SVVN PU COLLEGE - Neraluru

I PU ENGLISH MATERIAL
THE GENTLEMEN OF THE JUNGLE
1. The man innocently waited for his opportunity, in the belief that_____.
a) the elephant would be punished b) he would leave the forest
c) the hut would be returned to him d) he would be given a new hut
2. The members of the Commission were all men of repute for their impartiality
in justice, and as they were gentlemen chosen ______.
a) by the lion b) by God c) by animals d) by man
3. The lion roared, “I am the King of the Jungle! How dare anyone ________ my
kingdom?”
a) fight in b) kill the man
c) have fun d) disturb the peace of
4. The man went home saying: “______is costly, but it’s worth the expense,” and
lived happily ever after.
a) justice b) peace c) happiness d) war
5. “The lion, wanted to have ________ in its kingdom.
a) “dance and fun” b) “calm and serenity”
c) “peace and tranquillity” d) “love and friendship”
6. The elephant said that the man invited it to save his hut from being blown away
by ______.
a) heavy wind b) heavy rainfall c) a thunderstorm d) a hurricane
7. The lion commanded its ministers to appoint _____ to go thoroughly into the
matter.
a) a CBI Enquiry b) a judge
c) an Imperial Commissioner d) a Commission of Enquiry
8. The chairman of the Commission of Enquiry was ___________.
a) Mr. Buffalo B) Mr. Rhinoceros c) Mr. Fox d) Mr. Leopard
9. According to the elephant, the man had invited him into the hut _____.
a) to save his skin b) to give shelter to his trunk
c) to save the hut from the hurricane d) to fill the empty space in the hut
10. was appointed as Secretary to the Commission.
a) Mr. Buffalo B) Mr. Rhinoceros c) Mr. Fox d) Mr. Leopard
11. No one from man’s side was well enough educated to understand the
__________.
a) complexity of the kingdom b) image of the forest
c) intricacy of jungle law d) intricacy of the animals
12. The members of the Commission were all men of repute for their _______.
a) impartiality in justice b) sound values
c) cruelty d) perfect knowledge
13. According to the elephant, the man can afford to remain in the rain because
________.
a) the skin of the man is harder than his
b) the skin of the elephant is delicate
c) the skin of the elephant is harder than that of the man
d) the skin of the man is softer than that of elephant
14. The judgment given by the Commission pointed out that the elephant
________.
a) will vacate the hut b) will occupy the hut
c) will find a new site d) will apologize to man
15. No sooner had he built another hut than ______charged in and ordered the man
to quit.
a) Mr. Leopard b) Mr. Hyena c) Mr. Buffalo d) Mr. Rhinoceros
1. Why was the Commission of Enquiry appointed by the King of the
Jungle?
A. The lesson “The Gentlemen of the Jungle” written by Jomo Kenyatta
presents the European domination on the African natives. This is brought out
in the form of a fable, where animals represents the European characters.
An elephant who was a friend of a man in a Jungle once during torrential
rains pleaded with the man to allow just his trunk into his hut for protection
from rain. The man agreed. But the cunning elephant threw the man out of
the hut after he got in and thus occupied the man's hut.
The poor man started protesting. The Lion who was the King of the Jungle
heard from the elephant about dispute of occupation of the hut. The Lion King
immediately ordered a Commission of Enquiry to solve the dispute in the
most amicable manner. The Lion King promised the man a fair trial as
according to him the commission would consist of members noted for
impartiality.
Thus the commission of enquiry was appointed by the king of the jungle.
2. Why did the animals decide not to have anyone from the man's side on
the Commission of 'Enquiry?
A. The lesson “The Gentlemen of the Jungle” written by Jomo Kenyatta
presents the European domination on the African natives. This is brought out
in the form of a fable, where animals represents the European characters.
The animals decided not to have anyone from the man's side on the
Commission of Enquiry because the animals wanted the hut to go to the
elephant who is the member of the animal community and they did not want
anything to benefit the man.
They did not want anyone from the man's side as they did not want their
selfish plans to be affected. In other words they wanted the elephant to get the
hut and they wanted to throw the man out of the hut.
Though this was injustice they did not care as they wanted all benefits for
themselves at the cost of even being unjust. But when the man asked them
about the representation of his community on the panel he was told by Lion
King that members of his community are not on the panel because they are
not well enough educated and do not know the intricacy of jungle law.
So, they decided not to have any one from the man’s side on the
commission of enquiry.
3. How did the elephant justify its act of occupying the hut?
A. The lesson “The Gentlemen of the Jungle” written by Jomo Kenyatta
presents the European domination on the African natives. This is brought out
in the form of a fable, where animals represents the European characters.
The elephant was called to give evidence to the Commission of Inquiry
that was formed to settle the dispute of the hut. The truth was that the hut
belonged to the man and the elephant pleaded with the man to allow him to
put his trunk into the hut to save it from the lashing rain. The elephant thus
got into the hut and then later pushed the man out of the hut. But the elephant
had his own false version.
The elephant told the commission that he was invited by the man in the
hut to go into the hut and thereby save the hut from the hurricane. The
elephant also said that he thought it his duty to save the hut from being blown
away by sitting in it and also put the undeveloped space of the hut to good
economy of space. The elephant claimed that thus his occupation of the hut
was done in the interest of his good friend - the man to help save the hut and
put unoccupied space to good use.
In this way, the elephant justified its action.
4. Do you think the verdict by the Commission of enquiry was on the
expected lines? Why?
A. The lesson “The Gentlemen of the Jungle” written by Jomo Kenyatta
presents the European domination on the African natives. This is brought out
in the form of a fable, where animals represents the European characters.
Yes, the verdict by the Commission of enquiry was on the expected lines.
The commission constituted only Jungle Lords as members and hence it was
a foregone conclusion that the commission will rule in the favour of animals
and not the man. Mr Rt.Hon. Fox was the Chairman of the Commission and
Mr Leopard was the Secretary. Further still the elephant who was involved in
the case was a high minister in Lion King's cabinet and hence he was given
the responsibility in choosing members of the Commission and he chose
himself as one of the members.
The man was told that his community will not be represented as they were
not well educated and did not know the intricacy of Jungle law. Thus, the
verdict in favour of the elephant is not a surprise as it was a plan by hatched
by jungle lords to throw out the man and accommodate the elephant.
Here the verdict by the commission of enquiry was on the expected lines.
5. What fate awaited the man each time he built a new house?
A. The lesson “The Gentlemen of the Jungle” written by Jomo Kenyatta
presents the European domination on the African natives. This is brought out
in the form of a fable, where animals represents the European characters.
Each time when the man built a new house he was thrown out by one of
the Jungle lords who used imperial power to usurp the house and to occupy
it. Mr. Rhinoceres, My Hyena, Mr Buffalo, Mr. Leopard and many others did
what the elephant did to the man and like the elephant they all faced the royal
commission which every time like the first time gave a verdict in favour of
the jungle lords. Thus every new hut that man built for himself accommodated
one more jungle lord and he was always left with no protection from rain and
shine.
This was the fate awaited the man each time he built a new house.
6. Do you agree with the action of the man at the end? Why?
A. The lesson “The Gentlemen of the Jungle” written by Jomo Kenyatta
presents the European domination on the African natives. This is brought out
in the form of a fable, where animals represents the European characters.
 Yes. The action of the man at the end was correct. The man who owned a
small hut in the Jungle was thrown out of his hut by the elephant who was
helped by the man. There was a conspiracy hatched by the Jungle Lords who
were Lion King, Mr Rt.Hon. Elephant, Mr Rt. Hon. Fox, Mr Hyena, Mr.
Rhinoceres and many more to evict man from his own land. All Jungle Lords
were cunning to turn everything to their advantage and deny man even an
ounce of justice. Though Mr Lion promises the man that there will a
Commission of Enquiry to impartially adjudge the case, the man finds that
everything about the commission is unfair.
The commission delivers a verdict using logic that the hut should go to Mr
Elephant as it was he who saved the hut from hurricane with his size and thus
put space to good economic use. Tools of justice are used only to serve
injustice. The man finally decides on the course of active resistance to evil.
He builds a huge hut to accommodate all Jungle Lords and then sets fire to
the hut when all Jungle Lords were in it basking in the comfort of shelter from
rain and shine. Thus, the man got rid of all cunning creatures. The man is
right in doing what he has done as he had the courage to act against injustice.
Hence I agree with the action of the man at the end.
7. ‘An act of kindness is misunderstood as weakness.' Discuss this with
reference to the story.
A. The lesson “The Gentlemen of the Jungle” written by Jomo Kenyatta
presents the European domination on the African natives. This is brought out
in the form of a fable, where animals represents the European characters.
The man who owned a hut in a forest was kind enough to allow an elephant
to put its trunk into his hut when once there was a torrential downpour. The
elephant misused the man's kindness when he fully got in and threw the man
out. The man protested and when the matter when taken to Lion King, he
immediately constituted a Commission of Enquiry that gave a verdict in
favour of the Elephant.
The man was not only kind he was also of good conduct. When Lion King
assures him that the hut will be returned to him he believes him and it does
not even occur to him that it could be falsehood. The man protests when he
sees that his community is not represented in the Commission. The lion king
tells him that his community is not represented because they are not well
educated and do not know the intricacy of jungle law.
The man believes this too as he believes the Lion King when he tells him
that all Jungle Lords are the gentlemen chosen by God to look after the
interest of the race less adequately endowed with teeth and claws. He believes
everything because he is good natured and suspicion is not his nature. This
 good nature does not imply that he is weak. When the Jungle Lords always
take his dwelling, he knows how to strike. He strikes in such a manner all
jungle lords are wiped away without a trace when he burns them all alive.
This shows that he is not weak. lie is kind but he is not kind because of
weakness or helplessness. He is kind because wants to be kind and his
kindness should not be misunderstood as weakness.
Thus ‘an act of kindness is misunderstood as weakness’.
8. Peace is costly but it is worth the expense.' What is the ironical
significance of this statement?
A. The lesson “The Gentlemen of the Jungle” written by Jomo Kenyatta
presents the European domination on the African natives. This is brought out
in the form of a fable, where animals represents the European characters.
The man had to resort to violence to enjoy peace This is the irony. The
man in order to get what he wanted had to use the opposite of it to be
successful. The man in the lesson represents the African tribals who were
treated in a very unjust manner by the Europeans who are represented as
animals in this story. The man was always subjected to injustice every time
hip hut was taken away for occupation by animals who are called as Jungle
Lords. Every time he was cheated he hoped that it would be last time that he
would have to suffer. But that was not to be.
The animals wanted to take away altogether everything that was his. When
the man discerned this he hatched a plan. He built a large but capable of
accommodating all animals and as he expected all Jungle Lords got into the
hut and started fighting with another for its space in the hut. The man saw this
as the opportune moment to get rid of them all and so set he hut on fire with
all the Jungle Lords. Thus, we can see that he had to use a terrible arm of
violence to avail peace for himself. He got rid of the trespassers by using
violence and thus was successful in enjoying the peace. In this lies the ironical
significance.
Thus ‘peace is costly but it is worth the expense’ is the ironical
significance.
9. Every fable ends with a moral. What 'moral' do you find in this story?
A. The lesson “The Gentlemen of the Jungle” written by Jomo Kenyatta
presents the European domination on the African natives. This is brought out
in the form of a fable, where animals represents the European characters.
The moral that is predominant in this lesson is that everybody is rightful
inheritors of the earth and trespassers will have to pay a heavy price for their
intrusion. The Europeans had their territory but wanted to usurp African
 territory falsely thinking that they are superior race and blacks are inferior
and they should rule over the blacks. Their self-styled supremacy resulted in
imperialism.
The African tribes who initially did not see this injustice were
authoritatively ruled over by the Europeans. But when the African tribes woke
up to the fact that injustice was just heaped on them, they retaliated in such a
manner that the Europeans had to return their territory to them without any
protest.
Another moral that one can learn in this lesson is when a per son who
seems weak is made to continuously suffer injustice, the unfairness of it all
by itself will make the strong person weak and the weak strong in such a
manner that retaliation by the weak person will be so severe that the opponent
will disappear without a trace. Domination and discrimination have no role
whatsoever in the world as they are tools of injustice and of course injustice
is meant to be condemned anytime it raises its ugly head.
10. Do you think the story can be read as a political satire on colonialism?
A. The lesson “The Gentlemen of the Jungle” written by Jomo Kenyatta
presents the European domination on the African natives. This is brought out
in the form of a fable, where animals represents the European characters.
Yes, it can be read as a political satire on colonialism. The man represents
African tribe and all animals with titles as Honourable and Right Honorable
called as Jungle Lords represent Europeans who were noted for colonialism
occupied Africa in the late 19th century taking away their lands that they
cultivated and live on. This story which is a fable has a deeper political
meaning and hence it is a political satire.
The vanity of Europeans, the honey coated words to mask injustice and
the commission of enquiry to fool the man are all found in the fable depict
political allegory on colonialism. The man is instructed to build huts only to
accommodate all Jungle Lords implying that the Africans should cultivate
lands and hand them over to the Europeans for the lands to become their
colony.
The story is full of instances that reflect all measure to usurp territory to
make it European colony. The elephant pushing the man out of his hut, the
commission of enquiry consisting of only Jungle lords and without any
representation of man's community, elephant allowed to give evidence in the
enquiry but man's evidence not being taken, the verdict in favour of elephant
and the man being ordered every time to build a new hut to accommodate one
more animal are all very revealing instances to prove it is a political satire on
colonialism.
Thus this story can be read as a political satire on colonialism.
 THE SCHOOL BOY
1. The poet loves to rise in a summer morn ________.
a) when there is a holiday b) in sighing and dismay
c) under a cruel eye outworn d) when the birds sing on every tree
2. The poet loves to rise _______.
a) in a winter morning b) on a Monday morning
c) in sighing and dismay d) in a summer morn
3. The distant huntsman_______ his horn.
a) plays b) winds c) finds d) drives
4. Going to school on a summer morn ________.
a) is a pleasant experience b) makes the birds sing on every tree
c) drives all joy away d) is like sitting in a cage
5. According to Blake, the bird that is born for joy cannot _______.
a) sit in learning’s bower b) sit in a cage and sing
c) sit in sighing and dismay. d) drive all his joy away
6. The phrase which does not refer to formal schooling from the following is
______.
a) buds are nipped b) fruits are gathered
c) plants are stripped d) blossoms are blown away
7. The little ones spend the day _______.
a) in sighing and dismay b) watching the birds sing on every tree
c) in joy
d) watching the distant huntsman wind his horn
8. The distant huntsman winds his horn, and ______sings with him.
a) the bird b) the skylark c) the teacher d) the child
9. ‘sweet company’ refers to _____.
a) skylark b) huntsman’s horn
c) bird’s song d) all the above three
10. ‘Under a cruel eye outworn’ refers to _______.
a) a skylark b) the distant huntsman
c) the parents d) authoritarian ways of teaching
1. What does the school boy love to do on a summer morn?
A. The poem ‘The School Boy’ written by William Blake is told from the
perspective of a young boy who believes school is negatively impacting him.
This is the pastoral poem that focuses on the problems inherent in formal
learning.
The poet loves to rise to a summer morning to bask in the bliss of nature.
He wants to lose himself in the rhapsody of the songs sung by birds perched
on every tree. This music is complemented by the melody that emanates from
a distant horn that which is blown by the hunter in the far away region.
The music of birds with the music of the horn blown by the hunter is
further sweetened when the poet and the skylark sing together. This poet now
exclaims in ecstasy that this indeed is sweet company. These are the only lines
of the poem that infuses joy as the rest of the poem is about the woes of formal
schooling.
Thus the school and system of education drives the joy away from the boy.

2. Describe the boy's experience in the school.

A. The poem ‘The School Boy’ written by William Blake is told from the
perspective of a young boy who believes school is negatively impacting him.
This is the pastoral poem that focuses on the problems inherent in formal
learning.

The boy experiences of the school constitutes only tiredness and despair.
The word school is surely robbing him of the joy of childhood. Eye is
constantly supervised in the school and calls that supervision cruel and says
that the eye also appears worn out because of its uninterrupted supervision.
This conveys the authoritarian methods of formal schooling.
He says the children are so burdened, threatened and discouraged in the
school and very often he sits in a drooping manner. He calls the classroom a
dreary place full of anxiety that has worn him out to such an extent that he is
not able to find any delight in books. The place of learning should be place of
joy and happiness for a child to blossom and not a place of agony for the child
to wilt in pain and unhappiness.

This is how the boy experienced in the school.

3. According to the poet how does formal education curb a learner's
potential?
A. The poem ‘The School Boy’ written by William Blake is told from the
perspective of a young boy who believes school is negatively impacting him.
This is the pastoral poem that focuses on the problems inherent in formal
learning.
The formal education curbs the learner's potential by denying the freedom
to learn and by laying restrictions. These are the shackles of formal education
that form fetters that prevent the child from blossoming. A bird out of cage
enjoys a freedom to discover for itself the joy of living and so in its song a
natural sweetness can be detected that which is absent in the singing of bird
that caged.

Similarly, a child should enjoy freedom in learning as this will preserve

the natural way of learning and learning will no longer be tiresome or
burdensome. The poet says that when a child is made to learn in formal way
there is always a looming fear that dampens the tender spirit and curbs the
blossom of youth.
Thus according to the poet the formal education curb a learner’s potential.
4. Formal schooling not only takes away the joy of childhood but also
hinders the child's growth forever. Explain.
A. The poem ‘The School Boy’ written by William Blake is told from the
perspective of a young boy who believes school is negatively impacting him.
This is the pastoral poem that focuses on the problems inherent in formal
learning.
The formal schooling with its restrictions and regulations has not been
able to attract children to learning. The system is rigorous and hence children
find it very tiring and that learning is not fun. Learning should be fun for
children for them to enjoy the thrill of learning. The formal system has not
been able to establish the link between classroom education and real-life
activities. True learning should become an integral part of one's living and
only then it will be constantly put to use in the course of life.
But unfortunately, formal education with all its trappings has resulted in a
learning that is dry and dreary without life like quality in it. It is mechanical,
uninspiring and does not encourage creativity. Thus, formal education nips at
the bud of childhood and this prevents the child from blossoming. With this
the formal education does not result in serving the purpose of education which
is to help a person to discover the inner cell. In other words formal education
does not help a person to evolve and tackle successfully all the ups and downs
 of life. Learning in an uninhibited manner which is in informal manner results
in the right growth of a child.
The poet closes the poem by saying that the formal education with its
agonizing methods will only result in grief which is incapable of reaping any
harvest and therefore there is only pain and no gain with this system of
education.
Thus formal schooling not only takes the joy of childhood but also hinders
the child’s growth forever.
5. Do you think the poet is arguing against education'? Discuss.
A. The poem ‘The School Boy’ written by William Blake is told from the
perspective of a young boy who believes school is negatively impacting him.
This is the pastoral poem that focuses on the problems inherent in formal
learning.
The poet is not arguing against education but lie is arguing against the
formal system of education. The poet has discovered the joy of learning in a
natural way that makes a student look forward to learning and not want to run
away from learning. Education system should ensure that a student should be
drawn to education. He himself had only little formal education but went on
to become an acclaimed poet.
Formal education results in students becoming a brick in the wall
incapable of independent thinking. This poem which is from his collection
titled "Songs of Experience" is about the blossom of human spirit when there
is freedom in learning and how its wilts when it has to obey rules and
regulations. The poem very clearly underscores all the travails of formal
education such as authoritarian and dreary approach, fears and apprehensions
that are capable of haunting the child for the rest of his life.
He further adds that the formal education just strips the child of all its joys.
This system of education he is against as it only stunts the growth of an
individual and does not help the individual to evolve like how the informal
system of education is able to successfully achieve. In other words, he is for
education that is based on self-study and inner satisfaction.