NCERT solutions for English Flamingo [English] (Core Courses) Class 12 chapter 6 - AUNT JENNIFER’S TIGERS [Latest edition]

Notice these expressions in the text. Infer their meanings from the context. 

1. incongruity           5. arcade
2. prodigy                 6. amber glow
3. chuffed                 7. wharf
4. solitary elm           8. pangs of doubt

Where was it most likely that the two girls would find work after school?

What were the options that Sophie was dreaming of? Why does Jansie discourage her from having such dreams?

Why did Sophie wriggle when Geoff told her father that she had met Danny Casey?

Does Geoff believe what Sophie says about her meeting with Danny Casey?

Which country did Danny Casey play for?

Why didn’t Sophie want Jansie to know about her story with Danny?

Did Sophie really meet Danny Casey?

Which was the only occasion when she got to see Danny Casey in person?

Sophie and Jansie were classmates and friends. What were the differences between them that show up in the story?

Why did Sophie like her brother Geoff more than any other person?

What socio-economic background does Sophie belong to?

Discuss in pairs.

Sophie’s dreams and disappointments are all in her mind.

Notice the following expression. The highlighted word is not used in a literal sense. Explain what it means:

Words had to be prized out of him like stones out of a ground.

Notice the highlighted words in the following sentences.

1. “When I leave,’ Sophie said, coming home from school, “I’m going to have a boutique.”
2. Jansie, linking arms with her along the street, looked doubtful.
3. “I’ll find it,” Sophie said, staring far down the street.
4. Jansie, knowing they were both earmarked for the biscuit factory, became melancholy.
5. And she turned in through the open street door, leaving Jansie standing in the rain.
   • When we add “ing” to a verb, we get the present participle form. The present participle form is generally used along with forms of “be’,  (is, was, are, were, am) to indicate the continuous tense as in “Sophie was coming home from school.”
   • We can use the present participle by itself without the helping verb when we wish to indicate that an action is happening at the same time as another.
   • In example 1, Sophie “said” something. “Said”, here, is the main action.
   • What Sophie was doing while she was “saying” is indicated by “coming home from school”. So we get the information of two actions happening at the same time. We convey the information in one sentence instead of two.
   • Analyse the other examples in the same way.
   • Pick out five other sentences from the story in which present participles are used in this sense.

Notice these words in the story.

• “chuffed”, meaning delighted or very pleased
• “nosey”, meaning inquisitive
• “gawky”, meaning awkward, ungainly

These are words that are used in an informal way in colloquial speech.

Make a list of ten other words of this kind.

Look for stories or movies where this theme of hero worship and fantasising about film or sports icons finds a place.

• Think of a person who you would like to have as a role model.
• Write down the points to be discussed or questions to be asked if you were asked to interview that person on a television show.