contains all the solutionss to the book me n mine...
Solutions to
CORE PULLOUT WORKSHEETS XII
By
Dr. M.M. Sharma M.A., Ph.D.
Since 1950
SARASWATI HOUSE PVT. LTD. EDUCATIONAL PUBLISHERS New Delhi-110002
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CONTENTS SECTION A – READING SKILLS Unseen Passages V Worksheets 1 to 31 .............................................................................................................. 3–19 SECTION B – ADVANCED WRITING SKILLS Short Composition (Advertisements) V Worksheets 32 & 33 .......................................................................................................... 21–22 Short Composition (Notices) V Worksheets 34 to 38 .......................................................................................................... 23–26 Short Composition (Posters) V Worksheets 39 to 42 .......................................................................................................... 27–30 Short Composition (Invitations) V Worksheets 43 & 44 .......................................................................................................... 31–32 Short Composition (Replies to Invitations) V Worksheets 45 & 46 .......................................................................................................... 33–34 Report or Factual Description (Events or Experiences) V Worksheets 47 & 48 ................................................................................................................ 35 Report or Factual Description (Processes) V Worksheet 49 ........................................................................................................................... 36 Report or Factual Description (Reports for School Magazines) V Worksheets 50 to 52 .......................................................................................................... 37–38 Report or Factual Description (Reports for Newspapers) V Worksheets 53 to 55 .......................................................................................................... 39–41 Letter Writing (Business/Official Letters) V Worksheets 56 & 57 .......................................................................................................... 42–43 Letter Writing (Letters to Editors) V Worksheets 58 to 60 .......................................................................................................... 44–47 Letter Writing (Applications for a Job) V Worksheets 61 & 62 .......................................................................................................... 48–51 Long Composition (Articles for School Magazines) V Worksheets 63 & 64 .......................................................................................................... 52–53 Long Composition (Articles for Newspapers) V Worksheets 65 & 66 .......................................................................................................... 54–55 SECTION C – TEXTBOOKS 1. FLAMINGO (English Reader) POETRY My Mother at Sixty-six (Kamala Das) V Worksheets 67 & 68 ................................................................................................................ 57 An Elementary School Classroom in a Slum (Stephen Spender) V Worksheets 69 & 70 .......................................................................................................... 58–59 Keeping Quiet (Pablo Neruda) V Worksheets 71 & 72 .......................................................................................................... 60–61 A Thing of Beauty (John Keats) V Worksheets 73 & 74 ................................................................................................................ 62 (iii)
A Roadside Stand (Robert Frost) V Worksheets 75 to 77 .......................................................................................................... 63–64 Aunt Jennifer’s Tigers (Adrienne Rich) V Worksheets 78 & 79 ................................................................................................................ 65 PROSE The Last Lesson (Alphonse Daudet) V Worksheets 80 to 82 .......................................................................................................... 66–67 Lost Spring (Anees Jung) V Worksheets 83 to 86 .......................................................................................................... 68–69 Deep Water (William O. Douglas) V Worksheets 87 to 89 .......................................................................................................... 70–71 The Rattrap (Selma Lagerlöf) V Worksheets 90 to 95 .......................................................................................................... 72–75 Indigo (Louis Fischer) V Worksheets 96 to 98 .......................................................................................................... 76–77 Poets and Pancakes (Asokamitran) V Worksheets 99 to 102 ........................................................................................................ 78–79 The Interview Part-I (Christopher Silvester) Part-II (An Interview with Umberto Eco) V Worksheets 103 to 106 ...................................................................................................... 80–81 Going Places (A.R. Barton) V Worksheets 107 to 109 ...................................................................................................... 82–83 2. VISTAS (Supplementary Reader) The Third Level (Jack Finney) V Worksheets 110 to 116 ...................................................................................................... 84–87 The Tiger King (Kalki) V Worksheets 117 to 120 ...................................................................................................... 88–89 Journey to the End of the Earth (Tishani Doshi) V Worksheets 121 & 122 ............................................................................................................ 90 The Enemy (Pearl S. Buck) V Worksheets 123 to 128 ...................................................................................................... 91–94 Should Wizard Hit Mommy? (John Updike) V Worksheets 129 to 132 ...................................................................................................... 95–97 On the Face of It (Susan Hill) V Worksheets 133 & 134 ............................................................................................................ 98 Evans Tries an O’Level (Colin Dexter) V Worksheets 135 to 137 .................................................................................................... 99–100 Memories of Childhood ® The Cutting of My Long Hair (Zitkala-Sa) ® We Too are Human Beings (Bama) V Worksheets 138 & 139 .................................................................................................. 101–102 • SOLUTIONS TO PRACTICE PAPERS OF VOL. 1 ................................................. 104–136 • LATEST CBSE SAMPLE PAPERS (Solved) ............................................................ 138–160 • FIVE MORE PRACTICE PAPERS (Unsolved) ......................................................... 162–188 • LATEST EXAMINATION PAPERS (Solved) ............................................................. 190–228 (iv)
Solutions to
Pullout Worksheets of Vol. 1
Section–A
READING SKILLS
SECTION
A
UNSEEN PASSAGES SOLUTIONS TO WORKSHEETS OF VOL. I WORKSHEET–1
1.1 (a) Rising prices have burnt holes in the pockets of the common man. There is no immediate hope of relief as inflation shows no sign of decreasing or coming down. (b) Rising prices would make the task of containing inflation a more difficult exercise. It will hurt economic growth and reform process. (c) The suggestion was to impose control on food products and essential commodities to rein in the increasing rates. The Prime Minister ruled it out. He also did not favour depressing agriculture’s terms of trade as it would hurt farmer’s welfare as well as the long term growth of economy. (d) The price rise may deal another blow to the Indo-US nuclear deal. The rising inflation with its political fall out could sap the Manmohan Singh government’s will to push the contentious deal. It is already on the backburner and could slip further off the agenda as the price rise threatens to spoil the good opinion people had of the budget. (e) The price-rise is hurting Congress and its allies in UPA and the Left. The coalition may pull on. Opposition NDA may derive some traction whereas regional parties may grow at the expense of the Congress party in several states. 1.2 (a) Leverage (b) Adventurism
WORKSHEET–2 1.1 Title: Various Uses of Kites Notes: 1. Strange Reasons for flying Kites (a) Chinese—to keep away evil spirits (b) Tibetan—to bring rain 2. Use of Kites in modern times (a) met. invest’s (b) sc’fic expt.—Benjamin Franklin: lightning caused by elec. (c) Sending up inst’s on kites to measure (i) air pressure (ii) temp (iii) speed (iv) direction (v) humidity 3. Use of Kites by armed forces (a) as line across a stream—form’g bridge (b) to help distressed ships at sea in rough weather (c) as gunnery targets (i) easy to make (ii) cheap to use (iii) stand a lot of punishment
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(d) (e) (f) (g) (h)
flying flags for aerial photography during night fighting raising transmitting & receiving aerials kite flare—survival equip’t for airmen at sea not useful in jungle warfare
1.2 Summary: Kites are used in modern times for meteorological investigations. Instruments on kites measure air pressure, temperature, speed, direction and humidity. The armed forces use kites for various purposes, e.g. carrying a line across the stream to form a bridge or at sea to help distressed ship; as gunnery targets or for flying flags for aerial photography. Kites are helpful during night fighting for carrying men over enemy lines and dragging torpedoes. They help in obtaining improved wireless reception by raising transmitting and receiving signals. ‘Kite flare’ was used as survival equipment for airmen forced down at sea.
WORKSHEET–3 1.1 (a) R.K. Pachauri, an environmental expert, is known for his efforts to spread awareness about global warming and its effects on earth’s ecosystems and various species. He is the Chairman of IPCC and has won Nobel Prize for Peace in 2007. (b) Planet Earth is warming up steadily because of human activities. Emission of gases like carbon dioxide by burning fossil fuels leads to heat being trapped by the atmosphere. This heat will cause heat waves, droughts, floods, glaciers melting rapidly, serious water stresses and extinction of many species. (c) (i) Our low-lying areas could get submerged. Sea-level rise is a threat to Sunderbans. (ii) There may be heavy downpours frequently and more intensely. (iii) Rapid melting of glaciers may affect flow of water in the rivers in the northern parts of India. (d) Global warming can be reversed by bringing down the emissions of gases to below zero and finding ways to absorb existing carbon dioxide. It requires a political will and public awareness. (e) Some countries do so because they sell fossil fuels. 1.2 (a) conspiracy (b) vested interests
WORKSHEET–4 1.1 Title: Self-Medication Notes: 1. Introduction (a) Self-med.—part of normal living (b) advance in diag tech.—last 100 yrs. (c) medic’l expert rqd. for diag. & treat. of disease acc. to symptoms/cause 2. Advancement in Medi’ Sc. (a) deve. of drug therapy (b) impvt. in pub. health org’s & nutri’l standards 3. Counter Trends (a) Advertising by pharma’l companies (i) lures the patients for overuse of drugs
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(ii) induces faith in chronic patients (iii) encourages self-medi’n in minor illnesses like cough/cold, etc. e.g. many prep’tn like laxatives, tonic, painkillers found in quantity in households (b) Emergence of sedentary society (i) faulty life style (ii) lack of exercise, over eating, insuff ’t sleep etc. (iii) stress, unhappy rela’ps etc. 4. Dangers of Self-medi’n (a) prep’n contain unsuitable ingre (b) taker becomes dependent (c) taker consumes medi. in excess (d) prep’ns may cause poison’g (e) real cause of illness gets suppressed or untreated 1.2 Summary: Self-medication is part of normal living. Medicinal experts are required for diagnosis and treatment of disease according to symptoms and cause. The development of drug therapy and improvement in public health organisations and nutritional standards have helped progress in medicinal science. Excessive advertising by pharmaceutical companies and emergence of the sedantary society are two counter trends. Self-medication is dangerous as the preparation may be toxic or contain unsuitable ingredients, the user becomes dependent and consumes medicine in excess. Self-diagnosis is worse than self-medication.
WORKSHEET–5 1.1 (a) Air is essential for our life. We have to breathe in over 10,000 litres of air in a day to keep alive. (b) Most of us spend ninety per cent of our time indoors—in homes or offices. The air we breathe indoors may also be polluted and cause ill health. So we should pay attention to the quality of air we breathe indoors. (c) The important sources of indoor air pollution are: (i) Tobacco smoke (ii) Animal dusts (iii) Air conditioners (iv) Moulds, bacteria (v) House dust mites (vi) Cooking and heating (vii) Toxic chemicals (viii) Asbestos (d) ETS stands for Environmental Tobacco Smoke or “passive smoking”. It causes all the harms of tobacco smoking to non-smokers for example, the children of smoking parents suffer from respiratory problems. There is an increased risk of lung cancer among women exposed to passive smoking. (e) We must first identify the allergen and then prevent exposure to them. Use of vacuum cleaners, exposure to sun, washing linen in warm water and cleaning coolers, air-conditioners etc. are some of the important steps to minimise allergies. 1.2 (a) contaminate
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WORKSHEET–6 1.1 Title: Advantages of Work Or Work—a Source of Happiness Notes: 1. Work: source of unhappiness 1.1 irksome work 1.2 excess of w’k: painful 2. Work: source of happiness 2.1 w’k less painful than idleness 2.2 delights of work: 2.2.1 relief of tedium to deep delight 2.2.2 nature of w’k 2.2.3 ability of worker 3. Advantages of work 3.1 fills leisure intelligently 3.1.1 saves from troublesome ex. of choice 3.1.2 prevents boredom 3.1.3 uninteresting work as boring as no work 3.2 holidays more delicious 3.3 gives chances of success 3.3.1 success measured in terms of money 3.4 opportunities for ambition 3.4.1 dull w’k—bearable if it builds reputation 3.5 continuity of purpose—comes through w’k. 1.2 Summary: Much work which is irksome or excess of work is painful. But work is less painful than idleness. The delights of work varying from relief of tedium to deep delight depend on nature of work and ability of worker. Work in itself may not be interesting but it offers many advantages such as filling leisure intelligently, preventing boredom and saving from the troublesome exercise of choice. Work makes holidays more delicious, provides chances of success and opportunities for ambition. Continuity of purpose, essential for happiness, comes through work.
WORKSHEET–7 1.1 (a) Stress is a reaction of the body to any demands or changes in its internal and external environment. Factors such as imbalance between demands and resources change in temperature, pollutants, humidity and working conditions lead to stress. (b) No, stress has a different meaning depending on the stage of life. For a child a rebuke or loss of a toy causes stress. An adolescent may feel tense after failing in the examination. For an adult loss of job or a dear one causes stress. (c) (i) Change in the attitude and behaviour (ii) muscle tension (iii) palpitation, high blood pressure, indigestion and hyperacidity (iv) depression, lethargy, weakness for work.
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(d)
(i) (ii) (iii) (e) (i) (ii)
heart diseases (iv) hypertension neurological depression (v) insomnia ulcers (vi) injuries due to accidents Self-inner control—faith in oneself, usefulness of job and in super power. Use of stress modifiers or stress busters
1.2 (a) wreck
(b) injuries due to accidents lethargy (c) threshold
WORKSHEET–8 1.1 Title: Headache Notes:
HEADACHE ↓ DEFN Orig. nerves
pain signals
→
Pain base of skull ↓ behind eyes
TYPES OF HEADACHE
↓
↓
↓
TENSION H. ACHE
MIGRAINE H. ACHE
SYMPTOMS
band of pain – head, neck, shoulder
pain head one side – nausea, irritability
CAUSES
drivg typg sit’g
certain foods smokg Gen.
DURATION
short
8-24 hrs. possible hangover
GENERAL CAUSES ↓
Harmonal
RELIEF ↓
Envtl. Stress
↓ Spinal
Imbalances
↓
Short Term
misalignment
↓ Poor posture in sitting/ sleeping
Long Term ↓
↓ ice pack
↓ dark glasses
↓
Visit doc. ↓
↓
fluid intake
pain killers
1.2 Abstraction/Summary: Headache originates in the nerves and pain signals are sent to the brain. There are different kinds of headache. Tension headache is usually felt like a band in the head radiating to the nape of the neck and shoulders. It may be due to long hours of sitting at a desk, typing or driving. It is usually short. Migraine headache is characterized by pain on one side of the head and other symptoms like nausea, irritability etc. Causes could be varied ranging from hormonal imbalance to stress. Short term relief can be acquired through painkillers, ice-packs, fluid intake and use of dark glasses. However, a doctor should be consulted.
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WORKSHEET–9 1.1 (a) It has revealed that Ozone has declined in the stratosphere. The losses range around ten per cent in winter and spring and around five per cent during summer and autumn. The affected areas are as widespread as Europe, Australia and North America. (b) Ozone absorbs damaging ultraviolet rays and checks the flow of harmful radiation to earth. The accumulation of pollutant gases in the upper atmosphere alters the passage of sun’s heat energy and rays to and from the earth. (c) The stratospheric Ozone above Antarctica disappears during September. The hole which lasts for two months only measures about 9 million miles—nearly the size of North America. (d) The ultraviolet radiation causes skin cancer, eye-injury, harm to immune system and upsets the balance of entire eco-system. (e) Trapping/absorbing of sun’s heat and reflecting it back to earth results in green-house effect, leading to global warming. The earth may warm up by four degrees celcius over the next five decades. 1.2 (a) incidences (b) potential
(c) proliferate
WORKSHEET–10 1.1 Title: Charity Hospital for Birds Notes: 1. Place & Origin 1.1 Locn. : Corner of Ch. Chowk 1.2 Founder : Lala Lachumal Jain (1929) 1.3 Growth : 1929—1 room struc. 1957—pres. bldg. 1.4 Facilities : upto 1968—ayurvedic treatment : from 1968—allopathy introduced : from 1992—path lab tests & surgery 2. Procedure of treatment: People bring injured birds ↓ entry in register ↓ Name of person, kind of bird, date ↓ Ailing bird adm. first-aid ↓ Kept in iso cage ↓ Moved to comm. sec. ↓ Allowed to fly away 3. Resources
Charity bus. men
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visitors
tourists
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4. Uniqueness 4.1 charitable—no govt. funds 4.2 free of cost trtmt—4000 to 5000 birds/day 4.3 expenditure: Rs 6-7 lakhs annually 5. Drawbacks 5.1 carnivorous & pets excluded 5.2 locn. inaccessible 5.3 no research wk. 1.2 Abstraction/Summary: A charitable hospital for birds was begun in 1929 in a one room structure. It caters to hurt and injured birds excluding carnivorous birds and pets. Funds are provided by rich businessmen, visitors and tourists. After making entry in a register the bird is treated and kept in an isolated cage. Later it is transferred to the common pool and then allowed to fly away. Though allopathic treatment is available, there are still certain drawbacks. The place is inaccessible and no research facilities are available.
WORKSHEET–11 1.1 (a) Dioxin, an organochlorine, belonging to the family of Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs) is produced. It causes cancer. (b) Converting garbage into energy to produce 25 megawatts of power and swallow 1,000 tonnes of garbage everyday. Incineration simply changes risky waste from solid form to air, water and ash. (c) (i) Hydrochloric acid attacks respiratory system, skin and eyes and results in coughing, vomiting and nausea. (ii) Polyethylene produces volatile carinogens like formal-dehyde and acetaldehyde which cause cancer. (iii) Breathing styrene from polystyrene can cause leukaemia. (iv) Polyurethane is linked with asthma. (v) Dioxin disrupts hormones, causes birth defects and reproductive problems. (d) (i) Exorbitantly expensive to operate. (ii) release of dioxin is highest from incinerators. (e) Nearly 80% of Indian garbage is recyclable or compostable. 1.2 (a) garbage
(b) gobble (c) conventional.
WORKSHEET–12 1.1 Title: Machines and Civilization Notes: 1. Third great defect of our civiliz. (i) lack of knowl. (a) to use mach. (b) to manage mach. 2. Mach. more like rulers/masters (i) sh. be kept at rt. temp. (ii) sh. be fed/kept properly (a) or ref to work/blow up 3. More time & energy avail. (a) used up to make better mach. (b) time & energy sh. be used to bec. better civilised 4. Mach. as aids to civiliz. (i) exploring universe (ii) making civiliz. everlasting (iii) Civiliz. is (a) making beaut. things (b) living rightly (c) maint. justice equally
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1.2 Summary: The great defect in present civilization is that it does not make proper use of knowledge given by science. Machines were made by man to serve him as servants but they are now becoming masters and man has become dependent upon them. The time and energy saved by machines can be used to make our civilization great and everlasting. We can explore the universe and remove the causes of quarrels between nations. Machines can help in eradicating poverty.
WORKSHEET–13 1.1 (a) The only way to contain SARS till now is by quarantining the affected person. By keeping the SARS infected person away from others, the disease is prevented from spreading. (b) The SARS virus has evaded all attempts to identify it. The incubation period of virus being 10 days, passengers are requested to report if they develop symptoms within 12 days of arrival. Screening of all passengers is impossible because of the large number and time consuming diagnostic tests. (c) The major cause of SARS infection is through close contact. It is transmitted by inhaling cough droplets, or through an object contaminated with body fluids from an infected person. It may be transmitted through air as well, because the coronavirus can survive in the environment for upto 24 hours. (d) Good infection control can contain the outbreak of SARS. Simple precautions such as using masks, gloves, gowns and goggles, in order to avoid direct physical contact with the SARS infected person, can be quite effective. (e) At present, there is no cure available for SARS virus. The use of combination of anti-viral treatments and antibiotics have met with only partial success. A drug with anti-viral properties developed from the green mussel is found effective against many respiratory viruses and is being tested against coronavirus now. The development of proper drug and its test on cell cultures may take time. 1.2 (a) surveillance
(b) mutate (c) virulent
WORKSHEET–14 1.1 Notes: 1. Second Chance Edn. (a) Motives: (i) Serious: love for lrg., (ii) Ordinary: 1. Promotions 2. Better job/marriage 2. Scope of Dis. Edn. (a) No replacem’t of formal Edn. (b) Parameters widen’g (i) lesson packets (ii) interactions—p.c.p.—responses: 2-way process (iii) audio/video tapes: electronic media 3. Diff. in Attitudes (a) Formal Edn.—obl’g parents/appeas’g trs. (b) Dis. Edn.—disciplin’d & motivat’d 4. Society & Dist. Edn. (a) social purpose—safety valve (b) jobs & degrees (i) formal edn—more unemp’d (ii) dist. edn.—more empl’d 5. Quality of Edn. & Institutes (a) check diln. of stand’s (b) no comm’n
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1.2 Title: Role & Scope of Distance Education Summary: Distance education is second chance education. The serious minded have love for learning while promotion in jobs or better prospects in job/marriage market drives the ordinary pursuers. It is not a replacement of formal education. Its parameters are widening. From sending lesson packets it has come to audio and video tapes. Responses and interactions in personal contact programmes make it a two-way process. Disciplined and motivated students earn, learn and serve society. Commercialisation and dilution of standards should be effectively checked.
WORKSHEET–15 1.1 (a) Allergy is a disease. Allergy is caused by hypersensitivity to certain substances (antigens or allergens). Allergies are triggered off by what one breathes, eats or touches. (b) Antibodies combine with specific foreign materials to neutralise them. Antibodies are defensive in nature against bacteria and viruses. (c) Allergy may be inherited from parents. If both the parents are allergic, the children will become allergic in the ratio of 3 : 1. In case only one parent comes from an allergic family, the chances for allergy in the children will be reduced to 2 : 1. (d) The two common allergies of the respiratory system are hayfever and asthma. (e) Digestive system allergies are triggered off by drugs and foods. 1.2 (a) neutralise (b) symptoms
(c) sensitivity
WORKSHEET–16 1.1 Notes: 1. Physical Envt. (a) conducive to focus thought (i) identify distract’g factors (ii) no concentrat’n in envt. full of distract’n (b) Focus–attn. & retn. powers at optm. levels (i) soft music—blocks outside noise (ii) study table—away from window—visual distract’n. 2. Fixing Goals & Targets (a) Estg. goals for self—no gen’l targets (b) focused system—thoughts & goals in line (c) schedules of study/recn. (i) mix’g subjs.—like/dislike (ii) ret’g enj’le subjs to last pn 3. Timing (a) 40 mts at a stretch (b) short break: (i) bld. concentrat’n (ii) refresh mind (c) longer relaxation—undesired effects 4. Concentration (a) disciplining the mind: (i) practice (ii) patience (b) +ve thkg.—no disheartening 1.2 Title: Enhancing Concentration Summary: For enhancing concentration, the physical environment should be conducive to focus thought. One should first identify the distracting factors as there can be no concentration in an environment full of distraction. For focussing thought, attention and retention powers must work at optimum levels. Soft music blocks outside noise. Study table away from window
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checks visual distraction. Fixing goals helps to achieve focused system. Schedule of study and recreation also helps. Have a short break after concentrating for 40 minutes. Concentration disciplines the mind through practice and patience. Have positive thoughts and avoid being disheartened.
WORKSHEET–17 1.1 (a) Modern woman is a self-directed and dignity conscious person who is rational in approach and careful in handling. (b) Women’s empowerment and participation is necessary for finding durable solution to society’s most threatening social, economic and political problems. (c) The two benefits from education of girls are: 1. narrowing down the prevailing inequality. 2. accelerating the process of economic and political change in the status of women. (d) The factors which have affected the education of girls adversely are: 1. prevailing cultural norms of gender behaviour and the perceived domestic and reproductive roles of women. 2. negative attitudes towards sending girls to schools, restrictions on mobility specially after puberty, early marriage, poverty and illiteracy of parents. (e) Women empowerment can help the community by providing sustainable development. 1.2 (a) domain (b) luxury (c) inculcate
WORKSHEET–18 1.1 Title: Innovation for Growth Notes: 1. India lag’g behind in innovat’n: reasons (a) lack of thinkers/innovators (b) too late to realize/acknowledge their achvt. 2. Position of India (a) Storehouse of int’l capital (i) NASA (ii) Microsoft (iii) IBM (b) Know’ge not used properly (i) identify’g & promot’g talent (ii) pr’dg proper opportunities, atmosphere & technology 3. Innovation & Role of Industry (a) Innovat’n—lifeline to exist in business (b) thrust on R & D (c) R & D—neglected sphere: (i) minimum expenditure (ii) long term gains 4. Human Contribution Factor (a) India—abundant natural resources (b) comb’g resources with tech’gy & innovat’n—better economy (c) human zeal & contribut’n (d) India—infn. rich country—know’ge tested—put to use (e) goals ach’d through creativity & innovat’n 1.2 Summary: India is lagging behind in innovation not because there is a lack of thinkers or innovators but because they are too late to realize and acknowledge their achievement. India is a storehouse of intellectual capital but knowledge is not used properly. Talent should be identified and promoted by providing proper opportunities and atmosphere. Innovation is
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lifeline of industry. Research and development must get proper thrust. Minimum expenditure here will get long term gains. Human zeal has contributed to combining resources with technology and innovation. Information-rich India should ensure that knowledge is tested and put to use for achieving goals.
WORKSHEET–19 1.1 (a) Scientists have discovered how women’s minds work while shopping. Different types of brain-waves are generated to prompt buying or rejecting the item. The scientists have identified these signals. (b) The research will help the manufacturers to create products, shops and advertisements and subconsciously stimulate similar brainwave patterns. Thus, they will encourage people to buy their products without realising. (c) This approach has been criticised on ethical grounds as it is a sinister method which seeks to brainwash the shoppers. (d) Heightened pleasure produces blood flows to the left prefrontal cortex and to the visual cortex. This activates the buy zones and women are likely to buy that article. (e) The reject zones are linked to the “flight or fight” reaction. There is a rapid surge of blood to the right prefrontal cortex. It is an area linked with negative reactions. (f) Academicians and manufacturers have reacted favourably to the scientific study. They are quite impressed as the research will help manufacturers save spending money in marketing something that is unlikely to attract customers. 1.2 (a) generated (b) stimulate
(c) sceptical
WORKSHEET–20 1.1 Notes: 1. Gold—indispensable in the past (a) ornl. value (b) hedge against inflat’n (c) banks—gold reserves (d) Indians—sentimental value (e) easy liquidity 2. Chang’g Worth of Gold (a) decline in gold prices (b) IMF & Foreign central banks—gold, a dead investt. (c) Dev’g countries mob’g resources other than gold 3. Solutions for Indian Investors (a) Investt. in comm’s mutual fund (b) safe and high returns 4. Change in Govt. Policy (a) hgr. for’n exchange reserves (b) stable currency (c) gold import—weaken’g currency 1.2 Title: Gold—A Dead Investment Summary: Gold has been indispensable in the past. Apart from ornamental value it has been used as hedge against inflation. Banks kept gold reserves. Gold has a sentimental value. Moreover, gold has easy liquidity. Of late there has been decline in gold prices and it is
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considered a dead investment. Developing countries are mobilising other resources. The Indian investors can have safe and high returns by investing in commodities mutual fund. The government has to change its policy by maintaining stable currency, higher foreign exchange reserves and curbing gold import which weakens currency.
WORKSHEET–21 1.1 (a) India is likely to cross the one-billion mark in terms of population. It would then become the second nation in the world having a billion-plus population. (b) The two likely drawbacks are: 1. It is a drain on the nation’s limited resources. 2. It spells ecological disaster. (c) India’s urban population is likely to rise to 326 million in 2005, from the current 286 million. It is expected to further increase to 419 millions in about 15 years from now. The number of urban dwellers will outnumber the rural population in 21st century. (d) Increasing population will have an adverse effect on environment. Water pollution and air pollution are likely to increase. (e) Feeding the ever-increasing millions will become the most critical problem as available land is limited and demand for food grains is likely to increase by 1.8 per cent annually. For example, the requirement of foodgrains is expected to go up to 284 million metric tonnes by 2020 from the 180 million metric tonnes for 2000. 1.2 (a) drain (b) megapolis
(c) syndrome.
WORKSHEET–22 1.1 Notes: 1. Mineral water—defn. 2. Classification of Mineral Waters (a) LMW—500 mgs TDS/litre (b) MMW—500 to 1500 mg TDS/litre (c) HMW—over 1500 mg TDS/litre 3. Position in India processed H2O as mineral H2O 4. Importance of minerals in H2O (a) adjuncts to good health (b) contribute to well being (c) help body to absorb minerals in sols. 5. Taste (a) HMW—strong pronounced taste (b) LMW—subtle in flavour (c) WMW—no taste 6. Water—essential for human body (a) biochemical processes (b) thirst not accurate indicator (c) 3.5 litres/day (d) for intense activity: more H2O + mineral + energy source (e) keep body well hydrated & active (f) if no mineral H2O—simple, plain water.
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1.2 Title: Mineral Water Summary: Mineral water is defined as water that is bottled at the source without any treatment. Mineral waters are classified as lightly, moderately or highly mineralised water as per varying quantity of total dissolved salts per litre varying from 500 mg to 1500 mg and above. In India processed water is sold as mineral water. The minerals in water are adjuncts to good health and contribute to its well being by helping the body to absorb minerals. Highly mineralised water has strong pronounced taste, lightly mineralised is subtle in flavour. Plain water has no taste. Water is essential for human body to maintain biochemical process. One must drink 3.5 litres of water per day to stay healthy, hydrated and active.
WORKSHEET–23 1.1 (a) The author’s father emigrated because everything around him was full of the presence of his wife, who had died and it continually reopened his wounds. (b) The author did not feel the absence of his mother after her death because he was very well brought up by his father, who was both father and mother for him. (c) The author's father wanted to go back to his old village because he wanted to see the old folks again and visit his wife’s grave. (d) The author had come back to the land of his birth because he had promised his father that he would go on his own. (e) The author’s father had described over and over again what they would see at every milestone, after leaving the nearest town. The author was sure that he would recognise it as familiar territory. Hence he thought that he would not need a map for the last part of his journey. (f) The author could not locate his old village because he could not see any valley, farms, cottages and church spire as told by his father but only a lake, which was not marked on the map. Moreover, the village had been submerged in the lake. 1.2 (a) nightmare (b) submerge
(c) speedometer.
WORKSHEET–24 1.1 Notes: 1. Ess. of mor. (a) compassion—real mor. (b) meaning of mor. depends on good and bad concept (c) inflicting no harm or injury to others 2. Basically mor. means (a) abi. to understand (b) abi. to sympathise (c) feeling of kindness and sorrow for others 3. Killers of mor. (a) taunting or insulting others through words or actions (b) selfishness (c) verbal or acts of torture contradict mor. 4. Soc. mor. (a) essen. to stop degeneration of values (b) otherwise sufferings and chaos. 5. degeneration in soc. mor. (a) lack of sympathy and kindness b/w fellow-beings (b) comp. getting eroded in the mechanical lifestyle (c) today’s man busy in personal gains
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(d) no more humanity left. Abbreviations used: Ess. essence soc. social
essen. essential abi. ability
mor. morality b/w between
1.2 Title: Essence of Real Morality Summary: Compassion is the essence of real morality. The meaning of morality depends on good and bad concepts and, inflicting no harm or injury to others. Basically, morality means ability to understand, sympathise and feelings of kindness and sorrow for others. Taunts, insult, selfishness and acts of torture are killers of morality. Social morality is essential to stop degeneration of values. Today man has become selfish and has forgotten humanity in mechanical lifestyle.
WORKSHEET–25 1.1 (a) The author wants that educationists should build up a habit of resistance to suggestion in the minds of their students. (b) Resistance to suggestion can be built up by teaching the children: (i) to rely upon their own internal spiritual resources and (ii) not to depend on incessant stimulation from without. (c) Purposeless reading, listening to radios or looking at films are also addictions. These are psychological equivalents of alcoholism and morphinism. People suffer real distress if they are deprived of newspapers, radio, music of film even for a few hours because they feel painfully subnormal and incomplete without them. These psychological additions provide incessant stimulation from without. (d) Children can be helped from becoming reading, hearing or seeing addicts by providing them the education of the hand and the intellect as well as by training them to use critical analysis to judge propaganda. (e) Critical analysis helps us to react to forceful suggestions in the right way at the right time. 1.2 (a) incessant (b) conceal (c) coherent
WORKSHEET–26 1.1 Title: Impact of Television Notes: 1. Advantages (a) helpful to people with selective view’g (b) incr. knowl. of diffr. fields (c) benefits old people/patients-confined to home/hosp (d) helps non-native speakers for infor’l language practice, voca. and listen’g 2. Disadvantages (a) long view’g hrs. averag’g 6 hrs a day (i) child glued to TV w/out study’g/sleep’g (ii) powerful, often neg. influence (b) recent studies (i) ‘relaxes’ brain to ‘before sleep state’ in < 30 sec (ii) reduces concentra’n time to 15-20 min 3. Negative Influ. (a) dissatis’n with personal life (i) reel life more attractive than real life (b) exposure to excessive violence (i) child. grow more aggre. and violent (c) causes addiction to itself (i) powerf ’l need to watch TV even if not req’d
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1.2 Summary: Television has a strong impact on people’s lives. It has many positive features as good programmes telecast can increase our knowledge about various fields like science, art and medicine, etc. It is an ideal companion for old people or patients who can’t leave home. Also, it promotes one’s communication skills, especially, if one is a non-native speaker. On the other hand, TV viewing has a strong negative influence as well. In many countries, long TV viewing hours, averaging six hours a day become detrimental to the growth, concentration and study-habits of children. Since reel life is more exciting than real life, people develop dissatisfaction with personal lives. Over exposure to violence and fights makes children more aggressive. TV viewing, finally, becomes an addiction which forces people to sit glued to it without deriving any pleasure from it.
WORKSHEET–27 1.1 (a) Primitive man lived by hunting. Each man hunted for himself and his family or tribe. Strangers were then avoided or driven away. So money and even trade were unnecessary. Hence primitive man did not feel the necessity of money as a means of exchange. (b) The various stages in the development of human society are: 1. Primitive man who lived by hunting; 2. Nomads who constantly wandered around, and drove his flocks and herds to new pastures. 3. When communities began to settle down and cultivate the land. (Any two acceptable) (c) In the pastoral stage of human history, a cattle was an acceptable commodity as a means of exchange. The Latin word ‘pecus’ means ‘cattle’. It gave birth to another Latin word ‘pecunia’ which means ‘money’. In modern English the adjective ‘pecuniary’ means ‘concerned with money’. This is how the word pecuniary originated. (d) Exchange or barter system would be done only with few certain things. It could not happen between a shoe-maker and a farmer. A shoe-maker who needs supplies of corn for his family from time to time, may not always find that the farmer willing to take shoes in exchange. It would have been more convenient, if there were some other objects that would always be useful to both the shoe-maker and the farmer, and this object is money. (e) ‘Tael’ was the standard money of China which is not a coin but a weight of silver. (f) To make coins of standard shape, weight and fineness, it is necessary for the government to mint coins. 1.2 (a) Primitive
(b) Business transaction
(c) Fineness
WORKSHEET–28 1.1 Title: Power of Intelligent Computers/Electronic Brain/Artificial Intelligence Notes: 1. Earlier terms (a) ‘Electronic brain’ (i) first massive compu. capable of rapid computation (b) ‘High Speed Idiot’ (i) to protect vanity (ii) human idiot still among most intelli. forms on earth (c) neither describes artifi’l intelli. of comp. appro’ly 2. New discovery regarding thought processes (a) greater understanding about human brain (b) higher animals cap’ble of basic thought, e.g., dog, cat, etc. (c) Insect, other lower forms–no thought (d) higher mammals–more complex brain activity
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3. Artif’l Intelli. Research (a) machines like compu/robots–superior mental ability to many life forms (i) play chess/backgammon unlike plants/lower animals (b) World’s best players–computers 1.2 Summary: The first massive computers which could make rapid computation were called ‘electronic brain’. Later on these were dubbed ‘high-speed idiots’ to protect human vanity. Even the human idiot is still among the most intelligent life forms on earth. Neither label describes artificial intelligence of computer appropriately. New discovery regarding thought processes have led to great understanding about human brain. While higher animals e.g. dog, cat etc. are capable of basic thought, insects and other lower forms are thoughtless. Higher mammals show more complex brain activity. Artificial Intelligence Research reveals that machines like computers/robots have superior mental ability to many life forms. They can play chess/back gammon unlike plants/lower animals. Some of the world’s best players are now computers.
WORKSHEET–29 1.1 (a) The employed woman has to work in an office or factory. She has to do the household work also. Husbands and children barely increase their contribution to housework and child care when the employed woman is in the labour force. As a result, the employed woman gives up most of her leisure to carry out the responsibilities of family life. So she is deprived of the joys of leisure. (b) Home making is not considered at par with paid work because it is not clear what constitutes housework. Housework standards vary greatly. It would be difficult to know how to reward it. Again pay for housework might place homemakers in the difficult position of having their work assessed by their husbands, while in the case of single homemakers, it is not clear who would do the assessing. (c) Unless women and men are paid equally in the labour force and there is no division of labour based on sex, women’s work in the home will have no value. (d) In spite of time-saving gadgets and appliances, U.S. women are more busy today than ever before. It is because family members demand more frequent changes of clothing than in earlier generations. As a result, women today spends more time doing laundry. Today’s women devote inordinate amount of time and money to waxing floors, creating rooms free of ‘odour-causing’ germs and seeking to meet other extraordinary standards of cleanliness. Again, husband and children expect more varied meals. Furthermore, the increasing concern with good nutrition means that many home-makers are now spending more time preparing foods that are not available in the market-place. (e) Women working at home may not be considered equal to those working in office or business centres. Some single women with family responsibilities work because they are the family bread winners. Again, the housework standards vary greatly. It would be very difficult to know how to reward it. 1.2 (a) assorted (b) reinforce
(c) inordinate
WORKSHEET–30 1.1 Title: Civilised Communities Notes: 1. Composition of Civilised Communities (a) small cl. of corrupted rulers (b) large cl. of sub’s
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2. Social order (a) Desirable sl. order–delivers one from avoidable evils (b) Bad sl. order–leads people into temptations 3. The Modern World: prevalent position (a) War–great obstacle to desirable change (b) Foreign policy of nations–militaristic principles (c) Source of Reform (i) Pvt. individuals (ii) Not thro’ those in power (d) Method of Reform: persuasion (i) Policy of pacifism preferable to militarism 1.2 Summary: The civilised communities of the modern world are made up of a small class of rulers, and of a large class of subjects. A desirable social order is one that delivers people from avoidable evils. Bad social order leads us into temptation. In the modern world the great obstacle to all desirable change is war. All the nations conduct their foreign policy on militaristic principles. It is the business of private individuals to persuade majority of people that policy of pacifism is preferable to that of militarism.
WORKSHEET–31 1.1 (a) Practice fixes in us the virtues, vices and dispositions of character. We become brave by despising terrible things as a force of habit and by resisting them with full force. When we become brave we can stand firmly against them. (b) Being afraid is an appropriate emotion when we face quite fearful things. (c) (i) A brave person is different from a reckless person since a rash or reckless person is never afraid. He cannot be educated. Being afraid of really fearful things is a trait of a brave person. (ii) The coward lacks confidence. He is disposed to be overly fearful, yet examples of encouragement may help him. A brave person has confidence and does not express fear against everything. (d) The striking courage displayed by Gandhiji or Horatius had an infectious nature. It inspired others. (e) The mere inclination to do the right is not enough. We have to know what is the right thing to do. For this we need wisdom to give our courage determinate form and intelligent direction. We also need the will, the motivating power that inspiring leaders help us discover within ourselves. (f) The older children can cultivate their own dispositions by behaving bravely before their younger brothers or sisters. It provides excellent practice. There is nothing to be afraid of. The elders can stand by the children in challenging circumstances. They learn how to handle their own confidence and fear, to figure out the right thing to do and to muster the will to do it. 1.2 (a) inspire (b) right/appropriate (c) safe
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Section–B
ADVANCED WRITING SKILLS
SECTION
B
SHORT COMPOSITION (Advertisements) SOLUTIONS TO WORKSHEETS OF VOL. I WORKSHEET–32
1.
PROPERTY FOR SALE For sale the first floor of a newly constructed house in Greater Kailash comprising two bed rooms, one large drawing-cum-dining room, a large kitchen and bathrooms with latest amenities. Prices negotiable. Please contact Ranjit/Rekha, 751 GK between 10 am to 5 pm on Sunday or ring 5467329.
2.
PROPERTY For immediate sale, the rear portion of a bungalow, 115, Rajpur Road, Delhi. Two bedrooms, attached baths, drawing-cum-dining. Price around 20 lakh but negotiable. Contact Rohit, 115 Rajpur Road or ring 23295665.
3.
SITUATIONS WANTED A computer engineer well versed in hardware and software techniques seeks a part time job in or around Delhi in the evening hours. Presently working in a MNC at NOIDA. Salary negotiable. Contact Munish Mehta, 37-B, Kirti Nagar, New Delhi or Phone 26423457.
4.
Subscribe to SPORTSLINE for a year a fortnightly sports & features magazine and get a PRESTIGE ALARM CLOCK FREE READ & SAVE H Annual subscription (105 issues) Rs. 1050. H Special inaugural discount Rs. 210. H Despatch a demand draft of Rs. 840 and get Sportsline for a year Hurry offer closes 31 August 200X
WORKSHEET–33 1.
LOST AND FOUND Lost my brown VIP leather briefcase while travelling from Punjabi Bagh to Maharani Bagh in greenline bus on Friday between 10 a.m. and 11 am. It contains my identity card and some valuable documents. Please contact Rahul/Rashmi of 215-C, Punjabi Bagh, New Delhi, or ring 25425368.
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2.
FOR SALE Available for sale a brand new Santro car and other household goods such as fridge, television, air-conditioner, micro-wave processor etc. The owner is leaving for Canada soon. Prices negotiable. Contact Sunil/Simi, 243-B Kalkaji, New Delhi or ring 24629876.
3.
APPEAL A promising young lad with kidney beyond repair and the other damaged in a car accident is on dialysis in Apollo Hospital. Donors are invited to offer one of their kidneys to save this sole bread earner of a family of five. Please contact immediately Medical Superintendent, Apollo Hospital, New Delhi.
4.
YOGA CENTRE The creative centre for complete Health has started a Yoga Centre at 15/25 Tilak Nagar, New Delhi. The centre will be open from 10th April, 200X. It will function between 9.00 a.m. – 6.00 p.m. and is open to all children between 5-18 years. For registration and further details, contact Aman at 9811196543.
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SHORT COMPOSITION (Notices) WORKSHEET–34
1.
ABN SR. SEC. SCHOOL, JODHPUR NOTICE CAREER GUIDANCE We are pleased to inform that Miss Renu Nigam, the eminent counsellor, CARING, has kindly consented to give a talk on the various career options available to the students of the humanities stream. Date : 30th July, 2008 Time : 11 a.m. Venue : School Auditorium Classes : XI and XII
25 July, 200X
For queries, kindly contact the undersigned Amita Head Girl 2.
DAV PUBLIC SCHOOL KAROL BAGH, NEW DELHI 17 October, 200X
NOTICE
ZONAL VOLLEYBALL FINAL It is a rare honour that our school is playing against CPM School, Meerut in a Zonal Volleyball Final tomorrow Date : 18 Oct., 200X Time : 3 p.m. sharp Venue : Our School Ground All the students are cordially invited to watch the tournament and cheer up the school team. A. Ganesh Director, Physical Education
WORKSHEET–35 1.
SCHOOL DEVELOPMENT COMMITTEE NATIONAL SCHOOL, BARODA 4 March, 200X
NOTICE PROPOSED CALENDAR 2007-2008
The School Development Committee proposes to develop calendar of activities for the next year. All suggestions on following topics may be directed to the undersigned by the 9th March:
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h Excursions h Trekking Venues h Inter-house Competitions h Inter-School Contests ` Debates ` Quiz ` Science Exhibitions h Welfare Activities ` School Fete ` Blood Donation Camp ` Afforestation Campaign
Manav/Manasi Students’ Representative SDC 2.
S.R. PUBLIC SCHOOL, AGRA 7 August 200X
NOTICE
DONATE BLOOD: SAVE LIFE The Red Cross Society of India is organising a one-day blood-donation camp as per details given below: Date : 15 Aug., 2008 Time : 9.30 a.m. - 4 p.m. Venue : Activities Room Age Limit : Above 16 years All the members of the staff and the students are requested to come forward and donate blood generously for the noble cause. Arun Sen Secretary School Red Cross Committee
WORKSHEET–36 1.
DAYANAND MODEL SCHOOL, AJMER NOTICE 25 July 200X OPPORTUNITY FOR BUDDING ARTISTS Students are invited to participate in the Inter School Poster Making Competition to be held on 9 August, 200X in the school ground from 10 a.m. to 1.00 p.m. Junior Category (Classes IV to VII) Topic : Save Water Senior Category (Classes IX to XII) Topic : Eco-friendly Diwali For details contact: Priya Secretary, Cultural Society
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2.
AB PUBLIC SCHOOL, PATIALA NOTICE
1 Feb., 200X
INTERNATIONAL BOOK FAIR The Eleventh International Book Fair is being organised as per details given below: Venue
: Pragati Maidan, Delhi
Dates
: 7 Feb. to 14 Feb., 200X
Timings : 2 p.m. to 10 p.m. (week days) 9 a.m. to 10 p.m. (Sundays) Those interested in books may give their names to the undersigned by 3 Feb., 200X. Gian Singh Librarian
WORKSHEET–37 1.
ABT SENIOR SECONDARY SCHOOL, XYZ CITY NOTICE
1 August, 200X
Career Counselling Session A career counselling session with Ms. Usha Grewal, noted counsellor will be held in our school. Date
: 10 August 200X
Time
: 11 a.m.
Venue
: School Auditorium
Classes : XI and XII Please be seated by 8.45 a.m. and do not carry eatables and bags inside the auditorium. For further details contact: Rahul Khanna (Head Boy)
2.
Queen Victoria Senior Secondary School, Nagpur NOTICE
17 July, 200X
INAUGURATION OF LITERARY ASSOCIATION The School Literary Association will be inaugurated by noted educationist. Prof. B. Rajan on 19 July at 11.30 a.m. in the school auditorium. He will also deliver a talk on ‘How to improve spoken English’. It will be followed by an interactive session. All members are requested to attend. ABC Secretary
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WORKSHEET–38 1.
ABT SENIOR SECONDARY SCHOOL, HYDERABAD NOTICE 25 October, 200X School Magazine The School Magazine ‘REFLECTIONS’ will be brought out in the last week of January. Students interested in contributing articles, poems, riddles, tit-bits, cartoons, sketches, etc., may send them to the undersigned lasted by 15th November. Contribution should be typed or neatly written on one side of paper. XYZ Editor School Magazine
2.
ZENITH PUBLIC SCHOOL NOTICE BRITANNIA QUIZ CONTEST 15 Nov. 200X The preliminary round of Britannia Quiz Contest for North Zone will be held at our school on 25 Nov, 200X. All the students who desire to participate in it may submit their names to the undersigned by the 20th Nov. Amrita Head Girl
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SHORT COMPOSITION (Posters) WORKSHEET–39
1.
STOP CHILD EXPLOITATION SAY ‘NO’ TO CRACKERS
SAY ‘NO’ TO CHILD LABOUR
DON’T BURN THEIR FUTURE IN SMOKE THEY NEED YOUR LOVE & CARE COME: JOIN HANDS Participate in large numbers in the rally organised against the exploitation of children Date
: 14 November 200X
Time
: 9 a.m. to 11 a.m.
Venue : XYZ school to neighbouring areas.
LET’S CELEBRATE CRACKER-FREE DIWALI Issued by: President, Eco Club XYZ School, Ashok Vihar, Delhi.
SAY ‘NO’ TO PLASTICS
2.
Non-Biodegradable Dumping ¾ Pollutes Environment Burning
¾ Air Pollution
Toxic Elements ∴ Lung Cancer
DISCARD PLASTIC BAGS—INSTEAD USE Paper Bags Jute Bags Cloth Bags
PROTECT THE ENVIRONMENT STAY HEALTHY Issued by: Secretary Environment Club ABC School, Vayu Vihar, Delhi.
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WORKSHEET–40 1.
BLINDNESS H A great handicap H Hinders Development H Makes one dependent on others H Checks Potential H Object of pity & Sympathy HELP THE BLIND GIVE THEM LIGHT not money or petty jobs DONATE EYES
LIVE AFTER DEATH CONTACT: Eye Bank of Your City Secretary EYE BANK, CIVIL HOSPITAL, MADURAI 2.
Dramatic Club SALWAN PUBLIC SCHOOL, GURGAON proudly presents
THE NEVER-NEVER NEST a hilarious comedy by CEDRIC MOUNT for the benefit of Spastic Society of India on SATURDAY, 28th OCTOBER 200X Entry: Donor Tickets of Rs. 100 each COME, ENJOY & HELP A NOBLE CAUSE Cultural Secretary Dramatic Club SPSG
WORKSHEET–41 1.
AN ATTRACTIVE & COLOURFUL
DIW ALI MEL A DIWALI organised by ST. MARY PUBLIC SCHOOL, MEERUT in aid of flood-affected people on WEDNESDAY, 25th OCTOBER 200X from 9 am to 5 pm at SCHOOL CAMPUS
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Remember it’s:
A Day of Fun and Frolics H Merry go-rounds H Gymnastics H Electronic Games
H Snack Stalls H Gun Contests H Fancy Dress
Entry by Tickets Come one : Come all Help a noble cause PLANT TREES &
2.
LIVE LONGER
Trees are our friends Trees release oxygen Trees suck carbon
Trees bring rain Trees check soil erosion Trees provide shade & greenery
JOIN TREE PLANTATION CAMPAIGN ON SUNDAY, 8 OCTOBER 200X at 9.00 am SARVODAYA SENIOR SECONDARY SCHOOL, JAIPUR
WORKSHEET–42 1.
LIONS CLUB AND LEO CLUB, CHENNAI will conjointly organise
DIWALI MELA at NEHRU STADIUM from 3 to 6 October, 200X 6 p.m. onwards each day Entry Fee :
Adults : Rs. 20/-
Kids : Rs. 5/-
ATTRACTIONS ✫
FUN GAMES FOR KIDS
✫
TAMBOLA
✫
MERRY GO-ROUNDS
✫
EATABLES FOR ALL TASTES
ATTRACTIVE PRIZES R. Murlitharan President Leo Club, Temple Town
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2.
EXCELLENT COACHING CENTRE D-24, Boat Club Road, New Delhi
announces Commencement of 15th batch for IIT & CPMT aspirants Special Features È Expert guidance by specialists È Scientifically prepared study material È Periodic tests and assessments È Reasonable fees OUR TEN STUDENTS TOP IN IIT/CPMT/GNAT Limited Seats Contact: Dr. A.N. Jha, Director Phone: 22343256
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SHORT COMPOSITION (Invitations) WORKSHEET–43
1.
The Principal, Staff and Students of
Wonderland Public School cordially invite you to the
ANNUAL DAY CELEBRATION at Hawk Auditorium on 5th April 200X at 6.00 p.m. Mr. S.P. Tailang, noted Environmentalist has kindly consented to be the Guest of Honour. RSVP Principal, Wonderland Public School Phone: 2342034 Mobile: 9891002034
2.
Kindly be seated by 5.45 p.m. Mobile phones and cameras are not allowed
please.
The Principal, Staff and Students of M.J. INTERNATIONAL SCHOOL, DELHI cordially invite you to their
ANNUAL DAY FUNCTION at The School Auditorium on 15 November, 200X at 5 p.m. The Hon’ble Chief Minister of Delhi has kindly consented to be the Chief Guest. RSVP Ph.: 26165423, 26193467 Please occupy your seats by 4.45 p.m. Valid for two only
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WORKSHEET–44 1.
Value Education Club Vivekananda Sr. Sec. School Roop Nagar, New Delhi 27 August, 200X Mr K.B. Vaid 18 Defence Colony New Delhi Sir Subject: Invitation to deliver a talk The Value Education Club of our school will feel obliged if you could kindly spare some time to speak on ‘The Importance of Devotion, Dedication and Discipline’ on any Friday afternoon. Kindly intimate the date and time convenient to you. With regards Yours faithfully Rohit Khanna Secretary
2.
C-38 Hope Apartments Gurgaon–14 15 July, 200X Dear Dipti You will be glad to know that I have secured admission in I.I.F.T. and in the course I was mad to go in for. It is an occasion for celebrations and merry making. I want to share a few happy moments of my life in the company of my old friends at a dinner at the Vimpy's South City Gurgaon, at 8.30 p.m. on 25th July. Please do come. I hope you won't disappoint me. Yours sincerely Aditi
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SHORT COMPOSITION (Replies to Invitations) WORKSHEET–45
1.
25, Rani Jhansi Road New Delhi 5 March, 200X The Secretary Lions Club, Karnal Sir Sub: Acceptance of invitation Thanks for your invitation for a seminar on ‘Fundamental Rights of Children’, and your concern for the children. I would like to utilise this opportunity to share my experiences with other like minded enthusiasts and experts. I hereby confirm my participation in the seminar. Yours sincerely Akshya/Aakiriti
2.
158–MIG Flats Dilshad Garden, New Delhi 7 March, 200X The Secretary Youth Club, Vivek Vihar New Delhi Sir Sub: Inability to accept invitation I whole heartedly express my thanks to you and your club for inviting me to act as a judge in the inter-school group song competition on Monday, 13 March 200X. I regret my inability to accept the invitation because of a prior engagement. I wish the function all success. Please do keep in touch. Yours sincerely Rahul/Neha
WORKSHEET–46 1.
ABC School New Delhi 7 March 200X The Professor Incharge NCERT New Delhi
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Madam Sub: Education for All I would like to thank you for inviting our school for the proposed seminar on ‘Education for All’ being organised by your Institute. Kindly send me a copy of the working paper prepared for the seminar so that I can prepare myself properly and make a meaningful contribution in the deliberations at the seminar. Looking forward to an early response. Yours sincerely Sachin/Shama 2.
138–MIG Flats Moti Bagh, New Delhi 7 March 200X The President The Lions Club, Vasant Vihar New Delhi Sir Sub: Inability to accept invitation I whole-heartedly express my thanks to you and your club for inviting me to act as one of the judges for the Children’s Day fancy dress competition on Monday, March 15, 200X. I regret my inability to accept the invitation because of a prior engagement. I wish the function all success. Please do keep in touch. Yours sincerely Mohan/Molly
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REPORT OR FACTUAL DESCRIPTION (Events or Experiences) WORKSHEET–47
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OUR SCHOOL LIBRARY Our school library is housed in a separate block. It has a big hall and four rooms. Books are kept in almirahs in the hall. These almirahs have glass fronts. The assistant librarian and restorer sit at the counter. The librarian sits in another room. It has reference books, computer and photostat machine. Newspaper and magazines are kept in the reading room. Students and teachers go there when they are free. The library has fans and it is well ventilated. It lacks airconditioning and facility of internet. The display board showing the covers of new arrivals should be placed in the porch. With these improvements our library would become the pride of the town.
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THE PARK IN OUR LOCALITY Our locality is quite lucky in having a central park, adjacent to the community centre. Parks are called the lungs of a city. Our park fulfils all the functions of a green space in the jungle of concrete. It is spread in four acres with a road skirting its boundary wall. There are shady trees along the boundary wall. Grassy lawns, beds of flowers and fountains sprinkling water add to its beauty and charm. The park caters to the needs of citizens of all age groups. There is arrangement for yoga classes in the morning. Men and women, boys and girls take active part in these. Some like to stroll on the paved paths while children enjoy rolling on the grass. During hot summer, we enjoy boating in the lake of the park. It provides welcome relief from the heat of the blazing sun.
WORKSHEET–48 1.
A PLACE OF INTEREST The Taj at Agra is a place of historical interest. I visited the Taj recently. The visit is still vivid in my memory as the Taj has left a deep imprint on my mind and heart. The Taj stands on the bank of the Yamuna at Agra. The main entrance to the Taj provides a panoramic glimpse of the celebrated building. It is built on a high pedestal with four minarets at the four corners and a huge dome on the top. The Taj is a double storey building. It was got constructed by Emperor Shahjehan in the memory of his beloved wife Mumtaz Mahal and called Taj Mahal. The tall trees along the canal amidst the grassy lawns add to the splendour of the building which casts its shadow on the bright clear water. The Taj contains the graves of the royal couple. The marble walls of this building have engravings and are embedded with precious stones. It is indeed a wonder—a dream in marble.
2.
COMPUTER WING INAUGURATED The computer wing of Rajeev Gandhi Memorial Senior Secondary School, Allahabad was inaugurated yesterday by Mrs Sonia Gandhi. It is a wonderful addition to school and was possible with the generous grants offered by Rajeev Gandhi Foundation. The addition of computer wing to the school is a step towards complete and perfect education. The Chairperson, Mrs Gandhi exhorted the students to learn computer science, electronics and basic ideas of science. She advised them to realise the importance of computer in the modern age and to offer encouraging results in the modern scientific age. The use of advanced technology, computers and robots will lead India to the path of glory in the new millennium. The Students’ Council, which had organised this function, assured the donors that proper use will be made of their generous gift.
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REPORT OR FACTUAL DESCRIPTION (Processes) WORKSHEET–49
1.
OPENING A SAVING BANK ACCOUNT These days people prefer to keep money in a bank. It is safe as well as profitable. The process of opening a saving bank account is quite simple. Go to a bank and obtain the prescribed printed form for opening an account. These days photographs are essential. Paste two passport size photographs on the space provided for this purpose. Fill in the other particulars on the form and appended card. You have to put your signature at certain places. The signatures on the card are termed specimen signatures and referred to for comparison everytime you withdraw money from the bank. You need an account holder of the bank to introduce you. Then you go to the deposit counter and deposit the money mentioning ‘New Account’. Then you will be issued a pass-book and cheque book. You can deposit money in your account now or withdraw it by filling a withdrawal form or cheque.
2. Try yourself.
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SCIENCE EXHIBITION (A report by Rama) Kolkata: 25 November The previous day i.e. 24th November, I, along with my classmates, visited the science exhibition, organised jointly by the city schools at Central School, Kolkata. As many as twenty five schools participated. The Science Exhibition was inaugurated by the State Minister for Education. There were about 150 exhibits on display. Some models were operated by electricity. Some of them exhibited India’s progress in the field of communications and missiles technology. The bio-diesel prototypes attracted a lot of visitors. Students tried to answer their queries as best as they could. All the visitors felt impressed by the intelligence, organization and dedication of the budding scientists.
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VISIT TO THE LOCAL MUSEUM (A report by Ram/Rohini) Pune: 15 November Sun Public School, Pune, organised a visit to the local museum on Children’s Day. The State Museum was housed in a big building. It has collections from all parts of the country. The antique articles are well arranged. They represent every branch of science, art and culture. We saw specimens of rocks, ores, and finished metals. Old paintings, dresses and warweapons belonging to different periods were on display. These throw light on the history, art and culture of that era. A special feature of the museum was the Shivaji section. The dresses, ornaments and weapon of the celebrated Maratha warrior impressed everyone. Books, magazines, newspapers and pictures dealing with Shivaji’s life and contribution to Hindu Nation revised the struggles he faced and the ultimate glory he achieved. In short, the visit was entertaining as well as rewarding.
WORKSHEET–51 1.
INTER-HOUSE DRAMA COMPETITION (A report by Sunil/Sunita) Allahabad: 25 October During the cultural week an Inter-House Drama Competition for the students of the four houses of our school was organised. Each house tried to present the best possible plays dealing with current socio-political-economic questions. The titles of the plays—‘Post Graduate’, ‘The New Horizon’, ‘The Hungry Babe’ and ‘Whirlpool’—give a glimpse of the concern of the students and teachers about the prevailing situations and the future of the nation. The themes deal with burning problems like unemployment, opportunities in careers, hunger and famine and the vortex of problems in life. They began with man’s helplessness against the forces of nature and the prevailing circumstances, but ended on an optimistic note. Shonit of Tagore house was adjudged the best actor.
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WORLD HERITAGE DAY (A report by Ram/Rama) Agra: 19 April Like the previous years, Sun Public School, Agra celebrated the World Heritage Day yesterday i.e. the 18th April. Inter-house Poster-making, Placard and Banner-writing contests were orgainsed. A film show depicting our famous monuments, history and culture of the bygone era was screened. Our Principal exhorted us to try our level best to preserve our monuments because they are our heritage. He pointed out that some of these relics of the past were crumbling to ruins. It devolved on the younger generation, the students to take a timely step and check any further deterioration in our cultural heritage. Those who deface, disfigure or spoil the ancient artefacts must be brought to book.
WORKSHEET–52 1.
WORLD ENVIRONMENT DAY (A report by Bharat/Bharati) Lucknow: 6th June Sun Public School took a leading step in celebrating the ‘World Environment Day’ on 5th June this year. On this hot summer morning children belonging to at least 20 local schools participated in an On-the-spot Painting Competition. The theme of the paintings were: ‘Dangers to Environment’; ‘Ozone hole and Global Warming’; ‘Preserving Environmental Purity’ and ‘Measures to check Environmental Pollution’. An exhibition of these paintings sensitised the visitors about the need to preserve environment. This was followed by a seminar on world environment day in which more than 25 students participated in the discussion. The participants presented in written papers suggesting ways and means to control pollution. All agreed that our environment is under pollution through various agents like water, soil, air and noise and we are on the brink of extinction. Even population explosion is causing a great threat to our environment. Our every nook and corner is being polluted by different objects and they have posted a big challenge to our survival. During the discussion it was resolved that we should plant trees and saplings on all the open spaces. Our vehicles too use noise resistant horns and play them by using C.N.G. Social organisations should participate to educate the masses on the harms of pollution. Exhibitions and seminars need to be organised for the public so that we get rid of deadly pollution.
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MUSICAL EXTRAVAGANZA (A report by Aseem) Delhi: 18 May The Amnesty Public School organised a musical night for the parents and general public of Lucknow. Well known celebrities and singers graced the occasion. The evening was a huge sellout due to the intensive marketing done by the staff and students of the school. The presence of singers such as Sunidhi Chauhan and Kumar Sanu also drew the audience. The tickets were highly priced but they were all sold out. Most of the parents who came for the show also contributed generously by buying all the eatables prepared by the students. The huge amount of money was generated to help the victims of Aids being taken care of by the orphanage CARING HOME. The entire community seemed to come together to help the noble cause. The people who came for the show really appreciated the song, music and dance blended together. The evening ended on a positive note when the Guest of Honour, Shri B.L. Srivastava applauded the effort of the school in mobilising resources to help a charitable cause.
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LIFE AFTER TRAUMATIC TSUNAMI (Rajan/Ranjita, Special Correspondent, ‘The Times of India’) Nellore: 10 Dec Chaos, death, destruction and horror are the common expressions one finds while visiting the Tsunami hit coastal areas. Gathering the remains after the devastating calamity, people are trying hard to come to terms with their lives, although their hearts are full of grief at losing their loved ones. The fisherman of those coastal areas have lost almost everything to the gigantic waves. Most of them are languishing in temporary shelters erected by NGOs and government agencies, waiting for their turn to get some relief and help to begin their lives anew. Miseries and sorrows are writ large on their faces. Some of them who were in the mid sea returned safely, only to find their families snatched by the deadly waves. They are hoping against hope to be reunited as the dead bodies of the lost ones have not been traced so far. NGO like Times Group, Saksham, Hope, Siemens Foundation have adopted coastal villages for their rehabilitation and counselling. Disaster Management teams are working round the clock to clear off the debris and prevent the break out of epidemics. Fresh drinking water, food and clothes are being distributed. Every effort is being made to restart life.
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BRIGHTEN THE EVENING OF THEIR LIVES (Nandan/Nalini, member Disha, an NGO) Kolkata: 25 September Unfortunate are those who are rendered homeless in the evening of their lives. Sometimes even their ultimate shelter becomes helpless to provide them solace in their old age. A visit to ‘Sandhya’ an old age home, revealed this bitter truth. This home for the aged is mired in financial crisis. Lack of funds and infrastructure have proved a great hindrance in meeting even the basic necessities of the inmates, whose number has swelled to 200, i.e. double the capacity of ‘home’. The efforts of our organisation ‘Disha’ to mobilize funds and awaken the conscience of the society have proved quite successful. We took the initiative to arrange an outing for these senior citizens to give them respite from dull and monotonous. The visit of students of Springfield school brought cheer and inspiration to the aged to enjoy life. With the flow of cash in the form of contributions, hobby classes were started. These experienced senior citizens shared their skills like painting, stitching, sewing etc. with local residents. Their active involvement in routine life has made them feel confident and worthy.
WORKSHEET–54 1.
NUTRITIOUS FOOD AND SNACKS COMPETITION (Archana/Anjum, reporter ‘The Young India’) Delhi: 5 October To promote healthy eating habits among school children, Vaibav Public School, Hastinapur organised a Nutritious Food and Snacks Competition on Oct. 5, 2005 in the school premises. The competition was open to both the students as well as their parents. The famous nutrition
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consultant, Dr. Shikha Sharma, was the Chief Guest. A diet questionnaire was first distributed among the contestants to set various dietary goals. A variety of mouth-watering, easy-tomake, sandwiches, soups, low fat beverage’s and salads etc. were aesthetically displayed with complementing cutlery and serviette. The spread was a real feast for the eyes and a gourmet’s delight. Bobby Sareen of Class IX won the first prize for a tasty sprout preparation which was low in fat and high in fibre content. Dr. Sharma, finally, stressed on the need for healthy eating habits by strongly condemning the growing craze for fast food and cola drinks among the teenagers. The competition was enjoyed by one and all. 2.
RAY OF HOPE FOR THE UNFORTUNATES (Nandan/Nalini, member Disha, an NGO) Delhi: 2nd May Orphans are not born orphans, but made orphans by circumstances, untimely death of parents or quirks of fate. Unfortunate are those who are rendered homeless and deprived of parental affection and care in their tender age. The orphanages, they take shelter in, sometimes fail to provide even basic amenities to the hapless, helpless and hopeless unfortunates. A visit to ‘Aishraya’ an orphanage for children revealed the pathetic state of existence of the inmates. The reason behind this was financial crisis. The sudden demise of two of its patrons resulted in cash crunch. The situation took a turn for the worse with the arrival of about 50 more destitute. Our NGO, Disha, organised a campaign to mobile funds and awaken the conscience of the society. Charity shows, fete and balls for the elite class helped us collect money. People felt shocked on watching the street plays depicting the plight of orphans. We submitted a proposal to the management to let us help them in running the orphanage. Now all the inmates have joined the local school. A training centre has been opened. It provides training in some craft to make the children independent. The visits of local leaders have made the inmates feel that they are not neglected by society.
WORKSHEET–55 1.
WORKSHOP ON DISASTER MANAGEMENT (Ravi/Rani, student reporter) Noida: 30 January Keeping in view the frequent occurrence of earthquakes, APS School, Noida, in association with the Indian Red Cross Society organised a talk on Disaster Management. Around 100 teachers and 250 students from various educational institutions participated in the workshop. Mr. Harihar Narayan, the society secretary was the main speaker. He cited statistics from World Disaster Report and identified areas, more vulnerable to earthquake in the states. He also explained the precautionary measures to be taken by the public and the government in case of emergency. The session included a multimedia presentation on the aftermath in the disaster struck areas of Jammu and Kashmir and Pakistan. Mrs. Subha Rao, Secretary ‘Seva’, an NGO was the other resource person. She focussed on the capacity assessment highlighted the problems of rehabilitation and relief work. A mock evacuation drill was also conducted by the volunteers from the NCC team of the school. The workshop was really enlightening for one and all.
2.
RELIEF MEASURES UNDERTAKEN (Mithun/Mallika, reporter ‘The Delhi Times’) Delhi: Oct. 15 In view of the immense loss of life and property caused by the devastating earthquake in the Western Himalayas on 8th Oct. 200X, the RWA, Vikas Colony, held an emergency meeting to
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discuss various relief measures for the victims. Mr. Chopra, the convener, briefed the members about the situation. The action committee then drew up a plan to expedite the relief work. It was decided to transport and distribute relief-care packages as well as blankets, medicines and tents for the survivors. Each relief care package containing rations of dry food, milk powder and water cans etc. was meant to serve a family for two days. Mr. Makhani, the President RWA, urged the volunteers to prepare 1000 such packages. An eleven-member team was appointed to coordinate and transport relief supplies to the strategic places. Collection points were finally fixed for the residents to deposit their material and food items. The funds collected were to be forwarded to the Prime Minister’s Relief Fund.
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LETTER WRITING (Business/Official Letters) WORKSHEET–56
1. 175C–Janakpuri New Delhi 20 June 200X The Director The Centre for Creativity and Development Mall Road Delhi Sir Sub: Information regarding 8-week Summer Course My younger sister has just passed the All India Secondary School Examination of CBSE. She is a brilliant student and has secured 85% marks in X. She does not want to opt for the traditional prestigious courses in science viz. medicine or engineering. She is enamoured of the information technology, but I feel that she is a bit timid and lacks self-confidence. She certainly needs some skilled guidance and training in personality development, leadership and interaction. She consulted her language teacher on the subject and he advised her to join your centre for this purpose. Kindly supply me the following information regarding the 8-week summer course in leadership. (a) the number of students in each group. (b) whether separate coaching classes are held for girls. (c) fee for the whole course. (d) whether fee is accepted in two/three instalments. Yours faithfully Rakesh Gupta 2. 251, Navy Nagar Colaba, Mumbai 17 March 200X Dear Priyanka Received your affectionate letter and was glad to note that you are going to complete X standard. I felt elated when you sought my advice whether to opt for science or commerce group in XI standard. In my opinion, you should not join the rat race of choosing the science stream. I know that you are a practical person, who is intelligent as well as diligent. I would therefore suggest that you should opt for commerce group. There are some other reasons behind this choice. (i) Your father is a successful businessman. As a student of commerce you may learn business/management in practice. Secondly, he may set up a small unit for you and invest in it. You can manage and expand it with your knowledge of commerce and English. (ii) In case you want to seek employment, your commerce degree may help you get a good job in some multinational firm. (iii) You may appear in a competitive examination for bank recruitment etc.
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I do hope you will consider all these points before arriving at any decision. With love Yours sincerely Piyush
WORKSHEET–57 1.
PLANWEL COMPANY Tarapore Towers, MG Road, Bengaluru Ref. No. 20/PC/35 19 April, 200X The Manager Apex Information Centre 3, Anna Nagar, Nambaccum Chennai Sir Sub: Offer of a premises on rent Reference your advertisement in The Hindu dated 18 April regarding availability of a suitable accommodation in the central market for your office. In this connection we desire to inform you that we have a suitable office located in the vicinity of the central market. The accommodation (with roads on two sides) comprises a big hall 25' × 40' with two adjoining rooms 12' × 15' each and an inter-connected pantry and toilet. This is an ideal location for all kinds of business establishments. There are three nationalised banks on the opposite road. The terms and conditions for rent are as under: (i) A refundable security of rupees two lakh. (iv) Sanitation at your disposal. (ii) Rent of Rs. 10,000 pm payable in advance. (v) Rental lease will lapse after eleven months. (iii) Electricity and water charges extra. In case the above-mentioned terms are acceptable, please contact the undersigned within a week. Yours faithfully, Vishnu Wasan Office Manager
2. 27, Lawrence Road Kolkata 19 September, 200X Dear Albert I am looking forward to your visit to the City of Joy i.e. Kolkata. The city is connected to the Railway Station by means of a famous bridge known as HOWRAH BRIDGE after the station. Since your train from Delhi arrives at 4.30 p.m., I shall reach platform no. 5 at 4.25 p.m. and wait near the Brooke Bond Tea Stall. Your coach M-5 will be just near that stall. In order to help you identify me I am sending my photograph in the get up I shall be putting on. I have chosen this multicoloured dress—white coat, grey trousers, red shirt and a bowler’s hat with a pink ribbon to help you recognise me at once. In case your train should arrive before time or if I am held up in traffic jam, please call me on my mobile phone number 9136875543. I do hope you will experience no difficulty. Hoping to see you soon. Yours sincerely Sukomal Sen
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1. 23 Rifle Lane Jhansi 30 January, 20XX The Editor The Bhopal Times Bhopal Sir Subject: Child-marriages Yesterday we went to the Laxmi Narayan temple to worship the deities on Basant Panchmi Day. What horrified my sensibility was a queue of young girls—hardly sixteen years in age and dressed in bridal clothes, waiting to be married off to their respective bridegrooms arrayed in the opposite row. I was shocked beyond belief that this evil practice of early marriage still continued in spite of legal ban. The presence of many bigwigs of society accorded these group marriages prestige in society. It seems that the law regarding girl’s marriage is not at all being implemented properly. People conveniently forget that the main cause of pregnancy related deaths is motherhood in the teens. I hope the government agencies will enforce the law strictly and save the lives of many innocent women and babies. Yours faithfully Savita Sen 2. 25 Indira Colony Rohtak 17 June, 20XX The Editor The Rohtak Times Rohtak Sir Subject: Problems of residents of Indira Colony The residents of Indira Colony are victims of twin problems. The frequent load shedding and power cuts for long periods have made lives miserable during these hot days of June. Secondly, the commercialisation of residential space in this colony has attracted workshops and small scale industries resulting in pollution and noise and causing annoyance and disturbance to the peaceful lives of the citizens. As a resident of the colony, I plead to you to bring our problems to the notice of the concerned authorities and persuade/motivate them to take immediate remedial action. Yours faithfully Anjana Malik
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WORKSHEET–59 1. 15/1129 Rajiv Nagar Ananthpur Andhra Pradesh 20 March, 20XX The Editor The Indian Express Hyderabad-24 Sir Sub: Load of Heavy Bags on Primary School Kids Through the columns of your prestigious newspaper I want to draw the attention of the government about the undesirability of primary school students carrying heavy bags to their school. Sometimes these bags seem heavier than the kids and cause severe strain on the young shoulders. It becomes odd for them to get into the school bus. Can’t we reduce the content of school bags? Why not keep the books and exercise books at schools in their desks. Let games and electronic media do the rest. An improvement in techniques of education is essential in the new millennium. It is time the educationists realised the plight of these kids and evolved ways to lessen their burden. Yours faithfully Bharat Reddy 2. The Editor The Times of India New Delhi 5 April, 200X Sir Sub: Security—A Major Concern I wish to draw your attention to the crimes which are being perpetuated on a daily basis against the common citizens of this country. Newspaper headlines everyday are splashed with details of crimes ranging from petty chain snatching incidents to daring burglaries and gory blood chilling murders. No city, street or home is safe and the people live in constant fear of life and property. What is our society coming to? It is indeed a matter of great shame that the police has become ineffective and cannot check the rise of unprecedented crime graph. It is even more shocking that the judiciary seems to have lost its voice and criminals are acquitted of charges ranging from kidnapping to rape and murder. It is high time that we rise with a heightened sense of urgency to tackle this serious issue. Stringent laws need to be put into place and enforced religiously. The policing needs to undergo a rapid transformation by involving the community at large. Resident Welfare Organisations, MLA’s, NGO’s and other support systems must work in tandem to address these security concerns. Self-defence training should be provided to all students as a part of the school curriculum. People need to be vigilant at all times and report any suspicious activity noticed in their surroundings to the local authorities. The police force needs to be trained and empowered to develop a more positive image in the eyes of the common person. Yours truly Ranjit
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WORKSHEET–60 1. 54, Kamraj Street Chennai 3 March, 200X The Editor The New Indian Express Chennai Sub: Chain-snatching incidents Sir May I use the columns of your esteemed daily to draw the attention of the concerned authorities towards the increasing incidents of chain-snatching in the city. Our organization has lodged several complaints with the police, but no action seems to have been initiated so far as no tangible results can be perceived. It seems that some anti-social elements have adopted this method to make a fast buck. Crowded market places, railway platforms, bus shelters and lonely or deserted roads are usually the scenes of these crimes. It is suggested that the police as well as general public must take some strong steps and precautions to check these incidents and nab the culprits. Girls and ladies should not flaunt their ornaments or display them brazenly to tempt the chain-snatchers. More policemen with facility of wireless and mobile phones should be posted at sensitive points. Concerted efforts should be undertaken. It is hoped that the authorities will take prompt action. Yours faithfully Karthik 2. 23, Cubbon Road Bengaluru–560 001 7 March, 200X The Editor The Deccan Herald Bengaluru Sub: Daylight robberies and burglaries Sir Through the columns of your esteemed daily I want to draw the attention of the authorities towards an urgent law and order problem - namely the increase in daylight robberies and burglaries. During the last fortnight twenty cases have been reported in the papers. These incidents have occurred in various parts of the city and no area seems immune from the criminals. However, one thing stands out common which suggests a method in their madness. It is the victims who are targetted by them. A rough and ready analysis of the cases cited above shows that most of them were either aged couples living alone or widows/widowers having no members of family with them. Almost all these homes had trusted male servants/maid servants. It clearly points out the nexus between the criminals and the household helps.
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Keeping in view the above, it is suggested that the police should augment day-time beat vigils and undertake a summary check of the antecedents of the households servants. It will be advisable to households not to engage domestic helps without proper verification of their conduct from the police. The Citizens Welfare Associations should evolve local supervision schedules. I am confident that all these steps will help to curb the menace of daylight robberies and burglaries and the citizens will lead peaceful and carefree life. Yours faithfully Navin/Namitha
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1. 23 Raman Villa Race Course Road Bhopal August 11, 200X The Personnel Manager Pioneers (Pvt.) Ltd. Co. Hyderabad Sir Sub: Application for the post of an Accountant In response to your advertisement in The Times of India dated 1 August 200X, I wish to be considered for the position mentioned above. I feel my qualifications and experience are good enough to enable me to discharge my duties. I attach herewith attested copies of my certificates and my biodata. If given a chance, I may assure you, sir, that I shall spare no pains in the discharge of my duty honestly and devotedly. I will certainly win the confidence of my superiors. Thanking you Yours faithfully Nipun (Nipun) Encl: Biodata BIODATA 1. Name
: Nipun Verma
2. Father’s Name
: Mr Mohan Lal Verma
3. Address
: 23, Raman Villa, Race Course Road, Bhopal
4. Date of Birth
: 15 September 1970
5. Educational Qualifications :
6. Experience
CBSE (10+2) B.Com. (Hons) CA ICWAI
1987 1990 1994 1997
83% 73%
: TISCO ‘Bhopal’ since Nov. 1997
7. Salary Expected
: Rs. 9000 pm + perks
8. Marital Status
: Unmarried
9. Languages known
: Hindi, English, Tamil, Telugu
10. References
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(i) (ii) (iii) (iv)
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(i) Dr. V. Anand, H.O.D. Commerce, Holker University, Indore (ii) Mr R.K. Sareen, Financial Advisor GRASIM (India) Bengaluru.
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2. 158, Nirala Nagar Lucknow 26 September, 200X The Manager ICICI Bank Lucknow Sir Sub: Application for the post of Business Development Managers With reference to your advertisement in The Pioneer, dated 24 September, 200X seeking applications for the post of Business Development Managers for the credit car section, I offer my candidature for the same. Please find enclosed my biodata/resume to enable you to assess my suitability for the aforesaid post Yours faithfully Pritham/Priti BIODATA/RESUME Name Father’s Name Address for Correspondence Contact No. Age Educational Qualifications
: : : : : :
Professional Qualifications
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Work Experience
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Marital Status Other Achievements Salary Expected Reasons for change
: : : :
Miss Priti Mudgil Mr V.P. Mudgil 58, Nirala Nagar, Lucknow 09819600325 25 years (i) ISC from St. Maria’s School, Agra, 1998—80% marks (ii) B.Com. (Hons.) 2001—V.N. College, Lucknow (i) Short term course in Money and Banking - IBM (ii) Short term Computer Course - APTECH (i) Development Executive HFDC, Lucknow—6 months. (ii) Working as Deputy Development Officer with Canara Bank, Kanpur. Unmarried Proficient in spoken English and Customer Dealings Rs. 20,000 pm plus usual perks. Stay at Lucknow
WORKSHEET–62 1. Kamala 6/39 Harrison Road Kolkata 17 March, 200X The Principal Rani Public School Kolkata Sir Sub: Application for the post of an English Teacher In response to your advertisement in The Statesman dated 15 March 200X, I wish to be considered for the position mentioned above. I feel my qualifications and experience are good enough to enable me to discharge my duties. I attach herewith my biodata and attested copies
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of certificates. I am seeking a change as it will give me a chance to work in a better academic atmosphere in your prestigious institution. If given a chance, I may assure you sir, that I shall prove worthy of the confidence reposed in me. Thanking you Yours faithfully Kamala Encl: Biodata & certificates BIODATA 1. 2. 3. 4. 5.
6. 7. 8. 9. 10.
Name Father’s Name Address Date of Birth Educational Qualifications (i) CBSE (10 + 2) (ii) B.A. (Hons) (iii) B.Ed. Experience Salary Expected Marital Status Languages known References
: : : : :
: : : : :
Kamala Pradhan Mr Biswajit Pradhan 6/39 Harrison Road, Kolkata 5 May 1980 1997 85% 2000 74% 2001 69% Rosemary School since July 200X Rs. 6000 + perks Unmarried English, Bengali, Hindi 1. Dr S. Mukherjee, HOD English Dept., Presidency College Kolkata 2. Mrs Bhattacharya, Principal Rosemary School, Bali (Howrah)
2. Saranya 217-B, Lajpat Nagar Delhi 17 July, 200X The Manager New India Anodisers A-10, Phase II, Mayur Vihar New Delhi Sir Sub: Application for the post of an Accountant This is in response to your advertisement for the post of an Accountant published in ‘The Times of India’ dated 16 July. I think I fulfil all the eligibility conditions laid down by you. Hence I offer myself as one of the candidates. My biodata is enclosed for your kind perusal. Yours faithfully Saranya BIODATA Name Father’s Name Address for Correspondence
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: : :
Miss Saranya Sethi Mr R.P. Sethi 217 B, Lajpat Nagar, New Delhi
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Contact No.
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Age
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25 years
Educational Qualifications
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Professional Qualifications
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Work Experience
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Present Posting
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Accountant, Harsha Fans, Noida
Marital Status
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Unmarried
Salary Expected
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Rs. 15,000 plus usual perks
(i) (ii) (i) (ii) (i) (ii)
S.S.C. from CBSE 1998—85% marks. B.Com. (Hons.) 2001. LSR College (DU) Diploma in Advanced Accountancy (IBCM) Short Term Computer Course (APTECH) Accounts Clerk, Spencers: 11/2 years Junior Accountant, BPL Sales. Noida—2 years
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LONG COMPOSITION (Articles for School Magazines) WORKSHEET–63
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VALUE BASED EDUCATION—REMEDY TO DECREASE CRIME (by Kamakshi/Kuber) Respected Chairperson, Honourable Judges and Dear Audience I am here to present my views that ‘Value based education is the only remedy for decreasing the crime rate amongst the educated folk’. The headlines of daily newspapers are filled with gory details of crimes committed by educated gentlemen. We often hear of chain snatching, shop-lifting, stabbing, kidnapping and robbery. Murder for money is the latest phenomenon indulged in by anti-social elements. It is said that unemployment and poverty force the youth to adopt criminal activities. But recent incidents have revealed that young boys belonging to good families and respectable parents also indulge in criminal activities such as thefts, borrowings and car-lifting. Devoid of parental care and control these youngsters crave for fun and adventure. The foreign action films thrill their minds and lead them to emulate some of the tricks of their favourite heroes. If we are keen enough to decrease the crime rate amongst the educated youth, we must bring a radical change in our system of education. We must inculcate in students the respect for values and good qualities such as honesty, truthfulness, trust, kindness and self-sacrifice. Employment opportunities should always be increased to channelise their energy.
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MINIMIZATION OF HUMAN WANTS IS THE ONLY WAY TO CLEANSE SOCIETY FROM CORRUPTION Respected Chairman and Friends, Corruption is a canker that eats into the vitals of our society. It is the biggest killer and crippler of modern society. Our daily newspapers are replete with scams and malpractices which have become the hallmark of the present day social set-up. Although we have progressed in the fields of science and technology there seems to be an awful decline in humanity and humanitarian values. Corruption has ingrained itself deep in our society. The social fabric is fast disintegrating. People are lured by wealth and do not bother how it is earned. Means are no longer important. One must make a fast buck—that seems to be the compelling motive behind every young person in quest of millions. The root of this malaise lies in materialism and growing consumerism. In the past the slogan of life was simple living and high thinking. Now the roles have reversed. It is high living and simple thinking. Human beings have increased their desires. These uncontrolled desires have changed into needs. Mushrooming of wants have compelled modern man to run after money like a lunatic. We have forgotten that money is a means to happiness and not an end in itself. A complete change of attitude is essential. I think that minimization of human wants is the only way to cleanse society of all kinds of corruption.
WORKSHEET–64 1.
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NEWSPAPERS OUGHT TO CONTAIN MORE NEWS AND FEWER ADVERTISEMENTS Respected Chairperson, August Faculty and Dear Friends, It is painful to see that journalists have lost all ethics and professionalism today. Like all other professionals, the pressmen are also attracted by the lure of the lucre. They adopt
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diverse techniques to increase the revenue of their paper. They try to sensationalise the news to win more readers. However, even the newspaper having the largest circulation is not selfdependent. It must have plenty of commercial advertisements to meet its running costs. In fact it is these ads which provide the owners the requisite funds. Thus, advertisements cannot be ruled out. They are a necessary evil and must stay. The owners and editors of the newspapers must also realise their responsibility to the nation. The press is the strongest pillar of democracy. It creates sensible public opinion in favour of good policies and criticizes the wrong policies. The newspapers must maintain a balance between news and advertisements. A common man buys a newspaper for news. It would be better that the editors publish a classified advertisement supplement twice or thrice a week and save the general reader from the proliferation of advertisements while scanning the pages for views and news. 2.
THE PROBLEMS OF THE LEPERS The Value Education Club of our school organised a visit to the ‘Home for the Lepers’ in our town. This home was situated far away from the town. We drove there with eatables, fruits and clothes. We got an opportunity to interact with the lepers who revealed their feelings and problems. We could learn to judge things from their perspective. Then we understood their agony. They are considered worse than untouchables or outcastes. That is why they are compelled to dwell far apart in a lonely nook. Being afflicted by a wasting disease, they lose their fingers. Festering wounds on their palms, fingers and toes make their appearance revolting and nauseating. They feel themselves a neglected lot. Government and society should make suitable provisions for these unfortunate victims of leprosy. They deserve sympathy and not hatred. Proper treatment can cure them and make them respectable citizens.
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LONG COMPOSITION (Articles for Newspapers) WORKSHEET–65
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‘CLEAN YOUR CITY’ CAMPAIGN ‘Cleanliness is next to godliness’ is an old adage. It is perhaps most relevant nowadays when environmental pollution is increasing day by day. Prevention is better than cure. Dirt and disease thrive together. Insanitary conditions of the streets not only give the city a filthy and ugly look, they also breed many harmful disease causing bacteria. Our first effort, therefore, is to keep our surroundings clean. People should separate their household solid waste in two parts—biodegradable and non-biodegradable, instead of heaping them together. Proper steps should be taken for garbage disposal. Incinerators should be installed at proper places. The use of biogas and other eco-friendly materials can help to keep the kitchen clean. The ‘clean your city’ campaign launched by the magazine ‘Our Good Earth’ aims at making us conscious of cleanliness of our surroundings. We can keep our environment clean by minimising the harmful gases spewn by the automobiles by sharing the vehicles. The replacement of diesel driven buses by CNG buses will help to reduce the suspended particulate matter in the air. The citizens must become cleanliness conscious.
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BAN CHILD LABOUR Children can be seen working in various jobs which are meant only for adults such as housebuilding activities, factories, industries, shops and restaurants. Factories making bangles, matches, crackers, carpets etc. usually employ child labour. The atmosphere in these factories is not conducive to health. The working conditions are awful and unhealthy. Children are forced to work there for long hours on low wages. This exploitation of child-labour goes on despite several laws banning the employment of children in hazardous industries. The real solution lies in proper implementation of the ban on child labour. Empowered committees should inspect the factories without prior notice and take stringent action against those industrialists who flout the law. Only then child labour can be eliminated. The problems of deprived and exploited children should also be brought to the notice of social workers, general public and parents to build general awareness. An enlightened public can force the greedy factory owners to desist from the profit motive of employing small children in factories.
WORKSHEET–66 1.
HAZARDS OF ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION The Bugle, 23 October 200X (by Pravin Chopra) Environmental pollution is the most dangerous health hazard for the modern generation. Progress in science and technology has resulted in advancement in the fields of industry, transport, medicine and agriculture. Population explosion has increased the population of cities. Urbanisation, industrialisation and rapid transport have resulted in pollution. Our environment is being polluted by different means through air, water, noise and food. Certain species face extermination and humanity is under a great threat. The tall chimneys of factories emit out smoke and pollute the air. The smoke spewed by trucks, buses and other vehicles spreads poisonous gases as well as suspended particulate matter. Consequently city dwellers have become victims of incurable chest related diseases. The noise of machines in factories, vehicles, loudspeakers, etc. has brought deafness to millions. Even the water has become so polluted that fish do not find their survival there.
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Inhaling fresh, pure air has become a thing of the past. Our soil which produces grain, vegetables and fruits has also been polluted by the excessive use of pesticides and chemical fertilizers. The soil pollution is contaminating the rivers along with the rainfall. 2.
ROLE OF YOUTH IN COMBATING CORRUPTION The Yugantar, 25 Nov. 200X (by Mohit Sen) Corruption is rampant in our social and political life. Like cancer it is eating into the vitals of the society. Self-serving politicians and their agents and power brokers can stoop to any extent to feather their own nest. Nobody is free from the needle of suspicion. Corruption seems to rule the roost everywhere. In government offices, it percolates from the top to the bottom. ‘You pay the piper and call the tune’ or ‘Money makes the mare go’ are the unwritten tenets of our administrative-cum-political set up. It seems that the older generation has given the go by to all that was good in India. It is the youth and specially students who have to take cudgels against this demon of corruption and crush it altogether. A beginning can be made in this direction by holding anti-corruption drives. The ill-effects of corruption in public life should be publicised through inter-school declamation and essay-writing contests. Students should take a pledge to resist the temptation of using unfair means in examination. They can also go a step further and persuade their friends, relatives and parents to curb this evil at all cost. The dedicated efforts of honest youth are bound to succeed in the long run in demolishing and vanquishing this social evil which has earned us a bad name.
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MY MOTHER AT SIXTY-SIX (Kamala Das) SOLUTIONS TO WORKSHEETS OF VOL. I WORKSHEET–67
1. (a) The poet was driving from her parent’s home to the Cochin airport. Her mother was sitting beside her. (b) She noticed that her mother was dozing with her mouth open. (c) Her mother’s face looked pale, faded and lifeless like a dead body. (d) (i) doze (ii) corpse (iii) realised. 2. (1) When the poet sees the pale and corpse-like face of her mother, her old familiar pain or the ache returns. Perhaps she has entertained this fear since her childhood. Ageing is a natural process. Time and ageing spare none. Time and ageing have not spared the poet’s mother and may not spare her as well. With this ageing, separation and death become inevitable. (2) The poet is driving to the Cochin airport. When she looks outside, the young trees seem to be walking past them. With the speed of the car they seem to be running fast or sprinting. The poet presents a contrast—her ‘dozing’ old mother and the ‘sprinting’ young trees. (3) The poet has brought in the image of merry children ‘spilling out of their homes’ to present a contrast. The merry children coming out of their homes in large numbers present an image of happiness and spontaneous overflow of life. This image is in stark contrast to the ‘dozing’ old mother, whose ‘ashen’ face looks lifeless and pale like a corpse. She is an image of ageing, decay and passivity. The contrast of the two images enhances the poetic effect.
WORKSHEET–68 1. (a) Her mother was lost somewhere else in thoughts. It pained her. (b) The poet withdrew her thoughts from her mother and looked outside. (c) The young trees growing outside went past as if they were sprinting. Happy children were coming out of their houses. (d) (i) sprinting (ii) merry (iii) spilling. 2. (1) The poet’s mother is sixty-six year old. Her shrunken ‘ashen’ face resembles a corpse. She has lost her shine and strength of youth. Similarly, the late winter’s moon looks hazy and obscure. It too lacks shine and strength. The comparison is quite natural and appropriate. The simile used here is apt as well as effective. (2) The poet’s parting words of assurance and her smiles provide a stark contrast to the old familiar ache or fear of the childhood. Her words and smiles are a deliberate attempt to hide her real feelings. The parting words: “See you soon, Amma” give an assurance to the old lady whose ‘ashen face’ looks like a corpse. Similarly, her continuous smiles are an attempt to overcome the ache and fear inside her heart. (3) The poet was driving from her parent’s home to the Cochin airport. The poet’s mother had come to see her off. She was sitting beside her. She was dozing with her mouth open. The words ‘driving’ and ‘doze’ provide a contrast between images of dynamic activity and static passivity respectively.
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AN ELEMENTARY SCHOOL CLASSROOM IN A SLUM (Stephen Spender) WORKSHEET–69
1. (a) These children are sitting in the school classroom in a slum which is far far away from the winds or waves blowing strongly. (b) The faces of these children look pale. Their uncombed and unkempt hair look like rootless wild plants. (c) The head of the tall girl is weighed down by the burdens of the world. She feels depressed, ill and exhausted. (d) It means that the boy is exceptionally thin, weak and hungry. 2. (1) The colour of ‘sour cream’ is off white. The poet has used this expression to suggest the decaying aspect. The deterioration in the colour of the classroom walls symbolises the pathetic condition of the lives of the scholars—the children of this slum-school. (2) These pictures that decorate the walls hold a stark contrast with the world of these underfed, poverty-stricken, slum children living in cramped dark holes, obstacles hamper their physical and mental development and at best their growth is stunted. The pictures on the wall suggest beauty, well-being, progress and prosperity—a world of sunshine and warmth of love. (3) The poet wants the people in authority to realise their responsibility towards the children of the slums. All sort of social injustice and class inequalities be ended by breaking the obstacles that confine the slum children to their ugly and filthy surroundings. Let them study and learn to express themselves freely. Then they will share the fruit of progress and prosperity and their lives will change for the better.
WORKSHEET–70 1. (a) The colour of the classroom walls is ‘sour cream’ or off white. This colour suggests the decaying aspect and pathetic condition of the lives of the children in a slum-school. (b) The walls of the classroom have pictures of Shakespeare, buildings with domes, world maps and beautiful valleys. (c) The poet hints at two worlds: the world of poverty, misery and malnutrition of the slums where children are underfed, weak and have stunted growth. The other world is of progress and prosperity peopled by the rich and the powerful. The pictures on the wall suggesting happiness, richness, well being and beauty are in stark contrast to the dim and dull slums. (d) (i) ‘Open handed-map’ suggests the map of the world drawn at will by powerful people/ dictators like Hitler. (ii) ‘Awarding the world its world’ suggests how the conquerors and dictators award and divide the world according to their whims. This world is the world of the rich and important people. 2. (1) He uses the images of despair and disease to describe the miserable and pathetic lives of the children living in slums. The faces of these children are pale and lifeless. They and their hair are like ‘rootless weeds’. The burden of life makes them sit with their head ‘weighed down’. The stunted growth is depicted by ‘the paper-seeming boy’ and ‘the stunted unlucky heir of twisted bones’. Their weak bodies recite their fathers’ ‘gnarled disease’.
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(2) The burden of poverty and disease crushes the bodies of these slum children but not their souls. They still have dreams. Even their foggy future has not crushed all their hopes. They dream of open seas, green fields and about the games that a squirrel plays in the tree room. (3) In this poem Stephen Spender deals with the theme of social injustice and class inequalities. He presents the theme by talking of two different and incompatible worlds. The world of the rich and the ‘civilized’ has nothing to do with the world of narrow lanes and cramped holes. The gap between these two worlds highlights social disparities and class inequalities.
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KEEPING QUIET (Pablo Neruda) WORKSHEET–71
1. (a) The name of the poem is ‘Keeping Quiet’. The poet is Pablo Neruda. (b) The people of the world have been indulging in wars and bloodsheds on minor excuses. If they keep quiet, they may not indulge in reasoning, disputes and quarrels. So let them keep quiet and not speak in any language. This will ensure peace. (c) We should cease all activities for a second. Man has used his arms only to kill and destroy others. Therefore, let them not move their arms so much as to harm others. (d) ‘The face of the Earth’ refers to the various countries on the surface of the earth. 2. (1) Counting up to twelve takes very short time. Keeping still for this brief interval of time gives us a momentary pause to introspect and review the course of action. It is generally observed that most of the ills and troubles of the world are caused by our rush or hurry. Violence is caused by anger. Keeping quiet and still will give us necessary respite and ensure peace. (2) No, he doesn’t advocate either total inactivity or death. He makes it quite clear that ‘stillness’ should not be confused with ‘total inactivity’ or equated to it. Total inactivity brings death. But Neruda has ‘no truck with death’. His stillness means halting of harmful and hostile human activities. (3) Man’s sadness is formed out of his own actions and thinking. It is quite ironical that man who understands so much fails to understand himself and his action. Rash actions prove harmful and disastrous. His rush and hurry causes trouble. Man is the creator of all disasters. He is always threatening himself with death because of his thoughts and actions. This is the tragedy of his life.
WORKSHEET–72 1. (a) The name of the poem is ‘Keeping Quiet’. The poet is Pablo Neruda. (b) There will be peace all around if there is no rush or the sound of the running of engines and machines. (c) It will be a very enticing and beautiful moment. (d) All of us will enjoy the unusualness and sudden strangeness of that moment. 2. (1) The poet wants to prove that there can be life under apparent stillness. The poet invokes the earth as a living symbol to prove his point. The earth never attains total inactivity. Nature remains at work even under apparent stillness. It keeps earth alive. This idea is beautifully illustrated by the following lines:
“as when everything seems dead and later proves to be alive.” (2) Stillness is essential for calm reflection and quiet introspection. We hear the voice of conscience in moments of silence. The poet is convinced that most of human ills and miseries are caused by man’s hurry and rush to do things. The poet wishes that we may withdraw from our undesirable actions and keep still for a moment.
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(3) People of the world speak in different languages. They indulge in unnecessary debates and disputes. Most of these arguments lead to destructive wars. The poet urges people to stop speaking in any language. They must speak through their hearts. So far men have moved their arms only to harm others. The poet wants that they should not move their arms so much. Let these arms rest for once. Let a feeling of mutual understanding be created among human beings.
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A THING OF BEAUTY ( John Keats) WORKSHEET–73
1. (a) A thing of beauty is the source of constant joy. Its beauty goes on increasing. It will never pass into nothingness. (b) A bower is a pleasant place in the shade under a tree. It protects persons/animals from the hot rays of the sun. (c) It provides us a sound sleep, full of sweet dreams, health and peaceful breathing. (d) (i) loveliness (ii) nothingness (iii) quiet. 2. (1) Everything of nature is a thing of beauty and a source of pleasure. Some of them are: the sun, the moon, old and young trees, daffodil flowers, small streams with clear water, mass of ferns and the blooming musk-roses. All of them are things of beauty. They are constant sources of joy and pleasure. (2) Many things cause us suffering and pain. Malice and disappointment are the biggest source of our suffering. Another one is the lack of noble qualities. Our unhealthy and evil ways also give birth to so many troubles and sufferings. They dampen our spirits. They act as a pall of sadness on our lives. (3) Keats is a lover of beauty. He employs his senses to discover beauty. The link of man with nature is eternal. The things of beauty are like wreaths of beautiful flowers. We seem to weave a flowery band everyday. It keeps us attached to the beauties of this earth.
WORKSHEET–74 1. (a) We are weaving a flowery wreath to bind us to the beauties of the earth. (b) We possess the evil qualities of malice and disappointment. We suffer from the lack of noble qualities and unhealthy and evil ways. (c) It means in spite of all the evils mentioned above. (d) (i) spite (ii) despondence (iii) gloomy. 2. (1) There are many things that bring us troubles and sufferings. They dampen our spirits. However, ‘some shape of beauty’ brings love and happiness in our lives in spite of such unpleasant things. A thing of beauty removes the pall of sadness and sufferings. It makes us love life. (2) The mighty dead were very powerful and dominating persons during their own times. Their achievements made them ‘mighty’ and great. Their noble works dazzle our eyes. We imagine that such mighty dead forefathers will attain more grandeur on the doomsday. Hence ‘grandeur’ is associated with the ‘mighty dead’. (3) We feel happy by coming into contact with things of beauty. They make a lasting impression on us. Keats makes it clear at the outset. A thing of beauty is a joy forever. It is a constant source of joy. Its beauty never declines or diminishes. Its loveliness goes on increasing every moment. Its value remains undiminished. It never passes into nothingness. It removes the pall of sadness that covers our dark spirits.
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A ROADSIDE STAND (Robert Frost) WORKSHEET–75
1. (a) The roadside stand was located at one side of the road. A little old house was extended and a new shed was constructed in front to open it. (b) It pleaded/begged in the most humble way. (c) It would not be fair to say that the stand was set up for a dole of bread. (d) The real aim of running the shed was to earn some money from the city people who passed from there. 2. (1) The following lines bring out the complaining attitude of the city folk who drove through the countryside: (i) ‘.................... then out of sorts At having the landscape marred with the artless paint.’ (ii) ‘Of signs that with N turned wrong and S turned wrong.’ Their complaint was that the artless and clumsy paint painted on the roadside stand spoiled the beauty of the whole landscape. They were also irritated that even signs like N and S were turned wrong. (2) The folk who had put up the roadside stand pleaded pathetically for some customers to come as they wanted to earn money from them. City folk used to pass that way. They wanted some of them to stop and buy something from them. It was with this intention that the roadside stand had been put up. (3) The government and the party in power were quite indifferent to the welfare of the poor rural people. Nor were the other social service agencies doing any good to them. The words and phrases showing their double standard are: ‘greedy good-doers’, ‘beneficent beasts of prey’, ‘swarm over their lives’, ‘enforcing benefits’, ‘calculated’, ‘to soothe them out of their wits’.
WORKSHEET–76 1. (a) The traffic passed by the roadside stand without stopping there. The vehicles drove past ahead. (b) The building was painted clumsily. The sight of this building with the artless paint spoilt the landscape. It irritated a person who stopped there. (c) The signs with the letters ‘N’ and ‘S’ were turned wrong. (d) (i) polished (ii) traffic (iii) marred (iv) artless. 2. (1) The poet thinks that the persons who are running the roadside stand, suffer from a childish longing. They are always expecting customers and waiting for their prospective customers. They keep their windows open to attract them. They become sad when no one turns up. They are always waiting to hear the squeal of brakes, the sound of a stopping car. But all their efforts go in vain. (2) The poet feels that all the pains from which the poor rural people suffer must be removed at one stroke. The following lines express his feelings:
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(3) An old house was extended out with a little new shed. In the front, at one side of the road, a roadside stand was set up. It was on a busy road. The city folk driving through the countryside passed in front of it. The stand had been set up to attract the city folk as customers. It was hoped that the stand would bring some cash.
WORKSHEET–77 1. (a) (b) (c) (d)
The poem is ‘A Roadside Stand’. The poet is Robert Frost. The place offers a beautiful mountain scene for staying there if one had money. One should keep one’s money and move ahead. (i) mean (ii) hurt (iii) trusting.
2. (1) The people who ran the roadside stand wanted to attract the city folk as customers, expected some of the traffic to stop there. They looked forward to their prospective customers for earning some money. But very few obliged them. Hence, they didn’t get the money which they had expected to earn from their customers. (2) Money is very important. It is money that makes the world run. The flow of money and the cash supports all the development in the city. It supports the best things of cities from sinking and being destroyed. It was hoped that the roadside stand would get some of the money or the cash that flowed in cities. (3) ‘The polished traffic’ of the rich and the refined generally didn’t stop at the roadside stand. They passed with a mind to go ahead. If at all, some of them stopped there, they were not impressed with the place. They felt irritated at the clumsy paint of the building. They were out of sorts at the sight of signs ‘N’ and ‘S’ turned wrong.
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AUNT JENNIFER’S TIGERS (Adrienne Rich) WORKSHEET–78
1. (a) (b) (c) (d)
The poem is ‘Aunt Jennifer’s Tigers’. The poet is Adrienne Rich. They are jumping across a screen or a wall. They look like shining yellow topaz. They live in green forests. They are fearless. They don’t fear the men under the tree. (i) prance (ii) denizens (iii) chivalric.
2. (1) Like all beasts of prey, the tigers are the denizens of forest. They live far away from human settlements. They are called ‘chivalric.’ This indicates the majestic and honourable position that they occupy in the world of animals. So the use of the words ‘denizens’ and ‘chivalric’ adds to our understanding of the tigers’ attitudes. (2) Aunt Jennifer is weaving tigers on the panel. Her hands are moving about her wool. She is finding the needle quite hard to pull. The weight of years of her married life is lying heavy on her hand. This makes the pulling of the neddle so hard. (3) It suggests the weight of the harsh and difficult experience of Aunt Jennifer’s married life. The image is quite suggestive. The wedding band is symbolic. It represents the unbreakable bond of marriage between the husband and the wife.
WORKSHEET–79 1. (a) (b) (c) (d)
Aunt Jennifer’s fingers were fluttering through her wool. She was finding even the ivory needle hard to pull. The weight of Uncle’s wedding band was lying heavily on her hand. (i) fluttering (ii) massive (iii) band.
2. (1) In the third stanza, the poet refers to Aunt Jennifer’s ‘terrified hands’. The old unhappy memories are still fresh in her mind. She had passed through many testing and horrible times during her married life. These ordeals crushed and suppressed her. Their effect is still visible. So she is still ringed with those ordeals that dominated her life. (2) The poem addresses the experience of marriage in the midst of constriction. The word ‘ringed’ is significant. It suggests that the vicious grip or her unhappy married life is still holding her tightly. The word ‘ringed’ has been used in two ways. First is the conventional use. Here ring is a symbol of the sacred bond of marriage. The other is the figurative use of ‘ringed’. It means encircled or surrounded. (3) The tigers are ‘prancing’. They pace in ‘sleek chivalric certainty’. They ‘do not fear’ the men beneath the tree. Thus they are symbols of strength, fierceness and beauty. Aunt Jennifer, on the other hand, is weak and terrified. Her hands are finding it difficult to pull through her wool. The massive weight of the wedding band sits heavily on her hand. Her terrified hands are still ringed by the ordeal that crushed her during her married life. The contrast heightens the intensity.
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THE LAST LESSON (Alphonse Daudet) WORKSHEET–80
1. That day Franz was expected to be prepared with participles because M. Hamel had said that he would question them on participles. Franz did not know anything about participles. 2. Usually, when school began, there was a great bustle, which could be heard out in the street. But it was all very still that day. Everything was as quiet as Sunday morning. There was no opening or closing of desks. His classmates were already in their places. The teacher’s great ruler instead of rapping on the table, was under M. Hamel’s arm. 3. For the last two years all the bad news had come from the bulletin-board. An order had come from Berlin to teach only German in the schools of Alsace and Lorraine. The Germans had put up this notice on the bulletin-board. 4. M. Hamel had put on his best dress—his beautiful green coat, his frilled shirt and the little black silk cap, all embroidered. The whole school seemed so strange and solemn. On the back benches that were always empty, the elderly village people were sitting quietly like the kids. 5. Franz came to know that it was the last lesson in French that M. Hamel would give them. From the next day they will be taught only German. Then he felt sorry for not learning his lessons properly. His books, which seemed a nuisance and a burden earlier were now old friends. His feelings about M. Hamel also changed. He forgot all about his ruler and how cranky he was.
WORKSHEET–81 1. Mother tongue helps a person to express his feelings and thoughts most lucidly and intimately. Conquerors try to subdue and control the people of the enslaved territory by enforcing many measures such as use of force to crush dissent and imposing their own language on them. From time immemorial the victorious nations have imposed their own language on the conquered people and taken away their own language from them. The Romans conquered many parts of Europe and replaced the local languages by their own language—Latin. Later on Spanish, Portuguese, Italian and French developed from Latin. The Muslim invaders imposed Arabic and Persian in the countries of Asia overpowered by them. In many Arab countries the local religion and language have disappeared. In India, a new language Urdu developed from the mixture of Persian and Hindi. 2. The linguistic minority in any state is easily marked and faces the same discrimination as the religious, social or ethnic minorities. There is, however, a pronounced difference in the treatment meted out and the level of acceptance displayed by the majority community in that region/city. Some cities like Delhi, Mumbai are cosmopolitan in outlook. The linguistic minority tries to preserve its identity through an intimate contact, interaction and preservation of their language in social get togethers, family functions and festivals of their own region. Adherence to social customs and traditions in family gatherings/group meetings of women also promote the unity between members of the linguistic minority. In short, they create a mini-Punjab in Bengaluru, mini-Chennai in Mumbai, mini-Bengaluru in Delhi and mini-Surat in Kolkata.
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WORKSHEET–82 1. M. Hamel told the students and villagers that henceforth only German would be taught in the schools of Alsace and Lorraine. Those who called themselves Frenchmen would neither be able to speak nor write it. He praised French as the most beautiful, the clearest and most logical language in the world. He said that for the enslaved people, their language was the key to their prison. Then the people realised how precious their language was to them. This shows people’s love for their own culture, traditions and country. Pride in one’s language reflects pride in motherland. 2. This comment of Franz shows a Frenchman’s typical reaction to the imposition of learning German, the language of the conquerors. Being deprived of the learning of mother tongue would mean cutting off all bonds with the motherland. Teaching the pigeons to sing in German indicates how far the Germans would go in their attempts of linguistic chauvinism. 3. Franz was afraid of being scolded that day especially because M. Hamel, the teacher, had said that he would question them on participles. Franz frankly admits that he was totally ignorant about the topic. His exact words are: “I did not know the first word about them.” Secondly, he had started for school very late that morning. 4. There was a bulletin-board near the town-hall. When Franz passed by it, he noticed a crowd there. He did not stop to look at it. He wondered what could be the matter then. For the last two years they had received all the bad news from the bulletin-board—the lost battle, conscription and the orders of the commanding officer. 5. Usually, when the school began, there was a great bustle. The noise could be heard out in the school. Students opened and closed their desks. They repeated the lessons together very loudly. They kept their hands over their ears to understand better. The teacher would go on rapping the table with his great iron ruler.
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LOST SPRING (Anees Jung) WORKSHEET–83
1. Saheb is looking for gold in the garbage dumps. He is in the neighbourhood of the author. Saheb has come from Bangladesh. He came with his mother in 1971. His house was set amidst the green fields of Dhaka. Storms swept away their fields and homes. So they left it. 2. One explanation offered by the author is that it is a tradition to stay barefoot. It is not lack of money. She wonders if this is only an excuse to explain away a perpetual state of poverty. She also remembers the story of a poor body who prayed to the goddess for a pair of shoes. 3. No, Saheb is not happy working at the tea-stall. He is no longer his own master. His face has lost the carefree look. The steel canister seems heavier than the plastic bag he would carry so lightly over his shoulder. The bag was his. The canister belongs to the man who owns the teashop. 4. The city of Firozabad is famous for its bangles. Every other family in Firozabad is engaged in making bangles. It is the centre of India’s glass-blowing industry. Families have spent generations working around furnaces, welding glass, making bangles for the women in the land. 5. Boys and girls with their fathers and mothers sit in dark hutments, next to lines of flames of flickering oil lamps. They weld pieces of coloured glass into circles of bangles. Their eyes are more adjusted to the dark than to the light outside. They often end up losing eyesight before they become adults. Even the dust from polishing the glass of bangles is injurious to eyes. Many workers have become blind. The furnaces have very high temperature.
WORKSHEET–84 1. Mukesh is the son of a poor bangle-maker of Firozabad. Most of the young men of Firozabad have no initiative or ability to dream, but Mukesh is an exception. He has the capacity to take courage and break from the traditional family occupation. He has strong will power also. He does not want to be a pawn in the hands of the middlemen or moneylenders. He insists on being his own master by becoming a motor mechanic. He can realise his dream by joining a garage and learn the job of repairing cars and driving them. He will have to overcome many hurdles before he succeeds. Then comes transport problem. Money is the first one. He will have to earn some money himself. The garage is a long way from his home. He will have to cover it twice everyday anyhow—by walking on foot. Patience, hardwork, firm will and the determination to learn will help him realise his dream. 2. The glass bangles industry has many health hazards. It usually employs small children. It is illegal to employ very young children in hazardous industries, but certain forces like middlemen, moneylenders, police and politicians combine to entrap the poor workers. Let us first consider the places where bangle makers work. It is a cottage industry. They work in the glass furnaces with high temperatures. The dingy cells are without air and light. Boys and girls work hard during day next to lines of flames of flickering oil lamps. They weld pieces of coloured glass into circles of bangles. Their eyes are more adjusted to the dark than to the light outside. That is why they often end up losing their eyesight before they become adults. Glass blowing, welding and soldering pieces of glass are all health hazards. Even the dust from polishing the glass of bangles adversely affects the eyes and even adults go blind. Thus the surroundings, prevailing conditions and the types of job involved–all prove risky to the health of the workers.
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WORKSHEET–85 1. Mukesh’s grandmother thinks that a God-given lineage can never be broken. Her son and grandsons are born in the caste of bangle makers. They have seen nothing but bangles. Mukesh’s father has taught them what he knows—the art of making bangles. Mukesh wants to be a motor mechanic. He will go to a garage and learn, though the garage is far away from his home. 2. People migrate from villages to cities in search of livelihood. Their fields fail to provide them means of survival. Cities provide employment, jobs or other means of getting food. The problem in case of the poor is to feed the hungry members. Survival is of primary importance. 3. The promises made to the poor are rarely kept. The author asks Saheb half-joking, if he will come to school she starts. Saheb agrees to do so. A few days later he asks if the school is ready. The writer feels embarrassed at having made a promise that was not meant. Promises like hers abound in every corner of their bleak world. 4. Certain forces conspire to keep the workers in bangle industry of Firozabad in poverty. These include the moneylenders, the middlemen, the policemen, the keepers of law, the bureaucrats and the politicians. Together they impose a heavy burden on the child. 5. Saheb was a young boy of school-going age. He was looking for gold in the garbage dumps of the big city. He had left his home in Dhaka, Bangladesh and came to the big city in search of living. He has nothing else to do but pick rags.
WORKSHEET–86 1. Child labour should be eliminated because the children employed at tender age as domestic servants, dish-washers at road-side dhabas and in hazardous industries making glass bangles, biris, crackers etc. lose the charm of the spring of their life. Their childhood is stolen. Burdened by the responsibility of work, they become adults too soon. Most of them are undernourished, ill-fed, uneducated, and poor. They have a stunted growth. Child labour can be eliminated only through concerted efforts on the part of government agencies, NGOs (Non-Government Organizations), co-operative societies and political leaders. Mere passing of law will not help. Laws should be enacted faithfully. The children thrown out of work should be rehabilitated and given proper food, clothes, education and pocket money. Their feelings, thoughts and emotions should be respected. Let them enjoy sunshine and fresh air. 2. Poor rag-pickers like Saheb spend the early years of their lives looking for gold in garbage dumps. The parents of these street children have no fixed income. They wage war against poverty and hunger. They have no dreams except finding the means of survival. Garbage to them is gold. It is the source of their daily bread and provides a roof over their heads. He ends up as a servant at a tea-stall and loses his freedom. Mukesh, the son of a poor bangle-maker of Firozabad, has a dream of becoming a motor mechanic. He also wants to learn to drive a car. He thinks of joining a garage to fulfil his dream. He knows that the garage is far away, yet he has decided to walk. He realises the reality and is willing to overcome the obstacles. His daring to rise and decision to get free from the trap laid by vicious moneylenders and middlemen arouses a sense of hope. Deprived of education, proper food and upbringing, these children are forced into labour early in life.
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DEEP WATER (William O. Douglas) WORKSHEET–87
1. William O. Douglas had just learnt swimming. One day, an eighteen year old big bruiser picked him up and tossed him into the nine feet deep end of the Y.M.C.A. pool. He hit the water surface in a sitting position. He swallowed water and went at once to the bottom. He nearly died in this misadventure. 2. Douglas was frightened when he was thrown into the pool. However, he was not frightened out of his wits. While sinking down he made a plan. He would make a big jump when his feet hit the bottom. He would come to the surface like a cork, lie flat on it, and paddle to the edge of the pool. 3. This experience revived his aversion to water. He shook and cried when he lay on his bed. He couldn’t eat that night. For many days, there was a haunting fear in his heart. The slightest exertion upset him, making him wobbly in the knees and sick to his stomach. He never went back to the pool. He feared water and avoided it whenever he could. 4. His fear of water ruined his fishing trips. It deprived him of the joy of canoeing, boating, and swimming. Douglas used every way he knew to overcome this fear he had developed since childhood. Even as an adult, it held him firmly in its grip. He determined to get an instructor and learn swimming to get over this fear of water. 5. The instructor built a swimmer out of Douglas piece by piece. For three months he held him high on a rope attached to his belt. He went back and forth across the pool. Panic seized the author everytime. The instructor taught Douglas to put his face under water and exhale and to raise his nose and inhale. Then Douglas had to kick with his legs for many weeks till these relaxed. After seven months the instructor told him to swim the length of the pool.
WORKSHEET–88 1. I must have been about eight or nine year old. It was the night of Diwali. All the houses were shining bright with the rows of candles, oil lamps and electric bulbs. Children were bursting crackers. Suddenly a cracker went up and hit the thatched roof of a poor gardener. Soon the hut was in flames. His only son, a tiny infant had severe burns before he could be rescued. I began to tremble with fear as the police questioned the boys exploding crackers. From then on I had a fear of crackers, fire and police. My parents and I had to work very hard to remove this blemish. It was adversely affecting my personality. By learning the safeguards against fire and safe handling of crackers, I gradually overcame my fear. However, I still panicked at the sight of a policeman in uniform. The fear of police remained now. My uncle came to my rescue. He got me dressed as a police inspector in one of his plays. I commanded many policemen and scolded them for misbehaving with the common people. I learnt that policemen were also humans and not demons. Police protected and helped us to maintain law and order. Thank God, I have overcome all my fears now. 2. In his autobiography Long Walk to Freedom, Nelson Mandela tells the extraordinary story of his life. He brings vividly to life the escalating political warfare in the fifties between the African National Congress and the government, culminating in his dramatic escapades as an underground leader and the notorious Rivonia Trial of 1964, at which he was sentenced to life imprisonment. He recounts the surprisingly eventful twenty-seven years in prison and the complex, delicate negotiations that led both to his freedom and to the beginning of the end of
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apartheid. Mandela also struggled against the exploitation of labour and on the segregation of the universities. He persevered to achieve his mission and to liberate the oppressed and the oppressor. In 1990, he was freed from prison. The apartheid laws were relaxed. Mandela became the champion for human rights and racial equality. He also became the first non-white president of the Republic of South Africa.
WORKSHEET–89 1. Douglas still felt terror-stricken when he was alone in the pool. The remnants of the old terror would return, but he would rebuke it and go for another length of the pool. He was still not satisfied. So he went to Lake Wentworth in New Hampshire, dived off a dock at Triggs Island and swam two miles across the lake. He had his residual doubts. So he went to Meade Glacier, dived into Warm Lake and swam across to the other shore and back. Thus he made sure that he had conquered the old terror. 2. Douglas gives a detailed account of his feelings and efforts to save himself from getting drowned. He uses literary devices to make the description graphic and vivid. For example, ‘Those nine feet were more like ninety’, ‘My lungs were ready to burst.’ ‘I came up slowly, I opened my eyes and saw nothing but water..... I grew panicky’..... ‘I was suffocating. I tried to yell, but no sound came out!’ 3. When Douglas grew up, he took the help of an instructor to learn swimming. His training went on from October to April. For three months he was taken across the pool with the help of a rope. As he went under, terror filled him and his legs froze. The instructor taught him to exhale under water and inhale through raised nose. He made him kick his legs to make them relax. Then he asked him to swim. He continued swimming from April to July. Still all terror had not left. He swam two miles across Lake Wentworth and the whole length to the shore and back of Warm Lake. Then he overcame his fear of water. 4. The experience of terror was a handicap Douglas suffered from during his childhood. His conquering of it shows his determination, will power and development of his personality. He drew a larger meaning from this experience. “In death there is peace.” “There is terror only in the fear of death.” He had experienced both the sensation of dying and the terror that fear of it can produce. So the will to live somehow grew in intensity. He felt released–free to walk the mountain paths, climb the peaks and brush aside fear. 5. Douglas was ten or eleven year old when he decided to learn swimming. He could swim in the Yakima River or the Y.M.C.A. pool at Yakima. The Yakima River was dangerous. Many persons had drowned in it. So he chose the Y.M.C.A. pool. It was considered safe.
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THE RATTRAP (Selma Lagerlöf ) WORKSHEET–90
1. The peddler had been thinking of his rattraps when suddenly he was struck by the idea that the whole world was nothing but a big rattrap. It existed only to set baits for people. It offered riches and joys, shelter and food, heat and clothing in the same manner as the rattrap offered cheese and pork. As soon as someone let himself be tempted to touch the bait, it closed in on him, and then everything came to an end. 2. His own life was sad and monotonous. He walked laboriously from place to place. The world had never been kind to him. So, during his gloomy ploddings, this idea became his favourite pastime. He was amused how people let themselves be caught in the dangerous snare and how others were still circling around the bait. 3. The crofter served him porridge for supper and tobacco for his pipe. He also played a game of cards with him till bed time. This hospitality was unexpected as people usually made sour faces when the peddler asked for shelter. 4. The crofter’s circumstances and temperament made him so talkative and friendly with the peddler. Since he had no wife or child, he was happy to get someone to talk to in his loneliness. Secondly, he was quite generous with his confidence. 5. The crofter had told the peddler that by supplying his cow’s milk to the creamery, he had received thirty kronor in payment. The peddler seemed to doubt it. So, in order to assure his guest of the truth he showed the thirty kronor to the peddler.
WORKSHEET–91 1. The peddler wins our sympathy for his way of life and how the world treats him. It is an admitted fact that the underdog always runs away with sympathy, so does the peddler with the rattraps. He begs the material like wire for his rattraps. His business not being specially profitable, he resorts to begging and petty thievery to keep body and soul together. His life is sad and monotonous. He plods along the road lost in his own meditation. The world has never been very kind to him and he feels happy in calling it a rattrap. Whenever he asks shelter for the night, he meets sour faces. He is an unwelcome, unwanted and undesirable figure. The blacksmiths at forge glance at him only casually and indifferently. The master blacksmith nods a haughty consent without honouring him with a single word. The old and lonely crofter finds him an enjoyable company. The ironmaster mistakes him for an old regimental comrade. Only Edla Willmansson behaves with him in a kind, friendly manner. Her nice treatment arouses the tramp’s goodness. He redeems himself by returning the stolen money and wins our admiration. Thus we see that the sympathy is not only well earned but well justified as well. 2. There are at least three characters in the story who suffer from loneliness and express the need to bond with others. They represent three strata of the human society as well. The peddler with the rattraps, the old crofter and the ironmaster all suffer from loneliness. The peddler is called a tramp, a vagabond and stranger at various points of the story. He moves wearily from one place to the other. He is lost in his own thoughts. He seeks shelter for night and people look at him with sour faces. Even the blacksmiths look haughtily at him and nod consent. The old crofter suffers from loneliness as he has neither wife nor child with him. The cow which supports him is no company. Hence he feels happy when he gets the peddler to talk to in his loneliness.
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The Ironmaster is also lonely in his manor-house. His wife Elizabeth has died and his sons are abroad. There is no one at home except his oldest daughter and himself. His requests to Captain Von Stahle to accompany him show his need for human bonding. He admits frankly that they didn’t have any company for Christmas. The stranger turns down the request not because he is against bonding with others but because he fears being caught with stolen money.
WORKSHEET–92 1. No, the peddler did not respect the confidence reposed in him by the crofter. At the first opportunity that he got, he smashed the window pane, took out the money and hung the leather pouch back in its place. Then he went away. 2. The peddler realised that he must not walk on the public highway with the stolen money in his pocket. He went into the woods. He kept walking without coming to the end of the wood. Then he realised that he had fallen in the rattrap. He had let himself befooled by a bait and had been caught. 3. The ironmaster walked closely up to the peddler. In the uncertain reflection from the furnace, he mistook the man as his old regimental comrade, Captain Von Stahle. He addressed the stranger as Nils Olof, spoke very kindly and invited him home. 4. The peddler knew that the ironmaster had mistaken him for his old regimental comrade. Secondly, he had the stolen money—thirty kronor—on him. Going to the ironmaster’s residence would be like entering the lion’s den. So he declined the invitation. 5. Miss Edla Willmansson looked at the peddler quite compassionately. She noticed that the man was afraid. She assured him that he would be allowed to leave just as freely as he came. She requested him to stay with them over Christmas Eve. Her friendly manner made the peddler feel confidence in her and accept her invitation.
WORKSHEET–93 1. Yes, I know how the kindness of a Bishop transformed a hard-hearted beastly convict into a man again with faith in God and human values. The story is presented in the form of a famous play ‘The Bishop’s Candlesticks’. The Bishop provides food and shelter at midnight to a runaway convict who threatens him with a knife. Long years of imprisonment and harsh treatment in the prisonship has transformed the man into beast and he is devoid of all human feelings now. The convict runs away with the Bishop’s silver candlesticks, but is caught by the police. In order to save the convict from further punishment and torture, the Bishop tells the police officer that the fellow is his friend and he had himself given him the candlesticks. This kind act of the Bishop melts the hard heart of the convict. He sobs and weeps. He promises to be a man again. 2. The story entertains us by providing glimpses into human nature and how people react to various situations. The actions of the peddler after stealing thirty kronor are quite amusing. The reactions of the blacksmiths to the tramp’s request for shelter show how casual and indifferent human beings can be. The U-turn in the ironmaster’s attitude towards the stranger reveal how selfish and ignorant human beings can be. Mistaking the vagabond for his old regimental comrade, whom he thinks he has run across unexpectedly, he asks the stranger to accompany him home and spend Christmas with them. When the stranger refuses to go with him, the Ironmaster sends his daughter. With her better persuasive power she makes him follow her. The ironmaster is annoyed on seeing the stranger in broad daylight. But instead of realising his own mistake, he puts the blame on the man. He talks of handing him over to the Sheriff.
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The metaphor of the world being a rattrap saves the situation for the tramp, but the ironmaster wants to turn him out. His daughter’s comments are quite entertaining and philosophical. She wants the tramp to enjoy a day of peace. Secondly, she does not want to chase away a person whom they had invited home and had promised Christmas cheer.
WORKSHEET–94 1. As Edla lifted the peddler’s hat, he jumped up abruptly and seemed to be quite frightened. Even her kind looks, disclosure of her name and purpose of visit failed to calm him. From his fear, she thought that either he had stolen something or he had escaped from jail. 2. Next morning, the stranger was cleaned and well-dressed. The valet had bathed him, cut his hair and shaved him. He was led to the dining room for breakfast. The ironmaster saw him in broad daylight. It was impossible to mistake him for an old acquaintance now. The ironmaster realized his mistake and threatened to call the Sheriff. 3. The peddler explained that he had not tried to pretend as his acquaintance. He was not at fault. All along he had maintained that he was a poor trader. He had pleaded and begged to be allowed to stay in the forge. No harm had been done by his stay. He was willing to put on his rags again and go away. 4. Edla did not think it proper on their part to chase away a human being whom they had asked to come to their house and had promised him Christmas cheer. She understood the reality of the peddler’s life and wanted him to enjoy a day of peace with them. Hence she still entertained the peddler even after knowing the truth about him. 5. As soon as Edla opened the package of the gift, the contents came into view. She found a small rattrap with three wrinkled ten kronor notes and a letter addressed to her. The peddler wanted to be nice in return as she had been so nice to him all day long. He did not want her to be embarrassed at the Christmas season by a thief.
WORKSHEET–95 1. The theme of the story is that most human beings are prone to fall into the trap of material benefit. However, every human being has an essential goodness that can be awakened through understanding and love. A human being has the tendency to redeem himself from dishonest ways. The theme is developed with the help of the metaphor of the rattrap. The peddler of rattraps calls the world a big rattrap. The material benefits like riches and joys, shelter and food, heat and clothing are temptations that allure a person to fall into the rattrap of the world exactly as the bait of cheese and pork attract a rat to fall into the rattrap. Once someone takes the bait, the world closes in on him and then everything is lost. The peddler is tempted by the thirty kronors of the old crofter. He steals the money. Now he is afraid of being caught and moves through the woods. It is the kind, sympathetic, loving and generous treatment given by Edla Willmansson that helps him get himself free from the rattrap of the world. 2. Having robbed his generous host, the peddler felt quite pleased with his smartness. He did not feel any qualms of conscience that he had abused the confidence reposed in him by the crofter. The selfish wretch thought only of his own safety. He realised the danger of being caught by the police with the stolen thirty kronor on his person. Hence, he decided to discontinue walking on the public highway and turn off the road, into the woods.
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During the first few hours the woods caused him no difficulty. Later on, it became worse as it was a big and confusing forest. The paths twisted back and forth. He kept on walking but did not come to the end of the wood. He realised that he had only been walking around in the same part of the forest. The forest closed in upon him like an impenetrate prison from which he could never escape. The reaction of the peddler highlights the predicament of human nature. Temptations lead to evil. The fruits of evil seem pleasant at first, but they deprive man of his goodness and push him into the maze of the world which holds a vice-like grip on him.
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INDIGO (Louis Fischer) WORKSHEET–96
1. (a) (ii) a politician (iii) a delegate (b) (ii) physically strong
(iv) a landlord.
2. He had come all the way from Champaran district in the foothills of Himalayas to Lucknow to speak to Gandhi. Shukla accompanied Gandhi everywhere. Shukla followed him to the ashram near Ahmedabad. For weeks he never left Gandhi’s side till Gandhi asked him to meet at Calcutta. 3. Shukla led Gandhi to Rajendra Prasad’s house. The servants knew Shukla as a poor yeoman. Gandhi was also clad in a simple dhoti. He was the companion of a peasant. Hence the servants thought Gandhi to be another peasant. 4. Gandhi’s first meeting with Shukla was at Lucknow. Then he went to Cawnpore and other parts of India. He returned to his ashram near Ahmedabad. Later he went to Calcutta, Patna and Muzaffarpur before arriving at Champaran. 5. The peasants paid the British landlords indigo as rent. Now Germany had developed synthetic indigo. So the British landlords wanted money as compensation for being released from the 15 per cent arrangement. The prices of natural Indigo would go down due to the synthetic Indigo.
WORKSHEET–97 1. For the poor of India means of survival are far more important than freedom or legal justice. I don’t think the poor of India are free from fear after Independence.The foreign rulers have been replaced by corrupt politicians and self-serving bureaucracy. Power-brokers and moneylenders have a field day. The situation has improved in cities and towns for the poor but the poor in the remote villages still fear the big farmers and moneylenders. The police and revenue officials are still objects of terror for them. The poor, landless workers have to still work hard to make both ends meet. Peasants and tenant-farmers have to borrow money from rich moneylenders on exorbitant rates of interest, which usually they fail to repay due to failure of monsoon or bad crops. Cases of small farmers committing suicide are quite common. If this is not due to fear, what is the reason behind it? 2. A good leader has a mass appeal. He rises from the masses, thinks for them and works for them. He is sincere in his approach. He is a man of principles, truth, honesty, patriotism, morality, spirit of service and sacrifice are the hallmarks of a good leader. He never mixes politics with religion or sect. He believes in working for the welfare of the nation and does not think in the narrow terms of class, caste or region. Corruption and nepotism are two evils that surround a leader in power. The life of a good leader is an open book. There is no difference between his words and actions. Such good leaders are very rare. What we find today are practical politicians, who think of achieving their end without bothering about the purity of means. The law of expediency gets the better of morality.
WORKSHEET–98 1. Gandhi’s politics was intermingled with the day-to-day problems of the millions of Indians. He opposed unjust laws. He was ready to court arrest for breaking such laws and going to jail. The famous Dandi March to break the ‘salt law’ is another instance. The resistance and disobedience
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was peaceful and a fight for truth and justice. This was linked directly to his ideas of Satyagraha and non-violence. 2. For Gandhi the amount of the refund was less important than the fact that the landlords had been forced to return part of the money, and with it, part of their prestige too. So he agreed to settlement of 25 per cent refund to the farmers. 3. The peasants were saved from spending time and money on court cases. After some years the British planters gave up control of their estates. These now reverted to the peasants. Indigo sharecropping disappeared. 4. The Champaran episode began as an attempt to ease the sufferings of large number of poor peasants. He got spontaneous support of thousands of people. Gandhi admits that what he had done was a very ordinary thing. He declared that the British could not order him about in his own country. Hence he considered the Champaran episode as a turning point in his life. 5. Gandhi asked the lawyers what they would do if he was sentenced to prison. They said that they had come to advise him. If he went to jail, they would go home. Then Gandhi asked them about the injustice to the sharecroppers. The lawyers held consultations. They came to the conclusion that it would be shameful desertion if they went home. So they told Gandhi that they were ready to follow him into jail.
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POETS AND PANCAKES (Asokamitran) WORKSHEET–99
1. By ‘the fiery misery’ the writer means the pain and trouble caused by the heat produced by the so many lights in the make-up room. Those subjected to make-up had to face bright light and lot of heat there. 2. The head of the make-up department was earlier a Bengali. He was succeeded by a Maharashtrian who was assisted by a Dharwar Kannadiga, an Andhra, a Madras Indian Christian, and AngloBurmese and the local Tamils. Thus there were persons belonging to different states, religions and using different languages. 3. The office-boy made-up the players who played the crowd. On the days of crowd-shooting, he mixed his paint in a very big vessel and applied it quickly and noisily on the faces of the crowd players. He had joined the studios in the hope of becoming a star actor or a top screen writer, director or lyrics writer. He was disappointed because he failed to do so and remained only a ‘boy’. 4. The author’s duty was to cut out newspaper clippings on a wide variety of subjects and store them in files. Many of these had to be written out in hand. The onlookers noticed him merely tearing up newspapers. Hence to them he seemed to be doing next to nothing. 5. The office boy was frustrated because in spite of a good opening, he remained only an office boy. He had had a good formal education and was a bit of poet too. But his great literary talent was being allowed to go waste. He showed his anger on Kothamangalam Subbu, the No. 2 at Gemini Studios.
WORKSHEET–100 1. In the early days of the Gemini Studios, film production was a family affair. All the six hundred workers worked as a unit. Most of the films were shot indoors. The cine-cameras and recording system was also in infancy. Today film-production has come a long way from that era. Most of the films are now shot on outdoor locations. Visuals form not only a backdrop but an integral part of the film. There has been a great advance in photography and recording of songs/ dialogues. Dubbing and multi-track recording has made the dialogue delivery and singing foolproof. The freelance star system and multi-star cast have increased production costs. Most of the producers have to borrow finances to complete their productions. 2. The ‘office-boy’ wasn’t exactly a ‘boy’; he was in his early forties. He had entered the studios years ago. He had hoped to become a star actor, a top screen writer, director or lyrics writer. At present he had to slap paint on the faces of the players who played the crowd. He closed every pore on the surface of the face by applying make-up. He felt dissatisfied and disillusioned. He considered the make-up department fit only for barbers and perverts. He felt frustrated that his great literary talent was being allowed to go waste. He was a bit of poet too. He had got good formal education and had an encouraging opening in films. However, in spite of his start, he did not advance an inch from his position as ‘office-boy’. He has shades of universal characters. He is typical specimen representing the youth lured by glitter and glamour of films, struggling hard to make a name and then doomed to frustration.
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WORKSHEET–101 1. Mr S.S. Vasan, the founder of the Gemini Studios was Subbu’s principal. 2. (i) Subbu had the ability to look cheerful at all times. (ii) His sense of loyalty made him turn his entire creativity to his principal’s advantage: Film-making was quite easy with Subbu around. (iii) He was literary inclined too—a poet and novelist. He was an amazing actor. (iv) He had a charitable and loving nature. 3. The lawyer was in the Story Department. He was officially known as the legal adviser. However, his actions did nobody any good. He had unwittingly brought to an end the career of a promising young actress. Hence he was referred to as the opposite by others. 4. It was the lawyer’s dress that made him stand out from the others at Gemini Studios. He wore a pant and a tie and sometimes a coat also. Others put on a khadi dhoti with a slightly oversized and clumsily tailored white khadi shirt. These looked like a uniform. 5. Most of the people at Gemini Studios were Gandhiites and Khadiites, i.e. they wore khadi and worshipped Gandhi, but beyond that they did not have any particular political affiliations. However, they were all averse to communism.
WORKSHEET–102 1. Kothamangalam Subbu was the No. 2 at Gemini Studios. Though officially on the rolls of Story Department, he was always with the Boss. He had the ability to look cheerful at all times. His sense of loyalty made him identify himself with his principal completely. He turned his entire creativity to his advantage. He was tailor-made for films. Film making was quite easy with Subbu around. He could suggest many alternatives to baffled producers. He could be inspired when commanded. He had a literary bent of mind too. He was a poet and had composed several original ‘story poems’. He had also written a novel. His success in films overshadowed and dwarfed his literary achievements. He was an amazing actor also, but confined himself to playing supporting roles. He loved whosoever he met. He was charitable and improvident and played permanent host to dozens of persons. His success was envied by frustrated people like the ‘office-boy’. 2. The staff of Gemini Studios had a nice time hosting two hundred strong Moral Re-Armament army led by Frank Buchman. In fact, MRA could not have found a warmer host in India than the Gemini Studios. They presented two plays—‘Jotham Valley’ and ‘The Forgotten Factor’ in a most professional manner. The message of the plays were usually plain and simple homilies, but the sets and costumes were first rate. These plays ran several shows in Madras. The citizens of the city and Gemini family of 600 saw the plays over and over again. For some years, almost all Tamil plays had a scene of sunrise and sunset in the manner of ‘Jotham Valley’ with a bare stage, a white background curtain and a tune played on the flute. This was the impact of the plays staged by the MRA on Madras in general and the Tamil drama community in particular.
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THE INTERVIEW (Christopher Silvester, Umberto Eco) WORKSHEET–103
1. In its highest form, an interview is a source of truth. In practice, it is an art. Interview is the commonplace of journalism. It is a supremely serviceable medium of communication. 2. Most celebrity writers despise being interviewed because they consider interview as an unwarranted intrusion into their lives. Some of them feel that it somehow diminishes them. 3. In some primitive cultures it is believed that if one takes a photographic portrait of somebody, then one is stealing that person’s soul. 4. The expression “thumbprints on his windpipe” suggests the pressure that causes suffocation and strangulates someone by choking the windpipe. The pressure on the windpipe is so intense that prints of the thumb are visible there. 5. In today’s world, our chief source of information about personalities is the interview. We get most vivid impressions of our contemporaries through interviews.
WORKSHEET–104 1. Yesterday I watched Simi Grewal interviewing the famous cine-star, Amitabh Bachchan on the television. The celebrated actor had received an honorary doctorate from a university in Britain and the highest civil award from France. His wax statue had also been installed in the Tuexedo London museum. Simi Grewal started the interview in her familiar, inimitable style by welcoming the Indian legend–the star of the millennium, greeting him on the shower of latest international awards and recognition and asking him probing questions about the high quality as well as enormous volume of his output even at the age of 64. She cajoled him to share with her audience the secret of his success. She complimented the star and encouraged him to reveal some of his future plans. 2. The medium I like best for an interview is the television. It has both audio and visual effect. It presents the interviewer and interviewee before the audience in their true colours. Usually celebrities accuse the reporters of misquoting them or misreporting them in the print media or the radio. This is not possible when they are face-to-face on the television. Their lip movement and body movement while replying to probing questions are there for all to see. The recording of various expressions coming on the face of the interviewee and his/her gestures and words are the additional advantages that television holds over the print media or the radio. The print media has dull, dry words alongside a picture whereas the radio tries to create the atmosphere by skilful variation of the sound. Both expect a lot of attention from the reader/audience.
WORKSHEET–105 1. I think Umberto Eco likes being interviewed. An Italian novelist giving his assent to an Indian journalist for being interviewed and his frank and detailed answers show that he likes being interviewed. 2. Umberto Eco explains his method of working. He utilises the time available to him to the maximum. He makes use of the interstices or empty spaces in the life. These moments between one action and the other provide him time for creative work.
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3. Umberto Eco’s academic writing style is quite distinctive. It has a certain playful and personal quality about it. It is a marked departure from a regular academic style, which is usually depersonalised and often dry and boring. 4. Umberto Eco considered himself an academic scholar first and a novelist later. He makes his preference clear by saying: “I consider myself a university professor who writes novels on Sundays”. On weekdays he attends academic conferences and does other scholarly, nonfictional work. 5. ‘The Name of the Rose’ is different sort of novel. It is quite serious novel. It is a detective story at one level. But it also probes into metaphysics, theology and medieval history. The reasons for the success of the book, however, remain a mystery.
WORKSHEET–106 1. Interviewers want to present exclusive and intimate details about the famous person they are interviewing. Some interviewers focus on the public life and achievements of the individual only. They try to be objective in their approach as well as assessment. However, there are others who want to make their interviews more spicy and usually cross the thin limit of privacy of the individual. In their zeal to present a good copy they embarrass the famous person with very personal questions, some of which are highly inconvenient for them to answer. Sometimes impact of such questions on the famous person reveals his/her aversion as well as irritation at the silliness of the person at the other hand. If they shout, they are accused of being rude and proud, if they keep mum they are labelled arrogant and charged of having some skeletons in the cupboard. In my opinion, the privacy of an individual must be respected. 2. Although ‘Interview’ as a literary genre is not more than 150 year old, it has become an important tool for the journalists. Several thousand celebrities have been interviewed over the years, and some of them repeatedly. Opinions differ. Some consider it a source of truth and an art. Others despise the interview as an unwarranted intrusion into their lives. The celebrities see themselves as its victims. They feel that it somehow diminishes them. V.S. Naipaul feels that some people are wounded by interviews and lose a part of themselves. Lewis Carroll was said to have had ‘a just horror of the interviewer’. Rudyard Kipling considered interview as an assault. H.G. Wells, who was a fairly frequent interviewee, has referred to ‘the interviewing ordeal.’ Saul Bellow, who was interviewed on several occasions, once described interviews as being like thumbprints on his windpipe. Despite all these drawbacks, interviews help us to learn about our contemporaries and form opinions. In short, interviews act like mirrors to reflect the personality of the interviewee.
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GOING PLACES (A.R. Barton) WORKSHEET–107
1. Sophie and Jansie would soon pass out of their school. Only a few months were left. Jansie knew very well that both of the them were earmarked for biscuit factory. Sophie had wild dreams about her career. Jansie was a realist. She knew that they did not pay well for shop work and Sophie’s father would not allow her to work there. 2. Sophie wanted to open a boutique. It would be the most amazing shop that city had ever seen. Alternatively, she would become an actress and have the boutique as a side business. She also thought of being a fashion designer. Jansie had her feet firmly planted to the ground. She wanted Sophie to be sensible and drop all her utopian plans. All of them required much money and experience. 3. Sophie knew her father well. He would be angry if he knew of her meeting with the young Irish footballer, Danny Casey. She didn’t tell him. When Geoff told his father about it, he became angry. He turned his head to look at her with disdain. Sophie wriggled where she was sitting at the table. 4. No, Geoff doesn’t believe what Sophie says about her meeting with Danny Casey. First, he looks round in disbelief and says, “It can’t be true”. Again he says, “I don’t believe it.” Sophie then narrates how Danny Casey came and stood beside her. Geoff asks her, “What does he look like?” So, he doesn’t seem to be convinced that Sophie met Danny Casey. 5. No, Sophie’s father does not believe her story. When Geoff tells him that Sophie met Danny Casey, his father looked at Sophie with disdain. He ignores her totally. He thinks that it is yet another ‘wild story’. He begins to talk about Tom Finny, another great football player.
WORKSHEET–108 1. Teenagers have boundless enthusiasm and ambitions. They have sweet dreams and go on fantasising. It is natural for them to do so. Every youth is a dreamer. Every great scientist or writer has a dream. Without something to aspire for one can’t strive to achieve that goal. Dreams lead to the golden gate of success. Some teenagers float in the world of fantasy. They have unreal dreams. It is just like a child asking for the moon. Their feet are in the mud and they dream of the stars in the sky. Such fantasising results in disappointment and disillusionment. A dreamer who fails to realise his dream is labelled a failure. Those who realise their dreams become heroes and achievers in their spheres. I think it is better to have dreams even if we fail to realise them. Who would have dreams if the teenagers don’t—will these grey headed, grey bearded persons have dreams? Let the teenagers indulge in their natural activity and dream of a golden future. They will strive to translate them into reality. 2. Sophie is a young school girl. She dreams of big and beautiful things. Some of these are beyond her reach or her means. Her ambitions have no relation with the harsh realities of life. She thinks of having a boutique. She wants to have the most amazing shop this city has ever seen. Then she entertains the idea of being an actress ‘There’s real money in that.’ Actresses do not work full time. So she would run the boutique as a side business. If need be, she can be a fashion designer. She doesn’t realise that her family is not rich enough and her dreams can’t be fulfilled. Sophie develops a romantic fascination for Danny Casey. He is a young Irish football player and the hero of her dreams. She indulges in hero worship. She tells a story that she met Casey.
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Her father calls it another of her “wild stories”. Even Geoff does not believe her. He tries to caution her. Casey is a celebrity. Many girls run after him. Sophie is an incurable dreamer. She has seen Casey only once, but all the time she thinks of him. She sits alone and waits for his arrival. She becomes sad and despondent when Casey does not come. She suffers because of her dreams. These dreams and disappointments are all the creations of her mind.
WORKSHEET–109 1. Geoff was always the first to share her secrets. So she told him about meeting Danny Casey. She also told him about her plan to meet him next week. She suspected areas of his life about which she knew nothing. She longed to know them. She wished that someday he might take her with him. She saw herself riding there behind Geoff. 2. Jansie was ‘nosey’. She took interest in knowing things about others. She would spread the news in the whole neighbourhood. So Sophie didn’t want Jansie to know about her story with Danny. It may also be mutual rivalry and one-upmanship on her part. Sophie was startled to learn that Geoff had told Jansie about her story with Danny. 3. No, Sophie did not really meet Danny Casey. She was very fascinated by the young Irish footballer. She imagined his coming. She sat in the park, waiting for Casey and knowing that he would not come. She felt sad. Sadness was a hard burden to carry. She was always lost in a dreamy world where she imagined Casey meeting her. 4. Sophie and Jansie are poles apart in tastes and temperament. Sophie has fantastic dreams and floats in a fairy land. She is an incurable escapist who won’t come out of her dreams. Jansie is down to earth—a realist. Sophie wants to do something sophisticated. Jansie knows that these things require a lot of money which their families do not possess. Jansie also knows that they were earmaked for the biscuit factory. She even advises Sophie to be sensible and practical. Sophie considers Jansie ‘nosey’ and does not want to confide in her. 5. Sophie belongs to a lower middle class family. She is an escapist and has wild dreams. She dreams of things she can’t have in real life. Jansie tells her that boutique needs a lot of money. Sophie knows that the family doesn’t have money. Even little Derek understands her unrealistic nature. Geoff’s occupation reflects their socio-economic background. He is an apprentice mechanic. His jacket is shapeless. Her father lacks sophistication. He sits in his vest at the table. He grunts and tosses one of little Derek’s shoes from his chair on to the sofa. There is stove in the same room where dirty washing is piled in a corner. Sophie’s father goes to pub on his bicycle. All these indicators confirm their lower middle class family background.
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THE THIRD LEVEL ( Jack Finney) WORKSHEET–110
1. The harsh reality of the world one lives in, are sometimes too oppressive. There is a lot of stress and strain. Tension and worry kill more people than war itself. Fear of failure causes insecurity. Fierce competition is the order of the day. Charley declares himself to be an ordinary guy but his actions in ‘The Third Level’ present him as a sensitive soul, full of scientific enquiry and love for adventure. His wish to visit Galesburg, Illinois, is certainly an attempt to withdraw into the dream-world of the past. In the 1890s, Galesburg was a wonderful town with big old frame houses, huge lawns and tremendous trees. The branches of these trees met overhead and roofed the streets. Summer evenings were twice as long, and people sat out on their lawns. The men would smoke cigars and talk quietly. The women would wave palm-leaf fans. In this peaceful world, there were fireflies all around. That world was unware of the World Wars. Charley earnestly wished to be back there. Thus, the description of Galesburg and Charley’s attempts to find the third level indicate that the third level was a medium of escape for Charley. 2. Sam’s letter to Charley raises more questions than it solves. Was it really written by Sam or was it a figment of Charley’s imagination? Charley finds this letter among the first-day covers of his grandfather’s collection. Someone had mailed to his grandfather at his home in Galesburg. The address on the envelope said so. It had been there since then—i.e. since 18 July 1894, the date in the postmark. Charley admits that when the envelope came to his Granddad in the mail, it went right into his collection and stayed there till he took it out and opened it. The first-day covers usually have a blank paper in the envelope and are mailed by the stamp collectors to themselves. These are never opened but preserved for the sake of the stamps. The postmark proves the date. Sam’s letter to Charley raises the question about its authenticity. Then there are some issues we infer from it. The introductory part of the letter seems to be a projection of Charley’s waking-dream wish fulfilment. It confirms his belief in the existence of the third level. It also suggests that those who find the third level can travel across to Galesburg and enjoy the fellowfeelings, festivities, songs and music of the peaceful world of the 1890s. The romantic charm of the bygone era, unravaged by the two World Wars, beckons dreamers like Charley to come to its fold and enjoy a tension-free, peaceful and happy life. It is an open invitation to escape into the dream-world from the harsh world of reality.
WORKSHEET–111 1. The third level at the Grand Central Station refers to the level at the station from where trains leave for far-flung destinations in space and time such as Galesburg, Illinois in 1894. Only a few persons like the narrator and his friend Sam Weiner had ever dared to explore it. Sam had succeeded in using the third level to fulfil his long cherished ambition. Sam, the psychiatrist, dismisses third level as a waking-dream wish fulfilment of the narrator (Charley), but in the end of the story Sam has discovered the third level and used it to reach a peaceful place of old times. 2. Charley had by chance strayed on to the ticket-counter on the third level at the Grand Central Station. Charley wanted to buy two tickets to Galesburg—one for himself and the other for his
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wife, Louisa. The booking clerk refused to accept the money Charley offered. He threatened to get him punished. Charley went to a coin dealer’s shop. He bought old-style currency. Equipped with the currency of 1894, Charley went back to the Grand Central Station. He could not find the corridor that led to the third level. Since then he has tried often enough but has never again found that particular corridor. 3. The author says that the presidents of the New York Central and the New York, New Haven and Hartford railroads will swear on a stack of timetables that there are only two levels at the Grand Central Station. Fast trains like the Twentieth Century leave from the first level, whereas suburban trains leave from the second level. 4. Charley asserts that there are three levels at Grand Central Station. His assertion is based on his personal experience. He has been on the third level. Among others, he talked to a psychiatrist friend about it. The psychiatrist said that it was a waking-dream wish fulfilment. He was unhappy and just wanted to escape.
WORKSHEET–112 1. There are only two ways to overcome the insecurity, fear, war, worry and stress prevalent in the modern world. One is that we should be realists and pragmatic. We must accept the bitter truth, howsoever painful it might be. We must try to mould the circumstances as best as we can. If the forces, surrounding us, are so dominant and powerful that our efforts are likely to fail, we must be elastic and pragmatic. Instead to striking our heads against a rock to break it, we must accept the existence of the rock and adapt ourselves and our actions accordingly. We must learn to adjust with the forces that hinder the full growth of man’s potential and block his mental, moral and physical development. We must learn to cope with the handicaps we suffer from and co-exist with them if we can’t overcome them. Adaptation to circumstances is the route to success. The second alternative is that of escape from reality. Dreamers, visionaries and people with very sensitive imagination are likely to be lost in waking-dreams of a far away world which is a foil to the modern world. Its peaceful life full of songs, music, dance and community gatherings seem quite exciting. The rest, repose and relaxation of the evenings have charm of their own. Men smoke cigars and talk quietly. Women wave palm-leaf fans. Huge lawns and beautiful trees decorate the charming world unpolluted by inventions of science and unravaged by the two World Wars. 2. Yes, we see an intersection of both time and space in the story. The narrator, Charley, aged thirty-one, lives in the suburbs of New York. He goes to the second level at Grand Central Station to catch a suburban train to get home to his wife Louisa. Charley frankly admits that he has been in and out of Grand Central hundreds of times, but he is always bumping into new doorways and stairs and corridors. He ducks into an arched doorway heading for the subway and gets lost. After crossing the angling the slanting corridor he reaches an open space. When the tunnel turns sharp left, he goes down a short flight of stairs and comes out on the third level at Grand Central Station. The narrator is transported in time to the world of 1890s where people wore green eyeshades and long sleeve protectors. The dim and flickering light of open-flame gaslights illuminated the place. Wood and brass were in use. The dress of the people was typical of the era–derby hat, four-button suit with tiny lapels, beards, sideburns and fancy moustaches. Women wore typical Victorian costumes. People still used gold watches which they pulled out of their pockets. Sam Weiner’s letter to Charley from Galesburg confirms that there is an intersection of both time and space. He invites Charley and Louisa to come to that world and enjoy the relaxed, peaceful, happy and cheerful life of the bygone era.
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WORKSHEET–113 1. Charley says that almost everyone wants to escape from the stress, tension, fear and worry of the modern world. But these people do not wander down into any third level at Grand Central Station. Secondly, his grandfather, who started stamp-collecting, didn’t need any refuge from reality. During his time things were pretty nice and peaceful. Even President Roosevelt collected stamps. 2. Charley walked down a flight of stairs to the second level. He then ducked into an arched doorway heading for the subway and got lost. The corridor turned left and sloped downward, but he kept on walking. He heard only the empty sound of his own footsteps. He didn’t pass a soul. The tunnel turned sharp left. He went down a short flight of stairs and came out on the third level at Grand Central Station. 3. By ‘that’s easy to do’, Charley means that it is easy to get lost. He has been in and out of Grand Central hundreds of times, but he is always bumping into new doorways and stairs and corridors. Once he got into a tunnel. It was about a mile long. He came out in the lobby of the Roosevelt Hotel. Another time he came up in an office building on Forty-sixth street, three blocks away. 4. The Grand Central Station is certainly expanding. Charley says that there may be a long tunnel under the city up to Times Square and another to Central Park. Nobody knows about them. For many people Grand Central has been an exit, a way of escape, through the years. So it is possible that it may have the tunnel Charley got into and reached the third level.
WORKSHEET–114 1. Logic is not the sole yardstick to guide, motivate and inspire human thoughts and feelings. Logic helps in thinking about something or explaining the reasons. Every occurrence in nature, however, cannot be explained by logical yardstick. There are certain thoughts, feelings, actions and phenomena which do not seem to be sensible or thought out in a logical way. The obvious illogicality of certain thoughts and feelings might appear strange or fantastic according to modern outlook or way of thinking. All the great scientists, philosophers and poets are visionaries. They have their own dreams about the future. These dreams do not follow any logical pattern, but they do hold a projection about the future. The diaries of Leonardo da Vinci contain sketches of many devices like the aeroplanes which the scientists invented or developed later. The vision of the atom as a source of immense power led to the creation of Atom Bomb. Who would have thought 200 years ago that man would fly in the space or sail under the water or disappear from sight using chemical camouflage? Science has made it possible now. In the near future man would disappear, like Mr India of the Bollywood movies, at will using scientific devices. Thus, it is correctly said that apparent illogicality sometimes turns out to be a futuristic projection. 2. Philately is the collection and study of stamps. A stamp, though small in size, has an important piece of history around it. Nations all over the world issue new stamps to commemorate important events, persons or developments. Thus a study of stamps helps to keep the past alive. Coin-collecting, ornament-collecting, pottery and painting collection are some otherways in which it can be done. Man is never satisfied with what he has or he can achieve. He constantly moves between the past, the present and the future. I agree with Shelley when he says: “We look before and after, and pine for what is not.” The dissatisfaction of man with his present and his yearning to make it better or to achieve the ideal inspires him to strive more. Past shows us the mirror and we try to do better than the great achievers of the ages goneby. Future beckons us with promises of infinite possibilities. Hence the yearning and striving for the best goes on endlessly.
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WORKSHEET–115 1. The room was smaller here. There were fewer ticket windows and train gates. The information booth in the centre was of wood and old-looking. There were brass spittoons on the floor. Dim and flickering open-flame gaslights illuminated the place. People wore Derby hats and fourbutton black suit with tiny lapels. They used golden pocket watches. Women put on dresses covering their whole body. A very small locomotive with a funnel-shaped stack was on the track. All these differences convinced Charley that he had come out on the third level. 2. Galesburg is described as a wonderful town with big old frame houses and huge lawns. The branches of the splendid old trees met overhead and covered the streets. In 1894, summer evenings were twice as long. People sat out on their lawns. The men would be smoking cigars and talking quietly. The women would be waving palm-leaf fans. There were fire-flies all around. It was a peaceful world that had not been ravaged by the two World Wars of the twentieth century. 3. The booking clerk looked at the money the narrator offered to buy tickets. He nodded his disapproval, saying, “That ain’t money, mister”. He also issued a warning, “...if you’re trying to skin me, you won’t get very far.” The narrator did not think it nice to go to jail. So he turned away and got out fast. 4. Charley did not find the corridor that led to the third level. Since then, he has tried often enough, but failed. His wife looked worried when he told her all that. She didn’t want him to look for the third level. After a while he stopped and went back to his stamps. But now both of them were looking every weekend, because they had proof that the third level was still there.
WORKSHEET–116 1. In ‘Adventure’ by Jayant Narlikar, Professor Gangadhar Pant or Gaitonde made a transition from one world to another and back again. By doing so, he was able to experience two worlds, although one at a time. One has the history we know, the other a different history or a fantasy. The separation of the two worlds took place in the Battle of Panipat. Thus fantasy and reality are interwoven. In ‘The Third Level’, Galesburg, Illinois, is a region full of romantic charm, peace, ease, song and music and a relaxed life. The narrator’s granddad used to live there in the 1890s and Charley, the narrator frantically searches the third level to go there. The hectic life of New York with its insecurity, fear, war, worry and tension is the reality. Transition to the idyllic surroundings of Galesburg is a fantasy—an escape from reality. The psychiatrist, Sam Weiner, who tries to cure Charley of his obsession with the third level, himself finds it and is transported to Galesburg. 2. Charley, the narrator had found out that there were three levels at the Grand Central Station. No one was ready to believe him as the presidents of famous railroads were willing to take a solemn oath that there were only two levels. Charley stuck to his guns. He declared that he had been on the third level himself. He talked to a psychiatrist friend about it. He dismissed it as a waking-dream wish fulfilment. He said Charley was unhappy. This made his wife a bit insane. The psychiatrist tried to explain his point. The modern world was full of insecurity, fear, war worry, etc. Charley just wanted to escape from stress and tension. Charley’s other friends agreed to the escape theory. They claimed that everything pointed out to it. Charley’s stampcollecting hobby was called a “temporary refuge from reality”.
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THE TIGER KING (Kalki) WORKSHEET–117
1. On surface level, ‘The Tiger King’ seems to be a simple story about a royal prince, his growth and exploits as a king. The prophecies at his birth about the manner of his death make the story interesting by introducing the element of surprise and suspense. On a deeper level, the story is a satire on the conceit of those in power. It is usually seen that those in power have too much pride in themselves and what they do. Two such specimens in the story are the Tiger King and the British officer. The author employs dramatic irony and humour to show their faults and weaknesses. The words of these characters carry an extra meaning. They do not know what is going to happen. The Tiger King resolves to hunt a hundred tigers to disprove the prediction of the astrologer. In his stubbornness, he falls prey to a wooden tiger. The high-ranking British officer is equally vain. He is more interested in photograph with carcass than hunting itself. The Tiger King offers to organise any other hunt except tigerhunt. It may be a boar-hunt, mouse-hunt or a mosquito-hunt. He has to lose three lakh of rupees for his refusal. The ego of the British officer is satisfied when his wife is pleased. 2. For centuries innocent animals have been subjected to the wilfulness of human beings. Man has been killing animals for sport, meat or organs of body. The author does not make any direct comment about it in the story. Man advances strange logic to defend even his unlawful and cruel acts. The Maharaja quotes an old saying, “You may kill even a cow in self-defence”. Hence he finds no objection to kill tigers in self-defence. It reveals not only the callousness of human beings towards wildlife but their disregard for maintaining ecological balance. The extinction of tiger species in Pratibandapuram state and the state ruled by the Maharaja’s father-in-law amply illustrates the result of man’s cruelty towards wild animals. An old tiger has to be brought from the People’s Park in Madras to satisfy the king’s whim to kill one hundred tigers.
WORKSHEET–118 1. The Maharaja of Pratibandapuram was called the Tiger King. At the time of his birth the astrologers declared that the prince would have to die one day. The ten-day-old prince asked the astrologers to reveal the manner of his death. The wise men were baffled at this miracle. The chief astrologer said that his death would come from the tiger. The young prince growled and uttered terrifying words: ‘Let tigers beware!’ He decided to kill one hundred tigers. He thus got the name ‘Tiger King’. 2. Crown prince Jung Jung Bahadur grew taller and stronger day-by-day. He was brought up by an English nanny and tutored in English by an Englishman. He got the control of his state when he came of age at twenty. He decided to kill tigers. For him it was an act of self-defence, as the astrologer had predicted his death by a tiger 3. Within ten years the Maharaja was able to kill seventy tigers. Thirty tigers still remained to be shot down by his gun. The Maharaja decided to get married. The Dewan found the right girl from a state which possessed a large number of tigers. The Maharaja killed five or six tigers each time he visited his father-in-law. Thus he was able to find the required number of tigers to kill. He shot ninety-nine tigers. 4. Maharaja’s anxiety reached the highest level of excitement when only one tiger remained to be killed. He thought of the hundredth tiger during the day and dreamt of it at night. But it became impossible to locate tigers anywhere. The Maharaja was sunk in gloom. Then came a
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happy news. In his own state sheep began to disappear frequently from a hillside village. Surely, a tiger was at work. The Maharaja set out on the hunt at once. But the tiger was not easily found. The Maharaja continued camping in the forest and waiting for the tiger.
WORKSHEET–119 1. A minion is an unimportant person in an organization who has to obey orders. The Maharaja has many minions or servants. Most of them fear the Maharaja and obey his orders faithfully. They dare not disobey him or contradict him. The Maharaja’s displeasure means loss of job or even loss of life. Only a few of them are truly sincere towards him. One such person is the chief astrologer. He is willing to burn his books of astrology, cut off his tuft and crop his hair short if his prediction proves untrue. The others try to keep the Maharaja in good humour. Even the Dewan is no exception. Many officers lose their jobs when the Maharaja’s fury and obstinacy mount higher. The king’s bullet misses the hundredth tiger. It faints from the shock and falls as a crumpled heap. The hunters realise the truth, but they decide not to reveal it to the king. They fear that they might lose their jobs. In today’s political order, subordinates serve their superior bosses as deaf and dumb creatures who see only what their masters want them to see. Their self-interests and fear of elimination make them faithful servants. 2. In our times, big game-hunting has been banned by law as so many species of wildlife have been declared endangered species. Sanctuaries, national parks and games reserves have been established to preserve wildlife from extinction and maintain ecological balance in nature. Even then sporadic cases of game-hunting are reported in papers now and then. It is generally noticed that the erstwhile rulers—kings or nawabs or the rich and powerful persons or famous film stars indulge in game-hunting. The cases against M.A.K. Pataudi and Salman Khan are still pending in courts. Poachers and smugglers too destroy wildlife for skin, meat or for various organs of body and escape scot-free.
WORKSHEET–120 1. The Dewan got an old tiger brought from the People’s Park in Madras. It was taken to the forest where the Maharaja was hunting. The Maharaja took careful aim at the beast. The tiger fell down in a crumpled heap. The Maharaja was extremely happy that he had killed the hundredth tiger. The hunters found that the tiger was not dead. It had only fainted on hearing the sound of the bullet. One of them shot at it and killed it. The dead tiger was taken in procession through the town and buried there. A tomb was erected over it. The prophecy was not disproved as the king met his death with the infection caused by the sliver of a wooden tiger. The astrologer was already dead. He could not be punished or rewarded. 2. The Maharaja of Pratibandapuram is the hero of this story. He may be identified as His Highness Jamedar-General, Khiledar-Major, Sata Vyaghra Samhari, Maharajadhiraja Visva Bhuvana Samrat, Sir Jilani Jung Jung Bahadur, M.A.D., A.C.T.C., or C.R.C.K. This name is often shortened to the Tiger King. 3. The astrologers said the child born under that particular star would one day have to meet its death. At that very moment a great miracle took place. An astonishing phrase emerged from the lips of the ten-day-old Jilani Jung Jung Bahadur, “O wise prophets!” Everyone stood motionless with astonishment and stupidity. 4. The infant said that all those who are born will one day have to die. So he did not need their predictions to know that. He further said that there would be some sense in it if they could tell him the manner of that death.
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JOURNEY TO THE END OF THE EARTH (Tishani Doshi) WORKSHEET–121
1. By visiting Antarctica we can get a grasp of where we have come from and where we could possibly be moving towards. It helps us to understand the importance of Cordilleran folds and pre-Cambrian granite shields; ozone and carbon; evolution and extinction. Antarctica is the only place in the world which has never sustained a human population. Moreover, it holds in its ice-cores half-million-year-old carbon records trapped in its layers of ice. In other words, the world’s geological history is trapped in Antarctica. 2. ‘Students on Ice’ programme aims to study and examine the Earth’s past, present and future by organising expeditions to Antarctica for high school students. The young students are provided inspiring educational opportunities which will help them to develop a new understanding and respect for our planet—the earth. The future generation of policy-makers is offered a lifechanging experience. The main reason for including high school students in this expedition is their young age. They are at an age when they are ready to absorb, learn and act.
WORKSHEET–122 1. Gondwana, was in existence six hundred and fifty million years ago. Gondwana thrived for 500 million years when the climate was much warmer. It supported a great variety of flora and fauna. Then the dinosaurs were wiped out. The age of the mammals set in. The landmass was forced to separate into countries. The changes occurred over a million years. Geological phenomena resulted in the formation of the Himalayas as India jammed against Asia. South America drifted off to join North America. The opening up of the Drake Passage created a cold circumpolar current. It keeps Antarctica very cold, desolate and at the bottom of the world. 2. The indications for the future of humankind are neither bright nor positive. The rapid increase of population has resulted in pressure on other species for supplies. The burning of fossil fuels has created a blanket of carbon dioxide around the world. The average global temperature is increasing. Even little changes in environment can have big consequences. Scientists warn that a further depletion in the ozone layer will affect the activities of phytoplankton. This will affect the life of all marine animals and birds of the region. The global carbon cycle will be affected. 3. Tishani Doshi, the author, boarded a Russian researchship named the ‘Akademik Shokalskiy’ going to Antarctica. Antarctica is the coldest, driest and windiest continent in the world. Her journey began 13.09 degrees north of Equator in Madras. It involved crossing nine time zones, six international borders, three oceans and at least as many ecospheres. 4. The author’s first emotion on facing Antarctica’s far-flung white landscape and continuous blue horizon was relief for she had been travelling for over 100 hours. It was followed by wonder at the large size of the continent, its loneliness and at how once India and Antarctica were the part of the same landmass.
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THE ENEMY (Pearl S. Buck) WORKSHEET–123
1. Dr Sadao Hoki faces a dilemma when he finds the body of an unconscious wounded white man lying on the lonely coast with dangerous rocks near his house. As they saw his face, they found that he was a white man with long yellow hair and a rough yellow beard. Being an expert surgeon, Dr Sadao saw that the man had a gun-wound on the right side of his lower back. He at once packed the wound with sea moss to stanch the fearful bleeding. Since Japan was at war with America, the white man was an enemy. If they sheltered a white man in their house they would be arrested and if they turned him over as a prisoner, he would certainly die. Hana still insisted on putting him back into the sea. The man was a prisoner of war. He had escaped and that was why he was wounded in the back. Hana asked if they were able to put him back into the sea. Sadao then said that if the man was whole he could turn the man over to the police without difficulty. He cared nothing for the man. He was their enemy. All Americans were their ‘enemy’. But since he was wounded… Hana understood his dilemma and realised that in the conflict between his sense of national loyalty and his duty as a doctor, it was the latter which proved dominant. Since Sadao too could not throw him back to the sea, the only course left for them was to carry him to their house. Sadao enquired about the reaction of the servants. Hana said that they would tell the servants that they intended to give the man to the police. She told Sadao that they must do so. They had to think of the children and the doctor’s position. It would endanger all of them if they did not give that man over as a prisoner of war. Sadao agreed and promised that he would not think of doing anything else. 2. Dr Sadao and his wife, Hana, together lifted the wounded man and carried him to an empty bedroom. The man was very dirty. Sadao suggested that he had better be washed. He offered to do so if she would fetch water. Hana was against it. She suggested that the maid, Yumi, could wash the man. They would have to tell the servants. Dr Sadao examined the man again and remarked that the man would die unless he was operated upon at once. He left the room to bring his surgical instruments. The servants did not approve of their master’s decision to heal the wound of a white man. Even Yumi refused to wash the white man. There was so fierce a look of resistance upon Yumi’s round dull face that Hana felt unreasonably afraid. Then she said with dignity that they only wanted to bring him to his senses so that they would turn him over as a prisoner. However, Yumi refused to have anything to do with him. Hana asked Yumi gently to return to her work. The open defiance from the domestic staff hurt Hana’s feelings. She had told the servants to do what their master commanded them. She was convinced of her own superiority. She now became sympathetic to her husband and helped him in his efforts to heal the wounded man. Though the sight of the white man was repulsive to her, she washed his face and his upper body. She prepared herself to give him the anaesthetic according to her husband’s instructions. She had never seen an operation. She choked and her face turned pale like sulphur. She felt like vomiting and left for a while. She returned after retching and administered anaesthetic to the man. Thus she co-operated with her husband fully to save the wounded man.
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WORKSHEET–124 1. Dr Sadao Hoki was an eminent Japanese surgeon and scientist. He had spent eight valuable years of his youth in America to learn all that could be learnt of surgery and medicine there. He was perfecting a discovery which would render wounds entirely clean. Dr Sadao’s house was built on rocks well above a narrow beach that was outlined with bent pines. It was on a spot of the Japanese coast. 2. Dr Sadao knew that they would be arrested if they sheltered a white man in their house. The wounded man was a prisoner of war who had escaped with a bullet on his back. Since Japan was at war with America, harbouring an enemy meant being a traitor to Japan. Dr Sadao could be arrested if anyone complained against him and accused him of harbouring an enemy. 3. The gardener and the cook were frightened that their master was going to heal the wound of a white man—an enemy. They felt that after being cured he will take revenge on the Japanese. Yumi, the maid, was also frightened. She refused to wash the white man. Hana rebuked the maid who had refused to wash a wounded helpless man. Then she dipped a small clean towel into the steaming hot water and washed the white man’s face. She kept on washing him until his upper body was quite clean. But she dared not turn him over. 4. Dr Sadao and his wife, Hana, had told the servants that they only wanted to bring the man to his senses so that they could turn him over as a prisoner. They knew that the best possible course under the circumstances was to put him back into the sea. However, Dr Sadao was against handing over a wounded man to the police. He decided to carry him into his house. He operated upon him and extracted the bullet from his body. He kept the white man in his house. He and his wife looked after him and fed him till he was strong enough to walk on his legs.
WORKSHEET–125 1. On the third day after the operation, the young man asked Dr Sadao what he was going to do with him and if he was going to hand him over. Dr Sadao said that he did not know himself what he would do with the man. He ought to hand him over to the police as he was a prisoner of war. The young man saw that Dr Sadao and his wife Hana were different from other Japanese. They spoke English well, looked after him and served him food. Seven days after the operation of the man, Dr Sadao was called to the palace to see the General. Hana thought that the police had come to arrest Dr Sadao. Dr Sadao confided in the General and he (General) promised to send his personal assassins to kill the man and remove his body. Dr Sadao waited for three nights. Nothing happened. Then he made a plan to let the prisoner escape. He told Tom, the young American, about it. The young man stared at him and asked if he had to leave. It seemed he was reluctant to leave. Dr Sadao told him that he should understand everything clearly. It was not hidden that he was there and this situation was full of risk for himself as well as for the doctor. Thus it is quite clear that the reluctance of the soldier was caused by the single motive of self-preservation. He knew from the treatment he had received from the couple that they would save him. 2. During his meeting with the General, Dr Sadao told him about the man he had operated on successfully. He explained that he cared nothing for the man. The General appreciated his skill and efficiency and promised that he would not be arrested. The General thought it quite unfortunate that the man had been washed up to Dr Sadao’s doorstep and thought it best if he could be quietly killed. He promised to send his private assassins to do so and remove his dead body. He suggested that Dr Sadao should leave the outer partition of the white man’s room to the garden open at night.
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It is evident that the General had no human consideration in this matter. For him an enemy was an enemy and must be wiped out. He wanted the man to be eliminated silently to save the doctor from being arrested. It was neither lack of national loyalty nor dereliction of duty that guided and inspired his decision. It was simply his sense of self-absorption. He wanted to keep Dr Sadao safe only for his own sake. He had no faith in the other Germany trained doctors. He might have to be operated upon anytime when he had another attack and he had full faith in the skill and loyalty of Dr Sadao only. This fact is further corroborated by the General’s remarks to Dr Sadao, one week after the emergency operation upon the General. Dr Sadao informed him that the man had escaped. The General asked whether he had not promised Sadao that he would kill the man for him. Dr Sadao replied that he had done nothing. The General admitted that he had forgotten his promise as he had been suffering a great deal and he thought of nothing but himself. He revealed the whole truth. He admitted that it was careless of him to have forgotten his promise. But added that it was not lack of patriotism or dereliction of duty on his part.
WORKSHEET–126 1. In the afternoon, a messenger came there in official uniform. He told Dr Sadao that he had to come to the palace at once as the old General was in pain again. Hana, thought that the officer had come to arrest Dr Sadao. Dr Sadao told the General about the white man he had operated upon. Since Dr Sadao was indispensable to the General, he promised that Dr Sadao would not be arrested. 2. Dr Sadao told Tom, the white man, that he was quite well then. He offered to put his boat on the shore that night. It would have food and extra clothing in it. Tom might be able to row to the little island which was not far from the coast and could live there till he saw a Korean fishing boat pass by. Dr Sadao gave the man Japanese clothes and covered his blond head with a black cloth. In short, Dr Sadao helped the man to escape from Japan. 3. Sadao’s father was a visionary. He knew that the islands near the sea coast were the stepping stones to the future for Japan. No one could limit their future as it depended on what they made it. His son’s education was his chief concern. He sent his son to America at the age of twenty-two to learn all that could be learned of surgery and medicine. He loved the Japanese race, customs and manners. 4. Sadao was an eminent surgeon and a scientist. He was perfecting a discovery which would render wounds entirely clean. Secondly, the old General was being treated medically for a condition for which he might need an operation. Due to these two reasons Sadao was being kept in Japan and not sent abroad with the troops.
WORKSHEET–127 1. It is the consciousness of the demands of one’s calling that make a sensitive soul respond to the call of his duty as a professional doctor to attend to the wounded human being regardless of his being an enemy. In the story ‘The Enemy’ Dr Sadao Hoki finds a prisoner of war washed ashore and in a dying state thrown to his doorstep. As a patriot, it is his duty to hand him over to the police. If he does not want to be entangled, the next best thing is to put him back to the sea. However, the surgeon in him instinctively inspires him to operate upon the dying man and save him from the jaws of death. First, he packs the wound with sea-moss to stanch the fearful bleeding. Then he brings him home with the help of his wife. In spite of stiff opposition and open defiance of the servants, he operates upon the man and harbours him till he is able to leave. He knows fully well the risk of sheltering a white man—a prisoner of war—in his house.
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But his sentimentality for the suffering and wounded person help him rise above narrow national prejudices and extend his help and services even to an enemy. 2. Yes, I think the doctor’s final solution to the problem was the best possible one in the circumstances. Initially, the doctor as well as his wife thought that the best as well as kindest thing would be to put him back into the sea. But neither of them moved. Neither was able to put him back into the sea. Sadao explained that if the man was whole he could turn him over to the police without difficulty, but since he was wounded, the doctor could not throw him back to the sea. He could not kill the man whom he had saved from the jaws of death. The General promised to send his private assassins to kill the man and remove his dead body. Sadao waited for three nights for their arrival, but they never came as the General being preoccupied with his own suffering, forgot everything else. Meanwhile the fear of Hana, the doctor’s wife, that he would be arrested on the charge of harbouring an enemy kept on mounting. Dr Sadao made up his mind to get rid of the man as it was not only inconvenient but also dangerous for them to have him there any longer. He, therefore, quietly devised the plan of letting the prisoner escape by using his own boat and Japanese clothes. As soon as the enemy left, the servants returned and life became normal once again. Dr Sadao informed the General that “the man” had escaped. The General admitted that he had forgotten his promise as he thought of nothing but himself as he was suffering a great deal. He confessed that it was careless of him but it was not his lack of patriotism or dereliction of duty. In short, the doctor’s strategy to let the prisoner escape was the best possible solution to the problem under the prevailing circumstances.
WORKSHEET–128 1. Sadao married Hana when they returned to Japan after finishing their work at medical school. Sadao’s father saw her. The marriage was then arranged in the old Japanese way. They had been married years enough to have two children. Their married life was quite happy. They still loved each other. 2. The man lay motionless with his face in the sand. As they turned the man’s head, they saw that he was a white man with long yellow hair. His young face had a rough yellow beard. He was unconscious. From his battered cap they learnt that he was a sailor from an American warship. 3. Sadao’s head told him to put the man back into the sea as he was an American soldier–an enemy of Japan. His trained hands seemed, of their own will, to be doing what they could to stanch the fearful bleeding. He packed the wound with the sea-moss that strewed the beach. The bleeding was stopped for the moment. 4. The white man was wounded. He needed immediate medical care. Dr Sadao could do so. But if they sheltered a white man in their house, they would be arrested. On the other hand, if they turned him over as a prisoner, he would certainly die.
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SHOULD WIZARD HIT MOMMY? ( John Updike) WORKSHEET–129
1. The story raises a moral issue—should parents always decide what the children should do or let the children do what they like to do. There is an evident contrast between an adult’s perspective on life and the world view of a little child. Jack, the father, defends the behaviour of Roger Skunk’s mother who forced the old wizard to restore the natural but offensive smell to Roger Skunk. He sums up the issue in one sentence: ‘She knew what was right’. As to why the little skunk agreed to her mother’s proposal, Jack says that the little skunk loved his mummy more than he loved all the other little animals. Jack cites an instance. When Roger Skunk was in bed, Mummy Skunk came up, hugged him and said he smelled like her little baby Skunk again and she loved him very much. Little Jo, the spokesperson of children, does not agree with her father’s view. She feels that the Skunk’s mother should not have robbed the pleasure of her little son and deprived him of the pleasant smell of the roses. She insisted that the wizard hit that mummy on the head and did not change that little skunk back. She calls the little skunk’s mother “a stupid mommy”. She realised that her father was defending his own mother to her, or something odd. Jo stuck to her viewpoint. She insisted that her father should tell her the story the next day in a different manner. It was the wizard that took the magic wand and hit that mommy. 2. Jack ends the story in a way that seems unusual to Jo. In her dream world, the wizard is a miracle worker. She can’t digest the statement that the little skunk’s mother hit the wizard right on his head with her umbrella and he agreed to do what she desired. Roger Skunk did not smell of roses any more. He smelled very bad again. Jo did not want the story to end this way. She had in mind, the pleasure of all the little animals. She says, “But daddy, then he said about the other little animals run away!” Her father admits it. He agrees that Roger Skunk told his mother, “But Mommy, all the other animals run away!” The mother does not bother about them. She says bluntly, “I don’t care. You smelled the way a little skunk should have.” Jo can’t digest the ending that the mother hit the wizard right over the head and he made Roger Skunk smell very bad again. She suggested to her father to end the story in another manner—“The wizard hit her on the head and did not change that little skunk back.” She wanted that stupid mummy to be punished and insisted repeatedly on the changed ending next night till her father agreed to consider it, saying, “Well, we’ll see.”
WORKSHEET–130 1. Jo is the shortened form of Joanne. She is the four year old daughter of Jack and Clare. For the last two years, her father, Jack, has been telling her bed-time stories. Since these stories are woven around the same basic tale and have the same characters and turn of events, Jo takes so many things for granted and takes active interest in the story-telling session. The protagonist (main character) is always named Roger. It may be Roger Fish, Roger Squirrel, Roger Chipmunk or Roger Skunk. The other characters are the huge, wise, old owl and the thin small wizard. Other creatures of the forest—small animals—also take part in playing with Roger and liking/ disliking him. 2. Jack told the story of Roger Skunk—an animal which emitted a foul smell and how the wizard changed his smell to that of roses at his request. The other little creatures, who earlier hated
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Roger Skunk, now gathered around him because he smelled so good. They played various games of children till dark and then went to their homes happily. 3. Little Jo had been accustomed to the happy ending of the stories of Roger, where the wizard was helpful to him in fulfilling his wish. Jo could not accept that mother’s stubbornness-hitting the well wisher of her son, Roger Skunk. Jo insisted that her father should tell her the same story again the next day with changed ending. The wizard should hit that unreasonable mummy on the head and leave Roger Skunk emitting the pleasant smell of roses. In the beautiful world of a child’s imagination, fairies and wizard’s are more real than reality itself. She could not digest the harsh realities of life. She did not like the unfeeling mother who hit the benefactor of her son. 4. Jack would tell his four year old daughter Joanne (or Jo) a story out of his head in the evenings and for Saturday naps. This custom had begun when she was two and now it was nearly two year old.
WORKSHEET–131 1. Jack has the typical parental attitude. He is of the opinion that the parents know what is best for their children. He asserts the parental authority time and again to quieten Jo and stifle her objections and amendments to the story of the foul smelling Skunk related by him. He defends the attitude of Roger Skunk’s mother. She does not approve of the unnatural, unskunk like smell that Roger has. She calls the sweet smell of the roses an awful smell. Earlier the little skunk smelled the way a little skunk should. She wants the natural characteristic—the foul smell—restored. He says that she knew what was right. Secondly, the little skunk loved his mommy more than he loved all the other animals. That is why, he took his mommy to the wizard. She hit the wizard and forced him to change the smell of roses to his earlier bad odour. He insisted on this ending to emphasise the concern of the parents for children and their role in bringing them up on proper lines. 2. Jack feels that he has been caught in an ugly middle position physically, emotionally as well as mentally. The woodwork, a cage of mouldings and rails and skirting boards all around them was half old tan and half new ivory. He was conscious of his duties as a father and as a husband. Little Bobby was already asleep. His efforts to make Jo fall asleep proved quite fatiguing. She kept on interrupting him, asking for clarifications, pointing errors and suggesting alternatives. Jack did not like that women should take anything for granted. He liked them to be apprehensive. So he extended the story, though he was in a haste to go down stairs and help his pregnant wife in her hard work of painting the woodwork. The result of the extension to the story proved unfruitful and unpleasant for Jo, Jack and Clare. Jo wanted him to change the ending of the story. Clare complained that he had told a long story. Jack felt utter weariness and did not want to speak with his wife or work with her or touch her. He was really caught in an ugly middle position.
WORKSHEET–132 1. A small creature named Roger had some problem. He would go to the wise owl who told him to go to the wizard. The wizard performed a magic spell. It solved Roger’s problem. He demanded more pennies than Roger had. Then he directed Roger to the place where extra money could be found. Roger felt happy and played many games with other creatures. He then went home. His daddy arrived from Boston. They had supper. The story wound up with the description of the items of their supper.
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2. Jo was growing up. She never fell asleep in naps any more. Her brother, Bobby, who was two, and already asleep with his bottle. But Jo would not take her nap like an infant. The bumps her feet made under the covers were halfway down the bed. Her fat face deep in the pillow shone in the sunlight. The custom seemed futile and especially fatiguing on Saturdays. 3. Jo suggested ‘skunk’ for the story that day. It was a new animal for her. They must be talking about it at nursery school. A skunk or a pole-cat is a small black and white North American animal. It can produce a strong unpleasant smell to defend itself when it is attacked. 4. Jo squeezed her eyes shut and smiled to be thinking that she was thinking. She opened her blue eyes and said firmly, “Skunk”. Having a fresh hero momentarily stirred Jack to creative enthusiasm. He started telling the story of Roger Skunk that smelled so bad that none of the other little woodland creatures would play with him.
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ON THE FACE OF IT (Susan Hill ) WORKSHEET–133
1. Both Derry and Mr Lamb suffer from physical impairment. Derry has one side of his face disfigured and burnt by acid. The old man has a tin leg because his real leg got blown off during the war. Apart from these physical disabilities, Derry finds signs of loneliness and disappointment in Mr Lamb’s life. The old man tries to overcome these feelings but the sense of alienation felt by him is more painful than the pain caused by physical disability. Derry tries to avoid meeting people because they consider his face frightful and ugly. They avoid him as they are afraid of him. His parents seem worried about him and talk about him and his future. Mr Lamb provides him a new approach to things. He tells him to see, hear, feel and think about things around him. He should not hate others. Hatred is worse than acid because it burns the inside. He has all the God-given limbs. He must take a firm decision and work towards it. He will succeed. He should not be afraid of people and they will not be afraid of him. All these factors draw Derry towards Mr Lamb. 2. It is in the middle section of the first scene of the play that Mr Lamb displays signs of loneliness and disappointment. He says that when it is a bit cooler, he will get the ladder and a stick, and pull down those crab apples. He makes jelly. Derry could help him. Then he says he is interested in anybody or anything that God made. It may be a person, flower, fruit, grass, weeds or rubbish. There are plenty of things to look at. Some of them are his crab apples or the weeds or a spider climbing up a silken ladder or his tall sun-flowers. He also likes to talk and have a company. He has a hive of bees. He hears them singing. He sits in the sun and reads books. He likes the light and the darkness. He hears the wind coming through open windows. There aren’t any curtains at the windows as they either shut things out or shut things in.
WORKSHEET–134 1. Mr Lamb is an old man with a tin leg. His real leg was blown off years ago during the war. He lives all alone in his house. There is a garden near the house. It has ripe crab apples looking orange and golden in colour. Mr Lamb is sitting in his garden when Derry climbs over the garden wall to get into his garden. Though the gate is open, the boy does not use it. 2. At first Derry does not like being near people. Mr Lamb offers him a new way of thinking. All this brings a change in Derry’s attitude towards Mr Lamb. He promises to come back after informing his mother. He asks Mr Lamb about his life and friends and recognises his loneliness and disappointment. He keeps his promise and returns only to find Mr Lamb lying on the ground. 3. Mr Lamb issues this instruction to Derry, a boy of fourteen, who climbs over the garden wall and enters the garden. He asks him twice to mind the apples which have been blown down by the wind from the trees and strewn in the grass. He could put his foot on some apple, fall down and hurt himself. 4. Mr Lamb’s attitude to the small boy is quite gentle, protective and accommodating. Like an elder in the family offering advice and instructions to the younger members, Mr Lamb advises the young boy to mind the apples lest he should trip and not to feel afraid.
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EVANS TRIES AN O-LEVEL (Colin Dexter) WORKSHEET–135
1. It is Evans who has the last laugh. The play makes a fun of the routine procedure followed by prison authorities and police. It depicts how the criminals are one step ahead of the jail authorities. All precautions have been made by the Governor of Oxford Prison to see that the O-Level German examination, held in prison for the prisoner Evans, does not provide him means to escape. The examination passes off peacefully. Mr Stephens, a prison officer, sees off McLeery, the invigilator and on returning to the cell finds injured “McLeery” sprawling in Evans’ chair. It is easy for Evans impersonating as McLeery to leave the prison along with police officer. He claims to have spotted Evans driving off along Elsfield Way but loses track at the Headington roundabout. He grogs off near the Examination offices. Then he disappears. He is located in the Golden Lion in Chipping Norton by the Governor of Oxford Prison. Instead of bringing Evans securely back to prison, the Governor lets him come in a prison van guarded by a prison officer. It is just what Evans had planned. The driver and the ‘prison officer’ are his friends and Evans escapes from prison once again. In fact, Evans has made elaborate arrangements. He joins the night classes in September. The German teacher is one of his friends. He has his friends in the Examination Board as well. He waits patiently till June. Two of his friends bind and gag Reverend Stuart McLeery in his Broad Street flat. One of them personates him. He is dressed up as a minister. He has two collars and two black fronts on his person. Evans fiddles about under the blanket with the black front and the stud at the back of the collar. His friends also arrange a car where he can change his make up as well as clothes. He successfully deceives the police as well as the prison authorities. 2. On his return to the cell of Evans, Stephens saw a man sprawling back in Evans’ chair. For a semi-second Stephens thought it must be Evans. But the small black beard, white clerical collar and black clerical front and red blood dripping from the front of his head, made Stephens jump to a conclusion—Evans impersonating McLeery, had walked out. Almost immediately the whole machinery jumped into action. No one bothered to check the identity of the injured ‘McLeery.’ The assumption of Stephens prevailed. It was reinforced by the broader Scots accent and slimmer body of the parson he had seen off and the blood coming out of wound and dress of the “parson” in the cell. The hasty conjecture prevents one from seeing the obvious. The jail breaker might have played a trick again. Even the Governor is deceived. He believes what his staff says. The man who doubted everything and cross checked it, does not even examine the victim. Due to their long sojourn in prison the criminals become familiar with the temperaments of prison officers as well as the routine they follow. A criminal is always disbelieved. On the other hand, an officer’s word is always accepted. The criminals are certain that negligence of the prison authorities is their only passport to freedom. They doubt the remotest possibility and doubt genuine telephone calls as fake ones, yet an assumption is accepted as truth and the obvious is ignored. Hence the criminal is able to predict such negligence on the part of prison authorities.
WORKSHEET–136 1. James Roderick Evans was a jail bird. The prison officers called him ‘Evans the Break’ as he had escaped from prison three times. At present he was in a solitary cell in Oxford Prison. He
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was quite a pleasant sort of chap—an amusing person who was good at imitations. He was not at all violent. He suffered from the disease of involuntarily stealing things. This was disease with which he was born. 2. The solitary cell of Evans was turned into examination room by placing two small tables and two chairs in it. Reverend Stuart McLeery, a parson from St. Mary Mags was to work as invigilator. The cell was to be kept locked from outside and a prison officer would observe Evans from a peep-hole after every minute or so. All potential weapons such as knife, scissors, nailfile and razor had been taken away. Even the contents of the suitcase of the invigilator were thoroughly searched. The paper knife was taken away by a prison officer. The Governor himself was to listen-in the conversation in the cell during the examination. The cell was in the D-Wing which had two heavy gates—outer and inner. Both were locked securely. Mr Jackson, the prison officer, was in constant contact with the Governor on the phone. 3. The request was to create an examination centre in the prison for one candidate named James Roderick Evans. He had started night classes in O-Level German last September. He was the only one in the class and said that he was keen to get some sort of academic qualification. The Secretary agreed to give him a chance and promised to send all the forms and stuff. 4. Evans was called ‘Evans the Break’ by the prison officers. He had escaped from prison three times already. He would have done so from Oxford Prison as well if there had not been unrest in the maximum security establishments up north.
WORKSHEET–137 1. The Governor should have escorted Evans himself to the Oxford Prison. He had only two persons with him, and later it turned out that these two persons were associates of Evans. One of them, who posed to be the silent prison officer instructed the driver to move on faster. The driver, who spoke in a broad Scots accent, was the person who acted as the Reverend S. McLeery. The Governor should have at least checked the identity of the staff to whom he was entrusting the prisoner. Secondly, he should have contacted Mr Jackson and Mr Stephens, the two prison officers, Detective Superintendent Carter and Detective Chief Inspector Bell, who were all searching Evans. It was perhaps his over excitement and childish enthusiasm at his arm-chair reasoning in locating the hide-out of Evans and catching him at the Golden Lion, that he threw all cautions to wind and acted foolishly by reposing confidence in wrong persons. Evans and his associates had befooled him earlier as well. The German teacher and the invigilator were friends of Evans. The correction slip sent from Examination Branch was a clever device to convey the route of escape and the hide-out. The Governor’s last act of foolishness really proved that he was only worth being laughed at as he was too credulous and trustful. 2. People condemn the crime as it is an evil act against law and society. In the past, punishment was the only way to treat the criminals. The greater the crime, the harsher and harder the punishment, which could go to the extent of life-imprisonment or death sentence. In the modern age, efforts are on to reform the criminals, even the hard core, and bring them back to the mainstream. Hence police, prison officers, judges and other law-enforcing agencies develop a soft corner for the people in custody. While the sufferer should get justice, the innocent must not be punished. This idea too helps the prison staff often develop a soft corner for the prisoners. The behaviour of prison officer Jackson amply illustrates the above point. He is very strict in enforcing the rules and regulations of prison as well as the Governor’s orders. Yet somewhere in him we find a tiny core of compassion. Even Evans knew it. Mr Jackson has asked Evans to remove that filthy bobble hat. Evans requested him to allow it to wear it during exam as it brought luck to him. It was kind o’ lucky charm for him. Jackson agreed.
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MEMORIES OF CHILDHOOD (Zitkala-Sa and Bama) WORKSHEET–138
1. The two accounts given in the unit ‘Memories of Childhood’ are based in two distant cultures. Two grown up and celebrated writers from marginalised communities look back on their childhood. They reflect on their relationship with the mainstream. The discrimination, oppression, humiliation, suffering and insults that they faced as young members of the marginalised communities are common to both. Zitkala-Sa highlights the severe prejudice that prevailed towards the Native American culture and women. Depriving her of her blanket that covered her shoulders made her look indecent in her own eyes. The cutting of her long hair reduces her to the status of a defeated warrior as in her culture shingled hair are worn only by cowards. The replacing of her moccasins by squeaking shoes and “eating by formula” at breakfast table are other signs of forcible erosion of their own culture and imposition of dogma on them. Bama highlights the humiliations faced by the untouchables who were never given any honour, dignity or respect as they were born in lower classes. They were made to live apart, run errands, and bow humbly to the masters. They scrupulously avoided direct contact with the people of higher classes or the things used by them. The sense of rebellion against the existing state of affairs and decision to improve them are also common themes. 2. Children are more sensitive and observant than the adults. They see, hear, feel and experience whatever happens around them. They are quick to note any deviation from the normal or any aberration. Bama at first, thinks the behaviour of the elder of her community is quite funny. He is holding the packet by string and running with it awkwardly. But when she learns the reason of his behaviour in that particular manner her ire is aroused against the cruel, rich people of upper castes who shamelessly exploit them and heap humiliations on them. She is ready to rebel against the oppression by snatching the packet of vadai from the landlord and eating them herself. Her elder brother channelises her anger. He tells her to study with care and make progress. We see the seeds of rebellion in her. Zitkala-Sa too shows that she has the seeds of rebellion in her even at an early age. Her friend Judewin tells her that the authorities are going to cut their long, heavy hair. She says that they have to submit, because they (authorities) are strong. But Zitkala-Sa rebels. She declares that she will not submit. She will struggle first. And, she does carry out her resolution. She hides herself to foil their attempt. When she is detected hiding under the bed and dragged out, she resists by kicking and scratching wildly. She is overpowered and tied fast in a chair, but she does not take things lying down. The spark of rebellion in her is not put out by oppression.
WORKSHEET–139 1. It was a bitter-cold day. The snow still covered the ground. The trees were bare. A large bell rang for breakfast. Its loud metallic sound crashed through the belfry overhead and penetrated into their sensitive ears. 2. The annoying clatter of shoes on bare floors disturbed the peace. There was a constant clash of harsh noises and an undercurrent of many voices murmuring an unknown tongue. All these
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sounds made a bedlam within which she was securely tied. Her spirit tore itself in struggling for its lost freedom. 3. The ringing of a large bell summoned the students to the dining room. Then a small bell tapped. Each pupil drew a chair from under the table. Then a second bell was sounded. All were seated. A man’s voice was heard at one end of the hall. They hung their heads over the plates. The man ended his mutterings. Then a third bell tapped. Everyone picked up his/her knife and fork and began eating. 4. Judewin knew a few words of English. She had overheard the paleface woman. She was talking about cutting their long, heavy hair. Judewin said, “We have to submit, because they are strong.” Zitkala-Sa rebelled. She declared that she would not submit. She would struggle first.
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Solutions to
Practice Papers of Vol. 1
SOLUTIONS TO PRACTICE PAPER–1 SECTION–A (READING SKILLS) 1.1 (a) Stress makes human body vulnerable to diseases by (i) depleting the stress related hormones (ii) weakening the immunity system by suppressing body’s killer cells. (b) Worry is chief source of stress. The symptoms are (i) pain in the head and neck region (ii) teeth grinding (iii) nail nibbling (iv) disturbed sleep (v) nervousness and shakiness (c) Hypothalamus alters the nervous system and activates the pituitary gland which releases stress hormones like adrenaline. These make the body alert to react to the anxietyprovoking events. Increased levels of blood pressure, blood sugar and risk of heart strokes are the possible results. (d) (i) Adopting healthy lifestyle - exercise (ii) engaging in soothing activities (iii) Positive attitude, socialising instead of loneliness (iv) alternative therapies—hypnotherapy, faith therapy, yoga and meditation. (e) (i) People tend to have poor diets and consume more junk food, caffeine and alcohol. (ii) Prolonged stress causes vitamin and mineral depletion. 1.2 (a) immune
(b) vague (c) amenable
2.1 Notes: 1. Confi. Makers (a) overcoming problems unaided (b) faith in ind’l ability (c) (i) self-help (ii) self-dependence 2. Confi. Shakers (a) overprotectn by family (b) never left alone to manage for themselves 3. Confi. and Success (a) manag without support (i) more assurance (ii) greater self-esteem 4. Confi. Building (a) avoid overprotectn (b) self-reliance (c) self-assurance 5. Mid Gen. Parents (a) afraid of extra bold children - aggressiveness (b) lack confidence - meek suggestions - children more confident (c) obey and appease their old dictatorial parents (d) want children with ind’l entity and confidence (e) self-oriented child - disobey parents (f) suffer from both sides - lack of confi. 2.2
SELF-CONFIDENCE Faith in one’s own capacity and single handed tackling develops confidence while overprotective attitude destroys it. Self-supporting children have more assurance, and greater self-esteem. Self-reliance and self-assurance are essential for success. The mid generation parents, are
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afraid of the aggressiveness of the naughty and extra bold children. Their children are more confident and assertive because they have individual entity and are self-oriented. These mid generation parents suffer both ways—from dictatorial parents and disobeying children simply because they lack self-confidence.
SECTION–B (ADVANCED WRITING SKILLS) 3. First Option ACCOMMODATION WANTED Wanted for a Central Government senior officer, an independent accommodation comprising three bedrooms with attached bathrooms, drawing-cum-dining room, kitchen with modern amenities and facility for car parking in Greater Kailash/Friend’s Colony on reasonable rent. Provision for separate bathroom and a store will be considered an extra facility. Contact Phone No. 2326 3081 between 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Second Option D-59, Adarsh Nagar New Delhi 18 May 200X Dear Mridula Thank you for your cordial invitation for spending a part of my summer vacation with you in your native village. I was eager to go to your village but the sudden illness of my mother has pushed back all my thoughts of recreation. I am sorry I am unable to enjoy your hospitality this summer. I hope you won’t feel upset or take it to heart. Yours sincerely Vipasha 4. First Option PREVENTION OF CRUELTY TO ANIMALS People generally love animals and keep them as pets. Of late domestic animals are being illtreated by their masters. Instead of being well-fed, well nourished cattle, cows, bullocks and horses, we find emaciated bullocks pulling overloaded carts or wooden legged horses yoked to tongas. The fate of cows is the worst of all. The dry cows are let loose on the roads. These stray cows wander about in search of grass and create many problems in the traffic besides creating insanitation. This is a very sorry state of affairs. Animals are in no way less faithful, punctual, helpful and sincere than man. They express love and loyalty, gratitude and anger. They serve us as true servants and guard us as true guardians. We should stop maltreating animals. The harassment of animals begins at home. If we can’t maintain pets properly, we have no right to keep them. The authorities should prevent cruelty to animals by checking overloading of goods/passengers in carts. Similarly, attention should be paid to the animals in circus or zoo. They should get proper food and care. Second Option REPORT ON OPENING CEREMONY OF SPORTS MEET The tenth inter school state sports competitions were inaugurated at our school playgrounds on Sunday, the 19th Feb, 200X. Mr T. N. Biswas, the Chief Secretary of the state declared the games open. Over 2500 school boys and girls would compete for honours in 27 disciplines over the next 10 days. The flame for the Sports Meet was lit by famous athlete Anjaiya. 29 participating contingents from various states and union territories took part in the impressive march past.
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After the oath taking ceremony by the athletes, there was a beautiful cultural programme of folk dances and music. In his brief speech, the Chief Guest congratulated the participants for their enthusiasm and expressed the hope that this sports meet will help the potential talent to bloom to full glory. 5. First Option 16, Vasant Kunj New Delhi 16 October 200X My dear Arun I hope this letter will find you in the best state of health and happiness. You are well aware that the auspicious festival of Diwali is at hand. All the buildings present a very gay and bright look as they have been whitewashed and painted. Diwali is also associated with sending of gifts to relatives and friends. Young children indulge in exploding crackers. I would like you not to indulge in the extravagance on crackers. It is not a whim, fancy or sentiment of mine but has a solid argument behind it. The bursting of fireworks spreads pollution as the harmful gases it emits are unhygienic in nature. The suspended particulate matter affects the sensitive tissues of our body adversely. Secondly, cracker-burst may cause severe burns on human body. Sometimes people lose their eyes or suffer severe fatal burns. Every year shops catch fire due to cracker-burst. The money spent on crackers can be utilised for a better cause. Thirdly, the explosives in crackers are of very poor quality. These crackers are products of the labour of small children who expose themselves to all dangers while manufacturing them. Let us also raise our voice of protest against exploitation of child-labour. So please celebrate Diwali jubiliantly without exploding crackers or using fireworks. Pay my compliments to dear uncle and aunt. Yours affectionately, Rajan Second Option D-52, Shakti Nagar Delhi 18 August 200X The Editor The Times of India New Delhi Sir Sub: Non-availability of Essential Commodities Through the columns of your esteemed daily I want to draw the attention of our popular leaders, general public and the Food and Civil Supplies Department, Delhi, towards the nonavailability of essential commodities to the bonafide ration card holders at the fair price shops of our area. Our area is densely populated and the arrival of migrant labour has worsened the consumer supply ratio. The fair-price shops which used to cater to the needs of our locality have now adopted unfair means and indulge in malpractices in order to make a fast buck. Their modus operandi is quite simple and obvious. Whenever the consumers—the genuine ration card holders approach them for sugar, rice, wheat or kerosene oil, the stock reply is that they have not yet received the supply. In case a truck comes during the daytime, serpentine queues can be seen. By the time half of them get their supply, the ‘NO STOCK’ board is put up. Poor consumers waste their time and energy and return empty handed.
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We have lodged frequent protests and complained to the concerned authorities. We get quite pleasing assurance. I think there is a vicious nexus between the blackmarketeers, shopowners and inspectors of Food and Civil Supplies Department. I appeal to the political bosses to order a thorough probe into these irregularities and safeguard the interest of the genuine ration card holders. Yours truly Rashmi 6. First Option THE INVOLVEMENT OF STUDENTS IN POLITICS The involvement of students in politics began during the freedom struggle. After independence politicians utilised the exuberance of bubbling youth for their partisan and selfish ends. The lowering of voting age and democratisation of the set up of educational institutions brought politics to the school level. While contesting elections to the students’ council, the student leaders resort to all the tricks employed by the seasoned politicians. In the colleges and universities elections are contested on party lines. The political parties thus make inroads into educational institutions. They get dedicated workers and utilise their services during their own elections to parliament or state legislatures. Well, political awareness is good, but too much involvement in politics is certainly harmful. The frequent elections to various civic bodies and legislatures further aggravate the violence and disruptive activities on the campus. Students ignore their studies and indulge in slogan shouting, speech making and taking out processions. Sometimes there are clashes amongst student groups owing allegience to political parties with diverse ideologies. Students should not forget their main aim and mission– studies and learning. They should develop political conciousness but not become tools of wily politicians. Second Option BRAIN-DRAIN India can proudly proclaim the achievements of scientists, engineers and professionals in the field of computer software. We have developed a large and sound infrastructure of science, technology and industry. Our software professionals have made a significant contribution to the development of Silicon Valley and now Germany is thinking of utilising the services of our engineers and professionals. This brain-drain may bring lucrative rewards to the migrating scientists, engineers etc. in the form of higher wages, better standard of living and vast scope for research and professional advancement, but the motherland is deprived of the fruit of their knowledge and skill. This brain-drain thwarts our development. Monetary consideration such as hefty salaries and perks in developed countries is the primary cause of brain-drain. Lack of facilities for research and inadequate pay force the budding talent to seek greener pastures elsewhere. Bureaucratic and political domination and interference in the field of science and technology irritates the young visionaries. Corruption, nepotism and redtapism thwart all their efforts to make significant contribution to their fields. Lack of promotion and stagnation pours cold water on their hopes and enthusiasm. Under such poor working conditions they resort to the escape route and migrate to other countries, sometimes forever. In case we want to check brain-drain, proper atmosphere of work, research facilities, good pay and perks should be given to the talented professionals. Effective and positive measures should be adopted by government to curb this trend.
SECTION–C (TEXTBOOKS) 7(a). First Option (a) Green wars, wars with poisonous gases and wars with the fire are the different kinds of wars.
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(b) It will be a victory where no survivors will be left to celebrate it. (c) They should put on clean clothes and walk with their brothers under the trees leisurely doing nothing. (d) survivors Second Option (a) The life of the people in countryside is quite miserable for want of money. Money which can increase the level of their living is not found there. Hence the spirit of the rural people remains depressed because of poverty. (b) The voice of the country people seems to complain of injustice against them and lack of money in their lives. (c) The poet will feel a great relief if the rural people are liberated of all pains with one stroke. (b). (a) The poet has used beautiful images to highlight the stark contrast between the scene inside the car and the activities going on outside. The ‘ashen’ face of the poet’s mother is pale and lifeless. It looks like that of a corpse. She is dozing and lost to herself. The image of the ‘dozing’ mother is contrasted with the ‘spilling’ of children. The ‘ashen’ and ‘corpse-like’ face is contrasted with the young trees sprinting outside. (b) In this poem Stephen Spender deals with the theme of social injustice and class inequalities. He presents the theme by talking of two different and incompatible worlds. The world of the rich and the ‘civilized’ has nothing to do with the world of narrow lanes and cramped holes. The gap between these two worlds highlights social disparities and class inequalities. (c) Man himself is the root cause of his sufferings. We suffer from malice and distress. We lack human qualities and it makes us inhuman. Our life becomes gloomy. We cultivate unhealthy and evil ways. All such things bring misery, sorrows and sufferings to man. (d) When Aunt Jennifer dies, her hands will still look terrified. Perhaps she has experienced a lot of hardships and troubles in the past. Their effect has left its print on her hands. The ordeals that crushed her married life had sorrounded and cramped her fingers and hands too. 8. (a) Firozabad is famous for its glass bangles. It is the centre of India's glass-blowing industry. Families have spent generations working around furnaces, welding glass, making bangles for all the women in the land. Every other family in Firozabad is engaged in making bangles. (b) Franz had hoped to get to his desk unseen during the commotion. But that day it was quite quiet. So Franz had to open the door and go in before everybody. He blushed as he was late. He was frightened that the teacher might rebuke him, but M. Hamel spoke kindly to him that day. (c) The man had put his money in a leather pouch which hung on a nail in the window frame. He picked out three wrinkled ten-kronor bills for his guest to see as he has seemed sceptical. Then he stuffed them back into the pouch. (d) Gandhi cooperated with the officials. He helped them regulate the crowd. He was polite and friendly. He gave the Britishers a concrete proof that their dreaded and unquestioned power could be challenged by Indians. (e) The diversity and volume of Umberto’s output baffles people. Even David Lodge, the English novelist and academic once remarked that he could not understand how one man could do all the things Eco did. Eco admits that he might have given the impression of doing many things but he is convinced that he is always doing the same thing. 9. First Option Douglas was frightened as he was going down. His active mind suggested a strategy to save himself from being drowned in water. He knew that water has buoyancy. He must make a
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big jump as his feet hit the bottom. He hoped to rise up like a cork to the surface, lie flat on it and paddle to the edge of the pool. Before he touched bottom, his lungs were ready to burst. Using all his strength, he made a great jump. He rose up very slowly. He saw nothing but yellow coloured dirty water. He grew panicky and he was suffocated. He swallowed more water as he tried to shout. He choked and went down again. His stiff legs refused to obey him. He had lost all his breath. His lungs ached and head throbbed. He was getting dizzy. He went down through darkwater again. An absolute terror seized Douglas. He was paralysed under water. His reasoning power told him to jump again. He did so, but his arms and legs wouldn’t move. His eyes and nose came out of water, but not his mouth. He swallowed more water and went down third time. Now a blackness swept over his brain. He had experienced the terror that fear of death can produce as well as the sensation of dying. Second Option Geoff was Sophie’s elder brother. He was three years out of school. He was an apprentice mechanic. He travelled to his work each day to the far side of the city. He was almost grown up now. He spoke very little. Sophie was jealous of Geoff’s silence. He was quiet and didn’t make new friends easily. He thought that Sophie was too young and immature. Geoff was mature enough to understand his limitations and those of his family. He never dreamt of big and beautiful things. In spite of difference in their temperaments, there was a close bond between the two. Geoff was always the first to share Sophie’s secrets. He knew that Sophie’s story of meeting with Danny Casey was not true. Still he listened to her. Sophie confided in him. Her secret was something special just between them. It was not meant for nosey Jansie who would spread it in the whole neighbourhood. Geoff tried to persuade Sophie. He warned her that Danny Casey was a celebrity. He must have many girls like her running after him. Sophie told him that Casey would give her an autograph if she cared to meet him next week. Geoff did not believe “he’d ever show up.” Thus he acted like an elder brother. Geoff and Sophie share a common trait. It is their fascination for the Irish prodigy, Danny Casey. But they differ in their thinking. Like his father, Geoff wished Casey to be a great footballer one day. Sophie had romantic fascination for Casey. It was something else other than football. 10. First Option The author regards a journey to Antarctica as very important. She thinks that the world’s geological history is trapped in Antarctica. If you want to understand the earth’s present, past and future, Antarctica is the place to go to. At present Antarctica is an expanse of white snow with no trees, animals or native human inhabitants. However, millions of years ago Antarctica had far warmer climate and had a huge variety of flora and fauna. Due to some geological changes, the different parts that made Gondwana, split apart. Now Antarctica is very cold, desolate and farthest place in the world. Antarctica holds in its ice-cores half-million-year-old carbon records trapped in its layers of ice. When we see glaciers retreating and ice-shelves collapsing, we realise that the threat of global warming is very real. Antarctica is the perfect place to study how little changes in the environment can have big consequences. The example of the phytoplankton is quite relevant as it gives us a sound advice: “take care of the small things and the big things will take care of themselves”. The experience on Antarctica helps in developing a new understanding and respect for the earth. Second Option Mr Lamb is quite gentle, accommodating and protective. He asks Derry to mind the apples as he might trip. Instead of feeling angry over the way of his entry, he points out that the
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gate is always open and he is welcome. His cordial manner and conciliatory tone touch the inner most chords of a defiant boy like Derry who does not want to mix up with others. On learning about his burnt face, he does not react like others. Instead of exhibiting fear and revulsion, he shows understanding and affection. He admits that he is the same as the boy. If the boy has a burnt face, he has got a tin leg. Gradually, he tries to win over the confidence of Derry by reminding him of ‘Beauty and the Beast’. He then tells him the story of a man who feared everything and shut himself in a room. His positive attitude and different thinking to life inspires the boy to talk to him like a friend. 11. (a) Charley judged from the style of dress the people at third level were wearing that they belonged to the 1890’s. Their beards, sideburns and fancy moustaches also pointed out to that era. Charley saw a stack of the newspaper ‘The World’ at the feet of the newsboy. The lead story was about President Cleveland. From the files of the Public Library he came to know that the issue was printed on 11 June 1894. (b) The Maharaja was excited beyond measure when he killed his first tiger. He felt proud of his feat. He wanted to show the dead beast to the State astrologer. So he sent for him and wanted to know what he said then. (c) He found Evans sitting with his pen between his lips. He was staring straight in front of him towards the door. Opposite him sat McLeery. His hair was amateurishly clipped pretty closely to the scalp. His eyes were fixed at ‘The Church Times’. His right index finger was hooked beneath the narrow clerical collar. The fingers of the left-hand were slowly stroking the short black beard. (d) There would be mango, cucumber, sugarcane, sweet potato, palm-shoots, gram, palmsyrup, palm-fruit, guavas and jack-fruit, according to the season. She would see people selling sweet and savoury fried snacks, payasam, halva, boiled tamarind seeds and iced lollies each day.
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SOLUTIONS TO PRACTICE PAPER–2 SECTION–A (READING SKILLS) 1.1 (a) The most prominent quality associated with youth is energy. (b) It means ‘learn’ to operate the modern devices, ‘earn’ wealth by employing them, ‘burn’ the natural resources as well as oneself and ‘enjoy’ one’s own funeral. (c) They are intelligent, skilful and hardworking but they lack insight and foresight. Being self-indulgent they do not follow any moral code of conduct. They are confined to present joys and do not think deeper. (d) It may take the form of political opposition. Sometimes these rebels become violent and indulge in insurgent and terrorist activities. (e) Modern man is exploiting mother earth and nature to the extent of their destruction and consequently his own. The sensitive youth are looking for an alternative model of development based on mutual love, friendship, co-operation and harmony. (f) Humanity is likely to be ushered into the third millennium by evolving a new way of life and releasing a new principle of global consciousness through a fundamental research in the science of life. 1.2 (a) insurgent (b) insatiable (c) ethereal. 2.1 Notes: 1. Defn. of dietary fibres 2. Importance (a) low incidence of heart diseases and cancer (b) removes constipation (c) checks obesity, diabetes, caries etc. 3. Characteristics (a) include cellulose, lignin, pectin etc. (b) specific chem. structure (c) solubility (i) some sol in water (ii) others insoluble in H2O 4. Sources (a) cereals and grains, legumes (b) fruits with seeds, citrus fruits (c) carrots, cabbages, green leafy vegs. 5. Properties (a) not digested/absorbed by enzymes of stomach/small intestines (b) hold water—get swollen—act like sponge (c) add bulk to diet—increase transit time in the gut (d) undergo fermentn in the colon. 6. Action Mechanism (a) bind bile salts—prevent reabsorptn (b) decrease cholesterol level in circuln (c) decrease post prandial glucose level in blood
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7. Adverse Effects (a) preventg absorpon of metals (b) nutritional deficiency—lesser minerals 2.2
ROLE OF DIETARY FIBRES Dietary fibres are indigestible carbohydrates present in plant foods, which result in low incidence of many diseases. These fibres include cellulose, lignin, pectin, plant gums and mucilages. They have a specific chemical structure but different physical and chemical properties. Some are soluble in water while others are insoluble. Cereals and grains, legumes, fruit with seeds, citrus fruits, carrots, cabbages and green leafy vegetables are rich in fibres. Being indigestible they add bulk to diet and increase transit time in the intestines. Since they hold water, they get swollen and act like sponge. Some fibres undergo fermentation in colon. They bind bile salts and prevent its reabsorption. They also decrease cholestoral level and glucose level in blood. Since they prevent absorption of metals and minerals increased dietary fibres may result in nutritional deficiency.
SECTION–B (ADVANCED WRITING SKILLS) 3. First Option CLASSIFIED ADVERTISEMENT DOGS & KENNELS Adult Pekinese and Dachshund, Scotch Terrier Pups, nine in all, three each of a breed, are available for sale. Age of pups – 3 to 6 months; adult dogs 1½ to 2 years – fully trained and inoculated, both male and female, imported blood line. Only genuine dog lovers need. Contact: Sumit Bandopadhayay, 38, Salt Lake, Kolkata. Second Option NOTICE GOLDEN OPPORTUNITY FOR Book-lovers The International Book Fair is being organised at Pragati Maidan as per details given below: Dates : 14 Nov. to 19 Nov. 200X Time : 2 pm to 9 pm Latest publications and rare books will be on display. All students are requested to attend. Chetan Swaroop Librarian
9 Nov. 200X
4. First Option SPEEDING TRUCK HITS AND RUNS —Mani Aiyyar Trichy, 7 March In yet another hit and run accident, a speeding truck struck against an autorickshaw full of school children. The head of driver of the auto bumped into the wind screen. As he lost control, the vehicle overturned and the road was littered with bags, books, waterbottles etc. A number of children were thrown off and two hit the railing on the pavement. People rushed to save them. Fortunately they had received only minor injuries. The truck driver utilised the opportunity and sped away.
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Second Option Sunil Joshi, Head boy THE NEW STUDY CENTRE The school has added another feather to its cap by converting the new wing to a Study Centre comprising a spacious hall for library with 90 stacks of open shelves and about 60,000 books. The three reading rooms are well furnished with moulded chairs, gloss-top tables and velvety carpets. One of the reading rooms is for newspapers and periodicals. The other is for the faculty members. The third is reserved for self-study where we can carry our books and read. All the reading rooms are well-lit and have curtains to ward off the heat. The covers of newly arrived books are displayed on a notice-board. The magazines and periodicals have their beautiful, transparent covers and are placed at specific places and stands. Since the open shelf system has been introduced, it has become easier to locate the books. In case it is not on the shelf, it can be requisitioned with the help of catalogue card. The librarian is ever ready to help us. 5. First Option: Attempt yourself. Second Option 123 Diplomatic Enclave New Delhi The Editor The Hindustan Times New Delhi 18 March, 200X Sir Sub: Hard Core Marketing Through the columns of your esteemed daily, I wish to draw the attention of the authorities and parents to the malpractices that are being carried on by the media under the guise of marketing strategies. Advertisements are launched in such a way that children are the targets of the advertised goods. Consumerism has made inroads to such an extent that all out efforts are made to entice them into becoming prospective consumers. Then there are numerous awards attached to schemes – all very dear to the hearts of young children. Parents who love and fondle their children yield to their insistence. The child and through him the parents are easily exploited by the advertisers of sports goods, shoes, confectionaries, textiles, fast food and fizzy drink manufacturers. I think, before approving the advertisements for public display the authorities should take note of its precise effect on children and check the errant agencies from committing such malpractices. Yours truly Sudhanshu 6. First Option MAGAZINE ARTICLE For centuries the girl child has been a victim of misplaced notions and an object of ridicule and discrimination. Even educated people consider boys superior to girls because they are stronger physically, mentally and emotionally. The mothers fondle, cajole and coax the boys and scold the equally intelligent, and rather more industrious girls due to the misconceived notion that the family propagates only with the male child. These orthodox and retrograde views have forced the grown up women to raise the banner of protest and demand reservation for women. In fact, women are so suppressed and depressed in the countryside that any
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project of women uplift is impossible without giving them special treatment. It is only in the elite urban groups that the feats of girls and women are applauded. In the educated middle classes we find girls and women competing with boys and men in every sphere—studies, jobs, administration or politics. Yet, the condition of girls in 60% urban homes and 90% rural homes is still pitiable. Our constitution provides for equality of sexes and no discrimination or gender bias should thwart the progress of girl child. We have to change the social milieu and force the traditional, orthodox, retrograde and backward looking people to change their point of view and treat boys and girls equally by providing them equal opportunities for studies, creative sensibilities and developing physical stamina. They will find the girl child more hardworking, patient and understanding. Second Option EXAMINATION PHOBIA Examinations are an ordeal, a hellfire for the children as well as their dear parents. They do not welcome it, yet they have to face this necessary evil year after year. The aspirations of the children are high and the parents are so involved with the performance of their wards in examination that both are tense. Since the portals of higher education and technical / professional education are open to students with good grades, parents expect their children to perform wonderfully well in the examination. They try to egg their wards on by indulging in comparisons of the attainments of their siblings with those of their friends or neighbours. Thus they cause a psychological strain on themselves besides overburdening and harassing their children. In their myopic state they forget that only one student can top the class. Every child cannot get the highest marks in each subject. Sometimes these pressures drive students to the brink of mental breakdown. Many students commit suicide because they fear that their performance may not match their parents’ expectations. The need is to inculcate proper perspective in parents as well as students. Let the students try to display their real talent and potential.
SECTION–C (TEXTBOOKS) 7(a). First Option (a) The poem is ‘A Thing of Beauty’. The poet is John Keats. (b) The magnificence that we imagine for our mighty dead forefathers on the dooms day. (c) The beauty of daffodils, rills and musk-rose is more enchanting than all lovely stories that we have heard or read. (d) The endless fountain of nectar (immortal drink) pours into us from the heavenly bliss of nature. Second Option (a) The colour of the classroom walls is ‘sour cream’ or off white. This colour suggests the decaying aspect and pathetic condition of the lives of the children in a slum-school. (b) The walls of the classroom have pictures of Shakespeare, buildings with domes, world maps and beautiful valleys. (c) The poet hints at two worlds: the world of poverty, misery and malnutrition of the slums where children are underfed, weak and have stunted growth. The other world is of progress and prosperity peopled by the rich and the powerful. The pictures on the wall suggesting happiness, richness, well being and beauty are in stark contrast to the dim and dull slums. (b). (a) The poet is driving to the Cochin airport. When she looks outside, the young trees seem to be walking past them. With the speed of the car they seem to be running fast or sprinting. The poet presents a contrast—her ‘dozing’ old mother and the ‘sprinting’ young trees.
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(b) Instead of indulging in wars, the people must come out in their best dresses with their brothers. They should go out for a walk under the shady trees and enjoy themselves doing nothing. (c) The greedy people will pose as ‘good-doers’. They will swarm over the lives of the poor rural folk. They will make plans to extract maximum profit from them. These people are more cruel than the wild beasts of prey. Their only aim is to mint money and earn huge profits by befooling the innocent rural people. They will themselves ‘sleep all day’ but ‘destroy their sleeping at night’. (d) Aunt Jennifer’s tigers were created in the panel by her own hands. They appeared to be prancing (jumping) across a screen. They looked sleek. They were bright like yellow topaz. They were majestic and courageous. They didn’t fear the men beneath the tree. They paced in ‘chivalric certainty’. 8. (a) Mukesh’s father was born in the caste of bangle-makers. His father went blind with the dust from polishing the glass of bangles. He is an old and poor bangle maker. He has worked hard for long years, first as a tailor and then as a bangle-maker. He has failed to renovate a house or send his two sons to school. (b) Franz hardly knew how to write. He had not learnt his lessons properly. He wasted time on seeking birds’ eggs or going sliding on the Saar. Books seemed a nuisance to him and a burden to carry. He had put off learning till the next day thinking he had plenty of time. (c) Unpleasant memories of the past were revived and childish fears were stirred. In a little while he gathered confidence. He paddled with his new water wings. He watched the other boys and tried to imitate them. He did so two or three times on different days. He began to feel comfortable. (d) The sharecropping arrangement was troublesome to the peasants. Many of them signed the new agreement willingly. Some resisted and engaged lawyers. Then they came to know about synthetic indigo. The peasants wanted their money back. (e) The author suggests that it might be because of his intimacy with the Boss or because his general demeanour resembled that of a sycophant. It may have been due to his readiness to say nice things about everything. 9. First Option One dark evening the peddler reached a little gray cottage by the roadside. He knocked on the door to ask shelter for the night. The owner, an old man without wife or child, welcomed him. He was happy to get someone to talk to in his loneliness. He served him hot porridge for supper and gave him tobacco for his pipe. Then he played cards with him till bed time. The host told the peddler that in his days of prosperity, he worked on land at Ramsjo Ironworks. Now his cow supported him. He sold her milk at the creamery everyday. He showed the peddler the thirty kronor notes he got as payment that month. Then he hung the leather pouch on a nail in the window frame. Next morning the crofter went to milk the cow, and the peddler went away. However, he returned after half an hour, broke the window pane, took the money out of the leather pouch and put it back on the nail. This episode shows that in loneliness, human beings crave for company, for social bonding. Secondly, temptations can overpower the greatest philosopher. The peddler who calls the world a rattrap is himself tempted by thirty kronor. Second Option Umberto Eco has many philosophical interests. He pursues them through his academic works and novels. Even his books for children are about non-violence and peace. They are the same bunch of ethical and philosophical interests. Eco has written more than 40 scholarly non-fictional works. Among them is a seminal work on semiotics. He prefers to be called an
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academician. He participates in academic conferences and not in the meetings of pen clubs and writers. He identifies himself with the academic community. He declares that he is a university professor who writes novels on Sundays. Umberto Eco shares a secret with the interviewer. He thinks that if we eliminate the empty spaces from the universe the world will shrink. It will become as big as a fist. Similarly we have a lot of empty spaces or interstices in our lives. He works in these empty spaces and uses them to his advantage. Umberto Eco has evolved a distinct non-fictional style. It is different from the regular academic style which is usually ‘depersonalised and often dry and boring.’ Padmanabhan finds a certain playful and personal quality about his scholarly work. Eco admits that his essays have a narrative aspect. This narrative style of his scholarly works was fully developed later on in his novels. 10. First Option Dr Sadao’s father had high dreams about the future of Japan. There was no limit to their future as it depended on what they made it. He never played or joked with his only son. But he spent infinite pains upon him. For the sake of the best possible medical education, he sent his son to America. Sadao met Hana there, but waited to fall in love with her until he was sure she was Japanese. His father would never have received her unless she had been pure in her race. Their marriage was arranged in the old Japanese way only after Sadao’s father had seen her when both of them had come home to Japan after finishing their education. He was a Japanese every inch. The floor of his room was deeply matted. He would never sit on a chair or sleep in a foreign bed in his house. The quilt was covered with flowered silk and the lining was pure white silk. In short, everything here had been Japanese to please him. Second Option Roger Skunk smelled very bad—in fact so bad that none of the other little woodland creatures would play with him. Whenever Roger Skunk went out to play, all the other tiny animals would cry: ‘Uh-oh, here comes Roger Stinky Skunk.’ Then they would run away. Roger Skunk would stand there all alone. Two little round tears would fall from his eyes. Roger Skunk walked along very sadly and came to a very big tree. There was a huge, wise, old owl on the topmost branch of the tree. He told the owl that all the other little animals ran away from him because he smelled very bad. The owl admitted that he did so. Skunk wanted to know what he could do and cried hard. The owl advised Roger Skunk to go to the wizard who lived in the dense forest over a little river. The wizard too observed that the Skunk smelled awful. He asked what he wanted. Roger Skunk told his problem. The wizard found his magic wand and asked Roger Skunk what he wanted to smell like. Roger thought and said, “Roses”. The wizard chanted a magical spell. There was a smell of roses all around the wizard’s house. Roger Skunk now smelled of Roses. 11. (a) The paper inside the first-day cover was not blank. It contained a note by Sam, written from Galesburg on 18 July 1894 and addressed to Charley. It revealed that Sam had found the third level and had been in Galesburg for two weeks, enjoying the company of carefree, song and music loving people there. He advised Charley to keep looking for the third level as it was worth it. (b) The reaction of the Dewan is quite funny and amusing. He thinks that the Maharaja wants to marry him. He says that he has already two wives. The Maharaja clarifies that he does not want to marry him. He wants a tiger. The Dewan interrupts him saying that his ancestors were married to the sword. He might marry the gun if he liked. He added that a Tiger King was more than enough for that state. It did not need a Tiger Queen as well.
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(c) It was a frightening possibility owing to the stark contrast in physical parameters. The author, a South-Indian, lived under the hot sun. Antarctica has 90 per cent of Earth’s total ice. Not only circulatory and metabolic functions but even imagination are strained. (d) Mr Lamb does not provide a straightforward solution. He says that in the street kids shout “Lamey–Lamb” at him. Still they come to his garden. They are not afraid of him because he is not afraid of them. He simply ignores their comments. He concentrates on other things.
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SOLUTIONS TO PRACTICE PAPER–3 SECTION–A (READING SKILLS) 1.1 (a) It suggests breaking through the limitations of what the human body can achieve. (b) The adventure sports thrill human beings by infusing a sense of achievement which initially seemed beyond the endurance limit of human body. (c) It showed that people involved in inexpensive leisure were more happy than those involved in expensive ones. It is because the mind has to be pressed to the maximum constructive use. (d) The factors that inspire man to higher level of performance in life are: (iii) pleasing others (i) necessity/personal gain (ii) fascination (iv) solving problems (v) actualising values (Any two out of five) (e) (i) living for something greater than overselves (ii) knowledge of doing something different (f) (i) it is lonely, dull and monotonous (ii) others try to pull you back. 1.2 (a) trivial
(b) parable
(c) ingredients.
2.1 Notes: 1. Impact of fossil fuels on envt. (a) huge cloud of polluts (i) haze (ii) acid rain (b) global warm’g (i) green house gases (ii) acid gases (iii) depletn of ozone layer (c) adverse effects of gn.house gases (i) rise in the sea level (ii) shifting of various deserts and plateaus 2. Investt. for envtl. protn. (a) Energy & Envt. correlated (i) cleaning up polln. (ii) invt. at grass root level (b) Energy consn. (i) envtl. necessity (ii) cost saving 3. Refineries & Energy consumptn (a) significant reduction in energy consumptn (i) better opern. in processing: conserve petrol, reduce pollution (ii) ‘clean-burn’ pollt. free 4. Energy consn. (a) combined efforts (i) mental attitude (ii) behavl. aspects (b) formulating envtl. mgt. system (i) prevtg. polln. (ii) energy & resource consn. (c) renewable sources of energy (i) little envtl. harm (ii) no polln. 5. Goal of Industry (a) avoidance of wasting sources of energy (b) efft. use of energy (c) presn. of envt.
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PETROLEUM CONSERVATION AND ENVIRONMENT A huge cloud of pollutants hovers over us due to burning of fossil fuels. Haze and acid rain will follow this global warming caused by greenhouse gases and depletion of ozone layer. Rising sea level and shifting of various deserts and plateaus may follow. Hence investment for environmental protection is essential. Since energy and environment are correlated, investment at grassroot level will clean up pollution. Energy conservation is environmental necessity as well as cost saving. Refineries can help energy consumption by better operations in processing and pollutant free ‘clean-burn’ combined efforts, proper environment management and utilisation of renewable sources of energy are essential to conserve energy and preserve environment.
SECTION–B (ADVANCED WRITING SKILLS) 3. First Option POSTER
THE RED CROSS SOCIETY, FARIDABAD is organising
A BLOOD DONA TION CAMP DONATION at CAMBRIDGE SCHOOL, SECTOR 16 on
15 August, 200X at 11.00 Hours EVERY DONOR WILL BE AWARDED CERTIFICATE
Remember BLOOD DONATION CAUSES NO WEAKNESS
COME FORWARD
D onat lo o d and S av if onatee B Blo loo Sav avee a LLif ifee Secretary District Red Cross Society, Faridabad Second Option NOTICE 15 Nov. 200X While playing hockey in the games period today, I lost my wristwatch in the school playground. It is an HMT ‘Supriya’ model with golden case and a brown strap. It bears my initials on the backside. Being a birthday present, it has a sentimental value for me. The finder is requested to hand it over to the undersigned or the Principal. Mithun/Madhuri XII-A, Roll No. 305
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4. First Option COMPUTER EDUCATION Computers have covered five generations since Charles Babbage invented a machine that could take in information and sort it in the form of tables. During the last three decades of the twentieth century new dimensions have been added to computer technology. The Indian computer industry has also taken rapid strides and now computers have far wider applications. Scientists use computer for engineering science, oceanography and geology. Business houses and government departments use computers for data collection, analysis, comparison. Sales accounting, sales analysis and stock verification can be done accurately. E-mail and E-commerce are the latest applications of computer science. Banks, hotels and other establishments use them in various calculations and maintenance of record of funds, taxes, income, expenditure, profit/loss and record of employees/patrons. Traffic control and space technology can be assisted by computers. Thus computer education has become essential in the new millennium. Second Option A BURGLARY Burglary is a hateful and heinous crime of entering a building in order to steal. Nowadays the burglars have no qualms of conscience while snatching or removing money and material forcibly. Sometimes the burglars do not hesitate to use force and cause bloodshed also. I witnessed a gory accident yesterday. Four youngmen with masked faces broke into the house of Mr Sumer Chand, a jeweller who lives in a house opposite ours. It was about 11.00 p.m. His wife and children had gone to bed. On hearing sounds of footsteps he raised alarm. But the burglars pointed a gun towards him and demanded the keys of the chest. Two of the burglars tied the members of his family with ropes. They fired a shot in the air. I was too frightened to inform the police, but my father did so when he heard the gun shot. The burglars tied cash and jewellery in bundles when the police surrounded the building and asked the burglars to surrender. Thus timely action by vigilant neighbours led to the arrest of the criminals. 5. First Option SARVODAYA SCHOOL, BIKANER Students’ Forum No 328/SSB/01 15 March, 200X The General Manager Northern Railway Baroda House, New Delhi Sir Sub: Reservation of a Bogie for 60 students A group of 60 students of senior classes of this school have planned to visit Bhubaneswar and nearby worth seeing spots during the summer vacation. They will be accompanied by three lecturers and two attendants. The touring party intends to leave Bikaner on 15 May, 200X by Bikaner Mail in a specially reserved bogie to be linked to Konark Express at Delhi. They are likely to commence their return journey on 5 June by the same train. Please confirm whether a bogie can be reserved for them during the above dates. An early confirmation at your end will help the school authorities finalise the other necessary arrangements. You are also requested to supply the details of estimated expenditure with student concession so that the money may be deposited well in time. List of tour party on prescribed proformas is enclosed. Hoping for an early reply
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Yours faithfully Varsha Secretary Students’ Forum Second Option C-564, Vishnu Gardens Karnal 21 September, 200X The Chairman Municipal Corporation Karnal Sir Sub: Insanitary conditions and erratic water supply I would like to bring to your kind notice the plight of the residents of Vishnu Gardens due to unsatisfactory state of sanitary arrangements and improper supply of drinking water. Heaps of dirt keep lying in the streets. The drains are open and keep over-flowing with garbage and dirt. Low-lying areas and pits remain filled with stagnant waters. Stray dogs, pigs and cows also add to the worsening insanitary conditions. The supply of drinking water is very irregular and inadequate so people use water of hand pumps. Due to non-availability of pure drinking water, the residents have become victims of water borne diseases like cholera, malaria, typhoid and diarrhoea. We have requested the sanitary inspector time and again but our grievances remain unattended. We, therefore request you to kindly spare some time, visit our locality in person and take immediate steps to improve the living conditions. Yours faithfully Harish Kumar Secretary Residents Welfare Association 6. First Option RAGGING IN EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTIONS Ragging in schools and colleges has become a customary practice and symbol of modernity. No wonder ragging sessions have gained respectability in public schools. The motive behind ragging is to make the freshers ‘comfortable’ in the new set up. Many defend the practice of ragging the freshers as a harmless way of introduction and free mixing up. However, the senior students resort to tricks of C-grade horror movies. They bully, intimidate, humiliate and even beat up their juniors. Imagine the torture and insults the freshers have to undergo during a ragging session. Physical and mental torture of the freshers is a harassment. The barbaric acts of beating innocent freshers, locking them up in lavatories, giving them electric shocks or asking them to parade naked are worst forms of torture and abuse. Authorities should take care that ragging doesn't affect the self-esteem of the freshers or dehumanise them. The strategy of 3P’s: Prohibition-Prevention-Punishment devised by the UGC for colleges and universities should be made applicable to schools also. The administrators should keep a close watch on the activities of the students. Ragging should be banned and the guilty should be given exemplary punishment. Second Option SMOKING—A HEALTH HAZARD The use of tobacco in any form is harmful for health. Smoking is the most dangerous evil which is prevalent in almost all the countries of the world. In the western countries women
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are addicted to smoking. In India too, mod girls copy their peers and indulge in smoking. The poor labourers—industrial, domestic or farm labourers—resort to smoking to snatch some moments of peace and rest from their back breaking routine. Although every packet of cigarettes contains the statutory warning that smoking is injurious to health, it has little effect on the smoker. Tobacco contains nicotine that harms the lungs and may cause incurable cancer. Smoking affects our nervous system, heart and circulatory system. It clogs the arteries and causes respiratory problems like asthma and bronchitis. It reduces stamina and life-span but increases blood pressure and incidence of heart attack. In short the use of tobacco in any form is harmful for health.
SECTION–C (TEXTBOOKS) 7(a). First Option (a) (i) Greedy people pretending to be doing good things. (ii) People who are cruel like the flesh-eating wild animals pretending to be generous. (b) The innocent rural people will be befooled. The cunning and greedy people will force them to part with their money. They will exploit the rural poor and mint money. (c) They will pretend to teach the rural people how to sleep, relax and rest. Actually they will make them work but they themselves will sleep all day. (d) The ‘greedy good-doers’ and ‘beneficent beasts of prey’ will use their old tricks to destroy their peace and sleep. Second Option (a) Her mother was lost somewhere else in thoughts. It pained her. (b) The poet withdrew her thoughts from her mother and looked outside. (c) The young trees growing outside went past as if they were sprinting. Happy children were coming out of their houses. (d) (i) sprinting (ii) spilling. (b). (a) The conquerors and dictators can change the map of the world according to their whims and will. They change the boundaries of various nations and shape the ‘map’. Their fair map is of a beautiful world full of domes, bells and flowers, rivers, capes and stars. (b) The title of the poem is quite appropriate and logical. It suggests the necessity of quiet introspection. The people of the world are overactive and always on the move. Their activities have caused untold troubles and sufferings. Keeping quiet will do them a lot of good. It will save them from many harmful and violent activities. Moreover, it will help in reflecting over the fate of man and help in creating a feeling of mutual understanding among human beings. (c) The dooms-day is considered the day of judgement, when the dead will receive what is due to them. Our mighty dead forefathers earned name and fame with their noble deeds. It is hoped that they will be rewarded with rare magnificence and grandeur. (d) Aunt Jennifer is making her tigers in the panels. She is using ivory needles. Her fingers are fluttering through the wool. She finds it difficult (hard) to pull even the ivory needles. The reason is obvious. The weight of unhappy and unfortunate experiences of her married life sits heavily on her hands. 8. (a) Wachter was a blacksmith. He was reading the latest bulletin. He asked Franz not to go so fast to his school. He added that the little boy would get to his school in plenty of time. Wachter had read the latest bulletin about teaching of German. Franz thought that the blacksmith was making a fun of him. So he ran to the school and reached there breathless.
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(b) Douglas was frightened when he went down into the pool and was about to be drowned. He had an aversion to water and now he was filled with terror. He had remarkable selfcontrol. He used his mind even in the crisis and thought of a strategy to save himself from being drowned. (c) The owner of that mill was a very prominent ironmaster. His greatest ambition was to ship out good iron to the market. He insisted on quality and kept a watch on the work both night and day. He came to the forge on one of his nightly rounds of inspection. (d) The author says that a frustrated person always directs his anger towards a single person openly or covertly. He does so to explain the conduct of the ‘boy’ in make-up department towards Subbu as the former held the latter responsible for all his woes, ignominy and neglect. (e) Eco’s American publisher told him that she loved her book, but she didn’t expect to sell more than 3000 copies there. So Eco was given an advance for 3,000 copies only. But in the end it sold two or three million in the U.S. 9. First Option Gandhi had reached Motihari, the Capital of Champaran, to study the problems of the sharecropper peasants. He was on his way to a neighbouring village, where a peasant was ill-treated. On the way, he was stopped by the police superintendent’s messenger and ordered to return to town. When he reached home, he was served with an official notice to quit Champaran at once. Gandhi wrote on the receipt that he would disobey the order. So Gandhi received a summons to appear in court the next day. Next morning the town of Motihari was black with peasants. Thousands of peasants demonstrated voluntarily outside the court. The prosecutor requested the judge to postpone the trial. Gandhi protested against the delay. He read out a statement pleading guilty. He asked the penalty. The judge announced that he would pronounce the sentence after a twohour recess. He asked Gandhi to furnish bail for that period. Gandhi refused. The judge released him without bail. After the recess, the judge said that he would not deliver the judgment for several days. Meanwhile he allowed Gandhi to remain at liberty. Several days later Gandhi received a letter. The case against him had been dropped. Thus civil disobedience had triumphed, for the first time in India. Second Option Seemapuri is a place on the periphery of Delhi, yet miles away from it metaphorically. Squatters who came from Bangladesh way back in 1971 live here. Saheb's family is one of them. Seemapuri was then a wilderness. It still is, but it is no longer empty. Nearly 10,000 ragpickers live there in structures of mud, with roofs of tin and tarpaulin. These shanties are devoid of sewage, drainage or running water. These people have lived there for more than thirty years without an identity or permit. They have got ration cards that enable them to buy grains and get their names on voters’ lists. For them food is more important for survival than an identity. The women put on tattered saris. They left their fields as they gave them no grain. They pitch their tents wherever they find food. Rag picking is the sole means of their survival. It has acquired the proportions of a fine art for them. Garbage to them is gold. It provides them their daily bread and a roof over the heads. Most of the barefoot ragpickers roam the streets early in the morning and finish their activities by noon. They seem to carry the plastic bag lightly over their shoulders. They are clothed in discoloured shirts and shorts and denied the opportunity of schooling. 10. First Option Jack feels that he has been caught in an ugly middle position physically, emotionally as well as mentally. The woodwork, a cage of mouldings and rails and skirting boards all around them was half old tan and half new ivory.
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He was conscious of his duties as a father and as a husband. Little Bobby was already asleep. His efforts to make Jo fall asleep proved quite fatiguing. She kept on interrupting him, asking for clarifications, pointing errors and suggesting alternatives. Jack did not like that women should take anything for granted. He liked them to be apprehensive. So he extended the story, though he was in a haste to go down stairs and help his pregnant wife in her hard work of painting the woodwork. The result of the extension to the story proved unfruitful and unpleasant for Jo, Jack and Clare. Jo wanted him to change the ending of the story. Clare complained that he had told a long story. Jack felt utter weariness and did not want to speak with his wife or work with her or touch her. He was really caught in an ugly middle position. Second Option Charley noticed some obvious differences in objects and persons that distinguished the third level from the second level. The room here was smaller than the one on the second level. There were fewer ticket windows and train gates. Moreover, the information booth in the centre was wooden and old-looking. The lights were dim and flickering. These were openflame gaslights. There were brass spittoons on the floor. The man in the information booth wore a green eyeshade and long black sleeve protectors. A man pulled out a gold watch from his vest pocket. He snapped open the cover and glanced at his watch. He wore a derby hat and a black four-button suit with tiny lapels. He had a big black, handlebar moustache. There were people with strange beards, sideburns and fancy moustaches. A woman wore a dress with leg-of-mutton sleeves and skirts to the top of her high-buttoned shoes. Everyone in the station was dressed like eighteen-ninety-something. 11. (a) The manner of the death of the Tiger King is of extraordinary interest. The most fantastic aspect of his demise was that as soon as he was born, astrologers had foretold that one day the Tiger King would actually have to die. (b) Sadao went on with his swift concise movements. He did not seem to hear her. She was used to his absorption when he was at work. She wondered for a moment if it mattered to him what the body was upon which he worked so long as it was for the work which he did so excellently. (c) Derry thinks that the old man can put on trousers and cover up his tin leg. Then no one sees it. So people don’t have to notice and stare at, as they do at his face. Mr Lamb replies that some people do notice and stare at his disability. Some don’t. In the end, they get tired of it. Moreover, there are plenty of things to stare at. (d) These included the performing monkey, the snakecharmer’s snake, the cyclist who had kept on biking for three days, the spinning wheels, the Maariyaata temple and the huge bell hanging there. She also noticed the pongal offerings being cooked in front of the temple.
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SOLUTIONS TO PRACTICE PAPER–4 SECTION–A (READING SKILLS) 1.1 (a) An air pollutant is a substance which is present in air although normally it is not or it is present in an amount exceeding the normal concentrations. (b) The air pollutants may be present either in gaseous form or as a particulate matter. (c) It is caused by the lack of oxygen there. (d) It is a set of symptoms which indicate diseases caused by indoor pollutants. Sick building syndrome is increasing due to overfurnished small houses. The indoor concentration of pollutants exceeds those of outdoors. (e) It can be overcome by identifying the offending antigen and then by removing it completely. 1.2 environmental tobacco smoke exposure causes several medical problems. 1.3 (a) syndrome
(b) incidence (c) radon.
2.1 TITLE: FACING AN INTERVIEW Notes: 1. Importance of Interview (a) prospects depend on interview. 2. What is an Interview? (a) discussion – interviewer – candidate (b) questions (i) probe knowledge (ii) assess personality (c) formal means of interaction 3. Tips for facing interview (a) know’ge – imp. component of success (i) range – beyond special’n (ii) depth – awareness of various aspects (b) Read’g and listen’g imp. for gain’g know. (c) Dress – elegant but simple – no casuals. (d) conducting oneself properly (i) way of mov’g, sitting, placing briefcase & talking. (e) Good expn (i) clarity of mind – balanced thinkg (ii) clarity of speech: use right words. Avoid ambiguity/verbosity. (iii) convey your pt. of view (iv) disagreement not to be visible on face (v) create imn of being a ldr. 2.2 Summary: Facing an interview is essential because our future prospects depend on its success. An interview is a formal interaction between an interviewer (or group of interviewers) and a candidate. Questions are put to the interviewee to probe his knowledge and assess personality. Hence knowledge is most important component of success. One must put on elegant but simple dress. Casuals should be avoided. One’s deportment is an index of one’s personality. Good expression conveying clarity of mind, speech and point of view is an asset. Disagreement should not be visible on face. Leave impression of your leadership qualities.
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SECTION–B (ADVANCED WRITING SKILLS) 3. First Option Ajay Gupta 23D-Vasant Vihar New Delhi 5 May, 200X The Secretary Leo Club South West Delhi Vasant Vihar Dear Sir It is a matter of pleasure for all of us that the Leo Club is organising a seminar on ‘Elimination of Child Labour’ at the Community Centre on 15 May, 200X at 5 p.m. I will certainly make it a point to participate in the seminar and acquaint others with my views and be benefitted by the ideas of other honourable members. I thank you for the invitation extended to me. Yours sincerely Ajay Gupta Second Option: Attempt yourself. 4. First Option FROM MARKS TO GRADES New Delhi: 15 Feb, 200X —Nishi: TOI Reporter The Chairman NCERT called a press conference today to enlighten the teaching fraternity, students and public at large about the proposed changes in evaluation from marks to grades. The NCERT has come out with a project paper to elicit the views of educationists, administrators and all those involved with the cause of education. One of the points that goes in favour of switch over to the grading system is the flexibility of approach. In the modern world of stress and strain caused by competition at every stage, students have to exert their capacities to the maximum to increase their marks tally by 0.5 per cent. The grading system will unburden them from this tension and inculcate in them the spirit of inquiry and quest for depeer learning. Second Option TREE PLANTATION DAY Trees are man’s best friends as they help to keep the human environment free from pollution by absorbing toxic carbon dioxide and releasing health giving oxygen. Our Delhi has become highly populated and polluted. In order to make Delhi greener and cleaner, plantation of new trees as well as preservation of the old ones is essential. Our school took up the project of tree plantation by observing tree plantation week from 1 August to 7 August. Fresh saplings of shady trees were planted in the school campus as well as the road leading to the school. To seek willing co-operation and involvement of students one tree was assigned to a group of four, who would look after it till it grew to a proper height. The outgoing members would be replaced by fresh ones. Thus the project would continue throughout the year. The Principal announced special prizes for the tree lovers whose trees exhibited proper growth. 5. First Option: Attempt yourself. Second Option Puneet Verma 32, Gautam Nagar Delhi
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16 March, 200X The Incharge Textbook Section NCERT New Delhi Sir Sub: Complaint about poor quality of textbooks. Please permit me to draw your attention to certain facts about the quality of textbooks provided by you for class XII. The books on Economics lack complete and up to date data. For example, the chapter on population does not detail the true picture about population growth and the means undertaken to decrease it. Although the books carry a galaxy of names of the highly qualified and experienced authors, yet the quality speaks otherwise. The books also suffer from lack of balance in learning objectives. For example, in Maths some chapters are quite detailed while others present only a rough sketch. I was shocked beyond belief when I discovered no practice exercises or do yourself assignment after so many chapters. The textbooks in English have many printing errors. Besides these shortcomings the paper used is rough and of low quality. This type of paper keeps the printed price cheap but the book is not durable. Sometimes we are forced to buy another copy after three months. Thus the pricequality equation is self-defeating. I do hope that you will pay proper attention to these suggestions and improve the quality of textbooks in subsequent editions. Thanking you Yours faithfully Puneet Verma 6. First Option HAZARDS OF ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION (by Pravin Chopra) Environmental pollution is the most dangerous health hazard for the modern generation. Progress in science and technology has resulted in advancement in the fields of industry, transport, medicine and agriculture. Population explosion has increased the population of cities. Urbanisation, industralisation and rapid transport have resulted in pollution. Our environment is being polluted by different means through air, water, noise and food. Certain species face extermination and humanity is under a great threat. The tall chimneys of factories emit out smoke and pollute the air. The smoke spewed by trucks, buses and other vehicles spreads poisonous gases as well as suspended particulate matter. Consequently city dwellers have become victims of incurable chest related diseases. The noise of machines in factories, vehicles, loudspeakers etc. has brought deafness to millions. Even the water has become so polluted that fish do not find their survival there. Inhaling fresh pure air has become a thing of the past. Our soil which produces grain, vegetables and fruit has also been polluted by the excessive use of pesticides and chemical fertilizers. The soil pollution is contaminating the rivers along with the rainfall. Second Option FUTURE PROSPECTS FOR IT PROFESSIONALS (by Rohit) The IT industry has seen many changes over the years, creating a need for newer skills. The software training industry has come of age and private institutes have certainly carved a niche for themselves. With the convergence of computing and television technologies and with a leap towards graphical user interfaces and visual computing, it has become essential for the computer professionals to acquire a combination of skills. A planned approach to arming the skills will lead to a plethora of job opportunities for the aspiring computer professionals. It is
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expected that basic computer awareness will be made available to students at school level in the 21st century. But there will be continuous need for professionals who have good programming skills and an ability to develop applications and for those capable of integrating the larger applications of the enterprise. Besides the traditional career options there are a large number of non-traditional career options available to todays IT aspirants. The service delivery industries like Insurance, Hospitality and Airlines run out of customer support functions. This area of IT enabled services is expected to employ millions all over the world. Web designing is opening up career opportunities for artists, graphics, designers and animators. E-commerce is opening up opportunities in a whole range of areas from interactive web site design to Group Ware applications, to Internet security and payment systems implementation. You must have good communication skills to cash in on the huge demand for IT professionals.
SECTION–C (TEXTBOOKS) 7(a). First Option (a) The poet was driving from her parent’s home to the Cochin airport. Her mother was sitting beside her. (b) She noticed that her mother was dozing with her mouth open. (c) Her mother’s face looked pale, faded and lifeless like a dead body. (d) (i) doze (ii) corpse (iii) realised. Second Option (a) The earth can teach us a lesson how to live on it. (b) Only the earth remains alive when everything seems dead. (c) The poet is Pablo Neruda. He wants to count upto twelve. (d) He asks us to keep quiet while he is counting upto twelve. (e) (i) seems (ii) dead (iii) quiet (b). (a) Stephen Spender uses contrasting images in the poem to picturise the condition of the slum children. For example: “A narrow street sealed in with a lead sky Far far from rivers, capes and stars of words.” The first line presents the dark, narrow, cramped holes and lanes closed in by the bluish grey sky. The second line presents a world of beauty, prosperity, progress, well-being and openness. (b) The mighty dead were very powerful and dominating persons during their own times. Their achievements made them ‘mighty’ and great. Their noble works dazzle our eyes. We imagine that such mighty dead forefathers will attain more grandeur on the doomsday. Hence ‘grandeur’ is associated with the ‘mighty dead’. (c) The roadside stand offered some of the ordinary things of daily use for sale. These included wild berries. They were sold in wooden quarts, a measure equal to quarter of a gallon. Crook-necked gourds with silvery hard lumps were also offered for sale there. (d) In the third stanza, the poet refers to Aunt Jennifer’s ‘terrified hands’. The old unhappy memories are still fresh in her mind. She had passed through many testing and horrible times during her married life. These ordeals crushed and suppressed her. Their effect is still visible. So she is still ringed with those ordeals that dominated her life. 8. (a) His full name is “Saheb-e-Alam”. It means the lord of the universe. He does not know it. If he knew it, he would hardly believe it. He roams the streets barefoot with other rag-pickers. This army of barefoot boys appears in the morning and disappears at noon. (b) When Douglas grew up, he took the help of an instructor to learn swimming. His training went on from October to April. For three months he was taken across the pool
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with the help of a rope. As he went under, terror filled him and his legs froze. The instructor taught him to exhale under water and inhale through raised nose. He made him kick his legs to make them relax. Then he asked him to swim. He continued swimming from April to July. Still all terror had not left. He swam two miles across Lake Wentworth and the whole length to the shore and back of Warm Lake. Then he overcame his fear of water. (c) As Edla lifted the peddler’s hat, he jumped up abruptly and seemed to be quite frightened. Even her kind looks, disclosure of her name and purpose of visit failed to calm him. From his fear, she thought that either he had stolen something or he had escaped from jail. (d) Asokamitran explains that those were the days of mainly indoor shooting. Then he makes a humorous remark. The sets and studio lights needed the girls and boys to be made to look ugly in order to look presentable in the movie. (e) Jansie was a classmate and friend of Sophie. She lived in the same neighbourhood. She knew Sophie quite well. She was also aware of Sophie’s habit of dreaming. On learning of her meeting with Danny Casey, her first reaction was of disbelief. “You never did”, exclaimed Jansie. But when Sophie told her about her request for autograph, Jansie softened a little and said, “Jesus, I wish I’d have been there.” 9. First Option Franz was not good at learning. He would rather take the day off and waste time in searching birds’ eggs or going sliding on the Saar. Franz was scared that day because M. Hamel had said that he would question them on participles. Franz did not know anything about participles. He found that the day was warm and bright. The birds were chirping at the edge of the woods. The Prussian soldiers were drilling in the open fields. There was a crowd in front of the bulletin-board near the town-hall. Franz found the school room unusually quiet. So he had no option but to open the door and go in before everybody. He blushed and was frightened of the teacher. M. Hamel spoke very kindly to him and asked him to go to his place quickly. Franz jumped over the bench and sat down at his desk. Second Option For the poor of India means of survival are far more important than freedom or legal justice. I don’t think the poor of India are free from fear after Independence.The foreign rulers have been replaced by corrupt politicians and self-serving bureaucracy. Power-brokers and moneylenders have a field day. The situation has improved in cities and towns for the poor but the poor in the remote villages still fear the big farmers and moneylenders. The police and revenue officials are still objects of terror for them. The poor, landless workers have to still work hard to make both ends meet. Peasants and tenant-farmers have to borrow money from rich moneylenders on exorbitant rates of interest, which usually they fail to repay due to failure of monsoon or bad crops. Cases of small farmers committing suicide are quite common. If this is not due to fear, what is the reason behind it? 10. First Option As soon as the prince was born, astrologers predicted that one day the Tiger King would certainly have to die. It was the influence of the star under which he was born. At that very moment a great miracle took place. An astonishing phrase emerged from the lips of the tenday-old Jilani Jung Jung Bahadur, “O wise prophets!” Everyone stood motionless with astonishment and stupidity. The infant said that all those who are born will have to die one day. So he did not need their predictions to know that. However, there would be some sense in it if they could tell him the manner of that death.
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The astrologers were baffled that a baby barely ten-day-old has not only opened his lips in speech but had also raised intelligent questions. It was quite incredible. The chief astrologer fixed his eyes upon the little prince. He said that the prince was born in the hour of the Bull. The Bull and the Tiger are enemies. Therefore, death comes from the Tiger. Second Option James Roderick Evans was a smart fellow. He was known as ‘Evans the Break’ among the prison officers. He had escaped from prison three times. Now he was taking O-Level German Examination in prison. His solitary cell was located in D-Wing, which had two heavy gates—outer and inner. Both were locked securely. Evans’s cell was kept under strict observation. Prison officer Mr Stephens watched his activities every minute through the peep-hole. Mr Jackson, the incharge of D-Wing, was in constant touch with the Governor on phone. The Governor himself listened in to the conversation in the cell. During his stay in prison, Evans was not allowed to have any visitor or letters. All potential weapons such as knife, scissors, nail-file and razor had been removed from the cell of Evans. The contents of the suitcase of the invigilator, Reverend S. McLeery were also thoroughly searched. Even the paper-knife was taken away. In short, all precautions had been taken to see that Evans did not get a means to escape. 11. (a) When the psychiatrist said that Charley was unhappy and wanted to escape, Charley’s wife, Louisa was shocked. The remark made her ‘kind of mad’. The psychiatrist explained that the modern world was full of insecurity, fear, war, worry etc. He regarded Charley’s stamp-collecting as a ‘temporary refuge from reality’. Charley’s friends agreed to the psychiatrist’s observation but Charley didn’t. (b) Over the years India has been pushing northwards. It has been jamming against Asia to bend its hard outward layer and form the Himalayas. South America has drifted off to join North America. The Drake Passage has been opened up. It has created a cold current around the poles. This cold current keeps Antarctica very cold, uninhabited and at the bottom of the world. This is an extremely surprising experience—one that is very difficult to imagine or understand. (c) Derry says that people always change the subject. They don’t ask him about his physical impairment. They simply pretend that it is not true and isn’t there. They don’t want the boy to mind and get upset. He thinks that the old man has changed the subject because he is afraid to ask him about his burnt face. (d) It was her first day at school. She was marching into the dining room with other girls in a line. She walked noiselessly in her soft moccasins. But she felt that she was immodestly dressed, as her blanket had been removed from her shoulders. So she felt like sinking to the floor.
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SOLUTIONS TO PRACTICE PAPER–5 SECTION–A (READING SKILLS) 1.1 (a) Character is constituted of the principles and values that give life direction, meaning and depth. It is made up of our inner sense of right and wrong. (b) These traits are: integrity, honesty, courage, fairness and generosity. (c) Happiness and fulfilment result from success which is achieved by skill, talent, energy, personality and character. (d) In the past character was considered essential for experiencing true success and happiness. In the last 80 years or so charm, skill and technique have become associated with success as there is a shift to personality ethic. (e) (i) by looking within—inside out approach: tackling a hard choice, committing to change and staying with it. (ii) by developing trust—being loyal to those who are not present. (f) True character begins at home because we are constantly tested there and are most vulnerable there. Our families provide a critical measure of our character. Secondly, they provide the opportunity to nurture character. 1.2 (a) latitude (b) vulnerable
(c) subvert.
2.1 TITLE: IMPORTANCE OF BREAKFAST Notes: 1. Effects of Breakfast (a) Eating—benefits memory, provides essenl nutrients and energy. (b) Skipping—affects cognitn, nutrient not made up, energy deficit. 2. Brain & Glucose (a) Imp’t in speed of recall (b) impro’d cognitive function (c) better retentn (d) decla. mem. sharpened 3. Breakfast and School Children (a) Vul. to dietry impovt. (b) Intelligence tests (i) healthy childn—scores unaffected (ii) previously malnourished—score imp’d (iii) high energy breakfast—more original ideation 4. Breakfast and College Students Little or no effect on prelunch perf. 5. Breakfast Consumption (a) impt. for all age groups (b) bene’l. for undernourished 2.2 Summary: Eating breakfast benefits the memory by providing essential nutrients and energy whereas skipping breakfast affects cognition and mental performance adversely. Higher level of blood glucose improves speed of recall, cognitive function, retention and sharpens declarative memory. Breakfast is essential for children as they are vulnerable to dietary impoverishment. Though the scores of healthy children in intelligence tests remained unaffected those of previously malnourished ones improved after intake of breakfast. College students showed little or no effect on pre-lunch performance in mental activities. Thus breakfast consumption which is important for all age group is specially beneficial for the undernourished.
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SECTION–B (ADVANCED WRITING SKILLS) 3. First Option APEX PUBLIC SCHOOL, DEHRADUN SPORTS NOTICE 10 Sept, 200X All the students of our school are hereby informed that our football team will play its zonal final match in the inter-school competitions with St Francis School, Lucknow on Saturday, the 16th September 200X at 4 p.m. on our school grounds. All are requested to come and encourage the morale of our players. Manoj Sinha Sports Captain Second Option SITUATION VACANT Wanted immediately an experienced photostat operator on part-time basis for a leading photostat booth in the New Market, Jaipur. Attractive honorarium to efficient, honest and hardworking hands. Please contact Akshay/Aditi, 278, Aditi Photostat, New Market, Jaipur between 11.00 a.m. and 5.00 p.m. 4. First Option FUND RAISING ACTIVITIES Last November the coastal areas of Orissa were hit by a severe cyclone. Thousands of persons lost their lives. Millions of them became homeless refugees without any means of sustenance. The government declared it a national calamity. All out efforts were made to despatch relief to the unfortunate victims of cyclone. The Three Arts Club of our school organised various cultural activities to raise funds for helping the cyclone affected persons. We organised a musical evening, a dance competition, an inter-school drama competition as well as a poetry recitation contest in which prominent poets participated. All the students took an active part in selling tickets. The citizens responded generously to our appeal. We were able to raise about one lakh fifty thousand rupees. Our principal sent a bank draft of this amount to the Orissa Cyclone Relief Fund. He appreciated our noble gesture and congratulated us on our success. Second Option TEACHER’S DAY Teacher’s Day now occupies a prominent place in the school calendar. Ever since Dr S. Radhakrishnan, our philosopher president dedicated his birthday to teachers, this day has been celebrated every September in almost all the schools throughout the country. This year the Teacher’s Day in our school was celebrated with great fanfare. Our esteemed Principal Mr Brij Mohan Ghose was retiring after rendering 35 years’ meritorious service to the field of education in general and to this institution in particular. The Chairman of the managing committee, who was an alumnus of the school, recalled the spirit of dedication, diligence, enthusiasm and inspiring leadership exhibited by Mr Ghose in the all round development of the students and making the school a premier education institution. Encomiums and felicitations poured in from all quarters. The students too made speeches highlighting the contribution of teachers in moulding and uplifting social values. Almost everyone agreed that teachers deserved more recognition, facilities and social prestige to enable them to perform their arduous task of nation building properly.
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5. First Option Rajan 687, Sunder Nagar New Delhi 19 Nov, 200X The Manager Global Travel Agency Goa Sir Sub: Booking of Accommodation A party of twenty students of Delhi Public School plans to visit Goa during the winter break i.e. from Dec 20 to 2 January. Kindly arrange to book suitable accommodation for our group in a lodge or youth hostel having proper boarding and lodging facilities. Since it will be a pleasure trip, we shall need the services of a guide for a conducted tour in a minibus, to be provided by you. We also plan to visit the beaches and watch the Christmas Eve and New Year Celebrations at important Hotels. Kindly book our seats for that too. I am enclosing herewith a demand draft of Rs ten thousand as advance to meet the initial expense. Please acknowledge the receipt of the letter and confirm the bookings. Thanking you Yours faithfully Rajan Second Option Parul B-22, Lajpat Nagar New Delhi 25 May, 200X The Editor The Times of India Bahadur Shah Zafar Marg New Delhi Dear Sir Sub: Nuisance of Polythene litter bags Through the esteemed columns of your newspaper I wish to draw the attention of the government authorities to the nuisance caused by numerous polythene litter bags lying alongside the road early in the morning. It is not only an obnoxious sight but also a menace and health hazard. In order to keep their houses neat and clean, people resort to throw litter here, there and everywhere. Thus they endanger the environment by causing pollution. Stray cattle poke into these polythene bags and scatter the filthy contents all around. Thus our colony virtually becomes a storehouse of garbage emitting foul smell and breeding flies, bacteria and other germs. The Delhi Government has enacted laws to impose fine or sentence the offender to prison if caught in the nefarious act of discarding litter bags. I, however, feel that sufficient number of officers are not posted early in the morning to check this menace. I have written to the concerned authorities earlier also, but no action has been taken so far. I sincerely hope that my appeal and your critical comments will arouse the indolent officers from their slumber and make them responsive to the call of duty. Yours truly Parul
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6. First Option NEED OF ELECTORAL REFORMS Elections are essential for a democracy as they provide the electorate the means to exercise their choice to elect their representatives. Of late, however, some glaring shortcomings, corrupt practices and malfunctioning have cropped up which have vitiated the whole democratic process and the elections have turned to a farce and sometimes a bane for the society. I was shocked to see the blatant misuse of money and musclemen during the recent election to local bodies in our district. Though every party and individual swore by Gandhian principles of non-violence and co-existence, one could get enough display of coaxing, cajoling, coercion, threats, pressures and pulls to grab the ‘votes’ of the vulnerable sections of the society, who unfortunately constitute the majority of the electorate. When the voters are threatened to vote for a particular person/party under duress or gratification, the whole system is vitiated as it stifles the exercise of free will. Under the prevalent circumstances this system of adult franchise has become outmoded. Urgent reforms in qualifications of voters as well as candidates are needed. Persons of criminal background should be debarred from contesting elections. Proper monitoring of election expenses and strict supervision will exercise a healthy check on many electoral malpractices. The election commission should satisfy itself that the rules laid by it are scrupulously adhered to. Any violation of them should incur stringent penalties including debarring the candidate from contesting elections. Second Option EACH ONE, TEACH ONE Dear friends We have all assembled here for a noble cause—a mission to eradicate illiteracy. It is the dream of the National Literacy Mission to educate all the Indians. We would work together for an India where each person is literate. Since most of the learners are adults who have a rich experience of life, the learning strategies that will be adopted in our programmes will be exploratory and interactive. We have to teach as well as learn. We must keep in mind their experience, wisdom and maturity while discussing any topic. We should encourage them to talk and express their views in a fair and frank manner. We should always keep in mind the learning objectives set for the adult illiterates. We have to make them literates by inculcating in them love for reading, writing and arithmetic. Let them do simple calculations and exult at the right calculations. Health awareness and job related problems are next in order. It is only after sufficient bridge has been built that we would like to create an awareness about civil rights, duties, privileges and obligations. When they become confident of their powers, we must create in them social awareness. Issues like environmental pollution, population control and employment generation can then be discussed. In short I’ll make sincere efforts to achieve these goals.
SECTION–C (TEXTBOOKS) 7(a). First Option (a) Shakespeare and his works are of no use to the children in slum schools. So Shakespeare is not good or noble to them. The map is a bad example because it does not depict their own world of narrow lanes and hovels. (b) All beautiful things like ships, sun and love tempt these children of slum school because they don’t have them. (c) They live like rats in their cramped little holes. Fog and darkness dominate their lives. Second Option (a) They are jumping across a screen or a wall. They look like shining yellow topaz. (b) They live in green forests. They are fearless. They don’t fear the men under the tree.
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(c) They run with a well-groomed, honourable confidence. (d) (i) denizens (ii) chivalric. (b). (a) The lifeless and faded face of the poet’s mother pains her heart. She looks lifeless like a corpse. She provides an image of passivity, decay and death. The old lady seems to be lost in her thoughts. The poet needs a distraction, a change. She puts that thought away and looks outside. There she gets a picture of life, happiness and activity. (b) Pablo Neruda is against any kind of violence. He addresses the fishermen and asks them not to harm whales living in the cold seas of the polar regions. He is also against any kind of self-torturing. The man who is gathering salt has hurt his hands. He asks this man to look after himself and take care of his injured hands. (c) All beautiful things of nature are a boon for humanity. The magnificence and beauty of objects of nature surpasses the grandeur of dooms that we have imagined for our mighty dead forefathers. It is lovelier than all the lovely tales that we have heard and read. (d) The people who are running the roadside stand are always waiting for the city folk to stop there to buy something. This will mean flow of cash. The squealing of brakes and the sound of a stopping car are auspicious signs for them. These indicate the arrival of city folk and raise their hopes to sell something. 8. (a) The author finds Saheb standing by the fenced gate of a neighbourhood club. He is watching two young men, dressed in white, playing tennis. Saheb says that he likes the game, but he is content to watch it standing behind the fence. He goes inside when no one is around. He uses the swing there. (b) Douglas mentions him for his misadventure in the Y.M.C.A. swimming pool in which he had nearly died. It was this boxer boy who had picked up Douglas and tossed him into the deep end. Later on, when Douglas was rescued, the boy said, “I was only fooling.” (c) The world had never been kind to the peddler. So he got unusual joy to think ill of the world. His pastime was to think of people he knew who had let themselves be caught in the dangerous snare of the world, and of others who were still circling around the bait. (d) Champaran district of Bihar is situated in the foothills of the Himalayas, near the kingdom of Nepal. Under an ancient arrangement, the Champaran peasants were sharecroppers. They had to grow indigo on 15 per cent of the land and give it to the English estate owners as rent. (e) V.S. Naipaul is a celebrated cosmopolitan writer. He has written novels, travel books and documentary works. He presents his impression of India, the country of his ancestors, in them. He says that some people are wounded by interviews and lose a part of themselves. 9. First Option Firozabad, the centre of India’s glass-blowing industry, is famous for its bangles. Spirals of bangles of various colours can be seen lying in mounds in yards or piled on four wheeled push carts. These bangles have shining bright colours: sunny gold, paddy green, royal blue, pink, purple–in fact, every colour born out of the seven colours of the rainbow. The banglemakers lead a miserable life. They know no other work than bangle making. They have neither courage nor money to start another trade or job. They have spent generations in the clutches of midlemen and moneylenders. Extreme poverty forces them to remain hungry and yet work all day. The elderly woman,who works with Savita, has not enjoyed even one full meal in her entire lifetime. Her husband has made a house for the family to live in. He has achieved what many have failed in their lifetime. Mukesh's father has failed to renovate a house or send his two sons to school. Young boys are as tired as their fathers. Their work at hot furnaces makes them blind prematurely. Second Option Gemini Studios had an extremely talented actress. She was also extremely temperamental. Once she blew over on the sets and gave vent to her feelings against the producer. Every-
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body was stunned. The lawyer quietly switched on the recording equipment. When the actress paused for breath, the lawyer played back the recording. There was nothing incriminating or unmentionably foul in the actress’ tirade against the producer. But she was struck dumb on hearing her voice again through the sound equipment. She was a girl from the countryside and raw and immature at worldly affairs. She lacked wordly experience and sophistication that persons in position of importance generally acquire. The result was that she never quite recovered from the terror she felt that day. This is how a brief and brilliant acting career had unwittingly been brought to a sad end by the legal adviser. 10. First Option Charley showed total disagreement with what the psychiatrist and his other friends said about the tendency to escape from reality. He tried to counter the argument by asserting that everybody wants to escape but they did not wander down into any third level at Grand Central Station. The stamp-collecting was started by his grandfather. He did not need any refuge from reality. Things were pretty nice and peaceful in his days. This nice collection had blocks of four of practically every U.S. issue, first-day covers, and so on. Moreover, President Roosevelt too collected stamps. Thus stamp collecting could not be termed a “temporary refuge from reality”. Thus it is obvious that Charley remained totally unconvinced about the views of Sam and his other friends. Second Option There was a fixed procedure laid down for breakfast. Zitkala-Sa calls it ‘eating by formula’. The ringing of a large bell summoned the inmates to the dining room. Boys and girls entered the dining room in lines from separate doors. Then a small bell was tapped. Each of the pupil drew a chair from under the table. The writer also did so. She supposed this act meant they were to be seated. So she slipped into the chair. She found others standing. Just when she began to rise, looking shyly, the second bell sounded and all sat down. Then she heard a man’s voice at one end of the hall. She looked around to see him. But all the others hung their heads over their plates. She found the paleface woman watching her. When the man ceased his mutterings, a third bell was tapped. Everyone picked up his knife and fork and began eating. She began to cry. She was so afraid that she could not do anything further. Her discomfiture was caused by her unfamiliarity with the procedure. However, she found it a difficult experience—a sort of trial. 11. (a) The infant had an uneventful childhood. He grew up just like other royal princes of Indian states during the British rule. The prince grew taller and stronger day by day. The boy drank the milk of an English cow. He was brought up by an English nanny and tutored in English by an Englishman. He saw nothing but English films. (b) Hana was Sadao’s wife. He had met her by chance at an American professor’s house. Professor Harley and his wife had been kind people. They held a party at their home for their few foreign students. Hana was a new student. He waited to fall in love with her until he was sure she was Japanese. It was because his father would never have received her unless she had been pure in her race. (c) Whenever Roger Skunk went out to play, all of the other tiny animals would cry: “Uh– oh, here comes Roger Stinky Skunk”. Then they would run away. Roger Skunk would stand there all alone. Two little round tears would fall from his eyes. Jack would relate all this with zest, remembering certain humiliations of his own childhood. (d) Mr Lamb tells Derry that he is interested in anybody and anything. There’s nothing God made that does not interest him. Fruit and flowers, trees and herbs, grass and weeds all interest him. Even stuff or rubbish is interesting. He finds no essential difference between a ‘weed’ and another ‘flower’ as both represent life—developing or growing.
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