The Last Lesson

VSAQs

Then he opened a grammar and read us our lesson. I was amazed to see how well I
understood it. All he said seemed so easy, so easy! I think, too, that I had never listened so
carefully, and that he had never explained everything with so much patience. It seemed almost
as if the poor man wanted to give us all he knew before going away, and to put it all into our
heads at one stroke.

· Textual clue (phrase) to show Franz felt sorry for the teacher.

Ans. poor man

For the last two years all our bad news had come from there — the lost battles, the draft, the
orders of the commanding officer — and I thought to myself, without stopping, “What can be
the matter now?”

· The tone of the speaker is :

a) Argumentative

b) Angry

c) Disappointed

d) Irritated

But now it was all so still! I had counted on the commotion to get to my desk without being
seen; but, of course, that day everything had to be as quiet as Sunday morning.

In which of the following sentences has the word ‘count’ been used in the same way as it
has been used in the above lines?

a) We counted the entire amount before making the payment.

b) Whenever you plan the vacation, do count me in.

c) I can always count on my friend, Katie whenever I am in trouble.

d) The count down for the award day has begun.

The reason for the silence was :

 a) The German invasion

b) The order from Berlin

c) Inspection in the school

d) Visit of the Ex-Mayor and the Postmaster

· Find the textual clue (that indicates that usually, the school was not so silent.

Ans. I had counted on the commotion

Oh, the wretches; that was what they had put up at the town-hall!

· What does the exclamation at the end of the sentence convey?

a) Excitement

b) Elation

c) Shock

d) Awe

What would I not have given to be able to say that dreadful rule for the participle all through,
very loud and clear, and without one mistake? But I got mixed up on the first words and stood
there, holding on to my desk, my heart beating, and not daring to look up.

· Which pair of textual clue and inference is apt for the above-mentioned lines?

a) very loud and clear - feeling confident

b) holding on to my desk - feeling ashamed

c) my heart beating - not feeling well

d) not daring to look up - feeling afraid of the teacher

……….and now I understood why the old men of the village were sitting there in the back of
the room. It was because they were sorry, too, that they had not gone to school more. It was
their way of thanking our master for his forty years of faithful service and of showing their
respect for the country that was theirs no more.
· The villagers were sitting in the classroom because they :

i. were ashamed of procrastination

ii. felt pity for the old teacher

iii. wanted to thank the teacher

iv. regretted not valuing their language

v. wanted to protest against the order from Berlin

vi. had never attended school

a) iii & iv

b) iii, iv & vi

c) only iii

d) i, ii & v

· Find a textual clue that indicates that they had been defeated.

Ans. the country that was theirs no more

“……….Have I not often sent you to water my flowers instead of learning your lessons? And
when I wanted to go fishing, did I not just give you a holiday?”

· The speaker’s tone is :

i. Penitent

ii. Inquisitive

iii. Guilty

iv. Blunt

v. Reproachful

a) i, iii & v

b) i & iii

c) iii & v
 d) i, ii & iv

It seemed almost as if the poor man wanted to give us all he knew before going away, and to
put it all into our heads at one stroke.

· In which of the following sentences have the words ‘poor’ and ‘stroke’ been used in the
same way as used in the above lines?

a) Last week, the poor man living behind the hospital wall, died of a violent
heart stroke.

b) As the rich jeweller shut down the showroom, the poor vagabond stroked his
beard and made a plan.

c) Look at the poor protestors! Just a stroke of luck can help them.

d) Poor little, Mary! As she stroked her cat, the cat bit her thumb!

M. Hamel stood up, very pale, in his chair. I never saw him look so tall.

· The way Franz uses the word ‘tall’ for M. Hamel, i)………could also use for ii)………

a) Charley for Sam, the psychiatrist (The Last lesson)

b) Derry for Mr Lamb (On the Face of it)

c) The office boy for Subbu (Poets and Pancakes)

d) Douglas for his trainer (Deep Water)

Complete the analogy on the basis of your reading of The Last Lesson

· Slavery to Germans : Prison : : ___________________: Key

Ans. their native language/mother tongue/French language

SAQs

· Were the temptations that distracted Franz on the way to school internal or external or
both? Was he able to overcome them? How and why?

Ans. Internal : not willing; had not prepared for the test on participles; already late

External : bright and warm day; chirping birds ; drill of soldiers

Yes, ignored the temptations; was afraid of the teacher

· When the blacksmith says, “Don’t go so fast, bub; you’ll get to your school in plenty of
time!”, Franz thinks he’s being mocked by the blacksmith. But subsequent events prove it
wrong. How? What had the blacksmith actually meant?

Ans. Later, found out about the order from the teacher at school - French school was
getting over - teacher was leaving forever - Blacksmith meant that it would be a long time
before they would get free and actually go to ‘their’ school.

· Everything changed with that order from Berlin. Who all changed and how?

Franz : guilty and penitent; respect for teacher and language; remorse for negligence of
learning

Villagers : respectful and sorry for the teacher; pained at losing their language.

M.Hamel : kind and polite; guilty for dereliction of duties; realised his responsibility even
on the last day; delivered the ‘last lesson’.

· What issues does the story ‘The Last Lesson’ raise? Do they have a universal appeal
across nations and times?

Ans. Universal themes - Procrastination; respect for mother tongue; linguistic chauvinism;
human nature

M. Hamel uses the metaphor of the key and the prison to enlighten the kids on the last
day of the French lesson. What does the metaphor convey? Do you think it is relevant and
apt?

Ans. Mother tongue/language is the key that can act as a unifying medium to bring the
countrymen together and strive to free the country from German rule (the prison).

· Nature, as depicted in the lesson, comes across as beyond human control or political
restrictions. There is a mention of the beetles, the birds and the pigeons – flying, chirping
and cooing freely. Does Franz’s comment “Will they make them sing in German, even the
pigeons?” convey the same idea? Discuss.

Beetles fly in when they are writing; pigeons coo; birds are chirping in the woods -
oblivious of the political upheavals. Franz rightly remarks that no one can force nature or
elements of nature to adopt a foreign tongue. Colonialism is a man-made vice directed
towards subjugation of men.
· Do you think that the teachers have a long-lasting impression on the minds of young
children? What does M. Hamel do or say to engrain life-long love for their country and
language among the children on the last day?

Yes, M. Hamel takes the opportunity on this last day, when the students are feeling
remorseful and guilty, to instill the love for language and country in them. At this young,
impressionable age, they will carry the lesson and execute it when they grow up. Metaphor
of the prison and the key…….

· If the orders from Berlin were withdrawn the next day, do you think that the people of
Alsace and Lorraine would go back to their old ways criticized by M. Hamel in the story?
Why/why not?

Ans. No, realized their mistake; understand the value of time and language; know the
consequences; don’t want to be enslaved.

LAQs

· M. Hamel leaves Alsace and Lorraine as per the German orders. Later, he meets his
close friend Mr M.K. Gandhi, who after the Champaran episode has returned to his
ashram. They talk about the need to empower the common man and how they have tried
their best to embolden their countrymen for the forthcoming times. Imagine the
conversation between the two and write it.

You can start like this………………

M.Hamel : Mr Gandhi! How are you? It’s been a long time!

Mr Gandhi : Dear Mr Hamel, I’m quite good. But, how come you are here? I read
about the invasion in the papers. How has it been?

…………………………………

· M. Hamel cribs about parents not willing to send their kids to school in order to make
extra money. In the story, Lost Spring, we find children not sent to school for other reasons.
Based on the two different issues dealt by both the stories, discuss what importance does
education hold for the growth of the country and its people?

· Imagine you are Franz. After M. Hamel leaves the school, a German teacher arrives
and tries to enforce the teaching of German language and culture on the students. Use of
German in any way or form is banned. Those who try to flout the rule are punished
severely. You recall how your pen friend, Zitkala Sa (Memories of Childhood – The Cutting
of my Long Hair) had also gone through the same atrocities. Write a letter to her discussing
the similarities in your situations and suggesting ways to overcome it.

· You are M. Hamel. After being forced to leave your country, you come to live in Aunt
Jennifer’s neighborhood. You observe that she is a victim of male chauvinism but unable to
fight against it. You have done your bit by teaching your students to fight the Germans’
linguistic chauvinism by preserving their language. Write an article for a local newspaper
on “Shun the Chauvinisms”, discussing ways to fight both the chauvinisms.

Lost Spring

VSAQs

After months of knowing him, I ask him his name. “Saheb-e-Alam,” he announces. He does
not know what it means.

· Choose the sentence that carries the same literary device as evident in the above lines.

a) Hey! Rhythm! You sing like a canary, girl! I love your voice!

b) The Annual Conference of ‘The Peace-lovers’ Forum’ ended abruptly with a

heated argument among the members. (Irony)

c) Whenever I find hostile people around me, I either go into my cocoon or

turn into a porcupine.

d) My mom is a shopaholic. She always brings half the market home whenever
she goes shopping.

i) “It takes longer to build a school,” I say, embarrassed at having made a promise that was
not meant.

ii) “Even if she did he will throw them off,” adds another who is wearing shoes that do not
match. When I comment on it, he shuffles his feet and says nothing.

· In which of the following sentences does the character feel the same emotion as
experienced by the characters of the two mentioned above?

a) “I will learn to drive a car,” he answers, looking straight into my eyes.

b) “Why do you do this?” I ask Saheb whom I encounter every morning

scrounging for gold in the garbage dumps of my neighbourhood……. “I have
nothing else to do,” he mutters, looking away. (embarrassment)
 c) “Why not organise yourselves into a cooperative?” I ask a group of young
men who have fallen into the vicious circle of middlemen who trapped their
fathers and forefathers.

d) “I like the game,” he hums, content to watch it standing behind the fence. “I
go inside when no one is around,” he admits.

Wherever they find food, they pitch their tents that become transit homes.

· In which of the following sentences has the word ‘pitch’ been used in the same way as
in the above line?

a) It was pitch dark and drizzling when I reached the farmhouse.

b) The pitch was damp enough for the ball to make an impact.

c) The landlady screamed at a pitch which could make anyone’s ears bleed.

d) We had to pitch our camp away from the river as it was raining heavily.

Through the years, it has acquired the proportions of a fine art. Garbage to them is gold.

· The literary device/s used in the above lines is/are –

i. Hyperbole

ii. Alliteration

iii. Simile

iv. Oxymoron

a) i & ii

b) ii & iv

c) i & iv

d) only i

For the children it is wrapped in wonder, for the elders it is a means of survival.

· The literary device/s used in the above lines is/are –

i. Metaphor
 ii. Alliteration

iii. Contrast

iv. Oxymoron

a) Only ii

b) i & iii

c) ii & iv

d) only iii

· Choose which of the following are the reasons for Saheb-e-Alam’s condition.

i. Refugee status

ii. Superstition

iii. Marginalization

iv. No scope of prosperity in homeland

v. Caste

vi. Tea stall owner

a) ​ i, iii, iv

b) ​ i, ii, iii, iv

c) ​ i, iii, iv, v

d) all of the above

Complete the analogy on the basis of your reading of Lost Spring.

· garbage : gold : : ________________ : destiny (bangle-making)

· internal factor : caste : : external factor : _______ (vicious circle of middlemen……….)

SAQs

Saheb is no longer his own master!

***

“I want to drive a car”

Mukesh insists on being his own master.

●​ Why does the writer present such a contrasting picture of both the boys at the end
of the first and the beginning of the second part?

· Do you think Mukesh will also be defeated by circumstances and his passion will also
end as soon as Saheb’s, when faced with hardships? Justify your answer.

· The working conditions of the bangle makers of Firozabad are worse than their living
conditions. Do you agree/disagree? Justify.

· The goddess had granted his prayer. Young boys like the son of the priest now wore shoes.
But many others like the ragpickers in my neighbourhood remain shoeless. What was the
prayer and by whom? What does the reference imply?

· Why do you think the ragpickers do not enjoy even the little privileges that others like
the son of the priest enjoy?

· Why don’t the youth of Firozabad dare to dream?

LAQs

· You overhear some part of the conversation between Saheb’s mother and Mukesh’s
grandmother about the future of the children. Complete the remaining conversation.

Mukesh’s grandmother : We are compelled to do bangle making and nothing else, even when
we know the consequences. But what keeps you here?

Saheb’s mother : Oh! Don’t ask. Our fields in ……………………………………….…………

…………………………………………………………………………………………………….

· Imagine that you are Mukesh, who finally succeeds in becoming a motor mechanic and
leaves Firozabad for a better future. He aspires to give a good education to his children so
that they can reach higher goals. However, he has little knowledge about different
successful careers and which field of education they must opt for. He comes to you for
consultation. Prepare a write up giving a good career advice to him.

· Explore the themes of poverty, caste inequalities and social injustice as highlighted in
Lost Spring.

· Anees Jung interacts with the people of Seemapuri and Firozabad about their life,
work and future but remains a mere onlooker or a commentator, like many of us, rather
than an activist. Comment.

· Many youngsters like Mukesh are ready to desert their family traditions for want of
job security or threat of exploitation. Pottery, handicrafts, cane & jute craftsmen, rudaalis,
etc. – all these traditional Indian professions are vanishing fast. Research and write an
article on the factors leading to their extinction and the ways to revive them.

Deep water
From the beginning, however, I had an aversion to the water when I was in it. This started
when I was three or four years old and father took me to the beach in California. He and I
stood together in the surf. I hung on to him, yet the waves knocked me down and swept over
me. I was buried in water. My breath was gone. I was frightened. Father laughed, but there
was terror in my heart at the overpowering force of the waves.

· Textual clue (clause) to prove that the beach incident was not an alarming one.

Father laughed

Then all effort ceased. I relaxed. Even my legs felt limp; and a blackness swept over my brain.
It wiped out fear; it wiped out terror. There was no more panic. It was quiet and peaceful.
Nothing to be afraid of. This is nice... to be drowsy... to go to sleep... no need to jump... too
tired to jump... it’s nice to be carried gently... to float along in space... tender arms around
me... tender arms like Mother’s... now I must go to sleep... I crossed to oblivion, and the
curtain of life fell.

· Explain the use of ellipses in the above-mentioned extract.

Author fainting/unconscious/blackout.

SAQs
· Parents’ perspectives can have an everlasting impact on the psyche of a young child.
Discuss with reference to William Douglas’s mother in Deep Water.

· Fear manifests itself in the shape and size that we give it. Justify with reference to Deep
water.

· Trace the chain of events/experiences that instilled the fear of water in Douglas’s heart
forever.

· William Douglas makes a workable plan to come out of water. What was the plan?
Why do you think it failed?

· How does William Douglas make the terror of his heart invincible by personifying it?

LAQs

Both Kamala Das and William Douglas talk about their ‘childhood fears’. Draw the
similarities and differences between the two.

Read the poem ‘For Julia, In the Deep Water’ written by John N. Morris.

For Julia, In the Deep Water

The instructor we hire

because she does not love you

Leads you into the deep water,

The deep end

Where the water is darker—

Her open, encouraging arms

That never get nearer

Are merciless for your sake.

You will dream this water always

Where nothing draws nearer,

Wasting your valuable breath

 You will scream for your mother—

Only your mother is drowning

Forever in the thin air

Down at the deep end.

She is doing nothing,

She never did anything harder.

And I am beside her.

I beside her in this imagination.

We are waiting

Where the water is darker.

You are over your head,

Screaming, you are learning

Your way toward us,

You are learning how

In the helpless water

It is with our skill

We live in what kills us.

Compare the process mentioned in the poem with the technique the instructor used to train
William Douglas.

The Rattrap
But even so, the business was not especially profitable, so he had to resort to both begging
and petty thievery to keep body and soul together. Even so, his clothes were in rags, his
cheeks were sunken, and hunger gleamed in his eyes.

The writer’s view of the rattrap peddler’s condition is that of :

 a) ​ Disdain

b) ​ Hatred

c) ​ Sympathy

d) ​ Disappointment

The world had, of course, never been very kind to him, so it gave him unwonted joy to
think ill of it in this way.

In which of the following sentences the underlined word is closest in meaning to

‘unwonted’ as used in the above extract?

a) ​ He always imagined that he was unwelcome at the parties that the

college group organized.

b) ​ The surplus potatoes were sold at a throwaway price to the wafer

company.

c) ​ The potters feel marginalized and detached from the mainstream

society.

d) ​ The sunset scene at Kanyakumari always gives me an unusual joy and

peaceful feeling.

Zeugma is a figure of speech in which a word applies to two others in different senses

(e.g. John and his driving license expired last week).

In which of the following sentences has zeugma been used?

a) ​ Then he carved off such a big slice from his tobacco roll that it was
enough both for the stranger’s pipe and his own.

b) ​ The old man was just as generous with his confidences as with his
porridge and tobacco.

c) ​ The whole forest, with its trunks and branches, its thickets and fallen
logs, closed in upon him like an impenetrable prison from which he could
never escape.

d) ​ The big bellows groaned and the burning coal cracked.

The big bellows groaned and the burning coal cracked. The fire boy shovelled charcoal into
the maw of the furnace with a great deal of clatter. Outside roared the waterfall, and a
sharp north wind whipped the rain against the brick-tiled roof.

Which figure of speech has been used in the above extract?

a) ​ Onomatopoeia

b) ​ Metaphor

c) ​ Imagery

d) ​ Symbolism

It was probably on account of all this noise that the blacksmith did not notice that a man
had opened the gate and entered the forge, until he stood close up to the furnace.

Choose the sentence where the word ‘account’ has been used in the same way as in the
extract.

a) ​ Please give me a detailed account of what you did at the workshop.

b) ​ His account was sealed owing to charges of fraud.

c) ​ On account of his joining the army, there is a little get together in the house.

d) ​ We have reset the password to prevent anyone from hacking our business account.

In those days the Ramsjo iron mill was owned by a very prominent ironmaster, whose
greatest ambition was to ship out good iron to the market. He watched both night and day
to see that the work was done as well as possible, and at this very moment he came into the
forge on one of his nightly rounds of inspection

From the above extract, we can infer about the ironmaster that he was …………………….

a) ​ An unsympathetic human being

b) ​ A cruel and doubting master

c) ​ An unsuccessful entrepreneur

d) ​ An aspiring businessman
e.g. I am no prophet and here's no great matter.

This sentence is an example of litotes, which is an ironic understatement in which an

affirmative is expressed by the negative of its contrary.

Which of the following is also another example of litotes used in the story?

a) ​ If only I had still been in the service at the time, it never would have happened.

b) ​ Therefore, he did not want to undeceive him all at once.

c) ​ The ironmaster did not follow the example of the blacksmiths

d) ​ ………so it gave him unwonted joy to think ill of it in this way.

But the stranger said no, and no, and again no, and the ironmaster saw that he must give
in.

Which of the following underlined words used in the sentences are closest in meaning to the
word ‘give in’ as used in the extract above?

a) ​ Though he tried his best to avert his bankruptcy, he surrendered to the

circumstances when the mill was confiscated by the authorities.

b) ​ He has finally decided to abandon drinking after his family left him alone.

c) ​ Gracy accepted the proposal after repeated requests from the company.

d) ​ The actor decided to leave the industry after threats from the mafia.

The blacksmiths glanced only casually and indifferently at the intruder. He looked the way
people of his type usually did, with a long beard, dirty, ragged, and with a bunch of
rattraps dangling on his chest. He asked permission to stay, and the master blacksmith
nodded a haughty consent without honouring him with a single word.

Textual clues to highlight the attitude of the blacksmiths.

casually and indifferently; haughty consent

But he laughed to himself as he went away, and the blacksmith, who knew him, understood
very well that he had not said his last word.

Textual clues to prove that the ironsmith had not given up.
laughed to himself; had not said his last word.

……..then you, Mr Ironmaster, must remember that a day may come when you yourself
may want to get a big piece of pork, and then you will get caught in the trap.

According to the metaphor of the rattrap, what could ‘a big piece of pork’ and ‘trap’ be for
the ironmaster?

a) ​ A chance to earn money

b) ​ A reputation in his business

c) ​ A sumptuous Christmas meal

d) ​ A promotion in the regiment

“Yes, that was a fine fellow you let into the house,” said her father. “I only wonder how
many silver spoons are left in the cupboard by this time.”

The tone of the speaker here is …………

a) ​ Empathetic

b) ​ Dejected

c) ​ Anxious

d) ​ Sarcastic

The young girl opened the package, which was so badly done up that the contents came
into view at once. She gave a little cry of joy. She found a small rattrap, and in it lay three
wrinkled ten kronor notes.

The reason for keeping the ten kronor notes inside the rattrap was ……………

a) ​ He wanted to clarify that he was the one who robbed the crofter.

b) ​ He wanted to convey that he wouldn’t accept any money from Edla.

c) ​ He wanted to express that he was not going to be tempted to steal anymore.

d) ​ He wanted to pay for the ironmaster’s suit that Edla had given to him.
The rattrap is a Christmas present from a rat who would have been caught in this world’s
rattrap if he had not been raised to captain, because in that way he got power to clear himself.
Written with friendship and high regard, “Captain von Stahle”.

The peddler signed as Captain von Stahle because ……………….

a) ​ He had joined the regiment in order to lead an honorable life.

b) ​ He promised to come up to Edla’s expectations.

c) ​ He was ironmaster’s long-lost friend, Nils Olof.

d) ​ He was renamed by Edla as ‘Captain’.

In the rattrap lay also a letter written in large, jagged characters. The image that describes
the word ‘jagged’ is :
 Indigo
Complete the analogy.

GANDHI : ADVOCATES & FARMERS :: Edla : ………………………………………….

The rattrap peddler

Gandhi decided to go first to Muzzafarpur, which was en route to Champaran, to obtain more
complete information about conditions than Shukla was capable of imparting.

Which of the following sentences makes the meaning of the highlighted word ‘en route’
clear?

· My school is quite close to my house, so it takes me only a few minutes to walk up to the
school.

· Hilariously, the street food shop was adjacent to the physician’s; in case, any one fell ill!

· Could you, please drop me at the metro station. It’s on the way to your office.

· Singapore and the USA are poles apart. It takes a long time to travel from one country
to another.

‘‘It was an extraordinary thing ‘in those days,’’ Gandhi commented, “for a government
professor to harbour a man like me”. In smaller localities, the Indians were afraid to show
sympathy for advocates of home-rule.

· Find the textual clue to describe ‘a man like me’.

Advocates of home-rule

Presently, the landlords learned that Germany had developed synthetic indigo. They,
thereupon, obtained agreements from the sharecroppers to pay them compensation for being
released from the 15 per cent arrangement.

From the above lines, it can be inferred that the landlords were :

· Gullible
· Concerned

· Opportunist

· Cruel

Morning found the town of Motihari black with peasants.

The word ‘black’ refers to :

· Protest

· Multitude

· Racial bias

· Gloom

Their spontaneous demonstration, in thousands, around the courthouse was the beginning of
their liberation from fear of the British.

· Verbal clue to indicate that they had not been prompted or provoked by any one.

Spontaneous

Gandhi protested against the delay. He read a statement pleading guilty. He was involved, he
told the court, in a “conflict of duties”— on the one hand, not to set a bad example as a
lawbreaker; on the other hand, to render the “humanitarian and national service” for which
he had come. He disregarded the order to leave, “not for want of respect for lawful authority,
but in obedience to the higher law of our being, the voice of conscience”.

The ‘conflict of duties’ mentioned here was the conflict :

●​ between Gandhiji and britishers

●​ between britishers and peasants
●​ landlords and sharecroppers
●​ between

‘‘The battle of Champaran is won,’’ he exclaimed.

What prompted Gandhi to say this?

· The demonstration by peasants outside the court.

· The readiness of lawyers to court arrest as a way of protest.

· The case against Gandhi was dropped.

· The 25% refund made by landlords.

Gandhi explained that the amount of the refund was less important than the fact that the
landlords had been obliged to surrender part of the money and, with it, part of their prestige.

What was the decision made by Gandhi? 25% refund

How did subsequent events prove Gandhi right in making this decision? British landlords
left the lands to farmers and exited the scene.

He saw the cultural and social backwardness in the Champaran villages and wanted to do
something about it immediately.

Which of the following issues were addressed by Gandhiji as ‘cultural and social
backwardness’?

1. Health

2. Cultural bias

3. Literacy

4. Agriculture

5. Cleanliness

6. Gender equality

7. Poverty

8. Social discrimination

· 1,3,5

· 1,6,7

· 2,4,8

· 2,5,8
“The final test of a leader is that he leaves behind him in other men, the conviction and the
will to carry on.” —Walter Lippman

Evaluate the above statement in context of Champaran episode in Gandhi’s life.

Compare and contrast Gandhi’s conflict of duties with Dr Sadao’s dilemma.

Poets and Pancakes

In all instances of frustration, you will always find the anger directed towards a single
person openly or covertly and this man of the make-up department was convinced that all
his woes, ignominy and neglect were due to Kothamangalam Subbu.

Whose frustration is being referred to? The Office Boy

Why was he/she frustrated? Not able to achieve the desired career of an actor

His attitude towards Subbu was that of …………..

· Hatred and jealousy

· Approbation and regard

· Apathy and indifference

· Scorn and mockery

What is Asokamitran’s perception of Subbu in ‘Poets and Pancakes’?

Subbu had a separate identity as a poet and though he was certainly capable of more complex
and higher forms, he deliberately chose to address his poetry to the masses. His success in
films overshadowed and dwarfed his literary achievements — or so his critics felt. He
composed several truly original ‘story poems’ in folk refrain and diction and also wrote a
sprawling novel Thillana Mohanambal with dozens of very deftly etched characters. He quite
successfully recreated the mood and manner of the Devadasis of the early 20th century.

Verbal clue to prove that his talent as a writer was overlooked. His success in films
overshadowed and dwarfed his literary achievements
A Communist was a godless man — he had no filial or conjugal love; he had no compunction
about killing his own parents or his children; he was always out to cause and spread unrest
and violence among innocent and ignorant people.

This description about communists given in the text is :

· A fact

· An opinion

· An imaginary notion

· An excerpt from the book “The God that Failed”

It is for the patient, persistent, persevering drudge with a heart so shrunken that nothing can
break it; rejection slips don’t mean a thing to him; he at once sets about making a fresh copy
of the long prose piece and sends it on to another editor enclosing postage for the return of the
manuscript.

Here, the speaker is talking about :

· The office boy

· Subbu

· Himself

· Mr Vasan

I felt like I had found a long lost brother and I sang as I sealed the envelope and wrote out his
address. I felt that he too would be singing the same song at the same time — long lost
brothers of Indian films discover each other by singing the same song in the first reel and in
the final reel of the film.

The speaker’s narrative here proves that he was :

· Prejudiced

· Insane

· Empathetic

· Dramatic
I felt a dark chamber of my mind lit up by a hazy illumination.

The figure of speech used in this line is :

· Alliteration

· Simile

· Metaphor

· Onomatopoeia

●​ Imagine that you are the Office Boy at Gemini Studios. When you came to the city,
you had plans to become a successful actor or a director at Gemini Studios.
However, you feel that people like the narrator and Subbu, who do not know or do
much, are obstructing your flight to success. Write a paragraph drawing a
comparative analysis between yourself, the narrator and Subbu.
●​ Imagine that you are a Bollywood actress from the ‘pancake’ times described in the
story. Now, you have grown old and visit various reality shows as judge or mentor.
Write a speech contrasting the trends in fashion today in comparison with the
yesteryears.

●​ How did Ashokamitran eventually succeed to discern the mystery of the English
poet's visit to the Gemini studios?

A short story contest was organized by a British magazine named 'The Encounter'. the writer
Ashoka Mitran wanted to take part in the contest. The Gemini people knew nothing about the
magazine. Before sending his story to England by post the writer visited the British Council
Library to know more about the magazine, 'The Encounter'.There he found fresh copies of
readers. When he read the name of its editor, a bell started ringing in his heart.It was the English
poet Stephen Spender who had visited the Gemini studios.

Years later the writer bought on the footpath a cheap edition of the book 'The God that failed' it
had essays written by 6 famous writers. Each essay described how the writer embraced
communism and soon gave it up after feeling disillusioned and disappointed. Stephen spender
was one of those six writers.He was the same English poet who had visited the Gemini
Studio.Now things became clear to the writer. The visit of the English poet Stephen spender to
the Gemini Studios was no longer a mystery. The boss of the Gemini studios had invited him not
for his poetry but for his views against communism- the god that failed.
Imagine you are a journalist who writes for 'The Hindu'. You attended Stephen Spencer's
visit to Gemini studios. Write an article on the futility of such events.

It was the time of the early 1950s. There was Congress rule and many prohibitions were imposed
in the country. Gemini Studios in Madras was an assembly of simple poets. They had no political
affiliations. Stephen Spender's expected visit to the studios generated a lot of enthusiasm and
curiosity among the Gemini family. It also creates an amusement for the readers. In spite of the
fact that none knew whether he was a poet or an editor they all assembled there to welcome him.
The speeches were marked with incongruity and his accent was so indistinct that it did not let the
audience understand a word of his speech. Stephen Spender found himself to be a complete
misfit in the midst of the Gemini family. His speech was completely irrelevant and useless as he
talked to his Tamil speaking audience about the joy and difficulties of an English poet. Quite
interestingly his visit remained a mystery for years to come. It was just futile and insignificant.

Read the extract from prose and answer the questions that follow

Barring the office boys and a couple of clerks, everybody else at the Studios radiated leisure, a
pre-requisite for poetry. Most of them wore khadi and worshipped Gandhiji but beyond that they had not
the faintest appreciation for political thought of any kind. Naturally, they were all averse to the term
‘Communism’. A communist was a godless man-he had no filial or conjugal love; he had no compunction
about killing his own parents or his children; he was always out to cause and spread unrest and violence
among innocent and ignorant people. Such notions, which prevailed everywhere else in South India at that
time also, naturally, floated about vaguely among the khadi-clad poets of Gemini Studios. Evidence of it
was soon forthcoming.

1. ​ Pick the option that uses the same figure of speech as ‘A communist is a godless man.’

a) She is as determined as Gandhi when it is a fight against injustice.

b) She is a Gandhi when she raises her voice against ‘hinsa’ or violence.

c) She, like Gandhi, feels that the earth is crying for deliverance.

d) She lives a life of opulence and calls herself a follower of Gandhi.

2. ​ Based on the extract, choose the correct option with reference to the two statements
given below.

Statement 1: At Gemini Studios, the poets had a profound knowledge about Communists.

Statement 2: Communists were responsible for anarchy and discontent in the country.

a) Statement 1 is true but Statement 2 is false.

b) Statement 1 is false but Statement 2 is true.

 c) Both Statement 1 and Statement 2 cannot be inferred.

d) Both Statement 1 and Statement 2 can be inferred.

3 Why do you think leisure is a pre-requisite for poetry?

a) Poetry means freedom of expression.

b) One can enjoy poetry when there’s free time.

c) In order to write poetry, one needs free time.

d) Poetry means freedom from work.

4. ​ Asokamitran says that leisure is a pre-requisite for poetry. He says this because
poets

a) need to relax for a period of time before composing lines.

b) maintain a leisured pace in all tasks they do.

c) are creative and need to have free time to weave their thoughts.

d) begin poetic compositions in rushed way and end in a relaxed manner.

Answer key 1.A 2.B​ 3. C 4. D

Q4 Read the extract from prose and answer the questions that follow

And there were copies of The Encounter lying about in various degrees of freshness, almost untouched by
readers. When I read the editor’s name, I heard a bell ringing in my shrunken heart. It was the poet who
had visited the Gemini Studios — I felt like I had found a long lost brother and I sang as I sealed the
envelope and wrote out his address. I felt that he too would be singing the same song at the same time —
long lost brothers of Indian films discover each other by singing the same song in the first reel and in the
final reel of the film.

1. ​ Which of the following can replace the expression ' I heard a bell ringing in my shrunken
heart'?
 a. I was alarmed ​ b. I could hear something

c. I was delighted ​ d. I was reminded of something

2. The narrator feel that he had found a long lost brother on reading the editor’s name of ‘The
Encounter’ because ___________________

3 The expression "long lost brothers of Indian films........ the final reel of the film" is an example
of a/an____ in films.

a. stereotype b.sub-plot

c. coincidence d.irony

4 .’I sealed the envelope……’. What did the author put in the envelope?

a. a letter to the editor explaining that he had met him at Gemini studios

b. his entry for the short story contest organised by the periodical ‘The Encounter’

c. his appreciation of The editor’s speech at Gemini Studios

d. a letter to the editor inviting him to Gemini studios for another talk

Ans Key

1 d.

2 he was able to solve the mystery of the man who had visited Gemini studios

3.a

4b

STAND ALONE MCQs

1.Pick the statement which is FALSE with reference to the sharecroppers of Champaran.

A.​ They were forced to grow indigo on 15% of the land holding.
B.​ They received 15% profit of the total indigo sale.
C.​ They were socially and culturally backward.
D.​ They were in fear of the British authority.

Answer: Option B
2.What is the message conveyed by the story 'The Rattrap '?

A.​ Love and compassion are powerful reformers.

B.​ Loneliness triggers the need for company.

C.​ Charity is the true spirit of Christmas.

D.​ Compassion is a rare virtue nowadays

Answer: Option A

3.'Food is more important for survival than an identity '. The above statement is fairly ____.

A.​ accurate .
B.​ correct .
C.​ exaggerated.
D.​ important.

Answer: Option A

4. If Douglas were to confront the ‘chap’ who threw him in, what would be the ‘chap’s’ reaction
in your opinion?

Choose the appropriate option

A.​ “I am sorry I had no idea you did not know swimming.”

B.​ “What’s the big deal? It was just a little prank!”
C.​ “I thought the coach is here and we will pull you out in time.”
D.​ “Scaring you like that was not my intention at all. Apologies!

Answer: Option B ( The chap was a bully and remained unapologetic)

5. Being under stress makes the muscles in the body rigid. Which of the following statements
corresponds to this scientific observation
1.​ "I was suffocating. I tried to yell but no sound came out. "
2.​ "......expending my strength as one in a nightmare fights an irresistible force. "
3.​ "I was paralyzed under water -stiff, rigid with fear. "
4.​ "My lungs ached, my head throbbed. I was getting dizzy. "

Answer: Option C
 6. Pick the proverb which suits the message of the lesson 'Deep Water’
1.​ Make hay while the sun shines.
2.​ Slow and steady wins the race.
3.​ A bad workman blames his tools.
4.​ Where there is a will, there is a way.

Answer: Option D

EXTRACT BASED QUESTIONS

I. While every other member of the Department wore a kind of uniform — khadi dhoti with a
slightly oversized and clumsily tailored white khadi shirt — the legal adviser wore pants and a
tie and sometimes a coat that looked like a coat of mail. Often he looked alone and helpless — a
man of cold logic in a crowd of dreamers — a neutral man in an assembly of Gandhiites and
khadiites. Like so many of those who were close to The Boss, he was allowed to produce a film
and though a lot of raw stock and pancake were used on it, not much came of the film. Then one
day The Boss closed down the Story Department and this was perhaps the only instance in all
human history where a lawyer lost his job because the poets were asked to go home.

1.Which of the following statements is NOT TRUE about the lawyer :

A.​ The lawyer was close to the boss.

B.​ The lawyer did not have any fixed political ideology.

C.​ The lawyer mingled well in the story department.

D.​ The lawyer was a practical and rational man.

Answer : Option C

2.The lawyer wore a different attire because :

A.​ He considered himself superior.

B.​ He felt discomfort in Khadi clothes.

C.​ He preferred western clothes.

D.​ He had no political ideology.

Answer : Option D

3.Which of the following quotes best suits the lawyer?

A.​ Logic will get you from A to B. Imagination will take you everywhere. - Albert Einstein

B.​ Logic is the technique by which you add conviction to truth. -Jean da le Bruyere.

C.​ When dealing with people, remember you are not dealing with creatures of logic, but
creatures of emotion. -Dale Carnegie

D.​ Hope is independent of the apparatus of logic -Norman Cousins

Answer : Option B

4."….and though a lot of raw stock and pancake were used on it, not much came of the film"

This phrase is a ______

A.​ Satire

B.​ Fact

C.​ Explanation

D.​ Argument

Answer : Option A

II. Their mother sighed. Sophie watched her back stooped over the sink and wondered at the
incongruity of the delicate bow which fastened her apron strings. The delicate-seeming bow and
the crooked back. The evening had already blacked in the windows and the small room was
steamy from the stove and cluttered with the heavy-breathing man in his vest at the table and the
dirty washing piled up in the corner. Sophie felt a tightening in her throat. She went to look for
her brother Geoff.

1.Choose the correct option with regard to the attitude of Sophie's parents towards her :
A.​ Disdain and disregard

B.​ Sadness and distress.

C.​ Disappointment and concern

D.​ Anger and disgust.

Answer: Option A

2. " Their mother sighed"

Pick the option that uses the word 'sigh' in the same context as the above statement :

A.​ He sighed with relief when he saw that he had passed.

B.​ She let out a quick sigh when she saw that it was just a cat.

C.​ With a heavy sigh, she walked slowly towards her school.

D.​ The wind sighed through the trees.

Answer : Option C

3. Pick out the words from the extract that suggest that Sophie's mother was burdened with
domestic chores.

Answer : 'crooked back'

4."Sophie felt a tightening in her throat "

Mention two words that might describe Sophie's feelings here.

Answer : Uneasy, Suffocated.

SAQ

1.".... the interviewer holds a position of unprecedented power and influence. " Do you agree?
Justify.

Answer

Value Points
· ​ Yes. We agree.

· ​ A seasoned interviewer can peep into the soul of the interviewee .

· ​ Can make him talk and share about his life despite himself.

· ​ Can make or break the career with the power of pen.

LAQ

1.Describe how working on your 'interstices' will benefit you as a student.

Answer

Value Points

· ​ Interstices or empty spaces very important in a student's life

· ​ Appropriate time management and correct use may prove highly advantageous

· ​ Discipline and smart work required

2. Some have called the interview as ‘the highest source of truth.’ What impression do you form
about Umberto Eco after reading his interview?

· ​ A professor who is more renowned as a celebrity author

· ​ Unique style of writing

· ​ Personal touch

· ​ Brought to instant fame by 'The Name Of The Rose'

· ​ Utilises time to his full advantage.

3."Everybody wants a platform but nobody wants the process. "

Do you think the above statement holds true for Sophie's dreams? Justify.

Answer

Value Points

· ​ Sophie - a typical teenager who dreams about embarking on a fantastic journey

· ​ Wishes to make it big ,something 'sophisticated '

· ​ No fixed goals - aspires to own a boutique or a fashion designer

· ​ Wants to earn a lot of money by becoming a manager or an actress

· ​ Pipe dreams, no practical plans to achieve them.

( Contributed by Meenakshi Varyani, DAVPS Sec 14, Faridabad)

(Contributed by Ms. Rakhi R. Shrivastava. DAV Public School, New Panvel)

Multiple Choice Questions

1. ​ Which statement is the most suitable statement to demonstrate the central
idea of the lesson, ‘Lost Spring’?

a. Pitiable poor condition of children and their lost childhood

b. Garbage becomes a golden shine for the poor.
c. Bangles are essential ornament of bangle makers
d. Spring season suits Mukesh and Saheb-e-Alam.

Ans: a

2. Which statement is the most suitable statement to demonstrate the central

idea (Theme) of the lesson, ‘The Last Lesson’ as reflected in the attitude
and feelings of Franz?
a. Language comes first. It's not that language grows out of consciousness,
if you haven't got language, you can't be conscious.
b. If French is no longer the language of a power, it can be the language of a
counter power.
c. Reason has never failed men. Only force and repression have made the
wrecks in the world.
d. Language shapes the way we think, and determines what we can think
about.
 Ans: b

3. ​ Which statement is the most suitable statement to demonstrate the central

idea of the lesson, ‘Deep Water’ as reflected in the attitude and feelings of
William Douglas?

a. ​ "Fear is the path to the Dark Side. Fear leads to anger, anger leads to
hate, hate leads to suffering." "The brave man is not he who does not feel
afraid, but he who conquers that fear." "Nothing in life is to be feared.

b. ​ Face Your Fears. Every time you face your fear you gain strength,
courage and confidence. ...

c. ​ Only ‘a’

d. ​ Both ‘a’ & ‘b’

Ans: d

4. Which statement best describes the character of Edla Willmanson as

reflected in the lesson ‘The Rattrap’?
i. Sympathetic and loving Edla Willmansson
ii. Edla's hospitality and kindness deeply touched the peddler.
iii. Her generosity made Peddler confess his mistake.
iv. The peddler underwent a remarkable positive change of heart after
being treated with kindness and great hospitality by Edla
Willmanson.
a. Only ‘a’ is true
b. ‘a’ is true but ‘b’ is false
c. ‘c’ is true but ‘d’ is false.
d. ‘b’ is true and is the right reason for option ‘d’.
Ans: d
5. Choose the option that best describes the theme of the lesson, ‘Going
Places’.
a. Fantasy is a pleasant relief at times but at times it can take a
serious turn, which may prove detrimental to mental growth.
b. The unknown things are always a fascination for human beings.
c. Only ‘a’
d. Neither ‘a’ nor ‘b’
Ans: ‘c’
 6. State who fits in the basket of character traits given below. Write ‘J’ for
Jansie and ‘S’ for Sophie. (Going Places)

Sensible Optimist

Imaginative Romantic

Day Dreamer Practical

Accepts the reality Well wisher

Nosey Hero worship

Gossip Monger Did not nurture big dreams

Good at concocting stories Realist

Escapist Live in the world of fantasy

7. Choose the most appropriate point that forces workers in the bangle
factory to live in poverty
a. Caste and ancestral business or occupation
b. Theory of karma
c. Bureaucrats and Politicians
d. Other ragpickers
Ans: C

8. ‘There comes a time in a man's life when it is required for him to lift from
petty considerations of race, nationality and act in human consideration.’
The word/s which describe/s the Theme of the lesson ‘The Enemy’
a. Medical Ethics and Duty
b. Universal Humanity
c. Nationalism
d. All the above

​ Ans: d
 9. Match the trait with the character of Dr. Sadao Hoki.
a. Racist
b. Benevolent
c. Ethical
d. Humanity
Ans: d
10. Choose the correct statement which describes the theme of the lesson,
‘Indigo’?
a. An effective leadership can overcome any problem.
b. Wise and courageous leaders are the backbone of social grooming and
upliftment.
c. Unequal economic system results in increasing suffering.
d. Both ‘a’ and ‘b’ are true.
e. Both ‘a’ and ‘c’ are true.

​ Ans: d

LA based Questions

Answer the following questions:

1. ​ William Douglas has been invited to motivate the students of your school. As the
host of the talk show, introduce William Douglas to the audience.

You may begin your answer like this:

Meet William Douglas, the man who was able to overcome his hydro foiba with constant
efforts and determination….

2. ​ Derry’s mother always protected him from the outside world. Do you think she
contributes to his sense of alienation and isolation? How? (On the Face of It)

3. ​ “Beauty is in the eye of the beholder” exemplifies the statement with reference to
the poem “A Thing Of Beauty”.

4. ​ When Derry had just learnt to move out in the world with confidence, he lost his
mentor, Mr Lamb. Do you think he will be able to survive without his guide or will he
go back to his shell?

5. ​ Identify the tone of Pablo Neruda in the following line:

Perhaps the Earth can teach us….

 (a) Confident and clear about the future events.

(b) Dramatic about the prediction he made

(c) Convinced about the sequence of events to follow.

(d) Uncertain, yet hopeful about the possibility.

Ans (d). Uncertain, yet hopeful about the possibility.

6. ​ Classify (1) to (4) as fact (F) or opinion (O), based on your reading of The Third
Level.

1. ​ First day covers are never opened.

2. ​ Grand Central is growing like a tree.

3. ​ President Roosevelt collected stamps.

4. ​ Sam was Charley’s psychiatrist.

(a) F-1,3,4; O-2

(b) F-2, 3; O-1,4

(c) F-2; O-1,3,4

(d) F-3,4; O-1,2

ANS (d)

7. Read the given extract and answer the questions that follow:

They thought he would demand repayment in full of the money which they had illegally
and deceitfully extorted from the sharecroppers. He asked only 50 per cent. “There he
seemed adamant,” writes Reverend J. Z. Hodge, a British missionary in Champaran
who observed the entire episode at close range. “Thinking probably that he would not
give way, the representative of the planters offered to refund to the extent of 25 per cent
and to his amazement, Mr. Gandhi took him at his word, thus breaking the deadlock.”
This settlement was adopted unanimously by the commission.

1. Gandhi knew that he would not get an agreement on the demand for 50%
repayment.

Choose the option that offers the correct justification for the assumption made above.
(A) He had anticipated the negotiating tactics of the planter’s representative.

(B) He had been informed about the depleting funds of the planters.

(C) He had taken the advice of the Reverend on board.

(D) He had evaluated the commission’s attitude towards Indians.

Ans. Option (A) is correct.

2. Given below are four real-life situations. Choose the option that perfectly
describes a deadlock.

Situation 1: Tariq is unable to manage the front-end and the backend forums at his
company without any support.

Situation 2: Sunita cannot get a job because she has no experience and she can’t have
any experience because she has no job.

Situation 3: The bank employees started protesting against their receding annual salary
and other incentives.

Situation 4: Harpreet was stuck between deciding whether to go to the USA or the UK
for higher studies.

(A) Situation 1

(B) Situation 2

(C) Situation 3

(D) Situation 4

Ans. Option (B) is correct.

(By: Ms. Rakhi R. Shrivastava & Team @ DAV Public School, New Panvel)

LA:

Name of the chapter: The Last Lesson

Question: Years have rolled by. Franz is an adult citizen of a free nation. He gets a
chance to visit his old school where he had once attended Mr. Hamel's last lesson which
had transformed his life. He has to address a group of young students. Prepare a
speech on his behalf.

Answer:

Value Points-

-​ Gets nostalgic
-​ Shares the pain of a young boy whose mother tongue was snatched from him
-​ Makes the listeners realize how lucky they are
-​ Exhorts them to hold fast to their language in particular and culture in general to
always enjoy this freedom
-​ Misses Mr. Hamel and acquaints them with his personal and teachings through
his descriptions.

(Contributed by: SumanSharma, HansrajPublicSchool, sector6, Panchkula)

The Interview

Since its invention a little over 130 years ago, the interview has become a commonplace of
journalism. Today, almost everybody who is literate will have read an interview at some point in
their lives, while from the other point of view, several thousand celebrities have been
interviewed over the years, some of them repeatedly. So it is hardly surprising that opinions of
the interview — of its functions, methods and merits — vary considerably. Some might make
quite extravagant claims for it as being, in its highest form, a source of truth, and, in its practice,
an art. Others, usually celebrities who see themselves as its victims, might despise the interview
as an unwarranted intrusion into their lives,

The first paragraph (given above) prepares the reader to expect that the article will be about
….................

· Benefits of journalism

· Advantages and disadvantages of interview

· Different opinions about interview

· Interview as an art form

“Why do I refuse to be interviewed? Because it is immoral! It is a crime, just as much of a crime

as an offence against my person, as an assault, and just as much merits punishment. It is
cowardly and vile. No respectable man would ask it, much less give it.” This remark by Rudyard
Kipling is absolutely hypocritical as per the lesson. Justify.
‘Saul Bellow, who has consented to be interviewed on several occasions, nevertheless once
described interviews as being like thumbprints on his windpipe.’ His opinion of interviews was :

· They try to strangle the interviewee

· They increase your self esteem

· They provide a breezy fresh experience

· They intend to diminish the image of the interviewee

‘Yet despite the drawbacks of the interview, it is a supremely serviceable medium of

communication.’ - says the writer. What are the major drawbacks mentioned in the article? How
is it a serviceable medium of communication?

“Almost everything of moment reaches us through one man asking questions of another.
Because of this, the interviewer holds a position of unprecedented power and influence.” How
does Mukund Padmanabhan’s interview of Umberto Eco justify this statement? Elaborate with
examples.

“I am a professor who writes novels on Sundays” - Umberto Eco.

What is Umberto’s preference as per this quote? How does he see himself - as a professor or a
novelist?

Did you know what will happen if you eliminate the empty spaces from the universe,
eliminate the empty spaces in all the atoms? The universe will become as big as my fist.

The example cited above discusses :

· Microscopic atomic size

· Expanse of the universe

· Time management

· Space management

What instance does he give from his immediate experience to exemplify this?

Imagine that you are Umberto Eco. You have been invited by a school to address the
students at a morning assembly. Prepare a speech on ‘The Importance of Time
Management’.

In groups of six, assume roles of Tiger King, William Douglas (Deep Water), Mahatma
Gandhi (Indigo), Charley (The Third Level), Mukesh (Lost Spring) and Zitkala sa
(memories of Childhood). Conduct a talk show, an interview or a panel discussion with
exploring questions on the HOW’s and WHY’s of their experiences as shared in the
respective stories.

An interview is not only about elaborate speaking but attentive listening as well. Justify
with examples.

Going Places

Sophie watched her back stooped over the sink and wondered at the incongruity of the
delicate bow which fastened her apron strings. The delicate-seeming bow and the
crooked back. The evening had already blacked in the windows and the small room was
steamy from the stove and cluttered with the heavy-breathing man in his vest at the table
and the dirty washing piled up in the corner. Sophie felt a tightening in her throat. She
went to look for her brother Geoff.

The ‘tightening in her throat’ was due to :

· Dominating father

· Steam from the stove

· Sense of frustration

· Cluttered up room

Find relevant textual clues to support your answer.

Jansie, knowing they were both earmarked for the biscuit factory, became melancholy. She
wished Sophie wouldn’t say these things.

Though Jansie is downhearted, yet she has come to terms with the reality of her life unlike
Sophie. Discuss.

Sophie and Mukesh – both dare to dream and transcend their restricted circumstances. But
there is a considerable difference between the way they visualize the means to realise their
dreams. Discuss with examples from the two stories.

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

In which of the following sentences has the word ‘prized’ been used in the same way it has been
used above?

· The Oscar is the most prestigious prize for contemporary cinema.

· Though I got the loan, I had to prize it out of the bank.

· A prize example of compassion with no pride is Mother Teresa.

· The oranges were prized for their immunity boster properties during Covid.

1. ​ Though their father forbade it and Geoff had never expressed an opinion, she knew he
thought her too young. And she was impatient.

2. ​ “If he keeps his head on his shoulders. If they look after him properly. A lot of distractions
for a youngster in the game these days.” “He’ll be all right. He’s with the best team in the
country.” “He’s very young yet.” “He’s older than I am.” “Too young really for the first team.” “You
can’t argue with that sort of ability.”

Imagine you are a counsellor talking to Sophie after her disillusionment in the end. Based on
these two extracts form the text, give her some advice on how without working hard, it is not
possible to realise your dreams. One must keep working hard and consistently till the right time
and opportunity knock at your door.

‘On Saturday they made their weekly pilgrimage to watch United.’ The weekly ritual of the family
to watch the match religiously has been described as a pilgrimage metaphorically. Could you
think of people, places, tasks etc. that you could compare to Pilgrimage or God or Messiah or
Sacrament. Give reasons for the comparison that you make.

“If he keeps his head on his shoulders”. The idiom means :

· If he focuses solely on his game

· If he remains determined and steady

· If he uses his reason to make wise decisions

· If he remains alive and kicking

Poems

My Mother at Sixty Six by Kamala Das

I saw my mother, beside me, doze, open mouthed, her face ashen like that of a corpse and
realised with pain that she was as old as she looked…

In these lines, the poet is feeling :

· Pitiful

· Apprehensive

· awful

· Painful

A - THE POET LOOKED OUT OF THE WINDOW.

R - THE MOTHER WAS SLEEPING.

a. Both Assertion (A) and Reason (R) are the true and Reason (R) is a correct explanation
of Assertion (A).

b. Both Assertion (A) and Reason (R) are the true but Reason (R) is not a correct
explanation of Assertion (A).

c. Assertion (A) is true and Reason (R) is false.

d. Assertion (A) is false and Reason (R) is true.

…..and looked out at Young Trees sprinting, the merry children spilling out of
their homes

Why has the poet Kamala Das used such positive images in a sad poem like ‘My Mother at
Sixty Six’?

What is the relevance of the image ‘children spilling out of their homes’ in the context of the poet
and the poem?

I looked again at her, wan, pale as a late winter’s moon and felt that old familiar ache, my
childhood’s fear

What did the poet do this time to dispel the sad thoughts?

What was her reason or objective in doing so? Do you think she was able to achieve her
objective?
“Sometimes the light around us can make the darkness more visible.” Justify in context of the
use of images in the poem.

Kamala Das uses vivid imagery to describe her emotions in the poem. Justify with examples.

As a late winter’s moon : simile : : smile and smile and smile : ……………………..

What do you think is reason for the ‘ache’ and the ‘pain’?

Keeping Quiet
Now we will count to twelve

and we will all keep still.

· The poet assumes the role of a counsellor in the poem. What is his advice and who is it for?

· What does the poet aspire to achieve with this poem?

· What does the poet mean by ‘keep still’?

For once on the face of the Earth

let’s not speak in any language,

let’s stop for one second,

and not move our arms so much.

The quote that expresses the gist of the above-mentioned stanza is :

●​ · Peace cannot be kept by force. It can only be achieved by understanding.

●​ · Don’t fight meaningless battles. Not every opinion is worth your energy.
●​ · Peace comes from within. Do not seek it without.
●​ · There is peace even in the storm.

Which of the following sentences depict the use of the same figure of speech as used in the last
line of the above-mentioned extract?

●​ · He carried the flag and the responsibility on his shoulders.

●​ · He is a walking-talking encyclopedia.
●​ · My teeth chattered as I stood in the snow.
●​ · A bicycle can’t stand on its own because it is two-tired.

Textual clue to prove that the poet advocates peace.

It would be an exotic moment

without rush, without engines,

we would all be together

in a sudden strangeness.

Why does the poet call the moment ‘exotic’?

Why has the moment been described as ‘sudden’ and ‘strange’?

Textual clue to prove that the poet advocates unity.

By ‘without rush, without engines’, the poet expresses his love for :

· Nature

· Peace

· Quietude

· Introspection

Fishermen in the cold sea

would not harm whales

and the man gathering salt

would look at his hurt hands.

In the above lines, the poet laments :

· Man’s cruel nature

· Man’s foolishness
· Man’s destructive instincts

· Man’s empathetic inclinations

If one had to use the poetic device used in the last line, in the first line as well, the adjective
used for ‘sea’ could be changed from ‘cold’ to :

· Frosty

· Salty

· Cruel

· Shivering

Those who prepare green wars,

wars with gas, wars with fire,

victory with no survivors,

would put on clean clothes

and walk about with their brothers

in the shade, doing nothing.

· WARS WITH GAS, WARS WITH FIRE : SUDDEN STRANGENESS :: ……………….. :

ALLITERATION

· Who are the people that the poet is referring to in the first line?

· What can be the long term consequences of ‘green wars’?

· Wars with gas and fire are fought by whom against whom?

· In these lines, the poet advocates :

1. Wars
2. Peace
3. Health
4. Harmony
5. Brotherhood
6. Equality
7. Cleanliness
 a) 3,4,6
b) 2,4,5
c) 2,4,6
d) 1,3,7

‘doing nothing’ promotes :

· Passive behavior

· Lazy attitude

· Sedentary lifestyle

· Unhazardous behavior

What I want should not be confused

with total inactivity.

Life is what it is about;

I want no truck with death.

If we were not so single-minded

about keeping our lives moving,

and for once could do nothing,

perhaps a huge silence

might interrupt this sadness

of never understanding ourselves

and of threatening ourselves with death.

No war has ever won in the history, because people died in every single war. Where there are
deaths, there is no victory!
Perhaps the Earth can teach us

as when everything seems dead

and later proves to be alive.

Now I’ll count up to twelve

and you keep quiet and I will go.

A Thing of Beauty
A thing of beauty is a joy forever

Its loveliness increases, it will never

Pass into nothingness;

Which of the following, according to Keats, would fall under the category of ‘a thing of
beauty’?

1. ​ Hills and valleys

2. ​ Flowers and meadows

3. ​ Damsels and divas

4. ​ Artefacts and artworks

5. ​ Rivers and oceans

6. ​ Animals and birds

i. 1, 2 & 5

ii. 2, 4 & 5

iii. 2, 5 & 6

iv. 2, 3 & 5
The quality of ‘a thing of beauty’ elucidated in these lines is that it is :

●​ · Beautiful
●​ · Perpetual
●​ · Productive
●​ · Cheerful

Therefore, on every morrow, are we wreathing

A flowery band to bind us to the earth

According to Keats, it is important to bind us to the earth because :

●​ · It is eternal
●​ · It immortalizes humans
●​ · It is beautiful
●​ · It cares and repairs

What is the ‘flowery band’ that Keats refers to?

Why is it essential to weave it regularly?

How can we stay happy according to Keats?

Spite of despondence, of the inhuman dearth

Of noble natures, of the gloomy days,

Of all the unhealthy and o’er-darkened ways

Made for our searching

The above mentioned lines highlight :

●​ · The bounties of nature for man

●​ · The predicament of human beings
●​ · The consequences of binding ourselves to the earth
●​ · The need to follow a healthy lifestyle

What is the ‘searching’ for?

How can the ‘searching’ be put to an end?

What does the poet mean by ‘noble natures’?

How does the poet propose to turn ‘inhuman’ into ‘human’?

…yes, in spite of all,

Some shape of beauty moves away the pall

From our dark spirits. Such the sun, the moon,

Trees old, and young, sprouting a shady boon

For simple sheep;

Which of the following is an apt title for the extract?

· Nature red in tooth and claw

· Nature to be commanded must be obeyed

· Nature: the Nurse, the Guide

· In order to find, you must first search

What is ‘all’ and who is responsible for it?

Why is it important to remove the pall?

Which phrase contributes to the ‘pall’ mentioned in the above lines?

· A bower quiet

· A flowery band

· Spite of despondence

· A shape of beauty

‘Such’ refers to :

●​ · The charming beauty of nature

●​ · The eternal quality of nature
●​ · The grandeur of the dooms
●​ · The therapeutic quality of nature

‘simple sheep’ alludes to :

●​ · Animal Allegory used in the Bible

●​ · The shepherd metaphor in the Bible
●​ · The simplicity of nature
●​ · The purity of human nature

If trees have been referred to as a boon, what has been referred to a curse for human
beings in this poem?

●​ · The grandeur of the dooms

●​ · The pall over the dark spirits
●​ · The flowery band
●​ · The mighty dead

…and such are daffodils

With the green world they live in; and clear rills

That for themselves a cooling covert make

’Gainst the hot season; the mid forest brake,

Rich with a sprinkling of fair musk-rose blooms;

Which quality does Keats appreciate in nature when he mentions the daffodils?

●​ · The fragrance
 ●​ · The purity
●​ · The visual treat
●​ · The cool shade

Though the musk roses are unnoticed in a mid-forest brake, they are still special because
they…..

●​ · Create a cooling covert for travelers

●​ · Provide a quiet bower to travelers
●​ · Heal with their therapeutic aroma
●​ · Present a colourful visual treat

Which one of the following sentences has the same poetic device as used in ‘cooling
covert’?

●​ · The bike vroomed past me leaving a cloud of dust behind.

●​ · The kettle caught fire immediately after the short circuit.
●​ · Shy Sally is always so timid that she hardly leaves her room.
●​ · The daring girl has made a niche for herself in the industry.

What is the effect of the things of beauty mentioned in these lines on man?

And such too is the grandeur of the dooms

We have imagined for the mighty dead;

All lovely tales that we have heard or read;

An endless fountain of immortal drink,

Pouring unto us from heaven’s brink.

“And such too is the …….the dooms”. What is the connection being made here between
the beauty of nature and grandeur of the dooms?

Find a textual clue that substantiates that ‘A thing of beauty is a joy forever…….never
pass into nothingness’ from the above lines.
An endless fountain of immortal drink

What is the significance of ‘lovely tales’?

What is the immortal drink that Keats refers to in context of the poem?

What does ‘heard or read’ refer to?

Why is it important for us to know the mighty dead?

In what form does the immortal drink pour unto us from heaven’s brink?

What is its effect on us?

The poem begins and ends on the same note. Discuss with examples from the poem.

The Keats’s poem ‘A Thing of Beauty’ satisfies the sensory as well as the spiritual needs
of mankind. Justify with relevant examples from the text.

A - HUMAN BEINGS EXPERIENCE MALICE, DISAPPOINTMENT & GLOOM.

R - NATURE MOVES AWAY THE PALL FROM THEIR DARK SPIRITS.

a. Both Assertion (A) and Reason (R) are the true and Reason (R) is a correct
explanation of Assertion (A).

b. Both Assertion (A) and Reason (R) are the true but Reason (R) is not a correct
explanation of Assertion (A).

c. Assertion (A) is true and Reason (R) is false.

d. Assertion (A) is false and Reason (R) is true.

 A Roadside Stand

Complete the analogy :

POLISHED TRAFFIC : TRANSFERRED EPITHET :: SADNESS THAT LURKS NEAR THE

WINDOW : ……………..

It is in the news that all these pitiful kin

Are to be bought out and mercifully gathered in

To live in villages, next to the theatre and the store,

Where they won’t have to think for themselves anymore,

While greedy good-doers, beneficent beasts of prey,

Swarm over their lives enforcing benefits

That are calculated to soothe them out of their wits

Which of the following is an apt title for the extract?

• Greed is permanent slavery

• Appearances can be deceptive

• Look before you leap

• Charity begins at home