“A Visit of Charity” is a short story by the American writer, Eudora Welty

(1909 – 2001). She is a short story writer and novelist. Her novel ―The
Optimist's Daughter‖ won the Pulitzer Prize in 1973.

The main characters of ‗A Visit of Charity‘ are Marian, a girl of fourteen

and two old women at an old ladies home. Marian plans to visit an old ladies
home as part of her association with Campfire. She does not care about the
old people who live there. But she walks into the building carrying a potted
plant to get three points to her final score in the campfire.

She tells the nurse that she is a Campfire Girl and needs to pay a visit to ―an
old lady‖. The nurse, asks her if she knows any of the residents. But Marian
tells her that any of them will do. The nurse takes her to the room where two
old women live. When she opens the door an old woman smiles uneasily at
her. And the other woman lies in bed.

Marian is disturbed by the dark and the damp room. One old woman is
interested about the plant Marian brought. She asks Marian if she has come
to be their ―little girl for a while‖. The bedridden woman says that the
flowers are ugly. She wants to know who Marian is. The first old woman
mentions about another girl who came to see them last month. But the
bedridden woman does not remember about the other girl. The two women
begin quarreling. One said that the girl read to them from the Bible and the
other woman said no to it. The first old woman tells Marian not to mind the
bedridden woman. Marian starts to feel uncomfortable.

The women ask her lot of questions. They ask what she does in school,
Marian is very tensed and she cannot remember. Marian tells the women
that she has come there only for three points. The flowers count for a point
and reading Bible would give her double the points. However, the two
women are busy quarrelling. The first woman talks to Marian about her
younger days. Marian cannot even imagine about the women‘s younger
days. The bedridden woman calls Marian to come towards her, and Marian
is afraid, but goes near her.

The other woman tells Marian that the bed ridden woman is only angry
because it is her birthday. Marian asks the age of bed ridden woman and that
old woman starts crying. The first old woman makes fun of her. They ask
Marian for money as the old ladies do not have any money with them.
However, Marian has no mind to help the two women. She quickly leaves
the room. She runs outside, catches the bus, and sits down relieved taking a
bite of an apple.

Aldous Huxley (1894 –1963) was an English writer and philosopher. He

wrote nearly fifty books. His essay, ‗Benares‘ shows his rationalistic
approach in life. The solar eclipse was about to take place on 14th of
January 1926. It was not to be seen by naked eyes. The solar eclipse was
visible from Benares so Aldous Huxley came to observe it.

Aldous Huxley is an outsider in India. He views the rituals of Indians with

surprise. On that particular day of his visit to the city of Benares, a pilgrim
place, was crowded with lot of people. As per Hindu mythology when a big
serpent swallows the sun, eclipse happens. Millions of people from all over
the country came there to save the sun from being eaten up by a serpent.

Huxley observed the orthodox Brahmins with their chants and actions on the
crowded banks of the Ganges. He calls Ganga, the sacred river of the dirty
water. Men, women and children from all walks of life with utensils and
new clothes came there. They wanted to take a holy dip in Ganga. Huxley
observed the ocean of ignorant mankind on the banks of the Ganga.

Huxley finds it absurd as he knows the scientific truth behind the

phenomenon. He is not able to understand the fact that how so many Indians
could waste time upon superstitions. In the mid-noon six persons carried the
princess in a palanquin. The princess was to take a dip in the river. All the
common people gave way for her to take a bath in the holy water of Ganga.

Later, Aldous Huxley, came to the ghats on which he observed three dead
bodies cremated on the pyres of wood. The time of solar eclipse came in at
last. The complete eclipse was to take place. Suddenly the Brahmins started
sitting in a line and singing. Huxley who was an unorthodox western man
was just interested in clicking his camera.

The author felt extremely sorry for Indians who are very much superstitious
in their beliefs. When he came into the city of Benares he could see the city
packed with beggars. He saw a sacred animal eating away the rice from one
of the sleepy beggar. He was of the opinion that animals are not intelligent
and have no imagination. But they are very happy. They at least get food on
time. When the whole mankind was engaged to influence gods for their
benefit the bull came with timely care and ate away the rice given to a
beggar in charity.

Aldous Huxley regrets the religious ignorance of the Indians. He asks the
Indians why they were trying to save the sun. As a rationalist, the writer
believes only in science. He thinks much of India‘s energy is wasted in
superstitions. He says India will not be free unless they give up all their
superstitions.
Stanzas Written in Dejection, Near Naples is a poem written by the
British poet Percy Bysshe Shelley (1792- 1822). Shelley did not see fame
during his lifetime. But recognition of his achievements in poetry grew after
his death. ‗Stanzas Written in Dejection, near Naples‘ describes the feelings
of loneliness the speaker suffers. It also describes how he tries to ease his
pain of loneliness by being in the company of nature.
The poem begins with the speaker stating that he is observing a beautiful
day. The landscape around him contains both the sea and mountains. The
day is warm, the sky is clear and the waves sparkle. Blue islands and snow-
topped mountains look purple in the midday light. Buds are ready to
blossom. The sounds of the winds, the birds, the waves, and of Naples itself
blend in pleasant harmony. He looks deeper into the sea and sees the bottom
of the deep. The poet sees the seaweed on the ocean bottom. It is untouched
by any human presence.
He also watches the waves dissolve into light as they strike the shore. He sits
alone on the sand, observing the sparkling ocean. The poet listens to the
sound of the waves. He observes everything in nature. Listening to the voice
of nature makes him sound more depressed. He thinks about his loneliness.
He feels all these would have been more pleasant if there were someone with
whom he could share the emotion he feels.
He is not happy by the sights he sees. Instead he meditates on his own
depression. He lists all the things he does not have but wishes he did. He
feels as if the world does not care for him— he is a man alone.
Shelley does not have any hope, good health, peace, calmness, satisfaction,
fame, power, love, and leisure. He observes others who enjoy all these
beautiful sights. He finds life is a pleasure for all those people. But it is
otherwise for the poet. He thinks about death. Death would take upon him
quietly. It will turn his warm cheeks cold while the waves continued their
monotonous rhythm. Some might mourn his death.
Some believed his death was not accidental. Shelley was depressed and
wanted to die. Shelley had an unnatural death. Less than a month before his
thirtieth birthday, Shelley was drowned in a sudden storm. Some believed
his death was not accidental. Shelley was depressed and wanted to die.
The ends of the day however did not bring mixed feelings to him. It will live
on in his memory.
Shakespeare (1564-1616) is one of the greatest dramatists of British English
literature. He is often called England's national poet. He wrote some 39
plays and 154 sonnets. Julius Caesar is a history play and tragedy by
William Shakespeare first performed in 1599. It is one of several plays
written by Shakespeare based on true events from Roman history,
The lesson ―Shakespeare Retoled: Julius Caesar Act III scene
2‖describes the Tragedy of Julius Caesar. In the beginning of the Act, Brutus
and Cassius enter the Forum with a crowd of people. Cassius exits to speak
to another portion of the crowd. The play depicts the confusion of Brutus as
he joins a plan by Cassius to murder Julius Caesar to prevent him from
becoming ruler of Rome.
Brutus addresses the onstage crowd, asking them to trust in his honor. He
did not kill Caesar out of a lack of love for him. He says, but because his
love for Rome was more than his love of a single man, Caesar. He insists
that Caesar was a great man but ambitious. He feared that the Romans would
live as slaves under Caesar‘s leadership. He asks if anyone disagree with
him, and none did.
Antony then enters with Caesar‘s body. Brutus explains to the crowd that
Antony had no role in the conspiracy. He asks them to listen to Antony, who
has obtained permission to give a funeral oration. Brutus exits.
Antony stresses that as they all loved Caesar once, they should cry for him
now. Antony brings out Caesar‘s will. The plebeians beg him to read it.
Antony says that he should not, for then they would be touched by Caesar‘s
love for them. They implore him to read it. The plebeians demand that
Antony read the will.
Finally, Antony descends from the pulpit and prepares to read the letter to
the people as they stand in a circle around Caesar‘s corpse. Looking at the
body, Antony points out the wounds that Brutus and Cassius inflicted,
reminding the crowd how Caesar loved Brutus, and yet Brutus stabbed him
cruelly. He tells how Caesar died. Then he uncovers the body for all to see.
The people weep and become enraged. Antony says that they should not be
stirred to mutiny against such ―honourable men‖ He protests that he does not
 intend to steal away their hearts, for he is no orator like Brutus. He
proclaims himself a plain man; he speaks only what he knows, he says—he
will let Caesar‘s wounds speak the rest.
The people declare that they will mutiny. Antony now reads that Caesar has
given a sum of money from his personal holdings to every man in Rome.
The citizens are struck by this act of generosity. They swear to take revenge
for Caesar‘s death. Antony continues reading, revealing Caesar‘s plans to
make his private parks and gardens available for the people‘s pleasure.
The people become sad listening to this. They understand what Antony had
been saying and realize what a wrong Brutus and other conspirators have
done to Caesar and to Rome.
GRAMMAR

1. ADJECTIVES
A.Present Participle (ing form) and Past Participles (-ed form)
1. It was a ______________ book. I was ______________by the book (bore)
2. This film is _______________. I was __________________while watching
it (frighten)
3. I felt___________________after I ran into him. That man is very
___________(annoy)
4. It is an _______________topic. I am _________________in learning more
about it (interest)
5. I am _____________because I‘ve had a ____________day(tire)
6. I was _____________by the article. It was an _____________article(amuse)
7. This is the ____________story I have read. (fascination)
Answers
1. Boring, Bored
2. Frightening. Frightened
3. Annoyed, Annoyng
4. Interesting, interested
5. Tired, tiring
6. Amused, Amusing
7. Most fascinating
B. Degrees of Comparison
1. Your pencil is _____________than mine (long)
2. The flower is ____________________than its picture. (beautiful)
3. Your pencil is the _______________in the box(long)
4. That flower is the ___________in my garden (beautiful)
5. Nonsmokers live_______________than smokers
6. A holiday by the sea is ________________than the holiday in the
mountains(good)
7. Today was the ____________________day of my life (bad)
8. This is the ________of the two evils(less)
9. My bungalow is _______________than hers. My bungalow is the
__________in my colony. (large)
10. Iam the ___________runner in my school. But my sister can run
__________than me (fast)
11. Not only is her handwriting ____________now, it is infact the
____________in the class (good)
12. The task is _______________________to me. It is the __________task I
will do this week. (important)
13. I thought the green pens would cost the ___________, but the red ones cost
_____________(little)
Answers
1. Longer
2. More beautiful
3. Longest
4. Most beautiful
5. Longer
6. Better
7. Worst
8. Least
9. Larger, largest
10. Fastest, faster
11. Better, best
12. More important. Most
important
13. Least, lesser
C.Quantifiers
1. There isn‘t ____________sugar in the pot (much/many)
2. She has very _________________options left (little/few)
3. He brought ______________food with him (some/many)
4. I have _____________faith in God (little/less)
5. People buy _______________newspapers these days (fewer/less)
6. Do you have any ______________plans (further/farther)
7. I ran pretty far yesterday. But I ran even
__________today(further/farther)
8. Of the two shirts, I prefer the ___________(later/latter)
9. She arrived at the party_____________than me(later/latter)
10 The people in the photo are my dad, mom and my brother. The
__________ is wearing blue shirt. (later/latter)
Answers
1. much
 2. few
3. some
4. little
5. Fewer
6. further
7. farther
8. latter
9. later
10. Latter

2. ARTICLES
1. He is __________teacher
2. She has ___________one rupee coin
3. He is ____________engineer
4. He is ____________actor
5. He was late by ____________hour
6. He is ___________honest boy
7. I have a pen. _________pen is blue in colour
8. I study in GDC, chevella. _______College is near my home.
9. I need to cross _____Godavari river
10. Kalidas was regarded as ____________Shakespeare of India
11. She doesn‘t own ____________car
12. He came from ____________humble beginnings
13. I saw ___________bears at the zoo
14. He asked for ___________milk
15. She didn‘t get _____________-invitation
16. I saw _____ eagle fly by.
17. She was ________English teacher. She taught at ___________ University
18. She bought _________milk, _______butter and _______loaf of bread
19. The table is made of __________wood
20. Dr. Abdul Kalam is _______honest man
 Answers
1. a
2.a
3.an
4. an
5.an
6.an
7.The
8The
9. The
10. the
11. a
12.____
13. ____
14.____
15. an
16An
17. An, the
18___, ____, a loaf of bread
19. ____
20. an

3. ADVERBS
1. The old man walks___________(slow)
2. Come ________-before it finishes(quick)
3. I speak Telugu___________(fluent)
4. He completed the answer_____________(easy)
5. I left home____________(early)
6. He did not do ____________-in the exam(good)
7. My sister worked __________-(hard)
8. He is driving too __________-(fast)
9. He is dressed_________(casual)
10. The plane flew______(high)
11. Mrs Reddy began the class__________(early)
12. I had been ___________ late (real)
13. I was punished ___________for it (bad)
14. I entered _______from the back door (quick)
15. I sat in the bench ____________-before she noticed (swift)
16. I go to the park ____________evening(day)
17. I __________run into my neighbor (accident)
18. Her dog wags its tail _____ when it sees me (continuous)
19. The pan was __ ______-hot(real)
20. She goes to the market______________(day)
Answers
1. slowly
2. quickly
3. fluently
4. easily
5. early
6. well
7. hard
8. Fast
9. casually
10 high
11. early
12 really
13. badly
14. quickly
15. swiftly
16 daily
17. accidentally
18. continuously
19. really
 20. daily

4. NONFINITE VERBS
1. He gave me a pen to write with
2. It was a nice sight to see
3. I want to buy some vegetables
4. Barking dogs do not bite
5. She was wearing a designer outfit

6. I had my car polished

7. Finding the door open, my mother went inside
8. She is doing her homework
9. The proposal has been examined today
10. She has finished her exams
11. I struggle to understand
12. To exercise is good for the body
13. I do not have time to enjoy the food
14. I love swimming
15. Travelling is my hobby
16. The movie is interesting to me
17. Eating freshly picked vegetables is good for health
18. Ladakh is a fascinating place
19. We are excited to go to our native place.
20. Are you interested in singing
Answers
1. to write
2. to see
3. to buy
4. Barking
5. wearing
6. polished
 7.Finding
8. doing
9. examined
10. finished
11. to understand
12. To exercise
13. to enjoy
14. swimming
15. Traveelng
16. interesting
17. eating
18. fascinating
19. excited
20interested
D.SIMILE

1. Her hair is as black as coal

2. She is as brave as a lion
3. Her eyes sparkled like diamonds
4. The water was as black as night
5. She was as busy as a bee
6. The room was so warm. It was like a sauna
7. She moves with such grace like a gazelle
8. My love is like a red rose
E. METAPHOR
1. The city is a concrete jungle
2. Her words were poison
3. All the world is a stage
4. You are the light of my life
5. The computers are practically dinosaurs
6. The cities were covered in a blanket of flowers
7. London is a melting pot
8. The wheels of justice grind sow
F. OXYMORON
1. She let out a quiet scream
2. The design is composed of an irregular pattern
3. The room was filled with deafening silence
4. The clown was seriously funny
5. You are clearly confused
6. Did you bring the original copy
7. She is deeply superficial
8. That dog is pretty ugly
HYPERBOLE
1. The suitcase weighed a ton
2. We had to wait forever for the bus
3. I could sleep for a year
4. It was the most amazing sight ever
5. I am so hungry I could eat a horse
6. I ve told you a hundred times to wash the dishes
PORTMANTEAU WORDS
1. Advertisement +editorial=________________
2. Biography+picture=_____________
3. Education+entertainment=_________________
4. Emotion+icon=_______________
5. International+network=_________________
6. Malicious +software=______________
7. Multiple+complex=______________
8. Motor+hotel=_______________
9. Picture+element=_______________
10. Romantic+comedy=_____
11. Smoke+fog=____________
Answers
1. Advertorial
2. Biopic
3. Edutainment
4. Emoticon
5. Internet
6. Malware
7. Multiplex
8. Motel
9. Pixel
10. Romcom
11. Smog
PALINDROME
1. When both hands of the clock are on 12, the sun is overhead__noon_
2. A part of the body eye
3. Amale member of the family dad
4. A female member of the family mom
5. The smallest palindomic number greater than 9 11
6. The next palindromic number after the one above 22
7. The smallest palindromic number greater than 99 is 101
8. The greatest palindromic number less than 99 is 88

SPELLINGS
Use of ei and ie (page 95 in your text book)
Believe, chief, friend, patient
Ceiling, receipt,receive,seize
Use of able and ible (page no 116)
Enjoyable, bearable, movable, acceptable
Edible, reversible, permissible, audible
Use of ance and ence (page no 131)
Appearance, assurance, performance Confidence, independence,
innocence, difference