English

What is the Meaning of “My Cat Was Back and So Was I”? Had the Author Gone Anywhere? Why Does He Say that He is Also Back?

Advertisements
Advertisements

Question

What is the meaning of “My cat was back and so was I”? Had the author gone anywhere Why does he say that he is also back?

Short/Brief Note
Advertisements

Solution

“My cat was back and so was I” means that he had found his cat and he himself had a new outlook on life. He got his cat back after he had lost all hope of finding it. He said that he was also back because he had a feeling of gratitude for his life now. Earlier he had a feeling of insecurity and fear regarding his new school whereas after the fire, the generosity of his friends and the return of his cat changed his outlook on life as he started participating in life and he felt that he was ‘back’.

shaalaa.com
Reading
  Is there an error in this question or solution?

RELATED QUESTIONS

Answer the following question.

“We all missed him greatly: but in a sense we were relieved.”
(i) Who does ‘we all’ stand for?

(ii) Who did they miss?
(iii) Why did they nevertheless feel relieved?


Thinking about the Text
Answer these question.

Why does the intruder choose Gerrard as the man whose identity he wants to take on?


After having read the story, you realise the anguish of the illiterate adults. You want to make your friends aware of it and contribute something in bringing about a change in the lives of the illiterate adults. Deliver a speech in the morning assembly at your school about the Importance of Adult Education and ways to implement it.
Read the following to make your speech effective:
The introduction of a speech is like the nose of an airplane. The nose sets the course and leads the plane off in a specific direction. A good introduction sets the direction of your speech by

  • getting the attention of your audience
  • introducing your topic
  • stating your central idea or purpose
  • briefly identifying the main points
  • making your audience eager to hear what you have to say

Here is a newspaper report of a young girl who went back in time to see how her home town looked seventy years ago.

Dehra Times

Purkul, 7 July, 09

It is reported that Kareena, a twelve year old girl living in Purkul, went back in time using a time machine.

Seventy years ago her home town was an ideal place to live in. Her home town had not been invaded by the marvels of technology. Industries had not been set up then, so the air was not polluted. She could see children playing in the garden. Some children were listening to the stories told by their grandmothers. Happiness and contentment prevailed everywhere.

In the newspaper report above, the focus is on the changes as observed by Kareena.

  1. Kareena’s hometown had not been invaded by the marvels of technology.
  2. Industries had not been set up.
  3. The air was not polluted.
  4. Some children were listening to stories told to them by their grandmothers.

The next man looking 'cross the way
Saw one not of his church
And Couldn't bring himself to give 
The fire his stick of birch.

The third one sat in tattered clothes.
He gave his coat a hitch.
Why should his log be put to use
To warm the idle rich?
The rich man just sat back and thought 
of the wealth he had in store
And how to keep what he had earned
From the lazy shiftless poor.

Read the lines given above and answer the question that follow.

To what purpose are the symbol words used repeatedly?


 What was the inscription on the golden casket? How do the actions of the martlet illustrate this inscription? 


Imagine you are the king. Narrate the incident of your meeting the hermit. Begin like this: The wise men answered my questions, but I was not satisfied with their answers. One day I decided to go and meet the hermit.


Fill in the blanks in the following paragraph.

Today is Sunday. I’m wondering whether I should stay at home or go out. If I_________ (go) out, I__________ (miss) the lovely Sunday lunch at home. If I_________ (stay) for lunch, I_________ (miss)the Sunday film showing at Archana Theatre. I think I'll go out and see the film, only to avoid getting too fat.


How did Mr Gessler described his brother?


What do you know about worker ants?


What questions did Golu ask the python?


How does the author define ‘sleep’?


Word in the box given below indicates a large number of… For example, ‘a herd of cows’ refers to many cows. Complete the following phrase with a suitable word from the box.
a _____________of chicks


The little elf was a nag. How did it tell Patrick’s health?


How did the villagers react after tasting the water of the magic waterfall?


Answer the following question.

“Each term every child has one blind day, one lame day…” Complete the line. Which day was the hardest? Why was it the hardest?


What did Beam’s school aim to teach? Why?


Why does the society disapprove of the rebels?


Play detectives with each other. Find a person in your class (or some other acquaintance) to speak to. Find out the answers to the questions given below. Be careful to ask your questions in a polite and inoffensive way. Do not force the person to answer you. Then allow the person to ask you the same questions.

  1. Name?
  2. What newspapers or magazines does the person read?
  3. How long has the person lived at the current address?
  4. What does she/he do during the day, i.e. the daily routine?
  5. What do neighbours and friends say about the person?
  6. Who are his/her visitors and what are his/her eating habits? (You can ask a few others about this.)
  7. What do you think about the person?

In the short story, B. Wordsworth, when the narrator’s mother refuses to buy B. Wordsworth's poem, B. Wordsworth remarks 'It is the poet's tragedy' because ______.


Share
Notifications

Englishहिंदीमराठी


      Forgot password?
Use app×