Summary & Question-answers of The Chapter : 7- Glimpses of India with the concerned video

Glimpses of India Summary in English

A baker from Goa is a story that relates to the time when there was Portuguese rule in Goa. The story is of a baker living in a Goan village. During those times people ate loaves of bread. These were made in big furnaces. The bakers known as paders would come to sell these bread in the street and would make a jingle sound with the bamboo. Although, nowadays we may not see these loaves but may sometimes see the furnaces and some bakers carrying on the traditional business of their forefathers. The author remembers the coming of the baker twice a day during his childhood days. He was the author’s friend and guide. The maidservants in the author’s house would buy loaves of of bread which they ate with tea.

During those days, bread was an important part of any occasion especially the sweet bread, Bol. Also, the baker had a peculiar dress, Kabai. It was a single-piece frock that would reach up to knees. Baking was a profitable business at that time.

Coorg is a story describing the Coorg or Kodagu, the smallest district of Karnataka. The author describes Coorg as a heavenly place that lies between Mangalore and Mysore. It is certainly God’s abode as it has evergreen forests, spices and coffee plantations. From September to March, the weather is good here and thus many tourists come to visit the place. The air here has the coffee aroma in it.  There’s a famous story about the Greek or Arabic descent of the Coorg people that a part of Alexander’s army had to settle here as it was not possible for them to return. They thus settled here and married with the locals. We may find people of Coorg wear Kuppia, a long black coat similar to the kuffia that Arabs wear.

People of Coorg are also very brave. The Coorg Regiment of Indian Army is one of the most significant regiments. Also, our first army chief, General Cariappa hails from Coorg. The forests and hills of Coorg provide a major source of water to the River Cauvery. Also, Mahaseer, the largest freshwater fish is found in these waters. From the top of the Brahmagiri hills, we can see the complete view of Coorg. Also, Buddhists monks live in Bylakuppe in the Island of Nisargadhama near Coorg.

The last story Tea from Assam starts with two friends, Rajvir and Pranjol travelling to Assam. On their way, they buy the tea from a roadside vendor. While sipping the tea, Rajvir tells Pranjol that people drink over 800,000,000 cups of tea throughout the world in a day. While Rajvir is looking at the beautiful and serene scenery, Pranjol is busy reading detective book. There were tea-bushes all over as far as one could see. They also saw a building which was a tea garden.

Assam has the largest tea plantations and no one knows who discovered the tea for the first time. But, there are many legends associated with it. According to a Chinese legend, a few branches of tea fell accidentally in the boiled hot water. The Emperor liked the delicious flavour. This is how it came into being. As per an Indian legend, Buddhist Monk, Bodhidharma cut off his eyelids as to avoid sleep during meditation. About ten tea plants grew out of these and thus, they banish sleep when put in hot water and drunk. Both of them got down at Mariani Junction and went to Dhekiabari Tea Estate. There they saw women plucking tea leaves. Pranjol’s father had come to receive them there and said that he knew a lot about tea plantations. Rajvir says that he is keen to learn from him.

Part I A Baker from Goa

Page 86

Question 1.

What are the elders in Goa nostalgic about?

Answer:

The elders in Goa are nostalgic about the good old

Portuguese days and their love of bread and loaves. The writer says that the eaters of loaves have left but the makers still exist.

Question 2.

Is bread-making still popular in Goa? How do you know?

Answer:

Yes, bread making is still popular in Goa. This is very clear from the narrator’s statement that the eaters have gone away leaving the makers behind. There are mixers, moulders and the ones who bake the loaves. The time tested furnaces still  exist there.

Question 3.

What is the baker called?

Answer:

The baker is called a pader in Goa.

Question 4.

When would the baker come everyday? Why did the children run to meet him?

Answer:

The baker would come twice a day—once early in the morning and the second time when he returned after selling his stuff.

The children would run to meet him as they wanted to have bread-bangles.

Page 87

Question 1.

Match the following. What is a must

1. as marriage gifts? – cakes and bolinhas

2. for a party or a feast? – sweet bread called bol

3. for a daughter’s engagement? – bread

4. for Christmas? – sandwiches

Answer:

1. as marriage gifts – sweet bread called bol

2. for a party or a feast – bread

3. for a daughter’s engagement – sandwiches

4. for Christmas – cakes and bolinhas

Question 2.

What did the bakers wear :

1. In the Portuguese days

2. When the author was young

Answer:

1. The bakers were usually dressed up in a peculiar dress called kabai. It was a single piece long frock reaching down to the knees.

2. During his childhood days, the author saw the bakers wearing a shirt and trousers which were shorter than full length ones and longer .

Question3.

Who invites the comment – “he is dressed like a pader” Why?

Answer:

Any person who is wearing a half pant which reaches just below the knees invites this comment. This is because the baker, known as a pader, used to dress like that.

Question 4.

Where were the monthly accounts of the baker recorded?

Answer:

Monthly accounts of the baker were recorded on some wall in the house with a pencil.

Question 5.

What does a ‘jackfruit-like appearance’ mean?

Answer:

It means having a plump physique, like a jackfruit.

Thinking About the Text      (Page 88)

Question 1.

Which of these statements are correct?

1. The pader was an important person in the village in old times.

2. Paders still exist in Goan villages.

3. The paders went away with the Portuguese.

4. The paders continue to wear a single-piece long frock.

5. Bread and cakes were an integral part of Goan life in the old days.

6. Traditional bread-baking is still a very profitable business.

7. Paders and their families starve in the present times.

Answer:

1. Correct

2. Correct

3. Incorrect

4. Incorrect

5. Correct

6. Correct

7. Incorrect

Question 2.

Is bread an important part of Goan life? How do you know this?

Answer:

Yes, bread is an important part of Goan life. It is needed for marriage gifts, parties and feasts. Bread is also needed by a mother for preparing sandwiches during her daughter’s engagement. Thus, it is necessary to have breads for every occasion, because of which the presence of a baker’s furnace in the vi .age is very important.

Question 3.

Tick the right answer. What is the tone of the author when he says the following?

1. The thud and the jingle of the traditional baker ‘s bamboo can still be heard in some places, (nostalgic, hopeful, sad)

2. Maybe the father is not alive but the son still carries on the family profession, (nostalgic, hopeful, sad)

3. I still recall the typical fragrance of those loaves, (nostalgic, hopeful, naughty)

4. The tiger never brushed his teeth. Hot tea could wash and clean up everything so nicely, after all. (naughty, angry, funny)

5. Cakes and bolinhas are a must for Christmas as well as other festivals, (sad, hopeful, matter-of-fact)

6. The baker dnd his family never starved. They always looked happy and prosperous, (matter-of-fact, hopeful, sad)

Answer:

1. Nostalgic

2. Hopeful

3. Nostalgic

4. Funny

5. Matter-of-fact

6. Matter-of-fact

Part II Coorg

Thinking About The Text

(Page 92)

Question 1.

Where is Coorg?

Answer:

Coorg or Kodagu is the smallest district of Karnataka. It is situated midway between Mysore and the cbastal town of Mangalore.

Question 2.

What is the story about the Kodavu people’s descent?

Answer:

The fiercely independent people of Coorg are descendents of Greeks or Arabs. A section of Alexander’s army moved South along the coast and settled here only when they were unable to return to their country. These people married among the locals. This is the story about the descent of Kodavu people. 

Question 3.

What are some of the things you now know about?

1. the people of Coorg?

2. the main crop of Coorg?

3. the sports it offers to a tourists?

4. the animals you are likely to see in Coorg?

5. its distance from Bangalore and how to get there?

Answer:

1. They are fiercely independent people and have descended from the Greeks or the Arabs.

2. Coffee is the main crop of Coorg.

3. It mostly offers adventure sports which include river rafting, canoeing, rappelling, rock climbing and mountain biking.

4. The animals likely to be seen in Coorg are macaques, Malabar squirrel, langurs, slender loris, elephants etc.

5. By road, it is around 250 – 260 kilometres from Bangalore.

Question 4.

Here are six sentences with some words in italics. Find phrases from the text that have the same meaning. (Look in the paragraphs indicated)

1. During monsoons it rains so heavily that tourists do not visit Coorg. (Para 2)

2. Some people say that Alexander’s army moved south along the coast and settled there. (Para 3)

3. The Coorg people are always ready to tell stories of their son’s and father’s valour. (Para 4)

4. Even people who normally lead an easy and slow life get smitten by the high energy adventure sports of Coorg. (Para 6)

5. The theory of the Arab origin is supported by the long coat with embroidered waist-belt they wear. (Para 3)

6. Macaques, Malabar squirrels observe you carefully from the tree canopy. (Para 7)

Answer:

1. to keep visitors away

2. As one story goes

3. are more than willing to recount

4. The most laidback individuals become converts to

5. draws support from

6. keep a watchful eye

Thinking About Language (Page 93)

Certain words ‘go together’. Such ‘word friends’ are called collocations. The collocation of a word is ‘the company it keeps’. For example, look at the paired sentences and phrases below. Which is a common collocation, and which one is odd? Strike out the odd sentence or phrase.

Questions.

1. ‘How old are you?’

‘How young are you?’

2. a pleasant person a pleasant pillow

Answers:

1. The odd sentence is ‘How young are you?’

2. The odd phrase is ‘a pleasant pillow’. 

Question 1.

Here are some nouns from the text,

‘culture’ ‘monks’ ‘surprise’ ‘experience’ ‘weather’ ‘tradition’

Work with a partner and discuss which of the nouns can collocate with which of the adjectives given below. The first one has been done for you.

‘unique’ ‘terrible’ ‘unforgettable’ ‘serious’ ‘ancient’ ‘wide’ ‘sudden’

Questions.

1. culture : unique culture, ancient culture

2. monks : _____________

3. surprise: ___________

4. experience: __________

5. weather: ___________

6. tradition: ___________

Answer:

2. serious monks, unique monks

3. unique surprise, sudden surprise, unforgettable surprise, terrible surprise

4. unique experience, terrible experience, unforgettable experience, sudden experience

5. terrible weather, unforgettable weather

6. unique tradition, ancient tradition

Question 2.

2. Complete the following phrases from the text. For each phrase, can you find at least one other word that would fit into the blank?

                                            Missing                 Alternate word

1.  tales of                         __________         ___________

2.  coastal                         __________         ___________

3. a piece of                      __________         ___________

4.  evergreen                    __________        ___________

5. plantations                   __________         ___________

6. bridge                           __________        ___________

7.  wild                              ___________       ___________

Answer:

          Missing                           Alternate word      

valour                                         bravery

town                                          belt, village

heaven                                          cake

rainforests                                 jungle

coffee                                        tea, banana

rope                                         steel, concrete

creatures                                    animals

Part III Tea from Assam

Thinking About Language       

(Page 96,97)

Question 1.

Look at these words: upkeep, downpour, undergo, dropout, walk-in. They are built up from a verb (keep, pour, go, drop, walk) and an adverb or a preposition (up, down, under, out, in). Use these words appropriately in the sentences below. You may consult a dictionary.

1. A heavy _____ has been forecast due to low pressure in the Bay of Bengal.

2. Rakesh will _____ major surgery tomorrow morning.

3. My brother is responsible for the ____ of our family property.

4. The ____ rate for this accountancy course is very high.

5. She went to the Enterprise Company to attend a _____ interview.

Answer:

1. downpour

2. undergo

3. upkeep

4. dropout

5. walk-in

Question 2.

Now fill in the blanks in the sentences given below by combining the verb given in brackets with one of the words from the box as appropriate.

‘over’ ‘by’ ‘through’ ‘out’ ‘up’ ‘down’

1. The Army attempted unsuccessfully to ____ the Government, (throw)

2. Scientists are on the brink of a major _____ in cancer research, (break)

3. The State Government plans to build a ____ for Bhubaneswar to speed up traffic on the main highway, (pass)

4.Gautama’s ____ on life changed when he realised that the world is full of sorrow, (look)

5. Rakesh seemed unusually _____ after the game, (cast)

Answers:

1. overthrow

2. breakthrough

3. bypass

4. lookout

5. downcast

Question 3.

Notice how these -ing and -ed adjectives are used.

1. Chess is an interesting game.

I am very interested in chess.

2. Going trekking in the Himalayas this summer is an exciting idea.

We are very excited about the trek.

3. Are all your School books this boring?

He was bored as he had no friends there.

The -ing adjectives show the qualities that chess, trekking or these books have: they cause interest, excitement, or boredom in you. The – ed /-en adjectives show your mental state or your physical state: how you feel in response to ideas, events or things.

Question 1.

1. Think of suitable -ing or -ed adjectives to answer the following questions. You may also use words from those given above.

How would you describe

1. a good detective serial on television? ____

2. a debate on your favourite topic ‘Homework Should Be Banned’? ____

3. how you feel when you stay indoors due to incessant rain? ____

4. how you feel when you open a present? ____

5. how you feel when you watch your favourite programme on television? ____

6. the look on your mother’s face as you waited in a queue? ____

7. how you feel when tracking a tiger in a tiger reserve forest? _____

8. the story you have recently read, or a film you have seen? _____

Answers:

(Sample answers are given; you may have a different answer.)

1. exciting

2. interesting

3. bored

4. excited

5. interested

6. disappointed

7. thrilled

8. thrilling half pants.