Government of Karnataka

English
First Language

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(Revised)
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Fifth Standard
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Part - I

Karnataka Textbook Society (R.)

6th Cross, Malleshwaram,
Bengaluru - 560 003.

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 Foreword

In the pursuit of fostering a healthier and more balanced

educational journey, we present this initiative aimed at reducing
the weight of school bags. Education is the cornerstone of progress
and it is our responsibility to ensure that the pursuit of knowledge
is accompanied by the wellbeing of students.

As a first step, to reduce the burden of heavy bags, the

School Education Department, Government of Karnataka

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has decided to print semester-wise textbooks in 2 parts i.e.,

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Summative Assessment 1 and 2. This intervention will help
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significantly in reducing the weight of school bags.

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This Endeavour signifies a paradigm shift, acknowledging

the strain posed by bulky bags on students.
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Manjushree. N. IAS
Managing Director
Karnataka Textbook Society (R.)

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 Preface

The Textbook Society, Karnataka has been engaged in producing

new textbooks according to the new syllabi prepared which in turn
are designed based on NCF – 2005 since June 2010. Textbooks
are prepared in 11 languages, seven of them serve as the media
of instruction. From standard 1 to 4 there is the EVS from 5th to
10th there are three core subjects namely mathematics, science
and social science.
NCF- 2005 has a number special features and they are:
• Connecting knowledge to life activities.
• Learning to shift from rote methods.

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• Enriching the curriculum beyond textbooks.

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• Learning experiences for the construction of knowledge.
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• Making examinations flexible and integrating them with

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classroom experiences.
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• Caring concerns within the democratic policy of the country.

• Make education relevant to the present and future needs.
• Softening the subject boundaries integrated knowledge and
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the joy of learning.

• The child the constructor of knowledge.
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The New books are produced based on three fundamental

approaches namely, Constructive approach, Spiral Approach and
Integrated approach.
The Learner is encouraged to think, engage in activities and
master skills and competencies. The materials presented in
these books are integrated with values. The new books are not
examination - oriented in their nature. On the other hand they
help the learner in the total development of his/her personality,
thus help him/her become a healthy member of a healthy society
and a productive citizen of this great country India.

iii
 Language textbooks are designed to help learners master
communicative competencies, excellent comprehension, meaningful
expression and efficient reference skills.
English is studied by most students as the second language.
Teachers have to keep in mind the three fundamental approaches
based on which the readers have been designed and adapt their
teaching methods and help learners master language skills and
competencies and help them become excellent users of English.
Schools in Karnataka offer seven languages as media of
instruction and eight as first languages and ten languages are
offered as third language. The objective is to help the learners to
use these languages efficiently at the communicative level. It is
hoped that at least a cross section of learners achieve competencies

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to use these languages at the creative level.

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Teachers are expected to adapt their teaching methods not to
make these textbooks just feed materials for examinations, but help
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learners master language competencies such as communication,

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comprehension, expression in writing and necessary reference

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skills. There is going to be a source book for teachers in Kannada 1st

language, English 2nd Language and Hindi 3rd Language. Please
make use of these source books and make teaching very effective.
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The Textbook Society expresses grateful thanks to the

chairpersons, writers, scrutinisers, artists, staff of DIETs and CTEs
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and the members of the Editorial Board in helping the Text Book
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Society in producing these textbooks.

Nagendra Kumar Prof. G. S. Mudambadithaya

Managing Director Co-ordinator
Karnataka Textbook Society (R.) Karnataka Textbook Society (R.)
Bengaluru, Karnataka. Bengaluru, Karnatka

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Dear teacher....
This textbook has been prepared in accordance with the
curricular requirements stated in NCF 2005 and Karnataka
Curricular Reforms Committee’s observations. Accordingly, the
contents of the textbook cater to the development of core ethics
and values such as commitment to ones environment, awareness
of the need to imbibe social and personal values for quality life,
etc. The issues and values dealt with include bravery, courage,
determination, will power, patriotism, concern for the challenged
and understanding the potentials of nature.
This book has five units. Each unit has content for developing
language skills namely Listening and Speaking, Reading and Writing
and for developing aesthetic values which will include appreciation

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and enjoyment. Each unit thus includes a poem which borders on

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the theme discussed in the content meant for developing language
skills. Thus the focus of the textbook is on developing language
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competence in terms of developing skills and competence in

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language use and usage through the development of vocabulary

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and grammar. Each unit has activities and tasks at different levels
to cater to the heterogeneity prevailing in our classrooms.
The activities are different in types with varied objectives. They
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also allow space for developing divergent and critical thinking skills.
Wherever verbal explanations may not help the learner they are
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complemented with pictorial illustrations. The activities focus more

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on the development of communicative ability in the learners. The

textbook is based on whole language approach to teaching English
and thus the activities suggested focus more on constructing and
extracting meaning through language.
Suggestions if any are welcome for the improvement of the
textbook.
Dr. S. Venkateshwaran
Chairperson

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 Textbook Committee

Chairperson :
Dr. S. Venkateshwaran, Prof., RIESI, Jnanabharathi Campus,
Bengaluru.

Members :
Smt. Kokila Amarnath, A.M., Sri Kumaran Children’s Home. Bengaluru.
Sri Basavaraju, Lecturer, DIET, Ballari.
Sri Suresh B. Hadpad, A.M., GHS, Araleri, Malur, Kolar
Smt. N. Sharada, A.M., Saraswathi Vidyaniketan, Dommasandra,

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Bengaluru.

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Sri B. Jayaram, Artist, Drawing Teacher, VVS High School,
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Bengaluru.
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Scrutinizer :
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Sri Mohan Kumar, S.O., Dept. P.U. Education, Bengaluru.

Editorial Board Members :

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Sri G. Rajagopal, Prof., ESL Studies, EFL-U, Hyderabad.

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Sri Victor, Prof., Nitte First Grade College, Yelahanka, Bengaluru.

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Chief Co-ordinator :
Prof . G.S. Mudambadithaya, Co-ordinator, KTBS (R.), Bengaluru

Chief Adviser :

Sri Nagendra Kumar, Managing Director, KTBS (R.), Bengaluru.

Smt. Nagamani C., Deputy Director, KTBS (R.), Bengaluru.

Programme Co-ordinator :
Smt. N.S. Sowmya, ADPI, KTBS (R.), Bengaluru.

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 About the Revision of Textbooks

Honourable Chief Minister Sri Siddaramaiah who is also the Finance

Minister of Karnataka, in his response to the public opinion about the
new textbooks from standard I to X, announced, in his 2014-15 budget
speech of constituting an expert-committee, to look into the matter. He
also spoke of the basic expectations there in, which the textbook experts
should follow: “The textbooks should aim at inculcating social equality,
moral values, development of personality, scientific temper, critical
acumen, secularism and the sense of national commitment”, he said.
Later, for the revision of the textbooks from class I to X, the
Department of Education constituted twenty seven committees and
passed an order on 24-11-2014. The committees so constituted were
subject and class-wise and were in accordance with the standards

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prescribed. Teachers who are experts in matters of subjects and syllabi
were in the committees.

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There were already many complaints and analyses about the
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textbooks. So, a freehand was given in the order dated 24-11-2014 to the
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responsible committees to examine and review text and even to prepare

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new text and revise if necessary. Eventually, a new order was passed
on 19-9-2015 which also gave freedom even to re-write the textbooks
if necessary. In the same order, it was said that the completely revised
textbooks could be put to force from 2017-18 instead of 2016-17.
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Many self inspired individuals and institutions, listing out the

wrong information and mistakes there in the text, had sent them
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to the Education Minister and to the Textbook Society. They were

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rectified. Before rectification we had exchanged ideas by arranging

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debates. Discussions had taken place with Primary and Secondary

Education Teachers’ Associations. Questionnaires were administered
among teachers to pool up opinions. Separate meetings were held with
teachers, subject inspectors and DIET Principals. Analytical opinions
had been collected. To the subject experts of science, social science,
mathematics and languages, textbooks were sent in advance and later
meetings were held for discussions. Women associations and science
related organisations were also invited for discussions. Thus, on the
basis of inputs received from various sources, the textbooks have been
revised where ever necessary.

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 Another important aspect has to be shared here. We constituted
three expert committees. They were constituted to make suggestions
after making a comparative study of the texts of science, mathematics
and social science subjects of central schools (NCERT), along with state
textbooks. Thus, the state text books have been enriched based on
the comparative analysis and suggestions made by the experts. The
state textbooks have been guarded not to go lower in standards than
the textbooks of central schools. Besides, these textbooks have been
examined along side with the textbooks of Andhra Pradesh, Kerala,
Tamil Nadu and Maharashtra states.

Another clarification has to be given here. Whatever we have done

in the committees is only revision, it is not the total preparation of the
textbooks. Therefore, the structure of the already prepared textbooks
have in no way been affected or distorted. They have only been revised

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in the background of gender equality, regional representation, national
integrity, equality and social harmony. While doing so, the curriculum

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frames of both central and state have not been transgressed. Besides, the
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aspirations of the constitution are incorporated carefully. Further, the
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reviews of the committees were once given to higher expert committees

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for examination and their opinions have been inculcated into the
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textbooks.

Finally, we express our grateful thanks to those who strived in

all those 27 committees with complete dedication and also to those
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who served in higher committees. At the same time, we thank all the
supervising officers of the Textbook Society, who sincerely worked hard
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in forming the committees and managed to see the task reach its logical
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completion. We thank all the members of the staff who co-operated in

this venture. Our thanks are also to the subject experts and to the
associations who gave valuable suggestions.

N. Manjushree. IAS Prof. Baraguru Ramachandrappa

Managing Director Chairman-in-Chief
Karnataka Textbook Society (R.) State Textbook Revision Committees
Bengaluru. Karnataka Textbook Society (R.)
Bengaluru.

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 Revision Committee
Chairman-in-Chief :
Prof. Baraguru Ramachandrappa, State Textbook Revision
Committees, Karnataka Textbook Society, Bengaluru.
Chairperson :
Dr. Krishna K Manavalli, Professor, Department of English, Karnataka
University, Dharwad.
Members:
Smt. Shobha.S.M, Lecturer, DIET, Chikkaballapur.
Smt. Sr.Daisy.A, Head Mistress, Sacred Heart High School,Bengaluru.
Sri Anith Kumar, Asst. Teacher, GHS, Hejmadikodi, Udupi Dist.
Sri Manoj Joyce, Asst. Teacher, GHS, Shettikere, Shivamogga Tq & Dist.
Smt. Snehalatha.N.H, Asst. Teacher, GHS, Yelahanka, Bengaluru.

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Smt. Kavitha B Savadi, Asst.Teacher, GHPS Bairanahatti, Naragund Tq,

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Smt. Suchitha.C, Asst. Teacher, GHPS Kasambi, Byadagi Tq, Haveri Dist.
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Artist :
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Sri Hazarat Ali. U, Lecturer, Department of Fine Arts, Tumakuru

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University, Tumakuru.
High Power Review Committee Members:
Dr. Geetha.R, Professor, Department of English, Bangalore University,
Bengaluru.
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Sri Veerabhadra Kodi, Professor (Rtd) Department of English,

P.G centre, Rani Chennamma University, Vijayapura.
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Smt. Elenuru Geethamala, Professor, Department of English, Rural

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First Grade College, Faridabad, Kalaburagi.

Sri Robert Jose, Professor, Department of English, Vijayanagara
Sri Krishnadevaraya University, Ballari.
Chief Advisors :
N. Manjushree. IAS, Managing Director, Karnataka Textbook
Society(R.) Bengaluru.
Sri. Ganganna Swamy H.G, Deputy Director, Karnataka Textbook
Society(R.) Bengaluru.
Programme Co-ordinator :
Smt. Hemalatha B.V, Assistant Director, Karnataka Textbook Society(R.)
Bengaluru.

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 INDEX

Unit Prose Page Poetry Page

1. Swami Vivekananda 1 He did it 12

2. The Nuclear Test 18 Great Grandmother 28

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3. The Grateful Tenant 31 Lineage 39
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4. Bird Migration 42 The Skylark 53

The Great Spirit of What the Leaves

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5. 56 68
the Sal Tree Said
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 LESSON -1
SWAMI VIVEKANANDA

Pre-reading activity:
• Name a few leaders you look up to and say why you
do so.
• What qualities does one need to become a good
leader?
• “Give me a few men and women who are pure and
selfless, and I shall shake the world”.
• Do you know who said so? It is Swami Vivekananda.

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India is a land of many
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religions and cultures. People
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here take both pleasure and pain

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alike. They are dedicated and

duty-bound. In this land, many
well known religious leaders have
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been born. One such leader has

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been Swami Vivekananda.

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One day a small boy jumped

out of the coach in which he was
travelling and ran to his mother with a smiling face. He
pointed at the coachman and told his mother. “I want to
be a coachman. How nice it is to drive a coach!”
The mother could not say anything at that time. Later
she showed him the picture of “Geethopadesha” and
patted him saying, “Dear Naren, if you want, you can be

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a coachman. But you should be a coachman like Krishna
who taught Arjuna.” Though the boy did not understand
it clearly, he became later, what his mother wanted him to
be. The little boy Naren later came to be known as Swami
Vivekananda, a great spiritual leader and India’s pride.
Narendra was born on 12 th January, 1863 to
Vishwanatha Dutta and Bhuvaneshwari Devi in Kolkata
(Calcutta). They considered the child the boon of God
Vireshwara Shiva, and named him Vireshwara. Later they
gave him the name Narendranath Dutta. At the age of six,
Narendra was sent to a primary school and later to a private
tutor. He studied Sanskrit grammar, long passages from the

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Ramayana and the Mahabharata. He had a strong desire to
study more and he wanted to see god. He met many people
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but he was not able to get a satisfactory answer.
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The desire to see god grew day by day. Finally one

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day he became successful when he could meet his guru

from whom he got the answer to his desire. He could
see god. The Guru who made this possible for Naren
was Sri Ramakrishna Paramahamsa. Sri Ramakrishna
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Paramahamsa could help him experience god. Thus Sri

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Ramakrishna Paramahamsa became Naren’s spiritual

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guru. Swami Vivekananda did not stop with this. He went

on and on, walked miles, travelled all over the country to
discover truth. Naren was kind to all. He had sympathy for
the poor, he was courageous too. These qualities helped
him become a wandering monk travelling alone to all
places to help the needy. He often expressed his ideas on
education. According to him, education should develop a
complete human being.

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 He made a speech in the Great Hall of Columbus, in
the Parliament of Religions at Chicago on 11 September
1893. He began his address with the words “Sisters and
Brothers of America”. Immediately, there was thunderous
applause from the vast audience and it lasted for two
minutes. The Swami spoke of the religion that was very
vast as the sky and deep as the ocean. Further, he
thanked all those who had assembled there. He referred
to the Indians of all classes and sects. He said about
the Hindu religion that in the true sense, it embraced
all humanity. And declared, “I am proud to belong to a
religion which has taught the world both tolerance and

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universal acceptance. We believe not only in universal

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tolerance, but we accept all religions as true”. These words
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were very impressive. He observed that the divisions in

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society based on religion has resulted in human hatred.

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He felt that human society would be far more advanced

when there were no divisions. Swami Vivekananda
expressed his hope saying that the time for driving away
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these evil forces in society had come. He told them that

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everybody should develop a sense of brotherhood and love

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for each other. There was great respect and appreciation

from the people of America.
After his return to India, he spent his time preaching
religious tolerance and worked for the upliftment of the
poor. He established Belur Math in 1898 which became
the centre of Ramakrishna Mission with the motto “Work
is Worship.”

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 Though he had only a short span of life on earth, the
essence of his words have been inspiring men and women
throughout the world.

Glossary :
spirituality : the concept of being a good human being
dedicate : devote
desire : wish
earnest : serious
wandering : going from one place to another

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Comprehension :
I.
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Choose the most appropriate answer.
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1. Swami Vivekananda established the Belur Math to

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a. make people remember his speech in the

Parliament of Religions.
b. spread the principles of Sri Ramakrishna
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Paramahamsa.
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c. develop human values.

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d. promote social divisions.

2. Swami Vivekananda acquired the knowledge of

human values
a. from his parents
b. through his spiritual experience
c. visiting countries
d. all of the above

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3. Narendra was born on
a. September 11, 1893
b. January 12, 1863
c. September 11, 1863
d. January 12, 1893
4. The audience in the Parliament of Religions applauded
Swami’s speech because
a. he spoke well
b. he addressed them as ‘‘Sisters and Brothers of
America’’

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c. he spoke in English

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d. his speech conveyed humanism
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II. Say whether the following statements are

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true or false.
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1. Swami Vivekananda was a wandering monk because

he wanted to spread Hinduism. ( )
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2. The audience in the Parliament of Religions did not

accept the speech of Swami Vivekananda. ( )
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3. Swami Vivekananda worked for universal

brotherhood. ( )
4. The words of Narendra’s mother made him become
a wandering monk. ( )
5. Swami Vivekananda went to Chicago as a political
leader. ( )
6. The Belur Math was established before Swami
Vivekananda went to Chicago. ( )

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III. Answer the following questions in one or two
sentences each.
1. How is India described by the writer?
2. What kind of a coachman did Narendra’s mother want
him to become?
3. Why did Narendra want to be a coachman?
4. Why was Narendra named Vireshwara?
5. Why was Narendra considered a “wandering monk”?
6. What kind of education did Narendra advocate?
7. What made the audience in the Parliament of Religions

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give a thunderous applause to Narendra?

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8. What helped Narendra earn respect and appreciation
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9. Did Narendra believe in superstitions?

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IV. Writing :
Complete the following table using the details
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given in the lesson on Swami Vivekananda.

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Date of birth
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Name given by parents

Parent’s Name Mother
Father
Characteristic traits
Life mission
Unique achievements a) founded the Belur Math
b)
c)

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 Now using the information given in the above table,
write a paragraph in 50 words on the life of Swami
Vivekananda.
Language exercise :
I. Vocabulary
Fill in the blanks choosing the right word given
in the box :
spiritual, superstitions, earnest, despair, preach

Ramakrishna Paramahamsa is a very well known

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_______ leader. Whenever people in _________ approached

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him, he would say that they must be _______ in their
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belief in the Divine. He also used to _________ that belief

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in _________ may not take anyone forward.

II. Substitute the following with one word. You can
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take the help of the choices given in the box

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below.
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1. A man who drives a coach.

2. One who believes in the existence of God.
3. One who does not believe in the existence of God.
4. One who doubts the existence of God.
5. One who believes in serving mankind.
philanthropist theist atheist
coachman agnostic

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III. Use the following words in meaningful sentences.

a. pride b. accept c. experience

d. dedicate e. tolerance
IV. Match the words in list “A” with their opposites
in list “B”.
A B
1. strong - hope
2. despair - evil
3. good - weak

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4. love (n) - death
5. life - hatredI SH
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Grammar :
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Read the following sentences carefully. You will

find them expressing different functions :
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i) The school begins everyday at 9 am.

ii) Why are you late?
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iii) a) Go to the post office and get me some stamps.

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b) Please, keep quiet.

iv) What a lovely picture !
Sentence (i) above expresses a fact. It is a statement.
Sentence (ii) above seeks an answer or a piece of in-
formation. It also does the function of asking. It is thus
a question or an interrogative sentence. It has a question
mark (?) at the end.

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 Sentence (iii) gives directions or instructions or
makes a request. Such sentences are called imperative
sentences.

Sentence (iv) expresses an appreciation. Sentences

like this may be used to express surprise, shock, pain,
grief and so on. Such sentences are called exclamatory
sentences, and they have exclamatory mark (!) at the end.

Ah !, Oh !, Alas !, Hurrah ! are some expressions or

words used to express surprise or shock.

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I. Now read the following sentences carefully.

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Identify their kind / type. Write your answer in
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the space provided. The first one has been done
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for you.
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(i) The earth revolves round the sun ........Statement.

(ii) Animals can be either wild or domestic ............
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(iii) When did you come back from Hubballi ? ............

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(iv) Pass the ball, please ..................

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(v) Ah! How cruel he is! ..................

(vi) Oh! What a wonderful game! ..................
(vii) Are you prepared for the examination? ................
II. Read the following dialogue carefully.
a) Imagine that you are on a visit to Bengaluru.
you ask for direction to go to St. Martha’s
Hospital. Read the dialogue.

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 A : Hello, good morning. Where do you come from ?
B : I’m Srikrishna and I’m from Chikkodi.
A : Is it your first visit to Bengaluru?
B : No. It’s my second visit.
A : What can I do for you?

B : How do I go to St. Martha’s Hospital?

A : From here, go to Majestic, take the bus that goes

to Market from Majestic. Ask for St. Martha’s
Hospital stop. On the opposite side you will see

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the hospital.

B : How kind of you! Thank you. I SH

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b) Imagine that you are near the market in your town.

Complete the following dialogue :

A : ....................................................................... ?
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B : The post office is near the railway station.

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A : How do I go to the railway station from here ?

B : ...................................................................... ?

A : ....................................................................... ?

B : You can board the bus from here and ask for
M.G. Road.

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 A : When does your school re-open?

B : ....................................................................... ?

A : Thank you very much.

Further reading :
1. Read the life of Dr. A.P.J. Abdul Kalam and understand
what he tells young people to do.
2. Read the autobiography of Lance Armstrong. What do
you think made him win against cancer and become
a champion again?

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3. Read books on people who promoted religious

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harmony like Sant Kabir, Bulleh shah, Vivekananda,
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Shishunala Sharif and others.

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 POEM – 1
HE DID IT

Pre-reading activity:
• Have you ever stood on the seashore and watched
the waves dancing and moving with high/low
ebbs? Recollect your experiences if any and share
the same with your friends. Have you ever thought
of how waves break? Do you think you can conquer
the waves?
Now read the following poem.

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Said the dangerous sea,

“You’ll not conquer me,
Try as hard as you can.
You are not a whale,
You are not a shark,
You cannot walk
On the waves, young man.” 7

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So he made a boat
That was able to float
“Ho, ho!” said his foe,
“It floats all right
And it’s watertight,
But you can’t make it go.” 13

“Oh yes I can,”

Replied the young man.
And he made some oars
And learned how to row. 17

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When the sea saw
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The boats and the oars
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And all the rowers,

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He said, “Young man,

They make a fine show,
But what will you do
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When they venture out 22

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Where the deep sea swells

Can take them up
And toss them about
Like cockshells”? 28

“You can’t stump me”,

Said the bright young man,
And cut down a tree

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 And made a tall mast
And rigged it with sails
To catch the high winds
And weather the gales. 35

When the ships set out

With their sails unfurled
To cross the Atlantic
And discover the world,
The sea looked them over. 40

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From stern to stern

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And when he saw,
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With considerable awe,

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That Columbus himself

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Was on one of them,

He said, with a show
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Of humility,
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“I admit, young man,

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You have conquered me.” 50

-MARY BRITTON MILLER

Glossary :
conquer : overcome, win over
venture : undertaking, risky job
unfurl : spread out

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humility : humbleness
rigged : provided
stump (v) : to give someone a very difficult problem
foe : enemy
oars : paddle

Understanding the poem

I. Answer the following questions.
1. Why is the sea so confident that the young man will

ED
not be able to conquer him?
2. SH
What did the young man do on listening to the
I
BL
EP S
R TB

challenge of the sea?

U
BE @K

3. Did the sea think that the young man would be able
to make his boat go? How did the young man prove
that he could make it go?
TO
T

4. What did the sea want to know when the young man
O

was all set to go? [read lines 22-28]

N

5. Why did the young man make the mast?

6. Was the sea angry to see ships cross the Atlantic?
7. How did the sea show its greatness of heart?
8. Do you think the poet is telling a story? Or Would
you take the poem as a reflection on man’s conquest
of the sea?

15
9. What is the attitude of the sea when it says,
“I admit, young man,
You have conquered me”.
a. magnanimous b. generous
c. submissive and humble d. indifferent

10. Who is portrayed as the conqueror - the man or the

sea?

11. What aspects of man are described in the poem?

12. Explain

ED
“And when he saw
With considerable awe I SH
BL
EP S
R TB

That Columbus himself

U
BE @K

Was on one of them.”

13. What picture of the sea do you get from the poem?
TO

II. Match column “A” with column “B”. Column “A”

has the challenges given by the sea to man and
T
O

column “B” has the responses given by man.

N

A B
1. You cannot walk a. he made a tall mast
2. You cannot make the b. he made boats
boats go
3. You cannot venture out c. he made oars
when I swell

16
III. He said, with a show
Of humility,
“I admit, young man,
You have conquered me.”
a. Who does the word “you” refer to?
b. What aspect of man is described in the poem?
c. When did the speaker say these words?
Appreciation :
IV. a. Pick out the questions posed by the sea to the

ED
man.

SH
Who do you think is mightier, ‘The sea or the
I
BL
EP S

man’? Discuss in groups.

R TB
U

b. Pick out the pairs of rhyming words from the

BE @K

poem.
Further Reading :
TO

Read about Columbus and his discoveries. Also find out

T

how discoveries later led to the Europeans conquering

O

foreign lands and oppressing the people of those lands.

N

17
 LESSON - 2
‘‘THE NUCLEAR TEST’’

Pre-reading Activity :
Do you enjoy your grandparents’ company? Do
your grandparents stay with you or do they stay in a
different place? Do you visit them often? Do they help
you in your school work?
Discuss these questions with your friends and
collect their opinions.

ED
“Amma, why are you removing all my things from the
SH
cupboard?” Anjali asked in a voice which sounded like
I
BL
EP S

she was ready for a fight.

R TB
U
BE @K

“You already know, Anjali. Dada and dadi are going

to need some place for keeping their things,” her mother
replied firmly.
TO

“But, Ma, where will my things go? This has been my

T
O

room since I was a baby. Why should I give up everything

N

just because dada and dadi are coming to live with us?”
cried Anjali.
“Come on, Anju. You are not giving up everything. You
are only going to sleep on the couch in the hall instead
of in this room. And your things can be accommodated
elsewhere,” replied her mother, trying to be sensitive but
feeling rather exasperated with her daughter’s endless
objections.

18
 This is how it had been ever since Anjali had been told
that her grandparents would be living with them from now
on. They had recently sold off all their land in the little
village where they had lived most of their life. Dada was
nudging seventy now and was too old to be able to run
the farm all by himself. He had promised he would not
leave his beloved land till he dies, but he was finding it
more and more difficult to live there alone. All his children
had migrated to the cities. Two of Anjali’s chachajis were
abroad. Only Papa lived in Pune, while Rita bua was in
Delhi. Dada had been persuaded by Anjali’s father to

ED
come and live with them. Papa wanted all of them to be
together as a “joint” family. He could then take care of
his ageing parents. I SH
BL
EP S
R TB
U
BE @K
TO
T
O
N

19
 Of course, Anjali enjoyed meeting her grandparents
during her holidays, but that did not mean she was
going to be happy giving up her room for them! Anjali
was an only child. Never in her life had she liked sharing
anything, and she wasn’t ready to change now!

And so it was that when her grandparents came, Anjali

was fussy, irritating, and brattish worst. She made a big
hue and cry over how she had lost her room. When she
wasn’t making rude comments, she would not talk much
and pretended to be glued to her favourite programme on
the TV. She was not very polite and complained, though

ED
not directly, for she was afraid of her father’s wrath.

SH
It was true having grandparents living with them
I
BL
EP S

needed adjusting to a new routine. They were used to a

R TB
U

different way of life. They woke up much before anyone

BE @K

else did and that made things awkward. Dadi was forever
doing some puja or the other, and if there was objection
to onions in the food one day, it was eggs the next. They
TO

would not go with them to eat out in restaurants. They

T

would not watch movies in theatres. They would not enjoy

O
N

shopping just for fun. They thought strap dresses were

too foreign and short skirts totally avoidable. Pop music
was “noise” and ice-creams were “not good for health.”

The one thing they did share was an addiction to

television, but the progammes they watched put Anjali to
sleep. Anjali felt as if she had suddenly been imprisoned.
The house, all eight hundred and fifty feet of compact
space planning, suddenly looked too small.

20
 As the days passed, Anjali’s anger mellowed into a
guarded truce. It was impossible to remain angry with
someone who was so kind. Dadi stopped commenting on
her clothes and even bought her a pretty T-shirt when
they went sightseeing. T.V became a divided schedule of
the most favourite programme on each individual list.
Dada helped Anjali with her projects and he was a big
help with the Math syllabus. He also got Anjali into the
habit of reading the newspaper and they would exchange
world views when he walked with her to the bus-stop
every morning.

ED
Anjali’s mother worked in an office and she left along

SH
with her father every morning. Breakfast was always
I
BL
EP S

cornflakes, and it was usually sandwiches for Anju’s

R TB
U

lunch box. And when her mother got back in the evening,
BE @K

she was so exhausted herself that cooking was never a

great activity.
TO

But now Dadi had taken over the kitchen – she actually
T

said she was getting bored of doing nothing! Dadi was a

O
N

fantastic cook. Suddenly, they were being pampered with

the most divine parathas and subzi, mithai and pakoras,
salads and pickles. Anjali’s mother could now slow down
a little and rest her feet. She even had more time for her
daughter. She was also immeasurably reassured that her
child was in the most caring hands possible…. till one
day when the grandparents announced, “We are thinking
of going to Rita’s place for a while.”

21
 Before anyone could say anything, Anjali burst out,
“Oh! Can I have my room back then? Dada-Dadi, when
are you going?”
The silence that followed was terrible and only Dadi
had some kind and general words to fill it with. Later,
apart from her room, Anjali got the worst scolding she
deserved and, in two days time, they were a nuclear family
again. But it was a lonely achievement. There was no
one to come home to, but the silly TV. There was none to
talk to. Her mother was again overworked with no time
for anything, or anybody. But most of all, the noise and

ED
bustle of one big happy family had faded into silence. The

SH
house, all eight hundred and fifty feet of compact space
I
planning, suddenly looked too big.
BL
EP S
R TB
U

When the phone rang the following night, just like

BE @K

they had expected it would, it was Anjali who ran

and picked it up to say, “Dada-Dadi, When are you
coming back?”
TO
T
O
N

22
Glossary :
couch : a long, comfortable seat (sofa)
exasperated : irritated
nudging : push gently
migrate : move from one place to another
abroad : a foreign country
persuaded : urged
fussy : difficult to please
brattish : badly-behaved child
wrath : anger

ED
SH
awkward : lacking in grace
imprisoned : cagedI
BL
EP S
R TB
U

addiction : (here) strong attraction

BE @K

mellowed : (here) softened

truce : temporary deal
TO

hint of apology : feeling sorry

T

hue and cry : loud fuss

O
N

immeasurably assured : very certain

Comprehension :
I. Choose the most appropriate answer.
1. Anjali’s father persuaded Dada to come to Pune
because
a) Dada was too old to run the farm
b) Anjali’s chachajis were abroad

23
 c) Dada’s children had migrated to cities
d) he wanted to take care of his aged parents

2. Anjali enjoyed meeting her grandparents

a) everyday
b) during holidays
c) during weekends
d) during her visits to their village

II. Say whether the following statements are true

or false.
1. Anjali always disliked sharing her things with

ED
others. ( )
2. I SH
Anjali’s mother was a fantastic cook. ( )
BL
EP S
R TB
U

3. Dada and Dadi enjoyed shopping for fun. ( )

BE @K

4. Anjali was extremely happy when her grandparents

decided to go to Rita’s place. ( )
TO

III. Pick out the word that best describes

T

a) Anjali b) Dada c) Dadi

O
N

d) Anjali’s father e) Anjali’s mother.

pious possessive caring

strict busy

24
IV. In the table given below, list out the various ways
in which Anjali’s grandparents rendered help.

Grandfather Grandmother
1
2
3
4

V. Answer the following questions in two or three

sentences each.
1. Why did Anjali’s mother remove all her things from

ED
the cupboard?
2.
SH
How old was Anjali’s grandfather? Why was it difficult
I
BL
EP S
R TB

for him to live in the village?

U
BE @K

Writing.
VI. Answer the following in a paragraph (six _ eight
sentences) each.
TO
T

1. The family became “a nuclear family” again. What

O

brought about this change?

N

2. Anjali was too eager to have her grandparents back.

What does this tell you about Anjali?
3. Is the title of the story suitable to the context? Give
your opinion.

25
Language Exercise :

Vocabulary :

I. Give one-word substitutes for the following.

1. One who resides temporarily outside the country
2. One who is only concerned with oneself
3. A state of perfect balance
4. One who is a hundred years old
5. A person in his sixties.

ED
equilibrium egocentric expatriate

SH
centenarian sexagenarian
I
BL
EP S
R TB

Grammar :
U
BE @K

Nouns are naming words which are used to express

names of animals or objects or places.
TO

Nouns can either be singular or plural. Plurals are

T

used to express more than one. Certain nouns do not have

O
N

plurals for which the singular and plural are the same.
The plurals are usually formed by adding ‘‘s’’, ‘‘es’’,
‘‘ves” or “ies” to the singular.
e.g : boy – boys
bench – benches
leaf – leaves
story – stories

26
I. Now form the plurals of the following words.
(i) house (ii) student (iii) toy
(iv) flower (v) knife (vi) cloth
(vii) berry (viii) eye (ix) table
(x) piece (xi) company (xii) lorry

II. Identify the errors in the following words and write

them correctly.
(i) Buss (ii) machineses (iii) bullockes
(iv) vehical (v) photoes (vi) halfs

ED
(vii) tomatos (viii) potatos (ix) calfes
There are some irregular plurals.I SH
BL
EP S
R TB

e.g: man – men

U
BE @K

child – children
ox – oxen
Using a dictionary find a few more irregular plurals.
TO

III. Write a paragraph on “A day in your school”.

T
O

You can use the following as hints.

N

The time you left for school - The number of classes

you had - Time when your classes began - The
different activities - The games that you played in
school - The time you returned home - Other activities
in school.

27
 POEM – 2
GREAT GRANDMOTHER

Pre-reading activity:
• Find a photograph of your great grandparents. Write
a description of the same.
• Why do you think knowing about our grandparents
and great grandparents is necessary?
• Have you looked at old photographs and have
remembered people? Have you begun speaking to

ED
your family members about them?

She looks out at me, I SH

BL
EP S
R TB

From the yellowing photograph

U
BE @K

Misted over by time.

It is a frank and serious look.
Her eyes are stern
But they can laugh too.
TO

Her hair is pulled back

T

Tightly in a bun,
O
N

And on her black dress

She wears no jewelry.
I never knew her,
Yet I recognize myself in her
Three generations later.
May my great grandchildren
Feel as close to me
As I now do to her.
- Alan Maley

28
Glossary :

yellowing : discoloured/getting old. White paper

turns yellow after a long period
misted : dimmed
stern : strict
frank : straightforward
recognize : understand, identify, find

Comprehension :

ED
I. Answer the following questions in two or three
sentences each.
1. ISH
What has happened to the photograph? Why?
BL
EP S
R TB
U

2. What expression does the poet read in the eyes of his

BE @K

great grandmother?
3. Describe the poet’s great grandmother as she appears
in the photograph.
TO

4. Did the poet know her personally? Why? Which line

T
O

suggests this?
N

5. “She looks out at me” – What does this opening line

of the poem mean?
6. Pick out the word from the poem which means that
the photograph is old?
7. What were the feelings that the poet experienced
when he looked at the photograph of his great
grandmother?

29
II. Answer the following questions.
1. “Yet I recognize myself in her, three generations later”
a. What does the word ‘‘recognise” mean in this
context?
b. Explain the term “three generations”.
2. What feelings/thoughts run in the poet’s mind
as he looks at the photograph of his great
grandmother?
3. What picture do you get about the great grandmother
of the poet?

ED
III. Appreciation.
1. I SH
Which line in the poem do you like? Say why.
BL
EP S
R TB
U

2. Attempt a description of your mother or grandmother

BE @K

or great grandmother.

Further reading and activity :

TO

“My Grandmother’s House” by Kamala Das. Compare

T

the poems.
O
N

30
 LESSON – 3
THE GRATEFUL TENANT
Pre-reading activity:
• Name some people whom you would love to
remember all through your life.
• What makes you remember them?
Share your answers with your friends.

(A settled homelife
gives everyone a chance to

ED
shine. Read how one man

SH
remembers with affection
I
BL
EP S

the help that an elderly

R TB
U

couple gave him when he

BE @K

was a penniless student).

I went for morning

TO

walks everyday. I enjoyed

the stroll because of the
T
O

scented breeze that blew

N

from nearby gardens and

also the mild warmth of
the early sun. On one
such day. I noticed a
plaque on the wall near
the gate entrance. It had
the name of the house, ‘‘Shyamkamal’’, engraved on
polished black granite. I asked Ramesh why he had
chosen this name for his home. “It is a combination of
31
the names of the two people who changed my life - the
ones I remember and thank each day,” said Ramesh.
“Shyamkamal stands for Shyama Rao and Kamala. Do
you remember, when I was in Dharwad, I used to stay
with an old couple?”
And I remembered there was an elderly couple in
Dharwad who used to rent out their outhouse to college
students. Ramesh had stayed there for six years.
Ramesh went on, “At that time, they supported me
whole heartedly in my decision to study in a bigger town.
Shyama Rao was a retired postmaster and my father’s
friend. He gave me a place to stay in. Kamala Bai was so

ED
selfless that she would share her meals with me. I enjoyed

SH
the meals so much and felt like I was having these meals
with my mother. As Dharwad was very famous for the
I
BL
EP S
R TB

Peda, Mr. Shyama Rao always brought pedas. They did

U

not let me go hungry for a single day and treated me like

BE @K

their son. If I was late in paying my college fees, he would

lend some money from his meager pension and help me
out.”
TO

“But you used to run errands for them and do odd jobs
T

like going to the post office, buying fruit and vegetables,

O
N

watering the plants and pumping the water out of the

tank. In fact, we used to call you their Man Friday behind
your back,” I replied.
“I don’t agree with that,” said Ramesh. “Think of the
old couple. They were not well off, but they went out of
their way to help me. Without their help, I do not know
where I would have been today.”
“But why did you name the house after them?” I went
back to my original question.

32
 “It was my father’s suggestion. He said there are some
people who do things out of affection and not just out of
duty, and they change your life with love and generosity.
Even my children should know their origins of my success.
I also want them to understand the gratitude I feel towards
Shyama Rao and Kamala Bai, not through mere words,
but through actions.”
It is people like Ramesh who reaffirm our faith in
humanity.
- Sudha Murthy

ED
(Edited)

SH
Glossary :
I
BL
EP S

plaque : a name-plate fixed to the wall.

R TB
U

engraved : cut words on wood, stone, metal, etc.

BE @K

outhouse : a small building in the ground floor,

usually at the back of the main
TO

house.
T

whole heartedly : completely and sincerely

O
N

selfless : caring about others, not about oneself

meagre : small quantity
Man Friday : a trustworthy character in the novel
Robinson Crusoe
run errands : do petty jobs
reaffirm : prove again

33
Comprehension :
I. Answer the following questions in two or three
sentences each.

1. Why did Ramesh name his home “Shyamkamal”?

2. Whom did Ramesh stay with when he was in

Dharwad?

3. Was Kamala Bai selfish?

4. How did Shyama Rao help Ramesh?

ED
5. Why did Ramesh’s friends call him ‘‘the couple’s Man

SH
Friday”?
I
BL
EP S

6. What kind of person, do you think, was Ramesh?

R TB
U
BE @K

7. Describe Kamala Bai and Shyama Rao.

8. How can you make old people happy?

TO

Writing :
T

Describe an elderly person in your house (It may be

O
N

your grandfather, grandmother, father or mother) and

say why you like him/her.
* His/her name :
* Age :
* Physique - looks - height, weight :
* Admirable qualities
* Abilities and shortcomings

34
Language Exercise :
Vocabulary
I. Match the words in list A with their opposites in
list B.
A B
i. remember a) selfish
ii. selfless b) forget
iii. agree c) early
iv. success d) disagree
v. grateful e) thankless

ED
vi. late f) failure
g) I SH
unkind
BL
EP S
R TB
U

II. The word “notice” has two meanings as an action

BE @K

word. It means “to see, observe or keep in one’s

mind”.
TO

Eg: I noticed a book on the table.

T

The same word “notice”, as a naming word. means “a

O
N

written or printed statement to announce something

in public”.
Eg: He displayed a notice on the door saying that
he had gone to his village.
Use the following words in sentences, first as action
words, and then as naming words :

Change, share, love, name, question

35
 door size
fit line
po

e
us
st

ho

s ki
law

rts
let

lay
OUT

look

ED
I SH
BL
EP S
R TB
U

III. Look at the words given in the balloons above.

BE @K

Join each one of them with the word “out”. Write

the newly formed words against their meanings
given below:
TO

a) ___________ : money spent on something

T
O

b) ___________ : line showing the shape of something

N

c) ___________ : something that exists outside the

main
d) ___________ : set of things especially clothes for a
particular purpose
e) ___________ : declare someone an outsider or
expelled
f) ___________ : way out for liquid or gas

36
g) ___________ : views or perception
h) ___________ : group of people or settlement far
from the main group or settlement
i) ___________ : outer areas or limits of a town
j) ___________ : small building near a larger main
building
IV. Substitute the sentences with one word, using
the words given in the box below.
1. Short account of an amusing or interesting event

ED
2. One who has no money

SH
3. Name shared by all the members of the family
I
BL
EP S
R TB

4. A laudatory speech or written tribute, especially

U
BE @K

praising someone who has died; high praise or

commendation; praise, acclamation.
5. A quality that means greatness of heart.
TO

surname eulogy anecdote generosity pauper

T
O

Grammar
N

Verbs are action words. No sentence can be complete

without a verb or an action word that expresses the
action.
eg.: I run fast.
They sit quietly.
She learns well.
He listens attentively.
37
The words underlined in the above sentences denote
actions.
I. Now identify the action words in the following
sentences.
i) They sing well.
ii) We play in the evening.
iii) He works in a hospital.
iv) Our parents guide us in our work.
v) Dog jumped into the well.

ED
vi) Cow eats grass.

SH
vii) They attended a meeting yesterday.
I
BL
EP S
R TB

viii) Ramu walked to the school.

U
BE @K

ix) She painted all the pictures.

x) They danced together.
TO
T
O
N

38
 POEM – 3
LINEAGE

Pre-reading activity:
• Have you ever felt weak?
• Do you think your forefathers were stronger than
you are?
• Compare yourself to your grandfather or
grandmother. List out some of their strengths.

(In this poem you will learn how old people are

ED
stronger than the youth. Here, the poet talks about

SH
her grandmothers and asks why she is not able to be
I
BL
like them)
EP S
R TB
U
BE @K
TO
T
O
N

My grandmothers were strong,

They followed ploughs and bent to toil
They moved through fields sowing seed.
They touched earth and grain grew.
They were full of sturdiness and singing.
My grandmothers were strong.

39
 ED
SH
My grandmothers were full of memories
I
BL
EP S
R TB

Smelling of soap and onions and wet clay

U
BE @K

With veins roughly over quick hands.

They have many clean words to say.
Why am I not as they?
TO

- Margaret Walker
T
O
N

Glossary :
plough : a large tool used by
farmers to turn over the soil before
planting crops (plow-North
American spelling)
sturdiness : strength
quick : busy

40
Comprehension:
I. Answer the following.
1. What kind of life did the poet’s grandmother lead?
2. List the different types of work the grandmothers of
yesteryears could do.
3. List the different qualities they possessed.
4. Is the poem an admiration of the grandmother of the
poet, or the elderly women in general?
5. Why do you think the poet is not as strong as her
grandmother?

ED
6. What aspects of the elderly people are appealing to

SH
the poet?
I
BL
II. Look at the second stanza of the poem. Read it
EP S
R TB
U

carefully. The last two lines are in the present

BE @K

tense. Compare these with the first stanza,

which is in the past tense.
Why do you think the poet has used the past and the
TO

present tenses in this way?

T

Further reading :
O
N

Read the story ‘‘My First Student’’ by Sudha Murthy

In this story. she tells us about how she taught her
grandmother, aged 65, how to read and write.
Read from “Kalakanni Jataka” the story of “Kanni,
The Unlucky.”
Read the poem ‘‘Women’’ by Alice Walker.

41
 LESSON – 4
BIRD MIGRATION

Human beings move from their birthplace to other

place for jobs or work. They also visit different places.
Moving from one place to another for some purpose is
migrating. Birds, like human beings, move from their
native lands to other lands in search of food or shelter
when the climate is not suitable for them to survive in
their native lands.

ED
Activity:

SH
Before reading the text, work with a partner and
I
BL
EP S
R TB

answer the following questions. Base your answers on

U
BE @K

your knowledge of the topic:

• What words would you use to describe animals
and birds?
TO

• What are the birds commonly seen in your locality?

T

• Why do you think birds migrate?

O
N

• How do you think birds warn us of climate changes?

Birds are a man’s and the environment’s best friends.

They could be kept as pets. They can perform marvellous
feats. Like humanbeings who go in search of job
opportunities to earn their living, birds travel from place
to place for different reasons. Their movement is seasonal.
There are surprising facts about their movement.

42
 The ‘‘migration’’ of
birds is as old as the
history of mankind. Yet
it’s a surprise. Why do
birds keep migrating from
place to place? [There is
no satisfactory answer.]
However, there are many
facts related to the amazing
phenomenon called “bird
migration”.

ED
The word ‘‘migration’’
refers to the movement of I SH
BL
EP S

birds from one place to another, from low lands to high

R TB
U

lands and from the interior to the sea-coast.

BE @K

Birds migrate for various reasons. For instance, it is

observed that during winter birds go to warmer places
TO

because some of them cannot survive.

T
O

The birds that feed on insects will not be able to find

N

their food in winter. Weather conditions alone would

not make birds migrate. Birds migrate depending on the
seasons. How do the birds identify the seasonal changes?
It is said that birds can find the seasonal changes by
knowing the length of the day. It is also believed that birds
can understand it, when days get shorter and when they
get longer. This ability in birds functions like an alarm
clock.

43
 Birds breed in summer and this is also connected with
migration. During this season, birds migrate northward.
The change in the length of days and the lack of food
tell the bird to migrate to suitable places. The breeding
instinct helps them migrate up north. In late summer
many birds fly down south. Sometimes, they travel to
different continents and return to their nests in their own
country in spring. Their ability to find their home is as
amazing as their readiness to migrate.

How do birds find their way home? There is a belief

ED
that birds can understand the magnetic fields that

SH
surround the earth. These magnetic fields run from the
north to south poles. Perhaps the birds are directed
I
BL
EP S
R TB

themselves by these lines of force. However, this theory

U
BE @K

has not been proved.

TO
T
O
N

Birds migrate for many reasons and may have their

instinct to find their way home. They are the champions

44
among all migrating animals. The Arctic Terns are the
champions among the birds. These travel an average of
22,000 miles a year. During its flight, the Tern nests at
different places and takes about 20 weeks to make its trip
down to the Antarctic region. Its average speed is 1000
miles a week.
Most land-birds make short hops during their
migration. The American Golden Plover is an exception.
It makes a long non-stop flight and can fly a distance of
about 2400 miles over water without food or stopping.

ED
I SH
BL
EP S
R TB
U
BE @K
TO
T
O

Birds do not actually begin their migration the same

N

day every year. For instance, the famous Swallows of

California are supposed to leave on October 23rd and
return on March 19th. But their dates of departure and
return have been found to be varying from year to year.
Birds migrate for satisfying their needs as human beings
do.

45
 Impact of Cell Towers on birds.
Ever wondered about vanishing house sparrows,
declining number of peacocks and other birds in the city?
A study “A possible impact of communication tower
on wildlife, birds, and bees” - conducted by the expert
committee of Union Ministry of Environment and Forest -
attributes the drop in number of birds in Indore, Bhopal,
Jabalpur, Ujjain and other cities to increased use of
mobile phones and electro-magnetic radiation (EMR)
emitted from communication towers.

ED
Concerned over the increasing number of mobile

SH
towers in the city, a city based animal activist Sudhir
I
Khetawat has written a letter to the Animal Welfare Board,
BL
EP S
R TB

urging them to take necessary action in the matter. “It is

U
BE @K

dangerous for birds and even the forest department, in its

letters dated May 5, 2015 and May 12, 2015, has accepted
that mobile-tower radiation is affecting the health of
TO

birds and peacocks in particular,” said Khetawat. Girish

T

Kumar from Electrical Engineering department of IIT-

O
N

Mumbai, who has done extensive work on harmful effects

of mobile tower radiation on humans, birds, and animals,
has said that birds, including sparrows, honeybees, and
peacocks are severely affected by cell tower radiation as
their surface area is more (so radiation absorbed is also
more) compared to their body-weight.
He added that the effects on the peacocks is much
more pronounced as their wings/feather occupy more

46
surface area resulting in large absorption of radiation,
hence creating more health-hazards, and leading to
various ailments and even death.
Source : The Times of India
(May 22nd 2015)
Glossary :
lowland : flat land
highland : mountainous area
marvelous : astonishing
feat : achievement

ED
phenomenon : fact

SH
departure : leaving
I
BL
EP S

exception : not included / unusual

R TB
U
BE @K

nests (v) : stays, halts

Comprehension :
I. Answer the following questions in a sentence or
TO

two each.
T
O

1. What does migration mean?

N

2. Is migration of birds seasonal?

3. Do birds migrate only in search of food?
4. How do birds identify seasonal changes?
5. Why do birds migrate?
6. Is migration a necessity?
7. State one theory which helps us understand how
birds find their way home.

47
8. Give an example to show that birds do not migrate
at the same time.
9. How are the Arctic Terns the champions among
migrating birds?
10. Describe the movement of birds during their migration.
11. What is the characteristic feature of American Golden
Plovers in relation to migration?
12. Name the birds mentioned in the lesson.
II. Choose the appropriate answer.
1. Birds migrate to warmer places because they

ED
a. like warmer places
b. can’t survive in winter I SH
BL
EP S
R TB
U

c. breed in winter
BE @K

d. migrate for a change

2. Birds are directed to their homes by
TO

a. magnetic lines
b. seasons
T
O
N

c. direction of the sun

d. changes in the colour
III. Say whether the following statements are true
or false.
1. Birds are the enemies of man. ( )
2. The breeding instinct helps birds to migrate to
the east. ( )
3. All birds migrate at the same time. ( )
48
4. Birds can find the seasonal changes by knowing the
length of the day. ( )
5. Magnetic lines stretch from north to south
poles. ( )
Writing :
1. Write a paragraph on the migrating habits of
a. Arctic Tern.
b. American Golden Plover.
c. Swallows of California.

ED
2. Imagine you are a parrot. Write in hundred words

SH
describing your appearance, food habits, places
I
BL
EP S

where you can be found, your speed of movement

R TB
U

and migrating habits.

BE @K

3. Write a letter to your friend on your visit to a zoo

nearby.
TO

Language Exercise :
T

Vocabulary
O
N

I. Substitute the following with one word each.

Choose from the list of words given in the box
below.
1. The study of birds
2. Fear of flying in an aircraft
3. Large area of high and fairly flat land

49
4. The study or practice of travelling through the air
5. A strong rush of air, rain, smoke carried by wind

gust aeronautics aerophobia

ornithology plateau

II. Circle the names of 10 animals/ birds hidden in

the following square. One is done for you.

o k m o n k e y a d
w s x y z m a c k u

ED
l w p q r s g h i c
n r n m f I
q SH
l j h k
BL
EP S
R TB
U

o w q a b h e n c x
BE @K

c p a r r o t p i e
i f c d e f e t r p
TO

l e g h i j t s t f
T
O
N

e j k l m n i m s a
p e a c o c k n o r

Grammar :
Read the sentences given below. The words
underlined in them either describe or say something
about the person or the object or the thing in the sentence.
Such words are called descriptive words or adjectives.

50
 (i) The table is round.
(ii) Raju is an intelligent boy.
(iii) They are all good workers.
(iv) Their garden has well-grown trees.
Words like round, intelligent, good and well-grown
are some of the adjectives.
I. Look at the pictures and complete the phrases.

i ................... table

ED
SH
ii .................... clock
I
BL
EP S
R TB
U

iii ................. flower

BE @K

iv .................. stream
TO
T
O

v ..................... neck
N

vi .................... bird

vii .................... trunk

viii ...................... child

51
II. Now using the describing words, describe the
objects in your classroom.
III. Using appropriate words describe yourself.
IV. Pick out the describing words in the lesson.
Further Activity :
1. Collect information on the famous bird sanctuary at
Ranganathittu in Karnataka. Write a paragraph in 100
words and list the birds which migrate to Ranganathittu
from other places during different seasons.
Further reading :
1. The essay “Bird Life in the City” by Ruskin Bond.

ED
SH
Salim Ali
Salim Moizuddin Abdul Ali I
BL
EP S
R TB
U

(12 November 1896-20 June 1987),

BE @K

best known as the Grand Old Man of

Indian Ornithology and also referred to
as the “Birdman of India”, was the first
TO

among many to conduct a systematic

T

bird-survey in India. His research and

O
N

findings have served as the basis for

the modern specifications of Indian birds. He was awarded
the Padma Bhushan in 1958 and the Padma Vibhushan
in 1976, India’s third and second highest civilian honours
respectively. Several species of birds and a couple of bird
sanctuaries and institutions have been named after him.

52
 POEM – 4
THE SKYLARK
Pre-reading activity:
• Do you get a chance to listen to birds singing?
• Have you ever listened to birds singing? Or have
you watched birds flying?
• When does a Koel sing?
• How do you feel when you hear a Koel?

Now, read the poem.

ED
The earth was green, the sky was blue:

SH
I saw and heard one sunny morn
I
A skylark hang between the two,
BL
EP S
R TB

A singing speck above the corn;

U
BE @K

A stage below, in gay accord,

White butterflies danced on the wing,
And still the singing skylark soared,
TO

And silent sank, and soared to sing.

T
O

The cornfield stretched a tender green

N

To right and left beside my walks:

I knew he had a nest unseen
Somewhere among the million stalks.
And as I paused to hear his song,
While swift the sunny moments slid,
Perhaps his mate sat listening long,
And listened longer than I did.
- Christina Rossetti
53
Glossary :
skylark : a small singing bird
speck : tiny shape of the bird
soar : to fly high
swift : quick
stalk : a long and narrow part of a plant

I. Answer the following questions.

1. Where did the poet see the skylark?
a. on the ground

ED
b. flying in the sky
c. in the nest I SH
BL
EP S
R TB

d. between the earth and sky

U
BE @K

2. Why is the skylark described as a “singing speck”?

3. How are the butterflies described?
TO

4. Explain the meaning of these two lines in your own

words:
T
O

“And still the singing skylark soared,

N

And silent sank and soared to sing.”

5. What part of the day is mentioned in the poem?
6. What is the mood of the poet?
7. Why does the poet say “I knew he had a nest unseen?”
8. What kind of a field “does the poet talk about in the
poem?”

54
9. Which one does the poet enjoy most: the dancing of
the butterflies, or the flight of the skylark? Why?
10. Read the following lines aloud. You will notice the
end rhymes:
The earth was green, the sky was blue
I saw and heard one sunny morn
A skylark hang between the two
A singing speck above the corn.

Say the pairs of words aloud

blue-two; morn- corn

ED
The rhyme-scheme, you learn is as follows

SH
a
I
BL
EP S

b
R TB
U

a
BE @K

Now find the rhyme-scheme in the following lines:

TO

And tell me now what makes thee sing

T
O

With voice so loud and free,

N

While I am sad, though I’m the king,

Beside the river Dee?

Further Reading :
1. “Maples” by Judith Pordon
2. “I know Why the caged Bird Sings” by Maya Angelou
3. “Lift Every Voice and Sing” by James Weldon Johnson.

55
 LESSON – 5
THE GREAT SPIRIT OF
THE SAL TREE

Pre-reading activity:
• Have you climbed a tree? Have you observed the
trees around you? Do you have a garden at home?
• List out the names of the trees/plants you are
familiar with.
• “Destruction of forests has caused problems for

ED
humanity Do you agree with this? Discuss with

SH
your friends.
I
BL
EP S
R TB

Once upon a time, a king of a north Indian kingdom

U
BE @K

wanted to build a palace more remarkable than any other

in the country. He could not make it richer, taller, stronger
or more beautiful without great expense and trouble. So
TO

he decided to make it special in another way, by setting

T

the whole palace upon a single wooden column, a column

O
N

carved from one of the biggest trees in his kingdom.

He sent for his minister and said, “Send men to my

forests far and near, and tell them to cut down and bring
to the city without delay, the mightiest tree they can find.”

Thirty foresters were dispatched, but they soon

returned saying that though there were many trees
equally strong and gigantic in the king’s forests, they

56
could never carry or drag them over the difficult terrain
that lay between the forests and the city.
The king heard this. But later he sent for the foresters
again. “By means of horses, one of these trees must be
brought here,” he said. “It is not possible”, they said. “No
horse could move such a tree even an inch.”

ED
I SH
BL
EP S
R TB
U
BE @K
TO
T
O

“By means of bullocks then,” he said.

N

“The bullocks could not possibly force their way

through miles of such dense forest.”
“By means of elephants, then!”
“It is hardly possible for the ground is so marshy that
the elephants would sink to their knees in it.”
“Very well,” said the king angrily. “If you cannot bring
me such a tree from the forests, then you must find it

57
within one of my village parks. Bring it here within a
week!”
The foresters left and went directly to a splendid sal
tree which grew not far from the palace. It was worshipped
by the people of many villages around because within it
dwelt a tree-spirit who gave the tree its great strength,
size and beauty.
The foresters decided with much reluctance that the
king’s column must be made from this lordly sal tree and
from no other.
They returned to it with garlands, lamps and music

ED
to offer them to the spirit inside, and to warn him that he

SH
must leave his abode, for within seven days it would be
I
BL
EP S

cut to the ground.

R TB
U
BE @K

The tree-spirit heard and understood well enough

what was about to happen. It remained quiet as a resting
TO
T
O
N

breeze blew for a few moments. Then, all his leaves began
to whisper, and his topmost branches bowed; and the

58
foresters went away satisfied that he had answered their
plea. But this was what the leaves were whispering to
each other :
“Should the king’s decision hold, not only shall we
perish, we and our spirit-for the sal-spirit cannot exist
anywhere else, but our fall will crush all the little sal trees
that have sprung up and thrive under our protection. For
ourselves we care not, but for the children’s sake we wish
that the king had not wished it so …………..”
The spirit within the tree thought, “This must not be
allowed. I must visit the king and persuade him.”

ED
That night, while the king was asleep, a shining figure

SH
appeared to him in his dreams and spoke in a voice that
I
BL
EP S

was like a rustle: “I am the spirit of the sal tree, O King,

R TB
U

your foresters this day have told me of your decision to

BE @K

fell me. I have come to beg you to change your mind”.

“No, I cannot,” grumbled the king. “Yours is the only
tree in all my parks strong enough to support a palace
TO

building, and therefore I must have it.”

T
O

“Consider, O King! For a thousand years I have been

N

worshipped by the people of many villages and never has

anything but good come out to them. The birds nest in
me. I send a vast and lovely shade upon the grass beneath
me. Against my trunk people rest, and wild creatures too,
glad of the coolness. The earth blesses me.
“All true enough, good tree-spirit,” spoke the king,
“but for all this I cannot spare you. I have made up my
mind.”

59
“Then grant me one last request,” said the tree-spirit. “Let
me be felled in three parts. First, my head, with its crown
of waving greenery. Next my middle, with its hundred
strong arms and hands. Last my base, which bears the

ED
heaviest and knottiest of my limbs upon it.”

SH
“This is a strange request,” said the king, “never before
I
BL
EP S

did I hear of one who desired three times to suffer the

R TB
U

death stroke. Why not endure the agony but once, and
BE @K

have it over?”
“It is like this, O King, around me have grown up my
TO

family. Dozens of young sal trees have sprung from me

and thrived in my generous shadow. Should you fell me
T
O

with one mighty stroke, my weight would certainly crush

N

all my children to death. But if three times I suffer the

stroke, and fall in three pieces, some of the little ones may
escape. Is my prayer granted?”
“Indeed it is,” said the king, whereupon the
tree-spirit faded away.
The next morning, the king called his minister and
his foresters and told them that he had changed his mind.
The column for the new palace should be built of stone,
60
not wood. “For,” said he, “within the sal tree dwells a spirit
nobler than my own.” And he told them of his vision and
they all marvelled.

The Chipko Movement – a protest by villagers

who embrace the tree to prevent it from being felled.
A prominent leader who has contributed significantly to
this movement is Sundarlal Bahuguna, a Gandhian.
Glossary :
column : pillar
terrain : stretch of land

ED
spirit : ghost; super natural being

SH
abode : home
I
BL
EP S

felled : cut down

R TB
U
BE @K

thrive : live
agony : great pain
TO

Comprehension :
T

I. Choose the most appropriate answer from the

O
N

four alternatives given below each statement.

1. The foresters could never drag the huge trees to the
city because
a) only thirty foresters were dispatched.
b) the trees were very heavy.
c) the foresters were lazy.
d) there was a difficult terrain between the forest
and the city.
61
2. The foresters worshipped the tree-spirit because
a) they were afraid of it.
b) it commanded them to do so.
c) it gave the tree great strength, size and beauty.
d) it was just a custom.

3. The tree-spirit requested the king that it be felled

a) in one stroke all at once.
b) in three strokes.
c) in two strokes.

ED
d) branch by branch.

I SH
II. Say whether the following statements are True
BL
EP S
R TB

or false.
U
BE @K

1. The king sent his men to the forest to cut down and
bring the mightiest tree. ( )
2. Only elephants could be used to move the
TO

tree. ( )
T
O

3. The leaves of the sal tree were concerned only about

N

themselves. ( )
4. The king was very pleased to change his mind at the
tree’s first request. ( )
5. The king decided that the column for the new palace
should be built of stone. ( )

62
III. Answer the following questions in two or three
sentences each.
1. How did the king want to make his palace special?
2. Name the animals suggested by the king for pulling
the tree.
3. How did the tree-spirit describe itself to the king?

IV. Match column A with column B. Column A has

the animals suggested by the king. Column B has
the reasons for not being able to use the animals
to drag the tree.

ED
A B

SH
1. Horses a) Legs could sink in the marshy
I
BL
ground
EP S
R TB
U

2. Bullocks b) Would not be able to move the tree

BE @K

even an inch
3. Elephants c) Would not be able to force their
way in the dense forest.
TO

Writing
T
O
N

I. Answer the following questions in a paragraph

(six to eight sentences each).
1. What did the foresters warn the tree-spirit about?
How did they know that he had answered their plea?
2. “Some of the little ones may escape” – What quality
of the tree-spirit does this statement convey?
3. The king felt that the spirit of the sal tree was nobler
than his own. Why did he feel so?
63
II. Write an imaginary dialogue between you and a
tree which is getting cut down.
Language Exercise :

I. Vocabulary :

Substitute the sentences with one word. Choose

from the choices given in the box below.
1. Government by kings and queens
2. A feeling of pain

ED
3. Cutting down trees in a forest

SH
4. Plants in a particular region.
I
BL
EP S
R TB

Deforestation abode monarchy spirit flora agony

U
BE @K

II. Pick out the opposites of the following words from

the text.
TO
T

a. true b. accept c. dissuade

O
N

d. domestic e. rejected f. liking

64
Grammar
English language uses a few words to describe
actions or give extra infomation to a verb.
e.g: (i) Deer runs fast.
(ii) Snails move slowly.
(iii) Some people rarely work.
(iv) She sings well.
(v) They fought bravely.
(vi) He is seriously ill.
The words underlined in the sentences above describe

ED
the manner of action in each of them. They are called

SH
adverbs.
I
BL
EP S
R TB

Adverbs are usually formed by adding -ly to the

U

describing words.
BE @K

e.g : careful - carefully plain - plainly

serious - seriously deep - deeply
TO

brave - bravely
T

I. Now identify the adverbs in the following

O

sentences.
N

1) The child listened patiently to his mother.

2) The horse rode as quickly as possible.
3) Students answered correctly.
4) I read silently.
5) The farmer told the hiker plainly.
6) Joe cried bitterly when he broke his new glasses.

65
II. List different actions that you do between 10 am
and 1 pm at school everday and say how you do
them.
e.g.: 1) I listen carefully.
2) I sit ....................................
3) I read ..................................
4) I speak ................................
III. There are a few adverbs which are used to express
the frequency of the action done.
e.g.: I often read the newspaper.

ED
They never play in the evening.
I SH
Rekha usually goes to school with her brother.
BL
EP S
R TB
U

Lankesh sometimes drinks coffee.

BE @K

The words underlined are adverbs of frequency. They

express how often one does the work (reading, playing,
going, drinking and so on)
TO

IV. Correct the following sentences.

T
O

i) I ate quick.
N

ii) Unfortunate everyone was injured in the accident.

iii) He spoke to her gentle.
iv) They all spoke loud.
v) It rained heavy.
vi) He shut the door quiet.

66
Now, imagine you need to tell your friend how often
you do the following. Fill in the table below using a
tick () mark and construct sentences as shown in
the example.
I always obey my parents.
Actions sometimes always often never usually
a. pray in the
evening
b. read books
in English
c. obey
teachers

ED
d. walk in the

SH
school park
I
BL
EP S

e. watch TV
R TB
U

f. visit relatives
BE @K

g. read the
newspapers
h. play hockey
TO

i. quarrel with
T

friends
O
N

Further reading:
- “The Cherry Tree” by Ruskin Bond
- Read the story of the third edition of Zen monk
Tetsugen’s Sutras (Japanese). These sutras can be
seen in Okaku Monastery in Kyoto, Japan.

67
 POEM – 5
WHAT THE LEAVES SAID

Pre-reading activity:
• Do you think the colour of the leaves in a tree remain
the same through the year?
• Have you ever wondered how leaves appear on trees
and why they wither and fall?

The leaves said, ‘‘it’s spring;

ED
And here are we,

SH
Opening and stretching
on every tree.’’ I
BL
EP S
R TB
U

The leaves said, ‘‘it’s summer;

BE @K

Each bird has a nest;

We make the shadow
Where they can rest.’’
TO
T

The leaves said, ‘‘it’s autumn;

O
N

Aren’t we all gay?’’

Scarlet and golden
And russet were they.
The leaves said, ‘‘it’s winter;
Weary are we.’’
So they lay down and slept
Under the tree.
-Anon

68
Glossary :
shadow : shade
gay : cheerful/happy
russet : reddish–brown

Comprehension :
I. Answer the following questions in two or three
sentences each.
1. What are the leaves described as doing in the first
stanza?
2. Which stanza tells us that the leaves are happy? Pick
out the line that conveys this.

ED
SH
3. In which season do leaves give shade for the nest of
the birds? I
BL
EP S
R TB

4. Why are the leaves described as lying down to sleep

U
BE @K

in winter?
II. Answer the following questions in a paragraph
each (six-eight sentences).
TO

1. What do the words scarlet, golden and russet in

stanza three suggest?
T
O

2. Which season do you like the most? Why?

N

3. A day has four distinct parts - morning, afternoon,

evening and night. How do you usually feel during
these periods of the day?
4. Which part of the day do you like the most?
III. Pick out the rhyming words in each stanza.
Write a suitable rhyming word for each of the following
words : spring, summer, slept.

69
 Personification: Poets use this figure of speech
for emphasis. To “personify” means to give human
characteristics to abstract ideas or non-living things.
For example:
1. Fear knocked on my door.
2. Pride goes before a fall.
3. A picture speaks.
4. The telephone shrieked loudly.
The poem personifies “leaves.” The poet has given a
voice to the leaves by saying “the leaves said……”

ED
Also the poet has given other descriptions that

SH
personify “leaves.” Can you pick out a few.
I
BL
EP S

3. Identify the season each picture depicts.

R TB
U
BE @K
TO
T
O
N

4. List out the festivals that you celebrate during :

Spring, Summer, Autumn, Winter.

70