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Question
Indicate the details that tell us that the narrator was not very financially comfortable during his stay in London.
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Solution
The following details depict a very uncomfortable picture of life, faced by a financial crisis: The author travelled in a third-class cabin. The author talks about 'struggling' to earn a livelihood and establishing oneself abroad. The author was three or four friends residing together and sharing a wash-room which was icy cold. The author, along with his friends, took turns cooking pots of curry which they ate with their hands on a table covered with newspapers. His rugged life could well be understood by instances such as watching cricket at Lord's or listening to Mukesh. Habits such as walking barefoot, smoking, drinking tea, and strolling around on weekends show that he wasn't all set in his life. The word 'penniless' quite describes the financial crunch which he faced while he was studying at LSE.
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RELATED QUESTIONS
A1. Choose two sentences that appropriately mention the theme of the passage :
(1) The extract deals with the writer’s concern over Chaitanya's handicap.
(2) The extract depicts the writer’s proud feelings towards her son’s achievement.
(3) The extract deals with how Chaitanya made the writer see positively towards life.
(4) The extract deals with how the writer helps Chaitanya to buy the bus ticket.
Early in 1997-98, when he returned from state-level inter-school sports, he had two prizes to his credit and a silver medal. He had won his laurels in athletic events and the silver medal in a running race.
When I saw the prizes and read the citation Chaitanya had received, I was stupefied, in total disbelief, then–hugged him, kissed him and cried unabashedly to my heart’s content. That day, I cried for the first time out of joy and a sense of being vindicated. Without practice, he had competed with approximately 1,800 children drawn from various schools all over the state. He was subsequently selected for the marathon race, but he could not participate due to a health problem. “Maybe next year, he would”, I assured myself. And I, as his proud mother, would proudly chronicle his future achievements and success to inspire other - mothers of the world.
Looking back at my own life, I feel that it is the spirit with which we can accept our life gracefully is what
matters ultimately; and it is love that nourishes us. All other things are unimportant. Chaitanya has made me look inwards. His handicap doesn’t disturb me any longer. He and I shall live with it and still be happy. The mental strength which he has given to me is inexhaustible.
One day, as both of us got onto a public transport bus, Chaitanya offered to buy the tickets for us.
“One full, one half ”, he said to the conductor beaming with joy.
Looking at him, I wondered whether he was really only a half? An incomplete person? Was I really full?
Complete in all respects? Why do then normal people feel that they are ‘full’ and others like Chaitanya are ‘half’ or incomplete? Chaitanya’s world is complete in itself, pure and innocent while our lives are full of deceit, jealousies, ill-feelings.
A2. Point out -
Point out two instances where you find Chaitanya's victory over his disability.
A3. Give reasons -
Chaitanya’s silver medal in a running race was very special for the writer, because :
(i) __________________
(ii) __________________
A4. Vocabulary -
Match the pairs of the words in column ‘A’ with their meanings in column ‘B’:
| Column ‘A’ | Column ‘B’ | ||
| (1) | stupefied | (a) | official statement about the special act of courage |
| (2) | chronicle | (b) | record events in the order they happened |
| (3) | vindicated | (c) | surprised or shocked |
| (4) | citation | (d) | justified |
A5. Personal response -
Explain, your views about the ill-treatment the special children receive in society.
A6. Grammar -
Rewrite the following sentences in the ways instructed :
(i) He had won his laurels in athletic events and the silver medal in a running race.
(Rewrite the sentence using ‘not only...but also’.)
(ii) When I saw the prizes, I was stupefied.
(Rewrite the sentence using ‘No sooner.... than’.)
Do you consider the title apt?
What are the poetic devices (figurative language) in the poem? How do they contribute to the meaning/how do they effect the poem?
Why has the red colour of bangles been compared to the flame of the bride’s marriage fire?
How was the country affected by the war?
What kinds of stories captivated the young minds in the past?
Why does the poet use the word ‘wandered’?
Why does the caged bird stand on the “grave of dreams?”
But a BIRD that stalks down his narrow cage
Can seldom see through his bars of rage
His wings are clipped and his feet are tied
So he opens his throat to sing.
Read the above lines and answer the question that follow.
What docs the word “clipped” mean in this poem?
Explain, ‘Just a palsied few at the windows set;’
The air broke into a mist with bells,
The old walls rocked with the crowd and cries.
Had I said, "Good folk, mere noise repels....
But give me your sun from yonder skies!"
They had answered "And afterward, what else?"
Read the above lines and answer the question that follow.
Explain with reference to the context.
There's nobody on the house-tops now...
Just a palsied few at the windows set;
For the best of the sight is, all allow,
At the Shambles' Gate-or, better yet,
By the very scaffold's foot, I trow.
Read the above lines and answer the question that follow.
Why does Browning say that the palsied watched the execution?
What event is referred to in the poem?
What is the conflict and twist to the short story “Heart and Hands”?
Fill in each of the numbered blanks with the correct form of the word given in brackets. Do not copy the passage, but write in correct serial order the word or phrase appropriate to the blank space.
Example:
(0) beginning
Alice was (0)__________(begin) to get very tired of (1)__________(sit) by her sister on the bank and of having nothing to do: once or twice she had (2)__________(peep) into the book her sister was reading, but it (3)__________ (have) no pictures or conversations in it, "and what is the use of a book," (4)__________(think) Alice, "without pictures or conversations?" Alice wondered whether the pleasure of (5)__________(make) a daisy-chain would be worth the trouble of getting up and picking the daisies when suddenly a White Rabbit with pink eyes (6)__________(run) close by her. Alice did not think this was very remarkable, until the Rabbit actually (7)__________ (take) a watch out of its waistcoat-pocket, and (8) (look) at it, and then hurried on.
Fill in the blank with an appropriate word:
Joan jumped ………. the river to rescue the child.
In the poem Breaking Out. the poet shows the gradual transformation of a young girl into a confident and independent individual who breaks the conventional stereotypes of society. Discuss with close reference to the text.
Re-write the following sentence according to the instructions are given. Make other changes that may be necessary, but do not change the meaning of the sentence.
As soon as the function got over. The crowd dispersed.
(Begin: Hardly had……….)
The following words used in the text as ship terminology are also commonly used in another sense. In what contexts would you use the other meaning?
| Knot | stern | boom | hatch | anchor |
Notice the following sentence patterns.
For song…duly with love returns
Rewrite the above sentences in prose.
Examine the subtle humour in the narration of the story that lightens the gravity of the subject matter.
Imagine you are journeying through a desert. Write a couple of paragraphs describing what you see and hear.
Complete the following web diagram.
Write your views/opinions in brief on the following topic.
We must always cast our votes.
Frame a pointwise Analysis of the poem ‘The worm’. Use the following points.
- Poem and poet:
- Theme:
- Tone:
- Structure and stanzas:
- Rhyme and Rhythm:
- Language and Imagery:
- Figures of Speech:
You have just returned after your first experience of the kite - festival in Gujarat / Ahmedabad. You were thrilled with the festivities.
You have a friend who lives abroad. Write a letter to your friend describing how you enjoyed the kite-festival.
'The Road Not Taken' (Robert Frost), 'O Captain My Captain' (Walt Whitman), etc. are inspirational poems. Search these poems on the internet and write down your opinion about the poems in your notebook.
Form pairs and make a 'pair presentation' of any one of the two stories. To do so, each person presents only one sentence at a time, and the next one is immediately presented by the partner. Thus, each person in the pair presents alternate sentences without breaking the flow of the narration.
Prepare a poster on the need for the conservation of the Great Indian Bustard.
Give, in your own words, TWO reasons for each of the following :
The schoolboys were in a happy mood.
Give, in your own words, TWO reasons for each of the following :
One of the schoolboys helped the old woman cross the street.
Relate the life-story of Caesar, rearranging the facts in a proper sequence in the form of a flow chart:
- Caesar begins to upset things at home
- Neighbour flings a stick at Caesar
- Young crow is saved by the narrator
- Caesar begins to trouble neighbours
- The crow is named Caesar
- Caesar passes away
- Caesar objects to being caged.
Write in your own words:
What does the listener do when the poet asks him to just listen? Give 3 points.
Answer the following question :
What are the advantages of an imaginary argument with a person having a different bias?
Have you ever eaten any fruit/vegetable picking it straight from the tree or field? Write about that experience in 3-5 lines.
Prepare and present a short speech on the following.
An inspiring incident in the life of a great leader.
Look at the image of the familiar advertisement given below. Identify the product and try to frame your own slogan.
Look at the picture given below and frame your own slogan.
Describe the picture in 50 words and give a suitable title. Make use of the words given below.
modern world – left alone – busy – gadgets – cell phones – ignored – feels alone – lonely – sad feeling
Create a poster for the following.
“Save our Earth” is the need of the hour. Draft a poster with attractive slogans/ phrases for the same in not more than 50 words. Use attractive drawings.
Read the two paragraphs given below.
My mother is always awake before anyone else in the family. I usually wake up after 6 o’clock. I loll around lazily for a few minutes. Then I get up and get dressed for school.
At bedtime, I read a story book. When I feel tired I lie down and go to sleep very quickly. I fall asleep in no time at all!
Now find the opposites of the following words from the paragraphs and complete the table.
wake up ______
get up ______
lazily ______
Punctuate the following passage.
mother father neelam said i have got a fire engine ive got a fire engine whats this whats this called mother somewhat confused by the noise ive got a fire engine mother come and see it.
Make naming words by adding ness, ity, ty at the end of the words given below. One has been done for you.
| public | publicity |
| forgive | |
| kind | |
| polite | |
| moral | |
| stupid | stupidity |
| blind | |
| cruel | |
| swift | |
| solid |
Lack of adequate financial resources and sponsorships often affect sportspersons. How is this evident from Mary Kom’s life?
What was Sletherby’s response to Bertie’s request?
Who were the patients waiting for?
The photographer told him to ______.
He was called on Saturday to ______.
The photograph did not look like ______.
Bring out the humorous elements in the play.
You have been given a small sum of money to buy a gift with for a friend. What gift would you choose (specify) and why would you choose this? Write a letter to your friend telling him/her about the gift and how it will benefit him/her.
Read the given sentence and underline the 'no' word.
Ram has no book.
Read the given sentence and underline the no word.
Can no one help him?
Identify the list in which Abou Ben Adhem's name appeared right at the top.
Imagine you are a tourist guide at Sindhudurg. Write two sentences each about the following points to help foreign tourists.
- About the place: History, languages spoken, special attractions
- Food: speciality, local delicacies, options (Indian, continental)
- Shopping: authenticity of local artefacts, price, variety
Prepare an attractive tourist leaflet for your native place, in English as well as in your mother tongue.
What’s the difference between ‘hear’ and ‘listen?
Based on the short story, The Story of an Hour, discuss what can be inferred about the significance of the open window in Mrs. Mallard’s room. Write your answer in a short paragraph of 100-150 words.
