Question

Read the following passage and do the activities.

1. Answer the following in 1-2 words: (2)

1. The person who changed the writer’s life –
2. The age of beggar’s granddaughter –
3. The writer’s role model –
4. The things that the writer used to give to beggar every day –

‘Then what’s the secret of your energy?’ I asked like Tendulkar does in the advertisement. She smiled, ‘A beggar changed my life.’ I was absolutely dumbfounded and she could see it. ‘Yes, a beggar,’ she repeated as if to reassure me. ‘He was old and used to stay in front of my house with his five-year-old granddaughter. As you know, I was a chronic pessimist. I used to give my leftovers to this beggar every day. I never spoke to him. Nor did he speak to me. One monsoon day, I looked out of my bedroom window and started cursing the rain. I don’t know why I did that because I wasn’t even getting wet. That day I couldn’t give the beggar and his granddaughter their daily quota of leftovers. They went hungry, I am sure. ‘However, what I saw from my window surprised me. The beggar and the young girl were playing on the road because there was no traffic. They were laughing, clapping, and screaming joyously as if they were in paradise. Hunger and rain did not matter. They were totally drenched and totally happy. I envied their zest for life.’ ‘That scene forced me to look at my own life. I realized I had so many comforts, none of which they had. But they had the most important of all assets, one which I lacked. They knew how to be happy with life as it was. I felt ashamed of myself. I even started to make a list of what I had and what I did not have. I found I had more to be grateful for than most people could imagine. That day, I decided to change my attitude towards life, using the beggar as my role model.’

2. Describe how the beggar and his granddaughter enjoyed the rain. (2)

3. Write antonyms of the following (2)

1. optimist × -____________
2. unhappy × -___________

4. Do as directed: (2)

1. She could see it. (Use ‘able to’.)
2. I used to give my leftovers to this beggar every day. (Use ‘would’.)

5. Who is your role model? Why? (2)

Answer 1

1.

1. Beggar
2. five years
3. Beggar
4. Leftovers

2. The beggar and his granddaughter were enjoying playing on the vacated roads due to rain. The rains made them extremely happy as they were enjoying in different ways by laughing, clapping, and screaming. They had an out-of-the-world feeling even when they had nothing to eat.

3. 

1. optimist × Pessimist
2. unhappy × Happy

4. 

1. She was able to see it.
2. I would give my leftovers to this beggar every day.

5. My grandfather is my greatest role model because he had exceptional determination and ambition. But he never forgot his duty of humanity. He always took time to help those who were less fortunate. He would regularly visit people in old age homes and orphanages and help them in various ways possible.