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Question
The title, 'Refugee Blues' encapsulates the theme of the poem. Comment.
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Solution
Blues are African-American forms of ballads that originated by the end of the 19th century. They primarily are melancholic and sad and can be called as “the sad black slave's songs”. In this Blue Ballad, Auden narrates the suffering of the Jews by Nazis, their persecution, the holocaust, the concentration camps, the rise of Fuhrer, and Nazism. The poem revolves around a Jewish couple who escaped Nazi Germany and emigrated to the United States of America. These refugees now sing this Blue talking of their agony and pain that they have nowhere to go to.
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RELATED QUESTIONS
A1. Order
Arrange the following sentences in the chronological order as they appear in the passage:
(i) On celebrations, parents can invest Rs. 200 and plant a sapling of a tree representing the child’s birth star.
(ii) He wants to create Brihat Panchvati.
(iii) He has been able to increase the areas of the Pavitra VanaVana.
(iv) Plans are afoot to create a Saptaswara forest.
Today, Reddy is one of the most well - known environment specialists in India. With his influence, he has been able to increase the areas of the Pavitra Vana and has plans to bring about awareness of Puranic trees and flowers for the knowledge of the Indian citizen.
He wants to create near the Pavitra Vana, a Brihat Panchavati so that parents can show their children the forest where Shakuntala lived or Sita spent her final days. There will also be a hillock where people can meditate. Plans are also afoot create a Saptaswara forest, pertaining to different ragas in music. Scientists have found that certain plants react in a particular way to different ragas. So in such a forest, when a musician performs certain ragas, the plants will reach in such a manner that it will benefit the audience, the musician and the whole environment. The other idea is an ecopark for children. On celebrations, like birthdays, parents can invest Rs. 200 and plant a sapling of a tree representing the child's birth star. The plant will also carry the child's name. The Pavitra Vana also houses a garden of Prophet Mohammed, which has some plants mentioned in the Holy Quran. There is the date plant - sacred to Islam - and the Mimosops elengi, the latter a highly fragrant variety. There is also the garden of Eden for housing plants sacred to Christianity, but the Pavitra Vana authorities have to procure most of them in the new sections.
A2. Find specialities
Write down the specialities of the following:
(i) Brihat Panchavati: ........................ ..... . .
(ii) Saptaswara Forest: ..................... ..... .............. . .
(iii) Eco-park: ..................................... . .
(iv) A garden of Prophet Mohammed:
A3. Antonyms Find antonyms for the following words from the passage:
(i) same
(ii) decrease
(iii) destroy
(iv) lost
A4. Language study
(i) He wants to create near the Pavitra Vana, a Brihat Panchavati. [Pick out an infinitive from the given line and use it in your own sentence]
(ii) Reddy is one of the most well-known environment specialists in India. [Begin with: Very few ………]
A5. Personal Response
Do you think one person alone can create an awareness towards environment conservation ? Support, your answer with appropriate reasons.
B1. Find reasons
(i) The effect of receding forest …………………………………. .
(ii) The number of animals is reduced because ………………………. .
(iii) Elephants entered the city because…………………… .
(iv) Elephants lived a wary life …………………….. .
On the left bank of the Ganga, where it emerges from the Himalayan foothills, there is a long stretch of heavy forest. There are villages on the fringe of the forest, inhabited by bamboo cutters and farmers, but there are few signs of commerce or pilgrimage. Hunters, however, have found the area an ideal hunting ground during the last seventy years, and as a result, the animals are not as numerous as they used to be. The trees, too, have been disappearing slowly; and, as the forest recedes, the animals lose their food and shelter and move further on into the foothills. Slowly, they are being denied the right to live
Only the elephants can cross the river. And two years ago, when a large area of the forest was cleared to make way for a refugee resettlement camp, a herd of elephants - finding their favourite food, the green shoots of the bamboo, in short supply - waded across the river. They crashed through the suburbs of Haridwar, knocked down a factory wall, pulled down several tin roofs, held up a train, and left a trail of devastation in their wake until they found a new home in a new forest which was still untouched. Here, they settled down to a new life but an unsettled, wary life. They did not know when men would appear again, with tractors,bulldozers and dynamite.
B2. Find out
Mention four things the elephants did when they found shortage of food:
(i)………………
(ii)………
(iii) …………
(iv) ………….
B3.Phrases
Make meaningful sentences by selecting any two of the following phrases:
(i) to make way for
(ii) in short
(iii) on the fringe of.
B4. Language study
Select the proper alternative to make the correct voice:
(i) Hunters have found an ideal hunting ground.
-An ideal hunting ground ........found by hunters. (had been, has been, was)
(ii) They are being denied the right to live.
- The people ........them the right to live. (are denying, were denying, denying)
B5.Personal response
What would be your contribution to protect the natural habitat of animals?
Who was Selden? Why was he on the moor?
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 and do the given activities :
B1 Select :
Complete the following sentences by selecting the correct alternatives:
(i) It is more important to have _______ before rushing to work. (lunch, breakfast, dinner)
(ii) Skipping breakfast brings a higher risk of _______ (cancer, heart attack, brain attack)
(iii) An adequate _______ is provided by your meal. (energy, weight, height)
(iv) More than half of the people risk heart attack due to _______ eating. (early morning, afternoon, late night)
MEN WHO SKIP BREAKFAST FACE
27% HIGHER RISK OF HEART ATTACK
Late-Night Eaters at 55% risk. TNN.
London-Breakfast is widely acknowledged as the most important meal of the day. But now, there’s more reason to have that piece of toast before rushing to work: Skipping breakfast has for the first time been associated with an increase in heart attacks.
A study published in the American Heart Association journal circulation showed that men who skipped breakfast had a 27% higher risk of heart attack or death from coronary heart disease than those who didn’t.
“Skipping breakfast may lead to one or more risk factors, including obesity, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, and diabetes, which may, in turn, lead to a heart attack over time,” said Leah E. Cahill, lead author from the Harvard School of Public Health.
“Our study group has spent decades studying the health effects of diet quality and composition, and now this new data also suggests overall dietary habits can be important to lower risk of coronary heart disease,” said co-author Eric Rimm.
“Don’t skip breakfast,” Cahill said. “Eating breakfast is associated with a decreased risk of heart attacks. Incorporating many types of healthy foods into your breakfast is an essay way to ensure your meal provides adequate energy and a healthy balance of nutrients.
B2 Find:
Find the pieces of ‘advice’ from the passage and write.
B3 Antonyms :
Find out the antonyms for the following words from the passage and write:
(i) higher (ii) decrease
(iii) excluding (iv) low
B4 Reported Speech :
Complete the reported speech of the following sentences given indirect form:
(i) “Our study group has spent decades studying the health effects of diet quality and composition,” said co-author Eric Rimm.
Co-author Eric Rimm _________
(ii) “Dont’s skip breakfast,” Cahill said.
Cahill _______
B5 Personal Response :
How will you practice the message implied in the passage in your life?
In which language do you think Bhausahebanchi Bakhar was written?
Did the boys return the horse because they were conscience-stricken or because they were afraid?
How does 'A Munda song' show that the perspective of the tribal mind towards the girl child is different from that of [other ] mainstream communities?
Discuss the following in pairs or in small groups.
Exceptionally talented people are born so; talent cannot be cultivated
“I can see clear bridges between my life experiences and my work in dance.” How does Kumudini Lakhia weave episodes from the two realms in her account?
Fill in the blank.
The author wanted to grow ______________.
How do stories/biographies of such famous people help youngsters?
Little creatures in nature can also be your teachers. Think and write what we can learn from the following.
Bees:
The two best things the servants brought to God were gold and jewel stones.
Answer the given question in your own words.
Where was the Happy Prince’s statue located?
We all know that blogs can be written on many topics. Your teacher will divide the class into groups and assign a task to every group to make a list of various topics on which blogs are normally written. One is given to you.
- Social Awareness
- _________________
- _________________
- ________________
What characteristics are needed to be a good player of Kabaddi? What should you do to develop each? Discuss this in groups of 5 and write a composition on it.
'It all builds on the charm of the 1967 film, which by itself is a must-watch for any child.'
Explain this sentence in the context of the movie, focusing on the two given phrases- 'Charm of the 1967 film' and 'must-watch'.
Describe the following with the help of the story.
Thiruvalluvar
Choose any one of the objects we use daily and find out how it is made. Present the information in the form of a chart.
Draw word webs for the following. Begin with the given word and go on writing as many other words associated with it, as you can. Use these words to write other related words to form a word web.
Find three lines, that contain images of nature in the autumn season.
At night
- ______________________
- ______________________
- ______________________
Answer in your own words.
How is the boy from the 1500s dressed?
Write the symbol that is used in the poem to represent the following idea.
Choice of two options.
Write out a few things that you would really miss about your home if you were to stay away from it for long.
Which season would you say is the hardest in your locality? What help would the poor and homeless people need in that season?
Read the poem and answer the following.
Which strawberries are sweeter?
Write other meaningful words that begin/end with footprint.
The poem has rhyming words at the end of the lines. Find and write the pairs of rhyming words in each stanza.
Do you agree with the poet’s thoughts? Why?
How do we come to know that Kasim was a generous man?
What were the various sounds the brothers heard when they went downstairs?
Why was the narrator sorry to have paid attention to the footsteps?
Read the incident again and answer the following question.
Why were the other passengers in the flight gazing at the writer?
Read the following lines from the poem and answer the question given below.
There's a family nobody likes to meet;
They live, it is said, on Complaining Street
- Where does the family live?
- Why do you think the street is named as ‘Complaining Street’?
Read the story again and write how these character reacted in these situation:
You are an absolute treasure…………. Dr.Krishnan………………..
Zigzag………………………..
Read the data below and answer the following question.
Choose the correct answer.
In which field of work is women’s involvement the second highest?
Usha went to visit her______ house after shopping in the market.
Why does the poet tell us to speak gently to young children?
What do you think is going to happen next?
Match the following.
| 1. | A man of ease | Emanuel |
| 2. | John’s trainer | Lalli and Lolly |
| 3. | Mathew’s secretary | John Mathew |
| 4. | John’s chef | Louise |
| 5. | Mathew’s friends | Basky |
Why was Sir Francis angry?
When should we have courage?
When did Usha Rani start playing Kabaddi?
Gulliver was set free because the emperor______.
Work in pair, find answer for the question and share in the class.
When is it autumn in India? Why does the poet say this? Is there an autumn season in India?
"I think it would be nice if we moved quickly from here.”
- Who does ‘I’ refer to?
- Why did they want to move quickly from there?
Identify the character or the speaker.
“Oh no! What shall I do now?”
Match the rhyming words.
| mars | crime |
| bed | cars |
| time | head |
Did they find a new country?
Choose and write the adverbs to complete the sentence.
She won the game _____
What did Kani realize in the story?
The king gave______ seeds.
Mugund made______using the dry woods.
We ______ yarn to make sarees.
What was his dream ?
Why did everyone support Megala?
What does the poet want us to do at night?
Why did grandfather give the children money?
Read the given sentence and underline the 'no' word.
Nobody is at home.
