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Question
Thinking about the Poem
Is this a true story? Which part of this poem do you feel is the most important?
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Solution
No, this not a true story; it is a legend.
I feel that the point in the story where the old lady is changed into a woodpecker is the most important. This is because the punishment meted out to the lady teaches us the value of generosity and charity.
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RELATED QUESTIONS
Read the following statement and imagine you are Jack.
"I can't afford to, after what Jack's done to his teeth."
What is it, you think, you can not afford to do and why? Write a diary entry of not
less than 125 words.
(In-class activity; not to be set up as homework).
Now it is your turn. Write and produce your own radio programme. You will need to select your own content. The following are some ideas. You are free, of course, to add your own ideas. Remember, the programme must be in English.
• News stories: about people in your class, about school, about sports (school and local), about the local community
• Comedy: jokes, short plays
• Interviews: with teachers, with exstudents of your school, with a Class IX student who has recently done something very interesting
• Games: general knowledge quiz, panel game, word game
• Advertisements: for shops/ industries in the local community, things 'for sale' and 'wanted' by students
• Local sites: monuments / sites of historical importance and of tourist interest
• Special reports: e.g. safety at school, examination results, school uniform, school assemblies
• Interesting people: role-play interviews with film stars, sports personalities, TV personalities, etc.
• Entertainment reviews: music, films, videos, books, etc.
• Plays
• Songs with lyrics
• Speeches on important personalities
• Tele conference with students, teachers, experts.
Oh yes, we know it keeps them still,
They don't climb out the window sill,
They never fight or kick or punch,
They leave you free to cook the lunch
And wash the dishes in the sink....
But did you ever stop to think,
To wonder just exactly what
This does to your beloved tot?
IT ROTS THE SENSE IN THE HEAD!
IT KILLS IMAGINATION DEAD!
IT CLOGS AND CLUTTERS UP THE MIND!
IT MAKES A CHILD SO DULL AND BLIND
HE CAN NO LONGER UNDERSTAND
A FANTASY, A FAIRYLAND!
HIS BRAIN BECOMES AS SOFT AS CHEESE!
HIS POWERS OF THINKING RUST AND FREEZE!
HE CANNOT THINK - HE ONLY SEES!
Read the lines given above and answer the question given below.
The children Describe the effects of television on children’s mind.
“There were three animals altogether,” he explained. “There were two goats and a cat and then there were four pairs of pigeons.”
“And you had to leave them?” I asked.
“Yes. Because of the artillery. The captain told me to go because of the artillery.” “And you have no family?” I asked, watching the far end of the bridge where a few last carts were hurrying down the slope of the bank.
“No,” he said, “only the animals I stated. The cat, of course, will be all right. A cat can look out for itself, but I cannot think what will become of the others.”
“What politics have you?” I asked.
“I am without politics,” he said. “I am seventy-six years old. I have come twelve kilometers now and I think now I can go no further.”
“This is not a good place to stop,” I said. “If you can make it, there are trucks up the road where it forks for Tortosa.”
“I will wait a while,” he said, “ and then I will go. Where do the trucks go?” “Towards Barcelona,” I told him.
“I know no one in that direction,” he said, “but thank you very much.
Read the extract given below and answer the question that follow.
Does the old man have a family? What were the animals he was worried about?
When there was a strong wind, the pine trees made sad, eerie sounds that kept most people to the main road. But Mr. Oliver was not a nervous or imaginative man. He carried a torch – and on the night I write of, its pale gleam, the batteries were running down – moved fitfully over the narrow forest path. When its flickering light fell on the figure of a boy, who was sitting alone on a rock, Mr. Oliver stopped.
Boys were not supposed to be out of school after seven P.M. and it was now well past nine. What are you doing out here, boy, asked Mr. Oliver sharply, moving closer so that he could recognize the miscreant.
Read the extract given below and answer the question that follow.
Why did Mr Oliver take the shortcut? What did he carry with him?
Then, trying to hide my nervousness, I added, “How are you?”
“I’m fine. The question is: How are you?“
“What do you mean?” 1 asked “Something must be eating you,” he said—proud the way foreigners are when they’ve mastered a bit of American slang. “You should be able to qualify with your eyes closed.”
“Believe me, I know it,” I told him—and it felt good to say that to someone.
For the next few minutes we talked together. I didn’t tell Long what was “eating” me, but he seemed to understand my anger, and he took pains to reassure me. Although he’d been schooled in the Nazi youth movement, he didn’t believe in the Aryan-supremacy business any more than I did. We laughed over the fact that he really looked the part, though. An inch taller than I, he had a lean, muscular frame, clear blue eyes, blond hair and a strikingly handsome, chiseled face. Finally, seeing that I had calmed down somewhat, he pointed to the take-off board.
“Look,” he said. “Why don’t you draw a line a few inches in back of the board and aim at making your take-off from there? You’ll be sure not to foul, and you certainly ought to jump far enough to qualify. What does it matter if you’re not first in the trials? Tomorrow is what counts.”
Read the extract given below and answer the question that follow.
Why did Jesse Owens foul the first two jumps in the trial?
As it turned out, Luz broke his own past record. In doing so, he pushed me on to a peak performance. I remember that at the instant I landed from my final jump—the one which set the Olympic record of 26 feet 5-5/16 inches—he was at my side, congratulating me. Despite the fact that Hitler glared at us from the stands not a hundred yards away, Luz shook my hand hard—and it wasn’t a fake “smile with a broken heart” sort of grip, either.
You can melt down all the gold medals and cups I have, and they couldn’t be a plating on the 24-carat friendship I felt for Luz Long at that moment. I realized then, too, that Luz was the epitome of what Pierre de Coubertin, founder of the modern Olympic Games, must have had in mind when he said, “The important thing in the Olympic Games is not winning but taking part. The essential thing in life is not conquering but fighting well.”
Read the extract given below and answer the question that follow.
You can melt down all the gold medals and cups I have, and they wouldn’t be a plating on the 24-carat friendship I felt for Luz Long at that moment.
Read the extract given below and answer the questions that follow:
De Levis: Social Blackmail? H'm!
Canynge: Not at all - simple warning. If you consider it necessary in your interests to start this scandal-no matter how we shall consider it necessary in ours to dissociate ourselves completely from one who so recklessly disregards the unwritten code.
(i) Where are the speakers at present? What is referred to as Social Black-mail?
(ii) Who is Canynge? What scandal is being referred to? Why will it be a scandal?
(iii) Which race does De Levis mention later? What is his opinion about society?
(iv) What does Canynge do soon after and what does he find? What was his reaction? What does the discovery prove?
(v) What is De Levis going through at this point of time? What light does it throw upon his character? What change do we see in his character later in the play? Give a reason to justify your answer.
Read the extract given below and answer the questions that follow :
Giles: I beg your pardon. Did you say something?
Trotter: Yes, Mr. Ralston, I said ‘Is there an extension ?’ (He crosses to Centre.)
Giles: Yes, up in our bedroom.
Trotter: Go and try it up there for me, will you?
(Giles exits to the stairs, carrying the glove and bus ticket and looking dazed. Trotter continues to trace the wire to the window. He pulls back the curtain and opens the window, trying to follow the wire. He crosses to the arch up Right, goes out and returns with a torch. He moves to the window, jumps out and bends down, looking, then disappears out of sight. It is practically dark. Mrs. Boyle enters from the library up Left, shivers and notices the open window.)
Mrs Boyle: (Moving to the window) Who has left this window open?
(i) Why did Giles fail to hear what Trotter had said earlier·? Why did Giles look 'dazed'?
(ii) What was Trotter attempting to do? Why?
(iii) Why did Mrs. Boyle close the window? What did tl1e voice on the radio say about the 'mechanics of fear'?
(iv) How did the murderer mask the sounds of the killing? Who entered the room immediately after the murder? What did this person see?
(v) Who was the victim? Why was the victim murdered? What was the 'signature tune' that the murderer whistled? What is the significance of this tune in the context of the play?
Answer the following question.
Why was the bear looking sorry for himself in the evening? Why did the cook get angry with her mistress?
Discuss in small groups
• Has Rukku Manni done exactly the same as the children? In your opinion, then, is it right for one party to blame the other?
What did the beggar feel about the ladies of the household?
Why did the other governors grow jealous of the shepherd?
“Trees are for apples to grow on, or pears.” Do you agree that one purpose of a tree is to have fruit on it? Or do you think this line is humorous?
Make noun from the word given below by adding –ness, ity, ty or y
Creative___________.
What is the mystery about the child’s school teacher? How does it plan to discover the truth?
The word ‘tip’ has only three letters but many meanings.
Match the word with its meanings below.
- finger tips – be about to say something
- the tip of your nose – make the boat overturn
- tip the water out of the bucket – the ends of one’s fingers
- have something on the tip of your tongue – give a rupee to him, to thank him
- tip the boat over-empty a bucket by tilting it
- tip him a rupee-the pointed end of your nose
- the tip of the bat – if you take this advice
- the police were tipped off – the bat lightly touched the ball
- if you take my tip – the end of the bat
- the bat tipped the ball – the police were told or warned
The words helper, companion, partner and accomplice have very similar meanings, but each word is typically used in certain phrases. Can you fill in the blanks below with the most commonly used words? A dictionary may help you.
I’m mother’s little ………………
Complete the following sentence by providing a reason.
In Act III Scene iv of the play Macbeth, Lady Macbeth dismissed the guests at the banquet without standing on any ceremony because ______.
In what ways does power corrupt in the play Macbeth? Discuss any one character who is corrupted by power in the play. Incorporate the following details and answer in 100-150 words.
- The character’s traits before coming to power
- The character’s degeneration after coming into power
