Summary & Question-answers of The Chapter : 10- An Alien Hand with the concerned video

An Alien Hand Summary In English

Tilloo and his parents live on Mars. However, they do not live on the surface of the planet. They live beneath the surface under artificial conditions. Only some very skilled persons in special suits can go on the surface. They go with a reservoir of oxygen for important work. Tilloo’s father is one of them. He goes to work through a secret passage.Tilloo has always been anxious to go through the passage. However, he has been never allowed. One day Tilloo gets a chance. He gets hold of his father’s security card. Quietly he makes his way to the forbidden passage. He slips his father’s magle card into a slot. The door to the passage opens. Tilloo now looks forward to seeing the sun or the stars. He has never seen them before. But that was not to be. He moves hardly ten steps when the security staff gets hold of him. He is sent back to his mother.Tilloo’s father decides to brief him properly. He tells Tilloo that he cannot survive on the surface. The air is too thin and the temperature too low there. So he advises him not to try again to reach the surface of the planet.Tilloo’s father tells him that once upon a time their forefathers lived on the surface. But times changed. A slight change in the sun upset the balance of nature on the planet. First the birds became extinct. The animals followed. The fish also died. Human beings survived because of their superior technology. They used solar energy. Some of these machines which produce solar energy are on the surface. Tilloo’s father belongs to a special group. It is this group’s responsibility to look after these machines. He assured Tilloo that he could also join the team when he grew up. His mother however warned him that it was possible only if he obeyed his parents. Next day when Tulloo’s father went to work, he found the Control Room full of excitement. It was so because they had seen two space crafts. So far, it had been their belief that they were alone in the solar system. Although the conference room was full to capacity, nobody was speaking a word. They waited for the President to say somethingThe President looked at his paper carefully. After a pause he said that two spacecrafts were approaching their planet. While one of the two was orbiting the planet, the other was still far away. It was the President’s guess that they were from their neighbouring planet. Thereupon, he asked the opinion of his colleagues. Together, they had to deal with these spacecrafts. Number One was in charge of defence. He told what his reports had revealed. It was that the spacecraft did not contain any living beings. It had only instruments. He suggested that there was no need to destroy those spacecrafts. After their landing on Mars they could make them ineffective, if they so chose. Number Two also agreed With Number One. He added that by destroying those spacecrafts, they would be only revealing their existence.Number Three also agreed with what the other two had said. Just then the President’ got the message that the first spacecraft had landed.It was a red letter day in Tilloo’s life. His father had brought him to the Control Room. From here he could see the alien spacecraft on his TV screen. He looked with great interest at a panel with several coloured buttons on it. His father told him that this pane was very important. Through its buttons, they had power to make inert any part of the spacecraft. Suddenly there was some movement in the spacecraft. All eyes were now glued tp the TV screen. A mechanical hand was coming out of the spacecraft. It bent and tpuched the soil. Everyone in the control room was watching with great interest. lop could not contain himself. He pressed the red button on the panel. There was shirill whistle. His father pulled him away roughly. Then, he restored the red button its earlier position.But the damage was done. The mechanical hand of the spacecraft had ceased work.All this was happening on the Mars. On the earth NASA was holding a press Conference. The spacecraft had come from the earth. NASA had sent it. In the press qonference, it was said that everything was well with the spacecraft. Only the mechanical hand had stopped working. They, however expressed confidence that very soon everything will be set right.Soon after this, another press conference was held. It was informed that the mechanical hand had been reactivated. Soil samples were being collected. These samples would reveal whether there was life on Mars or not. This was the part of earth’s Viking Mission. The scientists behind the mission were disappointed. They found no signs of life on Mars.Comprehension Check (Page 69)

Question 1:

How does Tilloo manage to find his way to the ‘forbidden passage’?

Question 2:

What did Tilloo hope to see once he emerged from his underground home?

Question 3:

Why did Tilloo’s father advise him not to try to reach the surface of the planet?

Question 4:

What changes had occurred, which forced people to live in underground homes?

Answers:

One day Tilloo’s daddy was asleep. The boy picked up daddy’s I-card. Then he walked towards the forbidden secret passage. The card helped him open the door and enter the passage.

Tilloo hoped to see the sun or the stars after getting out of his underground home.

Tilloo’s father told him not to try to go to the surface of the planet because he won’t be able to breathe in the thin air or withstand the low temperature there.

The changing heat of the sun created conditions that killed all animals and birds. The air became thin and human beings could freeze to death.

Comprehension Check (Page-71)

Question 1:

Why was everyone in the Control Room greatly excited?

Question 2:

Was the spacecraft manned or unmanned? How do you know it?

Question 3:

What did Number One and Number Two suggest should be done about the alien spacecraft?

Answers:

Everyone in the Control Room was greatly excited because they had seen two space­crafts coming towards their planet.

The spacecraft that landed on the surface was unmanned. It contained only in­struments. A mechanical hand tried to collect samples of soil.

The Number One was in charge of defence. He suggested that they should wait till the craft landed on the surface. Then they could easily make it ineffective. Number Two also suggested that they should wait and watch. It would be unwise to reveal their existence by attacking the spacecraft.

Comprehension Check (Page-73)

Question 1:

What do you think the mechanical hand was trying to do?

Question 2:

Tilloo pressed the red button and “the damage was done”. What was the damage?

Question 3:

Where had the spacecraft come from?

Question 4:

On which planet do Tilloo and his parents live?

Answers:

The mechanical hand that emerged from the alien spacecraft, was trying to collect samples of soil from the surface of Mars. The purpose was to study if there was life on it.

Tilloo pressed the red button. It is dad who made it neutral again. But the damage was done. The mechanical hand stopped working. It became inactive.

The spacecraft had come from the planet Earth. It was sent by NASA (National Aeronautics and Space Administration, America).

Tilloo and his parents live on a planet with thin air, freezing cold and no animals on surface.

Exercises (Page-73)

Discuss the following topics in groups.

Question 1:

If you had to live in a home like Tilloo’s , what parts of life would you find most difficult? What compensations might there be?

Answer:

Living underground in artificial conditions without the light/warmth of the stars and the sun, must be very troublesome and dull. The only compensation of such a home is safety and security, controlled light and heat.

Question 2:

What, if anything, might drive mankind to make their homes underground?

Answer:

If the Sun grows cold, life on earth would be in danger of extinction. The temperature will go below freezing point. People will be forced to live underground with assured supply of oxygen, light and heat. 

Question 3:

Do you think there is life on other planets? Can you guess what kind of people there may be on them? In what ways are they likely to be different from us?

Answer:

Scientists are trying hard to find out if there is any form of life on planets around the sun. So far they have sent spacecrafts to the moon and Mars, collected samples of soil and taken snapshots. But they have not found definite proof of life on them.

The kind of people, if they exist at all on any other planet, would be quite different from us. They must have adjusted themselves to strange and unfriendly environment there.

Summary & Question-answers of The Chapter : 10- The Story of Cricket with the concerned video

The Story of Cricket Summary in English

Part I

Cricket is a very popular game today. It entertains and attracts the young and the old alike. It has left hockey, football and tennis far behind. This lesson traces the history of this sport.

Cricket grew out of the stick-and-ball games played in England 500 years ago. It is played with a bat which means stick or club. Till the 18th century bats were shaped like hockey sticks. The reason was that the ball was bowled along the ground.

The strange feature of cricket is that a test match can go on for five days, and still remain undecided. A football match is over in an hour-and-a-half.

Another notable thing of cricket is its pitch. It has to be 22 yards in length, but there is no limit on the dimension of the playing ground as in hockey or football.

Cricket grounds differ greatly in size. Laws of cricket were first drawn up in 1744. It has two umpires. The stumps are 22 inches high, and the ball across them is six inches.

The world’s first cricket club was organised in 1760. The bat was made straight. In 1774, the first leg-before law was published. Even today both the bat and ball are hand made. Once the bat was cut out of a single piece of wood. Now it consists of two pieces, made out of the willow wood. Plastic, fibreglass and metal are not used at all.

The pads were introduced in 1848, followed by gloves. The modern game is not imagined without helmets, made of light weight materials.

Part II

Indian cricket had its origin in Bombay. The Parsis were the first to adopt it. They founded the first Indian Cricket Club in 1848. It was funded by the Tatas and the Wadias. Initially they had some problem about the use of park or field.

Modern cricket is dominated by Test and One day internationals. C.K. Nayudu was an outstanding batsman of his times. He played for India in its first Test matches against England in 1932. India entered the world of Test Cricket in 1932, 15 years before it became an independent nation.

Part III

Television coverage changed cricket. It took the game to towns and villages. Children got the opportunity to watch International Cricket and learn how to play well. Cricket has got a global market. India has got the largest number of viewers for the game. Indian players are the best-paid and most famous in the game. They are paid professional. One day game has overshadowed Test Cricket.

Comprehension Check

Question1:

Cricket is originally a/an

Indian game.

British game.

International game.

Mark the right answer.

Solution:

2. a British game.

Question 2:

“There is a historical reason behind both these oddities.” In the preceding two paragraphs, find two words/phrases that mean the same as ‘oddities’.

Solution:

peculiarities

curious characteristic

Question 3:

How is a cricket bat different from a hockey stick?

Solution:

A cricket bat is thick and flat while a hockey stick is bent at the bottom.

Comprehension Check

Question 1:

Write True or False against each of the following sentences.

India joined the world of Test cricket before independence.

The colonisers did nothing to encourage the Parsis in playing cricket.

Palwankar Baloo was India’s first Test captain.

Australia played its first Test against England as sovereign nation.

Solution:

True

True

False

False

Check

Question 1:

A ‘professional’ cricket player is one who makes a living by playing cricket. Find the opposite of ‘professional’ in the last paragraph.

Solution:

Amateur

Question 2:

In “the triumph of the one-day game”, ‘triumph’ means the one-day game’s

superiority to Test cricket

inferiority to Test cricket.

achievement or success over Test cricket.

popularity among viewers.

Mark the right answer.

Solution:

4. Popularity among viewers

Question 3:

“ the men for whom the world is a stage”.

It refers to the famous cricket fields in the world.

It means that there are many cricket playing countries in the world.

It implies that cricketers are like actors and every cricket ground is like a stage on which the drama of cricket is enacted the world over.

Mark the right answer.

Solution:

3. It implies that cricketers are like actors and every cricket ground is like a stage on which the drama of cricket is enacted the world over.

Working with the Text

Question 1:

Name some stick-and-ball games that you have witnessed or heard of.

Solution:

Hockey, Polo, squash, golf.

Question 2:

The Parsis were the first Indian community to take to cricket. Why?

Solution:

Parsis were in the close contact with the British because of their interest in trade. They were the first Indian community to westernise and went up taking up the game of cricket.

Question 3:

The rivalry between the Parsis and the Bombay Gymkhana had a happy ending for the former. What does ‘a happy ending’ refer to?

Solution:

‘Happy ending’ refers to the defeat of the Bombay Gymkhana by the Parsi club in a cricket match held in 1889.Q

Question4:

Do you think cricket owes its present popularity to television? Justify your answer.

Solution:

Yes, cricket owes its popularity to television. It has expanded the audience of the game by taking cricket to villages and small town.

Children from these places now had the chance to learn the game seeing the international games and imitating their favourite cricketers.

Question 5:

Why has cricket a large viewership in India, not in China or Russia?

Solution:

Cricket is not played in communist countries like China and Russia so it has less viewership there. India is one of the oldest cricket playing nation which further adds to its large viewership in the country.

Question 6:

What do you understand by the game’s (cricket) ‘equipment’?

Solution:

The accessories like bat, ball, stumps and bells are the equipment used in playing the game. Pads, helmets and gloves are protective equipment used while playing cricket.

Question 7:

How is Test cricket a unique game in many ways?

Solution:

Test cricket is unique because it can go on for five days and still can end with a draw. No other game requires even half of this time to finish. A football match is played for 90 minutes.

Even nine innings of a baseball match gets over less than what it takes to finish a one-day match.

Question 8:

How is cricket different from other team games?

Solution:

Cricket is different from other team games because in cricket, the length of the pitch is mentioned as 22 yards however, the shape of the ground could be oval or circular. There is no specific measurement for the size of the ground as well.

It is the only game played for five days and can end without a specific result. Unlike cricket, many other popular games like hockey or football follows certain specification for grounds

Question 9:

How have advances in technology affected the game of cricket?

Solution:

Advancement in technology has been used in manufacturing protective equipment in cricket. The newly invented vulcanised rubber was used in pads and gloves. The helmets are made up of metal and lightweight synthetic materials.

Summary & Question-answers of The Poem : 9- Garden Snake with the concerned video

Garden Snake Summary in English

The poet saw a snake in his garden. He got terrified and ran away. He had heard people say that some snakes were very dangerous or poisonous. But his mother told him that the garden snakes were harmless. They ate up insects. She advised him to stand aside and make way for the garden snakes to pass. There was no need to fear or run away.

Working with the Poem

Question 1:

Answer the following questions.

Pick out the line that suggests that the child is afraid of snakes.

Which line shows a complete change of the child’s attitude towards snakes? Read it aloud.

“But mother says that kind is good…” What is mother referring to?

Solution:

“I saw a snake and ran away.”

“I’ll stand aside and watch him pass.”

The mother is referring to the garden snake.

Question 2:

Find the word that refers to the snake’s movements in the grass.

solution:

Wiggle

Question 3:

There are four pairs of rhyming words in the poem. Say them aloud.

solution:

(a) Good, food

(b) Pass, grass

(c) Away, say

(d) Mistake, snake

Question 4:

A snake has no legs or feet, but it moves very fast. Can you guess how? Discuss in the group.

solution:

A snake has no legs or feet. It wiggles on the surface.

Question 5:

Can you recall the word used for a cobra’s long sharp teeth? Where did you come across this word first?

solution:

A cobra’s long teeth are called fangs. I first came across this word on National Geographic Channel. to tremble with fear or run away.

Summary & Question-answers of The Chapter : 9- A Tiger in the House with the concerned video

A Tiger In The House Summary In English

One day, the narrator’s grandfather was walking down the forest path. His party was at a distance. He found a little tiger and brought him home. Grandfather was the only successful member of the hunting party. The narrator’s grandmother named the tiger cub, Timothy. She brought him up on bottle-milk. Later he was put on a diet of raw mutton and cod liver oil. Afterwards, he was put on the diet of pigeons and rabbits also.Toto, the monkey pulled the cub’s tail. Toto climbed up the curtain when Timothy lost his temper. He and a mongrel puppy were Timothy’s companions. When the narrator came to live with Grandfather, he became one of the tiger’s favourites. Initially, Timothy was afraid of the puppy. But finally the puppy was allowed to crawl and rest on his back. Timothy’s favourite amusement was to stalk his playmate. He also made a dash at the narrator’s feet. He pretended to bite his ankles. After sometime, he was of full size. Sometimes he pulled hard at his chain. The narrator kept up with him with great difficulty. He reclined on a long sofa in the drawing-room. He snarled at everybody. He had clean habits. He would scrub his face with his paws like a cat. He slept in the cook’s quarters. He preferred to be taken out in the morning for a walk. He grew less friendly when he became six months old. He also started eating small animals.A change came over him. He became less friendly, in fact more dangerous Then the grandfather took him to Lucknow. Timothy and grandfather travelled in a first class compartment. In Lucknow the grandfather presented him to the 200. After six months the grandfather went to see Timothy. He stroked the tiger’s forehead, tickled his ears and smacked him across the mouth. The tiger licked Grandfather’s hands. It sprang away only when a leopard in the next cage snarled at him. Many people watched the scene. A keeper of the zoo called the tiger bad tempered. He had no knowledge about the owner of the tiger. Grandfather wished the tiger to be transferred to some other cage. A leopard in the next cage would constantly rush at Timothy. However, he could not meet the superintendent. The Grandfather returned to the tiger’s cage. To say goodbye, he stroked and slapped the tiger. Another keeper observed him with alarm. He also recognised the Grandfather. He informed the Grandfather about Timothy’s death of pneumonia. He also informed the Grandfather that the dangerous tiger was trapped only last month. The tiger was still licking Grandfather’s arm. He was smelling fresh food. Grandfather somehow withdrew his hand from the cage. He gave the keeper a scornful look and bade the tiger “Goodnight’.

Comprehension Check (Page 60)

Question 1:

“He had the distinction of being the only member of the party to have bagged any game.., The phrase in italics means

(i) Grandfather was the most distinguished member of the party.

(ii) Grandfather was, the only spoftsperson in the party.

(iii) Grandfather was the only successful member of the hunting party.

Mark the right answer.

Answer:

(iii) Grandfather was the only successful member of the hunting party.

Question 2:

Complete the following sentences.

(i) Toto climbed up the curtains when_______________________________________

(ii)_____________________________________________________________________________________ :_____________________________ .______________________________________________

_________________________________________________________ , I became one of the tiger’s favourites.

(iii) Timothy had clean habits,_________________________________________________________

Answer:

(i) Timothy lost his temper.

(ii) When I came to live with my Grandfather.

(iii) he would scrub his face with his paws exactly like a cat.

Comprehension Check (Page 64)

Question 1:

Grandmother’s prophecy was that the tiger

(i) would prefer Mahmoud’s bed to sleep in.

(ii) and the cook would disappear together from the house.

(iii) would one day make a meal of Mahmoud.

Mark the right answer.

Answer:

(iii) would one day make a meal of Mahmoud.

Question 2:

When Timothy was about six months old, a change came over him.

The phrase in italics means that

(i) Timothy had grown to his full size.

(ii) Timothy grew more friendly.

(iii) Timothy grew less friendly, in fact more dangerous.

Answer:

(iii) Timothy grew less friendly, in fact more dangerous.

Question 3:

Write “True ’ or ‘False ’ against each of the following statements.

(i) Timothy and Grandfather went to Lucknow in a special compartment.___________.

(ii) The compartment in which Grandfather and Timothy travelled had no other passenger ___________.

(iii) Timothy and Grandfather travelled in a first class compartment._________________.

(iv)All passengers in the compartment thought that Timothy was a well-fed and civilized tiger. _________________.

Answer:

(i) False (ii) True (iii) True (iv) False

Question 4:

Grandfather suggested that Timothy should be put in another cage. The reason was that

(i) the tiger had become very bad tempered.

(ii) a leopard, in the next cage would constantly rush at Timothy.

(iii) the cage was too small for a full grown tiger,

Answer:

(ii) a leopard in the next cage would constantly rush at Timothy.

Question 5:

The tiger was still licking his arm, with increasing relish The phrase in italics sug­gests that Timothy

(i) was good natured.

(ii) recognised an old friend.

(iii) smelt fresh food.

Answer:

(iii) smelt fresh food.

Exercise (Page 65)

Answer the following questions:

Question 1:

Where was the tiger cub hiding when Grandfather found him?

Answer:

The tiger cub was hiding among the intricate roots of a banyan tree in the Terai jungle near Dehra.

Question 2:

(i) What did Toto do to entertain Timothy?

(ii) What did he do when Timothy lost his temper?

Answer:

(i) Toto used to pull Timothy by the tail.

(ii) Toto climbed up the curtain if Timothy lost his temper.

Question 3:

“I became one of the tiger’s favourites.” Who is T in the statement? Why did he think so?

Answer:

T stands for the narrator, Ruskin Bond. He thought so because Timothy would come closer to him, roll over on his feet and pretended to bite his ankles.

Question 4:

Where was Timothy most comfortable during the day? Where was he during the night?

Answer:

During the day, Timothy was most comfortable on the long sofa in the drawing room. He slept at night in the cook’s quarters.

Question 5:

What was Grandmother’s prophecy about the cook? Did it come true?

Answer:

Grandmother’s prophecy was that Timothy would one day kill the cook Mahmoud, and make a meal of him. No, it did not come true.

Question 6:

What made Grandfather decide to transfer Timothy to the zoo?

Answer:

When Timothy was about six months old, he grew less friendly and more dangerous. He chased the cats and ate up hens. He also followed Mahmoud with evil intentions. So Grandfather decided to shift him away to Lucknow zoo.

Question 7:

Why did Grandfather want Timothy to be put in another enclosure?

Answer:

Grandfather saw the leopard in the next cage rushing at and frightening Timothy every now and then. So he suggested the keeper to shift Timothy to some other cage.

Question 8:

What shocked Grandfather in the end?

Answer:

Grandfather was shocked to learn from the keeper that Timothy had died two months ago, and the tiger in the cage was very dangerous.

Summary & Question-answers of The Chapter : 10- The Comet - 2 with the concerned video

The Comet 2 Summary in English

The International Conference of Astronomers and Space Scientists discussed the ways to prevent the comet from hitting the Earth. Manoj Dutta was also invited. The issue was kept secret from the press and the people.

The experts suggested two ways to meet the challenge. The defensive measure was that the people should live in underground bunkers for safety. But it was not much practicable. The other course was to take offensive action. It meant that the comet should be given a push and made to change its path a little. This could be done by using nuclear explosion in space.

Finally a time table was drawn for the operation. It was code-named “Project Light Brigade’. On October 10, the spacecraft with nuclear material was to be sent. It would meet the comet on November 15 and try to destroy it. In case the experiment failed, the comet would hit the Earth on December 15. If it succeeded, this was the day the comet would pass by at a near but safe distance. Sir John Macpherson told Duttada that he would not buy any present for Christmas till 15 December.

Duttada returned home from England. He was welcomed warmly. But he was surprised to see some ceremony going on under a tent. Indrani Debi explained that they had arranged a peace Yajna. She called him first to get blessing of pundits because he had left the shores of India. Duttada’s brother explained that the Shanti Yajna would pacify the evil spirit behind the comet and save the Earth. Duttada tried in vain to convince them that comets had no relation with the evil spirit or any calamity on the Earth.

Since his return from England, Duttada was in regular touch with Sir John. The letters contained subtle hints about the progress of the project. The threat seemed veiy much real. In mid-October the operation began. Duttada kept constant watch on the comet. But he could not share his anxiety with any one.

On November 18, he received a message from Sir John that the operation was successful, and he was going to buy Christmas presents. On 15th December, the comet came closest to the earth, some 80,000 km. away. Millions saw it but no one knew the story.

Duttada told his wife with satisfaction that the comet had gone without causing any disaster. Indrani Debi gave all credit to the Shanti yajna performed by their grandson, eight-year-old Khoka on his behalf. Duttada now saw the gap between the scientific and the superstitious attitude. Perhaps human society would not grow out of blind beliefs and silly religious rituals.

Comprehension Check

Page No: 83

1:”For a moment James wondered if he had done his sums right.” Why was James doubtful about his sums and calculations?

Ans: James became doubtful about his sums and calculations when he looked up from his window and saw a star-studded night sky. He knew that somewhere amongst those stars was Comet Dutta, which was heading for a collision with the earth. It was hard for him to believe the calamity of the future on such a peaceful night.

2:What did the scientists at the conference say about James’s ‘sums’?

Ans: After rechecking James’ sum for the umpteenth time the scientist arrived at the horrifying conclusion that James was right. There was just a feeble chance of the comet scraping through the earth’s atmosphere. Even then also it would have caused great damage.

3:Immediate action was needed, the scientists decided. Give one example each of ‘defensive’ and ‘offensive’ action mentioned in the text.

Ans: The defensive action discussed by the scientists was to live in underground bunkers. The offensive action was to marginally deflect Comet Dutta from its path by giving it a push. This could be done by placing nuclear payload in a spaceship, sending it to intercept the approaching comet and detonating it by remote control.

4:“I am not buying any Christmas presents till December 15.” What did Sir John mean by that?

Ans: Sir John meant that he was not very sure that they would succeed in their operation. December 15 was the date when if the experiment failed, the comet would hit the earth.

1:What is Duttada expected to do on his return from London?

Ans: Duttada was expected to perform a shanti yajna on his return from London. This yajnawas to be performed to pacify the supposed evil spirit behind the comet.

2:What is his reaction to the proposal?

Ans: Duttada reacted very angrily to the proposal and said that it was all superstition. So he refused to participate in the yajna.

3: (i) What does ‘Project Light Brigade’ refer to?

(ii) What does Sir John say about the Project in his letter to Duttada in October?

Ans: (i) ‘Project Light Brigade’ referred to the plans to deflect the comet’s path by nuclear explosion.

(ii) In his letter to Duttada in October, Sir John said that the charge of the Light Brigade had begun and that they hoped for the best. It meant that the spaceship with the payload had been launched on time.

4:Did Sir John buy Christmas presents on December 15? How did Duttada get to know about it?

Ans: Yes, Sir John bought Christmas presents on December 15. Duttada got to know about it in the letter that Sir John had written to him, saying that he was confident of buying Christmas presents on December 15, indicating that the project was successful.

5:Why, according to Indrani Debi, had the comet not been disastrous? Do you agree with her?

Ans: According to Indrani Debi, the comet had not proved to be disastrous because of theyajna that had been performed in their house. No, the yajna had no impact upon the comet. The project undertaken by the scientists prevented the comet from colliding with the earth, thereby saving earth and all its inhabitants from destruction.

6:Is Duttada’s general outlook

(i) rational?

(ii) moral?

(iii) traditional?

Choose the right word. Say why you think it right.

Ans: Duttada’s general outlook is rational. He is a scientist and he has a scientific outlook. He knows what the Comet are. He knows that there is no connection between the appearance of comets and misfortunes of the earth.

Summary & Question-answers of The Chapter: 9- The Comet -1 with the concerned video

The Comet- I Summary in English

The story Comet- I begins with a moonless night in December in which a cool breeze was flowing. There was a disturbance in the sleep of Indrani Debi due to this cool breeze. Indrani was the wife of Duttada, an amateur scientist.Duttada was at this time observing stars with his telescope whose name was Dibya Chakshu. Duttada had not closed the door nor was he wearing a sweater. This is because he was too busy with his telescope.To Indrani Debi, the telescope was like a cunning woman who took hold of her husband.  Duttada had a need for money to buy a telescope and spare time to observe the stars. Now at retirement, he had both.Duttada had the ambition to discover a new comet. Comets can be new because they come from far away places of the solar system. The longish tail of a comet shines in the sunlight when it comes near the sun.Duttada was optimistic about discovering a new comet because other professional astronomers were focusing more on galaxies. Then that night, Duttada was able to discover a new comet. Furthermore, there was no mistake in his calculations.There was the publishing of Duttada’s discovery in the ‘Ananda Bazar Patrika’. Duttada had informed the Indian Institute of Astrophysics (IIA), Bangalore about the location of the comet. Afterward, IIA made a confirmation of this discovery and the comet was named comet Dutta.Duttada didn’t like many functions and receptions which he was made to attend due to his introvert nature. Furthermore, his wife said that comets bring bad luck and so she had a wish that this discovery never took place. Moreover, Duttada told her that comets had nothing to do with the problems on Earth.In King’s College, Cambridge, a letter was received by James, an astronomer, which was sent by John Macpherson. John told James that he would like to meet him that night and that this matter must be confidential.Sir John Macpherson gave James a typescript whose publishing was to take place in ‘Nature’. John told James that the editor of ‘Nature’ was his friend. This was an important manuscript whose publishing was to take place.James had made a prediction that Comet Dutta would collide with earth. This would certainly be a great catastrophe. He told Sir John that his calculations were very accurate. With the exception of some rare circumstances, the collision would certainly take place.This collision is going to take place in exactly ten months. This leaves living beings with only ten months only to survive. Sir John’s suggestion was that there should be a meeting of experts and that the matter must remain a secret to avoid panic. Sir John began to make preparations for an international conference.

Comprehension Check (Page 77)

Question 1:

Why does Indrani Debi dislike Duttada’s “hobnobbing” with Dibya?

Answer:

Duttada was very fond of star gazing and would enjoy spending a lot of time with his telescope “Dibya” trying to discover a comet in the night sky. Indrani Debi disliked Duttada’s “hobnobbing” with Dibya because she thought that the telescope was like a designing woman who had ensnared her husband and had grabbed all his attention.

Question 2:

She is complaining and smiling. Why is she smiling?

Answer:

Indrani Debi had complaints about the wretched Dibya, Duttada’s telescope ever since. However, she would often smile it off as she knew how utterly oblivious her husband was of the practical problems of living. Although his doctor had advised him to take special precautions against the cold, he wouldn’t remember to put on a sweater even if it was lying on his bedside chair.

Question 3:

(i) What was Duttada’s secret ambition?

(ii) What did he do to achieve it?

Answer:

Duttada was an amateur astronomer whose secret ambition was to find a comet one fine day. To him, the telescope marked the fulfillment of the ambition of a lifetime. He was optimistic that the professionals with their pre-assigned programmes might miss such an insignificant thing as a comet as they would be exploring faint stars and nebulous galaxies.

Being an amateur astronomer, Duttada had always longed to have enough money to buy a good telescope and enough spare time to gaze the night sky with it. He fulfilled his desire after his retirement and bought an eight-inch long telescope which he called as Dibya Chakshu or Divine Eye. Every night, Duttada would sit with Dibya and gaze at the star-studded sky with the hope of discovering a comet. This is because he was confident that the professionals might miss such an insignificant activity due to their pre-assigned space exploration programmes.

Question 4:

What is the difference between a planet and a comet, as given in the story?

Answer:

According to the story, comets are new objects that come from the remote corners of the Solar System. Like planets, comets also orbit round the Sun but their orbits are highly eccentric. Hence, once in a while a comet comes closer to the Sun. A comet has a longish tail that is lit brilliantly by the sunlight and then suddenly it recedes into darkness not to be seen again for years or for centuries.

Question 5:

Why was Duttada hopeful that he would discover a new comet soon?

Answer:

Duttada was hopeful that he would discover a new comet soon because he was aware that the professionals were extremely busy with their pre-assigned programmes while exploring faint stars and nebulous galaxies. In this process, they are mostly likely to miss such an insignificant thing as a comet since they might not expect to see it anyway. As a matter of fact, amateurs had often discovered new comets which the professionals had mostly missed.

Question 6:

Why does Duttada say — “I almost wish I had not discovered this comet.”?

Answer:

While returning from one such ceremony Duttada muttered to himself in disgust, “I almost wish I had not discovered this comet.” This is because the discovery of a new comet by Duttada brought in unwelcome publicity to him. There were numerous receptions and functions to attend. He was an introvert person and all these publicity stunts were not of his liking.

Question 7:

Why is his wife unhappy about the discovery?

Answer:

Duttada’s wife, Indrani Debi was unhappy about the discovery because she thought that comets bring ill-luck or cause unnatural calamities to Earth. More along, she was concerned that a good man like Duttada should not have been associated with the discovery of a comet.

Comprehension Check (Page 80)

Question 1:

How did Sir John get hold of James’ original manuscript?

Answer:

James’ original manuscript was published in the paper Nature. Sir John got hold of it from Mr. Taylor who was the editor of Nature and was also his friend.

Question 2:

What is the important point the paper makes?

Answer:

The important point that the paper makes is that Comet Dutta is likely to collide with planet Earth soon.

Question 3:

Why does Sir John say that James’ paper should not be published?

Answer:

Sir John told that James’ paper should not be published because he was fearful that the dreadful news of the inevitable collision of the comet with Earth might cause a lot of panic around the world.

Question 4:

What do the two men finally decide to do?

Answer:

The two men finally decide to organize an important secret conference of international experts to chalk out a plan to avert this impending calamity.

Winter Break English Homework for Class X A

1-Read & revise all the chapters taken up in the class and prepare all question-answers.

2-Write an analytical paragraph on Covid-19 in about 120 words.

3-Write a letter to the book seller placing an order for some important books & sample papers.

4-Write a letter to the Editor of the Times of India expressing your views over child labour in about 120 words.

5-Write a letter to the Superintendent of Police complaining about unsocial elements wandering in your street.

Winter Break English Homework for Class IX B

1-Read & revise all the chapters taken up in the class and prepare all question-answers.

2-Write an analytical paragraph on Covid-19 in about 120 words.

3-Write a story in about 120 words using the following hints.

Two years back I decided to visit an exhibition running in a nearby city.At 9 pm

I set out for the exhibition with my close friend .....…...........

4-Write a letter to the Editor of the Times of India expressing your concern over increasing noise pollution.

5-Write a letter to the Superintendent of Police complaining about unsocial elements wandering in your street.

Winter Break English Homework for Class VIIIA & VIIIB

1-Read & revise all the chapters taken up in the class and prepare all question-answers.

2-You ABC, Head Boy/Head Girl of your school. You are going to conduct a meeting of your class regarding cleanliness. Write a notice about it in 50 words inviting all the students to join.

3-Write a letter to your father to send you some money to buy some important books for you.

4-Write a paragraph in about 100 words on anyone of the following topics:

(a) Your favourite game

(b) Any dream you saw

(c) Your hobby

5-.Write an application to your Principal requesting him to grant you two days' sick leave .

Winter Break English Homework for Class VII A

1-Read & revise all the chapters taken up in the class and prepare all question-answers.

2-You are ABC, Head Boy/Head Girl of your school. You are going to conduct a house 

meeting of all the students in the assembly ground. Write a notice in about 

50 words inviting them to attend.

3-Write a letter to your friend inviting him to attend the marriage party of your elder

brother.

4-Write a paragraph on anyone of the following topics:

(a) Your favourite leader

(b) Games & sports

(c) Any profession you like most

5-Write an application to the Principal of your school for full fee concession.

Summary & Question-answers of The Chapter : 9- A Bicycle in Good Repair with the concerned video

A Bicycle in Good Repair Summary in English

Part I

The narrator, one evening, accepted his friend’s proposal to go for a long bicycle ride on the following day. He got up early and started waiting for his friend. His friend came half an hour late. He examined the narrator’s bicycle. He shook the front wheel with force. He didn’t heed the narrator’s request not to hurt the machine.The friend declared that the front wheel was unsteady and it could prove dangerous. He asked for a hammer. He took the front wheel off the fork and held it between his legs. He found fault with the bearings. He set about repairing the machine. He unscrewed it, and the little iron balls rolled away. They collected some sixteen of them. The narrator put them for safety in his hat. 

Part II

Next, the friend handled the chain. He took off the gear case. He claimed to know all about a bicycle. He removed the gear box but lost the screws.The narrator was too weak to check the friend from doing further mischief. The friend went ahead. He tightened the chain till it would not move. Then he made it very loose. He finally decided to fix the front wheel in place. The narrator then changed places with him, and put the wheel in tight position. He laughed and admitted that he was an ass. The reason was that they had forgotten to put the iron balls in place.The narrator looked for his hat in which he had put the balls safely. But the hat lay upturned and the balls were scattered. They could find only eleven. They fixed six on one side and five on the other, and half an hour later the wheel was put in its place again. But it wobbled even then. The narrator was impressed not so much by his friend’s skill at repairing the bicycle as by his confidence in himself and his hopeful attitude.

The friend got encouraged. He then set to refix the gear-box. He put the bicycle in different places and positions for the job. He lost his balance and hurt himself on the head. Then he lost his temper and tried to punish the bicycle. It was a sort of fight between man and machine. The tough bicycle showed spirit. It freed itself from his hold and hit him over the head with its handle.

At a quarter to one, the man thought that the work was done. He himself was dirty and bleeding. He cleaned himself and the narrator then sent him home. It was difficult to decide who had suffered more—the friend or the bicycle.

Answer the following questions.

Q.1.

Did the front wheel really wobble? What is your opinion? Give a reason for your answer.

Ans. No, I think the front wheel did not really wobble. We can say this because the author himself said that “It doesn’t if you don’t wobble it. It didn’t wobble, as a matter of fact nothing worth calling a wobble.”

Q.2.In what condition did the author find the bicycle when he returned from the tool shed?

 Ans. When the author returned from the tool shed, he saw that the man was sitting on the ground with the front wheel of the bicycle between his legs. He was playing with it, turning it round between his fingers and the remaining parts were lying on the gravel path beside him.

Q.3. “Nothing is easier than taking off the gear-case.” Comment on or continue this sentence in the light of what actually happens.

 Ans. The man says this to the author when the author tries to dissuade him from unscrewing his cycle any further. He tells him that one of his experienced friends told him once that “If anything goes wrong with your gear-case, sell the machine and buy a new one; it comes cheaper.” But the man contradicts him saying that, “People talk like that who understand nothing about machines. Nothing is easier than taking off a gear-case."

 Q.4.What special treatment did the chain receive?

 Ans. The lunatic tightened the chain to the extent that it did not move; next he loosened it so much that it was twice as loose as it was before.

 Q.5.The friend has two qualities — he knows what he is doing and is absolutely sure it is good. Find the two phrases in the text which mean the same.

 Ans. “Cheery confidence” and “inexplicable hopefulness” are the two phrases which show that the man knew what he was doing and was absolutely sure it was good.

 Q.6.Describe ‘the fight’ between the man and the machine. Find the relevant sentences in the text and write them.

 Ans. The author’s bicycle was in a fine condition but the man unnecessarily unscrewed all the parts of it in order to repair it. The following paragraph shows ‘the fight’ between the man and the machine:

“One moment the bicycle would be on the gravel path, and he on top of it; the next, the position would be reversed— he on the gravel path, the bicycle on him. Now he would be standing flushed with victory, the bicycle firmly fixed between his legs. But his triumph would be short-lived. By a sudden, quick movement it would free itself and, turning upon him, hit him sharply over the head with one of its handles.”

Summary & Question-answers of The Chapter : 10- The Beggar with the concerned video

Summary

Advocate Sergei was detained by a beggar one day. The beggar was crying for pity and told him he had been a school teacher but had lost his position.

The beggar was in rags. He had dull, sunken cheeks and red spots on either cheek. He wore one high shoe and one low shoe.

Sergei recognised the beggar and told him he had met him in Sadovya Street. Then he had called himself a student. Sergei warned that he would inform the police.

The beggar admitted the truth and asked for work. Sergei asked him to chop wood. The beggar agreed, though unwillingly. The beggar was taken by Sergei’s servant Olga to the shed where he had to chop the wood.

Olga gave the beggar the axe. Sergei seeing a drunken and a spoiled man at work in the cold, felt sorry for him and went away.

The beggar would cut wood on the first of every month. He would also shovel snow, beat the dust out of the rugs and mattresses and put the wood-shed in order. When Sergei moved into another house, the beggar packed and carried the furniture.

Lushkoff, the beggar was now offered other work. Sergei asked him to go to his friends. They gave him some copying work as he could write. Sergei was happy he had put the man on the right track.

Two years went by. One evening standing at a ticket window of a theatre Sergei saw the man again. Lushkoff told him that he was a notary and was paid thirty-five roubles a month. He thanked Sergei for what he had done for him. He said that if he had not helped him he would still have been telling lies.

He asked Sergei to thank Olga, the cook. Lushkoff told Sergei that Olga would rebuke, call him names then she would sit opposite him and weep. Then she would chop the wood for him. Due to Olga’s actions, he had a change of heart. He was set right by Olga and would never forget her.

TEXTUAL EXERCISES

(Page 67)

Think About It

Question 1.

Has Lushkoff become a beggar by circumstance or by choice ?

Answer:

Lushkoff has become a beggar not by circumstance but by choice. This is clear in his talk with Sergei. To him he pretends that he can’t get any work.

Question 2.

What reasons does he give to Sergei for his telling lies ? (CBSE)

Answer:

Lushkoff gives out the reasons that he can’t get along without lying. No one will give him anything when he tells the truth. So he tells that he can’t do anything except telling lies.

Question 3.

Is Lushkoff a willing worker ? Why, then, does he agree to chop wood for Sergei?

Answer:

Lushkoff is not a willing worker. He agrees to chop wood for Sergei. It is because he fears that if he doesn’t, Sergei would report to the police.

Question 4.

Serggi says, “I am happy that my words have taken effect.” Why does he say so ? Is he right in saying this ?

Or

‘Sergei looked satisfied with the performance of the beggar. He was happy that his words had a positive effect on him.’ How effective were his words ? (CBSE 2016)

Answer:

Sergei says so because his words are morally good for Lushkoff. They change him into a good human being. Lushkoff becomes a worker from a beggar. So Sergei helps to change Lushkoff into a responsible human being.

Question 5.

Lushkoff is earning thirty five roubles a month. How is he obliged to Sergei for this?

Answer:

Earlier Sergei did not earn his livelihood honestly. He begs but he can work. So begging is morally wrong on his part. Now he earns his livelihood by hard work. He can raise his head in self-respect. This all is due to Sergei. So he feels obliged to Sergei for this.

Question 6.

During their conversation Lushkoff reveals that Sergei’s cook, Olga, is responsible for the positive change in him. How has Olga saved Lushkoff ?

Answer:

Olga knew that Lushkoff won’t work. So she felt pity for him like a sincere mother and worked for him. She sat down opposite to him. She rebuked him when he didn’t work. Very soon this changed his heart. And he started working. He stopped drinking and became a good man.

Summary & Question-answers of The Chapter : 10- The Great Stone Face-II with the concerned video

The Great Stone Face-II- Summary

In The Great Stone Face-II by Nathaniel Hawthorne, Ernest, a very simple and unnoticed boy, had grown up to be an old man with white hair. All those years made him so wise and knowledgeable that distant men from cities came to visit him just to have a conversation with him. He received them with gentleness and kindness.  As he talked to people, his face would brighten and would shine upon others as if he was a mild evening light. The story then introduces us to another son of the valley who moved to distant cities, pouring them with his sweet music. He kept the Great Stone Face alive in his poems. Ernest came to know about him and as he read the poet’s thoughts in his book, he wished the poet to be the likeness of the Great Stone Face. When the poet came to know about Ernest, he expressed a strong desire to meet him. Thus,  he comes back to the valley and asks Ernest to give him a night’s shelter. They talked to each other.  Never before had the poet talked with a man like Ernest, so wise, and gentle, and kind. Ernest, on the other hand, was moved by the living images flung out of the poet’s mind. Upon being asked, the poet told him that he was the writer of the book Ernest was reading. As soon as he heard this, Ernest compared the poet’s features with that of the Great Stone Face and when they did not match, he became sad. Upon being asked, Ernest told the poet that when he read his book, he thought him to be the man that would fulfill the prophecy but to his disappointment, he was not. The poet considered himself unworthy of bearing the resemblance to the Great Stone Face as he knew that although his thoughts were great and he had great dreams but those had just remained dreams and he himself lacked faith in his thoughts. It was a ritual for Ernest to speak to his neighbours every evening at sunset in the open air. Both men went to the meeting place from where the Great Stone Face was clearly visible and as Ernest began speaking,  he shared whatever he had in his mind and heart. His thoughts were so powerful since they were supported by a life full of good deeds. Those were not mere thoughts, but words of life. The poet, as he listened, felt that the life and character of Ernest were a nobler form of poetry than he had ever written. His eyes were filled with tears as he realised never had he seen a man so kind, gentle, sweet and wise as Ernest. Suddenly, he noticed the Great Stone Face with the golden light of the setting sun upon it and mist around it. He noticed that it resembled the eyebrows of Ernest. When the poet compared Ernest’s grand expression to the Great Stone Face, he couldn’t help but tell everyone that Ernest himself bore the likeness of the Great Stone Face. Everyone agreed. Ernest, however, hoped for a man better and wiser than himself to come, bearing resemblance to the Great Stone Face.

Page No: 136

Comprehension Check

1: Write ‘True’ or ‘False’ against each of the following statements.

1. Ernest’s words reminded people of the wise old sayings. ______

Ans: True

2. Total strangers from far away, who visited Ernest in the valley, found his face familiar. ______

Ans: True

3. The Great Stone Face confirmed Ernest’s view that the poet could be worthy of its likeness. __________

Ans: False

4. When Ernest and the poet met, they respected and admired each other equally. ______

Ans: True

5. The poet along with Ernest addressed the inhabitants of the valley. ______

Ans: False

6. The poet realised that Ernest’s thoughts were far nobler than his own verses. ______

Ans: True

Working with Text

Answer the following questions.

1. How was Ernest different from others in the valley?

Ans: Earnest was a humble, hardworking and thoughtful person. He was not an unknown person unlike others. As he grew old, he had become well known personality beyond limit of valley. College professors and even active men of cities came from far to meet him. Earnest received those people with gentle sincerity and spoke with them freely with open heart. He led a life of good deeds and with self-less love for others. He used to deliver thoughtful words from the depth of his heart. His words had power since they agreed with the reality of his life. While talking to his audience, his face would brighten and shine upon them, as with as mild evening light. In this way Earnest was different from others in the valley.

2.Why did Ernest think the poet was like the Stone Face?

Ans: The poet wrote songs with lofty thoughts. The poetry of the poet found his way to Earnest also. Earnest used to read the poet’s poems and songs after his day’s work and found them worthy. When the poet came to meet Earnest, he looked wise, gentle and kind. Even the Great Stone Face appeared bending forward to listen to his talk. For all these reasons, Earnest began to think that the poet was like the Great Stone Face.

3.What did the poet himself say about his thoughts and poems?

Ans: The poet said that Ernest could hear the distant voice of a heavenly song in his thoughts and poems. However, the poet felt that his own life had not corresponded with his thoughts. He had grand dreams, but they had been only dreams. Sometimes he even lacked faith in his own thoughts.

4.What made the poet proclaim Ernest was the Stone Face?

Ans: The poet observed Earnest while he was talking to his audience. Earnest was speaking kindly but from the depth of his heart and mind. The poet felt that Earnest’s own life and character were a nobler strain of poetry than he had ever written. The poet found great similarities between the misty white clouds around the Great Stone Face and the white hairs around the brow of Earnest. So, the poet proclaimed that Earnest himself was the Stone Face.

5. Write ‘Ernest’ or ‘Poet’, against each statement below.

(i) There was a gap between his life and his words.

(ii) His words had the power of truth as they agreed with his thoughts.

(iii) His words were as soothing as a heavenly song but only as useful as a vague dream.

(iv) His thoughts were worthy.

(v) Whatever he said was truth itself.

(vi) His poems were noble.

(vii) His life was nobler than all the poems.

(viii) He lacked faith in his own thoughts.

(ix) His thoughts had power as they agreed with the life he lived. 

(x) Greatness lies in truth. Truth is best expressed in one’s actions. He was truthful, therefore he was great.

Ans. (i) Poet

(ii) Ernest

(iii) Poet

(iv) Ernest

(v) Ernest

(vi) Poet

(vii) Ernest

(viii) Poet

(ix) Ernest

(x) Ernest

6.(i) Who, by common consent, turned out to be like the Great Stone Face?

(ii) Did Ernest believe that the old prophecy had come true? What did he say about it?

Ans: (i) By common consent, Ernest turned out to be like the Great Stone Face.

(ii) No, Ernest did not believe that the old prophecy had come true. Even though everybody had agreed that he was the likeness of the Great Stone Face, he himself hoped that some wiser and better man than himself would appear, bearing a resemblance to the Great Stone Face.

Summary & Question-answers of The Chapter : 9- The Great Stone Face - I with the concerned video

The Great Stone Face- I Summary in English

The Great Stone Face is a story written by Nathaniel Hawthorne. It revolves around a man and his fascination with a mountainside. A little boy named Ernest lives with his mother in the valley. The mother is telling Ernest about the Great Stone Face.

Everyone in the valley knew about it. Now, Ernest was learning about it. It is indeed a piece of nature. It is a local mountainside that has huge rocks that resemble the features of a human face from afar. So much so, that it looks alive.

Ernest always felt that the giant face was always smiling at him. His mother tells him about a local legend that says that a man resembling the giant face will return to the valley one day. That man will be the greatest and noblest.

This just piqued Ernest’s interest even more. Ernest is a happy and helpful child who grows up to be a mild and quiet adult. Many years ago, a man, Gathergold, left the valley. He is now a rich man who returns to the valley. People start talking about Gathergold can indeed be the look-alike of the Great Stone Face.

However, Ernest did not feel he was the one. He goes every day and gazes at the giant face. It always makes him wonder why the look-alike has not come back yet. By this time, Gathergold passes away without ascertaining resemblance to the giant face.

Meanwhile, there is another man of the valley who joins the army and leaves the valley. He is very famous on the battlefield but is now old and returns to his valley. Again, people think he is the one but Ernest is not yet content with this. He keeps on waiting for the man resembling the Great Stone Face to arrive.

COMPREHENSION CHECK (PAGE 129)

Write ‘True’ or ‘False’ against each of the following statements.

The Great Stone Face stood near where Ernest and his mother lived.

One would clearly distinguish the features of the Stone Face only from a distance.

Ernest loved his mother and helped her in her work.

Though not very rich, Gathergold was a skilful merchant.

Gathergold died in poverty and neglect.

The Great Stone Face seemed to suggest that Ernest should not fear the general.

Answer:

False

True

True

False

True

True

WORKING WITH THE TEXT (Page 130)

Answer the following questions.

Question 1:

What was the Great Stone Face?

What did Young Ernest wish when he gazed at it?

Answer:

The Great Stone Face was the work of nature. The rocks were put one over the other on the mountain side. They resembled the features of a human face.

Young Ernest wished that the stone face could speak. He wished to love the man dearly whoever resembled that face.

Question 2:

What was the story attributed to the Stone Face?

Answer:

The story attributed to the Stone Face was that some day a child with the likeness of that face would be born. He would become the greatest and noblest person of his age.

Question 3:

What gave the people of the valley the idea that the prophecy was about to come true for the first time?

Answer:

A youngman named Gathergold had left the valley many years ago. By the time he grew old, he had grown rich. When he returned to his native valley, a rumour spread that he resembled the Stone Face. People thought that the prophecy had come true.

Question 4:

Did Ernest see in Gathergold the likeness of the Stone Face?

Who did he confide in and how was he proved right?

Answer:

No, Ernest did not see any likeness of the Stone Face in Gathergold.

He confided in the Great Stone Face. After Gathergold’s death as his wealth and gold had already disappeared, it was generally agreed that Gathergold had no resemblance with the Great Stone Face.

Question 5:

What made people believe General Blood- and-Thunder was their man?

Ernest compared the man’s face with the Stone Face. What did he conclude?

Answer:

General Blood-and-thunder had risen to high position from a soldier. When he returned to the valley, his childhood friends said that the General had always looked like the Stone Face.

Ernest could not find any likeness between the General and the Stone Face.Ernestlikeness between the General and the Stone Face.Ernest is still not content with this. He does not see any resemblance and still believes the real look-alike is not here yet. He keeps on waiting for the man resembling the Great Stone Face to arrive.

Summary & Question-answers of The Chapter : 8- The Bear Story with the concerned video

The Bear Story Summary In English

Once there lived a lady on the border of a big forest. She found a bear cub in the forest. It was starving. It was quite helpless. The lady had to bring it up on the bottle. The cook helped her.

After many years it grew up to a big and strong bear. However, he was a most amiable bear. He harmed neither men nor beasts. There were three mountain ponies in the stable. Even these ponies did not feel frightened when he walked into the stable. He also looked amicably at the cattle. The children used to ride on his back. They had also been found asleep in his kennel between his two paws. The three Lapland dogs loved to play with him. They pulled his ears and teased him in every way. He did not mind it at all.

The bear ate the same food as the dogs. He ate bread, porridge, potatoes, cabbages and turnips. He had a good appetite. He used to see with wistful eyes at the apples in the orchard. He was not allowed to climb the tree and eat them. He had also been taught not to touch the beehive. He was once put on the chain for two days when he had touched the beehives. Otherwise he was chained only at night. Like a dog, a bear also does not like to be chained.

The lady visited her sister every Sunday. This sister lived on the other side of the mountain lake. It was not safe to go with the bear through the forest. So on Sundays the bear was on chain the whole afternoon.

One Sunday while walking through the dense forest, she found the bear following her. The lady was very angry. There was no time to take him back home. She did not even want him to come with her. She told him in her hardest tone to go back. She threatened him with her parasol. The bear did not seem to want to obey her. Then the lady saw that the bear had even lost his new collar. She hit the bear with her parasol so hard that it broke into two. The bear stopped and opened his mouth several times as if wanting to say something. Then he turned round and went back. However, he stopped now and then to look back at the lady. At last she lost sight of him.

The lady came back home in the evening. She found the bear looking very sorry for himself. It was so because he had been sitting there the whole day. Sitting in the same position he had been waiting for the lady. The lady was still very angry. She began to scold the bear. She said that he would be chained for two more days as punishment.

The old cook heard the lady and rushed out from the kitchen. She loved the bear as her own son. She asked the lady to bless him instead of scolding him. The bear, she said, had been sitting there all day as meck as an angel.
It was then that the lady realised she had met another bear in the forest.

Exercise (Page 57)

Answer the following questions:

Question 1:

Where did the lady find the bear cub? How did she bring it up?

Answer:

The lady found the bear cub in the forest near her house. She fed him with bottle milk. Her cook helped her in this task.

Question 2:

The bear grew up but “he was a most amiable bear”. Give three examples to prove this.

Answer:

The friendly bear was harmless. He watched amicably at the cattle grazing in the field. The children used to ride his back safely. The three dogs loved to play all sorts of games with him, pull his ears and his stump of a tail and tease him in every way.

Question 3:

What did the bear eat? There were two things he was not allowed to do. What were they?

Answer:

The bear ate the same food as the dogs. He was given bread, porridge, potatoes, cabbages and turnips. He was a vegetarian. He liked the apple most.

He was not allowed to pluck apples from the tree and attack the beehive.

Question 4:

When was the bear tied up with a chain? Why?

Answer:

The bear was usually tied up with a chain only at night and on Sundays when the lady visited her sister for lunch.

Question 5:

What happened one Sunday when the lady was going to her sister’s house? What did the lady do? What was the bear’s reaction?

Answer:

One Sunday while the lady was on way to her sister’s house, she heard the cracking of the branches behind her. She saw the bear following her. She punished him by hitting him on his nose with her umbrella. The bear turned round and went back.

Question 6:

Why was the bear looking sorry for himself in the evening? Why did the cook get angry with her mistress?

Answer:

The bear looked sad when the lady came back home in the evening. The poor creature had been in chains all day. He was kept waiting for the mistress to come and set him free.

The mistress scolded the bear for following her in the forest. The cook got angry. She told her mistress that the bear had been sitting gently all day and he didn’t need to be treated harshly any more.

Summary & Question-answers of The Poem : 8- On the Grasshopper & the Cricket with the concerned video

On the Grasshopper and Cricket Summary in English

In the poem ‘On the Grasshopper and Cricket’, the poet John Keats celebrates the music of the Earth. He finds beauty in hot summer as well as in the cold winter. Here, in this poem, the grasshopper is a symbol of hot summer and cricket is a symbol of cold winter. The poet says that the music of nature or earth is always alive whether it is hot summer or cold and bleak winter.

During the hot summer, all the singing birds are tired and take rest under the shady branches of trees. But even if they don’t sing the song of nature goes on. We can still hear the voice of the grasshopper who runs from hedge to hedge. He keeps singing tirelessly and when tired rests beneath some weed.

A grasshopper carries on the duty of singing the everlasting song of nature. During summers, he is a fun-loving and cheerful creature and is never done with his delights.

During the cold winter season also, the birds are silent. There is utter silence on the frosty winter days. But the earth has its own way of expressing pleasure and joys. The song of a cricket can be heard which breaks this silence.

He sings from the stones but not from the trees. His song appears to be increasing the warmth every moment. People are able to hear it sitting in their houses. However, the poet says that to a person who is half-asleep, it may appear to be a grasshopper’s song coming from the grassy hills.

Thus, we can say that the grasshopper and the cricket, two tiny insects, perform a big responsibility. They carry on with nature’s continuous and everlasting music irrespective of the extreme climates. The poet has thus personified them. It is thus a symbolic poem. Here, the grasshopper and the cricket are a symbol of the constant joyous mood of nature.

Working with the poem (Page 119)

Question 

Discuss with your partner the following definition of a poe

A poem is made of words arranged in a beautiful order. These words, when read aloud with feeling, have a music and meaning of their ow

Answer

A poem is an artistic piece of speech or a few lines which is expressed by the poet like a song with rhythms and metaphors. There is a musical element in the arrangement of words in a poem. The beautifully arranged words in a poem enhance the essence and meaning of the poem. The rhythmic expressions in it carry several ideas and reflect the imaginative power of the poet. An interesting and musical poem has a lasting impact in the minds of the readers as it gives an opportunity to appreciate the beauty of the lines in the poe

Question 

‘The poetry of earth’ is not made of words. What is it made of, as suggested in the poe

Answer

The poetry of earth is not just made of words, rather it is composed of the rhythmic songs produced by nature’s beautiful creatures. The musical element of nature never ceases to mesmerize us with its ever changing seasons. Summer and winter are considered to be the most difficult seasons for many creatures such as the grasshopper and cricket. These seasons bring it a lot of joy, sorrow and excitement to such creatures. During summer, the grasshopper excitedly hops around tirelessly in joy and when he is tired, he rests beneath a pleasant weed. On the other hand, a cricket sings with a shrill voice during the dark and lonely nights of the winter seaso

Question 

Find in the poem lines that match the followin

(i) The grasshopper’s happiness never comes to an en

(ii) The cricket’s song has a warmth that never decrease

Answer

(i) In summer luxury — he has never do

With his delight

(ii) The cricket’s song, in warmth increasing ev

Question 

Which word in stanza 2 is opposite in meaning to ‘the frost

Answer

In stanza 2, the word that is opposite in meaning to ‘the frost’ is ‘warmth’. The word frost indicates a cold or chill experience. On the other hand, warmth in the poem refers to the cricket’s song which brings in warm feelings and can make one feel drowsy and sleep

Question 

The poetry of earth continues round the year through a cycle of two seasons. Mention each with its representative voic

Answer

The poetry of earth continues round the year through summer and winter. During summer season, the grasshopper hops with joy tirelessly depicting the beautiful poetry of earth. While in the winter season, the cricket’s song is like a mesmerizing poetry of earth. Hence, in the poem two different creatures are used as a reference to wisely explain the difference of the two seasonsr:e.5:y.r:’?4:ers,ner:s.d.g.3:n.r:m?2:m.r:n.m.1:

Summary & Question-answers of The Chapter : 11- If I were You with the concerned video

If I Were You Summary in English 

If I Were You starts with the playwright, Gerrard, preparing to leave his home to attend a rehearsal. After talking on the phone, he starts to pack his travel bag when he notices an intruder enter from his right side.Gerrard notices that he has a stark resemblance to Gerrard and is holding a revolver in his hands. Thus, he learns that he is a criminal who directs him to put his hands in the air. However, Gerrard is surprisingly cool even at a gunpoint and chats pleasantly with him. Finally, the intruders make Gerrard sit on a chair.After hearing their conversation, we learn that Gerrard is a man who lives alone and owns a car. It is clear that he is kind of mysterious in some ways because he is constantly in and out. We see that Gerrard stays at his home and for some days isn’t there.Moreover, he only talks on the phone without really meeting his tradesmen. After learning all this, we come to know about the intruder too. He is a criminal who is mainly a jewelry robber. After killing a policeman, he is fleeing from the police and due to this resemblance to Gerrard, he plans to kill him and assume his identity to get rid of the police.Gerrard makes out that the intruder is not so smart but only over-confident. Thus, he plans something witty and lies to the intruder. He makes up a story that Gerrard is also a criminal and murderer himself. Much similar to the intruder, the police are also after him and if he ends up killing Gerrard, the intruder will be killed either way.So, the intruder believes his story and Gerrard convinces him to go in the garage from where they both can flee in his car. After opening the garage door, we learn that it was actually a cupboard in which Gerrard locks up the intruder and informs the police of his whereabouts. Thus, we see that how a little alertness and cleverness saved Gerrard’s life.Answer these questions.

Question 1.

“At last a sympathetic audience.”

Who says this?

Why does he say it?

is he sarcastic or serious?

Answer:

Gerrard says this.

He says this because the intruder becomes sympathetic towards him.

He is, no doubt, sarcastic.

Question 2.

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

Answer:

The intruder chose Gerrard as the man whose identity he wants to take on because he is a kind of a mystery man. He phones his orders and sometimes goes away suddenly and come back just the same.

Question 3.

“I said it with bullets.”

Who says this?

What does it mean?

Is it the truth? What is the speaker’s reason for saying this?

Answers:.

Gerrard says this.

It means that he is not an ordinary person. He is very dangerous.

NO, he wants that the intruder should change his idea of killing him.

Question 4.

What is Gerrard’s profession? Quote the parts of the play that support your answer.

Answer:

Gerrard is a dramatist. He says, “Sorry I can’t let you have the props in time for rehearsal…

Question 5.

“You’ll soon stop being smart.”

Who says this?

Why does the speaker say it?

What according to the speaker will stop Gerrard from being smart?

Answers:

The intruder says this.

He says it because Gerrard does not seem afraid of his gun even.

According to the speaker, the bullet will stop Gerrard from being smart.

Question 6.

“They can’t hang me twice.”

Who says this?

Why does the speaker say it?

Answer:

The intruder says this.

The speaker says it because he wants to murder Gerrard. And he has already murdered someone. So the police cannot hang him twice.

Question 7.

“A mystery I propose to explain.” What is the mystery the speaker proposes to explain?

Answer:.

The speaker wants that the intruder should explain what mystery is associated with him. The mystery is about Gerrard’s placing his orders on telephone. And he goes out suddenly and returns in the same way.

Question 8.

“This is your big surprise.”

Where has this been said in the play?

What is the surprise?

Answer:

Gerrard speaks this line. He tells the intruder that if he is not hanged for his murder, he will certainly be hanged being Vincent Charles Gerrard. At this time he utters these words.

The big surprise is that Gerrard will not be killed by him. He is right in saying this.

Thinking about language

(Page 145)

Question 1.

Consult your dictionary and choose the correct word from the pairs given in brackets.

The (site, cite) of the accident was (ghastly/ghostly).

Our college (principle/principal) is very strict.

I studied (continuously/continually) for eight hours.

The fog had an adverse (affect/effect) on the traffic.

Cezanne, the famous French painter, was a brilliant (artist/artiste).

The book that you gave me yesterday is an extraordinary (collage/college) of science fiction and mystery.

Our school will (host/hoist) an exhibition on cruelty to animals and wildlife conservation.

Screw the lid tightly onto the top of the bottle and (shake/shape) well before using the contents.

Answer:

site, ghastly

principal

continuously

effect

artist

collage

host

shake

Question 2.

Irony is when we say one thing but mean another, usually the opposite of what we say. When someone makes a mistake and you say, “Oh ! that was clever !” that is irony. You’re saying ‘clever’ to mean ‘not clever’.

Expressions we often use in an ironic fashion are:

Oh, wasn’t that clever!/Oh that was clever!

You have been a great help, I must say!

You’ve got yourself into a lovely mess, haven’t you?

Oh, very funny !/How funny!

We use a slightly different tone of voice when we use these words ironically. Read the play carefully and find the words and expressions Gerrard uses in an ironic way. Then say what these expressions really mean. Two examples have been given below.

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

Chandni Summary In English

Once there lived an old man in Almora. His name was Abbu Khan. He kept a few goats as pets. He would give each of them a funny name. Abbu Khan was however a little unlucky. Very often, at night one of the goats would break the string and go up the hills. It was so because the goats loved freedom. His goats were of the best hill breed. Goats in the hilly regions hate being tied to trees or poles. But this freedom cost them their lives. They were eaten by an old wolf who lived in the hills.

One day when all his goats had gone, Abbu Khan became very sad. He decided to have no more goats as pets. However, he changed his mind soon after. It was so because without the goats he became very lonely. Now he bought a very young goat. He thought it would stay with him much longer. He decided to love that goat so much that it would never go away. So he bought a pretty young goat. He named it Chandni.

Chandni lived with Abbu Khan for several years. But when it grew up it also felt the urge of going up the hills. She ran towards them but the rope would stop her. So she began to hate the rope round her neck.

Soon she stopped eating the grass. She also stopped listening to Abbu Khan’s stories with interest. She became very thin and unhappy. Abbu Khan did not understand her problem. At last Chandni decided to speak to him frankly. She asked him to let her go to the hills. Now Abbu Khan understood Chandni’s problem. He told Chandni of the danger of death if she went up. Chandni said that she would fight the wolf with her horns. Abbu Khan told her that it was impossible. He told her about her sister Kalua who was the size of a deer. Yet she was eaten up by the wolf. Chandni still wanted to go to the hills.

Abbu Khan was very annoyed. He loved Chandni and wanted to save her life. So he shut her in a small hut. But he forgot to close the window. That very night Chandni escaped through the window to the hills.

Chandni reached the hills. She enjoyed her freedom. Chandni felt that it was the happiest day of her life. She played for hours on the grassy hills. She met a herd of wild goats. They asked her to join their group. But Chandni refused. She wanted to enjoy her new freedom by herself.

Then there was night. There was stillness all around. In that silence. Chandni heard the voice of a wolf. She was frightened. For once she thought of going back to Abbu Khan. Then she decided against it. “Death in an open field is far better than life in a small hut.”

The wolf now stood face to face with Chandni.Chandni saw that she was very small compared to the wolf. Yet she did not lose heart. “I must put up a good fight.” Chandni thought. She fought because she had to retain her freedom at all costs. Success or failure was a matter of luck or chance.

Chandni fought very bravely. They fought each other all night. But the first ray of the sun saw Chandni dead. She was lying on the ground in a pool of blood. The wolf was getting ready to eat her.

A group of birds had watched the fight. Most of them thought that the wolf had won. However, a wise old bird declared that Chandni was the winner.Comprehension Check (Page 45)

Question 1:

Why did Abbu Khan’s goats want to run away? What happened to them in the hills?

Answer:

Abbu Khan’s goats wanted to run away in order to enjoy freedom of movement and eat green grass. But they were killed and eaten up by a wolf in the hills.

Question 2:

Abbu Khan said, “No more goats in my house ever again”. Then he changed his mind. Why?

Answer:

Abbu Khan had a sad experience with his several pet goats. They all ran away to enjoy freedom. So he decided not to take any more pet. But he changed his mind because he felt very lonely.

Question 3:

Why did he buy a young goat?

Answer:

Abbu Khan bought a young goat thinking that it would stay with him much longer.

Comprehension Check (Page 49)

Question 1:

Why did Chandni hate the rope round her neck?

Answer:

Like other goats Chandni too missed the hills and longed for freedom. She was not afraid of the wolf. Abbu then put a rope round her neck and shut her in a small hut. Chandni could not help running towards the lovely hills. The rope pulled her back. So she hated it.

Question 2:

“Now Abbu Khan understood Chandni’s problem…” What was Chandni’s problem?

Answer:

Chandni’s problem was that she hated imprisonment. The hills called her. She was not frightened of the wild wolf. Abbu understood her problem, and her love for freedom.

Question 3:

Abbu Khan pushed Chandni into a small hut. This shows that he

(i) was cruel.

(ii) loved her and wanted to save her life.

(iii) was selfish.

Answer:

(ii) loved her and wanted to save her life.

Comprehension Check (Page 51)

Question 1:

Why did Chandni refuse to join the group of wild goats?

Answer:

Chandni rejected the offer because she wanted to enjoy her new freedom all by herself.

Question 2:

Chandni fought the wolf because she

(i) was stronger than the wolf.

(ii)hated the wolf.

(iii)had to retain her freedom at all costs.

Answer:

(ii) had to retain her freedom at all costs.

Exercises (Page 51)

Discuss the following topics in groups:

Question 1:

Why did the wise old bird say, “Chandni is the winner”?

Answer:

The wise old bird declared Chandni the winner because she struggled to her last breath to retain her freedom.

Question 2:

“Death in an open field is better than life in a small hut,” Chandni said to herself. Was it the right decision? Give reasons for your

Answer:

Chandni’s decision to enjoy free movement in the open fields rather than life in a small hut was right. No sacrifice is too great for winning freedom.

Question 3:

Freedom is life. Discuss this with reference to “Chandni” and “I want something in a Cage.”

Answer:

It is indeed very much true that slavery is a virtual death. Chandni, the goat, expressed her love for freedom by sacrificing her life. She fought a wolf boldly.

In the story I want something in a, cage, this love for freedom is expressed through  a prisoner who spends all he had in order to buy freedom for a pair of birds. 

Summary & Question-answers of The Chapter : 8- Jalebis with the concerned video

Jalebis Summary in English

Munna was a student of the fifth class who was going to school with four rupees in his pocket so as to pay his fees. However, his teacher, Master Ghulam Mohammed, was absent on that day so the fees cannot be paid. On returning, Munna saw the sight of Jalebis which tempted him. The coins that were in his pocket also began to jingle at this point.

Coins that day actually spoke but they usually don’t speak. This was a child’s mind imagination and nothing else.  One rupiya told Munna that the jalebis were meant to be eaten and money must be spent.

Munna didn’t follow the advice of one rupiya because the money was for the fees. If he spends money, he won’t be able to show his face to God and his teacher.  Besides, he had much to eat at home.

The rupiyas did not like this thinking of Munna and began speaking loudly. The oldest rupiya said to Munna that the other coins were telling something for his own good. The oldest rupiya said to Munna that he can pay his fees after getting his scholarship the next day.

Munna finally gave in to the temptations and purchased a rupee worth of jalebis. Munna then ate a lot of jalebis. Furthermore, a huge crowd of children came and Munna bought Jalebis for everyone.

After returning home Munna had difficulty in digesting the Jalebis. Munna had to face another problem when he went to school the following day. He was unable to get a scholarship that day.

Munna then left the school and began praying to God for the arrangement of four rupees. Afterward, Munna went near a railway track and sat under a tree. Moreover, he thought about his miserable condition.

In his desperation, Munna also offered prayer. Furthermore, he also read the Holy book Quran. Afterward, when he took a look in his bag, he became sad because there were no four coins. He again began praying to God for four rupees.

Munna came to the decision of wearing clean clothes the next day. His plan was to keep praying to God till noon. Then the news of his absence from school came to his home.

Later on, Munna went on thinking about could be the harm had God sent him four rupees. Then he came to the realization that if God gave everything due to asking, there would be no difference man and bird. Also, a man would not learn anything because he would get everything without any effort.  This was an important lesson Munna learned due to this incident.

Conclusion of Jalebis

The Jalebis summary teaches us that lying may get us in trouble such that even God might not help.

Comprehension Check (Page 65)

Question 1:

Why didn’t he pay the school fees on the day he brought money to school?

Answer:

The boy did not pay the school fees on the day he brought money to school because his teacher, Master Ghulam Mohammed who collected the fees was on leave that particular day and so the fees would be collected the next day.

Question 2:

(i) What were the coins ‘saying’ to him?

(ii) Do you think they were misguiding him?

Answer:

The coins in the boy’s pocket were actually his inner self which was urging him to buy hot and fresh jalebis.

Yes, the coins were misguiding him because the money was actually meant for paying school fees. However, when he saw the hot, sweet and syrupy jalebis, the boy couldn’t resist his sweet tooth temptation.

Question 3:

Why didn’t he take the coins’ advice? Give two or three reasons.

Answer:

Initially, the boy didn’t take the coins’ advice because of the following reasons:

He was an honest boy.

He could not spend the money meant for school fees on buying jalebis.

He was fully aware of the consequences of not paying the fees on time i.e. the teacher would punish him by beating him with a cane.

Question 4:

(i) What did the oldest coin tell him?

(ii) Did he follow his advice? If not, why not?

Answer:

The oldest coin convinced him that they were telling him to buy jalebis for his own good. It also said that he can also pay his fees the following day with his scholarship money. Hence, he should not suppress his desire for jalebis or resist himself from this temptation.

No, the boy did not follow the coins advice initially. He was an honest and promising student and thought he couldn’t defame his reputed family by spending his school fees to buy jalebis. Moreover, he was aware of the harsh punishment that the teacher will inflict upon him if the school fees are not paid on time.

Question 5:

He reached home with the coins in his pocket. What happened then?

Answer:

Upon reaching home, the coins in his pocket kept persuading him. When he went inside to have lunch, they began to shriek. Thoroughly fed up, he rushed out of the house barefoot and ran towards the bazaar. Unable to suppress his temptation and totally terrified, he told the halwai to weigh a whole rupee worth of jalebis quickly. The halwai opened up a whole newspaper and heaped a pile of jalebis on it.

Comprehension Check (Page 68)

Question 1:

(i) Why didn’t he eat all the jalebis he had bought?

(ii) What did he do with the remaining jalebis?

Answer:

He didn’t eat all the jalebis that he had bought because the quantity of jalebis was too much for him to finish all on his own. After eating many pieces, he was completely full. He felt if anyone pressed his stomach a little, jalebis would have popped out of his ears and nostrils.

He distributed the remaining jalebis to the children who had assembled in the same gali where he was relishing on the jalebis. Initially he bought a rupee jalebis, but later he bought jalebis with the rest of the money that he had with himself.

Question 2:

“The fear was killing me.” What was the fear?

Answer:

After spending the school fees amount in buying jalebis and eating them, it made the boy realise that he had done some big mistake. He was in complete fear of getting caught and thought that if his parents found out about his act, they would not spare him. With every breath came a burp, and with every burp, the danger of bringing out a jalebi or two; this fear was killing him.

Question 3:

“Children’s stomachs are like digestion machines.” What do you understand by that? Do you agree?

Answer:

This means that children have an active digestive system as they perform physical activity like walking and playing games every day. The boy had popped in so many jalebis and felt his digestive system would digest it by morning.

Yes, I do agree to this statement as children do have the capacity to digest a lot of things even if they overeat sometimes.

Question 4:

How did he plan to pay the fees the next day?

Answer:

He planned to pay the fees the next day with his monthly scholarship that he would receive on that day.

Question 5:

When it is time to pay the fees, what does he do? How is he disobeying the elders by doing so?

Answer:

When it is time to pay the fees, the boy tucked his bag under his arm and left the school. He simply followed his nose and walked on hoping that some miracle would save him in that situation. He was so engrossed in his thoughts that soon he reached the point where the Kambelpur railway station began. The elders had warned him to never cross the railway tracks or eat sweets with one’s fees money. Hence, he had a deep sense of regret and remorse for disobeying their words.

Comprehension Check (Page 72)

Question 1:

What was the consequence of buying jalebis with the fees money?

Answer:

The ultimate consequence of buying jalebis with the fees money was that for the first time in his life, the boy had to stay absent from his school. He knew that he disobeyed his parents for the first time and felt sorry for spending the fees money to fulfill his sweet tooth craving.

Question 2:

His prayer to God is like a lawyer’s defence of a bad case. Does he argue his case well? What are the points he makes?

Answer:

The boy tried very hard to please God with his requests and recited verses from the entire namaz. He said that he even knew the last ten surats of the Quran by heart. He could also recite the entire ayat-al-kursi for the Almighty right away. He deeply regretted his act of eating jalebis with the school fees money. He admitted that he made a grave mistake. He added that he wouldn’t have spent the fees money on jalebis if he was aware about the delay in scholarship that month. He also mentioned that he knew that there is no shortage of anything in God’s treasury. Even the chaprasi at his place took a whole lot of money to home every month. Furthermore, he stated that he was the nephew of a big officer and therefore, pleaded to God to give him just four rupees. Having said all this, he prayed earnestly to Allah Miyan and argued his case like a lawyer in front of Him.

Question 3:

He offers to play a game with Allah Miyan. What is the game?

Answer:

The game was that he would go up to the signal, touch it and return. In the meantime, God should secretly put four rupees under a big rock. Once he lifts it, he should be able to find the four rupees underneath the rock.

Question 4:

Did he get four rupees by playing the game? What did he get to see under the rock?

Answer:

No, the boy didn’t get four rupees by playing the game with God. However, when he lifted the rock, he found a big hairy worm curling and twisting that wriggled towards him.

Question 5:

If God had granted his wish that day, what harm would it have caused him in later life?

Answer:

If God had granted his wish that day, he would have never learnt a lesson from his mistake. He felt he would have continued doing wrong and bad deeds and that God would always save him upon persuasion.

Exercise (Page 72)

Work in small groups.

Question 1:

Select and read sentences that show

that the boy is tempted to eat jalebis

that he is feeling guilty

that he is justifying a wrong deed

Answer:

That the boy is tempted to eat jalebis

Jalebis are meant to be eaten, and those with money in their pocket can eat them.

But then, these jalebis are no common sort of jalebis either. They’re crisp, fresh and full of syrup.

My mouth watered.

Thoroughly fed up, I rushed out of the house bare foot and ran towards the bazaar.

that he is feeling guilty

My head started to spin.

When the recess bell rang I tucked my bag under my arm and left the school.

Now for the crime of eating a few jalebis, for the first time in my life I was absent from school.

Sitting there under the tree, at first I felt like crying.

that he is justifying a wrong deed

I didn’t eat them all by myself, though I fed them to a whole lot of children too.

‘Allah Miyan! I’m a very good boy. I have memorised the entire namaaz. I even know the last ten surats of the Quran by heart.

Question 2:

Discuss the following points.

Is the boy intelligent? If so, what is the evidence of it?

Does his outlook on the jalebis episode change after class VIII? Does he see that episode in a new light?

Why are coins made to ‘talk’ in this story? What purpose does it serve?

Answer:

The boy is definitely intelligent. The first evidence is that he was a promising student who had won a scholarship at school. He knew the difference between what is right and what is wrong. He had never been absent from school and listened to his elders always. Besides, he also puts valid points of his case before God just like a defence lawyer.

Yes, certainly his outlook changed after class VIII. He kept wondering what harm it could have caused anyone if God would have sent him four rupees the other day. He later realised that everything comes with a price. This means that if God provides all that man asks, then man would be living in nests like birds and would have never learnt the art of making jalebis too.

The coins are made to ‘talk’ in this story and indicate the greedy inner self of the boy. Although he was an honest and virtuous boy, he couldn’t resist his temptation from eating jalebis with the school fees money. His inner greed pushed him to buy the jalebis and devour them, thus projecting that the coins in his pocket urged him to indulge in the sweet.