People’s President

Reading Comprehension

A. 1. Dr Kalam studied Aerospace Engineering at the Madras Institute of Technology.

2. He joined the Aeronautical Development Establishment of the Defence Research and

Development Organisation (DRDO) as a scientist.

3. He was known as the ‘Missile Man of India’ because of his work on the development of ballistic
missile and launch vehicle technology.

4. Two of the books written by him are Wings of Fire and Ignited Minds: Unleashing the Power
Within India.

B. 1. Dr Kalam’s father owned a ferry while his mother was a housewife. He was the youngest of four
brothers and a sister. His family lost much of its property and he sold newspapers to supplement the
family’s income as a young boy. Though an average student, he evinced great interest in
mathematics and was devoted to his studies.

2. Dr Kalam believed that children were important because he thought they were the hope for the
future. He wanted to help them to ignite their imagination and prepare them to work for a
developed India for which the road map was already available. He wanted them to explore new
horizons and work for what they wanted and not surrender to fate.

3. In the President’s Estate, Dr Kalam was responsible for the digitisation of the library, a tactile
garden for the visually challenged, a health centre, street lights, pavements, new staff quarters and
above all, for opening the Rashtrapati Bhavan to everyone.

4. Dr Kalam was a true patriot because he was a nation-builder in the true sense of the term and
transcended caste, region, religion and language. He wanted to use technology to help the common
man, the disabled and the disadvantaged sections of society. He made a safe, biocompatible and
long-lasting stent for heart patients from the alloys used in missile technology.

C. 1. Dr Kalam was a simple person, a true patriot, a man who believed in the empowerment of
students and made missiles but talked of peace. He firmly believed that educational opportunities
should be provided to all children as that was the only way to remove poverty. He interacted with
students across the country, sharing his experiences, teaching them to dream and imagine, learn,
question and work towards fulfilling their goals in life. He was a great learner who had an insatiable
curiosity, a zest for life and an optimism which made him reach out for the impossible. He had a
child like enthusiasm and a modesty despite all the accolades he received for his work. No other
public figure endeared himself to all sections of the country as he did. He used technology to
improve the lot of the common man, the disabled and the disadvantaged. His thoughts found
expression in his books: Wings of Fire, Ignited Minds: Unleashing the Power Within India, My
Journey: Transforming Dreams into Actions, Mission of India, Inspiring Thoughts and Indomitable
Spirit.

2. Dr Kalam placed great faith in technology and I think he was right to do so. He wanted to use
technology to develop the country so that it could be at par with the other developed nations of the
world. He was involved in the development of the ballistic missile and launch vehicle technology and
was known as the ‘Missile Man of India’. He wanted to use technology to help the common man, the
disadvantaged and the disabled. When he realised that a coronary stent cost over Rs 60, 000, he
made a safe, biocompatible and long-lasting stent from the alloys used in missile technology. He
collaborated with Dr Somaraju and the two scientists developed the Kalam–Raju stent, a low-priced,
safe and effective device that has been used successfully to help many patients. He brought in the
digitisation of the library and made a tactile garden for the visually challenged in the President’s
Estate in New Delhi. Technology has helped us to make unbelievable strides in the field of medicine,
information, travel, research and education and I think Dr Kalam was right in placing so much faith in
technology.

D. 1. a. Teachers should give students the wings to fly.

b. These words mean that students should be given the means to dream, to imagine, to explore and
shape their own destiny. No shackles should be imposed on their imagination. They should be free
to explore, to learn, to dream and achieve the impossible and not surrender to fate.

2. a. This statement means that the most important aspect of Dr Kalam’s character is his simple
nature which was completely devoid of any pride.

b. Such a characteristic is important as well as useful because it helps you to keep learning and
acquire knowledge. It makes you interact with all sections of society so that you are able to perceive
their problems and empathise with them. This is what makes you endear yourself to everyone you
come across.

c. Dr Kalam collaborated with Dr Somaraju and the two scientists developed the Kalam–Raju stent, a
lowpriced, safe and effective device which could be used in place of the expensive coronary stent
costing over 60, 000 rupees.

Caged Bird

Reading Comprehension

A. 1. The caged bird opens his throat to sing because his wings are clipped and his feet are tied.

2. The words ‘dares to claim the sky’ mean that the free bird enjoys the freedom to soar as high as
he can and even claim the sky as his own.

3. The line ‘But a caged bird stands on the grave of dreams’ shows that the caged bird has lost the
will to survive.

4. The free bird thinks of another breeze, the trade winds through the sighing trees and the fat
worms waiting on a bright lawn at dawn.

B. 1. By the lines ‘a free bird leaps on the wind and floats downstream’, the poet wishes to imply
that the free bird readily takes flight with the wind that passes by. It is free to soar with the wind and
float gently downstream because its wings are not clipped and its feet are not tied.
2. The caged bird sings with a fearful trill because it is apprehensive of what dangers its song may
lead into. It has lost confidence after being confined and it does not feel free to sing; it is afraid of
the atrocities it may be subjected to.

3. The song of the caged bird is heard on the distant hill. He sings of freedom and things unknown
but longed for still.

C. 1. The poet contrasts the free bird and the caged bird by using a number of images. The free bird
joyfully leaps on the back of the wind and floats downstream till the current ends. He soars to claim
the sky while the caged bird stalks down his narrow cage. His wings are clipped and his feet are tied;
he is frustrated and angry at his plight. He opens his throat to sing with a fearful trill of things
unknown yet longed for still. He sings of freedom which he does not have and his tune is heard on
the distant hill. The free bird thinks of another breeze, the trade winds that move softly through the
sighing trees and the fat worms on the bright lawn. The caged bird on the other hand stands on the
grave of dreams; he has nothing to look forward to and he only opens his throat to sing of things
that he longs for and cannot get.

2. There is no definite rhyme scheme in the poem. In the first stanza, there is no set rhyme scheme;
this enables the reader to feel the freedom of the free bird as it soars on the back of the wind. The
reader’s attention is drawn to the main focus of the poem—the contrast between the free bird and
the caged bird. There are words that rhyme in the stanzas: leaps, ends, rays; cage, rage; trill, still, hill.
As the poem is read, it almost produces a musical effect. The last stanza is a repetition of the third
stanza and this repetition serves to draw the reader’s attention to the plight of the caged bird which
stands oppressed and suffers under the shackles imposed on it.

D. 1. a. The free bird thinks of another breeze because it has the freedom to explore and take any
risks that may be challenging as it is not bound by restrictions.

b. The fat worms signify the good and coveted opportunities the free bird has which are denied to
the caged bird.

c. ‘He names the sky his own’ means the free bird is free to think everything around is his own and
he can claim anything he sets his heart on.

2. a. The caged bird lives in confinement, his wings are clipped and his feet are tied; he stands on the
grave of his dreams.

b. The poet presents the free bird before the caged bird to portray the plight of the caged bird more
effectively and make the contrast between the two more vivid.

c. The caged bird is a symbol of African Americans who were denied many rights and were subjected
to racial discrimination. They had to live by certain rules that were imposed on them and they
suffered because they were not free to explore, dream and achieve what they longed for

Sports and Fitness

Reading Comprehension

A. 1. Children play sports because they derive joy from it.

2. When we run, our joints remain supple.

3. Sports teach us to play fair, to be a team player, to observe and to plan our strategies.

4. Junk food contains fat, preservatives and excess sugar that cause damage to our health in the long
run.

B. 1. When we run around, our heart and lungs improve their efficiency, our mucsles become better-
toned, our joints become supple, our brain releases certain chemicals that enhance our mood and
often we have a sense of well-being at the end of the game.

2. Those who play games remain mentally healthy for a longer time than those who do not play any
sports. If you are healthy, you gain the confidence to face the challenges in a better manner and
tackle them.

3. Sports makes you realise that you cannot do much as an individual. You need the combined effort
of all the team members to succeed. So, you learn to be a team player and not be just an individual
playing on your own.

4. Sports builds character because athletes have to practise hard for years and struggle much to
attain glory in a major sports event. This teaches us that perseverance and hard work are required
for achieving success.

5. Some sports that ensure physical activity are basketball, tennis, football, athletics.

C. 1. Sports teaches that repeated failures should never make us waver in achieving our goals. There
are many sports stars who failed several times before they finally achieved success. The legendary
basketball star Michael Jordan admitted to having missed more than 9,000 shots in his career. He
had lost almost 300 games. Twentysix times he had been trusted to take the game-winning shot and
missed. He had failed many times but he had never given up and that is why he had succeeded. This
shows how important it is to take failure in your stride and keep trying. You must never give up in
despair but keep persevering to accomplish the objectives you have set for yourself.

2. Playing sports teaches us leadership skills. If you are made the captain and are responsible for
leading your team, you learn how to manage your team so that the members function effectively.
You try out ways and means to motivate them so that they give their best and the team is led to
victory. You learn about planning, strategies and execution of your plans. As you keep working on
your plan of action, you develop the powers of observation and thinking. You also learn to focus on
what you wish to achieve and remain dedicated to the responsibility entrusted to you. These two
traits—focus and dedication—will stand you in good stead in your role as a leader.

D. 1. a. Sports teaches you to compete hard but play fair. You learn that on some occasions you may
play well but still lose and on some other occasions, you can get lucky and win even if you don’t play
as well as you should have.

b. These values are important because these are the lessons that we experience throughout our life.
c. These lessons can help you now to handle disappointments and face failure and maintain integrity
and honesty despite losing. Later on in life, you will be able to manage every situation by taking both
successes and failures in your stride without resorting to any unfair means.
2. a. The legendary basketball player Michael Jordan said these words.

b. The speaker is talking about the shots scored in basketball.

c. This helped the speaker to keep trying in spite of failing and that is why he succeeded.