SSLC BOARD REVISED DESIGN OF THE QUESTION PAPER 2023-2024

FIRST LANGUAGE ENGLISH – 14E

I. Weightage to Objectives:

Sl. No. Objectives Percentage Marks

1 Remembering 21 21
2 Comprehension 36 36
3 Expression 39 39
4 Appreciation 04 04
Total 100 100

II. Weightage to Content:

Sl. No. Content Marks allotted

1 Prose 30
2 Poetry 30
3 Non-Detail 07
4 Grammar & Vocabulary 19
5 Composition (letter + essay) 10
5 Comprehension passage 04
Total 100

III. Weightage to types of Questions:

Sl. No. Type of Questions Qns. x Marks Total

Marks
1 Multiple Choice questions 6x1 06
2 Analogy 4x1 04
3 Very short answers 7x1 07
4 Short answers 10 x 2 20
5 Long answers 1 11 x 3 33
6 Long answers 2 5x4 20
7 Long answers 3 2x5 10
Total 45 qns. 100
IV. Weightage to difficulty level:

Difficulty Easy Average Difficult Total

level
Percentage 30 50 20 100

V. Distribution of Marks
Type of Poetry Grammar Comprehension Total
Non –
Sl. questions Prose and passage and
detail
Vocabular Composition
No (Supp)
y
1 Multiple Choice -- -- -- 6 x 1= 06 -- 06
Qns.
2 Analogy -- -- -- 4 x 1= 04 -- 04
3 VSA (one 3x1= 3 1x1 = 1 -- 3 x 1= 03 -- 07
sentence)
4 SA (two 2x2= 3x2 = 6 2x2=4 3 x 2= 06 -- 20
sentences) 4
5 LA 1 (5-6 5 x 1x3=3 -- -- 33
sentences) 3=15 5x3=15
6 LA 2 (6-8 2 x 4= 8 2x4= 8 -- -- 1x4=4 20
sentences)
7 LA 3 -- -- -- -- 2 x 5=10 10
(compositions)
Total Qns. & Total 12 - 11 - 3 - 7 16 - 19 3 - 14 100
Mks. 30 30

SUGGESTED GRAMMAR TOPICS

The following grammar and vocabulary topics could be included in the questions under
grammar and vocabulary:
▪ Meanings / Synonyms
▪ Antonyms, antonyms using prefixes and suffixes
▪ Homophones, rhyming words
▪ Parts of speech
▪ Word forms – nouns, verbs, adjectives, adverbs ▪ Nouns- genders, numbers,
collective nouns, etc.
▪ Same words used as different parts of speech: Words used in sentences as noun
and verb, verb and adjective, adjective and adverb, etc.
▪ Phrasal verbs in sentences
▪ Modals – Language functions such as request, permission, abilities, etc.
▪ Idioms and phrases
▪ Tenses and correct form of verbs
▪ Prepositions, conjunctions, articles, etc.
▪ Question tags
▪ Punctuations
▪ Voice –Active and passive
▪ Degrees of Comparison
▪ Direct speech and reported speech
▪ Clauses – types
▪ If clauses of condition
▪ Framing questions to get the underlined words as answers.
▪ Transformation of sentences: A) simple, complex and compound B) affirmative,
negative, interrogative, and exclamatory
C) Usage of structures in sentences:
a) neither...nor b) either...or
c) No sooner...than d) too...to;
e) so...that...not f) As soon as...
g) hardly... h) Seldom ...
i) Besides... j) both...and
▪ Figures of speech

MOST LIKELY QUESTIONS

4 MARK QUESTIONS:

5 Questions: ( 2 Prose + 2 Poem + 1 Comprehension Passage)

PROSE: 2 Qns. X 4 Mks= 8 marks

POEM: 2 questions: 2Qns. X 4 Mks = 8 Marks (1quote from memory + 1 Summary)

Quote from Memory: Poem No. 3 (full poem), 4(first four stanzas) and 5(full
Poem)
Poem questions – One question (any poem)

VII. Answer the following questions in 5-6 sentences each:

6x3=18
IX. Quote from memory: 1x4=4
X. Answer the following questions in seven to eight sentences each.
3x4=12 THREE OR FOUR MARKS MOST LIKELY QUESTIONS

PROSE – 1: A WRONG MAN IN WORKERS’ PARADISE

1. Men in Worker’s Paradise say “God! We haven’t a moment to spare”

The idle man says, “I haven’t a moment to spare for work”
Keeping in mind the above statements, contrast the attitude of the men in the paradise
with that of the man
(artist).
Ans: The men in worker’s paradise were always busy in their work. Everyone in the
paradise exclaimed that time was precious and they made use of every minute. Though
their attitude seemed to be complaining about their busy schedule, they were happy and
proud of their work. They believed that every work should have a purpose and use. The
man (artist) on the other hand said that he had no time to spare for the kind of work that
was being done by the men in worker’s paradise. This shows that he did not enjoy the
type of work done by them and he said that he liked painting and drawing pictures that
may have no meaning and purpose yet he enjoyed doing it. He liked to spend every
minute in doing his art work. The art done by the man was such a delight that the girl as
well as other people of the worker’s paradise began to like it and began to spend time in
looking and appreciating it.

2. What changes occur in the girl’s behavior / attitude before she agreed to give her
pitcher to the wrong man and after she got it from him?
Ans: The girl was reluctant to give her pitcher to the man as she felt it was a useless job
and a waste of time to paint anything on the pitcher. She was puzzled when she saw the
beautiful painting on the pitcher. At home, away from prying eyes, at night, she scanned
the painting from all angles again and again. Next day, her hurrying feet were a little less
hurried than before. For a new sense seemed to have awakened in her. The girl was quite
fascinated by the art of the man. She readily offered her ribbons to him for colouring
them. The ribbons were made bright with colours. The busy girl now spent a lot of time
everyday tying the coloured ribbons around her hair. The minutes slipped by, unutilized.
Much work was left unfinished.

3. There are two worlds in the story: the world of the idler – artist and the world of
the inhabitants of the Workers’ Paradise. Which world is better? Why?
Ans: The world of the idler as well as the world of the Worker’s Paradise is equally
important. It is better to have a good combination of both worlds as the interests of the
people are different. Some people may like to do both art work as well as the routine
work, whereas some people may like to take up art work as their profession and hobby.
A world without art and culture is dull and charmless. Any activity that gives happiness
and satisfaction is liked by everyone. Some activities may not have any economic value
but they give enjoyment and satisfaction which we call them our hobbies. They give
enjoyment and revive our energy to take up any hard task later. All work and no play
makes life very boring and mechanical. Therefore, it is better to have a life which is a good
combination of a world of work as well as leisure.

3. Describe the girl in the Worker’s Paradise. What did she do with the coloured ribbons?
Ans: The girl in the Worker’s Paradise was enthusiastic and bustling with energy. She
went to the torrent every day to fill her pitchers. Her movement on the road was like the
rapid movement of a skilled hand on the strings of a guitar. Her hair was carelessly done,
wisps of hair often peeped over her forehead to fall over her eye. She was so busy with
her work that she had no time to dress properly. Ribbons were made bright with colours.
The busy girl had now to spend a lot of time everyday tying the coloured ribbons around
her hair. The minutes slipped by unutilized. Much work was left unfinished.

4. How did the man spend his time on earth and in the Worker’s Paradise?
Ans: The man had never believed in mere utility. He indulged in mad whims. He made
little pieces of sculpture of humans, and castles, quaint earthen things dotted over with
sea-shells. He also did painting. People laughed at him as they thought he is doing useless
and needless things.
In the Worker’s Paradise, he lounged in the streets absently and jostled the hurrying men.
He lay down in the green meadows, or close to the fast-flowing streams. He was taken to
the task by busy farmers. He was always in the way of others.

PROSE 2: THE ELIXIR OF LIFE

1. How does C.V. Raman show that water is the real elixir of life?
Ans: In his essay, Sir. C. V. Raman shows that water is the real elixir of life. Water is the
basis of all life. Every animal and plant contains water in its body. Water is essential for
the body, moisture in the soil is equally important for the life and growth of plants and
trees. The conservation and utilization of water is fundamental for human welfare. He
demonstrates this idea with an incidence in his life. He recollects the day he was standing
on the line which separates the Libyan Desert from the valley of the Nile in Egypt. On one
side was visible a sea of billowing sand without any life and on the other side lay one of
the greatest, most fertile and densely populated areas to be found anywhere on the earth.
It was teeming with life and vegetation and it was due to the water of the river Nile.

2. What are the various causes of soil erosion? How can we prevent it?
Ans: The problem of soil erosion is one of the serious problems in various countries and
especially in many parts of India. Soil erosion occurs in successive steps. It gradually
washes away the earth, making agriculture impossible. Sudden bursts of excessively
heavy rain resulting in a large run of surplus water are the principal factors in causing
soil erosion. Contributory causes are the slope of the land, removal of the natural
protective coats of vegetation, the existence of ruts along which the water can flow with
rapidly gathering momentum.
It can be checked by terracing of the land, construction of bunds to check the flow of
water, the practice of contour cultivation and the planting of appropriate types of
vegetation.

3. What does C.V. Raman say about rain-fed tanks?

Ans: There is nothing which aids so much to the beauty of the country side as water. It
may be just a little stream trickling over the rocks or it may be a little pond by the way
side where the cattle quench their thirst of an evening. The rain fed tanks that are so
common and play a vital role in south Indian agriculture. It is a cheering sight to see the
sun rise or sunset over one of them. Water in a landscape may be compared to the eyes
of a human face. It reflects the mood of an hour, being bright and gay when the sun shines.
It turns to dark and gloomy when the sky is overcast. Therefore, C V Raman compares
water in a landscape to the eyes in a human face.

4. How has the Nile been the cause for the difference between the Libyan Desert and the
valley of the Nile in Egypt?
Ans: On one side a huge sandy desert without a speck of green or a single living being
while on the other side lay one of the greenest, most fertile and densely populated areas.
Geologists tell us that the entire soil of the Nile valley is the creation of the river itself. It
was brought down as the finest silt in its flood waters, from the highlands of Abyssinia
and from remote Central Africa, and laid down through the ages in the trough through
which the Nile flows into the sea. Egypt, in fact, was made by its river. Its ancient
civilization was created and is sustained by the life giving waters which come down year
after year with unfailing regularity.

5. Silt or finely-divided soil in suspension plays a major role in water. How does the author
describe its role?
Ans: According to Geologists, the Nile valley is creation of the river Nile. It was brought
down as the finest silt in its flood waters. Silt is the origin of the characteristic colour of
the water in rain-fed tanks. This colour varies with the nature of the earth in the
catchment area and is the most vivid immediately after a fresh inflow following rain
Swiftly flowing water can carry fairly large and heavy particles. The finest particles
however, remain floating within the liquid in spite of their greater density and are, of
course, extremely small, but their number is also great.

PROSE 3: THE GIFT OF THE MAGI

1. Describe the comparison made by the writer on Della’s hair and Jim’s watch?
Ans: The writer compares Della’s hair to Queen of Sheba’s jewels and say that Della’s hair
were more attractive than Sheba’s jewellry. He says that if queen of Sheba had lived in the
flat across the airshaft (window), Della would have let her hair hang out the window
someday to dry just to depreciate (devalue) queen Sheba’s jewels and gifts. The writer
compared Jim’s watch to King Solomon’s treasures to mention that Jim valued or
treasured his watch more than the treasury of King Solomon. He says that if all the
treasures of King Solomon are piled up along with Jim’s watch, Jim would have pulled out
his watch to envy the king.

2. The author compares the gifts of Della and Jim compared to those of the Magi. Why?
Ans: The gifts of Della and Jim are compared to those of the Magi. Magi were wise men
who brought gifts to the babies in the manger. They initiated the art of giving Christmas
presents. Their gifts were the expensive or the favourite ones of their loved ones. In the
same manner the love and care between Della and Jim for one another was great. Though
they were economically poor, they had the ambition or wish to gift the best for one
another. Their only treasures were two things, one the watch of Jim and the other was
the long and beautiful hair of Della. These two treasures were loved and preserved by
both very dearly. When they could not accumulate enough money to buy a gift for one
another, they sold their favourite treasure to buy a gift for one another. This gesture
demonstrates height of love, sacrifice and dedication and these virtues are the traits of
wisdom.

3. Write on the appropriateness of the title.

Ans: The title given by the author is, ‘The gift of Magi’. Magi were wise men who brought
gifts to the babies in the manger. They initiated the art of giving Christmas presents. Their
gifts were the expensive or the favourite ones of their loved ones. The story depicts the
similar tradition and feelings of love, sacrifice, and the art of giving. The writer compares
the love and sacrifice of Della and Jim for one another to the Magi and calls them the
wisest. Therefore, the title is justified.

PROSE 4: LOUIS PASTEUR, CONQUERER OF DISEASE

1. What was troubling the French wine-growers? How did Pasteur solve their problem?
What is the name of the process which was the solution to the wine-growers?
Ans: The problems faced were why wine fermented, why milk turns sour, why meat goes
bad. One of the wine manufacturers consulted Pasteur about the beer, which was turning
out badly and Pasteur by helping this brewer managed to discover all sorts of things that
he did not know before about yeast. Pasteur carried out experiments in some of the
breweries, the Chief industries in Lille where alcohol was manufactured from beetroot.
He proved that yeast is made of tiny living cells. When these cells were healthy the yeast
acted well, but if they were diseased, the yeast and the beer went wrong.

2. How did Pasteur develop the idea of immunity?

Ans: Pasteur after giving his life to this study was able to prove the value of inoculation,
and to find out ways of varying it for different diseases.
Pasteur found out that a cow could not have anthrax twice through experimentation. He
collected some sheep, goats and cows, and divided them into two groups. To one group
he gave injections of his weak anthrax germs. The other lot was left alone. Then on a
certain day all the animals were injected with the most deadly anthrax germs that could
be produced. On the third days after experiment, he found that all those animals which
were injected with weak germs were perfectly well. The deadly injection had done them
no harm at all. Of the other two dozen animals, twenty-two were dead and the others
were dying. Thus he developed the idea of immunity through vaccination or inoculation.

3. What human qualities of Pasteur do you admire?

Ans: Pasteur was a unique scientist. He was a kind and compassionate human being who
believed in humanity and devoted his life in finding out the ways of making the life of a
common man safe, secured and comfortable. He not only made some exciting discoveries
about germs but he was able to use his discoveries in very practical ways. He worked
hard in his laboratory with test tubes and all kinds of experiments, but nearly all the time
he was working to help people who were suffering in some special way from disease.
Among the people whom Pasteur was able to help were brewers, breeders of silk worms,
and cow keepers, all of whom were trying to carry on important industries in France.
Pasteur was always proud of being able to help his country in this way

4. “All the research which he did in his laboratories was meant to help his fellow human
beings”. Elucidate. Ans: Louis Pasteur was what we should call an ‘all round’ scientist.
All the research which he did in his laboratories was meant to help his fellow human
beings. He discovered that a bad yeast would spoil beer, etc. thus helped the brewers,
breeders of silk worms, and cow keepers, all of whom were trying to carry on
important industries in France. He studied the different activities of bacteria for three
years in tracking silkworm industry. He proved that most of the infectious diseases
were due to certain bacteria which, if they got into blood, multiplied there and caused
disease. He developed inoculation or the immune method against the deadly diseases
that attack humans and animals.

5. How did Pasteur show that germs are carried in the air and may infect other things
that came in contact with them?
Ans: Pasteur filled some bottles with soup. He took some into a little hotel bedroom
where the air was hardly ever changed, broke their necks off so that the air could enter
freely, and after a few minutes sealed them up again. He then took some bottles into a
field nearby and did the same with them. Finally he opened some on the top of a high
mountain and again sealed them up. The result – When they were examined, the bottles
opened in the hotel bedroom were full of soup which had gone completely mouldy; the
bottles opened in the field were mouldy, but not quite so bad; those opened on the
mountain had no germs in them at all.

6. “Louis Pasteur was not a soldier, but he was a fighter”. What does the statement mean?
Ans: ‘Louis Pasteur was not a soldier, but he was a fighter’. Louis Pasteur was a fighter in
the sense that he fought against many deadly diseases. He devoted his life in discovering
the bacteria that are both useful and deadly. He found out the cause of disease in the body.
He developed a vaccine for a disease in chickens, fowl cholera, and a disease in animals,
splenic fever. He developed vaccines for people against such diseases as cholera,
diphtheria, tuberculosis and smallpox. Thus, it was rightly said that he was fighter who
fought against diseases all his life.

7. What made Pasteur believe that a cow could not have anthrax twice?
Ans: Pasteur found out that a cow could not have anthrax twice through
experimentation. He collected some sheep, goats and cows, and divided them into two
groups. To one group he gave injections of his weak anthrax germs. The other lot was
left alone. Then on a certain day all the animals were injected with the deadliest
anthrax germs that could be produced. On the third days after experiment, he found
that all those animals which were injected with weak germs were perfectly well. The
deadly injection had done them no harm at all. Of the other two dozen animals, twenty-
two were dead and the other were dying.

8. How was Louis Pasteur’s 70th birthday celebrated?

Ans: His 70th birthday was celebrated like a national festival. Like Lord Lister, he was
honoured by the scientists of all nations. At the crowded meeting in the great hall of the
University of Paris, he was too overwhelmed to speak. His speech was read to the
distinguished audience by his son. He said that the future would belong to those who
worked for suffering humanity, and told young students to remember to value their
education and to serve their country well for the progress and welfare of humanity.
Prose 5: What is Moral Action?

1. Write on Mahatma Gandhi’s comments on action prompted by motive of happiness in

another world. Ans: 1) Gandhiji is of the opinion that just an action prompted by the
motive of material gain on earth is non-moral, so also another done for considerations
of comfort and happiness in another world is nonmoral. An action becomes moral
when it is done for the sake of doing good. He clarified this concept by giving reference
of two great saints. St. Francis Xavier, passionately prayed that his might always remain
pure. For him devotion to God was not for enjoying a higher seat after death. He prayed
because he considered it a duty. The great Saint Theresa wished to have a torch in her
right hand and a vessel of water in her left so that with the one she might burn the
glories of heaven and with the other extinguish the fires of hell, and men might learn
to serve God from love alone without fear of hell and without temptation of heavenly
bliss. To preserve morality thus demands a brave man prepared to face even death.
Thus Gandhiji says that we have to moral action because it is the right thing to do and
not because it gives either earthly or heavenly benefits.

2. Why does Gandhi say that a moral act should be done without compulsion?
Ans: Gandhiji says that it is not enough for a moral act to be done with good intention. It
should also be done without fear or compulsion. He explains his thoughts with examples.
If people wake up early to go to work for the fear that they might lose job, then their
action of waking up early is not a moral one. If we lead a plain and simple life because we
cannot lead a life in any other manner, then we are not leading a moral life as we are not
left with any other option. If an employer treats his employee with respect pays them
wages lest they leave him, then his action is not moral.

3. Gandhiji says, ‘If we act mechanically, there is no moral content in our act’. How does
he explain his philosophy?

Ans: Gandhiji says, ‘If we act mechanically, there is no moral content in our act’. He
explains this philosophy in the following way. He says, a moral act must be our own act;
it must spring from our own will. Such action would be moral, if we think it proper to act
like a machine and do so. For, in doing so, we use our discrimination. We should bear in
mind the distinction between acting mechanically and acting intentionally. It may be
moral of a king to pardon a culprit. But the messenger bearing the order of pardon plays
only a mechanical part in the king’s moral act. But if the messenger were to bear the
king’s order, considering it to be his duty, his action would be a moral one.

4. ‘King Richard’s first act was moral and the second immoral’. Why does Gandhiji say so?
What is he referring to? Explain.
Ans: Gandhiji is of the opinion that it is not enough for a moral act to have been done with
a good intention, but it should have been done without compulsion. For an act to be moral
it has to be free from fear and compulsion. In order to explain this ideology, Gandhiji
quoted the following incident – When the peasants rose in revolt and with bloodshot eyes
went to King Richard II of England demanding their rights, he granted them the rights
under his own seal and signature. But when the danger was over, he forced them to
surrender the letters. It would be a mistake for anyone to say that King Richard’s first act
was moral and the second immoral. For, his act was done only out of fear and had not an iota
of morality about it.

5. Shakespeare says, ‘Love born out of the profit motive is no love’. How does Gandhiji explain
this quote?
Ans: Shakespeare says, ‘love born out of the profit motive is no love’. Gandhiji explains this
quote with the following example. He says that an action prompted by the motive of material
gain is non-moral, so also another done for considerations of comfort and personal happiness
in another world is non-moral. That action is moral which is done only for the sake of doing
good. A great Christian, St. Francis Xavier, passionately prayed that his mind might always
remain pure. For him devotion to God was not for enjoying a higher seat after death. He prayed
because it was man’s duty to pray.

6. Explain the criteria considered by Gandhiji to decide an action as moral.

Ans: i) According to Gandhiji moral act must spring from our own will. If we act mechanically,
there is no moral content in our act. Such action would be moral, if we think it proper to act
like a machine and do so. For in doing so we use our discrimination. ii) It is not enough that an
act done by us is in itself good; it should have been done with the intention to do good. That is
to say, whether an act is moral or otherwise, depends upon the intention of the doer.
iii) It is not enough for a moral act to have been done with a good intention, but it should have
been done without compulsion. iv) There should be no self-interest behind an action.
v) Just as an action prompted by the motive of material gain here on earth is non-moral, so also
another done for considerations of comfort and personal happiness in another world is non-
moral. That action is moral which is done only for the sake of doing good.
OR
Ans: Talking about the difference between a conventional behaviour and a moral behaviour,
Gandhiji says that moral act must be our own act which must spring from our own will.
We should bear in mind the distinction between acting mechanically and acting intentionally.
When we all care only for what or conscience says, then alone can we be regarded to have
stepped on to the moral road. We should believe that God is within us, the God of all, is the ever
present witness to all our acts.
The moral action depends upon the intention of the doer. For instance, a man out of great pity
feeds the poor and another who does the same with the motive of winning prestige or with
some such selfish end. Though the action is the same, the act of one is moral and that of other
non-moral.
It is not enough for a moral act to have been done with a good intention, but it should have
been done without compulsion.
Just as a moral action should be free from fear or compulsion so should there be no self-interest
behind it. Action done for considerations of comfort and personal happiness is non-moral.
That action is moral which is done only for the sake of doing good.
It is cowardice to be true to friends and break faith with enemies. Those who do good out of
fear and haltingly have no moral virtue.

PROSE 6: THE EYES ARE NOT HERE

1. Give instances to show that the narrator tried his best to impress that he was normal
sighted during his encounter with the girl.
Ans: The narrator did not reveal his handicap before the girl and behaved like a normal sighted
person. When the girl spoke of the beauty of Mussoorie during October, he too described it as
if he sees them every time. He never told her that her talks were her memories. He then
described the countryside flashing by. A little later, he told the girl that she had an interesting
face. He further asked whether she had noticed how the trees seemed to move while the
commuters see to be standing still. All these instances show that the narrator tried his best to
impress the girl that he was normal sighted.

2. Everyone thinks, he could outwit anyone but sometimes, he himself is outwitted by others
comprehensively. Substantiate this with reference to the story.
Ans: Generally, most of the time people think that they are very smart and can outwit anyone.
But most of the time it boomerangs on them. The narrator is blind but he never reveals his
handicap to his fellow traveller. His conversations with his fellow traveller girl are very clever
and phrased in such a way that she believed his words and assumed him to be normal sighted.
The girl too responds appropriately to his conversation which further strengthens his
confidence. But after the girl alights and another passenger boards the train and reveals the
truth about the girl’s blindness, the narrator realizes that his plan of outwitting completely
turned back to him and it was he who got outwitted by her.

3. The story ends with the new fellow – traveller telling the narrator that the girl was
completely blind. What do you think, would be the feelings and thoughts of the narrator after
knowing the truth?
Ans: The narrator realized after the girl had alighted that she too was totally blind. Her
responses therefore were equally intelligent and smart. The narrator who had thought of
outwitting the girl by hiding his blindness got outwitted instead. He was shocked and
awestruck at the boldness and intelligence of the girl. Though he felt a bit disgusted, his
admiration for her intelligence and tactics superseded the anger. His initial casual admiration
for her turned into a genuine admiration.

PROSE 7: THE GIRL WHO WAS ANNE FRANK

1. How did Anne’s Diary open the eyes of Germans to the viciousness of racial persecution?

Ans: When Anne’s Diary was published and enacted as a play in Germany, there was a
remarkable reaction from the people. Packed audiences received her tragedy in a silence
heavy with remorse. People never went out during the interval as they felt ashamed to face
each other. The Germans accused themselves for the treatment meted out to Jews by the
Nazis. For many years, Germany’s post-war administrators had toiled to make people realize
the criminal nature of Nazi regime but failed. The diary of Anne Frank succeeded in making
them open their eyes to the viciousness of racial persecution.

2. From your study of this write- up, what do you understand about Anne Frank’s mind and
heart?
Ans: The diary of Anne Frank reveals the transformation of a young adolescent girl with
adolescent dreams to a mature girl because of the toil and travail she underwent. Initially, she
was just a thirteen year old girl leading a happy, normal life. Even in the initial period of their
hiding, her diary entries were about her adolescent thoughts and longing. Slowly they turned
melancholic and thought provoking when she described the horrors of living in a hiding. But
she did not lose her belief in mankind as she felt that basically people are really good at
heart. In fact her name was chosen by people to symbolize the spirit of racial and social
tolerance.

3. What glimpses of Nazi cruelty do you see in this write- up?

Ans: Adolf Hitler, in 1933 began issuing anti-Jewish decrees which made all the Jews in
Germany to either migrate to other places or go in hiding. People hid in dark and airless rooms
without proper food or ventilation. When they were arrested by the Nazi police, they were
taken to the Nazi concentration camps and tortured to death. The Nazi had no compassion for
women and children too. Families were split with men somewhere and their women and
children elsewhere. They were kept in very pathetic conditions without proper food or attire.
In fact children were made to stand naked in freezing rain before being sent to the gas chamber.
After the prisoners died, they were all dumped and buried together in mass graves. Thus, the
Nazis treated the Jews with utmost cruelty and barbarism.

4. What role does the diary play in Anne’s life?

Ans: When Anne first begins writing in her diary as the thirteen-year-old girl, she feels that
her friends and family all misunderstand her. Thus, she first turns to the diary as a new friend
and confident, counting on the diary to be the sympathetic, non-judgmental ear she has been
unable to find elsewhere. Once she goes into hiding in the annex, Anne feels even more
misunderstood. She thinks her mother is cold and callous, and feels that the other adults
consider her a nuisance. The diary offers Anne much solace in the Annexe. Anne has no one
other than her diary with whom she can openly share her fear, anger, sadness and hope. Anne
calls the diary “Kitty”, indicating that she considers it a close friend. She occasionally even
writes to Kitty as if the diary were a person who had asked her questions. Moreover, Anne’s
constant diary writing enables her to discover her inner voice and her voice as a writer, the
diary gives her a private place to explore and develop her increasingly profound thoughts and
ideas.

5. Write a brief character sketch of - Anne Frank

Ans: a) Anne Frank – Anne Frank is a young Dutch girl of German-Jewish origin. She is the
youngest child of Mr. and Mrs. Frank. As the diary is her property and prized possession, the
readers remain in her head throughout the length of the book. In her diary, she is precocious,
intelligent, charming and even, under the worst circumstances, funny. Over the course of the
diary, she grows from a spoiled, somewhat naïve, young girl of thirteen to a self-aware young
woman of fifteen. Although she has little political consciousness at the beginning of the diary,
she grows to question anti-Semitism and the petty persecution of those around her. She also
discovers a wealth of good qualities in herself. After the annex residents are discovered, she
goes to the concentration camp at the Belsen, in Germany, where she dies before her sixteenth
birthday.

6. Write a brief character sketch of Mr. Otto Frank

Ans: Mr. Otto Frank: Otto Frank is the father of Anne and Margot Frank. He comes from a
wealthy family and has spent most of his life in Germany. When Hitler rose to power in 1933,
Mr. Frank reacted by relocating his family to Amsterdam, in the Netherlands. There, he worked
in the food products business. When the Nazis invaded the Netherlands, he made
arrangements for his family to go into hiding in the building in which he was once employed.
Jews were not allowed to work with non-Jewish Dutch after the Nazis took over the
Netherlands. He is Anne’s favourite relative; she often calls him ‘Pim” and considers him her
savior and confidant in the Annex. He is the sole surviving member of his family after the war.
He arranged for the publication of Anne’s diary and died in the early 1980’s.

7. Describe Anne’s life in the ‘Annexe’ as written by her.

Ans: She described life in the “Annexe” with all its inevitable tensions and quarrels.
She created a delicate record of adolescence, with honesty of a young girl’s thoughts and
feelings, her longing and loneliness. She compares herself to a song bird whose wings have
been brutally torn out and is flying in utter darkness against the bars of its own cage. She was
isolated from outside world for nearly 16 months. After she had filled every page of the diary,
Miep gave her a book. Later she used Margot’s Chemistry book. Her diary reveals the trust she
had on her father. She was sad that her mother did not understand her and her feelings. Her
diary tells about her flowering personality, eagerness to face life with adult courage and her
matured self-insight.

Prose 8: - A Village Cricket Match.

1. The approach of the Sexton, the postman, the blacksmith and the baker to the game is typical
of their profession. Elaborate
Ans: The Sexton: A Sexton is a person who works in the Church ringing the bell, cleaning,
digging graves in churchyard etc. He was old and therefore cautious. He displayed this quality
in his batting too. His strokes were powerful because of his regular digging work.
The Postman: The postman was a government official and therefore did not take any risk. He
showed this quality in the game.
The Blacksmith: The Blacksmith was injured, but came into bat leaning heavily upon the
shoulder of the baker, who was going to run for him and limping as if in great pain. The kind of
work the blacksmiths do is physically strenuous and the batting style of this man was also quite
savage like hitting the iron on the anvil.
The baker: The baker had come to the field to run as a substitute runner to the injured
blacksmith. Like his profession, he did not do the taxing work of hitting the ball, but the
physical work like running which was not taxing on his body just like baking.
2. How does the ‘uncertainty and disorganization among the ranks of the invaders’ add to the
humour? Ans: There was a lot of uncertainty and disorganization in the match. There was no
understanding among the fielders. When the ball hit by the blacksmith, which had soared
high up in the air, began it’s descent, all the fielders began running to get under it to catch it.
They kept looking only at the while running and not at the other fielders running to catch
the same ball. All ran together, crashed against each other and fell down. This confusion was
compounded by the contradictory instructions given by Hodge. The fact that all of the
players running from their positions to catch one ball is described very humorously.

3. Write a short note on the status quo episode.

Ans: Mr. Hodge saw that Livingstone and Southcott, were both approaching towards the falling
ball competently. He knew that either of them would catch it easily. So he yelled at Livingstone
to catch it.
Southcott, the disciplined cricketer stopped when he heard Hodge’s orders. Suddenly Hodge
remembered Livingstone’s two missed catches and reversed his decision and asked Southcott
to catch it. Southcott started again, but Livingstone had not heard the order, went straight on
and both crashed against each other. Captain Hodge had restored the status quo but it resulted
in a crash and fall.

4. The village cricket match contains many humorous situations. Pick out any three situations
and write them down.
Ans: 4.a) When the Sexton hit the ball, it flashed like a thunderbolt straight at the youth in
blue jumper but he sprang backwards out of its way. It went and struck the mighty Boone in
the mid-riff like a red hot cannon ball upon a Spanish galleon. Boone clasped his hands to his
outraged stomach and found that the ball was on the way.
b) When the blacksmith lashed the ball wildly, it hit straight up into the air to an enormous
height. In his excitement the blacksmith forgot his sprained ankle and started running for the
run. So there were three batsmen running.
c) When the three batsmen were running for the run, since they were running with their
heads thrown back and eyes goggling at the cricket ball, halfway down the pitch the three
met with a magnificent clang. d) The two batsmen and the runner, undaunted to the last,
picked themselves up and were bent on completing the run but unfortunately dazed by their
falls, they all ran for the same wicket, simultaneously realized their error and all three turned
and ran for the other.
e) When the blacksmith lashed the ball, almost all the fielders were running for the catch.
Mr. Harcourt lost sight of the ball and he was running round and round Boone and giggling
foolishly.
f) Livingstone and Southcott were approaching competently for the catch. Mr. Hodge had to
choose between them. So he yelled to Livingstone to catch and Southcott stopped. Then
remembering
Livingstone’s two missed sitters, he yelled to Southcott to catch. Livingstone who did not hear
this, went ahead thus created confusion. [Any three incidents]

5. How did the blacksmith face the ball? What was happening in the terrestrial sphere when
the ball was high in the air?
Ans: The blacksmith lashed the ball wildly and hit straight up into the air to an enormous
height. It went up and up, until it became difficult to focus it properly against the deep,
cloudless blue of the sky. When the ball was high in the air, the blacksmith forgot his sprained
ankle and began running in full speed calling his substitute runner, the baker. The baker too
had started running, calling the blacksmith. From the other end Joe too began running. All the
three had their eyes on the ball and did not concentrate on one another. This resulted in their
colliding with one another and crashing down.

6) Describe the collision of the fielders in their enthusiasm to catch the ball?
Ans: The professor guessed the spot where the ball would fall. He ran one yard to the north-
east of Boone and collided with Donald on the way knocking him over. A moment later Bobby
Southcott came racing and tripped over Donald who had fallen down. Southcott hit head first
into the bosom of Boone who stepped back under the impact and came down with his boot on
the professor’s toe. At the same time, the wicket keeper bumped into the professor from behind
and the professor was sandwiched between them. Livingstone too crashed into this group and
fell down.

7) The last ball came upon the top of Mr. Hodge’s head at the end of the village cricket match.
Narrate the scene that ended the match into a ‘tie’.
Ans: The ball that came upon the top of Mr. Hodge’s head leapt up into the air a foot or so and
hit on to Boone’s head. Then it trickled slowly down at the back of the wicketkeeper. It was
only a foot from the ground when Mr. Shakespeare Pollock sprang into the vortex with a last
ear-splitting howl of victory and grabbed it off the seat of the wicket keeper’s trousers. The
match was a tie. Nobody knew that it was a tie except Mr. Hodge, the youth in the blue jumper
and Mr. Pollok. On the batting side, the two batsmen and the runner, were bent on completing
the single in order to win the match. Unfortunately, in excitement and with a noise, all three
of them ran for the same wicket, simultaneously realized their error, and all three turned and
ran for the other end. But their effort was in vain, for Mr. Pollock had grabbed the ball and the
match was a tie.

8. Narrate the humorous characters of Boone and Blacksmith.

Ans. : When sexton hit the ball, it flashed like a thunderbolt straight at the youth in blue jumper
but he sprang backwards out of the way. It struck the mighty Boone in the mid-riff like a red
hot cannon ball upon a Spanish galleon. Boone clasped his hands to his outraged stomach and
found that the ball was on the way. He threw it angrily massaging the injured spot. Fieldsmen
rang with applause, Donald congratulated him but Boone scowled and said that he did not
want to catch that damn thing. Blacksmith was the last man to bat. He came leaning on the
baker, who was going to run for him. Blacksmith limped in pain. When he hit the ball, it went
straight up into the air to an enormous height. Blacksmith forgot his sprained ankle and set
out to run calling ‘Come On Joe’ — The baker also ran, Joe also came and all three head upwards
and backwards. Halfway all three met with a clang.

PROSE 9: CONSUMERIST CULTURE

1. Man today is an unstoppable buying machine. Elucidate with examples.

Ans: People today all over the world are buying and consuming such bewilderingly varied
things on a vast scale which actually are absolutely inessential to human health and happiness.
People buy and drink the artificially flavoured drinks which have no nutritive value, eat stuff
which cannot be digested. For increasing number of people shopping has become the chief
form of entertainment, an obsessive compulsion over which they have no control. The
fascination with the choice has been carried to ridiculous lengths. The definition of good life
depends upon the acquisition of material possession. Even the people in rural areas are joining
this bandwagon. Aggressive advertising is compounding to this problem and resulting in the
media driven mania of mindless consumption. People have forgotten when to say ‘enough’ to
the merely material things. Unless they know when to stop, there won’t be anything of value
left on the earth.

2. Write a short note on the views expressed by the writer on the Tragic Comedy of
‘development.’ Why does he call it tragic comedy?
Ans: The writer is of the opinion that the development of the country is in a very ironic
situation. While pockets of the private prosperity are growing, the resources of public sphere
are depleting. Thus though we have an amazing variety of sleek new cars models to choose
from, the roads in our cities are in pretty bad shape and getting worse. Fashionable luxury
resorts are mushrooming everywhere but the lung spaces like parks and playgrounds are
shrinking. It is a similar story with many other services in the public domain including
transportation, health care, education etc. Even the essential services are pushed into the
private realm so that some company or the other can make profit on them. It is indeed a
tragicomedy because the poor are also pushed into becoming consumers of increasingly
expressive goods and utilities.

PROSE 10: THE PIE AND THE TART

1. Jean and Pierre have a lot of similarities. But the dramatist ensures that in spite of their
similarities, they are different enough to be individuals. How are Jean and Pierre similar?

Ans: Both Jean and Pierre are jobless vagabonds. They have been caught many times by the
police for begging. Both look for easy way of living rather than search for a job to earn their
living. Both of them do not hesitate to lie or cheat to fulfill their needs. Both are clever and
resourceful, having an ability to save themselves form a sticky situation. They are quick
witted having presence of mind.
b) Both of them have many similarities as well as differences in their character. Jean is a
better planner and Pierre is an obedient follower. Jean listens to the conversation of Gaultiers
and his wife and hatches a plan of stealing the pie. But he does not tell the background of the
plan but just tells Pierre to follow his instructions. Pierre follows it implicitly and is overjoyed
to get the pie that he does not question the method. Second time Jean gets caught with
Gaultier and gets thrashed. He sends Pierre to Gaultier again not telling him the reason. But
Pierre with his presence of mind escapes punishment, but shares the tart with Jean though
the latter tries to get him punished. Pierre has no vindictiveness in him.

2. The lines in italics given after the list of players are called “stage directions”. You find such
“stage directions” all through the play. What would happen to the play if these were missing?
Ans: The stage directions are given in the scripts of the play for the actors to know what they
have to do and how they have to enact. This acts as clues and prompts for the actor. If these
instructions are not written down and are missing, an actor may forget to enact an action when
required in the manner it has to be. These directions tell the actors about their time on stage
and when they have to exit. Hence stage directions are the back bones to a good play.

3. Give a character sketch of Gaultier.

Ans: M. Gaultier is a baker in Paris. He is a man of about fifty, well preserved and obviously
content with his lot. He is an excellent pastry cook whose products are popularly sold very
well. He is quite pompous of his achievements and feels that it is below his dignity to carry
things with him outside. He is also a foolish and gullible person and get easily fooled by
others. He is arrogant and orders his wife about who obeys him quietly. He thinks that he is
very smart but he is easily fooled by two smart beggars, Jean and Pierre.

POEM 1: TO A PAIR OF SARUS CRANE

1. How is the callousness of the bird killers brought out in the poem?
Ans: The fact that the people shot at a bird that was joyfully flying is itself an act of callousness.
After killing the bird, these killers did not treat the body with dignity. They just lifted the lifeless
body of the crane by its wings and callously stuffed it is a coarse bag like one just stuffs the
dirty clothes into the washing bag. They never regarded it as a being with life. The mere fact
that it was not human with the faculty of speech, made them treat it like an inanimate object.

2. How does the poet bring out the agony and desperation of the female crane in the poem?
Ans: The agony and desperation of the female crane is described in a very touchy manner by
the poet.
When the female Sarus crane saw that the mate was shot down by the bird killers, she flew
about crying. She cried bitterly when his body was stuffed into a bag and carried away. She
went on circling the sky in deep sorrow over his disgraceful end. She sat where the mate had
fallen and cried and sent her sorrow to the heaven in a telegraphic mode. She kissed a few
feathers of her mate which lay strewn and in desperate hope sat on those feathers hoping to
bring back the life of her mate. She pined and grieved so much that god took her away from
the mortal world. The female Sarus crane was the epitome of marital fidelity.

Poem 2: ABRAHAM LINCOLN’S LETTER.

1. Teach him to listen to all men

But teach him to filter all he hears on a screen of truth’.
Bring out the different ideas conveyed in these lines.
Ans: These lines convey very useful messages. In order to become good and wise human beings
one has to learn many things from his/her experiences. One must have the patience to listen
all but he need not follow or assume all that to be correct. He should analyze it and understand
whether it is true or false, moral or immoral. Though he should listen to everyone and
everything, he should be sensible enough to sort out the right and wrong and suitable or
unsuitable and follow the right.

2. Do you agree with the poet when he says,

‘Only the test of fire makes fine steel’.
Give reasons to support your point of view.
Ans: I agree with the poet because the line means that a person becomes stronger only when
he undergoes difficulties. Every person has to undergo difficulties and problems in order to
lead a comfortable and successful life. The problems or difficulties in life make a person strong
and wise. He learns wisdom from the problems he faces. One has to be patient and self-
confident and positive while approaching these difficulties only then he becomes strong and
wise.
3. In his letter, Abraham Lincoln is very particular in instructing the teacher to teach his son
some of the aspects feel important to be taught. What do we understand about Abraham
Lincoln and his feeling for his son from this letter?
Ans: It is evident from the letter of Abraham Lincoln that he loves his son very much and he is
too much concerned about his upbringing. He wants his son to grow into an upright, ethical,
truthful, brave and above all a good human being. He knows that a teacher has a great influence
in the learning process of a child and a child spends greater part of his day with a teacher. He
has his own doubts that he may not be able to give much time to his son. So he wants the
teacher to inculcate all those values which he mentioned and mould his character.

4. Who are cynics? Why does Abraham Lincoln want his son to scoff the cynics and be aware of
too much sweetness?
Ans: Cynics are people who have low opinions of most people and most things. They always
look at the dark side of life and do not enjoy the bountiful pleasures of nature and life. The
company of such people will make one a pessimist and sadist. Lincoln wants his son to be
careful about the people who pose to be very good and very soft. He does not want him to get
carried away by too much sweetness or soft behaviour and find out whether they true in their
intension or posing to be so.

5. Lincoln says, ‘teach him to sell his brawn and brain to the highest bidders, but never put a
price tag on his soul. What does he mean by these lines? Explain.
Ans: Brain refers to intelligence, creativity, talent, etc. and brawn refers to physical strength.
One can sell both brain and brawn to the employer who pays them the highest salary. But the
soul refers to dignity, integrity, honesty, individuality etc. which one should never sell to
anyone. One should not do unethical and immoral activities for money. Lincoln asks the
teacher to teach such values to his son which help him lead a life of honesty, dignity and
integrity.

6. What lessons does Abraham Lincoln want his son to learn while dealing with different kinds
of people in the society?
Ans: Abraham Lincoln wants his son to know and learn the following – i) he should know that
all men are not just or not honest, ii) for every enemy there is a friend, iii) he should have faith
and confidence in his own ideas, iv) he should be gentle with the gentle and tough with the
tough, v) he should follow the crowd blindly, vi) he should filter all he hears on a screen of
truth, vii) he should be strong enough to laugh when he is sad, viii) he should be aware of too
much sweetness that might not be true, ix) he should sell his strength and intelligence to the
highest bidders, but never sell his soul, x) he should stand and fight for the right, xi) he should
have courage to be impatient and have patience to be brave, xii) he should have sublime faith
in himself and in mankind.

7. What does the poet father want his son’s teacher to teach his son about- a) Books and Nature
? b) Being honest ?
Ans: The poet father wants his son’s teacher to teach him many values.
a) Regarding Books and Nature : The poet father wants the teacher to teach his son the
wonder of books. To give him quiet time to ponder the eternal mystery of birds in the sky, bees
in the sun, flowers on a green hillside.
b) The value of being honest: He wants his son to know that the value of a dollar earned is
far greater than five dollars found. In school he should teach him that it is far honourable to
fail than to cheat.

POEM 3: VACHANA
1. Write an appreciation of the poem.
Ans: The poem is a Vachana (poem with moral meaning) composed by Basavanna, the great
Kannada saint, poet and social reformer, the founder of Veerasaiva movement. The poem is
translated to English by A. K. Ramanujam, a renowned poet in English and Kannada.
Basavanna prays to his Lord Shiva- the Koodalasangama Deva and laments that the rich are
able to build temples for the Lord while he, a poor man is unable to do so. Then he says that
his legs are the pillars, his body is the shine and his head is the Cupola of gold. He asks God to
reside in his body temple as stationary things fall over a period of time where as the human
beings will surely reach the abode of God. The body is perishable but reaches God.

POEM 4 : LOCHINVAR
1. Pick out all the details from the poem which help Lochinvar to hide his real intentions.
Lochinvar arrives at Netherby Hall all alone carrying only one sword with him which makes
people think that he could not have come to fight. When Questioned by Ellen’s father, he says
that he has just come to drink wine and dance in the wedding. He boasts that though he loved
Ellen, he no longer has the same feeling as she is now getting married to someone else. He also
boasts that there are so many maidens in Scotland far lovelier than Ellen who are willing to
marry him. Then he requests just a dance with Ellen and dances with her in front of all her
people. All these acts make the people not understand his real intentions.

2. How did Lochinvar finally win Ellen for himself?

Ans: Lochinvar rode into Netherby Hall all alone with just a sword. He told Ellen’s father that
he had come just to attend Ellen’s wedding. All he wanted to do was to have a glass of wine and
a dance with her. He said that he no longer loved her. His actions and words made people think
that he was indeed not upset about the wedding. He had a glass of wine and asked for a dance
with Ellen. He very cleverly led Ellen towards the door all the while dancing and with a quick
word in her ear. Lifted her on to his horse and galloped away swiftly. Though all the kinsmen
of the bride followed him, they could not find both of them at all. Thus, Lochinvar won Ellen
for him.

3. The Poet, Sir Walter Scott, brings out the fact that love and courage go together. Explain this
with reference to the poem “Lochinvar”.
Ans: Lochinvar, a brave knight, loved Ellen. But her father refused his proposal and married
her off to a coward. Lochinvar bravely entered the Netherby Hall. He convinced Ellen’s father
that he did not love Ellen anymore. He had come only to enjoy the wedding. Lochinvar took
Ellen’s hand for a dance, and as they were dancing, he gave Ellen a signal of what he wanted to
do. As soon as they reached the doorway and his horse stood ready, Lochinvar picked up Ellen
and put her on the horse. He himself swung on the horse and they rode away before any of the
family could catch them. Thus, Lochinvar proved that love and courage go together.

POEM 5: POISON TREE

1. How does the poet use the image of a tree to bring out the destructive effect of suppressed
anger? Ans: The speaker was angry with his enemy but he did not reveal it hence it grew
fiercer in him. The speaker metaphorically uses his growth of anger into a growing of poison
tree. He helped the growth of that tree of hatred by nurturing it with his misery, anger, deceit,
frustration etc. until it grew into a tree which bore a beautiful apple. It means that the enemy
was misled with the deceitful behaviour of the speaker and thought that the speaker was his
friend. The apple tempted the enemy who stole it, ate it and fell dead. It means that the
enemy fell into the trap of false friendship laid by the speaker and was destroyed.

2. Do you think the speaker was right in being ‘glad’ at his foe’s death? Why? Why not?
Ans: It was not right on the part of the speaker to bring the downfall of his foe because it doesn’t
make him any, different from his foe. Having destructive thoughts in the mind and behaving
friendly outside is a deceitful quality and such people are not worth respecting. It is always
better to clear any misunderstanding with both friends and foes and as it will make our hearts
lighter and not upset us mentally. If we are mentally upset, it results in physical ailments too.
Behaving deceitfully will not make us any different from our enemies.

3. How does the poet use the image of a tree to bring out the destructive effect of suppressed
anger? Ans: The speaker was angry with his enemy but he did not reveal it hence it grew
fiercer in him. The speaker metaphorically uses his growth of anger into a growing of poison
tree. He helped the growth of that tree of hatred by nurturing it with his misery, anger, deceit,
frustration etc. until it grew into a tree which bore a beautiful apple. It means that the enemy
was misled with the deceitful behaviour of the speaker and thought that the speaker was his
friend. The apple tempted the enemy who stole it, ate it and fell dead. It means that the
enemy fell into the trap of false friendship laid by the speaker and was destroyed.

POEM 6: SONNET 73
1. How is the couplet a fitting conclusion to the three quatrains?
Ans: In the first three quatrains of the sonnet, the poet Shakespeare compares the fading of
his age with three elements of the universe, the fading of the season-autumn, the fading of the
day-sunset, the dying of fire-ashes. Throughout the poem, the poet has described the
consequences of old age and appeals his friend to understand it and express his love for him.
He describes the old age in the three quatrains of the sonnet and appeals his friend to show
his love for him in the last two lines (couplet). The couplet gives a conclusion to the thought
process in the quatrains. The couplet advises the friend to behave in a certain way as the poet
is in the last stage of his life or on the death-bed.
2. ‘Bare ruined choirs, where late the sweet birds sang’ has double images. Explain what the
poet wants his friend to ‘behold’.
Ans: The first image ‘Bare ruined choirs’ refers to the church which is in a ruined condition.
The second image ‘where late the sweet birds sang’ refers to the leafless branches of the tree
where birds no longer sit and sing. The poet compares the last stage of his life to these two
images and appeals his friend to understand his condition and show his love to him. The poet
wants his friend to behold this condition of the poet and understand the situation and express
his love for him as he is about to die.

3. Why has Shakespeare compared himself to autumn twilight and ember?

Ans: The poet Shakespeare compares the fading of his age with three elements of the universe,
the fading of the season-autumn, the fading of the day-sunset, the dying of fire-ashes.
Throughout the poem, the poet has described the consequences of old age and appeals his
friend to understand it and express his love for him. He describes the old age in the three
quatrains of the sonnet and appeals his friend to show his love for him in the last two lines
(couplet). The couplet gives a conclusion to the thought process in the quatrains. The couplet
advises the friend to behave in a certain way as the poet is in the last stage of his life or on the
death-bed.

POEM 7: STOLEN BOAT

1. Wordsworth defined poetry as “emotion recollected in tranquility” what dominant emotion
of the boat experience is recollected by the poet?
Ans: The poet had stealthily taken a boat from its mooring place and had gone rowing in the
quiet lake. He was both anxious and excited. He was anxious because of his act of stealth and
excited because he was fond of rowing the boat. But his guilty conscience made the nature
around him look very menacing and threatening and the mountain which loomed before him
looked large and as if it was following him. So he became very afraid and quickly returned to
the mooring place and tied the boat. Even days after the incident, the poet is haunted by the
mysterious shapes and images. The dominant emotion of the boat experience recollected by
the poet is fear and guilt.

2. Many days after the stolen boat experience, the narrator was haunted by a mysterious
presence within him. Pick out details of this mysterious presence from lines 37 to 44.
Ans: Many days after the stolen boat experience, the narrator was haunted by a mysterious
presence within him. There was no familiar shape or pleasant images of nature lent he was
haunted by huge and mighty forms which are non-living but were troubling his mind
continuously like living beings both while he was awake and while he was asleep. This
symbolizes the guilty conscience within him.

3. Why did Wordsworth say that his moving the boat is an act of stealth? Why was he guilty of
his act?

Ans: One summer evening, when Wordsworth was a young boy, he came across a boat tied to
a willow tree in a rocky cave. He untied the boat quickly, slipped into the boat and rowed away
stealthily and took it out for a rowing. There was nobody around there to take the permission.
But the absence of the owner did not mean that he could just like that take the boat. It was
risky for a young boy to row a boat in such a lonely and not a safe lake. This was clearly an act
of stealth. Therefore he was guilty of his act. After rowing to a certain distance his guilt began
to haunt him. His guilt inside him made the nature look menacing. His feeling of guilt was so
threatening that he quickly returned the boat to its original place.

4. Describe the effect that the spectacle of the peak had on the poet’s mind.
Ans: The poet was rowing the boat with the feeling of excitement. As he was rowing, suddenly
he saw a large mountain looming ahead of him. It was huge and black and kept growing in
stature. He felt that it was following him therefore he turned back and kept the boat from
where he had taken. For days together after this incident his mind remained dark and blank.
He could not get any pleasant images in his mind. All that remained in his mind were huge and
mighty forms which though were lifeless kept moving in his mind troubling him all the time
and even in his dreams.

5. To Wordsworth, nature was a living presence. Pick out any 5 details from the poem to
support this.
Ans: i) The poet personifies the boat to be an
Elf. b) he calls the lake to be silent.
c) the mountain looming ahead is made to look menacing and threatening.
d) the poet feels that the mountain is following him steadily.
e) the poet says that he hears the voice of echo from the mountain.

6. How does the poet use the image of a tree to bring out the destructive effect of suppressed
anger? Ans: The speaker was angry with his enemy but he did not reveal it hence it grew fiercer
in him. The speaker metaphorically uses his growth of anger into a growing of poison tree. He
helped the growth of that tree of hatred by nurturing it with his misery, anger, deceit,
frustration etc. until it grew into a tree which bore a beautiful apple. It means that the enemy
was misled with the deceitful behaviour of the speaker and thought that the speaker was his
friend. The apple tempted the enemy who stole it, ate it and fell dead. It means that the enemy
fell into the trap of false friendship laid by the speaker and was destroyed.

POEM 8: MENDING WALL

1. What according to the speaker is the reason for the wall to get damaged?
Ans: According to the speaker the wall gets damaged due to the following reasons. During
winter the moisture under the earth hardens into ice and swells the ground which in turn
dislocates the stones on the wall. Sometimes the rabbits which are chased by the hunters try
to hide in the spaces between the stones and the hunters pull out these stones to get those
rabbits thus destroying the wall.

2. How can we say that the poem ‘mending wall’ is a symbolic poem?
Ans: On the surface, the poem is about mending the broken wall between the properties of the
speaker and his neighbour. But the deeper meaning is about the feeling of inhibition, distrust
people have with one another making them erect an invisible barrier or wall between each
other.

3. Why does the speaker say that a spell is needed for balancing the stone?
Ans: The speaker humorously says that a spell is needed for balancing the stone because the
shape of the stones have changed and they will once again be dislocated either by the winter
season or the hunters. So if they have to remain in place forever, it can only happen through a
magic spell.

4. What do you understand by the sentence-‘good fences make good neighbours’ with respect
to this poem?
Ans: The sentence, ‘good fences make good neighbours’, is a euphemistic way of saying that as
long as there is some kind of distance maintained for privacy both physically and mentally,
there will be cordial relationship between people. The presence of the wall between the
properties does ensure a quality relationship between the two neighbours. By maintaining the
division between the properties, the narrator and his neighbour are able to maintain their
individuality and personal identity as farmers: one of apple trees, and one of pine trees.
Moreover, the annual act of mending the wall also provides an opportunity for the two men to
interact and communicate with each other, an event that might not otherwise occur in an
isolated rural environment. The act of meeting to repair the wall allows the two men to develop
their relationship and the overall community far more than if each maintained their isolation
on separate properties.

5. What do you understand by the sentence-‘good fences make good neighbours’ with respect
to the poem, ‘Mending Wall’? Ans: The sentence, ‘good fences make good neighbours’, is a
euphemistic way of saying that as long as there is some kind of distance maintained for
privacy both physically and mentally, there will be cordial relationship between people. The
presence of the wall between the properties does ensure a quality relationship between the
two neighbours. By maintaining the division between the properties, the narrator and his
neighbour are able to maintain their individuality and personal identity as farmers: one of
apple trees, and one of pine trees. Moreover, the annual act of mending the wall also provides
an opportunity for the two men to interact and communicate with each other, an event that
might not otherwise occur in an isolated rural environment. The act of meeting to repair the
wall allows the two men to develop their relationship and the overall community far more
than if each maintained their isolation on separate properties.

POEM 9: BUTTOO

Summarize Buttoo’s dedication and modesty in your own words.

Ans: Ekalavya, a humble forest youth was rejected and humiliated by the great teacher and
warrior Dronacharya when Ekalavya pleaded him to teach him archery. Despite this snub,
Buttoo, retains his devotion towards his master, makes a statue of him and learns archery by
himself in front of the statue. He comes and shows his prowess to Dronacharys who demands
a payment as his fee. Buttoo agrees to give anything that he asks. Drona asks him for his right
thumb. He wants only Arjuna to be the greatest archer in the world. Buttoo unhesitatingly gives
his thumb to prove his devotion to his master.
Dronacharya is humbled at the devotion shown to him and blesses him that his fame shall
spread from one end of the earth to the other, and his name will be liked with self-help,
dedication and modesty.

2. The poem ‘Buttoo’ is a saga of loyalty and faithfulness as well as selfishness and cunning.
Ans: In the poem ‘Buttoo’, Toru Dutt brings out the contrasting values of loyalty and selfishness.
Buttoo, remains loyal to Dronacharya. He attributes his success as an archer to Drona. He says
“all my inspiration and all my knowledge is from thee.” This is quite contrary to what
Dronacharya has in mind. He had refused to take Buttoo as his student and teach him the skill,
yet he does not hesitate to ask for his due, gurudakshina. Drona cunningly manipulates
Buttoo’s unwavering faithfulness and makes him promise that he would give anything he asks
for. Once Buttoo promises it, Drona demands his right-hand thumb. He does this in order to
preserve his image and keep the promise he made to Arjuna that he would be the greatest
archer.

POEM 10: C.L.M.

1. The poem describes the poet’s personal experience. Does it stop at that?
Ans: No, the poem does not stop with just the description of poet’s personal experience. He
talks about his guilty feeling for not having repaid their mother, the favour done to him and his
siblings by undergoing tremendous physical pain. He thinks that he is also to be blamed for the
fast that men are considered superior to women for he has not done anything about it. He
expresses concern over the inequality of gender and the ill treatment meted against women.

2. How does the poet describe the suffering of his mother and other women in this male
dominated society?
Ans: The mother lost her beauty in bearing him. She suffered pain and strain while he was in
her womb. He sucked the nutrition while he was in her womb making her suffer and weak. He
feels that every child she bore brought about partial death of her. He expresses his grief, for
his mother cannot see him grownup and cannot see how his son has lived his life. He says that
even if death could be undone and his mother be reincarnated it would be of no use because
they would not recognize each other. He then thinks that she is in the suffering they need to
undergo while bearing the child and when in labour. He concludes the poem with more feeling
of guilt for he thinks he has not repaid the favour of living upto his mother’s desires and to that
of women in general. The poet thinks that being a man, he is also to be blamed for the fact that
men are considered superior to women for he has not done anything about it. He expresses
concern over the inequality of gender. The tone of the poem is serious and grave and makes us
think about the way we treat women in our society.

3. Explain how John Masefield regrets for being ungrateful towards his mother.
Ans. : The poet questions himself asking what he has done to keep in mind his debt to his
mother and womankind. He also asks for those months of wretched days, how he has given her
happier days. He remembers how his mother's life was consumed by him before he was born.
He also laments that he has done nothing in gratitude to that dear woman, who is dead now.
He says how men overpower women even today. How men ignore the rights of women and
treat them as if they are not important. He says man's strong desire for supremacy over women
roams about in the world untamed.

SOME EXAMPLES OF MOST LIKELY EXTRACTS:

VIII. Explain with reference to context. 5x3=15

Les. 1:
1. ‘He lounged in the streets absently and jostled the hurrying men’.
Ans: The extract is taken from the lesson ‘A wrong man in worker’s paradise’ authored by
Rabindranath Tagore. The idle man was taken to the worker’s paradise by mistake where
everybody was busy attending to their works. The idle man was left with no space to spend
time in leisure. He roamed around the streets and was obstructing or coming in the way of
everybody who was busy attending to their jobs.

2. ‘You want to draw water from the torrent?’

Ans: The extract is taken from the lesson ‘A wrong man in worker’s paradise’ authored by
Rabindranath Tagore. The above question was asked by the girl of the silent torrent to the idle
man. When the idle man asked the girl to give him one of her pitchers, the girl asked him the
above question.

3. ‘This is no place for the like of you.’

Ans: The extract is taken from the lesson ‘A wrong man in worker’s paradise’ authored by
Rabindranath Tagore. The above statement was told by the president of the worker’s paradise
to the idle man. When the elders saw the man with his articles of painting and when the aerial
messenger confessed that he had brought the man to the worker’s paradise by mistake, the
president told the above words.

4. ‘Only some more work from your hand.’

Ans: The extract is taken from the lesson ‘A wrong man in worker’s paradise’ authored by
Rabindranath Tagore. The statement was told by the idle man to the girl of the silent torrent.
After completing the work of painting the clay pitcher of the girl, the idle man asked the girl to
give her ribbons with the above words.

5. ‘Let’s move on, time’s flying’.

Ans: 5) The extract is taken from the lesson ‘A wrong man in worker’s paradise’ authored by
Rabindranath Tagore. This statement was whispered by women in the Worker’s Paradise. In
the Heaven, there was a Worker’s Paradise where people spent all their time doing only useful
work without having a moment of leisure. They enjoyed hard work though they overtly
commented that they had no time to spare.

6. ‘I brought a wrong man into this paradise’.

Ans: The extract is taken from the lesson ‘A wrong man in worker’s paradise’ authored by
Rabindranath Tagore. The statement was told by the aerial messenger to the elders of the
Workers’ Paradise in the meeting. The work in the Workers’ Paradise began to suffer, the elders
were worried and they called a meeting to find out the cause for it. The aerial messenger who
had brought the idle man into the Workers’ Paradise confessed his mistake with the above
words.

Les 2:
1. ‘Water is the basis of all life’.
Ans: The extract is taken from the lesson, ‘The Elixir of Life’ written by Sir. C.V.Raman. In this
lesson, C.V. Raman explains the importance of water. He demonstrates how water, the
commonest of all liquids is the basis of all life on this earth. He explains that every animal and
every plant contains a substantial proportion of free or combined water in its body and no
physiological activity is possible in which the water does not play an essential part.
2. ‘The collection and utilization of this water is, therefore, of vital importance’.
Ans: The extract is taken from the lesson, ‘The Elixir of Life’ written by Sir. C.V. Raman. In this
lesson, C.V. Raman explains the importance of water. In the above statement he is explaining
that with a seasonal rainfall in India, we need to preserve rain water. The collection and
utilization of the rainwater has to planned properly.

Les3:
1) ‘Take your hat off and let’s have a sight at the looks of it.’
Ans: The extract is taken from the lesson ‘The gift of Magi’ authored by O. Henry. The
statement is told by Madame Sofronie to Della. Della decided to sell her long, beautiful hair to
buy a gift for Jim as she did not have sufficient money. So When Della went to Madame
Sofronie who bought and sold hair in her Salon and offered her hair to her, Madame told the
above statement.

2) ‘It was like him. Quietness and value – the description applied to both.’
Ans: The extract is taken from the lesson ‘The gift of Magi’ authored by O. Henry. Della
thought the above words when she saw a platinum fob chain in a shop. Della wanted to buy
the best fob chain for Jim on Christmas. After searching for it in a number of shops she found
one platinum fob chain which she liked very much. It was simple and chaste in design. Della
liked it so much that she uttered the above words and compared it to the nature of Jim.

3) ‘They’re too nice to use just at present’.

Ans: The extract is taken from the lesson ‘The gift of Magi’ authored by O. Henry. Jim tried to
console Della with the above words when she demanded him to show his watch so as to put
the fob to it. Jim had sold his watch to buy a set of combs for Della’s beautiful hair. Jim had
realized that the gifts bought by
Della and Jim for one another were of no use to be used on Christmas. So, he told her the above
statement.

4) ‘But if you’ll unwrap that package you may see why you had me going a while at first’.
Ans: The extract is taken from the lesson ‘The gift of Magi’ authored by O. Henry. It was told by
Jim to Della. Della was eagerly waiting for Jim at home with her gift. She had sold her beautiful
hair in order to buy the gift for him and she was anxious to know the reaction of Jim when he
finds her without her favourite hair. To her surprise, when Jim arrived, he very anxiously, drew
out a package from his overcoat pocket and threw it upon the table telling the above words.

5) ‘I’m me without my hair, ain’t I?’

Ans: The extract is taken from the lesson ‘The gift of Magi’ authored by O. Henry. It was told by
Della to Jim. Jim was in a confused state when he saw Della with short hair. So Della consoled
him with the above words and tried to make him understand that he loved her as she was but
not just because of her long hair.

6) ‘He’ll say I look like a Coney Island chorus girl’.

Ans: The extract is taken from the lesson, The gift of Magi authored by O. Henry. Della tried to
dress up normally to hide her sadness. She cried bitterly before and after she sold her hair to
buy a Christmas gift for Jim. To hide her emotions and to look normal even after losing her
beautiful hair she dressed up her hair into curls and said the above words to herself.

Les 4:
1. “What have I done for my country?”
Ans: This extract is taken from the lesson, ‘Louis Pasteur, conqueror of disease’ written by E.M.
Carter.
It was stated by Louis Pasteur to the students on Pasteur’s 70th birthday which was celebrated
almost like a national festival. He was honoured by the scientists of all nations. Addressing the
audiences in the Great
Hall of the University of Paris, Louis Pasteur’s son read his father’s advice to the young students
with the above words.

2. “If you can cure animals, you can cure my son”.

Ans: This extract is taken from the lesson, ‘Louis Pasteur, conqueror of disease’ written by E.M.
Carter. It was told by the mother of the boy who had been bitten by a mad dog. Pasteur had
been experimenting on the discovery of inoculation against the bite of a mad dog. The mother
of the boy went to him and told the above words.

3. “Two opposing laws seem to me now in contest…” Ans: This extract is taken from the lesson,
‘Louis Pasteur, conqueror of disease’ written by E.M. Carter. The above statement was told
by Louis Pasteur at the opening Ceremony of the Institute Pasteur in Paris in the year 1888.
Addressing the audiences, Pasteur stressed upon the use of scientific discoveries for the
welfare of humanity but not for violence and destruction.

4. ‘The future will belong to those who shall have done the most for suffering humanity.’
Ans: The statement is taken from the lesson, ‘Louis Pasteur, Conqueror of Disease’ written by
E.H. Carter. It was told by Louis Pasteur in his address to the young students on his 70 th
birthday celebration. It was celebrated almost like a national festival in the great hall of the
University of Paris by the scientists of nations.

Les 5:
1. ‘I do not care much what you think of me’.
Ans: This extract is taken from the lesson ‘What is Moral Action?’ by Mahatma Gandhiji. The
extract is the words of Wendell Phillips, an American orator and social reformer. While
addressing an assembly of people, he told the above words and insisted the people to form or
judge him upon their own opinions and express the same to him.

2. ‘Wherever he went, he took Greek language and Greek culture, arts and manners…’
Ans: The extract is taken from the lesson ‘What is Moral Action?’ by Mahatma Gandhiji. While
speaking about Alexander, the great, Gandhiji went on say the above words about Alexander,
the great. Gandhiji said that the intention of promoting Greek language and culture across the
world was only conquest and renown. Therefore, he can be termed as great but cannot be
termed as moral.

3. ‘For him devotion to God was not for enjoying a higher seat after death’.
Ans: The extract is taken from the lesson ‘What is Moral Action?’ by Mahatma Gandhiji. While
speaking about the moral actions, Gandhiji quoted the example of St. Francis Xavier, a great
Christian and said the above words. Gandhiji also said that St Francis, passionately prayed that
his mind might always remain pure and he prayed not for winning a higher seat in the heaven
but he believed that it is man’s duty to pray.

Les 6: 1. ‘You may break, you may shatter the vase if

you will…’.
Ans: This extract is taken from the lesson ‘The eyes are not here’ written by Ruskin bond. The
lesson is about a train journey of the narrator and a young girl who are blind but don’t reveal
their blindness to each other. The statement was told by the narrator about how felt when
the girl got down from the train. The statement is a symbolic way of expressing his feeling
where he compares the vase to the girl. He seems to say that the getting down of the girl from
train is like shattering of the vase leaving behind the scent that she had in her hair.

2. ‘Are you going all the way to Dehra?’

Ans: This extract is taken from the lesson ‘The eyes are not here’ written by Ruskin bond. The
lesson is about a train journey of the narrator and a young girl who are blind but don’t reveal
their blindness to each other. This was asked by the narrator to the girl who boarded the
train at Rohana. When the girl boarded the train her anxious parents gave her a number of
instructions. Once the train started, the narrator asked the above question to begin a
conversation with her.

3. ‘Why don’t you look out of the window?’

Ans: This extract is taken from the lesson ‘The eyes are not here’ written by Ruskin bond. The
lesson is about a train journey of the narrator and a young girl who are blind but don’t reveal
their blindness to each other. It was told by the girl to the narrator. They were having a
conversation during their journey in the train and the narrator was describing the beauty of
Mussoorie. When the narrator asked her how the landscape outside looked like, the girl
responded him in the above manner.
4. ‘I’m sorry I’m not as attractive a travelling companion as the one who just left.’
Ans: This extract is taken from the lesson ‘The eyes are not here’ written by Ruskin bond. The
lesson is about a train journey of the narrator and a young girl who are blind but don’t reveal
their blindness to each other. This was told by the man who got into the train at Saharanpur, to
the narrator. The man who got into the train had seen the girl alighting at the same station
from the same bogie. After he settled himself in the compartment, he said the above words to
the narrator.

5. “She was an interesting girl”.

Ans: This extract is taken from the lesson ‘The eyes are not here’ written by Ruskin bond. The
lesson is about a train journey of the narrator and a young girl who are blind but don’t reveal
their blindness to each other. It is told by the narrator to the man who had entered into the
compartment of the train in the station where the blind girl had got down. The narrator told
the above statement when the man began his conversation by talking about the blind girl.

6. “Can you tell me – did she keep her hair long or short?”
Ans: This extract is taken from the lesson ‘The eyes are not here’ written by Ruskin bond. The
lesson is about a train journey of the narrator and a young girl who are blind but don’t reveal
their blindness to each other. It was told by the narrator to the man who had entered into the
compartment of the train in the station where the blind girl had got down. The narrator asked
the above statement when the man began his conversation by talking about the blind girl.

Les 7:
1. ‘I have read Anne Frank’s Diary.’
Ans: This line is taken from the lesson, The Girl who was Anne Frank’ written by Louis De Jong.
It was told by a professor when a young student asked him how did he know that the human
race was worth saving.

2. ‘In spite of everything, I still believe that people are really good at heart’.
Ans. This line is taken from the lesson, The Girl who was Anne Frank’ written by Louis De Jong.
The above words were read by Otto Frank the father of Anne Frank written by Anne Frank in
her diary. At the close of the epilogue of the play of Anne Frank in Germany, Otto Frank, turned
back the pages of Anne’s diary and read the words of Anne Frank.

3. ‘I feel like a song bird whose wings have been brutally torn out…’
Ans: This line is taken from the lesson, The Girl who was Anne Frank’ written by Louis De
Jong. It was told by Anne Frank. The above words were found written in the diaries of Anne
Frank. She wrote her diary when she had been isolated from the outside world for nearly 16
months in Annexe.

4. “Never again among our people must such a diseased and in human hatred arise.”
Ans. : This extract is taken from the lesson — The Girl Who was Anne Frank
Authored by Louis De Jong. In March 1957, a Hamburg student suggested to lay flowers on
her last resting place. More than 2000 answered his appeal. Standing in front of one of the
graves, a 17 years old school girl said these words.

Les 9:
1. ‘It looks as if his dream has come true today’.
Ans: The statement is an extract from the lesson, ‘Consumerist Culture’ an article by Cheriyan
Alexander on consumerism. The author refers to an Indian who had an admiration for the
USA to sell about 83 varieties of ice creams. Quoting this incident, the author says that the
dream or desire of the American return Indian is fulfilled today as India too is having the
varieties of ice creams.

2. ‘Money is not required to buy even one necessity of the soul’.

Ans: The statement is an extract from the lesson, ‘Consumerist Culture’ an article by Cheriyan
Alexander on consumerism. This was told by Henry David Thoreau, the 19 th century
American Philosopher. He is of the opinion that money can buy superfluous wealth which is
temporary. And money is required to act or buy something which would satisfy our soul.

3. ‘It is to actualize this vision that millions of our youth are rushing to get their MBA degrees’.
Ans: The extract is taken from the lesson, ‘Consumerist Culture’, written by Cheriyan Alexander.
The lesson is an essay on the mindless consumption that characterizes our lives in the 21 st
century. In the above line the author talks about the vision for India to match the levels of the
land of the almighty dollar and to be called a ‘developed’ nation. The writer is criticizing this
attitude of our youth who are rushing to get their MBA degrees, not to develop their country
but to get an appreciation from the western world.

4. ‘The connection between the two activities is self-evident’.

Ans: The statement is an extract from the lesson ‘Consumerist Culture’, an article written by
Cheriyan Alexander. The writer refers to watching of television and shopping at the malls by
most of the Americans during their leisure time. He says that these two activities provide
entertainment to them.

Les 10:
1. ‘But make it seven days and squint slightly’.
Ans: This extract is taken from the play, ‘The Pie and the Tart’ written by Hugh Chesterman. It
was told by Pierre to Jean while suggesting him how to make a begging. He suggested Jean to
keep his eyes squinted and say that he is starving since seven while begging.

2. ‘I can’t very well be seen carrying an eel pie through the streets’.
Ans: This extract is taken from the play, ‘The Pie and the Tart’ written by Hugh Chesterman.
The statement was told by Gaultier to his wife Marion. Gaultier wanted to carry eel pie with
him while going to have dinner with the Mayor but decided again not to carry it with him and
told the above words to her.

3. ‘If you’re not back with the pie, I’ll have you both hanged for thieving’.
Ans: This extract is taken from the play, ‘The Pie and the Tart’ written by Hugh Chesterman.
It was told by Gaultier to Jean. When Gaultier came to know that the pie was taken away by
Jean by fooling his wife, he began to beat Jean and demanded the pie back. To defend himself
from the beatings of Gaultier, Jean told him how he and Pierre took away the pie from his
wife. After listening to his story, Gaultier threatened Jean with the above words.

4. I’ve too much to do to run errands.

Ans: The above extract is taken from the lesson, ‘The Pie and the Tart’ authored by Hugh
Chesterman. It was told by Marion to her husband Gaultier. Gaultier, a pastry cook had to go in
order to have dinner with the Mayor of the town. He wanted to take eel pie with him but he
was too conscious and proud of his position. He felt it beneath his dignity to carry the pie in
the streets. So he asked his wife, Marion if she could bring it for him. Refusing Gaultier’s
request, Marion told the above words.

Poem 1:
1. ‘She circled the sky In movements
of grace
Over his disgraceful end. Ans: These lines are taken from the poem, ‘To a Pair of Sarus Cranes’
composed by Manmohan Singh. The killers carried away the body of the male crane. The
female crane flew about crying in sorrow and despair. She circled the sky weeping and
mourning his death.

2. A wave of the seas she had never

seen Came to her from far away
Ans: These lines are taken from the poem, ‘To a Pair of Sarus Cranes’ composed by Manmohan
Singh. In these lines the poet euphemistically says that a heavenly sea comes and takes or
sweeps her away to land far away from the mortal realm. The poet seems to tell here that the
female bird pines away for the dead mate and gives up her life.

3. She flew crying as he was picked up

hands and jaws. Ans: These lines are
taken from the poem, ‘To a Pair of Sarus
Cranes’ composed by Manmohan Singh.
When the female Sarus crane saw that her
mate was shot down by the bird killers,
she flew about crying. She cried bitterly
when his body was stuffed into a bag and
carried away. She went on circling the sky
in deep sorrow over his disgraceful end.

Poem 2:
1. Let him learn early that
The bullies are the easiest to lick…
Ans: The lines are taken from the poem, ‘Abraham Lincoln’s Letter to his Son’s Teacher’. It is
letter written by Abraham Lincoln in which he requests his son’s teacher to teach him the
values that make him a good citizen and a good human being.
In these lines Lincoln is asking the teacher to face the bullies without fear and defeat them
boldly because the bullies do not have much common sense. People keep intimidating others
through physical strength. It is very easy to defeat these bullies through intelligence and
cleverness.

2. But also give him quiet time

To ponder the eternal mystery of birds in the sky,
Bees in the sun,
Ans: The lines are taken from the poem, ‘Abraham Lincoln’s Letter to his Son’s Teacher’. It is
letter written by Abraham Lincoln in which he requests his son’s teacher to teach him the
values that make him a good citizen and a good human being.
In these lines Lincoln is asking his son’s teacher to give his son some leisure time. He wants his
son to spend some time in observing and appreciating the bounty and beauty of nature.

3. Teach him always

To have sublime faith in
himself Because then he will
have Sublime faith in
mankind.
Ans: The lines are taken from the poem, ‘Abraham Lincoln’s Letter to his Son’s Teacher’. It is
letter written by Abraham Lincoln in which he requests his son’s teacher to teach him the
values that make him a good citizen and a good human being.
In these lines Abraham Lincoln is asking the teacher of his son to inculcate self-confidence and
faith in self because only then he will have faith in man-kind. A man with positive attitude will
see the world around him with positivity.

4. Treat him gently

But do not cuddle him
Ans: The lines are taken from the poem, ‘Abraham Lincoln’s Letter to his Son’s Teacher’. It is
letter written by Abraham Lincoln in which he requests his son’s teacher to teach him the
values that make him a good citizen and a good human being.
In these lines Abraham Lincoln is asking the teacher of his son to treat him with compassion
gentleness, but at the same time not to spoil him with unnecessary pampering. Too much
pampering or too much strictness may discourage or have an adverse effect on his learning.

Poem 3:
1. The rich will make temples for Shiva.
What shall I, a poor man do?
Ans: These lines are taken from the poem, ‘The temple and the body’ written by Basavanna in
Kannada and is translated to English by A.K. Ramanujam.
In these lines the poet laments that the rich people build temples for the God to prove their
devotion and dedication. But a poor person like him cannot do any such thing to show his
devotion.
2. My legs are pillars, the body the shrine. Ans: This line is taken from the poem, ‘The temple
and the body’ written by Basavanna in Kannada and is translated to English by
A.K.Ramanujam.
In this line the poet says that his body itself is the temple of God. His legs are pillars of the
temple and the body is a shrine where God resides in his soul.

3. Things standing shall fall,

But the moving ever shall stay.
Ans: This line is taken from the poem, ‘The temple and the body’ written by Basavanna in
Kannada and is translated to English by A.K.Ramanujam.
In these lines the poet says that things like beautiful buildings, huge monuments that we adore
including our body are all mortal. They are sure to perish. Soul is the only immortal thing which
keeps moving from body to body.

Poem 4:
1. So faithful in love, and so dauntless in war.
Ans: This line is taken from the poem, ‘Lochinvar’ composed by Sir Walter Scott’. This line
describes Lochinvar, the young warrior from Scotland. It says that Lochinvar was faithful in his
love for Ellen and he was a great and fearless warrior too.

2. I long woo’d your daughter, my suit you denied.

Ans: This line is taken from the poem, ‘Lochinvar’ composed by Sir Walter Scott’. When the
father of Ellen saw Lochinvar entering Netherby, the wedding hall of his daughter, he became
alert and asked him the reason of coming over there. In reply, in this line Lochinvar tells him
that he wanted to marry his daughter but he rejected his proposal.

3. She is won! We are gone, over bank, bush, and scaur:

Ans: This line is taken from the poem, ‘Lochinvar’ composed by Sir Walter Scott’. Lochinvar
pretends to attend the wedding of Ellen and while having a dance with her informs her about
his plan to abduct her. While doing so, he shouts the above line that he is taking away his bride
to his country crossing the borders and bushes of England and no one can stop him from this.

Poem 5:
1. I told him not, my wrath did grow.
Ans: This line is taken from the poem ‘A poem Tree’ composed by William Blake. In this line the
speaker says that he was angry with his enemy but he did not express his anger to him. As
result, His anger grew more and more.

2. And into my garden stole

When the night had veil’d the pole
Ans: These lines are taken from the poem ‘A poem Tree’ composed by William Blake. In these
lines the speaker says that one night his enemy stole into garden and ate the apple and fell
dead.

3. ‘And I sunned it with smiles/and with soft deceitful wiles’.

Ans: This line is taken from the poem ‘A poison Tree’ composed by William Blake. In this line
the poet says that he nurtured his anger to grow more severe and bitter. He never let the enemy
know of his anger against him but behaved in a deceitful manner as if he was still friendly with
him.

Poem 6:
1. Bare ruin’d choirs, where late the sweet birds sang.

Ans: This line is taken from the sonnet, ‘That time of year…’ composed by William Shakespeare.
In this sonnet, the poet focuses upon old age and the craving for love of his friend. In the above
line, the poet uses two images. The first image ‘Bare ruined choirs’ refers to the church which
is in a ruined condition.
The second image ‘where late the sweet birds sang’ refers to the leafless branches of the tree
where birds no longer sit and sing. The poet compares the last stage of his life to these two
images.

2. This thou perceiv’st, which makes thy love more strong.

Ans: This line is taken from the sonnet, ‘That time of year…’ composed by William Shakespeare.
In this sonnet, the poet focuses upon old age and the craving for love of his friend. In this line,
the poet appeals his friend to realize that he is on the death bed and is going to pass away from
this world anytime. If he realized this truth then he might show his love for him.

3. Death second self, that seals up all in rest.

Ans: This line is taken from the sonnet, ‘That time of year…’ composed by William Shakespeare.
In this sonnet, the poet focuses upon old age and the craving for love of his friend. The poem
states a comparison of his aging to a sunset which is almost fading away in the west which will
soon be extinguished by black night which can be called Death’s second self as it closes up
everyone in sleep.

Poem 7:
1. With an unswerving line, I fixed my view Upon the summit of a
craggy ridge.
Ans: These lines are taken from the poem ‘The stolen boat’ composed by William Wordsworth.
The poet narrates an incident of his boyhood which left upon him a profound awareness of the
wisdom and spirit of the universe. In these lines the poet narrates how he rowed his boat after
taking it into water stealthily. He says that he rowed the boat as if he knew his destination
which was upon the summit of a Stybarrow Crag in England.

2. The horizon’s bound, a huge peak, black and huge, As if with

voluntary power instinct
Ans: These lines are taken from the poem ‘The stolen boat’ composed by William Wordsworth.
The poet narrates an incident of his boyhood which left upon him a profound awareness of the
wisdom and spirit of the universe. In these lines, the poet says that as he was rowing the boat,
suddenly he feels as if a huge, black peak is following him which has a rare threatening power.

3. There in her mooring-place I left my bark

Ans: This line is taken from the poem ‘The stolen boat’ composed by William Wordsworth. The
poet narrates an incident of his boyhood which left upon him a profound awareness of the
wisdom and spirit of the universe. In this line the poet says that he could not continue rowing
the boat and decided to leave it in the place from where he had taken it. He returns to the
mooring place and leaves the boat back in its place.

4. I unloosed her chain, and stepping in

Pushed from the shore. Ans: These lines are taken from the poem, ‘The Stolen Boat’
composed by William Wordsworth. Poet says that one summer evening he found a little boat
tied to a willow tree. He was fascinated by the nature and unloosed the chain of the boat,
pushed the boat from the shore and began to row it into the lake.

Poem 8:
1. Something there is that doesn’t love a wall,
That sends the frozen ground swell under it
Ans: These lines are taken from the poem, ‘Mending Wall’ composed by Robert Frost. The
poem philosophically but with a tinge of humour insists upon living in harmony and integrity
with neighbours.
The poet begins his poem with these lines and contemplates that there must be something that
doesn’t love a wall to stand between his and his neighbour’s property. He says that the winter
ice destroys the stone wall.

2. We wear our fingers rough with handling them. Oh, just another kind of out-door game
Ans: These lines are taken from the poem, ‘Mending Wall’ composed by Robert Frost. The
poem philosophically but with a tinge of humour insists upon living in harmony and integrity
with neighbours. In these lines the speaker calls rebuilding work of the wall as an outdoor
game. He says that they wear their hands thin in doing it and because they do it every now and
then, the speaker calls it a game as they stand on either side of the wall and repair it.

3. He is all pine and I am apple orchard. My apple trees will never get across
Ans: These lines are taken from the poem, ‘Mending Wall’ composed by Robert Frost. The
poem philosophically but with a tinge of humour insists upon living in harmony and integrity
with neighbours. In these lines the speaker is trying to convince his neighbour that he finds no
reason for constructing wall between their properties because the neighbour has only pine
trees while he has apple orchard. He says that neither his apple tree not his neighbour’s pine
trees are likely to encroach on the other’s property.

4. ‘Good fences make good neighbours’.

This line is taken from the poem, ‘Mending Wall’ composed by Robert Frost. The poem
philosophically but with a tinge of humour insists upon living in harmony and integrity with
neighbours. The is a euphemistic way of saying that as long as there is some kind of distance
maintained for privacy both physically and mentally, there will be cordial relationship between
people. The presence of the wall between the properties does ensure a quality relationship
between the two neighbours. By maintaining the division between the properties, the narrator
and his neighbour are able to maintain their individuality and personal identity as farmers:
one of apple trees, and one of pine trees.

5. If I could put a notion in his head.

Ans: This line is taken from the poem, ‘Mending Wall’ composed by Robert Frost. The poem
philosophically but with a tinge of humour insists upon living in harmony and integrity with
neighbours. In the poem, the speaker is trying to convince his neighbour that he finds no
reason for constructing wall between their properties because the neighbour has only pine
trees while he has apple orchard. He says that neither his apple tree not his neighbour’s pine
trees are likely to encroach on the other’s property.

6. He moves in darkness as it seems to me,

Not of woods only and the shade of trees.”
Ans: These lines are taken from the poem, ‘Mending Wall’ composed by Robert Frost. The poem
philosophically but with a tinge of humour insists upon living in harmony and integrity with
neighbours.
The speaker feels that his neighbour moves in darkness because he doesn’t want to be
openhearted and friendly. By, ‘darkness’ the speaker refers to the inability of the neighbhour
in not understanding the speaker’s point of view that there is no need for inhibition, distrust
resulting in distance both physically and emotionally. Therefore, the neighbour looks like a
savage to the speaker when he moves with stones in each hand as if in the darkness of his
ignorance.

7. ‘I let my neighbour know beyond the hill’.

Ans: These lines are taken from the poem, ‘Mending Wall’ composed by Robert Frost. The
poem philosophically but with a tinge of humour insists upon living in harmony and integrity
with neighbours. In the above line, the poet informs his neighbour that it is time for both them
to mend the common wall which divides their property. The wall gets damaged during winter
and needs to be repaired together by them.

8. “Why do they make good neighbours?”

Ans. These lines are taken from the poem, ‘Mending Wall’ composed by Robert Frost. The poem
philosophically but with a tinge of humour insists upon living in harmony and integrity with
neighbours. The speaker is philosophical, amiable and wants to have a friendly relationship
with his neighbour whereas the neighbour wants his privacy and space. Though mending the
wall is a pointless act because it gets damaged again and again, his neighbour does at with all
seriousness.

9. Stay where you are until our backs are turned.

Ans: This line is taken from the poem, ‘Mending Wall’ composed by Robert Frost. The poem
philosophically but with a tinge of humour insists upon living in harmony and integrity with
neighbours. In this line the speakers, after keeping the stones on the wall tells humorously to
the stones to stay there at least till he and his neighbour go back from there.

Poem 10:
1. If the grave’s gates could be undone, She would not know her little son.
Ans: These lines are taken from the poem C. L.M. composed by John Masefield in his mother’s
name Caroline L. Masefield. This poem is a tribute to his mother. He expresses his love and
gratitude to his mother who died while giving birth to her sixth baby. In these lines he says that
if his mother were to come back now, she would not recognize him as he is grown up as an
adult now.

2. For all my mouthless body leech’d

Ere Birth’s releasing hell was reach’d
Ans: These lines are taken from the poem C. L.M. composed by John Masefield in his mother’s
name Caroline L. Masefield. This poem is a tribute to his mother. He expresses his love and
gratitude to his mother who died while giving birth to her sixth baby. In these lines he speaks
about the pain his mother has undergone before his birth. He says that a child consumes the
life of its mother for his growth and nourishment. She undergoes the extreme pain and risks
her life while giving birth to a baby but still she undergoes this pain willingly.

3. Men triumph over women still

And man’s lust roves the world
Ans: These lines are taken from the poem C. L.M. composed by John Masefield in his mother’s
name Caroline L. Masefield. This poem is a tribute to his mother. He expresses his love and
gratitude to his mother who died while giving birth to her sixth baby. In these lines he talks
about the serious issue of women exploitation. He expresses the feeling of shame and guilt
while talking about the ill treatment meted out against women. He says that men try to rule
women and trample her freedom.

4. ‘What have I done to keep in mind

My debt to her and womankind?’
Ans: These lines are taken from the poem C. L.M. composed by John Masefield in his mother’s
name Caroline L. Masefield. This poem is a tribute to his mother. He expresses his love and
gratitude to his mother who died while giving birth to her sixth baby. In these lines he pays his
gratitude to her by saying that he remains grateful to her as he could not do anything for her
in return of the pain and strain she has undergone in bearing him.
5. ‘O grave, keep shut lest I be shamed’.
These lines are taken from the poem C. L.M. composed by John Masefield in his mother’s name
Caroline L. Masefield. This poem is a tribute to his mother. The poet in the above concluding
line expresses his guilt for not doing anything against the exploitation of women. He ashamed
of not doing anything for his mother and so asks the grave to keep her mother shut.

VOCABULARY & GRAMMAR

I. Multiple Choice Questions = 6 Qns X 1 Mk = 6 Marks

II. Analogy = 4 Qns X 1 Mk = 4 Marks
III. Rewrite as directed = 3 Qns X 1 Mk = 3 Marks
VI. Rewrite as directed = 3 Qns X 2 Mks= 6 Marks
Total = 19 Marks

GRAMMAR & VOCABULRAY EXERCISES – EXAMPLES AS REVISION

I. Choose the most appropriate answer from the options given below and write it along
with the letter of the alphabet.

1. In Bengaluru, the value of properties has appreciated but the quality of life has ..............
(fill in the blanks with the antonym of the word underlined
a) deteriorated b) declined c) depreciated d) diminished

2. Time is tide ................... for none. (Fill in the blank with the appropriate form of the verb)
a) wait b) waits c) waited d) waiting

3. Their gifts, were no doubt wise ones, ..................? The question tag at the end of the sentence
is
a) weren’t they? b) didn’t they? c) were they? d) won’t they?

4. The train will be late, ……….. The question tag to be added to the sentence is
a) isn’t it? b) will it? c) won’t it? d) doesn’t it?
5. On .......... advice of his doctor, he had ............ X-ray taken. The suitable articles to be filled
in the blank are
a) a, an b) the, the c) an, an d) the, an

6. The purse fell out ........... his pocket. The preposition to be filled in the blank is
a) from b) of c) with d) by

7. The carriage wheels changed their song and rhythm. The figure of speech used in the line
is
a) personification b) metaphor c) synecdoche d) paradox

8. He was punished ............... he told lies. The correct conjunction in the blank is
a) yet b) for c) and d) but

9. We love Bapuji. We respect him. The coordinating conjunctions that can be used to combine
these two sentences are
a) either-or b) so...that c) not only...but also d) neither...nor

10. They crossed the street carefully. The passive form of the sentence is
a) The street is crossed carefully by them.
b) The street was crossed carefully by them.
c) The street was being crossed carefully by them.
d) The street had been crossed carefully by them

11. He .............. out for a walk every morning. The correct verb to be filled in the blank is/are
a) went b) go c) goes d) is going

12. The bus hit the electric pole ............... there were no causalities. The correct conjunction in
the blank is
a) but b) so c) while d) since

13. Sunil will participate in swimming competition, ................ The question tag to be added
here is
a) won’t he? b) will he? c) don’t he? d) isn’t he?
14. She replied courteously. The word ‘courteously’ is
a) a verb b) a noun c) an adjective d) an adverb

15. He has had a successful career, partly because he always …………… at the correct time.
The correct idiom in the blank is
a) jumps on the correct, bandwagon b) kept a level head
c) leaves no stone unturned d) had the last laugh

16. My boat went through the water like a swan. The figure of speech used in the line is
a) metaphor b) synecdoche c) simile d) paradox

17. Walk fast. You are ............ young person, not .......... old man. The articles to be filled in the
blanks are
a) an, an b) a, an c) the, a d) an, the

18. He is a man ............... a fine sense ............ humour. The suitable prepositions in the blanks are
a) with, of b) of, with c) about, with d) from, of

19. The negative prefix for the word ‘usual’ is

a) non b) un c) mis d) dis

20. We .................... an improvement in our son’s performance this year. The phrase to be filled
in the blank is
a) look at b) look for c) look out for d) look into

21. ..................... did she ever lose her temper. The opening word/phrase to be filled in the blank
is
A) seldom B) Only on that account C) On no account D) On no occasion

22. It would be advisable to start early. (Use ‘had better’ and rewrite the sentence)
A) We had better start early B) We would have had start early
C) It would be better to start early D) It had better been advised to start early

23. He said to me, “would you like to have a drink?” The reported speech of the sentence is
A) He asked me if I liked to have a drink. B) He asked me if I had a drink.
C) He asked me if I wanted a drink. D) He asked me if I would like to have a drink.

24. How can she climb the tree? The passive voice of the sentence is
A) How can the tree be climbed by her? B) The tree cannot be climbed by her?
C) How could the tree be climbed by her? D) How should the tree be climbed by her?

25. These mangoes are so cheap that they cannot be good. The sentence can be rewritten by
using
‘too... to’ as
A) These mangoes are too cheap and so cannot be good.
B) These mangoes are too cheap to be good.
C) These mangoes cannot be good to be too cheap.
D) These mangoes are too good to be cheap.

26. His mother died. He heard the news. He left at once. These sentences can be combined into
a simple sentence as
A) On hearing the news of his mother’s death, he left at once.
B) He heard the news of his mother’s death and left at once
C) Because he heard the news of his mother’s death, he left at once. D) Since he heard
the news of his mother’s death, left at once.

27. The pair in which the words do not rhyme with each other is
A) face-phase B) sky-high C) word-curd D) mood – good

28. Fame shall sound thy praise from sea to sea. The figure of speech used in the line is
A) metaphor B) personification C) simile D) alliteration

29. Come back as soon as possible. The underlined part of the sentence is
A) noun clause B) adjective clause C) adverb clause D) noun phrase

30. We bought chairs made of wood for our auditorium. The underlined part of the sentences
is A) noun phrase B) adjective phrase C) adjective clause D) adverb phrase
II. Observe the relationship in the first pair of words and complete the second pair
accordingly in the following:
1) affix : attach : : diverse : .....................
2) fish: aquarium : : grains : .................
3) possible : possibility :: move : ..................
4) violence : non-violence : : noble : .................
5) confident : diffident : : delay : ...........................
6) stern : strict : : prevent : ..................
7) card : chord : : ore : .....................
8) active : activity : : poor : ....................
9) dentist : teeth : : dermatologist : ……………………. 10) decide : decision : : prefer : ………………
11) kidneys : urologist : : eyes : ………………….
12) analysis : analyses : : radius : ………………….
13) agendum : agenda : : formula : ………………………
14) datum : data : : medium ………………….
15) plants : nursery : : trees : ………………. 16) fishes : shoal : : birds : ………………
17) Nun : convent : : Monk : ..................
18) Jackal : howl : : mice : ...................
19) Foot-man : ................... : : stepfather : step fathers 20) actor : actress : : .................. : widow.

Ans: II. 1) distinct 2) granary 3) movement 4) ignoble 5) haste

6) stop, avoid 7) wore 8) poverty 9) skin 10) preference
11) ophthalmologist 12) radii / radiuses 13) formulae/formulas
14) media 15) grove/orchard 16) flock 17) monastery 18)
squeak 19) foot-men 20) widower

III. Rewrite as directed: 1M

1. Give the other two degrees of comparison.
Japanese are one of the most industrious people in the world.
Ans: Positive: Very few people are as industrious as Japanese.
Comparative: Japanese are more industrious than most other people in the world.
2. Change into reported speech.
The teacher explained, “The earth is spherical in shape.”
Ans: 2. The teacher explained that the earth is spherical in shape.
3. Combine the sentences to form a simple sentence.
He is going to Mumbai. He will start a business there.
Ans: He is going to Mumbai to start a business there.
4. Rewrite the sentence using the word given in brackets.
The living room isn’t as big as the kitchen. (bigger)
Ans: The kitchen is bigger than the living room.
5. Put the words in the right order and make a sentence. A
bag/ from/my brother/ borrowed/ I Ans: I borrowed a bag from my brother.
6. Combine the following sentences into a complex and a compound sentence.
a) He was annoyed. He kept quiet.
Ans: Compound sentence: He was annoyed yet kept quiet.
Complex sentence: Though he was annoyed, he kept quiet.
7. Rewrite by using ‘If”
But for their braveness, they would have lost the battle.
Ans: If they were not brave they would have lost the battle.
8. Rewrite using, ‘If”
Had she been wise I should not have opposed her.
Ans: If she had been wise, I should not have opposed her.

9. Rewrite using, ‘If”

Walk fast otherwise you will miss the train.
Ans: If you don’t walk fast, you will miss the train.

10. Rewrite using, ‘No sooner….than’

As soon as he saw the warden, he ran away.
Ans: No sooner did he see the warden, than he ran away.

Some More Examples for practice

I. Rewrite the following sentences into passive voice:

1) By next year the students will have studied the passive form.
2) James might cook dinner.
3) Somebody must have taken my wallet.
4) Julie taught the grammar to the students.
5) I sent the email to John.
6) Fiona told the truth to Julian.
7) Dr. Ahmed teaches us mathematics.
8) Umbrella protects us from rain and sun. 9) One should trust one’s friends.
10) The teacher is calling the roll numbers loudly.
Answers: I. Passive Voice
1) By next year the passive form will have been studied by the students.
2) Dinner might be cooked by James.
3) My wallet must have been taken.
4) The students were taught the grammar by Julie. (Or) The grammar was taught to the
students by Julie.
5) John was sent the email by me. (Or) The email was sent to John by me.
6) Julian was told the truth by Fiona. (Or) The truth was told to Julian by Fiona.
7) We are taught mathematics by Dr. Ahmed. (or) Mathematics is taught to us by Dr. Ahmed. 8)
We are protected from rain and sun by umbrella. 9) One’s friends should be trusted.
10) The roll numbers are being called loudly by the teacher.

II. Fill in the blanks with the appropriate prepositions:

1. Your letter was lost _____ (between, among) my books.
2. I am not leaving _____ (before, for) a week yet.
3. Put your hat _____ (on to, over) your head.
4. I jumped _____ (at, upon) the sound of the gun.
5. Do not live ______ (beyond, against) your means.
6. We could not refrain _____ (without, from) laughing.
7. He is a friend _____ (to, of) mine.
8. He was suspected ____ (with, of) having stolen the book.
9. That village lies _____ (away, off) the main track.
10. My house is still ____ (under, in) repair.

[Keys: II 1) among 2) for 3) on to 4) at 5) beyond 6) from 7) of 8)

of 9) off 10) under

III. Fill in the blanks with suitable conjunctions:

1) He will never pass ____ hard he may try.
2) ____ you apologize, I shall punish you.
3) He asked me ____ I have a pen.
4) We took a taxi ____ we were late.
5) He is not contended _____ he is rich.
6) He will not pass _____ hard he may try.
7) He is ____ clever ____ you are.
8) He likes me no less ____ you.
9) He is slow _____ steady.
10) He failed ______ he persevered.

III. Key: 1) however; 2) Unless; 3) ‘whether’ or ‘if’; 4) because; 5) though; 6)

however; 7) as, as; 8) than; 9) but; 10) yet.

IV. Join the following sentences with suitable conjunctions given in brackets.
1. She will surely succeed in the examination. She has really worked hard. (so/for)
2. The weather was fine. The sea was calm.(and/or)
3. The labourers were tired. They continued working. (therefore/nevertheless)
4. Power went off. I was eating my dinner. (and/while)
5. I am taking a taxi. I should get late. (since/lest)
6. You will be turned out of the class. You make a noise again. (if/unless)
7. She is humble. She is rich. (so/though)
8. You should return the book. Pay its price. (either…or /both…and)
9. The bus hit the electric pole. There were no casualties. (while/but)
10. Rohit was busy in the party whole night. He could not get up in the morning.
(therefore/still) Key: IV. 1. She will surely succeed in the examination for she has really
worked hard.
2. The weather was fine and the sea was calm.
3. The labourers were tired nevertheless they continued working.
4. Power went off while I was eating my dinner.
5. I am taking a taxi lest I should get late.
6. You will be turned out of the class if you make a noise again.
7. She is humble though she is rich.
8. Either you should return the book or pay its price.
9. The bus hit the electric pole but there were no casualties.
10. Rohit was busy in the party whole night therefore he could not get up in the morning.

V. Choose the appropriate option from the brackets to complete the following sentence.
1. Is there a ______ (the/a) gym centre near your house?
2. ______ (little/ a little) milk is required for a cup of tea. 3. I had left ______
(the/my) red bag on the table, but I can’t find it now.
4. He drove with ______ (much/little) care and hence was fined by the traffic police.
5. ______ (some/few) of the mango trees in their garden bear fruit twice a year.
6. My ______ (another/other) brother is taller than me.
7. You may have _____ (any/either) of the three watches.
8. ______ (one/few/an) example helps understand concepts better.
9. I spent _____ (the little/a little) money I had.
10. He has hardly read ______ (many/any) book.

Key: V.1) a, 2) Little, 3) the, 4) little, 5) Some, 6) other, 7)

any, 8) an, 9) the little, 10) any.

VI. Fill in the blanks with the correct articles: 1M

1._____ Bible is _____ holy book for Christians.1) (The, a)
2. He is _____ authority on ______ subject. 2) (a, the)
3. ______ cow is ______ useful animal. 3) (The, a)
4. ____ more one has _____ more one wants. 4) (The, the)
5. John is ____ better dancer than ____ better singer.5) (a, a)
6. ____ earth revolves round ____ sun.6) (The, the)
7. ____ honest man will always speak ____ truth. 7) (An, the)
8. March is ____ third month of ____ year. 8) (the, the)
9. ___ tiger, ___ animal equal to ____ lion in size, is ____ native of Asia. 9) (The, an, the, a)
10. ____ newly appointed manager of the firm is _____ N.R.I. 10) (The, an)

VI. 1) The, a 2) a, the 3) The, a 4) The, the 5) a, a

6) The, the 7) An, the 8) the, the 9) The, an, the, a 10) The, an 11) an, a.

TRANSFORMATION OF SENTENCES:
I. Combine two or more simple sentences into one simple sentence:
1. I wished to see Mani. I sent for him.
2. He ran after the thief. He caught him.
3. The weather was fine. We went for a walk.
4. The siege was over. The enemy withdrew. The city opened its gates. The people went about
their business as usual.
5. He gave us his advice. He helped us with money.
6. He did not succeed. He had made every effort.
7. His mother died. He heard the news. He left at once.
8. He has two sons. He must educate them.
9. He is going to Mumbai. He will start business there.
10) This is my younger sister. Her name is Anthrose.
Answers: I.
1) Wishing to see Mani, I sent for him.
2) Running after the thief, he caught him.
3) The weather was being fine, we went for a walk.
4) The siege being over, the enemy having withdrawn, and the city having opened its gate, the
people went about their business as usual.
5) Besides giving us his advice, he helped us with money. 6) With all his efforts, he did not
succeed. 7) On hearing the news of his mother’s death, he left at once. 8) He has two sons to
educate.
9) He is going to Mumbai to start business
there. 10) This is my younger sister, Anthrose.

II. Combine the following two or more simple sentences into a complex sentence:
2 M 1. He may be at home. I do not know.
2. He would win the first prize. That was his hope. His hope was not fulfilled.
3. Somebody stole the fountain-pen. He deserves punishment.
4. The boy sits near me. His father is a philosopher.
5. This is the garden. The finest roses grow here.
6. You did not come to school yesterday. Can you tell me the reason?
7. He will be appointed to the job. It is certain.
8. He will agree to our proposal. You are hopeful.
9. My friend could not come. He was sick.
10. I shall talk to him. He should apologize is the condition.

Ans: II. 1) I do not know whether he is at home.

2. His hope, that he would win the first prize, was not fulfilled.
3. Somebody who stole the fountain pen deserves punishment.
4. The boy whose father is a philosopher sits near me.
5. This is the garden where the finest roses grow.
6. Can you tell me reason why you did not come to school yesterday?
7. That he will be appointed to the job is certain.
8. You are hopeful that he will agree to our proposal.
9. My friend could not because he was sick.
10. If he apologizes to me, I shall talk to him.

III. Combine two or more simple sentences into one compound sentence: 1M
1. He is a dancer. He is a singer.
2. Wise men love truth. Fools shun it.
3. Take medicine regularly. You will not get better.
4. She is tired. She cannot cook.
5. His enemies declared him to be guilty. His best friends also declared him to be guilty.
6. He is meek. He is gentle. He is sly. He is cunning. His friends avoid his company.
7. They were tired. They were hungry.
8. Jane was to blame. James was to blame.
9. He was fined. He was sent to prison.
10. She made a good speech. Only very few could hear her. Answers: III. 1) He is both a dancer
and a singer.
2. Wise men love truth: whereas (while) fools shun it.
3. Take medicine regularly; else you will not get better.
4. She is tired, so he cannot cook.
5. Not only his enemies but also his best friends also declared him to be guilty.
6. He is meek and gentle, but sly and cunning and hence his friends avoid his company.
7. They were tired and hungry. (or) They were not only tired but also hungry.
8. Jane as well as James was to be blamed.
9. He was not only fined but also sent to prison.
10. She made a good speech but only few could hear her.

IV. Change the following simple sentences into Compound and Complex
sentences: 2 M 1. He was given a medal for saving the life of a girl.
2. It was too heavy for me to carry.
3. Seeing the bear coming, he lay on the ground.
4. John, my brother, went with me.
5. We stayed indoors due to rain.
6. In spite of his riches, he is unhappy.
7. To avoid punishment you must apologize.
8. We returned home after the meeting.
9. Besides making a promise he kept it.
10. On seeing the snake I ran away.

Answers: IV. 1. Compound: He saved the life of a girl so he was given a medal.
Complex: Because he saved the life of girl, he was given a medal.
2. Compound: It was very heavy therefore I could not carry.
Complex: It was so heavy that I could not carry.
3. Compound: He saw the bear coming, and lay on the
ground. Complex: Since he saw the bear coming, he lay on
the ground.
4. Compound: John is my brother and he went with me. (or)
My brother went with me and his name is John.
Complex: My brother, whose name is John, went with me.
5. Compound: It was raining so we stayed indoors. Complex:
As it was raining, we stayed indoors.
6. Compound: He is very rich, but still (he is) unhappy.
Complex: Although he is very rich, he is unhappy.
7. Compound: Either you must apologize, or you will be
punished. Complex: If you don’t apologize, you will be
punished.
8. Compound: The meeting was over and we returned home.
Complex: As (since) the meeting was over, we returned home.
9. Compound: He not only made a promise, but kept it too.
Complex: Because (or, since) he made a promise, he kept
it 10. Compound: I saw the snake and ran away.
Complex: As soon as I saw the snake I ran away.

V. Rewrite the following sentences into Indirect Speech:

1. “Shall we send it to your flat, sir?” he said to the customer.
1. “When shall I know the result of the test?” she said to the examiner.
2. He said to me, “Would you like have a drink?”
3. The man said, “I have completed my work for the day.”
4. The workers said, “We are repairing the road.”
5. The workers said, “We were repairing the road.”
6. The teacher said, “I shall tell you a story.”
7. A little boy said, “I will buy that toy aeroplane.”
8. The officer told the soldier, “You shall do extra duty for three days.”
9. He says,” I shall speak to him about it.” 10. My friend said, “When is your birthday?”
Answers. V.
1. She inquired the examiner when she would know the result of the test.
2. He asked me if I would like to have a drink.
3. The man said that he had completed his work for the day.
4. The workers said that they were repairing the road.
5. The workers said that they had been repairing the road.
6. The teacher said that he would tell them a story.
7. A little boy said that he would buy that toy aeroplane.
8. The officer told the soldier that he should do extra duty for three days.
9. He says that he will speak to him about it.
10. My friend asked me when my birthday was.

CONDITIONALS (IF CLAUSE) REVIEW OF CONDITIONALS

Exercises:
I. Match the sentences and join them with ‘if’. Say what type they are.
A B
1. I went to bed earlier I’ll try to follow them.
2. The twins had worn different clothes you might not be warm enough.
3. You tell me what the instructions say I wouldn’t have bought it.
4. People used public transport I wouldn’t sleep.
5. You don’t wear a sweater there’d be less pollution.
6. I hadn’t seen the product advertised we could have told them apart.

II. What might you say in these situations? Use a conditional sentence.
Example – You think Pinky should book a seat on the train. The alternative is having to
stand. Ans: If Pinky doesn’t book a seat on the train, she’ll have to stand.

1. You didn’t know how unpopular Karthik was when you invited him to your party.
2. Warn your friend not to put too many tins into the plastic bag or it’ll break.
3. You haven’t got a pen, so you can’t write down the address. 4. You should have started your
project earlier. You’re so far behind now.
5. Your friend might need some help. If so, tell her to give you a ring.

Answers:
I. 1. If I went to bed earlier, I wouldn’t sleep. (type 2)
2. If the twins had worn different clothes, we could have told them apart. (type 3)
3. If you tell what the instructions say, I’ll try to follow them. (type 1)
4. If people used public transport, there’d be less pollution. (type 2)
5. If you don’t wear a sweater, you might not be warm enough. (type 1)
6. If I hadn’t seen the product advertised, I wouldn’t have bought it. (type 3)

II. 1. If I’d/I had known how popular Karthik was, I wouldn’t have invited him (to my
party). 2. If you put too many tins into the plastic bag, it’ll break.
3. If I have a pen, I could write down the address. 4. If I’d/ I had
started my project earlier, I wouldn’t be so far behind (now).
5. If you need some/any help, give me a ring.

PART C – COMPOSITION AND COMPREHENSION

XII. Write an essay of about 18 – 20 sentences on any one of the following topics :
1×5=5
XIII. Letter writing. Formal or Personal 1×5=5
XI. Read the following passage carefully and answer the questions given below :
1×4=4 (2×2)
Total : 14

Suggested Topics for Essays: National Integration, Dowry, Child Labour, corruption,
conservation of water and air, environment awareness, Population explosion, Globalization,
Swatchch Bharat, Global warming, pollutions-air and water, importance of protecting forests,
Mass Media, Ban on plastic, Life of a farmer, importance of sports and games, Unity in
diversity, role of mass media in promoting National integration, Importance of a girl
education, etc.

Letter Writing: Formal letter or Personal Letter

FORMAT OF PERSONAL LETTER:

Sender’s address
---------------------- ---
------------------ Date
:

Salutation : Dear (Name/Term of relationship)

………………………………………………Body of the letter….……………………………….

………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
………………………………………………………………………………………………………………

Subscription :
Yours lovingly / affectionately

Superscription : xxxxxxxx

Receiver’s Name and Address

(Please note : Date, subscription and the superscription can also be placed on the right side
of the letter.
Whichever side you may use, if you punctuate one, you need to punctuate all.)

e.g. : Sender’s address Sender’s address

15, Netaji Street, or 15, Netaji
Street,
Y City, Y City,
Pin ............ Pin ............

FORMAT OF THE FORMAL LETTER:

From
(Sender’s Address)
……………………….
………………………

Date:

To
(Receiver’s Name and Address)
………………………… ……………………….
………………………

Salutation
(Dear Sir,)

Sub ject:

……..………………………………….Body of the Letter……………………………………...

……………………………………………………………………………………………………
……………………………………………………………………………………………………

Subscription
(Yours sincerely / obediently / truly / faithfully,)

Superscription (Signature and Name)

Address on the envelope

MODEL LETTERS:
Imagine yourself to be Anees/Aneesa, No. 34, Narayan Shastri Road,
Mysore Write a letter to your friend expressing your preferences for outdoor
games.

OR
Write a letter to the Health Officer, Mysore City Corporation, requesting him to get the
arrangement done for vaccination of children against small-pox
No. 34,
Narayan Shastri Road,
Mysore.
28th October 2023.

Dear Babitha,
I am glad to know that your brother has decided to participate in outdoor games unlike you. I
agree that playing indoor games is good but outdoor games, I feel are more advantageous than
indoor games. They are helpful for the physical health as we play them outside in the fresh air.
Apart from this, we have a good choice of selecting our favourite game from a variety of games.
I would suggest you also to make up your mind to start playing some outdoor game of your
choice and reap its benefits.
Please convey my regards to your parents.

Yours lovingly
Aneesa.

Sender’s Adress
OR

Anees/ Aneesa
No. 34,
Narayan Shastri Road,
Mysore.
28th Oct 2023.
To
The Health Officer,
City Corporation
Mysore.

Sir,
Subject: Requesting for arrangement for vaccination.
I am writing this letter to bring to your kind attention that recently there is a spread of small-
pox amongst the children of our area.
In this connection, may I request you to take appropriate action to get all the children
vaccinated for small-pox.

Yours faithfully
Anees/Aneesa

2. Imagine you are Rakesh/Raksha studying in Govt. High School, Udupi and
Write a letter to the local government of your area, asking for their assistance in your efforts
in keeping your school surrounding clean.
OR
Write a letter to your father informing him about your preparation for tests and exams.

Answer:

Rakesh/Raksha
Govt. High School
Udupi.
30th Oct. 2023

To
The Commissioner
City Municipality
Udupi.

Sir,
Subject: Appeal to help in launching a drive to clean the local areas.
Our school is conducting a cleaning of our area as a part of ‘Swatch Bharat’ drive. The
students of 9th and 10th standard are participating in this drive and cleaning the whole
surrounding of our school. I, being the student leader request you to help us in doing the
same and provide us with mobile dustbins, broom sticks and few personnel to assist us.
We are conducting this programme on 14th November, on Children’s Day at 8. 00 am, as a
tribute to our great leader Chacha Nehru.

Thank you

Yours Sincerely

Rakesh/Raksha
Student Secretary

III. Read the following story carefully and answer the questions given below:
Many bird species migrate to take advantage of global differences of seasonal temperatures,
therefore optimizing availability of food sources and breeding habitat. These migrations vary
among the groups. Many land birds, shore birds and water birds undertake long distance
migration annually, usually triggered by the length of the daylight as well as weather conditions.
These birds are characterized by a breeding season in the tropical regions or opposite
hemisphere. Before migration, birds substantially increase body fat and reserve and reduce the
size of some of their organs. Migration is highly demanding energetically, particularly as birds
need to cross deserts and oceans without refueling.

Questions: 1x4=4(2x2)
1. Generally, which birds take up long distance migration and why?
3. How do they prepare for migration? Why?

Answers:
1. Many land birds, shore birds and water birds in search of suitable climatic season for food and
breeding.
3. Before migration, birds substantially increase body fat and reserve and reduce the size of
some of their organs. Migration is highly demanding energetically, particularly as birds need to
cross deserts and oceans without refueling.
2. Khalil Gibran is the third best selling poet in the world after Shakespeare and Lao-Tze. Gibran
was born in Lebanon. As a young man, Gibran moved with his family to the United States. He
began writing in both English and Arabic. Gibran was a great poet. A literary and political rebel,
he was a key figure in the renaissance or renewal of modern Arabic literature. Gibran broke
with tradition by writing prose poetry. He was inspired by Blake, Nietzsche and the Bible.

‘The Prophet’, is Khalil Gibran’s great work. It is a book of philosophical essays written in poetic
prose. ‘The Prophet’ was published in 1923 but received a luke-warm reception. The
popularity of the book rose in 1930. His other major works are ‘The Madman’, ‘The Forerunner’
and ‘Sand and Foam’. Gibran passed away in New York City on April 10th, 1931.

Questions:

A) What are the attributions of Gibran?

Ans: Gibran was a great poet. A literary and political rebel, he was a key figure in the
renaissance or renewal of modern Arabic literature. Gibran broke with tradition by
writing prose poetry. B) Write a note on his book ‘Prophet’?
Ans: ‘The Prophet’, is Khalil Gibran’s great work. It is a book of philosophical essays written in
poetic prose. ‘The Prophet’ was published in 1923 but received a luke-warm reception. The
popularity of the book rose in 1930.

******