SKCH COMPOSITE PU COLLEGE

II PU ENGLISH STUDY MATERIAL

DEPARTMENT OF ENGLISH

2020 - 2021
 TABLE OF CONTENTS

1. LITERATURE - 1 MARK QUESTIONS 01

2. LITERATURE - PROSE AND POETRY 32

a. ROMEO AND JULIET - WILLIAM SHAKESPEARE 32

b. TOO DEAR - LEO TOLSTOY 33

c. A SUNNY MORNING - SERAFIN AND JOAQUIN ALVAREZ QUINTER 35

d. A SUNNY MORNING (THE ENTIRE DRAMA IN INDIRECT SPEECH) 37

e. THE GARDENER - P LANKESH 43

f. ON CHILDREN - KAHLIL GIBRAN 46

g. WHEN YOU ARE OLD - W.B. YEATS 47

h. HEAVEN, IF YOU ARE NOT HERE ON EARTH - KUVEMPU 48

i. JAPAN AND BRAZIL THROUGH A TRAVELER’S EYE - GEORGE MIKES 49

j. THE VOTER - CHINUA ACHEBE 50

k. WHERE THERE IS A WHEEL - PALAGUMMI SAINATH 52

3. GRAMMAR - SPRINGS 54

4. GRAMMAR - STREAMS

1. PRONOUNS 55

2. PASSIVES 58

5. LINKERS 59

6. IDIOMS AND PHRASES MEANING 62

7. LETTER 65

8. REPORTED SPEECH 67

9. DIALOGUE WRITING 76

10. REPORT WRITING 78

11. SPEECH 80

12. WORKBOOK POETRY COMPREHENSION 81

13. CHECK LIST 83

14. SAMPLE QUESTION PAPER AND MODEL ANSWER PAPER 87

 LITERATURE – 1 MARK QUESTIONS

PART I

1. Juliet appears like a 'snowy dove trooping with crows' and ______________ (write the other Simile)
2. What had Romeo not seen until he met Juliet?
3. When will the world be in love with night?
4. What are the items on which tax is levied in Monaco?
5. Which proverb is used in 'Too Dear' to justify the dirty business of gambling?
6. How much did the Italian government demand for the execution?
7. You may house their bodies but not their ________.
8. What should the bow in the archer's hand bend for?
9. In 'On Children', God loves the arrow that flies as well as the bow that is ____________.
10. According to the speaker in 'On Children', ______________ does not go backward.
11. What is the name of Gonzalo's servant in 'A Sunny Morning'?
12. Dona Laura was carrying a ____________ in her free hand.
13. Whose poem did Gonzalo read aloud?
14. Where did Gonzalo meet Campoamor?
15. In 'A Sunny Morning', the words 'gouty' and 'impatient' refers to ___________.
16. What does the speaker in 'When you are old' want his beloved to dream of?
17. What does 'the sorrows of your changing face' refer to?
18. What is meant by 'pilgrim soul'?
19. According to the speaker, what will the woman regret in her old age?
20. Who narrated a story to whom in 'The Gardener'?
21. According to Tammanna, he got the story from the newspaper with its report that ______________.
22. The old man looked like a ____________.
a) landlord b) philosopher c) poet
23. Basavaiah died because ________________.
a) of his illness b) he had no rival c) he was in deep debt
24. What does the tender sunshine lean on?
25. Where does heaven lie according to Kuvempu in 'Heaven, If You Are Not Here on Earth'?
26. Where does the surf roll, in 'Heaven, If You Are Not Here on Earth'?
27. Which places does the Tokaido Line connect?

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28. What are the pavements in the streets of Copacabana decorated with?
29. In Japan making noise while eating soup is a sign of _____________.
30. What did Roof do in Port Harcourt ?
31. What was Marcus Ibe before he joined politics?
32. Whose house did the whispering campaigners, that was headed by Roof, meet at?
33. Name the person who wrote the famous cycling song.
34. What did Sheela Rani Chunkath add as a part of the literacy drive?

ANSWER KEY

1. Rich jewel in an Ethiope's ear

2. Romeo had not seen what true beauty was until he met Juliet
3. Romeo will make the face of heaven so fine that the world will fall in love with night
4. Tobacco, wine and spirits
5. You can't earn stone palaces by honest labour
6. Twelve thousand Francs/12000Francs
7. Souls
8. Gladness, as He loves the bow that is stable
9. Stable
10. Life
11. Juanito
12. Parasol
13. Campoamor
14. Valencia
15. Don Gonzalo
16. The soft look her eyes once had
17. The changes in her face as she grows older
18. The soul which is in quest of True Love
19. She will regret that she had rejected the speaker's true love
20. Tammanna to landlord's wife
21. Russia told United States that it is no longer its enemy
22. b - Philosopher
23. b- he had no rival
24. Leans on verdant gardens

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25. Heaven lies all over the earth, in the splendor of harvest and of moonlight
26. At the edge of waves
27. Tokyo and Osaka
28. With beautiful black mosaics
29. Appreciation
30. Worked as a bicycle repairer's apprentice at Port Harcourt
31. A mission school teacher
32. Ogbuefi Ezenwa
33. Muthu Bhaskaran
34. Mobility

PART II

1. What does Romeo intend to do after the measure is done?

2. The figure of speech in the phrase 'black browed night' is a _________.
3. What was expected of the soldiers in dealing with the criminal in 'Too Dear'?
4. Name one of the reasons for the soldiers refusal to execute the criminal in 'Too Dear'.
5. What according to the speaker can parents not visit in 'On Children'?
6. Who did Gonzalo tell Laura to ask about his hunting skills?
7. What did Laura tell Gonzalo of handkerchief and shoe brush?
8. Name the servants of both Gonzalo and Laura.
9. Why did Don Gonzalo hide his identity from Dona Laura in 'A Sunny Morning'?
10. Why are Laura and Gonzalo annoyed with each other?
11. When did Tammanna forget all his songs and ballads?
12. When does man lose his name in the lesson 'The Gardener'?
13. What qualities of the old man impress the narrator in 'The Gardener'?
14. Who can create heaven on earth in the poem 'Heaven, If You Are Not Here On Earth'?
15. The war between the drivers in Brazil is ________ but _______.
16. Which is the worst place in Brazil to cross a road?
17. Where do the two conductors enter the carriage in a slightly theatrical scene?
18. What does George Mikes compare Japanese bowing to?
19. How long does it take in Japan to convince oneself that you are among exquisitely well mannered
people?
20. What does Chinua Achebe mean when he says 'like proverbial fly trying to move a dunghill'?

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21. Marcus Ibe is not like the mortar which as soon as food comes its way turns its back on the ground –
what does this mean?
22. When did moon keep a straight face in 'The Voter'?
23. We have climbed the Iroko tree today and would be foolish not to take down all the firewood we
need.' What do 'we', 'iroko tree' and 'firewood', stand for?
24. What is whispering campaign?
25. Where was the highlife band hired from, by Marcus?
26. Marcus knew he would win a _____________.
27. Which district of Tamil Nadu, according to P.Sainath, wherein, has cycling been a social movement?
28. Name one of the women who have trained young women of their community in the art of cycling.
29. What is common between neo-literates and neo-cyclists?

ANSWER KEY - PART II

1. To take her hand into his, to bless his rude hand

2. Personification
3. To cut the man's head off in a rough and a homely fashion
4. They didn't want to do it because they hadn't been taught that
5. Their souls that dwell in the house of tomorrow
6. Hares and the Partridges
7. If he used his handkerchief as a shoe brush and if he used his shoe brush as a handkerchief
8. Juanito and Petra
9. He was unhappy with his grotesque appearance
10. Laura - He disturbed the birds
Gonzalo - As she disturbed him
11. After Basavaiah's death
12. After a particular age
13. His eyes were suffused with strange memories and native intelligence
14. Poet, you and I
15. Murderous, but good tempered
16. Avenida Presidente Vargas
17. Tokaido line, between Tokyo and Osaka
18. The American traffic rule at the intersection of two roads
19. Quarter of an hour

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20. It means that any other party being an opposition to PAP would be like a fly trying to move a dunghill.
21. He is not the person who is after greener pastures.
22. When Roof as a part of the whispering campaign offered a bribe for votes.
23. We – Village elders
Iroko tree – Agree to take a bribe for vote
Firewood – Bribe
24. Whispering campaign is a campaign to give away the bribe for votes
25. Umuru
26. Landslide victory
27. Pudukkottai
28. Jameela Bibi / Fathima
29. Direct link between cycling and personal independence

PART III

1. Who, according to Juliet is whiter than new snow?

2. According to Shakespeare, Romeo travels on _____________.
3. Who does Romeo address as 'yonder lady'?
4. Who in 'Romeo and Juliet' is compared to a 'snowy dove'?
5. According to Juliet, Romeo will lie upon ____________.
6. Name any one adjective used by Juliet to describe the night.
7. When according to Juliet would Romeo make the face of heaven so fine?
8. Which family did Romeo belong to?
9. Juliet is the daughter of _________.
10. Where does Romeo see Juliet for the first time?
11. What does Juliet 'teach torches' according to Romeo?
12. ‘Measure done' means _________.
13. Who says this and when, 'You can't earn stone palaces by honest labour.'?
14. ‘Such a thing’ had not happened before in the Kingdom of Monaco. What does 'such a thing' mean?
15. What did the Kinglet of Monaco do when he realized that buying the guillotine was expensive?
16. What was the reason to stop the gaming houses?
17. Mention one of the things that the Kinglet of Monaco holds his court with that of a real king.
18. Who was a Brother Monarch?
19. Who, according to the council, did not have proper respect for the king?

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20. The King wanted a soldier to kill the criminal in a ________________ fashion.
21. What was the other hidden advantage to the King, in changing the death sentence to life
imprisonment, other than saving money?
22. What was the only hitch in the matter of executing the criminal in the Kingdom of Monaco?
23. The criminal received one-third of his annuity in advance and left the King's dominions – True / False.
24. What was the journey time by rail from Monaco Kingdom to the frontier, where the criminal settled in
'Too Dear'?
25. Where did the criminal settle after receiving one third of his annuity?
26. 'Too Dear' is an adaptation from _________.
27. Who asked the prophet for advice to bring up the new born?
28. In 'On Children' the parents may give their children their love, but not their ____________.
a. Dreams b. Thoughts c. Ideas
29. In 'On Children', God loves the arrow that flies as well as the bow that is____________.
a) does not bend b) breaks c) stable
30. Who does the archer want to bend for gladness?
31. What is it that the parents cannot visit even in their dreams?
32. What does the phrase 'their souls dwell in the house of tomorrow' mean on On Children?
33. The archer wants his arrows to go ________ and _______.
34. Who sees the mark upon the path of the infinite in 'On Children'?
35. According to the speaker of 'On Children', the one who loves both the arrow and bow is __.
a) the archer b) the parents c) the children
36. What cannot be housed in the poem 'On Children'?
37. According to the speaker in the poem, 'On Children' the children dwell in the house of _________.
a) today b) yesterday c) tomorrow
38. Who should stay stable according to Khalil Gibran?
39. What did the woman ask the prophet? (write the exact phrase in the poem)
40. They come through you but not from you…..' What do the words 'they' and 'you' refer to?
41. The poem 'On Children' is a selection from ________.
42. Whose name, according to Gonzalo, was his cousin whispering at the time of his death?
43. What does Don Gonzalo love to do in the park?
44. Laura Llorente was known as the______________ in her locality in 'A Sunny Morning' .
a) Dream Girl b) Golden Lady c) Silver Maiden
45. What right does Dona Laura claim to have to criticize Don Gonzalo?
46. Who is Dona Laura?

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47. What gives evidence that old Laura's mental faculties are unimpaired despite her age?
48. Who is Dona Laura's maid?
49. Name the servant of Don Gonzalo.
50. What does Dona Laura carry in her free hand that also serves as a cane?
51. 'Parasol' in a 'A Sunny Morning' serves also as a ____________.
a) Bread crumb b) Heart c) Cane
52. How old is Petra?
53. How much time does Dona Laura permit Petra to remain with the guard?
54. What did Dona Laura feed the pigeons with?
55. 'Senile old lady' refers to _______________.
a) Petra b) Pigeons c) Dona Laura
56. Where does Don Gonzalo go to hunt?
57. All love is sad, but sad as it is, it is the best thing that we know'- are lines of the poet __________.
58. Mention any one name of the great friends of Don Gonzalo that he spoke of, to Laura.
59. Where did Don Gonzalo meet Zorrilla?
60. Who does Gonzalo refer to as Gonzalo in the story of a sad love affair?
61. Who does Laura refer to as Laura in the story of a sad love affair?
62. The duel takes place between _______ and ________ in 'A Sunny Morning'.
63. Where, according to Don Gonzalo, did the gallant lover go, after the duel?
64. What is it that Dona Laura does not wish to tell Don Gonzalo?
65. Who did Don Gonzalo run away with, to Paris?
66. What according to Laura did Laura and Gonzalo end up discussing, when they met, by chance at a
park?
67. Who according to Laura are grateful and repay attention?
68. How does Don Gonzalo forever want Dona Laura to recall him?
69. How does Dona Laura forever want Don Gonzalo to recall her?
70. What does the gallant lover Don Gonzalo turn up with, everyday for the Silver Maiden at her balcony?
71. ___________ is curious, says Dona Laura.
a) romance b) fate c) Love
72. 'It is he!' 'It is she, and no mistake.' When do Laura and Gonzalo say this?
73. Who are known as 'Golden Boys of Madrid Theatre'?
74. Dona Laura and Don Gonzalo wish to come to the park the next day if it is a ____________.
a) a Sunny Morning b) a Winter Evening c) a Rainy Morning

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ANSWER KEY - PART III

1. Romeo
2. Raven’s back
3. Juliet
4. Juliet
5. The wings of night
6. Gentle / loving / black browed
7. When Romeo would be turned into a constellation of stars
8. Romeo belonged to the family of Montagues
9. Lord Capulet
10. In the Grand Supper hosted by Lord Capulet
11. How to burn bright
12. At the end of the dance
13. The Prince says this, when he allows gaming houses/gambling in Monaco
14. Murder
15. He altered the death sentence into life imprisonment
16. The gaming houses did much harm because of the accompanying vices such as drunkenness and
crime
17. Coronation / levees / rewards / sentences and pardons
18. The King of Italy.
19. The Republican French Government
20. In a rough and a homely fashion.
21. The Prince will come across as being merciful
22. They had neither guillotine nor an executioner
23. True
24. A quarter of an hour
25. Just across the frontier of Monaco
26. ‘Condemned to death’
27. A young woman who held a babe in her arms
28. Thoughts
29. stable
30. Parents
31. House of tomorrow

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32. In the future known only to the archer
33. Swift and far
34. Archer
35. The archer
36. The souls of children
37. Tomorrow
38. Parents
39. Speak to us of children’
40. They – children, You – Parents
41. The Prophet
42. Laura's name
43. He loved to have a bench all for himself and read aloud
44. Silver Maiden
45. A neighbour's right
46. A handsome, white haired old lady of about seventy years of age
47. Her bright eyes and her entire manner
48. Petra
49. Juanito
50. A parasol
51. C. Cane
52. She is twenty years of age
53. Not more than ten minutes
54. Bread crumbs
55. Dona Laura
56. To one of his estates near Aravaca
57. Compoamor
58. Espronceda/Zorrilla/Becquer
59. In America
60. As Gonzalo's cousin
61. As Laura's best friend
62. The young gallant lover and the merchant
63. First he went to Sevilla and then to Madrid and joined the Army
64. That Laura had married two years later
65. In three months he ran off to Paris with a ballet dancer

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66. The romance of old friends of long time ago.
67. The birds
68. As a gallant horseman, who passed daily beneath her window tossing flowers
69. The black-eyed girl tossing the flowers back as he passed among the roses in the garden
70. A bouquet of flowers
71. Fate
72. When Gonzalo stoops to pick up the flowers, the violets, dropped by Laura
73. Serafin and Joaquin Alvarez Quinter
74. A. A Sunny Morning

PART IV

WHEN YOU ARE OLD - W.B.Yeats

1. ‘When You Are Old' is a ________ poem.

2. How does the speaker suggest to read 'this book'?
3. Who, according to the poet loved his beloved's physical beauty and grace?
4. What does the speaker ask his beloved to murmur, a little sadly?
5. Where did the love pace upon?

THE GARDENER - P. Lankesh

6. Where has the story, `The Gardener’ its genesis?

7. Where was the old man standing?
8. What were the old man's eyes suffused with?
9. What was the old man well-versed in?
10. What did the owner's wife find it hard to decide?
11. What extent to, did the competition rise between Tammanna and Basavaiah?
12. What word did Basavaiah send to Tammanna?
13. How did Basavaiah acquire two hundred acres of Tammanna's land?
14. Tammanna could not tolerate this________.
a) Invention b) Innovation c) Invasion
15. The rivalry between Tammanna and Basavaiah started moving away from visible towards an invisible,
_________ domain.
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16. How did Basavaiah react when Tammanna composed the ballads?
17. What did Tammanna's songs consist of?
18. Mention one of the means suggested to Tammanna through which he would get back his land from
Basavaiah.
19. Tammanna's disease was Basavaiah's ____________.
a) health b) weakness c) sorrow
20. Who were the admirers of Tammanna's ballads?
21. Who started analysing and translating Tammanna's songs?
22. Art had become the ___________ of Tammanna's life.
23. Mention the second method that Tammanna thought of, to punish Basavaiah.
24. According to the old man, who paints well?
25. What did Basavaiah build for himself?
26. Name the two countries that resemble the rivalry between Basavaiah and Tammanna.
27. Where does the story take place in 'The Gardener'?
28. Who was a labourer, overseer and a philosopher in 'The Gardener'?
29. With the arrival of the old man, the petty thefts in the garden came to an end. True/false
30. Whose lifestyle underwent a perceptible change and gained social prestige in 'The Gardener'?
31. What did the owner's wife become apprehensive about?

HEAVEN, IF YOU ARE NOT HERE ON EARTH - Kuvempu

32. When according to the speaker can there be no Gods in 'Heaven, If You Are Not Here On Earth'?
33. According to the Speaker, heaven is ______________.
a) on earth b) in sky c) beyond earth
34. The line 'In the splendor of harvest and of moonlight, Heaven lies all over!', means ______.
a) If heaven is not on Earth, then it's nowhere.
b) moonlight is present in heaven
c) heaven acquires earthly beauty at times
35. Mention one of the things that make this earth, heaven.
36. The poet creates the heaven on Earth by imbibing and spilling the ___________.

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JAPAN AND BRAZIL THROUGH A TRAVELER'S EYE - George Mikes

37. What is Japanese mania all about?

38. `Exquisitely well-mannered people' refers to ____________.
39. Name the animal that bowed to George Mikes in Japan.
40. Whose life is becoming more hazardous in Brazil every day according to George Mikes?
41. George Mikes finds that all Japanese stores employ ____________.
42. What according to George Mikes do the driver and pedestrian finally do after the chase in Brazil?
43. What according to George Mikes is a sign of appreciation when eating soup in Japan?
44. Who are the drivers in Brazil on the look-out for?
45. Bowing girls are compared to __________.
46. What is special about the babies carried in Japanese style on their mothers' back?
47. What did the writer notice in the deer, in the deer park?
48. What will the hostess think if a fearful noise is not made when eating soup?
49. What does not really matter in Brazil with regard to destinations?
50. How are the streets of Copacabana decorated in Brazil?
51. ____________ are extremely expensive in Brazil.
a) Motor Cars b) Black Mosaics c) Tickets
52. Why are the motor cars expensive in Brazil?
53. What happens when leisurely people in Brazil get a steering wheel in their hands?
54. The most dangerous place in Brazil is __________ .
55. Why is pedestrian's life becoming more hazardous everyday in Brazil?
56. How many times the drivers force other drivers to commit heinous crimes every hour on the road?

THE VOTER - CHINUA ACHEBE

57. How long had Roof worked as a bicycle repairer's apprentice in 'The Voter'?
58. Which is the symbol of People's Alliance Party (PAP) in 'The Voter'?
59. Where on the election morning, did Marcus Ibe sit and shake hands with the villagers?
60. Who did Roof campaign for, in 'The Voter'?
61. How much does Roof get from the representative of Maduka in 'The Voter'?
62. Marcus Ibe was ____________ in PAP led government.
a) Minister of Culture b) Minister of Sports c) Minister of External Affairs
63. Name the village that Roof was associated with.
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64. Why did Marcus Ibe leave the teaching job?
65. Who inaugurated Marcus Ibe's house?
66. How much had Marcus Ibe drawn in advance for the election?
67. Who conducted 'Whispering Campaign' in the election?
68. ___________ was a man of high traditional title in the village.
a) Ogbuefi Ezenwa b) Rufus Okeke c) Marcus Ibe
69. Name the contestant from the opponent (POP) party.
70. What was the term used by the newspapers to define Marcus Ibe's election victory?
71. Why did the policeman at the entrance search Roof for?
72. What thought leapt into Roof's mind?
73. Who was a popular man in the village in 'The Voter'?
74. Where had Roof spent two years as a bicycle repairer's apprentice?
75. Name the person, who had become a real expert in election campaigning.
76. What did Roof warn Marcus Ibe about, in 'The Voter'?
77. What could Roof tell at any given time?
78. People of Umofia are ________________.
a) happy with Marcus Ibe
b) looking for a radical change
c) confused with crises
79. Marcus Ibe was a successful mission school teacher. True / false
80. Marcus Ibe remained __________ to his people.
a) challenged b) underrated c) devoted
81. Iyi in 'The Voter' is ____________.
82. Who paid a strange visit to Roof?
83. The strange visit from POP representative was ______ and ______.
84. How did Roof behave looking at the red notes?
85. How was Marcus Ibe doing things on the day of election?
86. What happened to Roof, when he was asked to go first to cast his vote?
87. Roof's act of tearing the ballot paper and putting one half in each box signifies
a) Roof's guilt b) Roof's indecision c) Roof's shrewd intelligence

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WHERE THERE IS A WHEEL- P.Sainath

88. Cycling as a social movement was not far fetched for ___________
89. Mention one of the curious ways with which people hit out at the women of Pudukkottai.
90. What seems the chosen medium for rural women in Pudukkottai?
91. How many have taken to bicycling as a symbol of independence, freedom and mobility?
92. Where have the rural women taken part to display their new skills?
93. 'It's my right, we can go anywhere...' ____________ told the journalist.
a) Jameela Bibi b) Fatima c) Avakanni
94. How did the people of Pudukkottai react, when Jameela Bibi started cycling?
95. What is the cost of a bicycle as mentioned in the essay?
96. Name the Arivoli central coordinator and one of the pioneers of the cycling movement.
97. How did cycling help women, very importantly?
98. ___________ gave cycling social sanction.
a) Dirty remarks b) Arivoli Iyakkam c) Filthy remarks
99. Who came to help new learners of cycling?
100. What was the widespread perception among women in the village?
101. Who was the popular former district collector of Pudukkottai district?
102. What was the purpose and motto of Sheela Rani Chunkath's idea?
103. How many female cyclists took part in the International Women's Day in 1992?
104. What did Kannakarajan suspect of P. Sainath?
105. Name the Quarry worker, who worked as a Volunteer for Arivoli.
106. How many women displayed their cycling skills at the public 'Exhibition cum Contests'?
107. Who sanctioned fifty mopeds for Arivoli women activists?
108. _____________ cycling brings is vital.
a) The sense of self - respect
b) exhibition cum contests
c) personal attention
109. Whose brainchild is the Cycling Movement, according to P. Sainath, as mentioned in 'Where
There Is A Wheel'?
110. Which of the vehicles is called 'humble' in 'Where There is a Wheel'?
111. Fatima is a __________ school teacher.
a) Primary b) Secondary c) High

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ANSWER KEY - PART IV

1. Love poem
2. Slowly
3. The others
4. How love fled
5. The mountains overhead
6. In a chance encounter with an old man
7. In a coconut grove near Chennarayapatna
8. Strange memories and native intelligence
9. Agriculture
10. Whether the old man's arrival was for the better or for the worse
11. That there was no land left in the village for one to buy
12. Asking him to sell two hundred acres of land
13. By force.
14. c) invasion
15. Abstract
16. By working more diligently in the field of agriculture
17. Basavaiah's meanness and his cruelty
18. To go to the court of law/take recourse to the police/attack Basavaiah
19. a) health
20. Scholars and Critics
21. Critics
22. Raison-d'etre
23. Death
24. The young child Lokya
25. A palatial mansion
26. Russia and America
27. Chennarayapatna
28. The old man
29. True
30. The owner of the plantation
31. About her husband. She suspected him of adultery and umpteen other vices, cultivated lately
32. If we ourselves can't be gods

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33. a) on earth
34. If heaven is not on Earth, then it's nowhere
35. The gentle sun/ roaring stream/rolling surf of waves
36. The song of nectar
37. Bowing
38. Japanese
39. Deer
40. A pedestrian's life
41. Bowing girls
42. Smile amicably at each other
43. Making a fearful noise
44. Pedestrians
45. Our page boys
46. Whenever mothers bow, babies bowed too
47. It too bowed, but before it snatches the food from the writer
48. What an ill-mannered lout the person is
49. Whether one reaches one's destination, an hour soon, a day late, or not at all, with regard to the
destination
50. With beautiful black mosaics
51. a) Motor Cars
52. Because the import duties are crippling and murderous
53. No speed is fast enough for them
54. Avenida Presidente Vargas
55. because the number of motor vehicles is growing by leaps and bounds
56. Twenty times, every hour
57. For two years
58. Motor car
59. In his car
60. Marcus Ibe
61. Five Pounds
62. A) Minister of Culture
63. Umofia
64. When there was a complaint by a female teacher
65. Archbishop

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66. Five months' salary
67. Roof and other stalwarts
68. A) Ogbuefi Ezenwa
69. Maduka
70. Landslide victory
71. For illegal ballot papers.
72. To tear the ballot paper in two along the crease and put one half in each box
73. Rufus Okeke or Roof
74. In Port Harcourt
75. Roof
76. He was warned about the radical change in the people of Umofia
77. The mood and temper of the electorate
78. b) looking for a radical change
79. True
80. c) devoted
81. Native deity
82. The leader of the POP campaign team
83. Cold and business-like
84. He was mesmerized
85. In a grand style
86. Roof's spirits fell
87. c) Roof's shrewd intelligence
88. To a lakh of neo-literate rural women in Pudukkottai district
89. Backwardness / expressing defiance / hammering at the fetters
90. Cycling
91. Over 100,000 rural women, most of them neo literates
92. In public 'exhibition cum contest'
93. a) Jameela Bibi
94. They made dirty remarks
95. Over Rs.1200/-
96. N Kannamal
97. It reduced women's dependence on men
98. b) Arivoli Iyakkam
99. Master trainers of Arivoli

17
100. All women ought to learn cycling
101. Sheela Rani Chunkath
102. Literacy should reach rural women
103. 1500 female cyclists
104. As an undercover agent of the Sales Tax Department
105. Manoramani
106. More than 70,000 women
107. UNICEF
108. A) the sense of self respect
109. Sheela Rani Chunkath
110. Cycle
111. b) secondary

EXTRA QUESTIONS - 1 MARK EACH

1. After the Measure done' means ___________.

2. Romeo compares Juliet to a ___________ jewel in an ___________ ear.
3. Romeo will watch Juliet's place of stand for his ___________.
4. What does Juliet want Romeo to be after his death?
5. Who will make the 'face of heaven' so fine in Romeo and Juliet?
6. Why did Romeo question himself 'Did my heart love till now' in 'Romeo and Juliet'?
7. When will people stop worshipping the garish sun?
8. Where does the little Kingdom of Monaco lie?
9. How many inhabitants does that small Kingdom consist of?
10. The special revenue comes from a gaming house, where people play ___________.
11. The Germans stopped gaming houses in their country, which benefitted Monaco. True/False
12. What was the business over which the King of Monaco had a monopoly?
13. What was the punishment given to the murderer?
14. Why did the punishment given to the murderer seem a difficult one?
15. How much did the French Government demand for the supply of a guillotine machine and an
executioner?
16. Who according to the council, was a Brother Monarch in 'Too Dear'?
17. There was a small lock-up where people were kept permanently in 'Too Dear'. True/False
18. When does the Kinglet of Monaco notice a new item of expenditure added in the account of the
Kingdom?

18
19. What made the Kinglet so worried about spending 600 Francs a year on the criminal?
20. What was the only way to get rid of the prisoner in 'Too Dear'?
21. The prisoner received ___________ in advance.
a) One third of his Annuity b) two third of his Annuity c) total amount
22. Who is the person, who prompts the poet to 'speak to us of children' in 'On Children'?
23. In 'On Children' the children are the sons and daughters of ___________.
a) Their parents b) Nature c) Life's longing for itself
24. According to the poet, Khalil Gibran, parents may give _____ to their children but never give them
their ___________.
25. Where do the souls of the children dwell in the poem 'On Children'?
26. Bows and arrows are metaphors for ___________ and ___________.
27. What does the phrase 'living arrows' refer to, in 'On Children'?
28. Who does the metaphor, archer refer to, in 'On Children'?
29. The archer sees the mark upon the path of the ___________ in 'On Children'.
30. Why does the archer bend the bows with his might?
31. Where does the action take place in 'A Sunny Morning'?
32. Who had occupied Gonzalo's usual bench in the park?
33. What cleared the heads of both Gonzalo and Laura?
34. Name any two famous Spanish writers mentioned in the play.
35. Laura Llorente was called ___________ in that locality in her young days.
a) The Silver Maiden b) Sovereign beauty c) A dream
36. Gonzalo and Laura are the two former lovers but they were separated by fate. True/False
37. What was Don Gonzalo called during his youth?
38. How does the conversation between Gonzalo and Laura begin?
39. The play 'A Sunny Morning' by Quinter brothers is called ______________.
a) Romantic Tragedy b) Realistic History c) Romantic Comedy
40. How according to Don Gonzalo, his cousin ended his life?
41. How does the play 'A Sunny Morning' end ?
42. Which is the colour used to indicate the old age of the woman in the poem 'When you're old'?
43. What does the poet ask her to dream about in the poem 'When you're old'?
44. What did the man love in her, in the poem 'When you're old'?
45. When does the man want the woman to read his book in the poem 'When you're old'?
46. Where did love hide the man's face in the poem 'When you're old'?
47. How is the man different from others in the poem 'When you're old'?

19
48. Changing face connotes
a) Changing of space and time b) Changing of her physical beauty
c) Changing of mind and thoughts d) Change in her social status
49. The Gardener's eyes were suffused with ____________ and ___________.
50. What were the diverse effects on the owner with the arrival of the gardener?
51. What was the most important possession of Tammanna?
52. When does facts take varied guises according to Tammanna?
53. What act of Basavaiah was intolerable for Tammanna?
54. What was the method Tammanna hit upon to annihilate Basavaiah?
55. What did Tammanna's songs mention about?
56. What had become the reason for existence of Tammanna's life?
57. Why did Basavaiah's house look dull and empty?
58. Basavaiah invited scholars, poets and musicians to his place in a way of investing his home with
_________.
59. What were the means Basavaiah found to surpass Tammanna?
60. What was the ultimate punishment Tammanna thought for Basavaiah?
61. What does man live for, without which he feels his existence will have no reason?
62. When did the Gardener conceive the story of Tammanna and Basavaiah?
63. How did Tammanna avenge himself?
64. When will there be no Gods and Nymphs?
65. What leans upon verdant gardens in the poem 'Heaven, If You Are Not Here On Earth'?
66. How does the poet create heaven on Earth?
67. Name the famous and fast line between Tokyo and Osaka.
68. What has more dangers than almost anything else in Japan?
69. What is considered as a man's castle?
70. What is extremely expensive in Brazil?
71. As soon as a driver notices a pedestrian step off the pavement, he regards him as ____________.
(Use the exact word used in the text book)
72. What is a sign of appreciation in Japan?
73. What is the answer to the naïve question asked by one friend to another according to George Mike.
74. Name the political party that the village of Umuofia belonged en masse to.
75. Why did Marcus Ibe wisely move to politics?
76. What had Marcus named his new house?
77. Where did Marcus meet the group of elders during the election campaign?

20
78. Why was the Progressive Organization Party formed by the tribes?
79. Where does Iyi come from?
80. What was the type and colour of ink that marked Rufus’ thumb to prevent his return to the booth?
81. What was the sign of the political party POP?
82. Name the secondary school teacher who is addicted to cycling.
83. Name the popular former district collector in the lesson 'Where there is a Wheel'.
84. Why did women prefer the gents cycle over the ladies?
85. Who was the owner of Ram Cycles?
86. What is the metaphor for freedom in the lesson 'Where there is a Wheel'?

ANSWER KEY - EXTRA QUESTIONS

1. After the dance ends

2. Rich, and in an Ethiope's
3. Rude hand to get blessed
4. To turn into a constellation of stars
5. Romeo
6. Because he had never seen true beauty till that night
7. When all of the world will be in love with night
8. Near the borders of France and Italy, on the shore of the Mediterranean Sea
9. There are about seven thousand of them all
10. Roulette
11. True
12. Gaming house
13. Death sentence
14. Because they neither had a guillotine machine nor an executioner
15. 16,000 Francs
16. King of Italy
17. False
18. After a year had passed since the prisoner was arrested
19. Because the prisoner was still young and healthy and might live for fifty more years
20. To offer him a pension of 600 Francs
21. One third of his annuity
22. A woman who held a babe against her bosom

21
23. Life's longing for itself.
24. Love, thoughts
25. In the house of tomorrow.
26. Bows – Parents, Arrows – Children
27. Children
28. The Almighty
29. Infinite
30. So that his arrows may go swift and far.
31. Action takes place in the retired corner of a park in Madrid.
32. Three priests
33. Pinch of snuff
34. Campoamor, Espronceda, Zorrilla, Becquer
35. A. The Silver Maiden
36. True
37. The gallant horseman
38. It began sarcastically with one accusing the other.
39. C. Romantic Comedy
40. He met a glorious death at a trench in Africa.
41. A promise that they would meet the next day with a feeling of harmony.
42. Grey.
43. The soft look her eyes had once upon a time.
44. Her pilgrim soul.
45. When she is old, grey and full of sleep.
46. Amidst the crowd of stars.
47. He loved the sorrows of her changing face, while others loved her glad grace and physical beauty.
48. D.Changing of her physical beauty.
49. Strange memories and native intelligence
50. The owner became lethargic and shied away from hard work.
51. Rival Sangoji or Basavaiah
52. When they are narrated as fiction
53. Basavaiah forcibly acquiring and building a fence around 200 acres of Tammanna's land.
54. Composing all his experiences in the form of Ballads and singing them.
55. Basavaiah's cruelty and meanness
56. Art

22
57. Because Tammanna's books weren't there.
58. Meaning.
59. Basavaiah bedecked himself with gold, diamonds and other precious stones.
60. Death.
61. Unbearable vengefulness.
62. When Russia told America that it was no more America's enemy.
63. By forgetting all his songs and ballads and becoming a non-entity.
64. When we ourselves cannot be Gods and nymphs.
65. The tender Sunshine
66. By spilling the song of nectar.
67. Tokaido line.
68. Eating soup.
69. Telephone receiver
70. Motor cars
71. Fair game
72. Making a fearful noise while eating soup.
73. `I was born on this side!'
74. People's Alliance Party
75. To avoid imminent dismissal arising from a female teacher's complaint.
76. Umofia Mansions
77. In the house of Ogbuefi Ezenwa
78. Save themselves from a total political, cultural, social and religious annihilation.
79. Mbanta
80. Indelible purple ink.
81. Car
82. Fatima
83. Sheela Rani Chunkath.
84. Because of the additional bar from the seat to the handle.
85. S Kannakarajan
86. Bicycle

23
ONE – MARK QUESTIONS & ANSWERS – BOARD PAPER

BOARD PAPER - 2015

1. When according to Juliet would all the world be in love with the night?
2. Name a special source of revenue in the Kingdom of Monaco.
3. According to the Prophet, what may be given to the children?
4. Who occupied Gonzalo's usual bench in the park?
5. What does the speaker want his beloved to do sitting by the fire in `When You Are Old’?
6. When did Tammanna forget all his songs and ballads?
7. Who creates heaven on earth?
8. What is the sign of appreciation in eating soup?
9. How long had Roof been a bicycle repairer's apprentice?

ANSWER KEY - BOARD PAPER 2015

1. When Romeo is cut out in little stars and placed in the heaven above.
2. Gaming House
3. Love
4. Three priests
5. Read the book of poems penned by him
6. After Basavaiah's death
7. The poet
8. Making a fearful noise
9. Two years

BOARD PAPER – 2016

1. Who, according to Juliet, is whiter than new snow?

2. How many inhabitants are there in the Kingdom of Monaco?
3. According to the speaker of 'On Children', the one who loves both the arrow and the bow is
a) The archer b) The parents c) The children
4. Whose name, according to Gonzalo, was his cousin whispering at the time of his death?

24
5. Who did Basavaiah consider as his most important possession in 'The Gardener'?
6. Name the animal that bowed to George Mikes in Japan.
7. How long had Roof worked as a bicycle repairer's apprentice in 'The Voter'?
8. Which of the vehicles is called 'humble' in 'Where There is a Wheel'?

ANSWER KEY - BOARD PAPER 2016

1. Romeo
2. About seven thousand
3. The archer
4. Laura Llorente
5. His rival, Tammanna
6. Deer
7. Two years
8. Cycle

BOARD PAPER – 2017

1. Where did the criminal go to fetch his dinner in 'Too Dear'?

2. Whom does 'living arrows' refer to, in the poem 'On Children'?
3. Name the Villa Laura Lorente lived in.
4. How much of Tammanna's land did Basavaiah forcibly acquire at first?
5. According to the poet Kuvempu, 'heaven' is ______________
a) Within us b) On earth c) No where
6. What is extremely expensive in Brazil?
7. What was Marcus Ibe in the outgoing Government in 'The Voter'?
8. Why did some women prefer 'gents' cycle?

ANSWER KEY - BOARD PAPER 2017

1. Palace kitchen
2. Children
3. Maricela

25
4. 200 acres
5. On Earth
6. Motor Cars
7. Minister of Culture
8. It was helpful to ferry children, to collect water and to cart provisions

1 MARK QUESTIONS – 2018-19

1. What does Juliet want Romeo to be after his death?

2. When, according to Romeo would his hand be blessed?
3. When would people not worship 'Sun', according to Juliet?
4. What does Juliet invite in 'Romeo and Juliet'?
5. How much did the French Government expect for a machine and an expert in 'Too Dear'?
6. Which country in Europe stopped the gaming houses as mentioned in 'Too Dear'?
7. Mention one of the reasons as to why the death sentence was altered to life imprisonment?
8. What was the initial punishment suggested to the criminal by the council in 'Too dear'?
9. What business does the King of Monaco monopolise in 'Too Dear'?
10. Mention any one of the commodities that was taxed in Monaco.
11. On what condition does Don Gonzalo agree to meet Dona Laura the next day?
12. What does Don Gonzalo say was the name of the woman who lived in Maricella?
13. What establishes peace between Dona Laura and Don Gonzalo?
14. What right does Dona Laura claim to have to criticize Don Gonzalo?
15. Who was called 'The Silver maiden’ in 'A sunny Morning'?
16. Mention one of the aspects that the speaker loved in his beloved in 'When You Are Old'?
17. What does the speaker imagine his beloved to do, sitting by the fire, in 'When you are Old'?
18. When, according to the narrator, does a man lose his name in 'The Gardener'?
19. Where was the old man standing when the owner's wife met him for the first time in 'The Gardener'?
20. _____________ had become the raison-d'etre of Tammanna's life.
a) Revenge b) Acquiring wealth c) Art
21. Who was the reason for owner's lethargy in 'The Gardener'?
22. Mention one of the means suggested to Tammanna through which he would get back his land from
Basaviah.
23. What was the most important possession of Tammanna?
24. What is Travel writing called?

26
25. What is extremely expensive in Brazil?
26. Who is the 'hunter and prey' compared to in the lesson `Japan and Brazil through a Traveler's Eye’?
27. Name the opponent party of PAP in ‘The Voter’.
28. What made the villagers praise Marcus's faithfulness and generosity?
29. What does George Mikes call, 'A man's castle' in Japan’?
30. What according to Mikes is oriental and formal in Japan?
31. What according to George Mikes, do the driver and pedestrian finally do after the chase in Brazil?
32. What was Rufus Okeke called in 'The Voter'?

ANSWER KEY - 2018-19

1. She wants him to be cut into little stars and immortalized in the sky
2. Touching Juliet's hand makes his rude hand blessed
3. When Romeo is cut into stars by making the heaven's face so fine
4. Night
5. 16,000 Francs
6. Germany
7. They couldn't afford the guillotine and the executioner
8. Death Sentence
9. Gaming House
10. a . Tobacco/Wine and Spirits/Poll tax
11. On the condition, if it was a sunny morning
12. Laura Llorente
13. A pinch of snuff
14. Neighbors' right
15. Laura Llorente
16. Her Pilgrim Soul
17. He expects her to read his book of poems, sitting by the fire
18. after a particular age, a man loses his name
19. He was standing in a coconut grove near Chennarayapatna.
20. Art
21. The Old Man
22. Tammanna was advised by his supporters to approach the court of law/ take recourse to the police.
23. His rival Basavaiah/Sangoji

27
24. Travelogue
25. Motor cars
26. Driver and the Pedestrians
27. POP (Progressive Organization Party)
28. Marcus hosting a feast, slaughtering five bulls and countless goats to entertain the people
29. A man's telephone- receiver is his castle.
30. Bowing
31. They smile amicably at each other.
32. Roof

SUPPLEMENTARY PAPER – 2018

1. Whom does the phrase 'true beauty' refer to in 'Romeo and Juliet'?
2. Name any one of the commodities taxed in Monaco in 'Too Dear'.
3. Who is referred to as archer in the poem 'On Children'?
4. Dona Laura was called as _____________ in the locality in 'A Sunny Morning'.
a) Golden Girl b) Dream Girl c) Silver Maiden
5. What was the old man well versed in 'The Gardener'?
6. Where does the poet create heaven in the poem, 'Heaven, If You Are Not Here On Earth'?
7. How are the pavements decorated in the streets of Capacabana in Brazil?
8. Where did Marcus Ibe build his big mansion in 'The Voter'?
9. Which is the vehicle that is referred to as 'humble vehicle' in 'Where There Is A Wheel'?

BOARD PAPER – 2019

1. Who in 'Romeo and Juliet' is compared to a snow laden raven?

2. What business does the King of Monaco monopolise in 'Too Dear'?
3. What does the phrase 'the bow that is stable' refer to, in 'On Children'?
4. What does Dona Laura claim to have, to criticize Don Gonzalo?
5. What was the most important possession of Tammanna?
6. Whose life is becoming more hazardous in Brazil every day according to George Mikes?
7. Who did Roof campaign for, in 'The Voter'?
8. Name the district of Tamil Nadu, according to P Sainath, where cycling has been a social movement.

28
SUPPLEMENTARY EXAMINATION 2019

1. When does Juliet want Romeo to be a star?

2. On the shores of which sea is the Kingdom of Monacco loacated?
3. `On Children' you may give them your love but not your ____________
a) Dreams b) Thoughts c) Gladness
4. What does Don Gonzalo use to brush the dust from his shoes?
5. Who is addressed in the poem 'When You Are Old?
6. How much of Tammanna's land did Basavaiah forcibly acquire?
7. How long had Roof been a bicycle repairer's apprentice?
8. Name the Arivoli activist who penned the famous song.
9. Whose life is becoming more hazardous in Brazil every day?

EXTRA QUESTIONS 2019

1. Mention the adjective used for Sun in 'Romeo and Juliet.

2. What type of Government prevailed in France in the lesson 'To Dear'?
3. What is the proverb the Prince of Monaco uses to justify Gaming Houses in the lesson 'Too Dear'?
4. How old is Petra in the Play 'A Sunny Morning'?
5. Where did Gonzalo first meet Zorilla in the drama 'A Sunny Morning'?
6. What is that the parents cannot even dream to visit in 'On Children'?
7. What do the pronouns 'You' and 'Your' in 'On Children” stand for?
8. Gonzalo tells Laura to ask __________ and __________ to check on his keen eye sight.
9. Mention any one of the changes in the owner after the arrival of the gardener.
10. “I have told you whatever I felt, as it is. I had seen all this in a dream.” Who says this in 'The
Gardener'?
11. Who kept a straight face, outside, beyond the fastened door, in the lesson 'The Voter'?
12. Who was the star campaigner for Marcus in 'The Voter'?
13. What does 'Firewood' stand for in the lesson 'The Voter'?
14. What image do the red notes create in the mind of Roof in the lesson 'The Voter'?
15. Sheela Rani Chunkath included ________ as a part of the literacy drive.
16. Bicycle, the humble vehicle, in Pudukkottai became a __________ for freedom.

29
ANSWER KEY

SUPPLEMENTARY PAPER – 2018

1. Juliet
2. Tobacco/Wine and Spirits/ Poll-Tax
3. God
4. C. Silver Maiden
5. He was well-versed in agriculture.
6. On Earth
7. They are decorated with beautiful black mosaics.
8. In Umuofia
9. The Bicycle

ANSWER KEY - BOARD PAPER – 2019

1. Romeo
2. Gambling
3. The parent who gladly bends for the archer.
4. Neighbour's right.
5. His rival Sangoji/Basavaiah
6. Pedestrian's life
7. Marcus Ibe
8. Pudukkottai

ANSWER KEY -SUPPLEMENTARY EXAMINATION 2019

1. After Juliet's death

2. Mediterranean Sea
3. b. Thoughts
4. His handkerchief
5. The Poet's beloved
6. 200 Acres of land

30
7. Two years
8. Muthu Bhaskaran
9. Pedestrian

ANSWER KEY - EXTRA QUESTIONS 2019

1. Garish
2. Republican Government
3. `You can't earn stone palaces by honest labour'
4. Twenty years.
5. America
6. House of tomorrow
7. Parents
8. Hares and Patridges
9. Lethargic/shied away from hardwork/adultery/ umpteen number of vices/bad company
10. The author, P Lankesh
11. The Moon
12. Roof
13. Bribe for vote
14. Cocoa Farms
15. Mobility
16. Metaphor

31
 LITERATURE - PROSE AND POETRY
ROMEO AND JULIET – WILLIAM SHAKESPEARE

COMPREHENSION II

1. What similes does Romeo use to convey Juliet's beauty and to what effect?
Romeo uses the following similes to convey Juliet's beauty.
'It seems she hangs upon the cheek of night / As a rich jewel in an Ethiope's ear' - Romeo compares
Juliet to a sparkling jewel in an Ethiopian's ear. He says that Juliet is the priceless jewel set against
the night sky just like the rich jewel that adorns an Ethiopian's ear with the cheek resembling the
night sky. Here, the priceless jewel that Romeo says that Juliet is, is the bright shining star in the dark
sky.
'A snowy dove trooping with crows,' - In this simile, Romeo compares Juliet to a white dove that is
covered with snow and is set against the black crows, implying that her brightness is so apparent and
conspicuous and cannot be ever missed, like how brightness cannot be missed when placed next to
darkness. The associations of brightness and white run throughout the monologue, and are often
mentioned in relation to love. These similes very effectively portray the priceless beauty, the dazzling
appearance and the fair complexion of Juliet.
2. How, according to Juliet, would Romeo be immortalized to the world?
Juliet has affection for night and darkness as it is then Romeo visits her. There is actually no darkness
as such; it is only the absence of light. So, as soon as Romeo arrives at night with all his brightness,
the darkness is dispelled and the night turns into day. She compares Romeo to a whiteness that is
whiter than the new snow and this is fully depicted when set against the dark night, just like how the
snow is depicted on a raven's back. Juliet calls the night loving and black-browed and pleads with the
night to give her, her Romeo and after her death, she wants the night to turn him into stars and form a
constellation in the sky in his image. This will turn the dark sky as the fine face of heaven that the
whole world will fall in love with and then no one will pay any worship to the Sun who will now seem
garish. With these lines, Juliet immortalizes Romeo.

COMPREHENSION III

1. Comment on the imagery of 'night-day, black-white' in the poem. What purpose do they serve in
highlighting the intensity of love?
The constant imagery used in the poem to depict love is night-day, black-white. This imagery is very
powerful as it complements each other. Just like how night complements day, black complements
white, Romeo and Juliet also complement each other. The monologue of Romeo in Act 1, Scene V
and the monologue of Juliet in Act III, Scene II are also complementary. The monologues thus depict
that just like how their words and expressions are complementary; Romeo and Juliet complement
each other. Romeo, the moment he sets his eyes on Juliet, exclaims that she can teach a thing or two

32
 about brightness to torches, for them to burn brighter! The first imagery that is used by Romeo is
that Juliet is the bright priceless jewel set against the dark sky just like the rich jewel of an Ethiopian
set against the dark cheek. He also says that she is as white as the snowy dove found amidst the black
crows.
Juliet too uses the same night-day and black-white imagery to describe Romeo for the light and the
brightness that he has brought into her life. She says that he is whiter than the fresh snow that is on a
raven's back, which is a bird, black in colour and that he turns the dark night to day with his
appearance. With the same analogy that is used by both Romeo and Juliet in their monologues that
appear in Act 1 and Act III, it more than confirms that they complement each other and hence made
for each other.
2. Between Romeo and Juliet whose love, do you think, is more passionate and intense?
At the outset, Romeo and Juliet seem as passionate and intense as each other. But on closer
examination of the monologues, Juliet's love can be seen as being a little more intense and
passionate when compared to that of Romeo. This can be attributed to the gender. But it should be
more attributed to the character of Juliet, who is not even fourteen years of age, for the intensity and
the passion that she depicts in her expressions. We find Juliet's similes more intense and passionate
when compared to that of Romeo's. Romeo uses two distinct similes for the imagery of richness,
brightness and fairness. But Juliet uses just the one imagery to convey it all. The day and night
imagery is used so effectively by Juliet to say it all. And she continues with the same imagery to
immortalize Romeo. She pleads with night to turn Romeo into stars after her death and make a
constellation of them in Romeo's image. She says this constellation will redefine night as the face of
heaven to such an extent that not only the whole world will fall in love with night, the world will also
not pay worship to the Sun, as Sun would now seem garish. These lines define Juliet's intensity of
her love for Romeo.

TOO DEAR - LEO TOLSTOY

COMPREHENSION II

1. Though gambling is a dirty business, why does the King of Monaco resort to it?
The Kingdom of Monaco was so very small, almost like a country town. This toy kingdom boasts of a
real kinglet, who has his palace, courtiers, ministers, bishop, generals and an army. Not a large army
only 60 men, nevertheless an army. Alongside this, there was also a gaming house, where people
gambled playing the roulette which provided special revenue for the kingdom. As the king had to run
his kingdom providing for all, he sanctioned gambling, though it was considered a vice, only because
he got a large sum for his kingdom from the gaming house. People who came to gamble there had to
make a payment to the keeper, regardless of whether they lose or win and the keeper made a good
profit with this and thus could pay a significant percentage of it to the kingdom, of the profits made.
Thus he paid a large sum to the prince. This helped the kingdom immensely and hence the King of
Monaco resorted to gambling, the dirty business.

33
3. Why was the criminal reluctant to go out of the prison?
The criminal was given a capital Punishment for his crime by the king. But the King could not afford to
execute the punishment for the criminal because the kingdom did not have a guillotine and the
executioner. Further, they could not afford to either buy or rent the guillotine. Also the soldiers, when
approached, to cut the criminal's head in a rough and homely fashion, the soldiers refused saying
that, they had not been taught that. Hence the punishment was changed to life imprisonment. With
great difficulty the King and his Council found a fairly suitable prison for the man and a guard to watch
the criminal. It was in some time discovered that the criminal incurred an expenditure of 600 francs a
year for the kingdom. This too the Kingdom could not afford and suggested to the criminal that he
should run away. The criminal refused to leave the kingdom saying that now his life is ruined as he
was neither put to death nor imprisoned for life as promised by the king and council and as a result of
which he had nowhere to go. They had ruined his character with a death sentence and so people, he
said, would turn their backs on him. He also said that now he has got used to not working and so he
does not know what it is to work. He, thus argued that he had suffered much more because of the
Kingdom's failure to punish him. He wanted it to be duly compensated.

COMPREHENSION III

1. Though the trial and imprisonment of the criminal is depicted in a comic mode in this story, it does
give rise to serious questions. What are they?
The trial and imprisonment of the criminal is depicted in a comic mode in the story as the execution of
punishment fails and this reduces the punishment to a farce. The fact that the punishment becomes
comical raises serious questions. The criminal first faces Capital Punishment and there is an
inordinate delay to execute the criminal because of reasons of revenue. It should be taken into
consideration that it is more torturous than death for a criminal to be kept waiting for his hour of death
after heis sentenced to death. The death always being round the corner and for some reason or the
other is deferred continuously is more painful than being actually executed. It is like the sword of
Damocles hanging above the neck. The same failure repeats when the capital punishment is
changed to life imprisonment. The King and his council once again are not able to carry out life
imprisonment too for the same reason of money. The prisoner is told to run away because they are
not able to serve punishments. The King and his Council fail as their decisions are so faulty that the
criminal seeks due compensation for the injustice done to him in the name of punishment. The
serious questions raised are thus whether the King and Council made a criminal mistake by
announcing the punishment without examining whether they had the resources to deliver the
punishment and the consequences of a failure. But at the same time the king cannot be blamed
altogether for faulty decisions as he was trying a criminal for the first time in his Kingdom. The fact
that he had to deal with a murderer for the first time as a King proves that his kingdom was crime free
barring the gambling that had a legal sanction. Hence the story is of both success and failure and
comic and serious elements.
2. You can't earn stone palaces by honest labour'. In what context is this statement made?
In the lesson 'Too Dear' by Leo Tolstoy the Toy Kingdom Monaco has very less inhabitants as
compared to the others. The source of revenue was through the taxes that were paid – on tobacco,
wine and spirits and poll tax. The money generated from the tax wasn't sufficient for the King to run

34
 his Kingdom because the inhabitants were so less in number. The King had to resort to another way
of making money namely 'gambling'. As gambling houses were banned in adjoining regions, people
interested in gambling had to come to the gambling house in Monaco and this was an advantage to
the King as a good portion of the profits of the gambling house was paid as tax to the kingdom. Here
the King compromised to generate revenue for the Kingdom and he also admits that he is aware that
he has compromised. When he says 'You can't earn stone palaces by honest labour', it is the King's
admission that the tainted money is required to run the kingdom. But when he had to deal with
criminal, the money that was so dear to him suddenly became less dear and he was willing to do
anything for a crime free state. He agrees to pay the criminal 600 francs as pension to just get him to
leave his kingdom. Thus, he finally washes his hands off the criminal by paying a price for it. Here too
the king compromises for his state.
3. Were there other ways of dealing with crime and the criminal? Discuss in the light of the story.
The Kinglet of Monaco governed his kingdom just like any other kingdom, though his Kingdom was so
very small, smaller than many small country towns and with just seven thousand inhabitants. Once
there was a murder in the kingdom and the murderer was caught and the death sentence was
announced as the punishment as was directed by the law. The kinglet too sanctioned the
punishment. But the kinglet then discovered that he could neither buy the guillotine nor be able to
rent it, as it was all too expensive for him to afford. Also the soldiers, when approached, to cut the
criminal's head in a rough and homely fashion, the soldiers refused saying that, they had not been
taught that. Hence the punishment was changed to life imprisonment. Hence the decision to change
the punishment from death sentence to life imprisonment was taken by the Kingdom. But again it
was discovered that 600 francs was being spent on the maintenance of the criminal which was a
criminal waste and hence the criminal was unofficially told by the Kingdom to run away. The criminal
refused to leave the kingdom saying that now his life is ruined as he was neither put to death nor
imprisoned for life as promised by the king and council and as a result of which he had nowhere to go.
He finally says that he is willing to leave the kingdom on the condition that he will be provided an
annual allowance. The king agrees to provide him a pension amount of 600 francs annually and
agrees to pay one-third of the annuity in advance. Thus the king gets the criminal to leave the
kingdom. Other than capital punishment, life imprisonment and banishing him from the land, there
could not have been any other punishment as it would be against the law system. The only other
way was, the king could have banished the criminal immediately and then the kingdom would not
have incurred any expense to maintain the criminal.

A SUNNY MORNING – SERAFIN AND JOAQUIN ALVAREZ QUINTER

COMPREHENSION II

1. Precisely at what point of time, do you think, Laura and Gonzalo begin to recognize each other?
Laura, a handsome woman of seventy years, Gonzalo, also a gentleman of seventy, gouty and
impatient, meet at a park in Madrid. He wants a bench all to himself and is not willing to share the
bench with Laura. He does not get a bench and has to share it with Laura and so is in a foul mood. He
sits at the extreme end of Laura's bench, looking at her indignantly. They are very cold to each other

35
 and have a conversation that is loaded with barbs aimed at the other. After a while, the old man's
snuff box snuffs out the quarrel in the couple. The old man reads beautiful poems from his book and
they talk about about Spanish Romantic poets and then this leads to the mention of the city Valencia,
and surprise, they both are natives of that city. Laura says that she was in a villa, Maricela, close to
Valencia. Gonzalo is startled to hear 'Maricela' and immediately starts talking about a beautiful
woman Laura that he knew there. It is now Laura's turn to be startled because she is actually the
woman that he is talking of. Immediately Laura recognizes Gonzalo, as her erstwhile lover. But he
conceals his identity by saying it is all about his cousin Gonzalo that he is talking about. Laura too
conceals her identity by saying that it is her friend Laura who was in love with Gonzalo. When Laura
provides all the fine details of their past, Gonzalo asks her suspiciously how is it that she knows it all so
well. She then says that it is because her friend has told her everything. This is when Gonzalo sees
that she is none other than Laura herself! Now she is seventy years of age and with just a faint
resemblance to how she looked when she was young. The age had taken its toll on her like how it
does to all. Gonzalo continues to talk reminiscing the beautiful times that he (that is his cousin) had
spent with Laura.
4. What makes Dona Laura conclude that Don Gonzalo is an ill-natured man?
Don Gonzalo has an appearance of an impatient old man and when Dona Laura is feeding the pigeons
with bread crumbs, Gonzalo walks towards the birds disturbing them. Laura cautions him to look out,
but his reaction is that he does not care about the birds and since it is a public park, he is not
answerable to anyone. He declines to have any polite conversation with Laura and is not civil to her
even when he is sharing the bench with her. Laura concludes that Gonzalo is an ill-natured man
because he is complaining about the priests occupying a bench that he wanted all for himself, he does
not care for birds and is not courteous to her every time she initiates a conversation with him, when
he is sharing the bench with her. He also comments rudely when Laura asks him how he could use a
hand kerchief to dust his shoe by asking her what right she had to criticize his actions.

COMPREHENSION III

1. Trace how the irony is built in the play? Did you guess the characters' past even before they did so?
Gonzalo and Laura who were in love during their youth, to marry each other but could not as fate
willed otherwise. Laura's parents wanted her to marry a merchant, highly regarded in the locality.
Gonzalo, once, in a duel with the merchant almost kills him and has to flee from Maricela, a villa close
to Valencia. He does so as he is fearful of the consequences of fatally wounding the merchant. He
goes to Seville and from there to Madrid. He writes several letters to Laura but they all were
intercepted by her parents and so Laura does not get them and thus all the letters go unanswered.
Gonzalo in despair concludes he has lost his love and so after a while runs away to Paris with a ballet
dancer. Laura, who is called the' Silver Maiden' also gets married two years after waiting in vain for
Gonzalo to return. This is the true story of Gonzalo and Laura. The irony is that, both Laura and
Gonzalo who meet one sunny morning at a park in Madrid, when they are in their seventies, kill
themselves to bury altogether both their characters in the false story that both recount about
themselves to each other. Further irony is that, both know that what each one is telling is untrue, but
pretend as if they believe and they prefer it that way.

36
One sunny morning, Laura and Gonzalo suddenly meet in a park in Madrid when they are in their
seventies. Both Laura and Gonzalo recognize each other but conceal their identity to the other. They
pose to each other as cousin and friend of Gonzalo and Laura respectively. Laura tells Gonzalo that it
is her friend who is 'Silver Maiden' and she recounts her entire story as her friend's tale and likewise
Gonzalo tells his own story as that of his cousin. Ironically, both Laura and Gonzalo kill their own
characters, when they declare that the cousin died in a war and the friend got willingly swept away by
the sea and that both died in sorrow remembering their beloved till they breathed their last. It is so
ironical that both seek their death to forge a friendship with each other as a different person
altogether. They both resort to this as they are now very embarrassed about how grotesque they
now look in their seventies, so very contrary to how good they looked when they were young. Both
do not want the other to be shocked about their present appearance and so they lie to each other.
Again ironically though both of them recognize each other with certainty, they do not pause to think,
whether the recognition is mutual, in all respects. They do not even want to consider it because they
do not want that to happen. In order that it should not happen at all, they kill the characters of Laura
and Gonzalo altogether. Hence it is ironical, that it is in the death of their character they forge a
friendship. This friendship is very precious for them as after a long span of time they are now able to
be together. To give this friendship a dignity they kill the characters without disclosing to each other,
that actually in reality they had moved on to another relationship. Thus, they bury their past to build
their future.

A SUNNY MORNING (THE ENTIRE DRAMA IN INDIRECT SPEECH)

On a sunny morning in a retired corner of a park in Madrid entered Dona Laura, a handsome, white
haired old lady of about seventy, refined in appearance, her bright eyes and her manner indicating
that despite her age her mental faculties were sharp and unimpaired. She entered leaning upon the
arm of her maid Petra, carrying a parasol in her free hand that also served as a cane.
In the park, approaching a bench, Laura told her maid Petra that she was so glad to be there at the
park and that she had feared that her seat would be occupied and also exclaimed that it was a
beautiful morning. Petra replied that the sun was hot. Laura sitting down on the bench told Petra that
Petra was only twenty and that she felt more tired that day than usual. Laura noticing Petra, who
seemed impatient, told her that if she wished to chat with her guard she could go and do that.
Petra replied that the guard was not hers and that he belonged to the park. Laura then told her that
he belonged more to Petra than he did to the park, implying that she very well knew that Petra and the
guard were seeing each other. She instructed Petra to go and find him and also remain within calling
distance to which Petra replied that she saw him there waiting for her.
Laura again instructed her to not wait for more than ten minutes.
Petra started walking towards her right but was stopped by Laura who told her to wait a moment as
Petra had forgotten to give her the breadcrumbs that she had to give. Then Petra in a vexed manner
told that she did not know what the matter was with her that she had failed to remember anything
and everything. Laura smilingly replied that it was because that her head was where her heart was,
meaning that Petra's head and heart were with the guard. Petra handed over to Laura the small bag of
breadcrumbs and then went away to meet the guard.

37
Laura, bidding a bye to Petra, glanced towards the trees on her right and gladly said that there they
had come and they knew when to expect her, referring to the Pigeons that she regularly fed at the
park. She got up from the bench, went to her right and threw three handfuls of bread crumbs to the
Pigeons to feed on. She said that one handful was for the spryest, one for the gluttons and the last
one for the little ones that were the most persistent. Laughing to her herself in a satisfied manner,
she returned to her seat and watched the pigeons feed on the bread crumbs with a pleased
expression. She exclaimed that the big one was always the first to feed and that she knew him by his
big head. She continued to count the pigeons remarking that the third one was the least timid. She
said that she believed that the least timid one would eat from her hand and that another one that took
a piece and flew up to a branch alone seemed a philosopher. Laura wondered on where they all came
from and said that it seemed as if the news that she was there at the park regularly to feed the
pigeons had spread all over. She then lovingly scolded the pigeons to not quarrel as there was
enough for all and she would bring more for them all the next day.
Don Gonzalo, an old gentleman of seventy, who seemed gouty and impatient just then entered the
park with his servant Juanito. Gonzalo entered leaning upon Juanito's arm and dragging his feet as
he walked.
Gonzalo seeing three priests sitting on a bench, the one that he usually sat on, remarked angrily that
the priests sitting on the bench were idling their time away and that they should be saying mass at the
Church. Juanito told his master that he could sit on the other side of the bench on which Laura was
sitting, saying that only a lady was sitting there. Gonzalo told him that he would not and that he
wanted a bench all to himself. Juanito replied that there was none to which Gonzalo replied that the
one on which the three priests were sitting was his and that Juanito should chase them away.
Gonzalo asked him if the priests had gone away and Junaito told him that they were indeed there, still
talking. Gonzalo then angrily remarked that the priests seemed as though they were glued to the
seat and there seemed no hope of them leaving. Saying so, he indicated to Juanito that should go the
way, where the pigeons were feeding on the bread crumbs and went that way and disturbed the
pigeons. Laura who was feeding the pigeons, angrily warned the old man and his servant to look out
where they walked as they had scared away the birds who had been feeding on her crumbs.
Gonzalo replied indifferently that he did not care about the birds, to which the enraged Laura said that
she cared. Gonzalo indignantly replied that it was a public park and he wasn't entitled to care. Laura
immediately asked him, if it were so then why he complained that the priests had taken his bench.
Gonzalo told her that as they had not met, he could not understand how she took the liberty of
addressing him. He signaled to Junaito for them to move away from there.
Laura was extremely annoyed with Gonzalo and called him an ill-natured old man. She wondered
why people must get so fussy and angry when they reach the so called old age. She told herself that
she was glad that he had lost that bench that he wanted for himself and that it served him right for
scaring away the birds. She said to herself that she could see that he was furious that he was unable
to find a seat for himself and that he was moving towards her wiping away the perspiration from his
face. She remarked loudly that even a carriage would not raise more dust than his feet was raising
when he was walking towards her.
Gonzalo asked Juanito again if the priests hadn't yet gone. Juanito replied that they were still there.
Gonzalo solemnly said that the authorities should place more benches there on those mornings that
are sunny. He also muttered to himself that he must resign himself to sit on the bench where Laura

38
was sitting and then sat at the extreme end of Dona Laura's bench and looked at her indignantly, but
also greeted her with a good morning, touching his hat.
Laura coldly asked him why he was there again to which Gonzalo replied that he repeated that they
hadn't met. Laura said that she was merely responding to his greeting. Gonzalo replied that a good
morning should be answered by a good morning and that was all that she should have said. Laura
then told him that he should have asked her permission to sit on that bench which was hers. Gonzalo
quickly replied that the benches there were public property, implying that no one need ask anyone to
sit on a bench. Laura immediately reminded him that he had just then said that the bench on which
the priests had sat was his. Gonzalo quickly indicated that he had nothing more to say and muttered
under his breath that Laura was a senile old lady and that she ought to be home knitting and counting
her beads. Laura, hearing him mutter something indignantly, told Gonzalo that she was not going to
leave the bench just to please him.
Gonzalo, brushing the dust from his shoes with his handkerchief, muttered to himself that if the
ground were to be sprinkled a little, that would be an improvement. Laura was shocked to see what
Gonzalo did and so asked him if he used his handkerchief as a shoe brush. Gonzalo replied that why
he should not do so and also asked her what right she had to criticize his actions. She replied that she
had the neighbour's right. Gonzalo signaled to Juanito to give him his book and said that he did not
care to listen to nonsense. On hearing this Laura very sarcastically told him that he was indeed very
polite. Gonzalo in turn told Laura that she should never interfere with what that did not concern her.
Laura replied that she generally said what she thought. Gonzalo said that was what was interference.
Gonzalo again ordered Juanito to give him the book.
Juanito took a book from his pocket and handed it over to Don Gonzalo and then went out from there.
Gonzalo indignantly glanced at Laura and put on an enormous pair of glasses, took out from his
pocket a reading glass and adjusted them both to suit and then opened the book to read.
Laura then told him that she thought that he was taking out a telescope, seeing the size of his glasses.
Gonzalo angrily remarked to Laura that it was she again who attempted to speak to him. Laura then
told him that she thought that his sight must be keen and he replied that it was keener than hers and
Laura mockingly remarked that it was evident to her that his sight was keen indeed. Gonzalo, then
boastfully told her to ask the hares and partridges, what he hunted, about his sight. Laura exclaimed
that she was shocked to hear that he actually hunted and to which Gonzalo told her that not only in
the past he had hunted but he hunted even then. Laura again mockingly told him that she of course
believed that he hunted. Gonzalo told her that every Sunday he took his gun and dog and went to
one of his estates near Aravaca and would hunt to kill time. Laura again mocked at him and told him
that he only killed time because time was the only thing he could kill and nothing else. Gonzalo
challenged her and told her he would show her the wild boar's head in his study to prove to her what
he hunted. Then Laura told him that would not prove anything, because she too could show him a
tiger's skin in her boudoir, that she had even without hunting a tiger.
Gonzalo then requested her to allow him to read and that it was enough conversation that they had
had till then. Laura too told him to subside. Gonzalo took out a snuff box and said that he first would
take a pinch of snuff and asked Laura if she too would have some. He offered the snuff box to Laura.
Laura told that she would, if it was good. Gonzalo told her that it was of the finest quality and she
would like it. Laura took a pinch of snuff and said that it cleared her head. Gonzalo told that it cleared
his head too. Laura asked Gonzalo, if he sneezed when he used snuff and he said that he sneezed
three times. Laura exclaimed that it was a coincidence as she too sneezed three times when she took

39
snuff. After taking the snuff, both Laura and Gonzalo sneezed alternately three times each. Gonzalo
said that he felt better after the snuff. Laura too said the same and said to herself that the snuff had
made peace between them.
Gonzalo then asked her if she would excuse him if he read aloud. Laura told him that he could read as
loud as he pleased and that it would not disturb her.
Gonzalo read aloud 'All love is sad, but sad as it is, it is the best thing that we know.' He said that
those lines are from Campoamor. He continued to read 'The daughters of the mothers I once loved
kiss me now as they would a graven image.' He said that he thought that those lines were in a
humorous vein.
Laura laughed and said that she too took them in a humorous vein. Gonzalo said that there were
some beautiful poems in that book and continued to read 'Twenty years pass. He returns.'
Laura suddenly told that it affected her badly to see him reading with all those glasses. Gonzalo then
asked her whether she could read without glasses. Laura replied that certainly she could, to which
Gonzalo in a smirking manner told that she was jesting to say that at her age. Laura immediately told
him to pass her the book and then she took the book and read aloud. 'Twenty years pass. He
returns. And each, beholding the other, exclaims, - Can it be that this is he? Heavens, is it she?'
Laura then returned the book to Gonzalo. Gonzalo told her that he envied her wonderful eye sight
with which she could read so well. Laura then said to herself that she could read without glasses
because she knew every word by heart and that actually without which she too would have needed
the glasses to read. Gonzalo then told her that he was very fond of good verses and that he had even
composed some in his youth. When Laura then asked him if they all were good ones, he told that they
were of all kinds and he had been a great friend of Espronceda, Zorrilla, Becquer and others and that
he had first met Zorrilla in America. Laura then asked him if he had been in America, to which,
Gonzalo replied that he had been in America several times and that the first time when he had been to
America he had been only six years of age. Then Laura mocked at him saying that then he must have
gone with Columbus in one of his caravels. Gonzalo laughingly replied that it was not quite as bad as
that, though he did admit that he was old, but then he had not known Ferdinand and Isabella. He told
that he had been a great friend of Campoamor and that he had met him in Valencia and that he was a
native of that city. Laura's interest was more than kindled when he said 'Valencia'. Gonzalo told her
that he had been brought up there and that he had spent his early youth there. He then questioned
Laura on whether she had ever visited that city. Laura said that she was from a villa that was not far
from Valenica and if the villa had still been there, it would have retained many memories for her. She
continued to say that she had spent several seasons there and it had been many years ago. She told
that the villa was near the sea, hidden away among lemon and orange trees. She said that the villa
was called Maricela.
On hearing 'Maricela', Gonzalo appeared startled. Seeing him visibly startled, Laura questioned him if
the name was familiar to him. Gonzalo told that the name was very familiar and that he clearly
remembered that in that villa lived the most beautiful woman of all the many beautiful women he had
seen in his life till then, and that he had seen many. Gonzalo then with a little difficulty remembered
her name as Laura Llorente.
Laura then in a shocked disbelief told aloud the name Laura Lorente. Gonzalo said yes and
immediately both Laura and Gonzalo looked at each other intently. Laura recovering herself quickly
said that Gonzalo reminded her of her best friend. Gonzalo said that it was strange to which Laura too
agreed and said that her friend was called the Silver Maiden by everyone. Gonzalo immediately said
40
that the girl that he had referred to of Maricela too was known in that locality by that name and said
that it seemed that even then he could see her as if she were in front of him at the window with red
roses. He further asked Laura whether she too remembered that window. Laura said that she
remembered the window of her friend's room. Gonzalo going into a distant past said that he
remembered that she had spent many hours at the window during his times and Laura too with a sigh
said that she too remembered the same. Gonzalo then went on to describe Laura Lorente, the Silver
Maiden. He said that she had been ideal, fair as a lily, jet black hair and black eyes with an
uncommonly sweet expression. He told Laura that the Silver Maiden cast radiance wherever she had
been and that her figure had been beautiful and perfect.
Gonzalo told that she had been a dream and said, 'What forms of sovereign beauty God models in
human clay.' Laura then said this to herself that if Gonzalo had known that the dream was by his side
then, then he would have realized what dreams come to. She then continued aloud that Laura had
been very unfortunate and had had a sad love affair. Gonzalo and Laura again looked at each other
intently and Gonzalo told her that it was very sad. Laura asked Gonzalo if he had heard of it, to which
Gonzalo replied that he had. Laura then told loudly the ways of providence are strange. Then she
exclaimed to herself that the old man was none other than Gonzalo himself. Gonzalo then continued
saying that he remembered the gallant lover in the same affair. Laura then reminiscenced and asked
him, if he remembered the duel. Gonzalo said that of course he did and the gallant lover had been his
cousin of who he had been very fond. Laura asked him whether he said cousin and told him that her
friend Laura had told her in one of her letters the story of that affair which had been truly romantic.
Laura then said that his cousin had passed by Laura's window on every morning down the rose path
under Laura's window and had tossed up to her balcony a bouquet of flowers which she had caught.
Gonzalo continued that later in the afternoons, the gallant horsemen who returned by the same path
to catch the bouquet of flowers that was tossed to him by her.
Gonzalo questioned her on this implying that he was right indeed. Laura then told Gonzalo that
Laura's parents had wanted Laura to marry a merchant who Laura had not wanted to marry. Gonzalo
then told her that on one night his cousin Gonzalo had waited under her window to hear her sing, that
was when the merchant had presented himself unexpectedly. Laura added to it by saying that the
merchant had insulted his cousin. Gonzalo said that there had been a quarrel too and Laura said that
there had been a duel. Gonzalo spoke about the duel that at sunrise on the beach the merchant had
been badly wounded and that his cousin had had to conceal himself for a few days and later to fly.
Laura with a mischievous look in his eyes told him that he seemed to know the story well and Gonzalo
too shot the same look at Laura and said that so did she. Laura then told him with an innocent look
that she had explained to him that her friend Laura had repeated it to her. Gonzalo replied that it was
just like his cousin had done to him. Now Gonzalo exclaimed to himself the woman next to him is none
other than Laura herself. Laura questioned herself as he did not suspect, why she had to tell him that
she was Laura. Gonzalo too said to himself that Laura appeared entirely innocent and had not
recognized him as Gonzalo.
Laura then questioned Gonzalo what was his account of his cousin's conduct. Gonzalo told her that his
cousin had taken refuge in his house, fearful of the consequences of a duel with a person highly
regarded in that locality. His cousin had then gone to Seville and then to Madrid. He had written to
Laura many letters, some of them in verse and undoubtedly they had all been intercepted by her
parents due to which she had never answered at all and his cousin in despair believing his love had
been lost to him forever, had joined the army and then went to Africa and there in a trench had met a
glorious death grasping the flag of Spain and whispering the name of his beloved Laura. Laura then

41
exclaimed to herself what an atrocious lie. Gonzalo had uttered in describing the death of Gonzalo,
when he actually was there.
Gonzalo then told himself that he could not have killed himself more gloriously than how he described
his death to Laura. Laura then told him that he must have been reduced to extreme physical
weakness by that calamity. Gonzalo said that, that was true as his cousin had been like his own
brother. He then told Laura that he was sure that on the contrary that Laura in some time had been
chasing butterflies in garden indifferent to regret. Laura vehemently denied and to which Gonzalo
calmly replied that it is how a woman is. Laura then calmly explained to Gonzalo her friend's
condition. She told Gonzalo that even if it were a woman's way, the 'Silver Maiden' had not been of
that disposition. She had awaited news for days, months, a year and no letter had come. And then
one afternoon, at sunset, as the first stars had started appearing she was seen leaving the house and
with quickening steps had gone her way, toward the beach, the beach where her beloved had risked
his life. She had then written his name on the sand and had sat upon a rock, her gaze fixed upon the
horizon. The waves had murmured their eternal threnody and had slowly crept up to the rock, where
the maiden had sat. The tide had then risen with a boom and had swept her out to the sea. Gonzalo
exclaimed Good Heavens and Laura continued that the fishermen of that shore who often told the
story affirmed that it had been a good time before the waves had washed away the name written on
the sand. Laura then said to herself that she would not allow Gonzalo to get ahead of her in
decorating her own funeral. Gonzalo then said to himself that she lied worse than he did. Laura then
exclaimed, Poor Laura and Gonzalo too exclaimed Poor Gonzalo. Laura then said to herself that she
would not tell him that she had married two years later. Gonzalo too said to himself that in three
months after he had not heard from Laura, he had run away to Paris with a ballet dancer. Laura told
that fate is curious and that she and the old man complete strangers had met by chance and were
discussing the romance of old friends of a long time ago. She said that they had been conversing as if
they had been old friends.
Gonzalo told that it was curious that it was so, considering the ill natured prelude to their
conversation. Laura then told him that he had scared away the birds. Gonzalo replied that surely he
had been unreasonable. Laura replied that indeed it had been evident and asked him if he were
coming to the park the next day. Gonzalo replied that he most certainly would if it would be a Sunny
Morning and that he would not only, not scare away the birds but he would bring a few crumbs. Laura
said that she was thankful to him and that the birds are grateful and repay attention. She then called
out to her maid Petra.
Gonzalo said to himself that he would not reveal himself to Laura as he was grotesque then and that it
was better that she recalled the gallant horseman who had passed daily beneath her window tossing
flowers. Gonzalo too called out to Juanito and told that Juanito played havoc with the nursemaids.
Laura then said to herself that she would not reveal herself to him as she too was sadly changed and
that it was better he should remember her as the black eyed girl tossing flowers as he had passed
among the roses in the garden. Petra entered with a bunch of violets in her hands. Laura told Petra
that thank God at last she was there. Gonzalo told Juanito that he was late. Petra told Laura that the
guard had given her those violets for Laura. Laura exclaimed that, that was very nice and told her to
thank him for her and that they were fragrant. As she took the violets from her maid, a few lose ones
fell to the ground. Gonzalo then turned to Laura and addressed her as Dear Lady and told her that,
that morning meeting her had been to him a great honour and great pleasure. Laura replied that it
had been her pleasure too. Gonzalo bade her goodbye until the next day, and Laura too bade him
goodbye until the next day. Gonzalo told that it would be so if it would be a sunny morning, Laura

42
 jested asking him if he would go to his bench the next day. Gonzalo replied that if she did not object,
he would come to that bench on which Laura would sit. Laura told him that the bench was at his
disposal. Gonzalo said that he would surely bring the crumbs; Laura once again asked him whether
they would meet the next day, Gonzalo replied, indeed they would, the next day.
Laura started to walk away supported by her maid, and Gonzalo with a great effort stooped to pick up
the violets that Laura had dropped and just then, Laura turned her head and surprised him as she too
stooped to pick up the flowers. Laura, while picking up the flowers said to herself that the old man was
Gonzalo indeed and Gonzalo too bending down and seeing her said to himself that it was no mistake
about the old lady being Laura indeed.
Laura and Gonzalo then waved farewell, Laura again for the last time said to herself whether could it
really be that the old man was Gonzalo, Gonzalo too said to himself whether the old lady could really
be Laura, quoting the lines of Campoamor.
They smiled once more as if she had been again at the window and he being below in the rose garden.

THE GARDENER - P LANKESH

COMPREHENSION I

1. He was well-versed in agriculture, could understand the problems of workers and was useful.
2. It is. The old man wanted to give up his past of a wealthy land owner and a noted poet entirely and
work as a servant in a place far away from his village so that his identity would not get disclosed.
3. A and C
4. The owner's wife began to worry because of his adultery and umpteen other vices that he had lately
cultivated thanks to his newly acquired wealth and clout.
5. The old man narrated his story when the land owner's wife got worried about her husband's adultery.
He narrated the story to pacify her.
6. C
7. C
8. Tammanna's unique strategy was death of Basavaiah with death of rivalry. He could no longer hate
Basavaiah as his song was from his soul. He conveys to Basavaiah that he is no longer his enemy.
Basavaiah passes away as with the death of rivalry he had no more reason to live.
9. To invest his home with meaning as his house did not have the books of Tammanna, his arch rival.
10. Tammanna's illness was Basavaiah's hope to outwit him. Tammanna's disease revived Basavaiah's
health as Tammana's disease was Basavaiah's health.
11. B
12. C.

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COMPREHENSION II

1. How did Tammanna react to Basavaiah's encroachment of his land?

Tammanna's two hundred acres of land was forcibly acquired by Basavaiah. Tammanna could try
various means to get back his land. He could have gone to the court of law, taken recourse to the
police or hired people to attack Basavaiah. He did not do any of these as he was in search of a method
that could annihilate Basavaiah differently. That is when he hit upon the idea of composing all his
experiences in the form of ballads and singing them. With this, the rivalry between Tammanna and
Basavaiah started moving away from things that were visible, towards an invisible, abstract domain.
His songs made a mention of Basavaiah's cruelty and his meanness. He got so involved in this, that
he did not notice anything. Art had become the raison-d'etre of his life. He was felicitated as the best
poet of his time.
2. Why does Tamanna quit rivalry with Basavaiah?
Tamanna wanted the death of Basavaiah and hence he quits rivalry with Basavaiah. Tamanna knew
very well if he quits rivalry with Basavaiah, Basavaiah will die. Tamanna leaves everything that is his
and goes off to a far away village, sending the message strongly to Basavaiah that he has quit rivalry.
As expected, Basavaiah duly dies. Tamanna expected himself to feel joyous about Basavaiah's death
but on the contrary he is shocked to discover that he is filled with sadness and remorse as that is when
he recognizes that his entire life he has lived for vengeance so much that it has driven him to kill a
person. He now filled with remorse, truly disowning his all including his identity, has set out to make
amends by working as a servant and a gardener in a far off land.

COMPREHENSION III

3. A manipulator like Tammanna turns reflective towards the end of his life. What does this tell us about
human nature?
In a faraway place, there was a person called Tammanna and another Basavaiah. They were rivals
who were always engaged in being one up the other. If Tammanna bought four acres of land,
Basavaiah followed suit. If one had ten friends, the other would try to acquire fifteen. In the
beginning, it looked like a healthy competition, but in due course it became ugly rivalry. The
competition between them was so fierce that all the land in the village belonged to either Tammanna
or Basavaiah. When it came to the notice of Basavaiah that Tammanna had acquired two hundred
acres of land, Basavaiah forcibly took it away from him. Tammanna avenged this invasion by
humiliating Basavaiah with a shift from visible to an abstract domain in fighting Basavaiah.
Tammanna composed all his experiences in the form of ballads and sang them all. The content of the
songs was only of Basavaiah's cruelty and his meanness. He became very popular for his songs and
was felicitated as the best poet of his times. Thus he avenged Basavaiah. Basavaiah also tried to
sing, but could not. Basavaiah then,worked hard to become richer. Though he worked very hard and
acquired all kinds of material wealth such as a palatial mansion, gold, diamonds, other precious
stones, none of them could replace Tammanna's books. Anything he did, could not match the name
and fame Tammanna had earned with his songs. The people of the village told him that his house
looked dull and empty because Tammanna's books were not there. Suddenly when Tammanna fell

44
 sick, Basavaiah was delighted as Tammanna would not be able to write anymore. He interpreted
Tammanna's disease as his health. In other words, Tammanna's disease was interpreted as
Basavaiah's health by Basavaiah. Tammanna with his sickness continued to hate Basavaiah and
thought of another method to punish Basavaiah. He wanted to punish Basavaiah with death. He
knew if he would withdraw from rivalry and put an end to it, it would kill Basavaiah. So, Tammanna
announces this to Basavaiah and leaves all his property and everything else and goes away to some
far off land. He continues to write, not from the body level but from his soul. In this way, his songs did
not have any hatred for Basavaiah this was to establish to Basavaiah that Tammanna has really quit
rivalry. Thus, Tammanna gives up everything of his past identity, and work as a servant in a
plantation. With this the death of his identity as Tammanna is complete. Basavaiah sees this and as
expected dies when Tammanna is no longer his enemy, as Basavaiah had no more reason to live. It
was their enemity that gave him a reason to live. With the enemity gone and Tammana's past life
dead, Basavaiah passed away. Tamanna had thought that Basavaiah's death would give him
happiness. But it did not. That is when he realizes how strange human nature can be. He
understands that all along he had been living for some kind of an unbearable vengefulness and this
had been the reason for his existence. With this realization, he tries to make amends for his
vengenceful past life. Once famous Tammanna, for his wealth, songs and ballads now becomes a
non-entity and works as a gardener for a landlord and thus avenges himself for being the reason
behind Basavaiah's death. Tammanna in his new role as a servant for a landlord becomes reflective.
2. Observe how the story employs multiple narratives. How does this technique unveil the mystery of
human relationships?
The author of this story 'The Gardner' is P. Lankesh. The author at the outset says the genesis of the
story was in the chance encounter with an old man who was standing in a coconut grove near
Chennarayapatna. The old man is hired by the owner of the plantation as a labourer, overseer and
philosopher, all rolled into one. The old man was very knowledgeable and so the income from the
plantation improved dramatically. The rise in the income also brought about a perceptible change in
his lifestyle. As he did not have to do much, he fell into bad company and fell prey to many vices and
even adultery. The old man noticed that his owner's wife was very worried about this and that is when
he narrates a story to her. The author's narration ends here and the old man whose name is
Tammanna, his narration starts. Tammanna's narration to the owner's wife is actually
autobiographical, but since he does not want his identity to be disclosed he tells her that it is a piece of
fiction. He tells her that he conceived it when he read in the newspaper that Russia has declared to
United States that it is no longer interested in being an enemy of United States and will not wage a
war against it. Tammanna also finally tells the owner's wife that she should just forget that he has
told her a story and that she should think that she had dreamt it all. Hence Tammanna has three
accounts to his credit, autobiographical, fiction and that of a dream. As soon as Tammanna ends his
story, the author steps in and says that he is not able to further elaborate and has narrated it as it is
and that he had seen it all in a dream. Author thus indicates that all he has penned is what he had
seen in his dream. The author has two accounts to his credit, that of fiction and the dream. This
technique unveils the mystery of human relationships that man is so complicated that till the day of
his death, he goes on living for some revenge or the other, confronting one challenge or the other.

45
 ON CHILDREN – KAHLIL GIBRAN

1. Why does the prophet categorically state 'Your children are not your children'?
Kahlil Gibran's 'On Children' is a critique of the usual expectations of parents about their children and
urges them to introspect. This poem challenges parental authority and the notion of absolute
ownership of children. In doing so, the prophet categorically states 'your children are not your
children.' As he knows the absolute truth which explains to the world,that sons and daughters are
solely independent entities, whose lives long for themselves and that the parents do not own their
children. Though they are born by their parents, they are not the creators of their souls, as their souls
belong to the future. Parents are nothing but mere homes for their children's physical body to rest
and prosper. The prophet continues explaining how parents cannot claim their authority over their
children by making the parents realize that they can only give their love to children but not their
thoughts as the children are entitled to their own thoughts. Parents can try following the ways of their
children but should never expect the children to take the path of their parents because life neither
goes backwards nor lives with yesterday. With all these instances the prophet establishes the truth
that children are different entities and they have their own identity. Thus categorically states 'your
children are not your children.'
2. The poem does not focus merely on the lives of children, but also talks about the responsibility of
parents. Discuss.
The poem begins with 'your children are not your children.'Many parents goad their children to do
what they want them to do without even sparing a thought on what the child wishes or wants.
They have come through the parents for a purpose of their own and they are very different from their
parents in thoughts, attitudes and wishes. Khalil Gibran says that the children are of the parents, but
they do not belong to them. Each child has to chart out a path that is its own and not have to take the
path paved by the parent. Parents can offer opinions as choices but the decisive authority should
always lie with the children. They are borne by the parents in terms of only their bodies and not their
souls. Their souls belong to the Universe and hence have in them the seed of the future of the
Universe. The perception of this Universe is not possible at all for the parents, as the poet says that
the parents cannot visit the Universe of the future even in their dreams, let alone in reality. The poet
says that at the most the parents can emulate their children but should never expect their children to
emulate them. Children can have a reference of the past, but should not have to live backwards.
Parents assume that they are the archers who can shoot their arrows at the desired target, but the
truth is that they are only the bows and their children are living arrows that are sent towards the
target. The archer is none other than the owner of the Universe who holds the future in his control,
bends the arrow with his might so that the living arrows can hit the target swiftly and accurately.
Parents as bows are expected to bend gladly for the archer to send the arrows. Meanwhile the
archer's affection is available only for those parents, who as a bow bend gladly and is stable.

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 WHEN YOU ARE OLD – W. B YEATS

COMPREHENSION II

1. Does the poem 'When You Are Old' bring out the transient nature of beauty as against permanence of
love?
'When You Are Old ' is an exquisite, touching poem written by W.B Yeats, expressing the ideal nature
of love. The poem is essentially romantic in character. In this poem, the poet requests his beloved to
remember her youth and his love for her.
The poet clearly distinguishes the transient nature of beauty and permanence of love in his own
inimitable style with a lot of images and symbols. The speaker reminds his beloved that the way many
loved her for her physical charms and beauty as the phrase 'glad grace' rightly suggests. Many were
after her for her youthful beauty and admired her but as the time passes by, she remembers all her
soft looks and beauty that have faded away with the vagaries of time. On the contrary, the poet's love
is true love that is beyond all physical beauty and stands firm against all odds. The poet's love does
not diminish even a little even after she has grown old and has a worn out look with grey hair. He
continues to love her even now as how much he has loved her when she was young and beautiful.
The poem is about the poet's imagination of how his beloved would be after she has grown old. He
wants her to realize then that he is the only person who has continued to love her, stand by her and
worship the 'Pilgrim soul' in her. He makes a claim for the intensity and exceptional quality of his love
by indicating that he is the only one who loves her for her eternal being. It's his undying love for her
that he professes for her. In this way, the permanence of love outshines the transient nature of
beauty.

COMPREHENSION III

1. 'When You Are Old ' is a poem of contrasts. What contrasts do you find in the poem? What purpose do
they serve?
The most striking and visible characteristic phenomenon about the poem is W. B. Yeats skill in the use
of contrasts, that runs throughout the poem - 'When You Are Old.'
The contrasts in the poem are of the past and present, youth and old age, true love and false love,
external appearance and internal beauty, happiness and sadness.
At the outset, the poem is dedicated to his beloved. The poet says the poem is about her thoughts in
her old age when she is sitting by the fire side reading a book penned by the poet. The poet says that
in her old age she will have thoughts about her youth. When she is grey - haired, aged woman sitting
by the fire side, feeling sleepy and drowsy she would visualize her past. The poet says that let her
then picture to herself her youthful days when her eyes looked so deep and black and when they had
such a heart - warming expression in them. The poet here contrasts the physical charms of his
beloved in her youth to the grey hair, the worn-out look and the infirmity of the woman when she has
grown old.

47
 The poet then goes on to explain that when this woman was young, many men loved her for her
beauty, charms and grace. Many men loved her for her physical beauty. Some of them were genuine
and some fickle. But they loved her only for her physical beauty and left her when it was gone. But,
there was one man, namely the poet, who had truly loved her. This man was able to look beyond her
physical charms and perceive the eternal being within her, a soul that was on a brief pilgrimage on this
earth. This man loved her not only in her youth but at every stage of her life. He still loves her. Now
she is filled with sorrows and grief's of life that has settled down upon her face and has left a visible
mark.
The poet once again asks his beloved to picture to her mind, the difference between what was and
what is. She, then in a mood of reflection and melancholy reminiscence about those men who loved
her for her physical beauty and who have now completely forgotten her. Theirs was an inconsistent
love when contrasted with the poet's love that which is of eternal quality and true love that has
withstood all the odds.
.

HEAVEN, IF YOU ARE NOT HERE ON EARTH - KUVEMPU

COMPREHENSION III

1. How does the poet break the myth of heaven in this poem?
The poem calls earth the heaven. By creating a poem, 'Heaven, If You Are Not Here On Earth' the
poet creates heaven on earth. The poet addresses and asks heaven in first person, if heaven is not
here on earth where else can heaven be. The poet very emphatically states that heaven is on earth
and that we all are the gods. If we are not gods, then there can be no gods. He also says that we are
the heavenly nymphs and if we are not the heavenly nymphs then, there are no heavenly nymphs
anywhere else. Then the poet gushes forth about the heavenliness of nature that makes this earth a
heaven. According to him, the surf at the edge of waves created by the roaring stream that is
rushing, the tender sunshine on the verdant gardens and the gentle Sun all together weave heaven
on earth. The poet's ecstatic description of heaven on earth finally closes with the poet declaring that
it is the poet who creates heaven on earth. The poet imbibing from the heaven that is lying all over
here, in the splendor of harvest and of moonlight, spills the song of nectar that is, his poem, and
thereby creates heaven on earth. By describing earth as vividly as heaven itself, the poet breaks the
myth of heaven in this poem. He tells the reader that one need look nowhere to find heaven, as earth
itself is the home of heaven. It's here and now.

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 JAPAN AND BRAZIL THROUGH A TRAVELER'S EYE - GEORGE MIKES

COMPREHENSION II

1. Why is bowing in Japan a complicated process?

George Mikes in his Travelogue 'Japan and Brazil through a Traveler's Eye' takes the reader through a
journey of Japanese Manners and the Traffic in Brazil. In Japan, the bowing caught his attention
because of the Japanese mania for bowing. The author always found himself bowing too deeply, or
not deeply enough, bowing to the wrong man at the wrong time, not clasp hand in front of him which
is bad, or he does, which is worse, implying that he could never get to bow rightly. The author says
that the Japanese have a complicated hierarchy in bowing of who bows to whom, how deeply and for
how long. He says that if two Japanese bow, neither is to straighten up before the other stands
erect in front of him. Though it seems complicated to us, they manage it without difficulty. Even the
smallest difference in rank, standing, age, social position will be subtly reflected in that split second
one man's bow is shorter than the other's. The author says that in many cases there are clear cut
differences in position and hence there isn't a difficulty.

COMPREHENSION III

1. 'Bowing in Japan is quainter; more formal, more oriental.' Do you agree?

Bowing in Japan is quainter, more formal and more oriental. Bowing in Japan resembles the
ceremonious solemnity of a courtier, but at the same time appears natural with an inimitable grace.
The author says that he discovered that Japanese have a complicated hierarchy in bowing that
defined who bows to whom, how deeply and for how long. He says that though it is complicated the
Japanese manage it without any difficulty. If two Japanese bow, neither is to straighten up before the
other stands erect in front of him. But they manage this without difficulty. Even the smallest
difference in rank, standing, age, social position will be subtly reflected in that split second one man's
bow being shorter than the other's. The basic rules inside the family are clear cut and hence here
there are no difficulties. The wife bows to her husband, the child bows to the father, the younger
brothers bow to elder brothers and the sister bows to all brothers of whatever age. He also talks
about bowing girls who are employed to bow deeply and deferentially to all and this is their only duty.
The author in a lighter vein remarks that babies too bowed when carried in little saddles on their
mother's backs and he found a deer too, that bowed to him deeply. He says that the deer's bow was
proper and courteous. This makes the author remark that bowing is genetic in Japan and is also
infectious and imitative.

2. Describe how traffic in Brazil leads to humorous observations.

3. The author's account of traffic in Brazil is at best humorous and at worst a chilling account, in other
words, a scary proposition. He says that when people are walking they walk at a very leisurely pace
and that nobody hurries in Brazil. In fact, they seem that when they are walking it does not really
matter whether they reach their destination an hour early, a day late or not reach at all. But

49
strangely, they are just the opposite of leisure when they get behind a steering wheel. Then no speed
is fast enough for them and they speed in such a manner that even a tenth of a second gain in speed is
of utmost importance to all the drivers in Brazil and all the time. The Brazilians cannot afford to buy
cars as they are extremely expensive with the import duties. But strangely Brazil is full of cars. The
number of cars there, is growing exponentially. This shows their love for cars and speed driving.
There is always a chase between a car driver and the pedestrian who steps off the pavement. As
soon as a driver notices a pedestrian step off the pavement, he has found his game. The driver calls it
a fair game. He takes an aim at the pedestrian and accelerates to give the pedestrian a chase. This
does not mean the drivers do not care for pedestrians. They care in terms of always being on a look
out for them! Then the pedestrian hollers, jumps, leap and run for dear life. Surprisingly, he does not
resent this game of death in the least. On the contrary he seems to be quite enjoying himself playing
this game. The driver and pedestrian, the hunter and prey smile to each other in a friendly manner.
The author says that he sees in the smile, the characteristics of sportsmanship, implying “I win today
and you will win tomorrow.”!
The author says that the war between drivers is not any less murderous, But with all the blood chilling
speed with which they cut in, overtake and force the other driver to brake violently and commit all the
most heinous road crimes, as many as twenty times an hour. The drivers are good tempered; there is
no anger, no hostility or mad hooting. The author is shocked into disbelief in witnessing a road rage
accompanied by friendliness. The author then goes on to describe the woes of crossing a road in
Brazil. He says that Avenida Presidente Vargas is the worst place to cross a road. He terms crossing
the road as a ritual there which could take a minimum of many hours to be able to cross to the other
side of the road. The author has a last word on crossing a road in Brazil by saying that if anyone
known is found on the other side of the road, he, when asked how he managed to get there, the
answer would be that he was born on that side of the road and that is the reason why he is there! Thus
Brazil traffic beats the traffic of all other places hollow.

THE VOTER - CHINUA ACHEBE

A Note on Roof, the chief campaigner: Roof was a very popular man in his village. He was an
energetic young man, who unlike most others had not left and abandoned the village in order to seek
work in the towns. He was the chief political campaigner for Marcus Ibe, of PAP who was the Minister
of Culture in the outgoing government. Roof was certain that PAP will win in the forthcoming election
too. He was in service of Honorable Minister Marcus Ibe as his Chief Campaigner. He had become a
real expert in election campaigning at all levels – village, local government and national. He could
gauge the mood of the electorate. So this time he warns Marcus Ibe that a radical change had come
into the thinking of people of Umuofia since the last election and so PAP has to try a different way to
win the forthcoming elections. In all, Roof was the most trusted of all the campaigners. Marcus Ibe
had decided to pay for a vote cast in his name and Roof was chosen to make payment to the villagers
for their votes. The activity of making payment for votes was called Whispering Campaign. This
campaign headed by Roof was conducted at night to give away money for vote. Roof met a group of
elders one night and bargained hard with them for the money to be paid for a vote. He negotiates
and fixes four shillings for a vote. This amount is agreed by the villagers as the price for vote. Thus he
can be labeled the chief campaigner of PAP.

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COMPREHENSION II

1. Trace the change in the attitude of the villagers before the second election. Give reasons.
There was a radical change that had come into the thinking of Umuofia since the last national
election. People's Alliance Party almost owned the village Umuofia and Marcus Ibe who was the
Minister of Culture in the outgoing government belonged to PAP. It was pretty certain that the
incoming party would also be PAP and Marcus Ibe would be elected in his constituency. But the
villagers had full five years to see how quickly and plentifully politics brought wealth, chieftaincy
titles, doctorate degrees and other honours for which there were no satisfactory explanations. So,
a complete non entity of a party called Progressive Organization Party – POP for short formed by the
tribes came as an opponent to PAP. Maduka belonged to this party and was contesting the election
as an opponent to Marcus Ibe. The villagers could now see that their vote was valuable and
understood that they should not underrate the power of the ballot papers. The villagers wanted to
try a different way this time. The different route was that they expected money for their votes. The
villagers decided that to cast their vote for a party, they will take a payment from the them and make
the most of their vote power. The word that is used for money in this context is 'firewood'. This was
the radical change in the villagers just before the National elections.
2. Roof is an intelligent manipulator. Justify with reference to the story.
A person from the opponent party POP meets Roof on the eve of National elections and offers five
pounds for his vote to his party leader Maduka. Roof is caught between greed and loyalty. He is not
able to resist the five pounds offered by the opponent party, but at the same time feels guilty about
casting a vote for Maduka and thereby cheating his leader Marcus. He falls prey to greed and takes
the money. Roof is also made to swear on the local deity Iyi of Mbanta that he would cast vote for
Maduka. He is told by the opponent party campaigner that if he fails the oath then, Iyi will take note.
On the day of the election Roof campaigns for Marcus with all his energy and enthusiasm more than
ever before, to make amends for his disloyalty and also to imply business as usual. But when he
finally has to cast vote in favour of Maduka, he is shaken and is guilt ridden. He asks himself that just
because Marcus does not know that he is cheating him, is it correct on his part to cheat Marcus? He
wondered if he had played it all wrong. He has no answers. He does not have the heart to return the
five pounds as his greed does not allow him. He is also aware of the oath that he has taken in the
name of Iyi and if he fails, Her curse will be on his head. He also wants to be fair to his leader Marcus
as he has received many favours from him and does not want to lose all of this in the future, as he is
his Chief campaigner. Suddenly like a lightening, he hits upon an idea. He takes the ballot paper,
tears it at the crease, drops one part of it for Maduka, ensuring that he has indeed cast the vote for
Maduka, and also verbally confirms his action to appease Iyi. He puts the other half into the box
meant for Marcus. With this action he has cast an invalid vote for Maduka, and hence he has not done
any disservice to Marcus appeased Iyi and put the other half into Marcus box. Thereby his promise of
vote for Maduka, Iyi and Marcus are all met, except that they all are invalid. By casting an invalid
vote for Maduka, the wrong that he did to Marcus is corrected, his oath to Iyi is met when he
verbalizes his action and finally putting the other half of the paper into Marcus' box, he affirms his
loyalty to Marcus. Thus he manipulates intelligently, but he is only technically loyal and this should
not be mistaken as true loyalty.

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COMPREHENSION III

1. 'To every human comes a time of reckoning.' How does Roof's dilemma on the day of election reflect
this?
Roof, the chief political campaigner for Honourable Marcus Ibe, the Minister of Culture in the outgoing
Government, belonging to the party PAP, was an intelligent and shrewd manipulator. He was serving
Marcus in the upcoming elections. Up to the eve of elections according to Roof everything had been
'moving according to plan'. But suddenly a visit by the campaigner of the opposition party POP to his
house makes Roof upset all his well-laid out plans. The opponent party campaigner has an offer of
five pounds for his vote to Maduka, the chief of the opponent party POP. Roof is not able to resist the
money, as the red colour of the notes and the image of reaping the harvest of cocoa farms in his head
makes him weak and so yields to the bribe and disloyalty. Roof is also made to take an oath in the
name of the local deity Iyi from Mbanta that he would cast his vote for Maduka. This frightens him,
but he regains his composure. He also takes comfort in the fact that his one vote for Maduka cannot
make Maduka win or Marcus lose. But even with all these logical justification of his actions, he is a
shaken man when he is about to cast the vote for Maduka on the day of the elections. He is torn
between disloyalty and his greed for money. This was his moment of reckoning when he had to take
a decision between being loyal and disloyal. He momentarily tries to return five pounds, but finds it
impossible to let go that kind of money. He also remembers that he has the curse on his head by the
local deity if he failed to cast the vote for Maduka. With a thought that comes to him as quick as a
lightening, he absolves himself of his guilt in one stroke. He tears the ballot paper at the crease, puts
one half in the box for Maduka and the other half in the box for Marcus. He confirms his action
verbally to Iyi that he has voted for Maduka. All his promises to each one of them are met, as he has
cast a vote as promised. A vote is cast for Maduka, Marcus and as promised to deity Iyi , but an invalid
vote. Once the ballot paper is torn, it becomes an invalid vote. He gets the five pounds and delivers
his promise for all.

WHERE THERE IS A WHEEL –PALAGUMMI SAINATH

COMPREHENSION III

1. How does P. Sainath show that cycling brings about changes beyond economic gains?
Thousands of neo-literate rural women in Pudukkotai district, one of India's poorest districts, in the
early 90's expressed defiance by hitting out at their backwardness with cycling as a chosen medium to
hammer at the fetters that bound them. Over 100,000 rural women took to bicycling as a symbol of
independence, freedom and mobility and over 70,000 of these women took part in 'exhibition cum
contests' to proudly display their new skills. Women's cycling as a movement swept across the heart
of Pudukkotai and has become a proud movement for women. Women agricultural workers, quarry
labourers, village health nurses, balwadi and anganwadi workers, gem cutters, school teachers are
all a part of this movement. The vast majority are those who have just then become literate because
of Arivoli Iyakkam – Light of Knowledge Movement- called as neo-literates are today neo-cyclist

52
women. Arivoli Iyakkam promoted literacy using this cycling movement. The women could only hire
cycles and could not afford to buy them. These women saw a direct link between cycling and their
personal independence. This cycling movement gave confidence to women and also reduced their
dependence on men. Women were seen doing a four-kilometres stretch on their cycles to collect
water, sometimes with their children and were even seen carting provisions. But all this could happen
only after the women braved the vicious attacks on their character and the filthy remarks that were
made about them, when initially the movement was started. It was Arivoli that gave cycling a social
sanction and hence women could take to it. Women thronged the cycling training camp with sheer
passion as it gave them a way-out of enforced routines and male-imposed barriers. Very large
numbers of those trained come back to help new learners. They worked free of charge for Arivoli.
There is not only a desire to learn but a widespread perception among them that all women ought to
learn cycling. This, in turn, their experience has enriched the literary movement. Since activists, neo-
literates and every woman wanted to learn, it led to shortage of ladies cycles, but this too was
overlooked as gents cycles would do just as nicely. They could not even afford to buy a cycle for a
long time and all this happened with hiring cycles. In a single week in 1992, more than 70,000 women
displayed their cycling skills at the public exhibition cum contests run by Arivoli and an impressed
UNICEF sanctioned fifty mopeds for Arivoli women activists. Cycling has had definite economic
implications as it has boosted income with helping the women sell their agricultural produce and
providing the transport advantage. Other than economic advantage, cycling has helped the women
to feel good about themselves, enjoy independence so much that in Pudukkottai this humble vehicle,
cycle, has become a metaphor for freedom for women.

53
 GRAMMAR – SPRINGS

1. Too Dear
Homonyms are words that have same spelling, same sound, but different meaning
Draw – I want you to draw water from the well.
Draw - You have to draw the flow chart.
2. A Sunny Morning
Collocations : Collocation are words that occur together complementing each other.
A great detail, raise a family, strong coffee, seriously ill, standing ovation, maiden voyage, fell a tree,
set a table, classic example, make room, jet black, hearty laugh, run out of money.
3. The Gardener
What do the following expression from the lesson mean?
In a flash – quickly, flesh and blood – real, live, out of hand- out of control, vanish into thin air-
disappear altogether
4. Japan and Brazil through a Traveler's Eye
Synonyms
Intimate- very close, quaint- weird, strange, Majestic- royal, deferential- respectful, solemn – serious,
amicably – in a friendly manner, mystify – to create a mystery of something, murderous – intent to kill,
auspicious – sacred, hostility – enmity, expensive – costly, savages – barbaric behavior, accelerate –
quicken the pace, import – bring in from outside, complicated – complex
5. The Voter
Use suitable prefixes to form antonyms:
Gratitude – ingratitude, Certain – uncertain, install- uninstall, personal- impersonal,
honour- dishonour, relentless –unrelentless, disputed- undisputed, correct- incorrect, mask-unmask,
lawful-unlawful, grateful-ungrateful, wavering- unwavering, regard –disregard,
perturb-unperturbed, tolerant – intolerant
6. Where There is a Wheel
Idioms or Phrases:
The calm before the storm – the lull or the quiet before big trouble
Before one knows where one is – events happening even before there is any clarity about oneself or a
situation
Put a spoke in somebody's wheel – to obstruct work, to come in the way of work and not allowing
work to happen.
As things turned out – as was the result of action.

54
 GRAMMAR

PRONOUNS

Pronoun is a word used instead of a noun.

The following are Pronouns:
I, my, mine, me, we, our, ours, us, you, your, yours, they, theirs, their, them, he she, it, her, hers, he,
that, his, myself, yourself, ourselves, somebody, few, some, nobody, this, that, these, those, either,
neither, each, who, which, whose, whom, what, whosoever, whatsoever.

PRONOUN ANSWERS FOR WORKBOOK EXERCISES AND MODEL PAPER QUESTIONS:

PRONOUN ANSWERS

PAGE 13 – STREAMS

1. her – poor woman

it – bundle
him – horseman
he – horseman
me – horseman
2. his – owner
him – old man
his – old man
their – owner and wife
his –owner
her – wife
3. them – little things
them – little things
them – used crayons
they – used crayons
me – the author

55
ANSWERS FOR PRONOUNS IN MODEL QUESTION PAPER 1 &2 IN SPRINGS TEXT BOOK

MODEL PAPER I :

34. i. his – father

ii. they – other parents
iii. he – son
iv. there – rubble

MODEL PAPER 2 :

34. i. her - Luisa

ii. his – Marquez
iii. where – University in Cartegena
iv. himself - Marquez

EXERCISES FOR PRACTICE

PRONOUN – REPLACE THE UNDERLINED PRONOUNS WITH NOUNS

1. Literature is closely associated to life. So long as the human family is divided into nations, it can't
escape the effects of such division. But the highest literature transcends regionalism. Through it we
realize the essential oneness of the human family. The Mahabharatha belongs to this class and which
belongs to the world and not only to India
it_______ it__________ this_________ which__________
2. On September 15th , 1963, a bomb exploded in a Baptist Church in Birmingham. Four young girls
died, another lost an eye, and more than a dozen children were injured. This day came to be called
'Birmingham Sunday' and is regarded as the bloodiest day in the modern Civil Rights movement.
Then President John F Kennedy ordered a probe, but hehimself was assassinated in November of
that year.
another__________ this___________ He _____________ that______________
3. Finger printing, the study of it is known as dactylographic. It dates back to very early times. The finger
prints form different shapes. They are classified as loops, arches and whorls which form the basis for
their study. They serve as a fool-proof method to establish one'sidentity
it __________ they ____________ their_____________ one's______________

56
4. Long ago goods were manufactured by craftsmen who were skilled workmen. A craftsman was proud
of each article he made. People paid a high price for it when it was finished. Poor people could not pay
the price. They had to be satisfied with goods which were made with cheap and rough materials.
who ____________ it ____________ they __________ which__________

5. You might have heard the story of how Sir Isaac Newton watched an apple fall from a tree and this set
him thinking about the force of gravity. Newton knew that it was the force of gravity that pulled the
apple down, but then he wondered why this did not pull the Moon down too. He thought about the
problem for a long time, and worked out some formulas to explain it.
you________ this_________ this _________ It______

PRONOUN EXERCISE - KEY

1. It - Human Family
It - Highest Literature
This - Highest Literature
Which - Mahabharatha
2. Another - young girl
This - September 15th
He - President John F Kennedy
That – 1963
3. It - Finger Printing
They – Finger Prints
Their – Finger Prints
One's – A person
4. Who - craftsmen
It - Article
They – Poor people
Which – Goods
5. You – Reader
This - apple fall from a tree
This – Force of Gravity
It - the Problem

57
 GRAMMAR – PASSIVES

COMPLETE THE FOLLOWING BY FILLING THE BLANKS USING THE RIGHT FORM
OF THE VERBS GIVEN IN BRACKETS:

1. Navadanya Movement __________ (initiate) in 1987 for bio-diversity conservation. Many farmers
____________ (train) to conserve bio-diversity. A transition from monoculture to bio-diversity was
effective and 3,000 rice varieties _________ (save).
2. Roof _________ (know) to everyone in Umuofia. The campaigner of the POP met him. No words
__________ (waste) between them. Roof __________ (give) five pounds to cast his vote for
Maduka.
3. When we read an ancient book, it is as though all the years from then to now __________ (be +
experience) from the day it _____________ (be+ write) to our present day. So, the books
____________ (be + replace) never ever.
4. Once a murder ___________ (commit) in the kingdom of Monaco. The committee
___________(force) to look for the ways to punish the criminal. Finally, the punishment
___________ (give) to him.
5. The war against the Earth began with this idea of separateness. Its contemporary seeds ________
(sow) when the living Earth __________ (transform) into dead matter to facilitate the industrial
revolution. Diversity _________ (replace) by monocultures.
6. A fence ___________ (build) around Tammanna’s land by Basaviah. Both of them ___________
(encourage) by their supporters. Tammanna _______________ (advise) by his supporters about the
various means available for getting back his land.
7. In the toy kingdom, a council _________________ ( call) to consider what ____________ (could,
do) and it ____________ (decide) to send a letter to the king of Italy.
8. Monaco was a little Kingdom. It ____________ (know) for the gaming houses. These ____________
(stop) by the other countries in Europe, but they ____________ (retain) by the King of Monaco.
9. Neruda _____________ (know) as a famous poet of his century as his poems _____________(write)
in a variety of styles. In 1971, he ______________ (confer) the nobel prize for literature.
10. A crime was reported to the Prince of Monaco. The Prince _____________ (amaze), for a murder
___________ (commit) in his toy kingdom. The ministers ___________ (summon) to discuss the
matter.
11. While I __________________ (work) at a prison, I was assigned to the guest area to monitor the
inmates and their visitors. A call ____________ (receive) at the reception and I knew the call
_______________ ( mean) to be confidential.
12. The kingdom neither had a guillotine nor an executioner. Therefore a council _____________ (call).
It ______________ (decide) to write a letter to the French Government. The letter _____________
(send).s
13. Terikai and his friend _____________ (catch) in storm. Their boat _____________ (capsize) and
they ________________ (carry) into the lagoon eight miles from land, with tigers, sharks all around.

58
ANSWERS TO THE QUESTIONS ON THE TOPIC 'USE OF PASSIVES':

1. a. was initiated b. were trained c. were saved

2. a. was known b. were wasted c. was given
3. a. are experienced b. is written c. are replaced
4. a. was committed b. was forced c. was given
5. a. were sown b. was transformed c. was replaced
6. a. was built b. were encouraged c. was advised
7. a. was called b. could be done c. was decided
8. a. was known b. were stopped c. were retained
9. a. was known b. were written c. was conferred
10. a. was amazed b. was committed c. were summoned
11. a. was working b. was received c. was meant
12. a. was called b. was decided c. was sent
13. a. were caught b. was capsized c. were carried

LINKERS

LINKERS CATEGORIES WITH EXAMPLES

1. Addition : One of the greatest concerns of John was his awkward

appearance. Besides, he had equally big feet to match.
Linkers used for addition : also, moreover, in addition, further, what is more, and, on top
of that
2. Enumeration : An individual is a citizen of the nation in the first instance, and a
citizen of a state to which he belongs, in the second instance.
Linkers used for enumeration : firstly, secondly, to sum up, last, next
3. Contrast : While, on the one hand, zoos educate people about wild life
and the environment, on the other, they also encourage people
to see animals as a form of entertainment.
Linkers used for Contrast : alternately, on the contrary, whereas, but
4. Time : Suresh was not satisfied with his profession as a lawyer. Soon
he gave up his practice and established Anandwan.
Eventually, Anandwan became famous all over the world.
Linker used for Time : afterwards, in brief, after a while, since, before, as far as

59
5. Result : The broker assists cattle traders in their deals, and as a result,
those of his area respect him.
Linkers used for result : consequently, in brief, in conclusion, in all, therefore
6. Reformulation (rephrase) : Suresh was a true Gandhian, that is to say, he believed in truth
and non-violence.
Linkers used for Reformulation: in brief, in short, in other words, to put it more simply
7. Inference : If one is lost in the jungle, one must always try to find a
river. If not, chances of survival are remote.
Linkers used for Inference : as a result, likewise, therefore, in the same way, otherwise,
that implies
8. Summary : For his daughter's marriage, he spent Rs 50,000 on clothes, Rs
60,000 on food and gifts; Rs 40,000 on jewellery and Rs
50,000 on rentals. In all, he spent Rs 2,00,000
Linkers used for Summary : to sum up, at last, finally, in conclusion, in conclusion
9. Replacement : You can go to Kanya Kumari by train. Alternatively, you can
travel by bus, which takes more time.
Linkers for Replacement : in other words, on the other hand, instead
10. Transition : The Minister for Education came to our district to inaugurate a
medical college, Incidentally, he visited the hospital attached
to the college and met the patients there.
Linkers for Transition : meanwhile, also, in addition to, however
11. Comparison : There is less traffic in Mysore. In comparison with that, the
roads in Hubli are congested.
Linkers for Comparison : similarly, likewise, on the contrary, in the same way, whereas
12. Explanation : The Government of Karnataka has introduced a number of
housing projects for the poor. For instance, the Akshaya
housing project and Bhagya Jyothi Project.
Linkers for Explanation : for example, accordingly, therefore, that implies, thus,
because, such as

LINKERS - PAGE NO 67

1. Aesop is a figure clouded in so much mystery and legend that it is difficult to know what can be said
about him. It is also strange to believe that this world famous man was born a slave in the sixth
century B.C. when slaves were brought and sold frequently. Aesop's Greek master gave him liberty
because he was impressed by his learning and wit.
2. Alok was happy when he was selected to take part in the car race. He gladly went where the race was
to take place. He was given car kit so that he could build the body of the car using small pieces of
wood. Alok asked Abhiif he would help him. Abhi refused. However Alok did not give up; he set out
to make the car.
60
3. The rains had failed, therefore all the wells and tanks had run dry. In order to overcome the problem
the municipal authorities sunk a number of bore wells, so that they could supply water to the citizens.
Thus the situation was brought under control.
4. In the summer, the rumour of a famine swept through the province but was a baseless one because
the crops were actually growing well and the weather was perfect for a bumper harvest. But on the
strength of that rumour, thousands of small farmers abandoned their farms and fled to the cities. As
a result of this, crops failed, thousands starved and the rumour about the famine proved true.
5. There was King who had one eye and one leg and he asked all the painters to draw a beautiful portrait
of him but none of them could. How could they paint him beautifully with the defects in one eye and
one leg? However one of them agreed and drew a classic picture of the King. Eventually it was a
fantastic picture and surprised everyone. He painted the King aiming for a hunt, targeting with one
eye closed and one leg bent.
6. Eating soup in Japan is more dangerous than anything else. While eating soup, one must make fearful
noise as it is a sign of appreciation. However, a European who tries to make such a noise will be
considered an ill-mannered lout because it is not liked by Japanese hostess. Therefore one must be
careful in Japan if he/she is offered soup.

FILL IN THE BLANKS WITH THE APPROPRIATE LINKER :

1. Rufus Okeke came back to his village ___________ the completion of his bicycle repairer's apprentice
from Harcourt ____________ he wanted to help and guide his people in the coming elections. Then
he supported PAP with all his heart and soul ___________ had to change his mind in the end
___________ vote for both the parties.
(but, after, and, because)
2. In a duel, Don Gonzalo injured the merchant severely. ____________ the fear of consequences,
Gonzalo hid in a secret place. ___________ the merchant was highly regarded in that locality. He
began to think ___________ he could save himself. ___________ he fled to Seville secretly.
(how, at last, due to, moreover,)
3. The war against the earth began _________ this idea of separateness. Separatism is __________at
the root of disharmony with nature and violence against nature and people. Today we have failed to
recognize that human beings are an inseparable part of nature, __________ we have developed
environmental destructive behavior. ___________ we need to create harmony between nature and
our minds for the peaceful existence of mankind.
(indeed, with, since, hence)
4. Cycling was a women's social movement ____________ it reduced their dependence on men.
_____________ it gave them a sense of freedom. ___________ they had to put up with fitting
remarks of some men at the same time. ______________ all the women in Pudukkottai learnt
cycling.
(moreover, Consequently, as, but)

61
5. Basaviah was shrunk in humiliation _____________ he started filling his life and house with all kinds
of material wealth. _____________ his house looked dull and empty _____________ Tammanna's
books were not there. ____________ he started inviting scholars to the place.
(but, because, nevertheless, therefore)
6. Motor cars are extremely expensive in Brazil, import duties being crippling ____________
murderous. ______________ this only means that the number of motor vehicles is growing by leaps
and bounds, ____________ as if cars were distributed for free of charge to all and sundry.
_______________ the pedestrians life is becoming more hazardous.
(yet, thus, and almost)

ANSWERS TO THE QUESTIONS ON THE TOPIC 'LINKERS':

1. after, because, but, and

2. due, to, moreover, how, at last
3. with, indeed, since, hence
4. as, moreover, but, consequently
5. nevertheless, But, because, therefore
6. and, Yet, Almost, thus

IDIOMS AND PHRASES MEANING – (2 marks)

l One's castle – one's private space

l All and sundry – all and everything inclusive
l Listen-in – pay attention
l Look down at- not having a good opinion about a person/ idea /thing (be-little)
l Turns its back - unfriendly
l Full of praise - appreciation
l In a soup - in trouble
l Landslide Victory - winning by a large margin
l In full swing – in full enthusiasm and force
l Take to – opt for /to choose
l Give up - accept defeat
l Zip along - speed along
l Be hanged to - be destroyed/a person having to suffer
l Straight out - directly from a particular source
l Look down on - make a person feel small

62
l Put up with - to tolerate and to deal
l Go in for – to choose an option
l To be in high spirits – great enthusiasm
l To throw away – losing something that is valuable/worthy
l Pass by – go in that direction
l Hard put to – having difficulty in making two ends meet
l To keep himself – to maintain oneself (financially)
l Getting out of hand – losing control
l Sweep across – found all over
l Hit out at - attack
l Run into – collide/meet someone
l Turn a deaf ear – not pay any heed to/ not listening
l A fly trying to move a dunghill – a meek person attempting to perform a large task
l On the look-out - straining one's eyes to sight the target
l Dashed off – move very quickly

FILL IN THE BLANKS WITH THE APPROPRIATE EXPRESSION GIVEN IN

BRACKETS:

1. Sheela Rani Chunkath included mobility _____________ the literacy drive. The neo cyclists
_______________ to the hostile remarks from some men.
(turn a deaf ear, to come off, as a part of )
2. Marcus knew that he would win but he did not want _______________ a single vote. All the while
Roof, weighed down with guilt, pretended ___________.
(to be in high spirits, to throw away, pass by)
3. Roof's _____________________ when both the parties offered him money to vote for them. But on
the day of election he was ______________ and decided to elect both.
(run out of, face it up, in a fix)
4. Vandana Shiva's life was not _____________. She put her _____________ in order to retain the
Indian tradition to ecology.
(heart and soul, faced up to, a bed of roses)
5. Cycling ________________ Pudukkottai. The women of Pudukkottai ______________ of their way
to learn cycling which gave them confidence and freedom.
(stretch out, sweep across, go out)
6. Basaviah tried to _______________ Tamanna's activities by acquiring more acres of land. But
Tammanna _____________ Basaviah's competitive attitude calmly.
(put an end to, run out of, put up with)
63
7. The ministers decided to tell the criminal to ______________ . They did so. But the criminal said that
if he ran away people would _________________ on him.
(turn their backs, run away, straight out)
8. The kinglet of Monaco _______________ the account of his expenditure one day. He decided that the
only way to ______________ of the criminal was to send him away.
(look into, look for, get rid of)
9. In Umuofia, everyone is ______________ for Marcus Ibe. He is not like the mortar which as soon as
food comes its way ____________ on the ground.
(look down at, turn its back, full of praise)
10. She wrote his name on the sand, and sat down on a rock, her gaze ______________ the horizon. The
waves murmured the eternal threnody and slowly ________________ to the rock where the maiden
sat.
(crept up, zip along, fixed upon)
11. The criminal remained in the prison for one year. But when the kinglet ______________ the income
and expenditure, he was shocked to notice a new item of expenditure. So, he decided
______________ the criminal.
(to get rid of, look into, reckon with)
12. The stranger ______________ to all the pleas by the minister. However, he was _____________
when the council promised hima pension of 600 Francs.
(in high spirits, wash off, turn a deaf ear)

ANSWERS TO THE QUESTIONS ON 'APPROPRIATE EXPRESSIONS' GIVEN IN THE BRACKETS:

1. As a part of, Turned a deaf ear

2. To throw away, To be in high spirits
3. Face lit up, In a fix
4. A bed of roses, Heart and soul
5. Swept across, Went out
6. Put an end, Put up with
7. Run away, Turn their backs
8. Looked into, Get rid of
9. Full of praise, Turns its back
10. Fixed upon, Crept up
11. Looked into, To get rid of
12. Turned a deaf ear, In high spirits

64
 LETTER
Write a job application in response to the following advertisement that appeared in 'The Times of India' on
9th December 2020 (5 Marks)
A Nationally known Computer Software Developer has an exciting opportunity in customer service and sales
support in its fast paced Bangalore Office. You are an engineer with two years service and will help resolve
customer problems, assist in account management and administer orders. If you are friendly, motivated
with excellent problem solving communication and PC skills send resume to The Director of Sales, Global
Tech Soft, No. 73, M.G. Road, Bangalore 560001

Raghuram
No 17, Padmanabha Nagar
BSK II Stage
Bangalore 560070
10 December 2020

The Director of Sales

Global Tech Soft
M.G. Road
Bangalore 560001
Respected Sir,

Sub: Application for the post of Customer Service and Sales Support Engineer
Ref: Your advertisement in 'The Times of India' dated 10th December 2020
With regard to the above mentioned advertisement, I hereby, apply for the post of Customer Service and
Sales Support Engineer in your Organization. Kindly find enclosed my resume for your perusal. In case of
any further clarifications, please do write to the address mentioned above. I am looking forward to hearing
from you.
Thank You.
Yours faithfully,
(Raghuram)

65
 RESUME

Name : S. Raghuram

Father's Name : Mr K. N. Suresh

Date of Birth/Age : May 1995/ 24 years

Permanent Address : No 17, Padmanabha Nagar, BSK II Stage, Bangalore

Nationality : Indian

Knowledge of languages : English, Hindi, Kannada, Tamil

Educational Qualifications :

Name of the Examination Board/University Year/Marks Subjects

Engineering- B.E. VTU 2017 / 78% Comp.Science

PUC Karnataka State Board 2014 / 95% PCM, Hindi, Eng

ICSE ICSE Board, Delhi 2012 / 93% Eng, Math, Sci,

SST, Hindi

Work Experience : Worked as Sales Executive in Sonata Software for a period of 2

years (2017-2019)
Other interests/hobbies : Singing, Reading, Event management

Place: Bangalore Sd.

Date:10 December 2019 XXX

WRITE COVERING LETTER ON ONE SIDE OF THE PAGE AND RESUME ON THE OTHER SIDE OF
THE PAGE

66
 REPORTED SPEECH - RULES
(Always ensure past tense when changing direct to indirect and use third person like 'she', 'he' 'they')

To change Direct to Indirect, the Comma, after the reported verb and inverted commas is removed and the
conjunction 'that' is used to join the two parts – the spoken part and the introductory part of the sentence.
He said, “I am not well.”
He said that he was not well.
Here, the reporting verb 'said' is in past tense.
If the reporting verb is in past tense, the verbs in the direct speech are changed into their corresponding past
forms.
She said, “It is very nice of you to think of charity.”
She said that it was very nice of him/her/me to think of charity.
If the person addressed is mentioned, then 'told' should be used. When you know who are the two people
talking to each other than 'told' should be used.
The old lady said to the burglar, “You have had bad luck today.”
The old lady told the burglar that he had had bad luck that day.
If the reported speech is either in simple present tense or in future, then, in the reported speech the tense
does not change.

EXAMPLE:

The burglar says, “I will not take the money.'

The burglar says that he will not take the money.
The old lady will say, “I will be there.”
The old lady will say that she will be there.

Personal pronouns and possessive adjectives are changed into third person, depending on who says whom.
He said to her, “I have forgotten to tell you the combination of my lock.”
He told her that he had forgotten to tell her the combination of his lock.
The conjunction 'that' should be used with verbs like complain, explain, object, protest, point out…
He said, “You give me twice as much work as you give the others.”
He complained that he/she/I gave him twice as much work as he/she/I gave the others.
I said to her, “I am not selling my house.”
I told her that I was not selling my house.

67
IMPERATIVE SENTENCES:

This means statements that are compulsory and mandatory.

The old lady said to the man “Sit down.”
The old lady ordered the man to sit down.
While reporting Imperative sentences, the following verbs are used:
ordered, commanded, requested, warned, advised, asked

INTERROGATIVES:

This means questions.

While reporting a question the following verbs are used: asked, enquired, inquired and demanded.
Subbaiah said, “What do they know of this business?”
Subbaiah asked what they knew of that business.
While reporting a question, the question word is retained, but the question itself is changed into a statement.
He said to the old lady, “Haven't I the right to live comfortably?”
He asked the old lady if he hadn't the right to live comfortably.
'If' or 'Whether' is introduced when reporting a question.

EXCLAMATORY SENTENCES:

Reporting verbs used for exclamatory sentences are: exclaimed, wondered, wished, declared.
He said, “How beautiful the rose is!”
He exclaimed that the rose was very beautiful.
Universal Truths
The tense does not change when a sentence refers to a Universal truth.
The tourist guide said, “The Taj Mahal is in Agra.”
The tourist guide said that the Taj Mahal is in Agra.
He said, “We are all sinners.”
He said that we are all sinners.
The teacher said, “Akbar won the respect of all races and classes by his justice.”
The teachers said that Akbar won the respect of all races and classes by his justice.

68
ANSWERS FOR REPORTED SPEECH EXERCISES IN STREAMS:

PAGE 25

1. When Swami Ram Thirtha visited America, he came across an American who asked him where his
luggage was. He replied to him that his whole luggage was on his body. Then the American asked him
where his purse was. Swami Ram Thirtha replied that he did not possess any money with him. The
American asked if he had any friend in America. Swami Ram Thirtha replied that he had a friend and
that American was his friend.

PAGE 29

1. Roshan respectfully asked the Manager if he could go in. The Manager asked him to come in and told
him to sit down and asked him his name. The Manager then asked him if he could drive a car. Roshan
told him that he could drive and added that he had been driving for three years.
2. The customer told the barber that he must be at that meeting immediately and he could not spare
another minute. The barber told him that he knew all about the meeting. Then the customer asked if
he would let him go there. The Barber replied that he was afraid that he would not.
3. The children asked their mother who that lady was. Their Mother told them that she was a close
friend and very dear to her. Her children asked her, how was that that she had never told them about
her. Mother replied that when the time comes, they will know everything.
4. The reporter congratulated Sachin on his achievement of not out at 200 runs in ODI. The reporter
told him then that he had yet another world record to his credit. Sachin told the reporter that God is
great and that he only enjoyed his cricket. The reporter further asked him that after his great
achievement of not out at 200 runs in ODI what would be his next achievement. He asked Sachin if
we could hope for 400 plus innings in a test match. Sachin replied that the love of his countrymen for
him was his greatest strength.
5. Dona Laura asked Don Gonzalo if he used a handkerchief as a shoe brush. Don Gonzalo replied that
he should not. Dona Laura then asked him if he used a shoe brush as a handkerchief. Don Gonzalo
then asked what right she had to criticize his action and to this Dona Laura replied that it was a
neighbour's right.
6. The policeman asked the woman what her full name is. The woman replied that she is Veena
Sharma. The policeman further asked her if she could describe her. The woman said that she was
thin and fair in complexion.

ANSWERS: PAGE NO:33

1. The criminal told the Minister that he had nowhere to go and he then said to himself what he could do.
He further complained that they had ruined his character by their sentence. He said that people
would turn their backs on him. He told them that they had treated him badly.

69
2. Roof said to himself how he could betray Marcus even in secret. For a moment he felt that he should
not have accepted the money. Besides, he remembered that he had sworn on Iyi. In a state of
dilemma, he asked himself what he should to do. He was in a fix.

ANSWERS FOR REPORTED SPEECH IN MODEL QUESTION PAPER 1 &2 IN

SPRINGS TEXT BOOK

MODEL PAPER I
27. Dona Lara asked Don Gonzalo if he was coming the next day. Don Gonzalo replied that he most
certainly would if it was a sunny morning and that he would not only not scare away the birds, but
would bring a few crumbs.
Dona Laura thanked him and said that birds are grateful and repay attention.

MODEL PAPER II
27. She sat thinking that all that was none of her concern. The old man went on that his name was not
Sangoji, but Basavaiah and that he was amazed at how facts take on such varied guises when it is
narrated as fiction.
Please pay attention to the right word order when reporting the Direct speech.

EXAMPLE:
Alifano asked Borges, “What is blindness to you?”
Alifano asked Borges what blindness was to him. --- CORRECT
Alifano asked Borges what was blindness to him. --- WRONG
When reporting a name, treat it as Universal Truths, implying that, there should not be any change in
tense.

EXAMPLE:
He said “My name is Roshan.”
He said that his name is Roshan.
When reporting a habitual action, change the tense.
Madan said, “I read the newspaper before breakfast every morning.”
Madan said that he read the newspaper before breakfast every morning.

Basic Rules of Reported Speech - To Change Direct speech to Indirect Speech

Simple present tense becomes Simple past tense
He said, “I want a bag of rice.”
He said that he wanted a bag of rice

70
 Present continuous tense becomes past continuous tense
The boy said, “I am buying a new box.”
The boy said that he was buying a new box.

Present perfect tense becomes past perfect tense

She said, “I have read this book.”
She said that she had read that book.

Present perfect continuous tense becomes past perfect continuous tense

Ravi said, “I have been waiting for you.”
Ravi said that he had been waiting for him.

Simple past becomes past perfect tense

Vijay said, “I did my homework.”
Vijay said that he had done his homework.

Past perfect tense and Past perfect continuous tense of direct speech do not change and remain the
same in indirect speech.
Tense does not change when a sentence refers to a universal truth.
The teacher said, “The sun rises in the East.”
The teacher said that the sun rises in the East.

CHANGES THAT NEED TO BE NOTED:

Direct Indirect
This that
These those
Now then
Here there
Ago before
Today that day
Tomorrow the next day/the day after
Yesterday the previous day/the day before
Last night the night before
Come go

71
(I) Rewrite the conversation given below in Indirect speech as if reported by Sant to a friend
of his:

Joti : Hello! Sant, how are you today?

Sant : Very well, indeed, Mr. Joti, except for the old trouble.
Joti : Oh! To be sure. Well, you know we all have some problem to bear.
Sant : I suppose so, but sickness is a constant source of worry.
Joti : Cheer up old fellow. Everybody has some problem now and then. Why don't you get
proper treatment?
Sant : I have tried many medicines. Nothing seems to work.

INDIRECT SPEECH/REPORTED SPEECH

I met Mr. Joti. He greeted me and asked me how I was on that day. I told him that I was very well
except for the old trouble. He said that surely we all have some problem to bear. I agreed to that but
told him that sickness is a constant source of worry. He told me to cheer up as everybody has some
problem now and then and asked me why I did not get any proper treatment. I told him that I had
tried many medicines and nothing seemed to work.

(ii) A railway employee was notified that he was to serve on the commission. He asked the chairman to
excuse him.
“We are very busy at workshop,” he said, “and I ought to be there.” “So you are one of those men who
think the railway couldn't get along without you?” remarked the chairman.
“No,” admitted the man, “I know it could get along without me – but I don't want it to be found out.”
“Excused,” said the chairman
Considering yourself the railway employee, narrate the above in the indirect form of speech.

INDIRECT SPEECH/REPORTED SPEECH

I was notified by chairman to serve on the commission and I asked him to excuse me as we were very
busy at workshop and told him that I had to be there. He then asked me if I was one of those men
who thought that the railways could not get along without me. I told him that I did not think so as I
knew that it could get along without me, but I did not want that to be found out. The chairman said
that I was excused.

72
REPORT THE FOLLOWING CONVERSATIONS:

1. Teacher : Children the earth is round

Boy : Is it really so, or you're joking sir?
Teacher : Why would I joke with you in the course of a lesson
Boy : Do you mean that joking is forbidden in the course of a lesson?!
2. " Who is your master Sebastian?" Said Murillo, "your drawing master,I mean.”
"You, Sir.”
"I have never given you lessons".
"No,but you have given them to these young gentlemenand I heard them.”
"Which does this boy. Deserve, my dear pupils, reward or punishment?”
"Reward", was the reply of all.
3. The scientist told the Lemming," I have made a life-long study of Lemming, just as you did of people. I
do not understand one thing about my subject.
"And what is that?" asked the Lemming.
"I don't understand”, said the scientist."Why you all Lemmings rush down to the sea and drown
yourselves?”
Lemming said," The one thing that I don't understand is why you humans don't!".
4. Farmer's wife said "Let's buy a gun so that we can shoot bats, foxes and polecats with it."
"Not me, I shall not be a party to that" He said."The gun is a symbol of cruelty. It is the child of sin.Man
should never have invented it.”
He prayed fervently, “Oh bats save yourselves."
5. "I'll fix you, Steve, Once and for all," Dave said. " I'll show you can't start coming into the house at
midnight.”
"Hold your horses, Dave," his wife said. "Can't you see the state he's in?”
" What's the matter?" Dave said.
Steve sadly said "I lost my cap."
6. Sarpanch said, "Did you listen to what Soman has stated?”
Mankanna said “yes sir, I have been listening to everything.”
"What have you to say about it?" Sarpanch said. And Mankanna said, "ThisSoman tried to untie my
donkey by force, so I gave him a thrashing."
7. " We shall make a good job of it, shan't we?" Obi said to his wife. “We shall do our best" she said, "We
shall have such beautiful gardens and everything will be just modern and delightful”. Obi said “I'm
thinking what a grand opportunity we've got at last to show these people how a school should be run.”
8. Ford said to the old lady “I'm Lieutenant Ford and I'm so glad to meet you today. May I take you to

73
 dinner?" “I don't know what this is all about, son" She answered “This young lady in the green suit
begged me to wear this rose on my coat. And she said, if you asked me to go out with you, I should tell
you that she'll be waiting for you in that nearby restaurant" said the old lady.
9. "By the time you come back from office you will be dead tired.I don't know how you're able to manage
work at home and in the office." Akkayya said.
Ammulu replied,". What a wretched job! Sometimes, I feel like giving it up". "Don't think like that
Ammulu. How fortunate you're. Touchwood! You've studied well, have a job like a man and you
areearning very well. You don't have to beg anyone for anything. You're able to lead a dignified life
unlike us." said Akkayya.
10. He said to me, "I have often told you not to play with fire".
11. The teacher promised, "If you'll come before school tomorrow, I will explain it."
12. He wrote and said “I am unable to come just now because I am ill,but I will certainly start as soon as
I'm well enough to do so".
13. Aladdin said to the magician, “what have I done to deserve so severe a blow?"
14. "I will avenge your wrongs," he cried, “I will not enter Athens until I have punished the king who has
so cruelly treated you."
15. "Dear bird" She said, stroking its feathers, "Have you come to comfort me in my sorrow?"

REPORTED SPEECH ANSWERS:

1. Teacher told the children that the earth is round. The boy asked the teacher whether it is really so or
he was joking, for which the teacher questioned the boy as why he would joke with him during the
course of a lesson. The boy asked the teacher whether he meant that joking was forbidden during the
course of a lesson.
2. Murillo asked Sebastian who his master was and said that he meant his drawing master. Sebastian
replied that he was his master. Murillo said that he had never given him lessons. Sebastian agreed and
said that he had given lessons to those young gentlemen and he had heard them. Murillo asked his
dear pupils which the boy deserved, whether it was reward or punishment. They replied that he
deserved reward.
3. The scientist told the Lemming that he had made a lifelong study of Lemming, just as that it did of
people, as he remarked that he did not understand one thing about his subject , for which the
Lemming asked him what that was. The scientist said that he did not understand why all the
Lemmings rushed down to the sea and drowned themselves. The Lemming exclaimed that the one
thing it did not understand was why humans don't.
4. Farmer's wife told her husband that they should buy a gun so that they could shoot bats, foxes and
polecats with that. Husband told his wife that he would not be a party to that. He further said that the
gun is a symbol of cruelty. That is the child of sin. He said that man should never have invented it. He
further prayed fervently that the bats should save themselves.

74
5. Dave warned Steve that he would fix him once and for all, further he said that he would show him how
he could not start coming into the house at midnight. His wife advised Dave to hold his horses and
questioned further, that whether he couldn't see the state Steve was in. Dave asked Steve what the
matter was, for which Steve sadly said that he had lost his cap.
6. Sarpanch asked Mankanna whether he had listened to what Soman had stated. Mankanna
affirmatively replied that he had been listening to everything. Sarpanch asked Mankanna as what he
had to say about that. Then Mankanna told the Sarpanch that Soman tried to untie his donkey by
force, hence he had given him a thrashing.
7. Obi told his wife that they should make a good job of that and shouldn't they for which she replied
that they should do their best, adding to that she said they should have such beautiful gardens and
everything would just be modern and delightful. Obi told his wife that he was thinking what a grand
opportunity they had got at last to show those people that how a school should be run.
8. Ford told the old lady that he was lieutenant Ford and he was so glad to meet her on that day. He
further asked her that whether he could take her to dinner. The old lady replied that she did not know
as what that was all about and addressed him as son, she said that the young lady in the green suit
had begged her to wear that red rose on her coat and she continued that if he asked her to go out with
him, then she should tell him that the young lady would be waiting for him in the nearby restaurant.
9. Akkayya told Ammulu that by the time Ammulu came back from office she would be dead tired and
she did not know how she was able to manage work at home and at the office for which Ammulu
replied that hers was a wretched job and sometimes she felt like giving that up. Akkayya consoling
Ammulu asked her not to think like that as how fortunate she was and said Touchwood. She
comforted her and said that Ammulu had studied well, she had a job like a man, she did not have to
beg anyone for anything and she was able to lead a dignified life unlike them.
10. He told me that he had often warned me not to play with fire.
11. The teacher promised me that she would explain that the next day,if I would go before school.
12. He wrote and said that he was unable to come just then because he was ill and that he would certainly
start as soon as he was well enough to do so.
13. Aladdin asked the magician that what he had done to deserve so severe a blow.
14. He swore that he would avenge the wrongs done to him and that he would not enter Athens until he
had punished the king who had so cruelly treated them.
15. She addressed the bird as dear and stroking its feathers she asked the bird whether the bird had gone
to comfort her in her sorrow.

75
 CONVERSATION – DIALOGUE WRITING

1) Krishna: Hurrah! Only ten days for the holidays!

Rama: _________________________________ (agreeing)
Krishna: What are you planning to do in the holidays?
Rama: ____________________________________ (answers)
Krishna: I will be going to my grandmother's house. Why don't you come along with me?
Rama: ___________________________________ (disagrees)
Krishna: It would have been wonderful if you could come.
Rama: ________________________________ (Leave Taking)

2) Patient: Good Morning, Doctor! Can you spare me a few minutes?

Doctors: ______________________________________ (Enquires)
Patient: _______________________________________ (Explains)
Doctors: Oh! This is nothing to get scared about! It will be cured with these medications
Patient: ______________________________________ (enquires about the duration)
Doctor: You will be fine within a week's time.
Patient: _____________________________ (Leave Taking)

3) Mr. Shyam: Ankit, why have you scored so less in your exam?
Ankit: ___________________________________________ (Explains)
Mr. Shyam: You mean to say it's not your fault?
Ankit: ____________________ (Complains)
Mr. Shyam: Don't blame others for your poor score
Ankit: No father, but this is the truth.
Mr. Shyam: ______________________________________(enquiring)
Ankit: You can come to the school at 4pm
Mr. Shyam: _________________________________________ (agrees)

4) Teacher: Well Swaroop, I hear you are taking part in the Debate Competition
Swaroop: ____________________________________________ (agrees & enquires)
Teacher: With pleasure, have you prepared your script?
Swaroop: __________________________________ (explains)
Teacher: Oh! That's a great mistake; you should never try to learn by heart.
Swaroop: But why, Sir?
Teacher: ________________________________________ (explains)
Swaroop: _____________________________ (apologises)

76
CONVERSATION - DIALOGUE WRITING, With KEY (STREAMS)

1. Krishna : Hurrah!! Only ten days for the holidays!!

Rama : Yes!! I am looking forward to it.
Krishna: What are you planning to do in the holidays?
Rama: I am planning a trip to Mysore.
Krishna: I will be going to my grandmother's house. Why don't you come along with me?
Rama: I am sorry, my trip to Mysore is all fixed and confirmed.
Krishna: It would have been wonderful if you could come.
Rama: I will surely accompany you the next time. I have to go now. Bye!! Have a nice day!!

1. Patient: Good Morning Doctor!! Can you spare me a few minutes?

Doctor: Most certainly. What's the matter?
Patient: I am feeling unwell with fever, throat pain and cough.
Doctor: Oh! This is nothing to get scared about. It will be cured with these medications.
Patient: How long should I take the medicine for?
Doctor: You will be fine within a week's time.
Patient: Thank you so much Doctor! I will now take leave. Have a good day!!

2. Mr. Shyam: Ankit, why have you scored so less in your exam?
Ankit: I went by my friend's advice to just read once and with that I wasn't thorough in the lessons.
Mr. Shyam: You mean to say it's not your fault.
Ankit: It's because my friend compelled me, I failed in my efforts.
Mr. Shyam: Don't blame others for your poor score.
Ankit: No Father, but this is the truth.
Mr. Shyam: What time should I meet you teachers today?
Ankit: You can come to the school at 4 PM
Mr. Shyam: Alright, I will be at your school today at 4PM.

3. Teacher: Well Swaroop, I hear you are taking part in the Debate Competition.
Swaroop: Yes Ma'am, I am. Will you please listen to talk once?
Teacher: With pleasure! Have you prepared your script?
Swaroop: I have learnt it by heart.
Teacher: Oh!! That's great mistake, you should never learn by heart.
Swaroop: But why, Sir?
Teacher: You should understand and speak and only then you can argue and debate.
Swaroop: I understand. I am sorry. I will take your advice and prepare again. Thank you very much
Ma'am.

77
COMPLETE THE FOLLOWING DIALOGUE: PAGE 106 (4 MARKS)
(Write the conversation logically following all punctuation rules)

(Ms. Shanta wants to buy a new TV set. She visits the showroom and talks to the sales person there).
(Language functions expected –greeting, seeking information, making requests, expressing gratitude)
Sales person : Good Morning Madam. Can I help you?
Ms. Shanta : Yes. I am looking to buy a Television set.
Sales person : Do you have any particular brand in mind?
Ms. Shanta : I am interested in looking at the two brands, Sony and Samsung.
Sales Person : Both are very good Madam. We have the latest models.
Ms. Shanta : Good. I would first like to look at the price list of these two brands of 42 inches size.
That will help me decide.
Sales person : Certainly Madam.
Ms. Shanta : Thank you!!

REPORT WRITING (120 WORDS)

It should contain data, understanding, analysis and a concluding statement - (5 Marks)

The line graph shows population growth during Pre-independence and Post-independence period in India.
Use the information to write a report on the trends of population growth. (Page no 93 – WORK BOOK)
Note : Write about a page and half.
The line graph depicts the population growth of both Pre-Independence and Post Independence period of
our country. In the Pre-Independence period, the population growth was at an average increase of 1.5 crore
a decade, from 1900 to 1940. Then there was an increase of 2 crore in the last decade of the Pre-
Independence era. On extrapolation at this rate of increase in population, India's population today would
have been atleast 1 ½ times the population it is of today. But in reality the increase in population in Post-
Independence India was a little less than 40 thousand a decade and did not climb higher than this across
decades till 2010. The moderate increase stabilized in 1970 and continued to be the same till 2010.
With this, it is evident that many measures were taken Post Independence in our country to arrest the
population growth. But, with even such measures, today we remain only next to China in World's highest
populated country.

REPORT WRITING

Given below is an opinion poll regarding the use of hoardings in Bangalore city.
ChandiniSairam, an analyst, is asked to prepare a report on it for the Corporation giving her
recommendations, based on which a decision about whether hoardings should be banned or not, will be
taken. Write the report for her.

78
Useful source of information

Increase road accidents

Generate employment

Block important landmarks

Spoil beauty of city

Percentage of people 0 20 40 60 80 100

The bar graph depicts all the facts and figures of hoardings in Bangalore city. This report is it's analysis
for the corporation to decide whether hoardings should be banned in Bangalore city or not. According
to the bar graph study, the highest percentage is with regard to the hoardings, as increasing road
accidents. The graph depicts that hoardings cause very high percentage of road accidents but this is
followed by 85% of hoardings providing useful information and close o 60%, the benefit of
generating employment. Another downside of the hoardings in the city is that they block important
landmarks and spoil the beauty of the city. 80% of important landmarks are blocked by the
hoardings. 65% of the hoardings spoil the beauty of the city. Based on this report, as it can be seen
that hoardings help in providing useful source of information and in generating employment also,
hoardings should not be banned altogether considering just the high percentage of the road
accidents caused by hoardings and that they spoil the beauty of the city and block important
landmarks. It's recommended that, an optimum number of hoardings should be arrived at to benefit
from its uses and also to minimize its disadvantages.

Summary Writing(Passage on page No. 87) - Reduce the original to 1/3rd its length and
capture the essence of the original (5 marks)
India, a land of festivals, celebrates Spring festival all over the country. The BasantPanchami is a
joyous festival that is celebrated on the 5th day of the month of May, at the onset of the Spring
season. On this joyous festival Goddess Saraswati is worshipped. The Vedas declare that Goddess
Saraswati purifies our heart with knowledge and blesses us with the capacity of creative arts. The
composers of the Vedas worshipped Saraswati, who was the presiding deity of the river on whose
banks the Vedas were composed. In keeping with this tradition, people worship this deity, Goddess
Saraswati by offering flowers and with great devotion on BasantPanchami Day.

79
 SPEECH ( Model) ( 5 Marks)

Write a speech to welcome the Chief Guest Mr. Narayana Murthy.( The profile of the Chief Guest will
be provided as a part of the question)
A very Good Morning to one and all present here. I, -------------, take immense pleasure in welcoming
you all to this workshop on Value Based Living. Today we have with us Mr. Narayana Murthy one of
the most respected faces of the Indian IT sector. He needs no introduction to Bangaloreans as it was,
after all, his own company that has put Bangalore on the Global IT map. Ladies and Gentlemen,
please put your hands together to welcome our esteemed Chief Guest of today, the Chairman and the
Chief Mentor of Infosys Technologies, Shri N.R. Narayana Murthy. He belongs to one of the earliest
batches of students who have graduated from IIT Kanpur. He has in worked for many companies and
was part of many projects and the most notable being the building of Charles De Gaulle International
Airport at Paris.
The story of the founding of his multibillion-dollar company is very well known. Along with his six
friends and with Rs 10,000 he started a company, which today employs over 10 lakh people across
the globe and has an annual turnover of million dollars. Not only is he an exceptional leader but a
very humble and down to earth person who has earned a reputation of doing his household chores by
himself. There are several instances that are characteristic of his humility and values. He has great
respect for Indian values and hence it is no wonder that the Infosys Company statement is “Powered
by Intellect, Driven by Values.” I once again extend a warm welcome to you Sir to our Workshop on
Indian Values. Thank You

SPEECH – SPORTS DAY

Good morning to all the Dignitaries on and off the stage and my dear friends. Today we are
celebrating Sports Day in our college and on this day I, _______________, take great pleasure in
talking to you all about the importance of sports in our lives. As it is said, 'All work and no play, makes
Jack a dull boy', first and foremost sports ensures physical and mental well-being. The outdoor sport
helps not only in physical fitness but also helps to empty the mind of all the stress and brings in us
heartiness. In other words, with sports we feel rejuvenated. Also sports play a very important role in
channelizing high energy levels in the right direction. In short, sports are our health insurance and we
can always draw from it for our good health.Sports are also a healthy recreation to break free from
monotony. Alongside being a recreation, sport sharpens concentration and helps in mind
management. It is said that life is but a sport and the sporting spirit is its hallmark as losing and
winning is a part and parcel of our lives. It is the participation that matters more than winning.
Sometimes we win, sometimes we lose. Sports helps in learning to take all of this in stride. Sport is
also an avenue as the career path. There is a Sports quota allotted for higher education and also for
sports persons, employment opportunities are aplenty that support in all ways their participation in
tournaments. The cherry on the icing is, with all these benefits, are the accompanying name and
fame. For the cricket fans, cricket is their religion and Sachin Tendulkar is considered the God of their
religion. The same is true with all other sports and the sport stars. With all this, on this Sports Day I
hope we all wake up to sports, the natural recreation of the game, called life. Thank You.

80
 WORK BOOK – POETRY COMPREHENSION

OZYMANDIAS
The poem is about vanity followed by the fall; irrespective of however great a person is, even if he be
an emperor. Ozymandias was a cruel emperor who subjected his people to tyranny and despair. He
once wanted his image to be sculpted with a pedestal attached to it reading, 'My name is
Ozymandias, King of Kings: look on my works ye mighty, and despair!'
The sculptor sculpted his image with its face that had captured for eternity, of frown, wrinkled lip and
the sneer of cold command. A traveler from in an antique land saw this image in a desert as just too
vast and trunkless legs of stone and a shattered face half sunk and as a colossal wreck on the
boundless, bear, lone and level sands that stretched far away.

PRAYER OF A BLACK BOY

'Prayer of a Black Boy' is about the shackles that a black boy was subjected to in school and his prayer
to God that not have to go to school. The poem also illustrates that learning from nature is so joyous
and beautiful when contrasted with learning from a school.

PLAY THINGS
The poem is about the poet seeing a child fully absorbed in what it is doing. The poet remarks that the
adult is incapable of such absorption. The adult is not able to see life as a game and play it well, but is
always caught up with desires that can never be fulfilled

TO THE CUCKOO
William Wordsworth, a natures poet eulogizes the cuckoo who the poet does not see but with merely
hearing its magical voice. The poet says the cuckoo thus treats him to magical tales.

THE SEA TURTLE AND THE SHARK

Though the sea turtle comes across as being weak, it is armed with a tool – the shell that can kill a
powerful shark. The shark swallows the sea turtle; the turtle withdraws itself into its weapon like shell
– undersea craft which is sharp enough to kill the shark from within.

THE INDIAN UPON GOD

The poem is in praise of God. The moorfowl, lotus, roebuck, and the peacock all are singing the praise
of God and saying that it is their image that it is the image of God and that God is all.

SONNET 29
This Sonnet is in praise of love. The poet cries that he is envious of all who have so much and how
much he despises himself because he has nothing. But suddenly when he remembers his lady love he
tells the richest and all that he scorns to change his state even with Kings.

LEAVE THIS CHANTING AND SINGING

The poem is about God being here and now and not only in the temples, mosques, churches and
other places of worship. The poet closes with the line 'Meet him and stand by him in toil and in the
sweat of thy brow'.

81
THE BANGLE SELLERS
The poem with rich and colourful imagery is an ode to both the bangle sellers and the beautiful
bangles. The poem is a tribute to the beautiful bangles and also to the sellers of the differently hued
and embellished bangles, adorning happy daughters, happy wives, maidens, brides and mothers.

ON HIS BLINDNESS
The poem, as Patience, explains to the question, on the expectations of God from a human being,
that God has no other expectations from man, other than to best bear his mild yoke, and thereby
serve him the best. God has thousands to act according to his bidding, as his state is Kingly. They
also serve who only stand and wait.

HOME THEY BROUGHT HER WARRIOR DEAD

This is a very powerful poem that bares fully the unique stature of Motherhood. It's about a Warrior
brought home dead and his immensely grieved wife refusing to shed a tear, and that would be fatal
for her. Everyone tries their best to make her shed tears, by describing the dead warrior loftily and by
taking off the warrior face cloth from the face, but these did not move her to weep.
But, finally, when Rose, the nurse of ninety years, set his child upon her knee, the young wife of the
dead warrior wept copiously and said, 'Sweet my child, I live for thee.'

THE HUMAN SEASONS

The poet very succinctly describes the mind of man, as comprising the four seasons, namely, Spring,
Summer, Autumn and Winter. During his Spring time, there is fancy that takes in all beauty, in a quick
span of time and in Summer is the youthful thoughts that he loves. During his autumn there's soul
searching and in Winter is his pale period when death is at his threshold.

82
 CHECKLIST FOR II PU ENGLISH EXAM PREPARATION

1. READ TEXT THOROUGHLY – WITH PENCIL - SCAN - DON'T SKIM – BE LOYAL TO TEXT AND
AUTHOR BEGIN ALL LITERATURE ANSWERS WITH TITLE OF THE LESSON/POETRY AND
AUTHOR
2. 100 words - WRITE ONE SIDE OF THE PAGE STARTING IT WITH THE TITLE OF THE LESSON/
POEM AND THE AUTHOR/POET
TITLE:
AUTHOR/ POET:
3. WRITE 100 WORDS ANSWER AS FOLLOWS - FACTS OF THE CONTEXT, UNDERSTANDING,
ANALYSIS, CONCLUSION – all 2 sentences each (RELEVANCE HIGHLY IMPORTANT)
4. 200 words – WRITE TWO SIDES OF THE PAGE STARTING WITH THE TITLE OF THE LESSON/
POEM AND THE AUTHOR/POET
TITLE:
AUTHOR/ POET:
5. FACTS OF THE CONTEXT, UNDERSTANDING, ANALYSIS, CONCLUSION –
ALL OF THE ABOVE - average 4 to 6 SENTENCES EACH (RELEVANCE HIGHLY IMPORTANT)
6. UNDERLINE IMPORTANT WORDS, SENTENCES
7. CAN QUOTE FROM TEXT – BUT DONT QUOTE MORE THAN A LINE – THIS WILL GIVE A GOOD
PUNCH TO THE ANSWER
8. TIME MANAGEMENT – FINISH TWELVE MARKS, FULL GRAMMAR 50 MARKS, THEN 6 MARKS and
LASTLY 8 QUESTIONS of 4 MARKS
9. DIRECT TO INDIRECT – BE LOYAL TO CONVERSATION, REVISE TO CHECK PAST TENSE AND
WHETHER ALL THE RULES ARE FOLLOWED
10. REPORT – 4 aspects of DATA, UNDERSTANDING, ANALYSIS AND CONCLUSION SHOULD BE MET
11. LETTER – FOLLOW FORMAT FULLY. WRITE COVERING LETTER ON FRESH SIDE OF PAGE AND
RESUME ON ANOTHER SIDE OF PAGE WITH TITLE AT THE CENTRE – REMEMBER THEY ARE
TWO DIFFERENT DOCUMENTS. MUST DRAW GRID FOR EDUCATIONAL QUALIFICATIONS
12. FLOW CHART – DRAW THE FLOW CHART
13. EXCELLENT PRESENTATION WITH REGARD TO HANDWRITING, ORGANIZATION AND
NEATNESS- UNDERLINE IMPORTANT WORDS. REVISE, REVISE, REVISE!
14. CONVERSATION SHOULD BE LOGICAL AND COMPLETE
LASTLY, REMEMBER 100 IS A POSSIBILITY. SO AIM 100 IN ENGLISH
PREPARE WITH TEXT BOOK, LITERATURE NOTES, WORK SHEETS OF GRAMMAR AND ONE
MARK QUESTION BANK
15. TIME BREAKUP OF 3 HOURS:
1 MARK QUESTIONS (12) LITERATURE – 30 MINUTES
GRAMMAR (50 MARKS) ENTIRE GRAMMAR IN 50 + 30 MINUTES
COMPREHENSION – 15 MINUTES
REPORTED SPEECH – 10 MINUTES
LETTER – 10 MINUTES
REPORT WRITING – 10 MINUTES
CONVERSATION – 5 MINUTES
REMAINING GRAMMAR – 30 MINUTES
6 MARKS (LITERATURE) – 10 MINUTES
4 MARKS (LITERATURE) 5 X 8 = 40 MINUTES
10 MINUTES – REVISION
BEST OF LUCK

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 NOTE :
PLEASE IGNORE THE QUESTIONS
OUT OF SYLLABUS

SAMPLE BOARD
QUESTION PAPER
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Books are the great memory of all centuries.
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