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Question
Locate the lines in the text that support the title. 'The Ailing Planet'.
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Solution
The lines that support the title of the chapter are given below.
- “The earth’s vital signs reveal a patient in declining health.”
-
“Are we to leave our successors a scorched planet of advancing deserts, impoverished landscapes, and the ailing environment?”
-
“…the environment has deteriorated so badly that it is ‘critical’ in many of the eighty-eight countries investigated”.
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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’.)
In the following items, sentence A is complete, while sentence B is not. Complete sentence B, making it as similar as possible to sentence A. Write sentence B.
(A) When she heard the news of her daughter’s result, she was very happy.
(B) On ........................................................................................
What tells you that the patriot was overambitious?
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.
What is ‘scaffold’?
Thus I entered, and thus I go!
In triumphs, people have dropped down dead,
"Paid by the world, what dost thou owe
Me?"....God might question; now instead,
'Tis God shall repay: I am safer so.
Read the above lines and answer the question that follow.
What does the rain imagery signify?
Thus I entered, and thus I go!
In triumphs, people have dropped down dead,
"Paid by the world, what dost thou owe
Me? "....God might question; now instead,
'Tis God shall repay: I am safer so.
Read the above lines and amswer the question that follow.
Explain with reference to the context.
Describe the picture of India given by the author.
'Appearances can be deceptive'. Give your views on this topic.
Fill in the blank with an appropriate word:
The poet's mother was stung __________ a scorpion.
Choose two of the passages (a) to (c) and answer briefly the questions that follow:
Raina :
Come away from the window (She takes him firmly back to the middle of the room. The moment she releases him he turns mechanically towards the window again. She seizes him and turns him back, exclaiming) Please! (He becomes motionless, like a hypnotized rabbit, his fatigue gaining fast on him. She releases him, and addresses him patronizingly). Now listen. You must trust to our hospitality. You do not yet know in whose house you are. I am a Petkoff.
The Man: A pet what?
Raina : [rather indignantly] I mean that I belong to the family of the Petkoffs, the richest and best known in our country.
The Man: Oh yes, of course. I beg your pardon. The Petkoffs, to be sure. How stupid of me!
Raina: You know you never heard of them until this moment. How can you stoop to pretend!
The Man: Forgive me. I'm too tired to think, and the change of subject was too much for me. Don't scold me.
(i) Why did the man keep turning to the window?
(ii) Which examples of the social superiority of the Petkoff's does Raina give the man?
(iii) Which opera does Raina mention? With whom does she compare herself? What does this tell you about her?
(iv) In Raina's opinion, what should the man have done instead of threatening her?
(v) What does the man tell Raina about his father? Why does he do so?
(vi) What does the man do at the end of the scene?
The best candidate should be appointed________the post.
Fill in the blank with an appropriate word:
Joan jumped ………. the river to rescue the child.
Join the following sentence to make one complete sentence without using and, but or so.
My grandfather is very old. He is very active.
Fill in the blank with an appropriate word:
The paper dart went gliding ______ the air.
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……….)
Write a short story beginning with this sentence:
When the last of the guests left, I went back into the hall.
How has the author used the episode of the bank theft to comment on Satyajit's success in his career?
A handicraft exhibition is being organized in your college. You are given the task to compere the inaugural function. Write the script for comparing.
Go to your college library and collect and read the poems written by Sarojini Naidu.
We add ‘un-’ to make opposites. For example, true — untrue. Add ‘un’– to the word below to make its opposite. Then look up the meaning of the word you have formed in the dictionary.
successful: ____________
Complete the following web diagram.
The extract deals with the atmosphere of two homes. Collect the words associated with - Library.
Describe in about 150 words your experience similar to the writer’s when you pursued something and reached your goal.
The trinity of democracy comprises three principles. Complete the web to show the trinity of democracy.
Pillars form support for concrete buildings. Metaphorically speaking a strong nation too depends on strong pillars. Discuss with your partner and explain the pillars of a democratic nation. Make a list of obstacles that are a threat to the progress of a nation.
'Seems to touch the starry skies'. The poet has used word imagery. Describe the idea and pick out other similar examples from the poem.
Explain the extended metaphor related to dentistry in the poem.
Consult the thesaurus and note down synonyms for 'ordinary'.
- One synonym of the ordinary is banal.
Eg. He finds English poetry very banal. - Similarly, find the meaning and make use of the words trite, routine, cliched, and regular in your own sentences.
Divide the class into groups of 4-6. Each group selects for itself, one of the difficult situations listed below. Each group imagines itself to be in that situation.
(a) marooned on an island
A group of passengers is marooned on an island in the middle of the ocean.
(b) lost in a forest
A group of pilgrims walking through a thick jungle have lost their way.
(c) stranded on the highway
A team of players from an office has got down at the wrong place on a highway at night. It is a lonely spot.
- Describe their surroundings in 4-5 sentences.
- Write the reactions of the companions using exclamations.
- Using your imagination, write what is the only ray of hope for them.
- Two members of the group are going out to try to get help. They can take any five things with them. Write what they choose, and why they choose it.
Write in your own words, how the Robinson family made each of their homes.
Think and write in your own words.
How can the tender maiden Autumn become a full-grown woman? What change in nature does this imply?
Hold a debate on - 'Pets or Pests?'
Collect quotations on the topic ‘choice’. Example :
| ‘Decisions are the hardest thing to make, especially when it is a choice between where you should be and where you want to be.’ |
Present the quotations in a beautiful hand on card paper.
What is the meaning of ‘intellectual rubbish’?
Write in your own words:-
What problems do customers face when they have to make a cash deposit at a bank?
Read the following Headline and write the dateline, intro, and a short continuing paragraph.
|
India’s first-ever tourism university to be established by IIHM Ask the students to read different news from English Newspapers and write the given points in the news. |
Read about the space mission of Sunita Williams. Imagine you are going to interview her. Frame 10 to 12 interview relevant questions regarding-
- her early life, training
- education
- her actual flight into space
- future plans
- her message to viewers.
Write a news report on the ‘Environment Day’ celebrated in your school.
Collect information from newspapers, magazines, periodicals, and books about any two famous sports women. Prepare their profiles. Use the following format.
| Name | Details |
| Date of birth | |
| State/Team she represents | |
| Sports/ Games she is associated with | |
| Debut (first entry) | |
| Best in her career | |
| Hobbies | |
| Awards/ Medals received |
Do you want to try to write your own paragraph now?
Write a paragraph on Monkey.
- ______
- ______
- ______
- ______
- ______
- Find out how many people are there in our country.
- Do we have enough land for all people on this earth?
- Is there enough food and water for all people?
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 |
Do you know that there are seven wonders in the world? Can you tell the name of the one which is in India? Find out and write the names of all the seven wonders and the countries they are located in.
| Wonders of the world | Countries | |
| (i) | The Taj Mahal | |
| (ii) | The Great Wall of China | |
| (iii) | ||
| (iv) | ||
| v) | ||
| (vi) | ||
| vii) |
Now complete the following, in the same way, using the words juicy or exciting. The order may vary according to your choice.
apple ______
orange ______
sugarcane ______
rock climbing ______
skiing ______
river rafting ______
What does each of the following mean in the story? Choose the right option.
a guardian of peace:
Why was Mary Kom named the ‘Queen of Boxing’ and ‘Magnificent Mary'?
Why did Leacock visit the studio on Saturday?
He left the studio saying ______.
Develop the following hints into a paragraph.
Two kings - ruled neighboring kingdoms. King Arya - great warrior - looked after - subjects - very well - People loved him - looking - their safety and welfare - all his subjects - very happy - healthy life - King Vaishali on the other hand - very lazy man - spent his time - entertaining - dancing – ignoring - needs or developmental - people - His people - angry - never met them - never listened to their woes.
Powerful Sultan attacked - with his strong army - King Arya’s army - alert - ready - preparedness - enemy - more powerful - love for King even women and children - came to the war-front - fought - protected their King -a different story - King Vaishal - impending war - people started fleeing - King all by himself - not interested to protect - King - did nothing for their welfare.
King Vaishal - realized his foolishness - too late - defeated in the war and fled for his life - King Arya - defeated the Sultan - people to live in peace - King Arya - welfare of his people at heart at all times - subjects - returned his love - loyal and supportive - during testing times.
Write the contraction for the following phrase.
do not - ______
What was the very first thing that the children noticed when it stopped raining on Venus in Ray Bradbury's story. 'All Summer in a Day'?
That special human quality does the poem 'Nine Gold Medals' celebrate?
What might success mean to the following people? Think about it and write.
A person who has applied for a job
Prepare a set of questions to interview -
A famous author
These two passages are examples of a short introduction to works of art - a short review. They cover the following points:
- The name of the creator
- The theme or subject matter
- Type of art
- Individual style
- Presentation techniques
- Its effect on viewers
- Message or interpretation
What points will you include if you had to review a book or film or a play? List the points.
These two passages are examples of a short introduction to works of art - a short review. They cover the following points:
- The name of the creator
- The theme or subject matter
- Type of art
- Individual style
- Presentation techniques
- Its effect on viewers
- Message or interpretation
Choose a book/film and review it in short using the points you have listed.
Prepare a tourist leaflet for a historical place or a hill station using the following points.
- Place
- Special features
- Distance
- How to go there
- Accommodation
- Food
- Climate
Suppose a foreigner comes to visit your place and you have to accompany him for sightseeing. Prepare a dialogue between you and the foreigner.
Imagine someone has invited your family to a program, and you were the only person at home when the invitation was given orally.
Write a note (4–5 lines) to pass on the message to the other people in your family. Or, write an imaginary conversation in which you pass on the message to your parents.
Using the given informal letter as a model, write a letter about the topic given below.
Write letter to your father asking permission to go on a educational tour.
