Literature:

Chapter 1: Kali and the Rat Snake

I. Synonyms:
1) Track - Path

2) Nudged - Poked

3) Giggled - Chuckle

4) Silly - Stupid
5) Swish - Rustle

6) Banged - Hit

7) Terrified - Frightened

8) Hissed - Whispered
9) Struck - Banged

10) Grabbed - Seized

11) Wrapped - Covered

12) Grin - Smile

13) Brave - Bold

14) Quarrelling - Arguing

15) Admiration - Appreciation

16) Careful - Cautious

II. Antonyms:
1) Giggled X Moaned

2) Silly X Sensible

3) Terrified X Confident

4) Grabbed X Released
5) Wrapped X Unwrapped

6) Grin X Cry

7) Brave X Coward

8) Quarrelling X Agreeing
9) Admiration X Disgust

10) Careful X Careless

III. Short answer questions
1) What did Kali's father do for a living?
Kali's father was one of the most famous snake-catchers of the Irula tribe.

2) How did the students react to Kali? Why? Do you think their attitude was fair?
At first, the students nudged each other and giggled when Kali introduced himself. After
that, as he was different from them, they ignored him and left him alone. I think their
attitude was unfair as they did not take the time to get to know him."

3) What happened when the snake arrived? Why was Kali only 'surprised'?
Everyone in the classroom panicked when the snake arrived. The teacher hid under his
table and the children shouted and ran around in confusion. Kali was only 'surprised'
because he had been around snakes all his life. He had helped his father on many
snake-catching expeditions. The people of his tribe went towards snakes, not away from
them. Hence, he was unafraid, and could not understand the fear and behaviour of the
other students.

4) Irulas only went towards snakes, not away from them. Explain.
The statement 'Irulas only went towards snakes, not away from them', explains the
surprise that Kali felt when he saw his classmates trying to run away from the snake.
Irulas are a tribe with a long history of catching snakes for making anti-snake venom.
Hence they are familiar with the behaviour of snakes and know how to act calmly
around them. The snake cooperatives would pay Rs 150 for each snake caught, so a
poisonous snake was a potential source of income. This was the first thought that
occurred to Kali when he saw the rat-snake, and was the reason why he was surprised
that his classmates were running away, rather than towards, the snake.

5) The snake has been described as a threatening one. Pick words and phrases to justify this.
The writer uses various words and phrases to create the idea of a large and terrifying
snake. She describes the snake as 'over six feet long' and having a 'long, muscular body'.
She also builds suspense and tension by describing how 'Slowly more and more of its
body uncoiled from the beam', before it drops to the ground and creates a fresh wave
of panic in the classroom. When Kali approached the snake, it 'reared back like a horse,
opened its mouth wide, hissed and struck.'

6) Kali and his friends grinned secretly at each other. What were they grinning about?
Kali and his friends secretly grinned at each other because after Kali had caught the
snake, the teacher pretended to be unafraid and scolded the class for having been 'silly
children', afraid of a non-poisonous snake. This was funny because everyone had
witnessed the teacher's terror, first hiding under his desk and then on it, and yelling
'save me' in total panic.
 7) Why did Kali have no friends at school? (Kali and the rat snake)
Kali had no friends at school because ever since he told the class that his father was a
snake catcher, they had shunned him for being different and strange.

8) Why did Kali want to be thrown out of school? (Kali and the rat snake)
Kali wanted to be thrown out of school because he had no friends. He felt unhappy and
lonely there.

9) What made the children want to become friends with Kali?(Kali and the rat snake)
The children wanted to become friends with Kali after they watched him calmly and
bravely catch the rat snake.

10) Why did Kali wonder if everyone had gone mad? (Kali and the rat snake)
Kali wondered if everyone had gone mad because they were running away from the
snake. In his tribe, people went towards a snake to catch it.

DIARY WRITING:

Imagine that you are Kali. Write a page in your diary a few days after the episode to describe
how people’s attitude towards you has changed.

10 June 2021
Thursday

9:00 pm

Dear Diary,

Everything has changed! Just a week ago, I was so unhappy at school that I was doing everything
possible to fail and be thrown out. I remember even on that fateful day, as I was walking to
school in the morning, my feet felt heavier and heavier as I got closer to it. I never imagined
what would happen that day would change my life so much.

Ever since the day I caught the snake, my classmates are completely different with me. Now they
all want to talk to me and be my friend. They ask questions about my father’s work, and beg me
to tell them stories of snakes that I have caught before. Now I never have to sit alone. I look
forward to going to school every day. And guess what? Today I took fried termites for my tiffin.
All the boys tried it and some of them asked for more. In return, they shared their tiffins with me.
I am so happy

Kali