if he would utter the words ‘I don’t remember’ in court, during the trial. |
| b) The family members tried to justify Gresham’s act and enticed Baldwin into accepting the money. |
| c) Thus ‘The Hour of Truth’ had dawned relieving Baldwin of the heavy burden and guilt. |
| d) Baldwin was an honest and upright man, working under John Gresham, in a bank. |
| e) To save Baldwin, Mr. Marshall, President of the Third National, visited him and informed him that Gresham had confessed his crime, in order to free him from betraying his trusted friend and testifying painfully against him. |
| f) Gresham and Baldwin had been thick friends for over 30 years and Baldwin had even named his son after Gresham. |
| g) Baldwin felt disgusted with himself and the attitude of his family members. |
| h) Gresham had been arrested for misappropriation of money at the bank and Baldwin was to testify against him. |
| i) Mr. Marshall also offered Baldwin a job in his Bank, to reward him for his honesty and integrity. |
| j) The family members who were initially against Gresham, changed their mind on hearing the huge sum offered by him. |
Trace the bond of friendship between Baldwin and Gresham. Explain why Baldwin wished to attribute some credit to his friend.
Now match the idioms under column A with their meanings in column B:
| A. IDIOMS | B. MEANINGS |
| save one’s skin | a sudden unexpected event or news |
| make both ends meet | to be the most powerful |
| a bolt out of a clear sky | viewed with suspicion and distrust |
| go to grave | to protect oneself from difficulty |
| have the whip hand | manage one’s expenses within one’s income |
| under a cloud | to exit the world |
Why was Fowler initially disillusioned with Ausable?
Was Ausable really waiting for the police? Give reasons.
How did Ausable outwit Max?
Look at the following expressions used in the story. Match them with their meanings.
| let down | to complain or scold |
| chuckled to himself | try one’s luck/take a risk |
| take cheer | become enraged |
| raise the devil | disappointed |
| black with anger | laughed softly to himself |
| take chances | to be encouraged |
Based on your understanding of the story, complete the Graphic Organiser (GO) suitably.

Given below are pictures of fictitious detective characters in English & Tamil short stories. Match them with the authors who created them.

Do you enjoy watching movies? What type of movies do you like to watch? Here are the pictures of a few blockbuster movies.
What was Margot waiting for? Why did William say that it was a joke?
How long did the Sun shine on Venus?
How did Margot describe the sun to others?
Now read the sentence below. Complete them appropriately with the word you identified from the grid.
The scientists______ that the Sun would come out on Venus that day after seven years.
Now read the sentence below. Complete them appropriately with the word you identified from the grid.
The children are getting ready for the ______event.
Now read the sentence below. Complete them appropriately with the word you identified from the grid.
The children are _______ of Margot and ______the door and let her out.
Study the title of the play “Remember Caesar”. Who is Caesar? What is he remembered for? Let us go through the pages of history succinctly to answer the above questions.
- Julius Caesar was a brilliant military general and great Roman monarch.
- He was born on the 13th of July in 100 BC (BCE).
- He created the Julian calendar which is the basis for today’s calendar.
- He was assassinated by a group of Roman senators in 44 BC(BCE).
- The day that Julius Caesar was murdered, 15th March was called the Ides of March in ancient Rome.
How did Lord Weston describe himself?
Mention the immediate steps taken by Lord Weston to protect himself from his assassin.
Whose life was of ‘great value’ to England? In what way?
Based on your understanding of the play, complete the Graphic Organiser (GO) suitably.

Group Work
The play revolves around a ‘perceived threat’ and how Lord Weston and Lady Weston react to it. Let’s reverse their roles. Imagine a panic-stricken Lady Weston and a frivolous Lord Weston. Read the following piece of dialogue from the play and rewrite it to suit the changed roles.
| WESTON | My dear, your husband’s life is in grave danger. |
| LADY WESTON | The last time it was in danger you had been eating game pie. What is it this time? |
| WESTON (annihilating her flippancy with one broadside) | Assassination! |
| LADY WESTON | Well, well! You always wanted to be a great man and now you have got your wish! |
| WESTON | What do you mean? |
| LADY WESTON | They don’t assassinate anybody. |
