ET emer rer x arty tora ee a Tae DICK WHITTINGTON AND HIS CAT Introduction : This ‘rags to riches’ story is based on an English folklore. It tells us| about the rise of Dick Whittington from a poverty-stricken childhood to the post of Mayor of London. It is an inspiring story and has a strong message to convey. WARMING UI Q. 1. Discuss the following in groups and write the answers : (a) Name the world famous personalities, who reached great heights from humble circumstances : Ans. Dr. A.P.J. Abdul Kalam (b) Guess the types of hardships they must have faced in their childhood and youth, Ans. (i) poverty (11) lack of support (iii) social disapproval (iv) lack of opportunities (c) What strong qualities possessed by them could have helped them to achieve success and fame all over? Ans. (1) strong will power (it) optimism (ili) sincerity (iv) hard work {d) How do stories/biographies of such famous people help youngsters? Ans. (i) They help youngsters to look at life positively. (it) They inspire the youth. (iii) They help them find answers — to questions. (iv) They prove that we can do Abraham Lincoln Charlie Chaplin \ i Syllable Asyllable is a unit of pronunciation having ‘one vowel sound. It may or may not have consonant sounds surroun Write down the names of any 5 of { your classmates and write how many syllables each name contains. } \ | ams. (i) Jat : 1 syllable : (i) Remo : 2 syllables : (iit) Saira : 2 syllables } (iv) Shailaja_—_: 3 syllables | (v) Mandakini : 4 syllables : (wi) Alt : 2 syllables ' READING SKILLS, VOCABULARY { AND GRAMMAR (Note : Some ‘Wh’ questions from the textbook ) are converted into activity-based questions.) | Q. 1, Read the following passage carefully and complete the } activities : many seemingly impossible things if we really wish to. ENGLISH BALBHARATI DIGEST : STANDARD VII 10Al. Simple Factual Activities Complete the following : (The answers are underlined directly.) (1) Dick lived in a small village in the south of England. mad (2) Many of the villagers treated Dick unkindly. *(3) The innocent belief that the streets of London were paved with gold made Dick decide to go to London. (4) The carter asked Dick if he was Tunning away from home. PASSAGE ~ 1 (Textbook page 6) There was once a poor boy called Dick” Whittington who lived in a small village in the south of England. He had. no-proper home, for both his parents| had died and he was unkindly treated by many of the villagers. One day, Dick overheard someone say that the streets of London were paved with gold and he decided that he would go there at once and pick his fortune up in gold pieces from the streets, for he thought people might treat him more kindly, if he were rich. So young Dick set out to walk to London. He had not gone far when a man in a cart stopped and asked him if he was running away from home, “I have no home,” Dick answered. “I am on my way to London to find my fortune.” “I'm going to London myself,” said the carter. “Jump up here beside me and we will journey together.” They arrived in London just before nightfall and the carter left Dick and made his way to an inn. Poor Dick stood alone and looked around him in dismay. Where was all that fine gold? All he could see were dirty streets and lots of unfriendly people, He had nowhere to sleep and in the end he spent the night in the corner of an alley where he hoped he would come to no harm. } ‘The next morning Dick woke up cold, miserable and very hungry. He wandered around begging for food, but again and again people shouted at him, “Go away you lazy fellow! Be off with you,” and aimed angry blows at his head. At last he collapsed in the street and lay there, too weak to look further for food. Glossary : overheard - heard someone or something without meaning to, or without the knowledge of the speaker. paved - covered. dismay - shock and disappointment. alley - a narrow passage or lane between or behind Note: Here, we have glven the complete | passage. Hereafter only the first and last line of the passages have been given in this Digest. Refer to the textbook for the complete passages. A2. Complex Factual Activity : “Describe the hardships that Dick faced on arriving in London. Ans. Dick arrived in London just before nightfall. He had no place to sleep, and he finally slept in the corner of a narrow lane. The following morning, Dick woke up feeling cold, miserable and hungry. He begged for food, but people shouted at him and hit him angrily on his head. He finally collapsed and lay there, too weak to look further for food. A3. Activities based on Vocabulary : *(1) Remove the Affixes (Prefix and Suffix) and write the root word : (1) unfriendly (2) unkind Ans. (1) friend (2) kind (2) Find from the passage one word for the following : Ans. *(1) avery narrow passage between buildings : (2) to hear someone or something without the knowledge of the speaker : alley overhear 1,2. DICK WHITTINGTON AND HIS CAT un“(8) Break the given words into syllables Ans (1) unfriendly un-frlend-ly (2) morning mor-ning AA. Activities based on Contextual Grammar; (1) He thought people might treat him more kindly if he were rich, (Ident(fy the modal auxiliary and state (ts function.) Ans, might-indicates possibility (2) All he could see were dirty streets and lots of unfriendly people, (Rewrite using ‘nothing'.) Ans. He could see nothing but dirty streets and lots of unfriendly people, AS. Personal Response : When Dick begged for food, people shouted at him and beat him, Do you think this ts right? ‘Ans. Of course {t is not right. We should have sympathy when people beg for something, not get angry with them, They must be having a strong reason for begging, Of course, if they are lazy, do not work and then beg, it 1s wrong, Even then, we must not beat them or shout at them, Q. 2. Read the following passage carefully and complete the activities : Al. Simple Factual Activity : Complete the table and write who said the given words, to whom : (The answers are underlined directly.) [ “The words | Who said | To whom (1) Take him =| Mr. to the into the —_| Fitzwarren | cook kitchen (2) 1 would | Dick to Mr. work mall room under the Glowwary 1 atte roof at the top of a building, overrts - occupied bers, scampered ~ ran Wghtly Fi penoy 0 Beith coln and A2, Complex Factual Activity : “Complete the following + (The answers are underlined directly.) (1) Mr. Fitwarren favoured Dick by ordering the cook to take bim into the Kitchen, feed him and then find some work for him, (2) Dick had to face two difficulties in Mr. Fitzwarren’s house. They were : (1) the attic where he slept was overrun by rats and mice, preventing him from sleeping, (Ii) the cook was bad-tempered and shouted and screamed at Dick, scolding him and hitting him with a wooden spoon even when he was working as hard as he could, (3) The cat proved to be very useful because it chased away all the rats and mice, allowing Dick to sleep peacefully. A3. Activities based on Vocabulary : *(1) Remove the Affixes (Prefix or? Suffix) and write the root word : (1) fallen (2) wooden Ans. (1) fall (2) wood (2) Find from the passage one word for the following : ‘Ane. *(1) a small room Just below a sloping roof : attic (2) to run here and there lightly ; ‘Scamper *(8) Make a sentence of your own using the expression : ‘overcome’ Ans. We must learn to overcome any difficulties we come across, ENGLISH BALBHARAT! DIGEST : STANDARD VIIIPe a (4) Mr..Fitzwarren was sending a ship *(4) Break the given words into syllables : (1) anything (2) ditficulty cul A4. Activities based on Contextual Grammar : (1) Dick had fallen in front of a house belonging to arich merchant. (Rewrite using the simple past tense of the underlined verb.) Ans. Dick fell in front of a house belonging to a rich merchant. (2) Dick was able to sleep peacefully. (Rewrite using the verb ‘slept'.) ‘Ans. Dick slept peacefully. A5. Personal Response : ‘What do Mr. Fitzwarren’s actions tell ‘us about him? Ans. Mr. Fitzwarren's actions tell us that he was a kind-hearted and just man. He did not abuse Dick or hit him as the others had done. He offered Dick a home and a living in return for helping the cook with all the pots and pans in the kitchen. Q. 3. Read the following passage carefully and complete the activities : Al. Simple Factual Activities : (1) Who said the following words : \ Ans, 1 (1) Tan put up \ | with a few scoldings from the cook. Dick | (2) No; it must be his. Mr. Fitzwarren | (3) Only my cat. Dick | (4) Let me put { something in for him. Alice | (2) Fill in the blanks : | (The answers are underlined directly.) (1) Dick walked as far as Holloway. | (2) The frst of November is All Saints’ to the African coast to trade. PASSAGE ~ 3 (Textbook pages 7, 8) One night, Dick decided, A2, Complex Factual Activity + ‘Explain in your own words what inspired Dick to return to Mr. Fitzwarren’s home. Ans. When Dick sat down on a stone to rest, he heard the chufch bells ringing. As he listened, it seemed that they were ringing a message for him, telling him that he should go back home, and calling him the Mayor of London. AS. Activities based on Vocabulary : *(1) Remove the Affixes (Prefix and Suffix) and write the root word : (1) successful (2) retrace (3) luckily (4) belonging Ans, (1) success (2) trace (3) luck (4) belong *(2) Make a sentence of your own using the expression put up with : Ans. We had to put up with the noisy behaviour of our neighbour's son. *(3) Break the given words into syllables : Ans. (1) belonging be-long-ing (2) message mess -age fa4.)activity based on Contextual Grammar ; Pick out the subject and predicate in the following sentences and put them in the correct columns in the table given below : (1) You can then share in the profits. Day. (2) Everyone produced something (3) Dick went back to Mr. Fitzwarren’s except for Dick. house. 1.2. DICK WHITTINGTON AND HIS CAT 13 i(3) The two of them walked as far as Holloway, (4) Dick and his cat retraced their steps to Mr. Fitzwarren's house. Ans. Li Subject _ Predicate Q) You can then share in the profits (2) Everyone _| produced something except for Dick (3), The two of | walked as far as A2, Complex Factual acne 2 *Complete the following : (The answers are underlined directly.) (1) The captain of the ship was overjoyed because the cat was an excellent them Holloway mouser, and hence he had no trouble with (4) Dick and | retraced their steps to rats and mice on his voyage. his cat Mr. Fitzwarren’s house. (2) In the palace, the first time the food AS. Personal Response : According to you, did Dick do the right thing by running away from Mr. Fitzwarren’s house because of the cook? Ans. No, I don't think that Dick did the right thing. Mr. Fitzwarren was a good man, and Dick was making a decent living. He should have tried to win the cook over and solve his difficulties. If he had run away, he may not have got another job and may have had to beg. Nothing 1s gained by running away from problems; we must face them and solve them. Q. 4. Read the following passage carefully and complete the activities : Al. Simple Factual Activity : Write whether the following statements are True or False: Ans (1) Dick was happy to send his cat on the ship. False (2) The cat caught plenty of mice and rats. True (3) The king was rude to the captain. False (4) The queen knew all about cats. False was brought in, rats and mice ran up and ate all the food. The second time the food was brought in, rats and mice ran up as before, but the cat immediately pounced on them, killing at least_a dozen before they ran away. | AS. Activities based on Vocabulary : *(1) Remove the Affixes (Prefix or Suffix) and write the root word : (1) immediately (2) mouser Ans. (1) immediate (2) mouse *(2) Find from the story one word for the following : Ans. (1) the highest ranking official who commands 1 a ship: Captain} (2) any animal that catches mice : mouser (8) Break the given words into syllables : Ans. *(1) captain cap-tain (2) delighted de-ligh-ted ivities based on Contextual Grammar : (1) Underline the nouns a the following sentences : (The answers are underlined directly.) (1) The cat was an excellent mouser and so he had no trouble with rats and mice on his voyage. = ENGLISH BALBHARATI DIGEST : STANDARD VIII “4' (2) The captain sent a message to the Ans. Adverbs-immediately, normally. Adjectives in them-immediate, normal AS. Personal Response : Do you think that all the animals are important to the environment? Ans. Yes, all the animals are certainly important to the environment. They all have their own place and own duties. For example, hawks and eagles control | the population of mice, rats and snakes. Lions and tigers keep the number of deer, buffaloes and other such animals in check. Every animal is important in its own way. Q. 5. Read the following passage carefully and complete the activities : Al. Simple Factual Activity : Write the following sentences in frightened. knighted - a person given a rank of| honour by a British king or queen because of his pecial achievements. A2. Complex Factual Activities : *(1) Give reasons: The queen was afraid of the cat. Ans. The queen was afraid of the cat | because she had seen how fiercely it had attacked the rats and the mice. *(2) How much did the king pay for | the cat? ‘Ans. The king paid ten times the sum for the cat that he had paid for the whole | cargo from Mr. Fitzwarren's ship. | for the following : the correct order of occurrence in the — passage: (1) Dick was knighted by the king and became Sir Richard Whittington. (2) Dick was elected the Mayor of © London. (3) The king paid ten times the sum for the cat. (4) “I would give great wealth to own this animal,” safd the queen. ‘Ans. (4) “I would give great wealth to own this animal,” said the queen. (3) The king paid ten times the sum for the cat. (2) Dick was elected the Mayor of London. (1) Dick was knighted by the king and became Sir Richard Whittington. 1.2, DICK WHITTINGTON AND HIS CAT A3. Activities based on Vocabulary : *(1) Find from the passage one word Ans. (1) the highest-ranking officer in the Municipality of a city/town : (2) a low, constant sound made by cats : purr *(2) Make a sentence of your own using the following expression : bargain ‘Ans. People in India love to bargain with hawkers. *(3) Break the given words into Mayor syllables : Ans. (1) ettizen cl-ti-zen (2) mayor ma-yor (3) elected e-lec-ted (/A4)Activities based on Contextual \— Grammar : Pick out the verbs from the following sentences and state their tense : (1) The captain showed Mr. Fitzwarren the gold and Jewels he had brought from Barbary. 18SEEN SERPS GR Sa NG MT ge (2) Mr. te hao, ae then paid him all tae elved for the cat. haat simple past tense; rought — past perfect tense (2) paid - simple past tense; had Teceived — past perfect tense AS. Personal Response : “What message does this story bring out for youngsters? Ans. The message that this story brings out for youngsters is that we must not run away from difficulties but face them bravely. (e) Dick left his village ‘on foot, to go to London. (0) Dick became rich, and later: the Mayor of London. * (g) Dick was homeless, helpless, cold and hungry. (h) Dick bought a cat to get rid of the mice. (1) The rats and mice ate up all the dinner, laid for the king and queen. GRAMMAR Cech the table of the degrees of ENGLISH WORKSHOP comparison : (Questions based on the full lesson) (The answers are given in italics.) *(1) Describe the changes that the cat | | Positive | Compa- | Super | had brought to Dick's life. fe rative |i, lative Ans. The cat, in the beginning, helped (iy great greater | greatest Dick to sleep peacefully at night, by chasing | “(9) famous cae, most away all the rats and mice that ran about in jorne: famous the attic. Later, as it was a good mouser, it was bought by the king of Barbary fora | 27225 a eee very large sum of money, which was given A) bad. worse worst to Dick. He thus became a rich man, and { (5) poor poorer poorest later became a successful merchant. ‘(er tazy ‘sien iezieat *(2) What decision taken by Dick | “jie ne a changed his fortune? ‘ane. On .heartig the, church bells | (6) Weorthy worthier | | ‘worthlest send out a message to him, Dick decided (9) popular more most to retrace his steps and go back to popular | popular Mr. Fitzwarren's house instead of running away. This decision changed Dick’s fortune. *(3) Rearrange the following events as they occur in the story. Put the correct number in the boxes : ‘Ans. (The answers are given directly.) (a) Mr. Fitzwarren provided . shelter to Dick. 4 (b) A carter gave Dick a lift to London. 2 (c) A cat sailed to the African coast. 6 (d) The captain sold the cat for a very high amount of money. 8 16 LANGUAGE STUDY ACTIVITIES (Miscellaneous Activities based on Vocabulary and Grammar) as directed : Pick out two compound words from the lesson. - Ans. Two compound words ; hdusehold. nightfall nat jse the adverb ‘immediately’ in your own sentence : Ans. The teacher immediately asked the tired girl to sit down. ENGLISH BALBHARATI DIGEST : STANDARD VIII*(8) Arrange the words given below in alphabetical order : ship, small, successful, _scoldings, stone, saving, someone, stood, streets, still, screamed, sat, seemed, saint, share, Ans. saint, sat, saving, scoldings, screamed, seemed, share, ship, small, someone, still, stone, ‘stood, streets, successful. (4) Find out four hidden words from the given word : (Each word should have at least 3 letters.) successful . successful : success, self, fuel, fuse jse the following word and its e in two separate sentences : ate Ans. (i) The little boy ate the cake very quickly. (ii) He was eight years old when he got a new cycle. Underline the adjectives from the sentence : He was not only famous, but he was popular too, for he always helped the poor with his money. 0G. He was not only famous, but he was popular too, for he always helped the poor with his money. out the conjunction in the vf) sentence : Dick work up cold, miserable and very hungry. [ASORAL WORK 3 (1) Read the first two paragraphs on page 8 of the textbook with the correct intonation : (2) Discuss happened if: (4) Dick had not retraced his steps to Mr. Fitzwarren’s house. (1) The cat had not been a good mouser. (iii) The king had not bought the cat. what would have | and ( i Punctuate : yes came the reply the country 1s suffering from a plague of rats and mice ‘Ans. “Alas, yes!” came the reply. “The country is suffering from a plague of rats and mice.” ick out the direct and indirect obj : He gave me a hundred-rupee note. Ans. Direct object -a hundred-rupee note Indirect object - me se the following word as a noun ‘a verb in two separate sentences : sleep ‘Ans. (i) We should get at least 8 hours of sleep daily. (noun) (ii) I sleep at 10 pm dally. (verb) | ORAL TEST (1) Describe Dick in your own words. (2) How should Dick have dealt with the cook? (3) Do you think that luck played a large part in Dick's success? Explain your answer. (4) What is the part of the cat in the story? FORMATIVE EVALUATION (8) Discuss the Whittington's success. *Select any of the famous personalities mentioned in ‘Warming up! on page 5. From the library or Internet find out their reasons for Dick story of success. Write it in your own words in about 20-30 lines. Give your write-up a suitable title. ooo 1.2, DICK WHITTINGTON AND HIS CAT a7