DATE Classwork

UNIT- 3
Chapter

DAY Glimpses of the Past

By- S.D. Sawant

Introduction: - The chapter ‘Glimpses of the Past’ is a picture story. Through

pictorial glimpses, it recalls the history of our country from 1757 to 1857. It also
clarifies our understanding that led to the first war of independence in 1857.

FRAME SENTENCES
1. mansion - The king left the mansion hurriedly to join his army for the war.
2. upsurge- There has been an upsurge in the efforts of the government to
provide free education to poor.
3. territory - The king and his men tried their best to keep the enemy from
entering their territory.

Answer the following questions:

Question 1. Do you think the Indian princes were short-sighted in their
approach to the events of 1757?
Answer: Yes, the Indian princes were short-sighted in their approach. Instead of
focusing on one India, they fought against each other under the influence of
the British.

Question 2: How did the East India Company subdue the Indian princes?
Answer: The East India Company approached India to promote their trade.The
British made Indians dependent by controlling industries, agriculture,
education and employment. As a result, all the power passed into their
hands.

Question 3:Quote the words used by Ram Mohan Roy to say that every
religion teaches the same principles.
Answer: The words of Ram Mohan Roy spoken to his wife were: “Cows are of
different colours, but the colour of their milk is the same. Different teachers have
different opinions but the essence of every religion is the same.”

Question 4:In what ways did the British officers exploit Indians?
Answer: The British officers exploited the Indians in many ways. They imposed
heavy taxes on Indian farmers and reduced import duty on goods
manufactured in England and imported to India.They even cut the thumbs of
expert artisans. The officers prospered on the company’s loot and their private
business flourished.

Question 5:Name these people.

(i) The ruler who fought pitched battles against the British and died
fighting - Tipu Sultan of Mysore.

(ii)The person who wanted to reform the society – Raja Ram Mohan Roy

(iii) The person who recommended the introduction of English education

in India - Lord Macaulay

(iv) Two popular leaders who led the revolt -Nana Sahib Peshwa, Kunwar
Singh

Question 6:
Mention the following.

1. Two examples of social practices prevailing then -Untouchability and child

marriage.
2. Two oppressive policies of the British - The British masters allowed imports
in India tax free. They ruined Indian cottage industries,
3. Two ways in which common people suffered - The farmers were taxed
heavily and the thumbs of skilled workers were cut.
4. Four reasons for the discontent that led to the 1857 War of Independence.

Answer:(a) Santhals who lost their land became desperate and they revolted.
(b) The sepoys in the English army were paid much less than the white
soldiers. So they were discontented and angry.
(c) The Brahmins were furious when they came to know that the bullets they
had to bite, contained cow-fat and pig-fat.
 (d) Many landlords were sore because the British policies deprived them of
their land and estate.

Long Answer question:

How did the British East India Company eventually become the ruler of India?
What tactics did they adopt to expand their empire?

Answer. The British came to India as traders. Their chief motive was to make a
fortune. But they needed political power to carry on their trade. They imposed
heavy taxes on the peasants. The Indian goods lost their demand because the market
was flooded with imported English goods. These goods didn’t have to pay import
duty. The British, in this way, ruined the skilled Indians. They dethroned the Indian
rulers and took advantage of their rivalries. Slowly and steadily they spread their
empire all over India.
 DATE Class Work
UNIT-3
Poem

DAY Macavity : The Mystery Cat

By:- T.S. Eliot

Summary:
‘Macavity: The Mystery Cat’ is composed by ‘T.S. Eliot’. The poem is about a cat,
who is imagined to be a mystery cat. He is the master criminal. He can defy and
break any law. Even the police force and flying squad of England have failed to
arrest him. He is matchless in his field. He can do any impossible task. He can
disappear. He can break Newton’s law of gravity and float in the air. He is a tall and
thin cat. His eyes are sunken, and his head is shaped like a dome and lined with
thought. On the whole, he is a devil in cat’s shape.

FRAME SENTENCES
1. defy - I tried to defy the laws of school once.
2. despair - He was in the depths of despair when he lost his job.
3. seek - Everybody has the right to seek happiness.
Answer the following questions:
Question1 : “A cat, I am sure, could walk on a cloud without coming
through”. (Jules Verne)
Which law is Macavity breaking in the light of the comment above?
Answer: In the light of the above comment, Macavity is breaking the law of
gravity.
Question 2 :Read stanza 3, and then, describe Macavity in two or three
sentences of your own.
Answer: Macavity is a light brown coloured cat who is very tall and thin with
sunken eyes and brow deeply lined with thought. While its head is highly
domed, its coat is dusty and whiskers are uncombed. It sways its head from
side-to-side and it is always wide awake even when one thinks that it is half-
asleep.

Question 3:Having read the poem, try to guess whether the poet is fond of
cats. If so, why does he call Macavity a fiend and monster?
Answer: Yes, it seems like the poet is fond of cats. He calls Macavity a ‘fiend’ and
a ‘monster’ because he has used a cat in order to create a negative character
who is a criminal and escapes easily from police. The quick movements of a
cat and its mysterious eyes might have influenced the poet to create this evil
character in the form of acat.

REFERENCE TO THE CONTEXT

“ Macavity, macavity, there’s no one like Macavity.
For he’s a fiend in feline shape, a monster of depravity.
You may meet him in a by-street, you may see him in the square
But when a crime’s discovered, then macavity’s not there!”

Question1. Explain “He’s a fiend in feline shape…”

Answer: It means that he is a devil in the shape of a cat.
Question 2. What is peculiar with him?
Answer: The peculiar thing about the cat is that no one can see him at the place of
crime.

Question 3. Who wants to catch him?

Answer :The British Police want to catch him.

Question 4. Which poetic devices are used in the stanza?

Answer: Repetition, exaggeration and alliteration are used in this stanza.