ANNAI MENAKSHI PUBLIC SCHOOL, PULIANGUDI

GRADE: X SUBJECT: ENGLISH

DATE: SUBJECT CODE: 184

A LETTER TO GOD

WORKSHEET

Read the following extracts and answers the following questions;

1. “The house—the only one in the entire valley—sat on the crest of a low hill. From this
height, one could see the river and the field of ripe corn dotted with the flowers that
always promised a good harvest. The only thing the earth needed was a downpour or at
least a shower. Throughout the morning Lencho who knew his fields intimately had done
nothing else but see the sky towards the north-east.”
A) What did the earth need?
B) What did Lencho do throughout the morning?
C) Why had Lencho kept looking towards the north-east?
D) What promised a good harvest?

2. The moment the letter fell into the mailbox the postmaster went to open it. It said: “God:
Of the money that I asked for, only seventy pesos reached me. Send me the rest, since I need
it very much. But don’t send it to me through the mail, because the post office employees are
a bunch of crooks. Lencho”.

(a) What was Lencho thinking while writing the letter?

(b) Why did the postmaster open the mailbox immediately after Lencho had posted his letter?

(c) How much money had Lencho asked for? Lencho asked for one Hundred Pesos.

(d) Why did Lencho not want to send the rest of the money by mail?

3. In the north-east huge mountains of clouds could be seen approaching. The air was fresh
and sweet. The man went out for no other reason than to have the pleasure of feeling the rain on
his body, and when he returned, he exclaimed, “These aren’t raindrops falling from the sky,
they are new coins. The big drops are ten cent pieces and the little ones are fives.”

(a) Why did Lencho go out in the rain?

(b) Why were the raindrops like `new coins’ for Lencho?

(c) How did these new coins ultimately bring disaster to his cornfield?

(d) Explain the description:

4. “God,” he wrote, “if you don’t help me, my family and I will go hungry this year. I need a
hundred pesos in order to sow my field again and to live until the crop conies, because of the
hailstorm ….”

(a) What help has he asked for?

(b) Why did he need help?
(c) Why did Lencho write a letter to God?
(d) Why was Lencho and his family in distress?

5. Not a leaf remained on the trees. The corn was totally destroyed. The flowers were gone from
the plants. Lencho’s soul was filled with sadness. When the storm had passed, he stood in the
middle of the field and said to his sons. “A plague of locusts would have left more than this.’

(a) Why did no leaf remain on the trees?

(b) How did Lencho feel after the storm?
(c) What was the major effect of the hailstorm on the field?
(d) What made Lencho sad?

6. With a satisfied expression, he regarded the field of ripe corn with its flowers, draped in a
curtain of rain. But suddenly a strong wind began to blow and along with the rain very large
hailstones began to fall. These truly did resemble new silver coins. The boys, exposing
themselves to the rain, ran out to collect the frozen pearls.

(a) How did Lencho feel when he saw his fields covered with the curtain of rain?

(b) What followed the rain?

(c) What did hailstone resemble?

(d) How did these new silver coins bring disaster to him?

7. All through the night, Lencho thought only of his one hope: the help of God, whose eyes, as he
had been instructed, see everything, even what is deep in one’s conscience. Lencho was an ox of a
man, working like an animal in the fields but still, he knew how to write. The following Sunday,
at daybreak, he began to write a letter which he himself would carry to town and place in the
mail. It was nothing less than a letter to God.

(a) What did Lencho think throughout the night?

(b) What does ‘Lencho was an ox of a man’ imply?

(c) Which line suggests that Lencho was literate?

(d) What strange action did Lencho take?

8. The postmaster—a fat, amiable fellow also broke out laughing, but almost immediately he
turned serious and tapping the letter on his desk, commented, “What faith! I wish I had the faith
of the man who wrote this letter.”

(a) What was the postmaster’s reaction to seeing the letter?

(b) What did the postmaster wish?

(c) What kind of person was the postmaster?

(d) How did the postmaster help Lencho?

Short answer questions (30-40 words)

(a) Whom did Lencho write a letter? What did he ask for?

(b) Why does the postmaster send money to Lencho? Why does he sign the letter ‘God’?

(c) How far would you agree that one’s positivity can bring in a spark of brightness even in adverse
circumstances’?

(d) Was Lencho surprised to find a letter with money in it? Why/Why not?

(e) What impression do you form about the postmaster after reading the story ‘A Letter to God’?

(f) Why was Lencho angry? What did he do?

(g) Lencho calls the raindrops ‘new coins’. Why does he call them so?

(h) Why were Lencho and his family in distress? Whom did he ask for help?

(i) What are the raindrops compared to and why?

(j) ”Now we’re really going to get some water woman.” Is Lencho sure that it is going to rain? Give a
reason for your answer.

(k) Did the letter reach God? Why did the postmaster send a reply to Lencho?
 ANNAI MEENAKSHI PUBLIC SCHOOL, PULIANGUDI

NAME: CLASS: X

SUBJECT: ENGLISH TOPIC:DUST OF SNOW

WORKSHEET-02

Read the following extracts and answer the questions.

The way a crow

Shook down on me

The dust of snow

From a hemlock tree

Has given my heart

A change of mood

And saved some part

Of a day I had rued.

(a) What do the ‘crow’ and ‘hemlock’ symbolise?

(b) The mood of the poet changed because___________ .

(c) What does the poet mean when he says and saved some part of the day?

(d) Who shook the dust of snow?

SHORT ANSWERS (30-40 words)

(a) What does the poet want to convey through the poem ‘Dust of Snow’?

(b) What side of nature do ‘crow’ and ‘hemlock’ represent?

(c) Why does the poet use such poetically uncommon bird and tree? What does it reflect?

(d) Justify the role of the crow in the poem “Dust of Snow” in changing the poet’s mood

(e) What mood of the poet is reflected in the poem? How does it reflect?

(f) Write a note on the setting of the poem

(g) Where was the poet and what happened to him?

LONG ANSWER QUESTIONS (100-120 words)

i) Positive attitude in life can make the world a better place to live in. Do you agree or disagree
with reference to the poem ‘Dust of Snow’? Express your views bringing out the inherent values.
 ANNAI MEENAKSHI PUBLIC SCHOOL, PULIANGUDI

NAME: CLASS: X

SUBJECT: ENGLISH TOPIC: FIRE AND ICE

 WORKSHEET. No.:03

Read the following extracts carefully and answer the questions that follow.
Question 1.
Some say the world will end in fire
Some say in ice.
From what I’ve tasted of desire
I hold with those who favour fire.

(a) What is the poet’s opinion of the world in these lines?

(b) What is the poet’s opinion about the world?

(c) What is the contradictory opinion of public?
(d) How are ice and fire similar to each other though they have contradictory traits?

Question 2.
But if it had to perish twice I think I know enough of hate To say that for destruction ice Is also great
And would suffice.
(a) What does ‘it’ refers to in the first line?
(b) What do you mean by ‘perish’?
(c) What does ice stand for?
(d) What would be the cause of destruction?

Short Answer Type Questions [2 Marks each]

1) For Frost, what do ‘fire’ and ‘ice’ stand for?

2) How has Frost brought out the contrasting ideas in the poem?

3) Write down the two different views about the end of the world?

4) How does Robert Frost caution the common man?

5) Why does the poet hold with those who favour fire?

6) Write the sum and substance of the poem ‘Fire and Ice’.

7) Briefly write about the ideas about how the world will end.
8) To say that for destruction ice is also great for the poet, what does ‘ice’ stand for? How is it
sufficient to bring destruction?

9) ‘But if it had to perish twice’. How will the world perish twice?

10) Which age old question does the poem revolves around?

11) Discuss how extreme behaviour can hasten the end of the world with respect to ‘Fire and Ice’.
 ANNAI MEENAKSHI PUBLIC SCHOOL, PULIANGUDI

NAME: CLASS: X

SUBJECT: ENGLISH TOPIC: A TRIUMPH OF SURGERY

WORK SHEET. No.:04

1. What did Mrs. Pumphrey think her dog was suffering from?

a. Fever

b. Malnutrition

c. Stomach pain

d. lumbago

2. Who watched Tricki with growing concern?

a. Mrs Pumphrey

b. Her maid

c. Mr.Harriot

d. Her son

3. Tricki falls ill because

a. He met an accident

b. Of bad weather

c. He did not get proper food to eat

d. His mistress overfed him

4. When Mr Herriot took Tricki to his clinic, Mrs. Pumphrey was

a. Happy

b. Excited

c. Wailing

d. Away from home

5. The dogs in the clinic took no interest in Tricki because he was

a. Dull and boring

b. Not of their race

c. Of small size
d. More powerful than them

6. “I think I know a cure for you.” What is the cure?

a. Controlling Tricki’s diet

b. Giving him a surgery

c. Giving injections

d. Keeping him under observation

II Answer these questions in a few words or a couple of sentences each.

1. What was Tricki’s only fault?

2. Who was suffering with lumbago?

3.What did Tricki do when she saw his mistress when she came to collect him back?

III. Answer the following questions.

1. Why is Mrs Pumphrey worried about Tricki?

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2. Why is the narrator tempted to keep Tricki on as a permanent guest?
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3. How does the narrator treat the dog?
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 ANNAI MEENAKSHI PUBLIC SCHOOL, PULIANGUDI

NAME: CLASS: X

SUBJECT: ENGLISH TOPIC: NELSON MANDELA

WORK SHEET. No.:05

Read the following expressions which are meanings of some of the phrases from the lesson. Pick out the
correct phrase from the page which is given against each expression.

a) Feel deeply emotional, remembering and understanding all the past events that have led up to the
moment. ( page 19 )

b) A sign of human feeling ( goodness, kindness, pity, justice etc )( page 21)

c) A half-secret life, like a life lived in the fading light between sunset and darkness. ( page 22)

d) A great ability ( almost unimaginable )to remain unchanged by suffering. ( page 21 )

e) A beautiful coming together of various people, like the colours in a rainbow. (page 17 )

f) The centre of racial superiority ( page 17 )

2.Answer the following questions in 30 – 40 words

a) What are the twin obligations in everybody’s life?

b) How did Mandela enjoy his freedom as a boy?

c) Why should the oppressor be liberated?

d) Why did Mandela say that his childhood freedom was an illusion?

3. The following passage has not been edited. There is an error in each line against which a blank has been
given. Write the incorrect word and the correction against the correct blank number.

ERROR CORRECTION

Tourism is one in the biggest business (a) ---------- -----------

In the world generating on least (b) ---------- -----------

288 million jobs. It is vital for an (c) ----------- -----------

economies of much countries. But (d) ----------- ------------

it is a major contributor on climate change. (e)-------- ------------

4. You have read the speech of Nelson Mandela. Prepare a speech in 150 words for the morning assembly
reflecting on the following questions.

a) How do you feel today about the country’s freedom?

b) Are we feel and independent?

c) Are we serious about our responsibilities as citizens?

ANNAI MEENAKSHI PUBLIC SCHOOL, PULIANGUDI

NAME: CLASS: X

SUBJECT: ENGLISH TOPIC: A TIGER IN THE ZOO

WORK SHEET. No.:06

Q1. Choose the meaning of the following words from the alternatives given in brackets:

A) He stalks in his 'vivid' stripes. ( glaring / dark / pale )

B) In his quite 'rage'. ( mood / violent anger / walk )

Q2. Choose the meaning of the following words from the alternatives given in brackets:

A) And stares with his 'brilliant' eyes. ( dull / very bright / angry )

B) In his quite rage. ( love / hatred / violent anger )

Q3. Choose the meaning of the following words from the alternatives given in brackets:

A) He 'stalk' in his. ( to crawl / walk / lying )

B) be 'snarling' around houses. ( walking / an angry sound / sniffing )

Q4. Choose the correct answer from the alternatives :

A) The poem A tiger in the zoo was written by (i) Leslie Norris (ii) William Blake (iii) Peter Niblett

B) The captured tiger is stalking in (i) The zoo (ii) the cage (iii) the house

C) The tiger should be lurking in the grass. (i) for his prey (ii) for taking rest (iii) for leisure

D) The Tiger snarls around (i) the jungle (ii) the cage (iii) the houses in the jungle

E) The strength of the tiger after being captured is now (i) in his paws (ii) in his room (iii) at night

F) The tiger hears the last voice (i) at noon (ii) in the morning (iii) at night

Q5. True or False

(a) Leslie Norris wrote the poem A tiger in the zoo.

(b) The tiger after being captured released again.

(c) The tiger stalks in the jungle.

(d) The tiger lurks in the grass to escape from the sight of the hunters.

(e) The strength of the tiger being caged lies behind bars.

(f) The tiger hears the last voice at noon.

A tiger in the zoo short questions answers

Q1. Who wrote the poem A tiger in the zoo ?

Q2. Where is the tiger locked ?

Q3. Where does the tiger stalk after being captured ?

Q4. What is emotion shown by the tiger ?

Q5. Where should the tiger be lurking ?

Q6. What animal is he going to prey ?

Q7. Who is being terrorised by the tiger ?

Q8. What do you mean by the edge of the jungle ?

Q9. How does the tiger fell inside the cage ?

Q10. What is there at the jungle's edge ?

A tiger in the zoo important questions answers

Q1. What would the tiger have been doing if he were in its natural habitat ?

Q2. Why does the tiger express his rage quietly ?

Q3. What does the poet think where the tiger should be ?

Q4. What is a water hole ? Why should the tiger be lurking near it ?

Q5. Cite the reason of the tiger’s sliding through long grass.

Q6. How does the tiger make his presence being felt in the village ?

Q7. How does the Tiger terrorise the villagers ?

Q8. Why does the tiger ignore visitors ?

Q9. What message does the poet give ?

Q10. What does the poet think where should the tiger be ?

Q11. How does the tiger walk in the cage ? How is he ?

ANNAI MEENAKSHI PUBLIC SCHOOL, PULIANGUDI

NAME: CLASS: X

SUBJECT: ENGLISH TOPIC: THE THEIF OF THE STORY

WORK SHEET. No.:07

1.”I hurried back to the room feeling very nervous, for it is much easier to steal something than to return
undetected”.
(a) Who is the speaker of this line?
(b) Why was the speaker feeling nervous?
(c) Why was it difficult for the speaker to return the money?
(d) What is the view of Hari regarding theft?
2.”I could come and go as I pleased. He was the most trusting person I had ever met”.
(a) Other than the freedom of moment what else does the speaker feel happy about?
(b) What does the speaker mean by ‘most trusting person’?
(c) Who is the speaker speaking about?
(d) What character traits of the master does this line reveal?
3. He took me to his room over the Jumna Sweet Shop and told me I could sleep on the balcony. But
the meal I cooked that night must have been terrible because Anil gave it to a stray dog and told me to
be oft but I just hung around, smiling in my most appealing way, and he couldn’t help laughing.
(a) What does ‘I’ refer to?
(b) Where did Mil take him?
(c) How did Anil react when Hari cooked a bad meal?
(d) How did Hari respond to his reaction?
4. Well, it’s time I did some real work, I told myself, and I’m out of practice. And if I don’t take the
money, he’ll only waste it on his friends. After all, he doesn’t even pay me.
(a) What did he tell himself?
(b) Why did Hari decide to steal?
(c) Does Anil pay Hari a regular salary?
(d) What justification does Hari Singh give for stealing Anil’s money?