THE SERMON AT BENARES

By Betty Crenshaw

SHORLANSWER IVEE, oUESIIONS

1.Describe the life of Gautama Buddha before enlightenment.
Ans. Ruddha was earliet aprince and lived in luXury. When heencountered suffering and grief, it made him
ad and sorowful. He left everything and wandered for seven vears. Then, one day, he sat under a big tree
And vowed not to leave untilhe was enlightened.
2. What sights moved Siddhartha Gautamato seek the path of enlightenmnent?
and a monk begging.
Ans. While going for hunting Gautama saw asick man, an old man, a funeralprocession enlightenment.
This encounter with the sufferings andgrief moved him and he left to seek the path of
3. What was Kisa Gotami's problem? What did she do? the dead son,she went to all her
Ans. Kisa Gotamis only son had died and she was grief-stricken. Carrying Buddha who asked her to procure
neighhours to get some medicine that would cure her son. A man sent her to
but she couldn't find such a house.
ahandful of mustard seeds from a house where no one had died,
4. How did Buddha teach Kisa Gotami the truth of life?
asked her to get a handful of mustard
Ans. When Kisa Gotami approached Buddha to cure her dead son, he
not find such a house, she understood
seeds from the house, where no one had died. But, when she could
the truth of life that death is unavoidable.
when does she do so?
5. Kisa compared human life to an inanimate object. What is it and
Ans. Kisa comparcd human life with the lights of the city which flicker up and extinguish, and then the
darkness of the night spreads everywhere. Similarly, the man takes birth, flickers up and then dies. She makes
the comparison when her only son dies.
6. What did Buddha preach to the people? of Weeping
Ans. Buddha said that the death is common to all mortals and one cannot avoid it. No amount
and lamenting can bring backa dead. Weeping and Lamenting rather spoil one's health. So, the people who
do not lament are wise.

7. How did SiddharthaGautama get the name of Buddha?

Ans. Siddhartha Gautama sat under a big tree, where he vowed to stay until enlightenment came. He was
enlightened after seven days. He began to teach and share his new understandings. Then he came to be known
as Buddha.

8. To seek peace, one has to draw out the arrow of lamentation, Commnent.
OR

What is the central idea of the lesson?

Ans. It is true that no lamenting can bring someone's dear and near ones back to life. No one can even stop
one's death. Lamenting only affects aperson's physical and mental health. Therefore, one has to learn that
death is inevitable.

SHORTANSWER TYPE QUESTIONS

9. How did Gautama Buddha teach Gotami that life is full ofpains and sorrows anddeath comes
to all?

Ans. Kisa Gotami's only son had died. In her grief, she went door to door asking for some medicine
that would cure her son.On the advice of someone, she went to Buddha and prayed to revive her son.
Buddhatoldher to bring a handful of mustard seeds from the house where no one had lost achild,
husband, parent or friend. Kisa Gotami went to many houses and requested for mustard seeds. But
when she asked the people ifanyone had died in the family, they could only answer that they had lost
many. Kisa Gotamicould not find any house where no one had died. She became sad and hopeless and
realized the biggest truth of life that the death is inevitable and no one could stop it
 THE PROPOSAL
By Anton Chekov
SHORTANSWER TYPE QUESTIONS
1. How and why did Lomov come to meet the Chubukov family? How did Chubukov react to it?
Ans. Lomov came in a formal evening dress wearing ajacket and white gloves. He had come to meet the Chubukov
tamily to put his proposal to marryNatalya. Chubukov was overwhelmed with joy. He said that hewas hoping for it
for a long time.
Z. What is Chubukov's guess about the purpose of Lomov's visit?
Ans. When Lomov visits Chubukov's house, he begins to tell him the purpose of his visit in a very vague manner.
Chubukov thinks that perhaps he has come to ask for aloan. He makes up his mind not to help him in any way.
3. Describe Lomnov's first meeting with
Natalya.
Ans. Lomov visited Natalya's house with the proposal of marrying her. But, he was nervous and could not say
anything clearly. He made a mention of his meadows which touched their Birchwoods. At this, aquarrel started
between them over the ownership rights of the meadows.
4. What is the cause of the second quarrel between Natalya and Lomov?
Ans. When Lomov visited Natalya's house for the second time, he started praising the qualities of his dog, Guess.
But, Natalya was provoked and a quarrel broke out between them about the superiority of their dogs.
5. Why isLomov anxious to marry Natalya?
Ans. Lomov thinks that Natalya is a skilled house-keeper. She is educated and is not bad looking. At this age,he should
not expect a better girlthan her. Because of these reasons, he is anxious to marry Natalya.
6. Why did Lomov say that Chubukov was not a good neighbour but a
land-grabber?
Ans. Lomov said that his aunt's grandmother had given the Meadows for temporary' and free use of Chubukov's
grandfather's peasants. He was shocked when Chubukov claimed that the land belonged to his family. So, he called
him a land grabber.
7. How did Natalya react when she came to know that Lomov had come to make a marriage proposal to
her? Ans. When Natalya came to know that Lomov had come to their house with a proposal of marrying her,
shegrew hysterical. She blamed her father for not telling it before. She asked him to bring Lomov back. She
threatened todie if Lomov did not return.
LONGANSWER TYPE QUESTIONS
8. Give a detailed description of Lomov.
Ans. Lomov was a man of marriageable age. He suffered from a weak heart and sleeplessness. So, he was desperate
to settle dovwn in lifeand lead a quiet and regular ife. He visited the house of his neighbour, Chubukov with the
proposal of marrying his daughter, Natalya.
Lomovwas a rich and prosperous farmer. He was desperate to have alife partner. He thought that Natalya would be
the right girl for him. So, he visited her house and asked for her hand from her father Chubukov. But, when he met
Natalya, he became nervous. Instead of talking about the marriage, he started talking abouta piece of land which led
to a fight between them. He was an eligible and rich bachelor. However, he was alsonervous, quarrelsome and lacked
confidence.
9. Give a brief character sketch of Natalya.
Ans. Natalya was the daughter of Chubukov, a prosperous man. She was a good housekeeper, not bad looking and
educated; that was why Lomov wanted to marry her.
She was greedy and short-sighted. She got the whole field of hay cut in a hurry, without realizing that it could be
troublesome later on. She was curious and wanted to know why Lomov was dressed up formally.
She was short-temnpered and fell into argument with Lomov on two occasions-once over the ownership of Oxen
Meadows and the second time over the superiority of her dog Squeezer.
She secretly loved Lomov. She became hysterical when she came to know that Lomov had come to propose to her.
She asked her father tocall him back. To please Lomovshe asked him to forgive her and agreed to his ownership of
the Oxen Meadows.
10. Bring out the element of humour in The Proposal'.
Ans. The play The Proposal' is fullof humour. Allthe characters in the play behave ridiculously. Lomov comes to
propose to Natalya. But, he gets nervous and cannot talk in a straight forward manner. He starts quarrelling with her
over a piece of land. When he comes back, he quarrels about the superiority of his dog.Chubukov is also a humorous
character.He behaves in a funny manner when he learns that Lomov has come to ask for his daughter's hand. He is
funny even when he quarrels with Lomov. The sudden marriage of Lomov and Natalya creates laughter. Chubukov
puts his daughter's hand in Lomov's in a foolish manner. Lomovtoo is a comic character. His complaints about his
poor health provoke laughter. So, it can be said that the play is full of humour.
 THE BOOK THATSAVED THE EARTH
By Claire Bothe
Short Answer Type Questions
1. Describe Think-Tank and his role in the play.
Ans. The think-tank is the Commander-in-Chief and the ruler of Mars and its two moons. He is considered as
the most powerful and intelligent person in the universe. The play shows how he wants to invade the earth and
rule over it.
2.Why did Think-Tank send his crew on the earth?
Ans. Think-Tank, the ruler of Mars regarded the Earth asa mass of mud, and Earthlings as ugly, tiny-headed
creatures. He planned to invade Earth and expand his domain. He sent Probe One to Earth to get more
information about the Earthlings.
3. Why are books referred to as a man's best companion? Which book savèd the Earth from
Martian invasion?
Ans. Books are our best companions. They are never demanding but always giving knowledge and pleasure.
They
4.
give us company. The book that saved the Earth from Martian invasion was 'Mother Goose.'
What does Think-Tank, first of all, guess about the books? Why does he order to eat them?
Ans. Think-Tank views a book closely. He declares that it is a sandwich. He says that sandwichesare themain
staple diet of the people of the Earth. There are two slices of bread and between them is some sort of filling.
He asks Omega to eat a sandwich to confirm his opinion.
5. Why does Noodle recommend giving space people vitamins? What does Think-Tank say in this
regard?
Ans. Think-Tank asks his officers to decode the books but they fail to do so. Think-Tank says that perhaps
the Earthlings are not as primitive, as they have thought. He asks their chemical department to give vitamins
to space people to increase their intelligence, so that they are able to unfold the meaning of the code
successfully.
6. How does Think-Tank interpret the rhyme: "Mistress Mary....?" Why does he say that it is no
timefor laxity?
Ans. Think-Tank misinterprets the rhyme on Mistress Mary. He scolds Oop for laughing and says that he
should realise the seriousness of the discovery. The Earthlings have discovered how to combine agriculture
and mining. They can actually grow crops of silver and other metals. And for cockle shells, Think-Tank
interprets them as high explosives. They can grow even explosives.
7. How did Think-Tank interpret the Humpty-Dumpty' rhyme as a threat to the Martians?
Ans. The words, Humpty Dumpty had a great fall" makes Think-Tank scream. He misinterprets the words
Had a great fall", He thinks that the Earthlings are planning to capture Mars Central Control and him. He
orders to prepare a space capsule for him to escape.
8. Why does Think-Tank order the invasion fleet to evacuate the entire planet of Mars? Where are
theyheading for?
Ans. Misinterpreting the words "Had a great fall" of Humpty Dumpty' rhyme, Think-Tank declares that the
Earthlings want to capture Mars Central Control and him. He orders space people to leave Earth at once
without leaving any traces of their visit. They will be heading for Alpha Centauri, a hundred million miles
away from Mars.

Long Answer Type Question

9. How did one old book of nursery rhymes save the earth from a Martian invasion?
Ans. The old, dusty book of nursery rhymes was 'Mother Goose'. Think-Tank wanted to invade Earth. He
had sent Probe One to get more information about the Earthlings. The crew entered alibrary and after taking
vitamins, they took out 'Mother Goose' and decoded the rhymes.
The rhymes were misinterpreted as threats by Think-Tank. After listening to the first rhyme, 'Mistress Mary.
he concluded that Earthlings had discovered how to combine agriculture and mining. The second thyme,Hey
Diddle, Diddle", seemed to suggest to him that the Earthlings might be launching an interplanetary atack. The
third rhyme, 'Humpty Dumpty' wherein Humpty had agreat fall and its picture that resembled him threatened
him and his planet Mars. He got so scared that he dropped the idea of invading Earth, and escaped to Alpha
Centauri. In this way, a book of nursery rhymes saved Earth from Martian invasion.