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Maharashtra State BoardSSC (English Medium) 10th Standard

He Asked. Boy, Did He Ask! First He Asked Me for a Chance, Then He Asked Nearly All the People He Came Across If They Wanted to Buy a Telephone System from Him. and His Asking Paid Off. as He Likes to Put It, “Even a Blind Hog Finds an Acorn Every Once in a While.

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Question

He asked. Boy, did he ask! First he asked me for a chance, then he asked nearly all the people he came across if they wanted to buy a telephone system from him. And his asking paid off. As he likes to put it, “Even a blind hog finds an acorn every once in a while.” That simply means that if you ask enough, eventually someone will say ‘yes’.

He cared. He cared about me and his customers. He discovered that when he cared more about taking care of his customers than he cared about taking care of himself, it wasn’t long before he didn’t have to worry about taking care of himself.
Most of all, Cowboy started every day as a winner! He hit the front door expecting something good to happen. He believed that things were going to go his way regardless of what happened. He had no expectation of failure, only an expectation of success. And I’ve found that when you expect success and take action on that expectation, you almost always get success.
Cowboy has made millions of dollars. He has also lost it all, only to get it all back again. In his life as in mine, it has been that once you know and practice the principles of success, they will work for you again and again.
He can also be an inspiration to you. He is proof that it’s not environment or education or technical skills and ability that make you success. He proves that it takes more: it takes the principles we so often overlook or take for granted. These are the principles of that Ya Gotta’s for success.

Question:
(1) What was the cowboy’s motto?
(2) What did the cowboy learn after he lost millions of dollars?
(3) Why did the cowboy firmly believe that asking would pay off?
(4) When you expect success and take action on that expectation you almost always succeed. [Name the part of speech of the underlined words]
(5)
(a) He cared about me and his customers. [Rewrite using ‘not only ……………….but also’’]
(b) Cowboy has made millions of dollars [Add a question tag]

(6) In what way is the cowboy a source of inspiration for you?

 

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Solution

(1) The Cowboy believed that things were going his way regardless of what happened. He had no expectation of failure, only success. This was his motto.
(2) After having lost and regained millions of dollars, Cowboy learnt that if you know and practise the principles of success, they will work for you time and again.
(3) Cowboy believed that if you asked enough, eventually someone will say “Yes.”
(4) expect: verb, success: noun, expectation: noun, succeed: verb
(5) (a) He cares not only about me but also about the others.
     (b) Cowboy has made millions of dollars, hasn’t he?
(6) Cowboy is a source of inspiration for me because he is proof that environment, education or technical abilities are not the factors that make one a success. It is the principles that we often overlook or take for granted that help us succeed.

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Reading Skills
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2010-2011 (March)

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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”.

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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.

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