it was a day when chappals were given away in charity to soothe the fiery soles of an old beggar. But the raging owner grumbled till he was cajoled with those belonging to Gopu Mama who was destined to stay | barefooted. Use Cordova Smart Class Software on the smart board in class to watch, read and know how’ | ithappened. | Asmiling Rukku Manni threw open the door, Raviand Meena rushed out, and Ravi pulled Mridu into the house. “Wait, let me take off my slippers,” protested Mridu. She set them outhneatly near a pair of large black ones. Those were grey, actually, with dust. You could see the clear mark of every toe on the front part of each slipper; the marks for the two big toes were long and scrawny. Mridu didn’t have much time to wonder about whose slippers they were, because Ravi dragged her to the backyard, behind a thick bitter-berry bush, There, inside a torn football lined with sacking and filled with sand, lay a very small kitten, lapping up milk from a coconut half-shell. “We found him outside the gate this morning. He was mewing and mewing, poor thing,” said Meena. “Its a secret. Amma says Paati* will leave for our Paddu Mama's house if she knows we have a cat.” “People are always telling ustobekind to animals, butwhen weare, they seteathi-Ooh, don't bring that dirty creature here!” said Ravi. “Do you know how hard it is just to get a little milk from the kitchen? ~». Cordova Learning Series English - 7 aes 2 Vasantha Surya : She is known for her investigative articles, features and reviews, poems in English and Tamil, translations and children’s stories. Her works have featured prominently in The Hindu, The Indian Express, The Times of India, Frontline and The Indian Review of Books.saw me with a glass in my hand just now. her Im very hungry, I want to drink it, but sway she looked at me! [had to drink most of it ‘Shrow her off the scent. Then, she wanted the back. Paati, Paati, Vil wash it myself, why Iput you to trouble, I told her. [had to run ‘pour the milk into this coconut shell and then ‘back and wash the tumbler and put it back she got really suspicious. Now, we have Sink of some other way to feed Mahendran.” “Mehendran? This little kitty’s name is an?” Mridu was impressed! It was a real — not just a cute kitty-cat name. “Actually, his full name is Mahendravarma v2 Poonai, MP Poonai for short, if you like. 2 fine breed of cat. Just look at his fur. Like = Sen's mane! And you know what the emblem Se ancient Pallava kings was, don’t you?” he ‘Jeeked expectantly at Mridu. ‘Maridu giggled. “Think I'm joking? Well, just wait. ll show ‘Jee some time. It's clear you don’t know a thing ‘bout history. Haven't been to Mahabalipuram, ‘Bere you?” he said mysteriously. “Well, when ‘ge class went to Mahabalipuram, I saw a statue SE Bis thatha’s thatha’s thatha’s thatha's thatha’s... ‘Ssetera, etcetera... Fact is, Mahendran here has Gesended from that very same ancient cat. A Gis= «relative, scientifically speaking, of none ‘ge: than the lion. The Pallava Lion, emblem ‘sf the Pallava dynasty!” Ravi went on, walking the bitter-berry bush waving a twig up 22d down, his eyes sparkling. “This cat is a descendant of none other than the “Mebobalipuram Rishi-Cat! AndifImay just remind ‘ge= they worshipped cats in ancient Egypt!” ‘WS according to Ravi, was the emblem of the ancient Pallas kings? | Mebendravarma Pallava Poonai IRR Be Paliava Lion Metetalipuram Rishi-cat Sentews Learning Series English -7 So?" “Well, one of the descendants of thatcat-goddess was a stowaway in one of the Pallava ships, and his descendant was the Mahabalipuram Rishi- Cat, whose descendant is...,” Ravi flourished his twig at Mahendran—“MP Poonai here... whoop EEK!” he shrieked, very pleased with himself. Mahendran looked up, alarmed. He had just been sharpening his claws on the edge of the coconut shell. But worse than Ravi’s awful whoop EEK was a ‘Kreech...!’ from the window. What a weird sound! If Mridu was startled, MP Poonai was frightened out of his wits. Hair standing on end, he bounced up and scurried towards a bamboo tray of red chillies that had been set out to dry. Trying to hide beneath it, he tipped a few chillies over himself, “Mi-a-aw!” he howled miserably. The ‘kreeching’ went on and on. “What's that noise?” said Mridu. “That's Lalli learning to play the violin,” grunted Ravi. “She'll never learn a thing,” Mridu crept up to the window. Lalli was sitting a little distance away, awkwardly holding her violin and bowstring, her elbows jutting out and her eyes glazed with concentration, In front of her, with most of his back to thegy e music-master{Hehad aiialiost bald/head withia fringe of oiled black hair fading around his ears and an old-fashioned tuft. A gold chain gleamedHe played a few notes. Lalli stumbled behind him on her violin, which looked quite helpless and unhappy in her hands. What a difference! ‘The music-master’s notes seemed to float up and settle perfectly into the invisible tracks of the melody. It was like the wheels of a train fitting smoothly into the rails and whizzing along. Mridu stared at that huge hand moving effortlessly up the violin’s stem, making lovely music. Squawk! There was Lalli derailing again! “Amma!” came a wail from the gate. “Amma the above line means (a) alongloud cry [—] (b) voice [] (c) appearance “Ravi, send that beggar away!” cried his mother from the back verandah, where she was chatting with Tapi. “He has been coming here every day for the past week, and it’s time he finds another house to beg from!” Paati explained to Tapi. Mridu’ and Meena followed Ravi out. The beggar was already in the garden, making himself quite at home. “Go away!” said Ravi sternly. “My Pati says it’s time you find another house to beg from!” The beggar opened his eyes very wide and gazed at each of the children one by one. He then raised his voice. “Amma! Amma-oh!” Sad his wail might be, but it certainly wasn't feeble, “Ravi, tell him there's nothing left in the kitchen!” called Rukku Manni. “And he's not to come again — tell him that!” She sounded fed up. Ravi didn’t have to repeat it all to the beggar. ‘What his mother said had been easy for them all to hear, there under the neem tree. The beggar sat up and sighed. “Tl go, YUl go!” he said wearily. “Only let me have a rest here under this tree. The sun is so hot, the tarhas melted on the road. My feet are already blistered.” He stretched out his feet to show large, pink, peeling blisters on the soles of his bare feet. “T suppose he doesn’t have the money to buy chappals,” Mridu whispered to Meena and Ravi. “Have you got an old pair in the house somewhere?” “I don’t know,” said Ravi. “Mine are too small to fit his feet, or I'd have given them to him.” His feet were larger than Mridu’s and Meena’s, “He needs something on his feet!” Meena said, her big eyes filling, “It's not fair!” “Ssh!” said Ravi, “I'm thinking about it! Blubbering ‘it’s not fair, it's not fair’ isn’t going to help. In two minutes, he'll be frying his feet on that road. What he needs is a pair of chappals. So where do we get them? Come, let's search the house.” He pushed Mridu and Meena into the house. Tust as she stepped into the verandah, Mridu’s eyes fell on the odd-looking chappals she had noticed when she arrived. “Ravi!” she whispered to him, “Whose are those?” Ravi turned and glanced at the shabby-looking, but sturdy old slippers. He beamed and nodded. “These are just the right size,” he said picking them up. Mridu and Meena followed him nervously back into the garden. “Here!” said Ravi to the beggar, dropping the slippers in front of the old man. “Wear these and don’t come back!” The beggar stared at the slippers, hurriedly flung his towel over his shoulder, pushed his feet into them and left Cerdava Learning Series English ~7cing a blessing to the children. In a minute, 4 vanished around the corner of the street. smusic-master came out of the house and =n unappreciative look at the three of them = quietly under the tree, playing marbles. =. he searched for his chappals in the verandah, he had put them. i” he called, after a few moments. She 4 up to him. “Have you seen my chappals, ? [remember having kept them here!” = Mridu and Meena silently watched Lalli ‘he music-master search every corner of the He scurried around, looking over the =and crouching near the flower pots to look cen them. "Brand new, they were! I went all to Mount Road to buy them!” he went on = “They cost a whole month’s fees, do you Lalli went in to tell her mother. Rukku 4 appeared, looking harassed, with Paati ang her. ere could they be? It's really quite upsetting ‘Sisk someone might have stolen them. So ‘vendors come to the door,” worried Paati. ‘think the music-master will find his chappals? Manni caught sight of Ravi, Mridu, Meena sitting under the tree. “Have you she began, and then, seeing they curiously quiet, went on more slowly, “seen © lurking around the verandah?” A sharp < line had formed between her eyebrows. other straight, tighter one appeared in place of usually soft, pleasant mouth. ‘Rukku Manni 2eery, thought Mridu with a shiver. ‘She be so upset if she knew about the poor with sores on his feet,’ she tried to tell “Feking a deep breath, she cried, “Rukku Manni, exe was a beggar here. Poor thing, had such .on his feet!” Leaxning Sexies English - 7 “So?” said Rukku Manni grimly, turning to Ravi. “You gave the music-master’s chappals to that old beggar who turns up here?” “Children these days...!” groaned Paati. “Amma, didn’t you tell me about Karna who gave away everything he had, even his gold earrings, he was so kind and generous?” “Silly!” snapped Rukku Manni. “Karna didn’t give away other people's things, he only gave away his own.” “But my chappals wouldn’thave fitted the beggar's feet..,” Ravi rushed brashly on, “and Amma if they did fit, would you really not have minded?” “Ravil” said Rukku Manni, very angry now. She hurried indoors and brought out Gopu Mama's hardly worn, new chappals. @iRGS! SHOULA|Fit YoUNSIA Please put these on. I am so sorry. My son has been very naughty.” The music-master’s eyes lit up. He put them on, trying not to look too happy. “Well, I suppose these will have to do... These days children have no respect for elders, what to do?” Rukku Manni’s eyes flashed. She stood stiff and straight by the front door. It was clear she wanted him to leave quickly. When he had clattered off in his new chappals, she said, “Mridu, come in and have some tiffin. Honestly, how do you children think of such things? Thank God, your Gopu Mama doesn’t wear his chappals to work.” As she walked towards the kitchen with Mridu and Meena, she suddenly began to laugh. “But he's always in such a hurry to throw off his shoes and socks and get into his chappals as soon as he comes home. What's your Mama going to say this evening when I tell him I gave his chappals to the music- master?” Vasantha Surya hg{se Cordova Smart Class Software onthe smart i boar in class todo these exercises.) A. Tick (/) the correct options. 1. “Thad to drink most of it to throw her off the scent.” What does ‘throw her off the scent’ mean? (a)_ to throw her perfume bottle (b) to discover something (0) lead someone astray (a) tohelp someone smell something 2. “She'll never learn a thing.” Who is being talked about here and what is she leaning? (a) Mridu is learning to play the sitar. (b) Mridu is learning to play the violin. (©) Lalli is learning to play the tanpura. (d) Lalli is learning to play the violin. 3. “Amma! Amma-oh!” Who is calling out? (a) abarefooted beggar (b) a beggar who depends on people living in house for food (©) acharacter who attracts the readers’ attention anid slips away from the scene with the music-master’s chappals (d) allof these 4. What thought made Mridu tell herself that Rukku Manni would not be angry about the disappearance of the chappals? (a) The chappals were old. (b) The beggar needed the chappals more than anyone else. (©) The chappals belonged to Mridu so they were given. (d) Music-master did not need chappals OOO B. Answer these questions. 1. What did Mridu see when Ravi pulled her into the house? Why didn’t Mridu have time to wonder about whose slippers they were? What reason did Ravi give for naming the cat Mahendravarma Pallava Poonai? Describe the music-master and his music session in your own words. sr ep . What prompted the children to give awey the chappals to the beggar? seb enicinis: and answer. NX Can you guess in which part of India this story has been set? YW Do you think Kama did the right thing by giving away his belongings to people? ¥ ‘Someone's gain is another's loss.’ Comment in the light of the story. Cordava Learning Series English -7 > : ‘A, Match the given words with their meanings. 1. feeble (a) very strange or unusual 2. whizzing (b) firm or difficult to bend or move 3. weird (©) moving very quickly 4. stiff (@)_ very weak B. Use the given words and phrases in sentences of your own. 1. groaned 2. derailing 3. rushed out 4. grimly 5. muttering 6. looked at C. Circle the prefix of each of the given words and write three more words using the same prefix. 1._unappreciative . misfortunes a 3. disappeared 4. impossible 5. inactive E> Giving Opinion When we want to talk about the reason or cause behind an event or activity, we use cert: our opinions. phrases to give Personal Point of View : We use these phrases to express a personal point of view: 1. As far as I'm concerned. 2. Speaking for myself... 3. Inmy opinion... >» Caxdoua Learning Series English —7 i —— a‘Beni wes asked to give his opinion on the incident that took place the day before yesterday. be give his opinion? = ‘Jam not sure but the little Kitty might have entered the kitchen. ‘| Ssk someone pushed him and he got this injury. mere examples, ‘SSsSK that we should go to the concert now. ‘Epo went an honest opinion, you have cooked better before. “These & 2 possibility that her sister might have stolen your book. ‘D> =y mind, we need to read the book before we do the assignment. fa your opinions on these situations? Discuss with your partner. ‘Wee teacher wants to know why your friend has been absent from school for five days. ‘Wee Sends brother is not talking to your friend. ‘Wee Gessmate has lost his/her water bottle. listen to the radio programme ‘Festivals of In (Listening Text on Page No. 159) Goa Carnival % celebrated in the month of . ... introduced this festival to the Goan stay away from meat for on the festival. The term ‘carnival’ means - The celebration of the carnival lasts for days and... nights. 'zeswers with your partner's. If you are unsure, Sesies English -7(Use Cordova language lab software to watch the facial movement training. LUsten to the expert, practise and record the sound in your own voce.) Syllable Stress Assyllable is a single unit of speech which includes a vowel sound. It can be a word or part of a word. It can be just one letter or a group of letters. Here, -he stress on the syllable is followed by a falling tone. Let us practise the following single syllable words. Single syllable words with one vowel letter ‘pen ‘cup “hat ‘can “fill ‘win ‘slow ‘milk ‘bum ‘fall ‘new ‘sick Single syllable words with two vowel letters ‘moon ‘cake "break ‘have ‘pain ‘suit ‘soap ‘none ‘bead ‘road ‘large ‘touch epic Write the meanings of the underlined words in the context of the following sentences. 1. (@) _Peati was present during the birth of Mridu. (6) Aman is Indian by birth but has lived for most of his life in Canada. 2. (a) War brings pain and destruction. (b) What brings you here today, Prateek? 3. (a) Heneeds proper care for fast recovery. (b) Nishant handled the vase with care. 4. (a) He spoke out loud and clear. (b) The water is so clear that you can see the stones on the river bed. 5. (a) Youcan read a book while I am writing this letter. (b) While Sumit is good at Maths, his brother is very weak in it. EEE Complete the words by filling in the missing letters in the following sentences. al places in Agra. Ravi tried to be as gt Ravi's nervousness was not vi. .sas Karna. b....e to Paati. z. 3. Taj Mahal is one of the 4 5 We have seen the sorry plight of the beggar in the story. Write a report stating how and why beggary should not be encouraged. Cordoua Learning Sevies English - 7