Gujarat Board GSEB Solutions Class 11 English Second Language Supplementary Reader Flamingo Reading Comprehension Questions and Answers.
GSEB Std 11 English Supplementary Reader Flamingo Reading Comprehension (2nd Language)
Read the following passage and answer the questions given below it:
Read 1 : Think Pink, Think Flamingo
1. Flamingos are gregarious wading (having long legs and living in shallow water) birds. Flamingos often stand on one leg. The flamingo has the ability to have half of its body go into a state of sleep, and when one side has rested, the flamingo will swap (change) leg and then let the other half sleep, but this has not been proven. Some researchers say that standing on one leg allow the birds to conserve (save) more body heat, as they spend much of their time wading (walking in water or mud) in cold water.
Questions:
(1) Flamingos live in flocks. True or False?
(2) Write about the sleeping habit of flamingos.
(3) Why do flamingos change their legs while sleeping?
(4) What have researchers found out about birds’ habit of standing on one leg?
Answers:
(1) Flamingos live in flocks. True.
(2) The flamingo has the ability to have half of its body go into a state of sleep at a time. hotter climates to the watery expanse of this area to breed.
(3) Flamingos stand on one leg and let half of its body go into a state of sleep and when one side is rested, the flamingo will change the leg and then let the other half sleep.
(4) About birds’ habit of standing on one leg, researchers have found out that standing on one leg allows the birds to conserve more body heat, as they spend much of their time wading in cold water.
2. Flamingos are found in various parts of Gujarat. Around 30,000 Greater Flamingos and around 40,000 Lesser Flamingos were found in last counting which is the highest number recorded from India. Highest concentrations of flamingos were recorded in the Gulf of Khambhat, followed- by Gulf of Kachchh and other coastal areas. The Lesser Flamingos were exclusively found on the coastal wetlands.
The monotonous desert landscape of Gujarat is changed by splashes of red and pink spots, creating a lively sight. Khavda Flamingo Colony in Kachchh is reputed among the biggest flamingo colony in the world. Each year, about half a million flamingos migrate from
Questions:
(1) What does the last counting of flamingos record ?
(2) Where were the second highest number S of flamingos recorded?
(3) How is the monotonous desert landscape of Gujarat changed?
(4) Why do millions of flamingos migrate every year ?
Answers:
(1) The last counting of flamingos records that around 30,000 Greater Flamingos and around 40,000 Lesser Flamingos were found in Gujarat in the last counting, which is the highest number recorded from India.
(2) The second highest number of flamingos are recorded in the Gulf of Kachchh and other coastal areas.
(3) The monotonous desert landscape of Gujarat is changed by splashes of red and pink spots (flamingos), creating a lively sight.
(4) Millions of flamingos migrate from hotter climates to the watery expanse of Kachchh and *- other areas of Gujarat to breed.
Read 2 : Penguin, My Friend
1. In the month of March, male penguins start their months’ long journey in a big group, It is the time when polar winter starts. The sun starts setting. For last three months, they have been there in the ocean for food. Now their journey starts for their female partners who are away from them. They walk 1012 kms. They walk for day and night.
When tired, they slide on their stomach. For thousands of years, they have been walking at the same time of the year for their next generation. Their destination is the same but the route may differ as the ice formation keeps changing shape. Despite weather growing rougher and tougher, they keep on marching slowly and steadily.
Questions:
(1) When do male penguins start their journey? Why?
(2) Where have the penguins been for the last three months?
(3) What do penguins do when tired ?
(4) In what condition does the route of the s penguins change?
Answers:
(1) Male penguins start their journey for their female partners in a big group in the month of March when the polar winter starts.
(2) For the last three months, the penguins ; have been in the ocean for food.
(3) When tired of walking, penguins slide s on their stomach.
(4) The route of the penguins change as the ice formation keeps changing shape.
2. The thing that impressed me most is their cooperative way of fighting the snow storm. When there is a storm, the temperature dips to less than -80 °C and the speed of the wind is 100 kmph. They bend together keeping their faces away from the direction of cold wind. They live very close to one another and create body heat. They form a large circle.
They move in rhythm and each is not an individual but a part of a big organism. They make layers against the wind. But who will be at the front row ? They keep on changing their position. Each one will have a chance to be in the warm centre and duty to be at the border as well. They have to keep moving, protecting the eggs between their feet.
Questions:
(1) What impressed the writer most ?
(2) What do penguins do when the temperature dips to less than – 80 °C and the speed of the wind is 100 kmph?
(3) How do penguins keep on changing their positions ? Why ?
(4) How do penguins protect their eggs ?
Answers:
(1) Penguins’ cooperative way of fighting the snow storm impressed the writer most.
(2) When the temperature dips to less than -80 °C and the speed of the wind is 100 kmph, penguins bend together keeping their faces away from the direction of the cold wind. They live very close to one another and create body heat. They make layers against the wind.
(3) Penguins keep on changing their positions. Each one has a chance to be in the warm center and duty to be at the border as well.
(4) As penguins have to keep moving, they protect the eggs between their feet.
Read 3 : My Greatest Olympic Prize
1. Walking a few yards from the pit (long jump ground), I kicked disgustedly (angrily with hatred) at the ground. Suddenly I felt a hand on my, shoulder. I turned to look Into the friendly blue eyes of the tall German long jumper. He had easily qualified for the finals on his first attempts. He offered me a firm handshake.
“Jesse Owens, I’m Luz Long. I don’t think we’ve met.” He spoke English well, though with a German twist to it.
“Glad to meet you,” I said. Then, trying to hide my nervousness, I added, “How are you?”
“I’m fine. The question is: How are YOU ? ”
“What do you mean?” I asked.
“Something must be eating (troubling) you,” he said-proud the way foreigners are when they’ve mastered a bit of slang (colloquial language). “You should be able to qualify with your eyes shut (easily).”
Questions:
(1) Why did Jesse Owens kick disgustedly at the ground?
(2) Who offered a firm handshake to Jesse Owens ?
(3)What did Jesse Owens try to do while shaking hands with Luz Long?
(4) “Something must be eating you.” What is this expression described as in the passage?
Answers:
(1) Jesse Owens kicked disgustedly at the ground because he had failed in the qualifying jump.
(2) Luz Long, a German long jumper, who had easily qualified for the finals on his first attempts, offered a firm handshake to Jesse Owens.
(3) While shaking hands with Luz Long, Jesse Owens tried to hide his nervousness.
(4) “Something must be eating you.” This expression is described as a slang in this passage.
2. That night I walked over to Luz Long’s room in the Olympic village to thank him. I knew that if he hadn’t been there, I probably wouldn’t be jumping in the final the following day. We sat in his quarters and talked for two hours about athletics, ourselves, the world situation, and a dozen other things. When I finally got up to leave, we both knew that a real friendship has been formed Luz would go out to the stadium the next day trying to beat s me if he could, but I knew that he wanted me to do my best even if that meant my winning.
As it turned out, Luz broke his past record in doing so, he pushed me on to a peak performance. I remember that at the instant I landed from my final jump-the one which set the Olympic record of 26 feet 5 \(\frac{5}{16}\) inches, he was at my side. Despite the fact that the entire stadium glared at us from the stands, Luz shook my hand hard and it wasn’t a fake smile with a broken heart and artificial sort of grip. You could melt down all the gold medals and cups I have, and they wouldn’t be plating on the 24 carat friendship I felt for Luz Long at that moment.
Questions:
(1) Why did Jesse Owens go to Luz Long’s room that night?
(2) What was the outcome of their meeting?
(3) What happened the next day?
(4) What compliments did Jesse Owens give to Luz Long?
Answers:
(1) Jesse Owens went to Luz Long’s room in the Olympic village that night to thank I him because he knew that if Long hadn’t been there, he probably wouldn’t be jumping in the final the following day.
(2) When Jesse Owens got up to leave after the meeting, they both knew that a real friendship II had been formed between them.
(3) The next day, Luz Long broke his past record, and in doing so, he pushed Jesse Owens on to a peak of performance. He could set the Olympic record of 26 feet 5 – \(\frac{5}{16}\) inches.
(4) Jesse Owens complimented Luz Long saying that even if all the gold medals and cups he had were melted, they wouldn’t be plating on s the 24 carat friendship he felt for Luz Long.
Read 4: Determination
1. In 1883, a creative engineer named John Roebling was inspired by an idea to build a spectacular (very impressive) bridge connecting New York with the Long Island. However bridge building experts throughout the world thought that this was an impossible feat and told Roebling to forget the idea. It just could not be done. It was not practical.
It had never been done before. Roebling could not ignore the vision he had in his mind of this bridge. He thought about it all the time and he knew deep in his heart that it could be done. He just had to share the dream with someone else. After much discussion and persuasion (making him agree to do it) he managed to convince his son Washington, an upcoming engineer, that the bridge, in fact, could be built.
Questions:
(1) What a fantastic idea did John Roebling have?
(2) What was the reaction of others to the idea of John Roebling?
(3) Whose help did John Roebling decide to take to materialize his idea?
(4) Pick out from the passage the words which mean: (i) remarkable deed (ii) make feel sure
Answers :
(1) In 1883, a creative engineer named John Roebling was inspired by an idea to build a spectacular bridge connecting New York with the Long Island.
(2) Bridge building experts throughout the world thought that it was an impossible feat and it just could not be done because it was not practical.
(3) To materialize his idea of building the bridge, John Roebling took help of his son Washington, an upcoming engineer.
(4) The words are : (i) feat (ii) convince
Read 5 : Can You Install Love ?
Customer : Okay, I’m done. LOVE has started installing itself automatically. Is that normal ?
CS Rep. : Yes it is. You should receive a message that says it will reinstall for the life of your HEART. Do you see that message?
Customer : Yes I do. Is it completely installed?
CS Rep. : Yes, but remember that you have only the base program. You need to begin connecting to other HEARTS in order to get the upgrades.
Customer: Oops … I have an error message already.
What should I do ?
CS Rep. :What does the message say?
Customer: It says “ERROR 412 – PROGRAM CANNOT s RUN ON INTERNAL COMPONENTS.” What does that mean?
CS Rep. : Don’t worry ma’am, that’s a common i problem. It means that the LOVE program is set up to run on external HEARTS but has not yet been run on your HEART. It is one of those complicated (complex) programming things, but in non-technical terms it means you have to “LOVE” your own machine before it can “LOVE” others.
Questions:
(1) What message should the customer receive ?
(2) What should the customer need to do?
(3) Is the customer male or female?
(4) Why is the LOVE programme set up?
Answers:
(1) The customer should receive the message that LOVE will reinstall for the life of the customer’s heart.
(2) The customer should need to begin connecting to other HEARTS in order to get upgrades.
(3) The customer is female.
(4) The LOVE programme is set up to run on external HEARTS.
Read 7 : If We are Together …
1. Unexpectedly my head came out of the water. A few meters away, Wavewalker was near overturning, her masts almost flat. Then a wave threw her upright, I grabbed the guard rails and sailed through the air waves tossed me around the deck like a rag doll. My left ribs cracked; my mouth filled with blood and broken teeth. Somehow, I found the wheel, lined up the stern for the next wave and hung on.
Water, Water, Everywhere. I could feel that the ship had water below, but I dared not abandon (leave) the wheel to check. Suddenly, the front door was thrown open and Mary appeared. “We’re sinking!” she screamed. “The decks are smashed; we’re full of water.”
“Take the wheel.” I shouted.
Larry and Herb were pumping like madmen. Broken timbers (wood) hung at crazy angles, the whole starboard side was damaged; clothes, crockery, charts, tins and toys moved about in deep water.
Questions:
(1) What did the writer see when his head came out of water?
(2) What harm did the strong waves do to the writer?
(3) What did Mary report to the writer?
(4) Describe the scene of the drowning Wavewalker.
Answers:
(1) When the writer’s head came out of water, he saw that a few meters away, Wavewalker was overturning and her masts had been almost flat.
(2) The strong waves tossed the writer around the deck. His left ribs cracked. His mouth was filled with blood and broken teeth.
(3) Mary reported to the writer that they were sinking. The decks were smashed and they were full of water.
(4) Wavewalker was completely destroyed. Broken timbers hung at crazy angles, the whole starboard side was damaged. Clothes, crockery, charts, tins and toys moved about in deep water.
2. After finding a hammer, screws and canvas, I struggled back on deck, with the starboard side open, so I had to repair it. Somehow I managed to stretch canvas and secure waterproof hatch covers across the gaping holes. Some water continued to stream below. Our hand pumps started to block up with the debris floating around the cabins and the (electric pump short-circuited. The water level rose.) Back on deck I found that our two spare hand pumps had been wrenched (damaged) overboard. Then I connected electric pump to an out-pipe.
The night dragged on with an endless, bitterly cold routine of pumping, steering and working the radio. We were getting no replies to our Mayday calls (calls for help). Sue had a swollen head, two large black eyes, and deep cut on her arm. When I asked she replied, “I didn’t want to worry you when you were trying to save us all.”
Questions:
(1) What efforts did the writer do to repair the boat?
(2) Why did the water level rise in the boat?
(3) What did the writer and others do all night?
(4) What injuries did Sue get?
Answers:
(1) The writer managed to stretch canvas and secure waterproof covers across the gaping holes.
(2) The water level rose in the boat because their hand pumps started to block up with the debris floating around the cabins and the electric jj pumps short-circuited.
(3) All night the writer and others went on pumping out water steering and working the radio.
(4) Sue had a swollen head, two large black eyes, and deep cut on her arm.
3. By morning on January 3, the pumps had the water level undercontrol for us so we had two hours’ rest in turn. But we still had a big leak below the waterline and, all the boat’s main rib frames were smashed. We had survived for 15 hours since the wave hit, but in Wavewalker it was tougher to reach Australia. There were two small islands a few hundred kilometres to the east. One of them, lie Amsterdam, was French scientific base. Our only hope was to reach there was ‘the wind and the sea’. Then the great wave had put our engine out of action.
On January 4, after 36 hours of continuous pumping, we reached the last few centimetres of water. Now, we had only to keep pace with the water still coming in. We could not set any sail on the main mast. Pressure damaged the hull so we raised the storm jib and headed for the two islands. Mary found some biscuits, and we ate our first meal in almost two days.
Questions:
(1) How could they manage to bring the water level undercontrol?
(2) Finding tougher to reach Australia, where else did they plan to go?
(3) What had they to do for their further journey? Why?
(4) What meal could they manage to take in two days?
Answers:
(1) They could manage to bring the water level undercontrol by pumping the water out.
(2) Finding tougher to reach Australia, they planned to go to one of the two islands-lie Amsterdam.
(3) For their further journey, they had to keep on pumping continuously for 36 hours as their engine had got out of action.
(4) In two days, they could manage to take only some biscuits as their first meal.
Read 8 : Orpheus and Euridice
1. “And who will accompany you?” asked the friends. “My lyre!” Orpheus replied and set out for the journey to Hades. He went on and on until he came to the River of Death. At the river there was a boatman. Orpheus said to him, “I want to go to Hades. Will you take me in your boat?” The boatman said, “I carry in my boat only the dead. I don’t carry the living.” When the boatman said this, Orpheus began to play on his lyre. The wonderful music of the lyre moved the boatman’s heart. He willingly carried Orpheus to the other side of the river.
Again Orpheus went on and on until he reached the gates of Hades. A fierce dog was guarding the gates. The dog saw Orpheus, and he was about to jump at him, when Orpheus quickly played upon his lyre. The music had a wonderful effect on the dog. He sat down quietly and let Orpheus enter the gates.
Questions:
(1) Who was going to accompany Orpheus to Hades?
(2) What was the boatman’s reply to Orpheus’s proposal?
(3) How was the boatman convinced to take Orpheus to Hades?
(4) What happened at the gates of Hades?
Answers:
(1) Orpheus’s lyre was going to accompany him to Hades.
(2) When Orpheus proposed to the boatman – to take him to Hades, the boatman refused saying – that he carried only the dead in his boat.
(3) As the boatman refused Orpheus’s proposal to carry him to Hades, soon Orpheus started playing on his lyre. The wonderful music of the lyre moved the boatman’s heart and he willingly carried Orpheus to the other side of the river.
(4) A fierce dog was guarding the gates of Hades. The dog saw Orpheus, and he was about to jump at him, when Orpheus quickly played upon his lyre. The music had a wonderful effect on the dog. He sat down quietly and let Orpheus enter the gates.
2. With his heart full of Joy, Orpheus started on his way back to the earth. He played sweet music on the lyre. Euridice was walking at some distance behind him. Her heart too was full of Joy. Once again she was with her beloved husband.
Once again she was listening to his sweet music. Now they were near the last gate of Pluto’s kingdom. A few more steps, and they would be outside the kingdom. But Orpheus had no patience now. ‘Was Euridice really coming behind him? “Let me have a glimpse (look for a very short time) of her,” he said to him self.
So he looked back over his shoulder. There she was … sweet and gentle … coming behind him, with a sweet smile on her face. But that was only for a moment. The next moment sadness covered her face. Her sad eyes were asking him, “Why did you forget Pluto’s command ?” And she disappeared. Orpheus was mad with grief. Now he could not have Euridice with him. Sadly he returned to the earth and lived among birds and trees for the rest of his life.
Questions:
(1) Why was Orpheus and Euridice’s hearts full of joy?
(2) How did Orpheus lose Euridice again?
(3) What were the sad eyes of Euridice asking Orpheus?
(4) What was the condition of Orpheus after losing Euridice?
Answers:
(1) Orpheus and Euridice’s hearts were full of joy because once again they were together to live a happy life on the earth.
(2) While returning from Hades, Orpheus was not supposed to look back to see Euridice according to Pluto’s condition; but Orpheus became impatient and broke the condition, and Euridice disappeared.
(3) The sad eyes of Euridice were asking Orpheus why he forgot Pluto’s command.
(4) After losing Euridice, sadly he returned to the earth and lived among birds and trees for the rest of his life.
Read 9 : How Much Land does a Man Need ?
On reaching the land of the Baskers, he was welcomed. He gave the gifts to them and told them he wanted to buy some land. The Basker chief was glad. He said, “Just pay us thousand roubles (the standard unit of money used in Belarus, Russia and Tajikistan) and take the land. You can take as much land as you can cover on foot in one day. You should start walking at sunrise and you must return before sunset. Mind you! If you can’t return before sunset, you lose your money.”
Pahom agreed. It was not a bad bargain (deal) after all! It was decided that Pahom would have his land the next day. At night Pahom went to bed. He had a terrible dream. He saw the fearful faces laughing at him in the dream. He woke up and saw that it was almost morning. He got up early and went to hillock (a small hill) outside the village. The chief and the others Baskers also went there. The sun was about to rise. Pahom was now ready to start.
Questions:
(1) What did Pahom do to please the people of Basker ?
(2) What was the condition of buying land in Basker ?
(3) What terrible dream did Pahom have that night?
(4) Use the phrase ‘Mind you!’ in your own sentence.
Answers:
(1) To please the people of Basker, he gave gifts to them.
(2) For buying land in Basker, one had to pay only one thousand roubles and he could I take as much land as he could cover on foot in one day.
(3) That night in a terrible dream, Pahom saw some fearful faces laughing at him.
(4) Mind you! If you play mischief again, s you’ll be sent out of the class.
Read 10 : The Gambling Match
1. “I will teach you manners at the proper time, you cheating rogue!” answered Yudhishthira furiously. “To the play, I stake my splendid car of gold drawn by eight horses white as moonlight, swift as the wind.” Once more the dice rattled and Shakuni won. Yudhishthira staked the hundred thousand singing girls of his palace, with their rich robes and jewels. Shakuni won.
The King staked his 1; men-servants, his war-elephants, his battlecars, the splendid horses which filled his stables, his s disciplined, victorious army. All these he lost. Last of all he flung away the last and finest of his jewels and these too passed into the hands s of the smiling triumphant Duryodhana.
Questions:
(1) With which humiliating words did S Yudhishthira address Shakuni?
(2) What did Yudhishthira stake to the play first? ?
(3) Pick out from the passage the two s adjectives which mean ‘winning’ ?
(4) Pick out from the passage the words s with similar meanings to : (i) angrily (ii) excellent
Answers:
(1) The humiliating words are : ‘You cheating rogue’.
(2) First Yudhishthira staked his splendid car of gold drawn by eight horses, white as moonlight 5 and swift as the wind.
(3) The two adjectives are : (i) victorious (ii) triumphant
(4) The words are : (i) furiously (ii) splendid.
2. The blind old King sat silent, his face hidden in his hands. Vidura turned to the gamblers. S “Hear me, princes of the House of Bharata. This (match is bringing ruin to some and hatred to s all. Duryodhana, you are leading your father and brothers to disaster. Who will save you when the sons of Pandu seize their weapons to take revenge for their wrongs? Maharaja, it is plain to all that (Shakuni cheats Yudhishthira. Order him to stop S this dangerous game.” ?
Still Dhritarashtra sat silent, but Duryodhana ? retorted angrily, “Uncle, we know that you always favour the Pandavas. In sheltering you, we have nourished a serpent. We have housed you and befriended you, yet you turn against us; you s actually advise my father to destroy his own son! Begone; you have gone too far in your abuse.”
Questions:
(1) What expression is conveyed by the words ‘his face hidden in his hands.’?
(2) What did Vidura request Dhritarashtra?
(3) How is Vidura a betrayer, according to Duryodhana ?
(4) Pick out from the passage the words ? similar in meaning to : (i) capture (ii) wrong/harm
Answers:
(1) The words ‘his face hidden in his hands’, express ‘Shamefulness’.
(2) Vidura requested Dhritarashtra to order Shakuni to stop that dangerous game-gambling.
(3) According to Duryodhana, they had housed Vidura and befriended him, yet he was advising Dhritarashtra to destroy his son, i.e., Duryodhana. Thus he was a betrayer.
(4) The words are : (i) seize (ii) abuse
3. The Pandavas, who had sat motionless while their very freedom was staked and lost, stirred restlessly; it seemed that at last they must rebel (refuse to obey) against the elder brother whom they loved so well. But it was too late, “Yes!” hissed (said slowly and with anger) Yudhishthira in fierce, low voice, glaring at his tormentor (torturer), “I stake my beloved wife.”
From the hall came loud cries of “Shame!” The wise old Bhishma hid his face in his hands; his fellow cousellors’ heads were sunk in despair. But still Dhritarashtra was silent, his blind eager face stretched towards the fatal table. Shakuni threw first -a three and five. Yudhishthira took up the bow with trembling hand. The dice fell six and one. Draupadi too was a slave.
Questions:
(1) When did the Pandavas feel that they must rebel against their elder brother?
(2) Who is called ‘tormentor’ by Yudhishthira?
(3) Why were there loud cries of ‘Shame’ in the hall ?
(4) How did Draupadi become a slave of Duryodhana ?
Answers :
(1) When their elder brother Yudhishthira staked Draupadi in the play, it was beyond their tolerance for the rest of the Pandavas and they felt that they must rebel against their elder brother.
(2) Shakuni is called ‘tormentor’ by Yudhishthira.
(3) As Yudhishthira staked Draupadi in the play, there were loud cries of ‘Shame’ for his shameful act in the hall.
(4) Yudhishthira staked Draupadi in the play and lost her by getting less score in the dice- throw and she became the slave of Duryodhana, the winner.
Read 12 : Three Rays
1. Weakness or Strength
1. Sometimes your biggest weakness can become your biggest strength. Take, for example, thd story of a 10-year-old boy who decided to study judo despite the fact that he had lost his left arm in a devastating (causing a lot of damage) car accident. The boy began lessons with an old Japanese judo master. The boy was doing well, so he couldn’t understand why, after three months of training, the master had taught him only one move.
“Sensei,” the boy finally said, “Shouldn’t be learning more moves?”
“This is the only move you know, but this is the only move you’ll ever need to know,” the Sensei replied.
Not quite understanding, but believing in his teacher, the boy kept training.
Questions:
(1) Why was it not easy for the boy to study judo ?
(2) What could the boy not understand ?
(3) What was the master’s reply to the boy’s query?
(4) Pick out from the passage the words which mean : (i) in spite of (ii) performing satisfactorily
Answers:
(1) It was not easy for the boy to study judo because he had lost his left arm in a devastating car accident.
(2) The boy could not understand why, after three months of training, the master had taught him only one move.
(3) The master replied to the boy that that was the only move he would ever need to know.
(4) The words are : (i) despite (ii) doing well
2. Soon after the match resumed, his opponent made a critical mistake: he dropped his guard. Instantly, the boy used his move to pin (stop movement) him. The boy had won the match and the tournament. He was the champion.
On the way home, the boy and Sensei reviewed every move in each and every match. Then the boy summoned the courage to ask what was really on his mind.
“Sensei, how did I win the tournament with only one move?”
“You won for two reasons,” Sensei answered. “First, you’ve almost mastered one of the most difficult throws in all of judo. Second, the only known defence for that move is for your opponent to grasp your left arm.”
The boy’s biggest weakness had become his biggest strength.
Questions:
(1) What mistake did the opponent make?
(2) What advantage did the boy take of his opponent’s mistake?
(3) What was there on the boy’s mind?
(4) Pick out from the passage the words which mean : (i) immediately (ii) gathered
Answers:
(1) The opponent dropped his guard. This was his critical mistake.
(2) As soon as the opponent dropped his guard, the boy used his move to pin him and he won the tournament.
(3) The boy had on his mind ‘how he could win the tournament with only one move’.
(4) The words are : (i) instantly (ii) summoned.
2. The Window
1. Two men, both seriously ill, occupied the same hospital room. One man was allowed to sit up in his bed for an hour a day to drain (remove liquid) the fluids from his lungs. His bed was next to the room’s only window. The other man had to spend all his time flat on his back.
The men talked for hours on end. They spoke about their wives and families, their homes, their jobs, their involvement in the military service, where they had been on vacation. And every afternoon when the man in the bed next to the window could sit up, he would pass the time by describing to his roommate all the things he could see outside the window.
Questions:
(1) What was the man whose bed was near the window suffering from?
(2) What had the other patient to do?
(3) What did the two men talk about?
(4) How did the man whose bed was near the window pass his time?
Answers:
(1) The man whose bed was near the window was suffering from fluid in his lungs.
(2) The other patient had to keep sleeping flat on his bed all the time.
(3) The two men talked about their wives, families, homes, jobs, their involvement in the military service, where they had been in vacation, etc.
(4) The man whose bed was near the window passed his time by describing to his roommate all the things he could see outside the window.
2. Unexpectedly, an alien thought entered his head: Why should he have all the pleasures of seeing everything while I never get to see anything? It didn’t seem fair. As the man’s thought fermented, the man felt ashamed at first. But as the days passed and he missed seeing more sights his envy eroded (reduced slowly) into resentment (feeling of anger) and soon turned him sour. He began to brood (think about thing which make him sad) and found himself unable to sleep. He should be by that window and that thought now controlled his life.
Late one night, as he lay staring the ceiling, the man by the window began to cough. He was choking on the fluid in his lungs. The other man watched in the dimly lit room as the struggling man by the window groped (tried to find with his hands when he couldn’t see) for the button to call for help. Listening from across the room, he never moved, never pushed his own button which would have brought the nurse running. In less than five minutes, the coughing and choking stopped, along with the sound of breathing. Now, there was only silence-deathly silence.
Questions:
(1) What was the alien thought came to the other patient’s mind?
(2) What do you mean by the words ‘resentment turned him sour’?
(3) What happened to the man by the window suddenly?
(4) Pick out from the passage the words which mean : (i) agitated (ii) suffocating
Answers:
(1) The alien thought came to the other patient’s mind was why the other patient should have all the pleasures of seeing everything while he never got to see anything.
(2) The words ‘resentment turned him sour’ means ‘anger turned him bad tempered’.
(3) Suddenly the man by the window began to cough. He was choking on the fluid in his lungs.
(4) The words are : (i) fermented (ii) choking
3. Miracle
“Well, I want to talk to you about my brother,”
Janki answered back in the same annoyed tone. “He’s sick… and I want to buy a miracle.”
“I beg your pardon,” said the pharmacist,
“My Daddy says only a miracle can save him now … so how much does a miracle cost?” s “We don’t sell miracles here, little girl. I can’t
help you.”
“Listen, I have the money to pay for it. Just tell me how much it costs.”
The well-dressed man stooped (descend) down
and asked, “What kind of a miracle does your brother need ?’’
“I don’t know,” Janki answered. A tear started down her cheek. “I just know he’s really sick and Mommy says he needs an operation. But my folks can’t pay for it… so I have my money.”
“How much do you have ?” asked the well – dressed man.
“Thirty four rupees,” Janki answered proudly.
“And it’s all the money I have in the world.”
“Well, what a coincidence,” smiled the well- dressed man. “Thirty four rupees … the exact price of a miracle to save a little brother.” He took her money in one hand and with the other hand he grasped her mitten (glove that encases the thumb ? separately and the other Jour fingers together) and said “Take me to where you live. I want to see your brother and meet your parents.”
Questions:
(1) What did Janki want to buy? Why?
(2) Why did Janki start weeping?
(3) How much money did Janki have? Where did she keep the money?
(4) What did the man propose to her?
Answers:
(1) Janki wanted to buy a miracle for her sick brother because her daddy said that only a miracle could save her brother.
(2) The pharmacist told Janki that they didn’t sell miracles and asked her what kind of miracle her brother needed. She did not know about it so she was upset and started weeping.
Read 14 : The Trojan Horse
1. “May we know the orbit (the curved path) and the present location of the UFO?” asked one representative. “SS-6 reports that it is presently between orbit of Earth and Mars (મંઞળ) and is heading towards us.” The chairman said and showed the TV Screen. While representatives were studying that data one of the scientists said, “I guess by tomorrow it will cross the orbit of the Moon and will come close to SS-6”
“How right you are, Dr Singh!” said the chairman who was impressed by Dr Singh’s fewest calculations? In those days of computers Dr Singh could do sums in his head.
Dr Singh Further said, “We have two alternatives before us. The first is simple and direct: destroy the UFO. The second is : let us watch it closely. I would like to choose second option and to know more about the UFO. If it is from outer space, it will tell us a lot.” Dr Singh’s suggestion to watch it closely was accepted. SS-6 was instructed to obtain pictures of the UFO which we shall now call it ‘X’.
Questions :
(1) What was the location of the UFO at that time?
(2) What impressed the chairman?
(3) What do you mean by the words ‘Dr Singh could do sums in his head’?
(4) Why did Dr Singh want to choose the second alternative?
Answers:
(1) At that time the UFO was between the orbit of Earth and Mars.
(2) Dr Singh’s guess that the ‘UFO would cross the orbit of the Moon and would come close to SS-6 by the next day’ impressed the chairman.
(3) Janki had thirty four rupees and she kept it in a mitten.
(4) The man proposed to Janki to take him her home to see her brother and meet her parents.
(3) By the words ‘Dr Singh could do sums in his head’ we mean that ‘Dr Singh could do the sums with his mental ability without any extra aid’
(4) Dr Singh wanted to choose the second alternative – to keep on watching the UFO-so that s they could know more about it.
2. Dr Singh woke up after four hours sleep. On his way to his office his ten-year-old son asked him. “Daddy! What is a Trojan Horse ?” “It’s a long story, Sonny. The city of troy was attacked by the Greek army. The Greeks could not enter the city so they played a trick. They left the effigy (a model) of a horse outside the gates. The Trojans took the horse in. That is how the Greeks (got in and Troy fell.
The disturbing thought came to Dr Singh. He rushed to the office. The representatives had already gathered for another emergency meeting. The chairman congratulated Dr Singh, “Thank you, Mr Singh. We will get PIONEER-10 intact (complete and in) original state) otherwise we would have destroyed it. Dr Singh said, “Sir, I am grateful that you listened to s me earlier. Now again I request you to listen to me attentively. Sir, before we get it back, new tests are needed and I have taken the liberty of dispatching s Takeno from SS-6 on a new mission. He is going to use electron beams for taking pictures.”
Questions:
(1) What is the Trojan Horse?
(2) Why did the chairman congratulate Dr Singh ?
(3) What liberty had Dr Singh taken ? Why ?
(4) Pick out from the passage the words which mean : (i) urgent (ii) thankfully
Answers:
(1) The Trojan Horse is a trick that the Greeks used to get into Troy. They left the effigy of a horse outside the gates of Troy. The Trojans took the horse in. That is how the Greeks got in and Troy fell.
(2) The chairman congratulated Dr Singh for his suggestion not to destroy PIONEER-10.
(3) Dr Singh had taken the liberty of dispatching Takeno from SS-6 on a new mission. He was going to use electron beams for taking pictures.
(4) The words are : (i) emergency (ii) gratefully
3. “But what will we learn by this method ? We have already used electromagnetic waves which are more sensitive…” objected one representative. “With our new tests we will soon know whether the spacecraft is PIONEER-10 or a Trojan Horse ?” Every one looked puzzled.
Dr Singh smiled but did not say anything. At that time the phone before the chairman buzzed. It was from Takeno. Takeno’s message was that the pictures taken with electron beams were blank. Every body looked at Dr Singh. Now Dr Singh said, “Friends, it is what I doubt. This is not the PIONEER- 10 but it is its replica (an exact copy) made of antimatter.
To electromagnetic waves matter and antimatter look alike so we could not understand the trick. When this antimatter would have come into contact with our surrounding matter.
Read 15 : The Boy Who Broke the Bank
1. “Shocking!” remarked Mrs Bhushan. “If they can’t pay the sweeper they must be in a bad way. None of the others could be getting paid either.” She left Mrs Srivastava and went in search of her husband, who was sitting in front of Kamal Kishore’s photography shop, talking with the owner. “So there you are!” cried Mrs Bhushan. “I’ve been looking for you for almost an hour. Where did you disappear ?”
“Nowhere”, replied Mr Bhushan. “Had you remained stationary (standing still) in one shop, I might have found you. But you go from one shop to another, like a bee in a flower garden”. “Don’t start grumbling. The heat is tiring enough. I don’t know what’s happening to Pipalnagar. Even the bank is about to go bankrupt (financially ruined).”
“What’s that?” said Kamal Kishore, sitting up suddenly. “Which bank ?” “Why ? The Pipalnagar bank of course. I hear they stopped paying employees. Don’t tell me you have an account there, Mr Kishore ?” “No, but our neighbour has !” exclaimed; and he called out over the low partition to the keeper of the barber shop next door. “Deepchand, have you heard the latest? The Pipalnagar Bank is about to made nuclear holocaust (a large destruction). So my advice is: destroy it as early as possible.” The Trojan Horse was pushed further away from the Earth and destroyed.
Questions:
(1) What was the objection taken by one of s the representatives ?
(2) What was Takeno’s message?
(3) Why could they not understand the trick?
(4) What did Dr Singh suggest to do?
Answers:
(1) One of the representatives objected that they were not going to learn anything s from the new method as they had already used more sensitive electromagnetic waves.
(2) Takeno’s message was that the pictures taken with electronic beams were blank.
(3) They could not understand the trick because to electromagnetic waves matter and antimatter look alike.
(4) Dr Singh suggested to destroy PIONEER-10 when the antimatter would have come into contact with their surrounding matter, it would have made nuclear holocaust. Who Broke the Bank collapse (break down). You’d better bet your money out as soon as you can!”
Questions:
(1) What was the remark from Mrs Bhushan ?
(2) Why could Mr Bhushan not find Mrs Bhushan ?
(3) What bad habit of Mrs Bhushan is shown in this passage?
(4) What was the rumour spread all over Pipalnagar ?
Answers:
(1) Mrs Bhushan remarked that it was really shocking that the bank could not pay even a sweeper, and no other would be paid either.
(2) Mr Bhushan could not find Mrs Bhushan as she did not keep stationary at one shop but kept on moving from one shop to another.
(3) Mrs Bhushan often kept on grumbling for one reason or another.
(4) All over Pipalnagar the rumour was that the bank was about to collapse.
2. The news spread through the bazaar with rapidity (swiftness) of forest fire. From the general merchant it travelled to the shop, circulated amongst the customers, and then spread with them in various directions, to the betel-seller, the tailor, the free vendor, the jeweller, the beggar sitting on the pavement.
Men stood in groups at street comers. The imminent (about to occur) crash of the Pipalnagar Bank set everyone talking and speculating and rushing about in frenzy. Some boasted of their farsightedness (foresight), congratulating themselves on having already taken out their money, or on never having put any in; others speculated on the reasons for the crash, putting it all down to excesses indulged in by Seth Govind Ram. The Seth had fled the State, said one.
He had fled the country, said another. He was hiding in Pipalnagar, said a third. He had hanged himself from the tamarind tree, said a fourth, and had been found that morning by the sweeper boy. By noon the small bank had gone through all its ready cash, and the harassed manager was in dilemma. Emergency funds could only be obtained from another bank some thirty miles distant, and he wasn’t sure he could persuade (convince) the crowd to wait until then. And there was no way of contacting Seth Govind Ram on his houseboat in Kashmir.
Questions:
(1) How did the news spread?
(2) What was the result of the imminent crash of the Pipalnagar bank?
(3) What foresightedness were some people boasting of?
(4) What was the manager’s dilemma?
Answers:
(1) The news spread with rapidity of forest fire.
(2) The imminent crash of the Pipalnagar bank set everyone talking and speculating and rushing about in frenzy.
(3) Some people were boasting of their foresightedness that they had already taken out their money.
(4) The manager was in great dilemma that all the ready cash of the bank was paid off, and now emergency funds could only be obtained from another bank some thirty miles distant, and the crowd would not wait until then. It was also not possible to contact Seth Govind Ram on his houseboat in Kashmir.
3. People were turned back from counters and told to return the following day. They did not S like the sound of that. And so they gathered outside ? on the steps of the bank shouting ‘Give us our money or we’ll break in!’ and ‘Fetch the Seth, we know he’s hiding in a safe deposit locker ! Mischief makers who didn’t have a paisa in the bank, joined S the crowd and aggravated (made more severe) their mood. The manager stood at the door and s tried to placate (gain the good will of) them. He declared that the bank had plenty of money but no immediate means of collecting it; he urged them to S go home and come back the next day.
‘We want it now !’ chanted (sing) some of the crowd. ‘Now, now, now!’ And a brick was hurtled s (thrown forcefully) through air and crashed through the plane glass window of the Pipalnagar Bank. (Nathu arrived next morning to sweep the steps of the bank. He saw the refuse and the broken glass and the stones cluttering the steps. Raising his hands in a gesture of horror and disgust he cried : ‘Hooligans ! Sons of donkeys ! As though it isn’t bad enough to be paid late, it seems my work has also S to be increased !’ He smote (inflict a heavy blow on) the steps with his broom scattering the refuse.
Questions:
(1) What was the reaction of the people?
(2) What did the manager do to placate the people ?
(3) What did the people do after the manager’s urge to them?
(4) Why was Nathu abusing the people?
Answers:
(1) The people gathered outside the bank shouting to give their money back. They also ? wanted them to bring the Seth in front of them as s they believed the Seth to be the real culprit.
(2) To placate the people, the manager declared that the bank had plenty of money but no immediate) means of collecting it. He also urged them to go s home and come back the next day.
(3) After the manager’s urge to the people, on the contrary, they started shouting to get back their money on the spot and someone hurtled a brick crashing through the glass window of the bank.
(4) Nathu was abusing the people because by breaking the window glass, they had increased his work of sweeping and cleaning.
4. “Good morning. Nathu”, said the washerman’s boy, getting down from his bicycle.
“Are you ready to take up a new job form the first of next month? You’ll have to I suppose, now that the bank is going out of business.”
“How’s that?” said Nathu.
“Haven’t you heard? Well you’d better wait here until half the population of Pipalnagar arrives to claim their money.” And he waved cheerfully-he did not have a bank account and sped away on his cycle.
Nathu went back to sweeping the steps, muttering to himself. When he had finished his work, he sat down on the highest step, to await the arrival of the manager. He was determined to get his pay.
“Who would have thought the bank would collapse!” he said to himself, and looked thoughtfully into the distance. “I wonder how it could have happened …”
Questions:
(1) Why did the washerman’s boy suggest Nathu to take up a new job?
(2) What was Nathu determined to do?
(3) What was Nathu thinking sitting on the ? steps of the bank?
(4) Pick out from the passage the words which mean : (i) speaking in a low sound (ii) gladly
Answers:
(1) The washerman’s boy suggested l Nathu to take up a new job because he thought that the bank was going out of business.
(2) Nathu was determined to get his pay from the manager when he arrived.
(3) Sitting on the steps of the bank, Nathu was thinking ‘who would have thought the bank would collapse’.
(4) The words are : (i) muttering (ii) cheerfully
Read 17 : Say the Right Thing
1. Mrs Shaw:If you stay with me, you may not say the right thing.
Mary : I know the right things to say: “Good afternoon,” and “How are you?” and things like that. Let me say today. I can do it very well. I’ll show you. Anyone can talk.
Mrs Shaw :You may say if you like. But take care. I want to know Mrs Harding well. I want her to ask me to go to their house. There isn’t much to do here in Lanfield, and I want to know some more people. I want some more friends here. So take care when you say anything.
Mary :Tell me what to say.
Mrs Shaw : I can’t tell you everything, but you’ll always be right if you’re kind to people. Say things that will please them. Then they’ll like you. Laugh a lot, and try to make them laugh too. And if everyone stops talking, say something to make them talk again. They don’t want to sit here and look at the floor without speaking. Think of something to say.
Questions:
(1) When, according to Mrs Shaw, Mary would not say the right thing?
(2) What was the special interest of Mrs Shaw in meeting Mrs Harding?
(3) What kind of things should Mary say, according to Mrs Shaw?
(4) What manners should Mary observe while talking with others, according to Mrs Shaw?
Answers:
(1) According to Mrs Shaw, Mary would not say the right thing if she sat with her.
(2) Mrs Shaw was specially interested in meeting Mrs Harding because she was fed up staying in Lanfield for long. She could visit others’ places if she knew more people.
(3) According to Mrs Shaw, Mary should say such things as would please others.
(4) According to Mrs Shaw, while talking with others, Mary should say pleasing things to others, she should laugh a lot and make others laugh too. If everyone stops talking, she should say something !’ to make others start talking again.
2. Mrs Shaw : Have you met Mr Best? He’s a nice man. He lives near you.
Mary : Oh, Mr Best! He lives here and he works in London. He goes all the way to London by train every morning, and then he comes all the way back by train every night. He lives in trains! (She laughs) What kind of life is that? Why do people do things like that? They don’t know how to live. And he reads two newspapers in the train everyday. He never reads a book. But he’s only a banker, and bankers can’t think.
Mrs Lee :My brother’s a banker. He goes to London by train every morning and comes back every night. He reads two newspapers in the train in the morning and another every night.
Mary :Oh, I’m sorry. I didn’t know.
Mrs Shaw : Bankers always have to read a lot of newspapers.
Questions:
(1) What does Mary know about Mr Best?
(2) For which habit of Mr Best, Mary comments that bankers can’t think?
(3) Why does Mary say sorry to Mrs Lee?
(4) How does Mrs Shaw defend Mrs Lee’s brother ?
Answers:
(1) Mary knows about Mr Best that he lives there and works in London. He goes all the way to London by train every morning, and then he comes all the way back by train every night.
(2) Mary comments that bankers can’t think for his habit of reading two newspapers everyday. He does not read books.
(3) Mary says sorry to Mrs Lee for she has hurt her by making absurd comment on her brother.
(4) Mrs Shaw defends Mrs Lee’s brother saying that bankers have to read a lot of newspapers everyday.
3. (still looking out of the window): There’s Mr Pomeroy on his house. He’s always talking about horses. He rides a horse everyday, and he shoots birds. It isn’t right. Why must the poor birds die ? What have they done to Mr Pomeroy ? And why do some men like horses more than they like people ? It’s hard to understand men.
Mrs Lee : My brother shoots birds when he has the time and he rides his horse when he can. He sold his house in London and bought a house here because he wanted to ride and shoot.
Questions:
(1) What does Mary say about Mr Pomeroy?
(2) What is hard to understand for Mary?
(3) Why has Mrs Lee’s brother got settled in that town ?
(4) Mary is very kind at heart. How can you say so?
Answers:
(1) Mary says that Mr Pomeroy that he always talks about horses and rides a horse everyday to shoot birds.
(2) It is hard to understand for Mary that why some men shoot poor birds and why some like horses more than men.
(3) Mrs Lee’s brother got settled in that town to ride horses and shoot birds.
(4) Mary does not like if poor birds die for man’s hobby of shooting birds. This shows her kindness.
Read 18 : Adal-Badal: The Exchange
1. Amrit knew that if his mother had said no, his father was not likely to agree. But He was not one to give up. He refused to go to school, refused to eat. Finally, his mother gave in and persuaded his father to buy him new clothes. Having left home smartly dressed Amrit was loath (unwillingness) to do anything that would spoil i his clothes. Just then one of the rowdies (naughty boys) of the gang put his arms around Amrit’s neck and said, ‘‘Come on, let’s have a wrestling match.” He dragged Amrit on to the open ground. Amrit said, “Look Kalia, I don’t want to wrestle. Leave me alone.”
Kalia refused to let go and threw Amrit on the ground. The boys shouted in glee (joy), “Amrit has lost, Kalia has won ! Kalia has won ! Hurrah, hurrah !” Isab lost his temper. He took Kalia by the hand and said, “Come on, I will fight you.” Kalia hesitated. But the other boys egged (urged) him on. The two boys grappled (wrestled) with each other. Isab tripped Kalia and sent him sprawling (fall with arms and leg) on the ground. Kalia began to howl (weep loudly).
Questions:
(1) How did Amrit manage to get new clothes ?
(2) What did one of the rowdies propose to Amrit?
(3) Why was Amrit not ready to wrestle with Kalia?
(4) Describe the fight between Isab and Kalia.
Answers:
(1) Amrit’s father was not ready to buy him new clothes, so Amrit protested. He refused to go to school and refused to eat. At last his mother pesuaded his father to buy him new clothes.
(2) One of the rowdies, Kalia, proposed to Amrit to wrestle with him.
(3) Amrit was not ready to wrestle with Kalia because his new clothes would be spoiled.
(4) Isab and Kalia grappled with each other. Isab tripped Kalia and made him fall with arms and legs on the ground.
2. He dragged Isab to one side. “Come along with me,” he said. As they entered the lane between the two houses, Amrit started : unbuttoning his shirt. “Come on, take off your shirt. You wear mine,” he ordered.
“What about you ? What will you wear ?” asked Isab. “I’ll wear your shirt,” replied Amrit. “Hurry up before anyone sees us.”
Isab said, “Exchange of shirts ? How will that help ? Your father will thrash you.”
“Of course, he’ll thrash me. But I have a mother who will protect me.” replied Amrit.
Isab had often seen Amrit hide behind his mother when his father wanted to beat him. He had to take a slap or two from his mother, for sure ! But what was a gentle slap from a mother compared : to the fati. er’s heavy hand ?
The boys quickly exchanged shirts and came out of the lane and walked gingerly towards their homes. Amrit’s heart was pounding with fear.
Questions:
(1) Why did Isab and Amrit go to a lane between two houses?
(2) Why was Amrit not greatly afraid of the rage of his father?
(3) How was the beating of his mother acceptable to Amrit compared to his father’s?
(4) Pick out from the passage the words which mean : (i) carefully (ii) beating heavily
Answers:
(1) Isab and Amrit went to a lane s between two houses to exchange their shirts.
(2) Amrit was not greatly afraid of the rage of his father because, for sure, his mother was going S to protect him against his rage.
(3) To Amrit a gentle slap or two from his mother was more acceptable than thrashing of heavy $ hand from his father.
(4) The words are : (i) gingerly (ii) pounding
3. Vahali Bhabhi came out of her house. She laughed and said, “Hasan Bhai, you can’t even ? look after one son, how will you cope with two?” “As from today, Vahali Bhabhi, I am ready to bring up twenty-one if they are like Amrit,” said Hasan in a voice choked with emotion. The Pathan s cleared his throat and told Vahali Bhabhi that he had seen the two boys go into the lane. “I decided to see what the boys were up to,” he said.
What he had to say didn’t take long. He told t them how the boys had exchanged their shirts and said, “Isab asked Amrit, ‘What if your father beats s you ? And do you know what your Amrit replied ? He said, ‘But then I have a mother.” With tears in his eyes, the Pathan added, “How true! Amrit’s reply has changed me. He has taught ? me what is truly worthwhile.”
The women sitting near were moved by the tale of Amrit and Isab’s affection for each other. Just then the boys who were returning from the Holi s bonfire surrounded Amrit and Isab. They chanted, “Amrit-Isab, Adal-Badal, Bhai Adal-Badal.”
Questions:
(1) What comment did Vahali Bhabhi pass for Hasan Bhai?
(2) What made Hasan Bhai have tears in his eyes ?
(3) How did the women appreciate Amrit and Isab’s affection for each other?
(4) Pick out the phrases from the passage which mean : (i) occupied with (ii) deal with problems
Answers:
(1) For Hasan Bhai, Vahali Bhabhi passed the comment that when he could not manage to look after one son, how he would take care of another.
(2) Amrit replied that if his father beat him, his mother was there on his side. Hearing this, Hasan Bhai had tears in his eyes.
(3) The women appreciated Amrit and Isab’s affection for each other by surrounding them and chanting, “Amrit-Isab, Adal-Badal, Bhai Adal-Badal.
(4) The phrases are : (i) up to (ii) cope with
Read 19 : The Lost Ruby
1. The minister accordingly made his way to the royal palace and awaited further orders. The king took out a ruby of great price from a beautiful ” ivory casket (a jewel case made of ivory), and placing it in the minister’s hand, told him to look after it with great care. Hardly had the minister left for his home when the king employed female spies to follow him and mark where he kept the jewel.
When the minister got home, he found his wife reclining (resting) on cushions, chewing scented paan. He gave her the ruby to keep. She dropped it in a partition of her cash-box and thought no more about it. After a few days, he bribed the steward (manager) of the minister’s household to steal it for him. The king was sitting on the balcony of his palace overlooking the river, when the jewel was brought to him. Taking it from the hands of the steward, he deliberately (purposefully) threw it into the river.
Questions:
(1) What was the special instruction given to the minister regarding the ruby?
(2) What did the king do after the minister left the palace?
(3) What did the minister’s wife do with the ruby?
(4) How did the king get the jewel that he ^ had given to the minister back?
Answers:
(1) The minister was strictly instructed to look after the ruby with great care.
(2) Hardly had the minister left for his home when the king employed female spies to follow him and mark where he kept the jewel.
(3) The minister’s wife dropped the ruby in a partition of her cash-box and thought no more about it.
(4) The king bribed the steward of the minister’s household and got the ruby stolen. Thus, it went back to the king.
2. A period of great revelry (feasting) began in the chief minister’s house. Musicians of all kinds were engaged, and the halls were filled with guests, who came wondering what great luck had come the way of the chief minister. Rich food was served, and night and day the sound of music and laughter filled the house.
In addition, large quantities of food were prepared and given to the poor. No one who came to the house was allowed to leave empty-handed. Tradesmen, when they brought their customary (usual) presents of fresh fruit, were rewarded with gold coins, and went away rejoicing. [Page 79]
Questions:
(1) Give two examples of the revelry in the chief minister’s house.
(2) What did the guests who visited the minister’s house guess about the revelry in the house ?
(3) How were the tradesmen treated?
(4) Suggest a suitable title to the passage.
Answers:
(1) The examples are : (i) Musicians of all kinds were engaged and the music went on night and day. (ii) Large quantities of food were prepared and given to the poor.
(2) The guests who visited the minister’s house guessed that some great luck had come the way of the chief mininster.
(3) The tradesmen were rewarded with gold coins against their customary presents of fresh fruit and they went away rejoicing.
(4) The suitable title is: Eat, Drink and Make Merry OR Revelry at the Chief Minister’s House
3. But the following morning, as good luck would have it (luckily), her husband caught a large Rohu, the most delicious of Indian fresh-water fish. Delighted at his good fortune, he took it home to show his wife, who immediately placed the fish in a basket, covered it with a clean cloth, and hurried to the minister’s house. The minister was really pleased to see such a fine specimen of Rohu fish, and instead of giving her one gold coin, he gave her two. The fisher woman was overjoyed. She ran home with her prize, which was enough to keep herself and her husband in comfort for many a month.
Questions:
(1) What was a good luck for the fisher-man ?
(2) What did the fisher-woman do with the large Rohu?
(3) What reward did the fisher-woman get for the large Rohu?
(4) Why was the fisher-woman overjoyed ?
Answers:
(1) Fortunately, that day the fisher- i man caught a large Rohu, the most delicious of Indian fresh-water fish.
(2) The fisher-woman immediately placed the fish in a basket, covered it with a clean cloth and hurried to the minister’s house to present it to the minister.
(3) For the large Rohu, the fisher-woman got ! two gold coins from the pleased minister.
(4) The fisher-woman was overjoyed as she got two gold coins for the large Rohu, with which she would keep herself and her husband in comfort for many a month.
Read 20 : Panchatantra
1. A gang of monkeys made their home in a mountain slope. When winter came, it brought not only severe cold but also heavy rains. Unable to stand the cold, the monkeys collected red berries wildly growing in the mountain slope. They gathered around the berries and began blowing air at them thinking they were embers (glowing coals).
Watching their vain effort in amusement, Suchimukha, a bird, told them, “You fools, they are not embers but red berries. Why do you waste your energy on them? This will not save you from cold. Go and look for a shelter in a cave or a place free from wind. The clouds are thick and there will be no immediate relief from rain.”
An old member of the monkey gang angrily told the bird, “Why do you poke your nose (intervene, interfere) in our affairs? Go away.” Haven’t the elders said that he who cherishes (values) his welfare should not talk to a gambler or an inefficient workman ? So is the person a fool who talks to an idiot or a pleasure seeker.
Disregarding the old monkey’s anger and not giving room to any other monkey to talk, Suchimukha went on repeating his advice to them to seek shelter elsewhere. Tired with the bird’s unwanted advice, one of the monkeys sprang at the bird and bashed him against a rock till he was dead.
Questions:
(1) Why were the monkeys blowing air into the berries?
(2) What did Suchimukha suggest the monkeys to do to save themselves from severe cold?
(3) What had Suchimukha to suffer for its advise to the foolish monkeys?
(4) Pick out the words from the passage which mean : (i) struck violently (ii) not caring
Answers:
(1) The monkeys were unable to stand the terrible cold and they wanted warmth, so they gathered some berries and taking them to be : embers, they started blowing air into them.
(2) Suchimukha suggested the monkeys to look for a shelter in a cave or a place free from wind to save themselves from severe cold.
(3) The foolish monkeys did not believe Suchimukha’s advice and one of them sprang at , the bird and bashed him against a rock till he was dead.
(4) The words are : (i) bashed (ii) disregarding
2. As days passed, the cobra finished off $ the entire tribe of frogs with the exception of king Gangadatta. So, he asked Gangadatta, “Look, my friend, there is now no frog left for me to eat. I am very hungry. Show me where and how I can i end my hunger.”
The king replied, “Priyadarsana, don’t worry about food as long as I am your friend. You get me out of this well. I will go and look for wells full of frogs. I will tempt (attract) them to come ; here and you can have your fill.”
Thus, the king came out and disappeared. The cobra was eagerly waiting for the king to bring him food. When Gangadatta failed to turn up even after a long time, the cobra sought the help of a chameleon (a lizard that changes skin colour to match what surrounds it so that it cannot be seen).
“My friend, you know Gangadatta very well. Please go to him and tell him that it does not matter if he cannot bring me a frog. Let him come. I cannot live without such a trusted friend.”
Questions:
(1) What did the cobra ask Gangadatta?
(2) What was the Gangadatta’s reply?
(3) Why did the cobra seek help of a chameleon ?
(4) What message did the cobra send with the chameleon?
Answers:
(1) The cobra asked Gangadatta to find out a way to satisfy his hunger.
(2) Gangadatta replied that if he got him out of the well, he would look for wells full of frogs for him to have his fill.
(3) Having been taken out from the well, the frog-king disappeared. The cobra wanted to find him out at any cost. He himself was unable to do so, so he sought help of a chameleon to find him out.
(4) The cobra sent the message to the frog- king with the chameleon that if he could not bring frogs for him, it didn’t matter. But he could not live without a trusted friend like him, so he should come to him soon.
3. A great bird named Bharunda lived on the banks of a lake. He had two heads but a single body. One day, as the bird was wandering on the bank of the lake, he found a fruit, which was as delicious as ambrosia (fruit eaten by gods). One of his heads mumbled (spoke with unclear voice), “Oh what a fruit. I am sure the heavens have sent it for me. I am so lucky.” Hearing this, the second head said, “Oh brother, let me also taste the fruit you are praising so much.”
The first head laughed and said, “Both of us have the same stomach. It makes no ? difference whether I eat it or you eat it. s I shall give it to our beloved. She will be very happy.” Bharunda thus gave the fruit to his wife. The second head was disappointed at this action of the first head.
One day, the second head found a poisonous S fruit and told the first head, “You treacherous ? (faithless) fellow, I will eat this poisonous fruit and avenge your insult.”
The second head said, “You fool, if you eat that, both of us will die because we have the same body.”
Ignoring his warning, the second head ate the poisonous fruit and both of them died.
Questions:
(1) How was Bharunda a strange bird?
(2) What was the reply of the first head when the second head asked for the delicious fruit to eat from him?
(3) Which act of the first head disappointed the second head?
(4) What did the second head do to avenge the insult done to him by the first head?
Answers:
(1) Bharunda had two heads but a single body, thus he was a strange bird.
(2) When the second head asked for the delicious fruit to eat from the first head, the first s head told that both of them had the same stomach and it did not make any difference in case either l of them ate it.
(3) The second head demanded to eat the delicious fruit from the first head, but instead of giving it to the second head, the first head gave ? it to his wife to eat. This act of the first head disappointed the second head.
(4) To avenge the insult done to him by the first head, the second head ate a poisonous fruit and both of them died.
Read 22 : The World of Advertisements
1. A certain supermarket had a number of hidden cameras installed to measure the reactions of the customers. The results surprised everyone. It was found that most shoppers went into a sort of trance (a temporary mental condition in which one is not completely conscious) so much so that they would pass their best friends without noticing them.
All their attention was centered on the brightly coloured packets that were on display. Many came to their senses only when they arrived at the pay counter and were presented with the bill. Many had not enough money to pay for all the things they had picked up; some were even reluctant to go and return the things they didn’t actually want.
There is the group of people who are always taking their cues (direction or sign to do something) from others. They have never really learnt to think for themselves. They go in for a product just because actor so and so or actress so and so said i the same. Ad-men are quick to cash in on this ‘in buflt’ human weakness. They manage to get actors or actresses to lend their names to a product. And they have their customers who take to it without s much fuss.
Questions:
(1) Why did the supermarket have a number of hidden cameras installed?
(2) How were the results of the hidden cameras) surprising?
(3) From where do most people get their cues to buy things for themselves?
(4) How do ad-men take advantage of people’s weakness ?
Answers:
(1) The supermarket had a number of hidden cameras installed to measure the reactions of the customers.
(2) The results of the hidden cameras were s surprising. It was found that most shoppers went into) a sort of trance. All their attention was centered on the brightly coloured packets that were on display and came to senses at the time of paying their bill.
(3) Most people get their cues to buy things s for themselves from actors and actresses.
(4) Ad-men know the ‘in built’ human weakness) that people blindly follow actors and actresses, so they manage to get actors or actresses to lend their names to a product and they have their customers l who take to it without much fuss.
2. Finally, ads drag us into buying a product unknowingly as you are being led into a trap. Through the clever use of words and phrases, the ad tells you something about a product. Often it is the pleasing side of a thing. But by no meaning is it everything. The darker side has been cleverly played down. For example, an ad for a refrigerator might emphasize the need for a refrigerator. It might even tell you the size of the motor but not the amount of electricity it consumes. And it is here precisely where its defect might lie.
To sum up, here are a few practical points to bear in mind. Don’t be too easily taken in by the ads . you see in the glossy magazines or by the brightly coloured ad-boards you pass by everyday on your way. All that glitters is not gold.
Questions:
(1) What is the role of ads in marketing?
(2) How do ads lure customers?
(3) Ads never reveal the darker side of the product. Illustrate.
(4) What should we bear in mind while being taken in by tempting ads?
Answers:
(1) Ads drag people into buying products unknowingly as they are being led into a – trap through the clever use of words and phrases.
(2) Ads lure customers through the clever use of words and phrases. They often tell us about the pleasing side of a thing.
(3) The darker side of a product has been cleverly played down. For example, an ad for a refrigerator might emphasize the need for a refrigerator. It might even tell us the size of the motor but not the amount of electricity it consumes.
(4) While being taken in by tempting ads, we should bear in mind that we should not be too easily taken in by the ads because ‘all that they say is not true.’ ”
Read 23 : I Never Forget A Face
1. Well, on this particular evening, there was s quite a crowd in the train at first, but they gradually got out. And by the time we reached Ellingham, there were only two of us left in the carriage. The s other fellow wasn’t one of the regular travellers, but I knew he was a Bardfield man. I knew it as soon as I saw him, of course. I’d smiled at him when I s saw him getting into the carriage in London, and he had smiled back; but that didn’t tell me his name.
The annoying thing was that I couldn’t place (identify, locate) the fellow. His face told me clearly that he was connected with Bardfield, but that was all it told me. I could not think where in Bardfield I had seen it. I guessed he must be one of those fellows who’ve come to live lately (recently) in the small houses by the bus-stop, but I couldn’t be sure.
Questions:
(1) Did the other fellow get into the train from Ellingham? How can you say so?
(2) How could the writer say that the other fellow was a Bardfield man?
(3) What was annoying for the writer?
(4) What did the writer guess about the other fellow?
Answers:
(1) No. The writer had seen him getting into carriage in London.
(2) The writer could identify people seeing their faces, so he thought that he had seen the other fellow somewhere in Bardfield.
(3) The writer could not locate the other fellow – where he had seen him in Bardfield. It was quite annoying for him.
(4) The writer guessed that the other fellow must be one of those fellows who had come to live lately in the small houses by the bus-stop in Bardfield.
2. When we came out of the station together, it was quite dark and raining heavily. There was a wind blowing, strong enough to knock you over, and it was very cold. Well, what would you have done? The same as I did. I turned round and said to him, “Listen. There isn’t a bus for a quarter of an hour. I’ve got my car in the station-yard, and if you’re in one of those small houses I can take you there. It’s on my way.”
“Thanks very much”, he said, and we walked through the water, to where my old car was standing and off we went.
Questions:
(1) How was the weather when the writer and the other fellow came out of the Bardfield station?
(2) What did the writer offer to the other fellow?
(3) The writer had parked his car…
(a) near the bus-stop.
(b) near the small houses.
(c) in the station-yard.
(4) Here ‘off we went’ means…
(a) ‘we cancelled going’
(b)‘we drove away’.
(c) ‘we walked through the water’.
Answers:
(1) When the writer and the other fellow came out of the Bardfield station, it was raining heavily, the wind was blowing very hard and it was very cold.
(2) The writer offered the other fellow lift in his car to Bardfield.
(3) The writer had parked his car in the station-yard.
(4) Here ‘off we went’ means ‘we drove away’,
3. I pulled myself up at last and somehow managed to walk into Bardfield. I went straight to the police-station, of coures. It’s the first building s you reach if you come that way. And there I reported that someone had stolen my car, a new umbrella, a gold watch and all my money. Of course, as soon as I got there I remembered s who the man was. His picture was on the wall outside. I’d seen it everyday for a week. That’s why his face reminded me of Bardfield. Under the picture were some words. ‘Wanted for Robbery ]. with Violence and Attempted Murder-John’ Oh dear, I’ve forgotten the name again. I just can’t keep ‘ names in my head. But that’s the man. I tell you-I ‘ never forget a face!
Questions:
(1) Why did the writer go to the police-station ?
(2) What made the writer reminded of the ’ face of the mem whom he had given the lift?
(3) Who was the other fellow whom the writer had given a lift?
(4) What was the writer’s weakness that he curses himself for? What was his strong point?
Answers:
(1) The writer had been robbed off his car, a new umbrella, a gold watch and all his money, so he went to the police-station to file the s complaint.
(2) The picture of a wanted man made the s writer reminded of the face of the man whom he had given a lift.
(3) The other fellow whom the writer had given a lift was ‘John-wanted (by the police) for Robbery with Violence and Attempted Murder.’
(4) The writer cursed himself for not remembering names of course, he never forgot a face.
Read 24: A Letter to Indu
1. I have been to Garhwal only once for a few days. It is not easily accessible (reachable) as even roads are lacking, except bridle-paths (narrow paths) for pilgrims. I only visited some of the towns in the lower regions. I had a glimpse, however, of the whole vast area and beyond from the air. For we took a plane from Hardwar and flew right over Badrinath till we seemed almost to collide (hit) against the huge snow wall of the mountain barrier (obstacle) which separates India from Tibet.
That flight lasted a few hours only – there and back – and I carried away vivid (as they were) impressions which endure (last for a long time). TWo impressions especially the snowy range, with it mighty peaks, majestic and fiercely beautiful, and the silver thread of the Alaknanda river, winding its way deep down below through the mountains. The Alaknanda, as perhaps you know, is one of the principal source – streams of the Ganga.
Questions:
(1) Why is Garhwal not easily accessible?
(2) How did Nehru have a glimpse of the vast area of Garhwal?
(3) Which were the two vivid impressions that Nehru carried away?
(4) One of the principal source-streams of the Ganga is…
(i) Tibet, (ii) Badrinath. (iii) Alaknanda.
Answers:
(1) Garhwal is not easily accessible because there are no regular roads. There are only bridle-paths for pilgrims.
(2) Nehru had a glimpse of the vast area of Garhwal from the plane.
(3) The two vivid impressions that Nehru carried away were:(i) the snowy range, with its mighty peaks, majestic and fiercely beautiful and (ii) the silver thread of the Alaknanda river, winding its way deep down below through the mountains.
(4) One of the principal source-streams of the Ganga is ‘Alaknanda’.
2. Shall I ever go wandering again in these mountains, and pierce the forest and climb the snows and feel the thrill of the precipice (very steep side of a mountain) and the deep gorge (a deep narrow pass between hills)? And then I’ lie in deep content on a thick carpet of mountain flowers and gaze on the fiery splendour of the s peaks as they catch the rays of the setting sun? Shall I sit by the side of the youthful and turbulent (uncontrolled) Ganga in her mountain home and watch her throw her head in a swirl (fast circular movement)
icy spray in pride and defiance, or creep round lovingly some favoured rock and take it into s her embrace (hold, hug) And then rush down joyously over the rocks and hurl (throw something with great force) herself with a mighty shout over some great precipice? I have known her so long as a sedate (relaxed) lady, seemingly calm, but for) all that the fire is in her veins even then, the fiery vitality (vigour) of youth and the spirit of adventure, and this breaks out from time to time when her peaceful water seems angry and tumble over each 1 other and spread over vast areas.
Questions:
(1) What does Nehru write about the peaks of the mountains?
(2) How is the Ganga in her mountain home ?
(3) What does Nehru compare the Ganga with? Why?
(4) Pick out from the passage the words that are similar in meanings to: (i) difficult to control S (ii) open refusal to obey
Answers:
(1) Nehru writes that as the peaks catch the rays of the setting sun, they display fiery splendour.
(2) In her mountain home, the Ganga is youthful and turbulent.
(3) Nehru compares the Ganga with a sedate lady who seems to be calm but carries fire in her veins. It has the fiery vitality of youth and the spirit of adventure.
(4) The words are : (i) turbulent and (ii) defiance.