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Question
'He is free to play the flute all day as well-fed tigers and fat sheep drink from the same pond
with a full stomach for a common bond.'
What do the phrases 'play the flute all day' and 'a common bond' refer to?
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Solution
It is so that the leaders relish their living at the cost of their subjects. So did Ajamil who was a good shephered on the exterior but a shrewed politician inside whose each and every move was a calculated one. He signed a pact which was impossible to maintain forever, though it was to be so. It was obvious that once when the hunting instinct will take over the tigers they will try to attack the sheep again. However, Ajamil did not mind losing a few foot soldiers rather than waging a war and lose all his sheep in one go. He did what a smart shepherd does, to protect all, sacrifice a few. So, he can sit back and relax by playing flute all day long. He did good to both the species. He fed the tigers and saved the sheep as well. In jungle raj everything is defined by one thing alone, “the survival of the fittest” and another fact that no matter how strong or weak an animal is, they all drink water from the same pond. All survive together and so for common good, Ajamil did what he could.
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RELATED QUESTIONS
B1. Select
Fill in the blanks choosing the correct alternatives from those given in the bracket:
(i) The author was inspired and motivated to read ............................................ by the time she was eleven.
[Shakespeare, Chaucer, G.B. Shaw]
(ii) Every lesson .......................... ......... took was spiced with half a dozen or more anecdotes.
[Mrs. Rowlands, Sister Monica, Mr. A.N. Patil]
(iii) The teachers helped the narrator to become ..................................... . .
[confident, happy, independent]
(iv) Mrs. Cynthia Nesamani and Sister Monica gave .......................................... to the narrator.
[freedom to do what he wanted, advice to do something, instructions to produce better results]
In a way, one of the greatest gifts any teacher can give a student, I think, is to inculcate a curiosity to learn.
I've been incredibly lucky to have at least one such teacher at every stage in my life. The first was Mrs. Rowlands who taught me in primary school. She taught me to read without ever pushing me. She made me want to read more by giving 'me some of the most interesting children's books available. And although I still love to go back to those books from time to time, it was only because of her that I was able to read Shakespeare by the time I was ten, and Chaucer a year later.
In later years, it was Mr. A.N. Patil, my Marathi and Hindi Teacher who made a huge impression on me. Every lesson he took, was spiced with half a dozen or more anecdotes from a wide variety of subjects: among them history, politics, religion and sociology. I was, and still am in awe of his knowledge, which despite rather desperate attempts, I doubt I'll ever be able to match.
There have also been other teachers who helped me to try to become independent: to think and act for myself using my own judgement, which to my mind has been just as, if not more important, than actually learning anything.
After all, it's much too easy to become a completely useless repository of facts and little else.
Two teachers whom I remember in particular are Mrs. Cynthia Nesamani and Sister Monica, both taught me in school. The former, by and large, gave me a free rein to do what I wanted to do. I, being one of those people who dislike instructions, she helped me to produce much better results than I'd have otherwise done.
B2.Complete
Read the extract and complete the following:
The teacher can
(i) .............
(ii) ..............
(iii )..............
(iv).................
B3. Similar word
Look at the following sentences arid pick the word having similar meaning to the given word and rewrite:
(i) Spiced His conversation is always with a lot of humour. (made interesting, garnished, flavoured)
(ii) Repository
The library should not merely be a ................ of books. (store-house, reservoir, tank)
(iii) Inculcate
It is the responsibility of the parents and teachers to .......values in the child's formative years. (imbibe, give, show)
(iv) Incredibly
I have been .. lucky to have at least one such teacher at every stage in my life. (importantly, unbelievably, beautifully)
B4. Language study
(i) There have also been other teachers. They have helped me to try to become
independent. (Combine using 'who')
(ii) It was only because of her that I was able-to read Shakespeare.
(Rewrite beginning with: If it was not for her, ).
B.5 Out motivators
Look at the following table and complete it by presenting your own views
| Personalities | Influence on your life |
| (i) Teachers | |
| (ii) Parents | |
| (iii) Relatives | |
| (iv) Friends |
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.
Read the following passage carefully and complete the activities given below :
A.1) Complete the web :
Write the words from the passage on the web. 
We saw small bits of grass peeping through the small cracks in concrete pavement. It left us thinking: however impossible things may look, there is always an opening…………
We saw a tree bare of all leaves in the cold winter months. We thought its chapter was over. But three months passed, spring set in and the tree was back to its green majesty once again, full of leaves, flowers, birds, and life. What if we too had the conviction that, however difficult things are right now, it will not remain so forever. Remember, this too shall pass.
We saw an army of ants lugging a fly which was at least ten times the ant’s size. The ants organized themselves around the fly, lifted it on frail feelers and carried it to quite a distance. Their teamwork and perseverance were impressive. What if we too are consistent, organized, focused ……… Spider webs are delicate, yet very strong. A rainbow colors the entire sky. Oysters take in a grain of sand they open up with a pearl. Innumerable stars shine across the infinite sky. Clouds take new shapes with every passing moment. The wind makes trees dance with unhindered passion. Water, without a hint of ego, changes its form according to the dictates of the sun and the wind. When we see a caterpillar turn into a butterfly, a flower turns into a fruit, we experience the alchemy of nature ………. We touch it and become gold ourselves.
A.2) Finding meanings :
Write what you mean by :
(i) _______ there is always an opening.
(ii) _______ its chapter was over.
(iii) _______ the tree was back to its green majesty.
(iv) _______ this too shall pass.
A.3) Matching :
Match the words in Column ‘A’ with their synonyms in Column ‘B’:
| Column 'A' | Column'B" | ||
| (i) | conviction | (a) | strong feeling |
| (ii) | alchemy | (b) | delicate |
| (iii) | frail | (c) | mysterious/magical power |
| (iv) | passion | (d) | strong belief |
A.4) Language study :
Rewrite the sentence using the correct question tag given in the brackets :
(i) Water changes its form. (does it?, do it?, do they?, doesn’t it)
(ii) However impossible things may look, there is always an opening. (Rewrite using ‘but’)
A.5) Personal Response :
Nature is the best teacher. Explain.
Briefly explain the following statement from the text.
“The lack of determinism in quantum theory!”
What impression of the character of Iona do you get from this story?
Look at the words given in the box below
|
snigger |
wriggle |
sneak |
squeak |
|
squawk |
titter |
pant |
chuckle |
|
giggle |
jeer |
chortle |
guffaw |
|
sigh |
sidle |
boo |
shriek |
|
scramble |
croak |
straggle |
plod |
|
gasp |
|
|
|
Now classify them according to their closeness in meaning to the words given below
|
A |
B |
C |
D |
E |
|
snigger |
wriggle |
squeak |
jeer |
sigh |
What do you understand of the natures of Ramanand and Azam Khan from the episode described?
How do you respond to these lines?
Light, chill and yellow,
Bathes the serene
Foreheads of houses
What would you say are 'the finer growths' that the story supports in a novel?
Arrange the following set of words in the alphabetical order in your notebook.
ship, small, successful, scoldings, stone, saving, someone, stood, streets, still, screamed, sat, seemed, saint, share.
Some poets do not use uniformity in rhyming words, nor a steady rhythm. Such poems with no uniformity in rhyme, rhythm, length of lines or stanzas are called Free Verse. Walt Whitman, Ezra Pound, T.S. Eliot, Rabindranath Tagore are some famous poets who have composed poems in Free Verse.
A quick glance at the poem ‘Vocation' reveals that the style used by Tagore is Free Verse.
Now turn the pages of your textbook and see if you can find other poems in Free Verse.
Johnsy was hopeful that she will live.
The ______ bees make honey from nectar.
Read the text and enlist the achievements and honours of Ramanujan, received in England.
Make a list of the channels available on your TV under the following categories: News, entertainment, sports, movies, music, etc. Which are the channels on which you can watch programs on animals, wildlife, conservation of the environment, etc.?
Form pairs. Make a list of as many games as you can. (At least 25) Then classify the games using the following criteria:
- Indoor and outdoor games.
- Games played with and without any equipment.
- Games which have one-to-one matches and those in which teams play against each other (Single-player or team)
- Games played mostly by children and games played by adult players.
- Shape and size of the court or field.
Use the following figures to show your classification.
Find the meaning of ‘Charity begins at home’. Find other sayings which have a similar meaning.
Visit a library:
Find stories about hosts and guests. Share them with the class. Classify the stories into funny and serious stories.
Discuss the following.
Abdul gets what he wants in the end. What is the major factor that contributes to this success?
The poet uses words to create pictures or 'images' in the reader’s mind. For example, 'And sparkle out among the fern.'
Write down other lines that create images or pictures in your mind. (Any 3)
Find from the Internet and write down.
From which play is this song extracted?
The table-tennis set was gifted by ______.
Form groups of 6-8. One person (leader) chooses one item - a picture, a paragraph, or a lesson from any one of the 9th standard textbooks and writes the reference on a slip of paper, and folds it. Others ask him/her questions and try to guess what it is, from his/her answers. Follow the rules given below.
- The maximum number of questions the rest of the group can ask is 20.
- You cannot ask a direct question like ‘What do you have in mind?’
- You can ask ‘Wh-’ questions or ‘Yes/no’ questions.
- The leader has to give truthful answers.
The Principal turned out to be a very ______ lady.
Present Mr. Wilson’s story as it would be shown in a comic strip. Write what picture you will show in each frame along with the dialogues. Write the dialogue with the help of the story. Examples:
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Listen carefully and guess how the sentence would end.
When the teacher read the answer papers, she was ______.
List and say whether the following statement agrees with the passage or not.
You should try to talk most of the time whenever there is a discussion.
List the insects, birds, trees and plants mentioned in the poem.
What game did Anne choose to play?
The parents noticed some changes in the child. What were they?
Read the comic strip and answer the following question.
Which website do you often access? Why?
What makes us happy and free, according to the poet?
Look at the number pattern. Fill the blank in the middle of the series or end of the series.
FAG, GAF, HAI, IAH, ______
Why did the governments of India, America and Pakistan – honour Neerja?
What does the teak tree give us?
Who is Raj?
Gulliver was set free because the emperor______.
Read the lines and answer the questions given below.
Autumn is English
in red, yellow and brown
Autumn is Indian
Whenever leaves fell down
- How is autumn in India?
- Compare the English autumn with the Indian autumn.
Name the planets the poet flies through.
Match the actions with the picture.
| mixes for community food service | ![]() |
| sows the grain | ![]() |
| feeds the birds | ![]() |
Find the rhyming word from the poem.
Language - ______.
Find the rhyming word from the poem.
Country - ______.
Put the given time expressions in the correct columns.
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| March | Sunday | 15th August | 4.30 PM | wedding day |
| in | at | on |
Kaliyan worked in a ______.
How was the rich man's house?
Why did the bird catcher need fire?
Identify the character/speaker.
He set the fish free.
Answer using Yes or No and pick sentence from the story to support your answer.
Was Robinson alone in the island?
Write the events won by these players.
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______ |
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______ |
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______ |
Match the following.
| 1. | Pablo | Inspector |
| 2. | Velayudham | old man |
| 3. | Sreejith | dog |
Who guessed the location of the real necklace?
Recite the poem 'A Voyage' with correct intonation.
Fill in the blank
He has bat ______ ball.
Name the places that Tenzin’s family lived in.
Why it is important for people to live without boundaries?
What did the leader see on the river?
The king shouted at Ani.
What did Ani's parents teach her?
Match the following rhyming words.
| 1. | earn | glow |
| 2. | fend | day |
| 3. | slow | learn |
| 4. | play | end |
William Shakespeare was one of the greatest playwrights of all time. He lived in the 16th century. Many Shakespearean plays have been written in the short-story form. Find out the names of at least 5 of Shakespearean plays.
Example: Romeo and Juliet









