I PUC English Reflections Notes

P.U.
C I YEAR, ENGLISH
COURSE BOOK - REFLECTIONS
Prepared By
Ehthashamuddin. J. Sheikh, M.A., M.ED, IIST
# 116, T.K.A.R Building, G. Block,
Champion Reef’s (P.O), Kolar Gold Fields,
Kolar District, Karnataka State.
Mobile Number: - 9738483214
P.U.C I YEAR, ENGLISH REFLECTIONS - GRAMMAR EHTHASHAMUDDIN J
CHAPTER: - 1 built another hut but rhinoceros occupied it. All the huts
TOPIC: - THE GENTLEMEN OF THE JUNGLE built by man were occupied by other animals. At last, the
man built a big hut. Many animals occupied that big hut
JOMO KENYATTA and the man set fire to that hut.
Characters in the story.
I. Answer the following questions in a word, a phrase
The Man (dynamic character) or a sentence each: -
Mr. Elephant
Mr. Lion 1. What particular event in Kenya’s history does
Mr. Rhinoceros Kenyatta give reference to?
Mr. Leopard Ans: - The division of Africa among themselves by the
Mr. Fox chief European powers in the late 19th century.
Mr. Buffalo
Mr. Hyena 2. Where had the man built his hut in the gentleman of
Mr. Alligator the jungle?
Ans: - At the edge of the forest.
Themes:
3. Who or what does the man in the fable represent?
 Injustice Ans: - The Africans who were colonized by the
 Colonization Europeans.
 Abuse of Power
4. What do the animals in the story represent?
Injustice: The elephant was allowed to help choose Ans: - The European colonizers.
members of the C.O. E. All of the members were already
on the elephant's side before the case even started. The 5.What did the elephant want to protect from the rain?
C.O.E only listened to the elephant's story. Ans: - Protect its trunk.
Colonization: It was originally the man's property, but 6. What did the lion desire to have in his kingdom?
the animals took over. The actual meaning of the story, is Ans: - Peace and tranquility.
the invasion of the Europeans in Africa.
7. What did the lion do to solve the problem?
Abuse of Power: Because of the elephant's title in the Ans: - Appointed a Commission of Enquiry.
jungle, he was able to lie and get away with it. The
rhinoceros ordered the man to give up, knowing that the 8. Who commanded the ministers to appoint a
man is scared of him. Commission of Enquiry in the fable?
Ans: - The lion.
Initially, the conflict is between the man and the elephant.
Eventually, it develops later into a conflict between the 9. Name any two members appointed to the
man and all of the animals in the jungle. Commission of Enquiry.
Ans: - Mr. Buffalo and Mr. Alligator.
SUMMARY
10.Who were appointed as the chairman and secretary
Once an elephant made friendship with a man. The man of Commission of Enquiry?
had built a hut to live. One day a thunderstorm broke out. Ans: - Mr. Fox and Mr. Leopard.
The elephant requested the man to allow it to keep its
trunk inside the hut. The man agreed. The elephant put its 11.Why there were no men from the man’s side in the
trunk inside the hut and slowly occupied the hut and Commission of Enquiry?
pushed the man out. The man and elephant started a Ans: - They were not educated enough to understand the
quarrel for the hut. Lion the king of the jungle came to intricacies of jungle law.
solve the problem and appointed a commission of
inquiry. Fox was the president and leopard was the 12.What was the man’s belief?
secretary. The commission of enquiry gave the report in Ans: - That he could get impartial justice.
favour of elephant because the elephant said that it
occupied the hut to save it from the hurricane. The man
1 Ehthashamuddin J Sheikh M.A., M.ED., I.I.S.T
#116, T.K.A.R. Building, ‘G’. Block, Champion Reef’s (P.O), Kolar Gold Fields - 563117
Kolar District, Karnataka State. Mobile Number - 9738483214
13. Who made the friend ship with a man? 28. Whom did the Mr. Hyena support?
Ans: - The Elephant Ans: - The Elephant
14. Who had a little hut at the edge of the forest? 29. Who arranged the delicious meal for the enquiry
Ans: - A man commission?
Ans: - Rt. Hon. Mr. Elephant
15. Who requested the man to put his trunk inside the
hut? 30. Who ordered the man to quit and built another
Ans: - The Elephant hut?
Ans: - Mr. Rhinoceros
16. When did the elephant request the man to put his
trunk inside the hut? 31. When did Mr. Rhinoceros charge the man and
Ans: - At the time of torrential rain. order to quit the hut?
Ans: - As soon as he built another hut.
17. The Elephant intended to protect his delicate skin
from _________. 32. Where the man ultimately built a bigger and better
Ans: - Hail storm hut?
Ans: - A little distance away
18. Why did all the animals of forest gather?
Ans: - All the animals started gather because of heard the 33. How did Mr. Hyena appear to the new house?
noise of man Ans: - Howled for a place in the shade
19. What did make turmoil to the lion? 34. Mr. Alligators appear to the new house on----------
Ans: - The heated argument between the man and the Ans: - The roof
Elephant.
35. What did man ultimately say?
20. -------- was one of the high ministers of Jungle. Ans: - Peace is costly, but it is worth the expense
Ans: - The Elephant
36. How did the lion decide to solve the problem?
21. What did lion wanted to have in his Kingdom? Ans: - To construct the commission.
Ans: - Peace and tranquility
37. What kind of judgment did the man expect?
22. What did the man was pleased? Ans: - The hut would be returned to him.
Ans: - The sweet words from the king of the jungle
38. In whose favour was the judgment given?
23. Who did innocently wait for the hut would be Ans: - Mr. Elephant
returned to him?
Ans: - The man 39. Why did the man accept the suggestion of building
a new hut?
24. Mention the members of commission of enquiry? Ans: - The house was decayed by animals and it is near to
Ans: - Mr. Rhinoceros, Mr. Buffalo, Mr. Alligators, the pieces.
Rt. Hon Mr. Fox and Mr. Leopard.
40. How did the man buy peace finally?
25. Who was the chairman of commission of enquiry? Ans: - By set the hut on the fire and burnt it completely.
Ans: - Rt. Hon Mr. Fox
26. Who was the enquiry commission first called off? II. Answer the following questions in a paragraph of
Ans: - Mr. Hon. Mr. Elephant 80-100 words.
27. After Mr. Elephant’s evidence, whom did the 1. Why was the commission of enquiry appointed by
enquiry commission call for? the king of the jungle?
Ans: - Mr. Hyena Ans: - The man protested the wrong doing of Elephant
and he started to grumble. All the animals in the nearby

forest heard the noise and came to see what the matter that the man is incompetent (hopeless) to understand the
was. All stood around listening to the heated argument intricacy (difficulty) of the Jungle law. In the opinion of
between the man and his friend the elephant. In this the members the dispute had arisen through a regrettable
turmoil the lion came along roaring, and asked the reason (disappointing) misunderstanding due to the backwardness
in a loud voice. The lion wanted to have 'peace and of man's ideas. According to them, the’ elephant helped
tranquility’ in his kingdom. So he commands his the man &. not cheated him. The Commission further
ministers to appoint a Commission of Enquiry to go asked the elephant to continue the possession of the hut
thoroughly into this matter. and asked the man to look for a suitable site and build a
new hut.
2. Why did the animals decide not to have anyone
from the man’s side on the commission of enquiry? III. Answer the following question in about 200 words.
Ans: - The Commission of Enquiry decided not to have
any one from the man’s side because they thought that 1. “An act of kindness is misunderstood as weakness".
they did not have enough knowledge about the jungle Discuss this with reference to the story.
animals and their characteristics and also not knew the Ans: - The man was very kind enough to share his hut
rules of jungle law. with an elephant. When it requested him to allow him to
keep its trunk inside his but to protect it from the torrential
3. How did the elephant justify in act of occupying the rain. It proved to be a mistake because it was that act of
hut? kindness which led to his being driven out of his own hut.
Ans: - Elephant justify in his act of occupying the hut Though his but was small & he admitted the fact to the
that man’s skin is harder than his, and as there is not elephant, he was generous enough to allow the elephant to
enough room for both of them. So the elephant told the keep only its trunk inside the hut.
man that he can afford to remain in the rain while it was
protecting his delicate skin from the hailstorm.' Similarly, when the case was decided against him saying
that the dispute had arisen through a regrettable
4. Why was the Commission of Enquiry appointed by misunderstanding due to the backwardness of his ideas, he
the King of the jungle? went away quietly and built himself another house.
Ans: - Once there lived a man and an elephant in a jungle However, this house and the ones he builds later, were all
who were close friends. A thunderous rain broke out one occupied by various animals and he was left with no
day. The elephant came to his friend & requested him to shelter at all. All animals considered him weak and
allow him to keep his trunk inside the hut. The man exploited him. Thus their treatment led to his violent
allowed the elephant to keep his trunk. as his but was action of setting the to the house and destroying all the
small. The elephant slowly sneaked inside the hut & animals.
flung the man outside the hut in the rain. When the
elephant threw the man out of his own but he began to 2. “Peace is costly but it is worth the expense.”. What is
grumble. The animals in the nearby forest head the noise the ironical significance of this statement?
& came to see what the matter was. All stood around Ans: - It is ironical that wars are waged continuously by
listening to the heated argument between the man & his countries in order to show their strength and also to
friend. The lion. came to see why peace of his kingdom establish peace. Most of the countries in the world have a
was being disturbed. After the elephant explained that wrong notion that violent attacks on the other killing
they were having a little discussion regarding the thousands of people, destroying them will force the
possession of the hut the lion decided to command his country to submit and maintain peace. But do we really
ministers to appoint a Commission of Enquiry to go enjoy the peace? Have we really achieved peace? But even
thoroughly into the matter and report to him. if peace is achieved; it is the 'Silence of the dead, not the
peace of the satisfied’.
5. On what grounds did the Commission of Enquiry
give its verdict? There will be resentment (dislike) in the mind of the
Ans: - The Commission of Enquiry gave the verdict on country, which has been' subjugated (dominated). This
the following grounds; The elephant had not cheated the resentment will, sooner or later, surface and lead to
man instead it helped the man as the hut was not fully confrontation (battle) again. In the story, the man is free of
occupied by him, it might have been blown off due to the all exploitation by the animals after he kills them, but does
impact of the hurricane if the elephant had not occupied he really enjoy freedom? No, he is left lonely without any
it. The second thing was that due to the misunderstanding

friends to share himself. That Was the price he had to pay

for securing peace through violence.
It takes a lot of effort from everyone concerned to

achieve peace in a country, and it can happen only when
everyone is aware of the necessity for peace, and is
motivated to achieve it through peaceful means.
***********

CHAPTER: - 2 STANZA –TWO (2)

TOPIC: - THE SCHOOL BOY But to go to school in a summer morn,
O! it drives all joy away;
WILLIAM BLAKE Under a cruel eye outworn.
SUMMARY The little ones spend the day,
In sighing and dismay.
The poem throws light on the mindset of a school boy.
He is unhappy. He loves outdoor life. He hears the birds But whenever the boy thinks of going to the school, all his
sing. The blowing of horn by the huntsmen pleases him. enjoyment and entertainment disappear gradually away.
He wants to enjoy the company of the skylark. But he can He does not enjoy or learn anything under the cruel and
find such joy only on a summer morning. fearful look of the teacher. Little kids like the boy spend
their day in utter worry, unhappiness and disappointment.
Instead of living like a free bird, the boy is made to go to
school. It makes him sad. He hates going to school STANZA –THREE (3)
because of his cruel old teacher. There the small children Ah! then at times I drooping sit,
spend the day from morning to evening and get And spend many an anxious hour,
disappointed. Nor in my book can I take delight,
Nor sit in learnings bower,
Sometimes the boy sits for hours with his head hanging Worn thro' with the dreary shower.
down but he is caged. He finds no joy in reading his
book. The school is a cheerless place for him. He gets fed With a sad loose figure the boy does not pass hours in
up with the shower of words from his teacher worry. He enjoys the lessons taught nor does the way his
teacher teaches. Bower refers to green shelter. And
The boy compares himself to a bird who is born free to here ‘bower’ means to the school or the classroom in
fly and enjoy life but he is caged, he cannot sing in the which the feels imprisoned. He does not enjoy any lesson
cage. The boy has the feeling of being a prisoner at communicate in a dull manner.
school. He is all the time afraid of the teacher. As a caged
bird he lets his wings droop down and forgets to share the STANZA FOUR – (4)
joy of spring. How can the bird that is born for joy,
Sit in a cage and sing.
The poet calls upon tie parents not to be so harsh or cruel How can a child when fears annoy.
to the children. School going kids are as delicate as birds But droop his tender wing.
and flowers. They need fresh air and free movement to And forget his youthful spring.
grow healthy and happy. Keeping them under excess cage
will make them unhappy The poet here brings the example of a bird. A bird which
is meant for joy and freedom will never be sing in a cage.
If a plant is denied air and is kept in dark, it won't grow Likewise a child who is always under a situation of fear
well and never bear fruit. will forget his childlike tenets and drop down his wing of
freedom and ecstasy. He will forget his childhood
STANZAWISE EXPLANATION innocence and activities.
STANZA -ONE (ONE)
I love to rise in a summer morn, STANZA –FIVE (5)
When the birds sing on every tree; O! father & mother. if buds are nip'd,
The distant huntsman winds his horn, And blossoms blown away,
And the sky-lark sings with me. And if the tender plants are strip'd
O! what sweet company. Of their joy in the springing day,
By sorrow and care's dismay.
The speaker, a young boy, is joyful in getting up in a
sweet and beautiful summer morning. Sweet singing of In this stanza the poet gives a message to the parents
the bird’s thrills and excited the boy. He likes the asking them some questions and familiar to some
companionship of the hunters who move in the wood situations. If the buds are destroyed before blooming; if
searching for his hunt. He likes to enjoy the sweet the flowers are driven away by the strong wind;
melodious music of the skylark.

STANZA –SIX (6) sorrow that the boy feels at the very thought of going to
How shall the summer arise in joy. school.
Or the summer fruits appear?
Or how shall we gather what griefs destroy, While he wishes to enjoy the summer, he wishes to be
Or bless the mellowing year, very much outside in the nature.
When the blasts of winter appear?
2. Describe the boy’s experience in the school.
If the plants are stripped of their branches and leaves, Ans: - Child loves to rise early in summer morning to
how will the summer become joyous and impart joy for enjoy but all the happiness disappears when he realizes
us or how will the fruits appear to elate and thrill us? that he has to go to school. The main theme is the sorrow
that the boy feels at the very thought of going to school.
Comprehension: I While he wishes to enjoy the summer.
1. Who, do you think, ‘I’ refers to in the poem? The boy longs for the freedom of the outdoors and cannot
Ans: - I refer to William Blake in the poem take delight in his book. He is compelled to experience
many anxious hours. The image of the bird is used in the
2. ‘Sweet company’ refers to poem. The birds sing happily when they are free but if
Ans: - d. All the above three they are in a cage they cannot do it the same way. In the
same way the boy feels he is imprisoned at school.
3. What drives the boy’s joy away?
Ans: - The very thought of going to school drives the School boy in school and the bird in the cage are seen as
boy’s joy away. equal not only at the natural level under physical
subjection but at the spiritual level too. Both represent the
4. How do the little ones spend the day in the school? caging and entrapping of imaginative vision.
Ans: - The little ones spend the day in the school by
sighing (grief) and dismay (Helplessness). 3. According to the poet how does formal education
curb a learner’s potential?
5. What does ‘cage’ stand for in the poem? Ans: - Poet appeals that adults must realize that children
Ans: - Cage stands for School, where the children are are like plants, which needs to be look after and given
entrapped. proper care. They have to bear fruit later on. School
should be the place where children are allowed to think
6. Pick the phrase from the following which does not freely.
refer to formal schooling.
Ans: - b. Fruits are gathered. He wishes that school should provide students with
challenges, competition and opportunities to enhance their
7. Relate the seasons mentioned under column A with creativity. It should be a place where children are provided
the stages of life. with for practical play and develop at their own place.
Ans: - 1. Spring - Childhood
2. Summer -Youth Comprehension: III
3. Winter -Old age
Formal schooling not only takes away the joy of
Comprehension: II childhood but also hinders the child’s growth forever.
Explain.
1. What does the school boy love to do on a summer Or
morn? What drives his joy away? Do you think the poet is arguing against education?
Ans: - William Blake suggests that the educational Discuss.
system of his day destroys the joyful innocence of youth.
In the poem the poet speaks in the persona of a school Ans: - Here the poet is complaining a young boy of being
child that wakes up in the morning. He loves to rise early shut inside at his school work instead of playing outside in
in summer morning to enjoy the chirping sound of the the sun. He really criticizes the education system of his
birds, Huntsman’s horn and the melody of skylark day. To him school destroys the joyous innocence of
singing. But all the happiness gets driven away when he youth. He wishes that the child should rise with the
realizes that he has to go to school. The main theme is the company of many natural joys. He intended not just the

huntsman but ‘birds sing on every tree’ and ‘the sky-lark 12. Who droop the boy’s tender wings?
sings with him. The poet does not emphasize the Ans: - The teacher
oppression of the school room.
13. When did the boy forget his youthful spring?
He is reminding that books and learning can be natural. Ans: - When he was in fear/ annoy
He gave us a distinct picture of crushed and destroyed life
in the school room. Here the poet has successfully 14. Who nipped the buds of a boy?
conveyed to the loss and lassitude of the school boy. He Ans: - Mother and father/parents
even criticizes the child restrains the assault on him by
the oppressive personality of a teacher. By unnecessary 15. Sweet company refer to
lecturer he spends his day in boredom. Only Company of A) Skylark
nature brings him joyous experience. As like a bird which B) Huntsman’s horn
is born cheerful and jovial, never sing if caged. Similarly C) Bird’s song
the child annoying fear and tension, he can never enjoy. D) All the above three.
Here the poet complains to the highest authority to father Ans: - D) all the above three.
and mother.
16. How do the little ones spend the day in the school?
ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS Ans: - In sighing and dismay
1. In whose company did boy wanted to sing and 17. What drives the boy’s joy away?
play? Ans: - The school
Ans: - In the company of nature
18. What does ‘cage’ stand for in the poem?
2. Which is drives boy’s joy away? Ans: - Jail/ curtail of freedom
Ans:-The school
19. Which phrase representing the formal schooling?
3. When did the boy go to school? A) Buds are nipped
Ans:- on a summer morning B) Fruits are gathered
C) Plants are stripped
4. From whom supervision did the boy spend his day? Ans: - D) Blossoms are blown away
Ans: - Under cruel eye/ teacher
20. What does the school boy love to do a summer
5. How does the boy spend all day? morn?
Ans: - In sighing and dismay. Ans: - sing like a bird
6. How did the boy sit in the class room? 21. What drives the school boy’s joy away?
Ans: - With shrinking spirit/drooping/loss of enthusiasm Ans: - Fear about the school.
7. What cannot child find in books?

Ans: - Delight/joy **************
8. Where does the bird not sing?

Ans: - In the cage
9. What the bird represent for?

Ans: - freedom
10. Where does the boy disturb?

Ans: - When he was fears
11. The condition of child is compared to---------

Ans: - A bird in a cage

CHAPTER: - 3 8 When would the medicines lose their potency

TOPIC: - AROUND A MEDICINAL CREEPER according to the belief of native doctors?
Ans: - Native doctors believed that if they told others
K.P. POORNACHANDRA TEJASWI about their medicines, they would lose their potency.
SUMMARY
9 India `s native medicines systems are on the
verge of ----------
This story is written by Poorna Chandra Tejaswi. One
Ans: - extinction
day Tejaswi and Mara were erecting a bamboo frame.
Sanna brought some creepers to tie the bamboo frame.
10 There are various types swelling that occur in the
There was a medicinal creeper in the bundle. All of them
human body and this panticuler plant may be effective
went to see the creeper and Mara tied the creeper to a
on only--------
nearby plant so that it could be found when needed. Mara
a) Same of them
said that every inch of it is useful. Tejaswi came to know
b) All of them
about the uses of that creeper after twenty years from
Ans: - c) A few of them
Krishna. Once Krishna, a farm hand, was suffering piles.
Krishna had approached a Malayali Godman for the cure
11 How has a coffee sweep bed to be protected from
of piles. Tejaswi and Krishna searched for that creeper,
the sun?
dug out its tubor, ground it and took it with milk for five
Ans: - By putting up a shade over the coffee seed bed.
days. He was cured of piles.
12 Who want sent to forest to get some exeepers?
I. Answer the following questions in a word or
Ans: - Sanna
sentence each.
13 When did Mara scold Sanna?
1 What did Mara do when they found the creeper?
Ans: - while Mara opened the bundle and sifting it Mara
Ans: - Mara caught hold of the one of the tendrils and
scolded Sanna
tied it to the nearby tree.
14 What answer did Sanna give to mare about the
2 Mention the curse about the plant.
creeper?
Ans: - Medicinal plant has a curse that when someone
Ans: - There was plenty of that creeper in the forest.
needs this plant, they shall not find it for dear life.
15 Why did author go along with Mara and Sanna to
3 What surprised the white man?
the forest?
Ans: - There was no blood, no wound- in fact no sign of
Ans: - Out of sheer curiosity to know about that medicinal
any wound having been there on Mara’s hand.
creeper.
4 How did the mongoose and Cowcal cure themselves
16 When Sanna showed the plant, Mara become Very
of snakebite?
-----------
Ans: - Mongoose and Cowcal cured themselves of snake
Ans: - a) Active b) dull
bite by found the leaf and chew them.
c) Hyperactive d) angry
5 Why had Mara lost his teeth on the right side?
17 According to Mara, who did the creeper cursed by?
Ans: - Because of brush his teeth nearby plant in the
Ans: - Sage
forest.
18 Why did Mara tie that creeper immediately to the
6 What did Mara’s wife find on opening the packet of
tree?
meat?
Ans: - When you want it and search for it, we won`t able
Ans: - Mara’s wife found wild buck instead of meat.
to find it. So that Mara tied that creeper immediately to the
tree plant.
7 What happened when the milk was mixed with the
juice of the creeper’s leaves?
19 The creeper leaves resembling betel leaves and
Ans: - It has been firm and rubbery.
bears fruits in a bunch like----------
Ans: - Grapes

20 When the creeper did come up flowers again? Ans: - Hulihindulu / a white man
Ans: - Only after rains quickly.
34 How did Mara convince the white man?
21 Why does Mara’s story are bizarre? Ans: - Mara convinced the white man by show all the
Ans: - Because one does not know which is true and blood on his clothes.
which is false.
35 What offer did Mara get from white man?
22 The entire system of Indian medicine suffers from Ans: - If Mara was showed the plant to the Whiteman he
this kind of ----- would give him his entire plantation.
Ans: - a) Mystification
b) Justification 36 Why did White man angry about Mara?
c) Classification Ans: - The Whiteman was angry about Mara because he
would greedy and not satisfied.
23 From whom did the narrator wandering in the
forest? 37 What was the response of white man by pointing the
Ans: - Masti, Byra, Appanna, Mara and others. gun to Mara?
Ans: - “If you do not show it to me, I will shoot you
24 While wandering the forest, what did the narrator down”.
gleaned?
Ans: - Learnt about some plants and herbs. 38 What did the author think about the stories of
Mara?
25 Why did the people leaving us one by one? Ans: - Stories of Mara are cock and bull stories and totally
Ans: - Because of forest were disappearing. fabricated.
26 When did the doctor friends of the narrate annoy? 39 Mara did not have any teeth on the ----- side of the
Ans: - While he tried to discuss the unique properties of mouth
plants and herbs with them. a) Left
b) right
27 What did the narrator’s doctor friends call about c) both left and right
the narrator? d) only front teeth
Ans: -Ignoramus Ans: - b) right
28 While Mara typing up the plant, how did Mara 40 Why did Mara thank God?
Praise that plant to the skies? Ans: - Mara thanked god because he was saved his right
Ans: - Every inch of the plant was medicinal. side teeth by not to brushed all his teeth by the creeper.
29 Did Mara tell the narrator what exactly the 41 Long ago, Mara and a friend of his laid a trip and
medicinal creeper cured? caught ---------
Ans: - No, he did not tell anything about its medicinal a) Buck
qualities. b) barking deer
c) Peacock
30 How did Mara’s stories instead they were not true? d) Rabbit
Ans: - His stories were marvelous. Ans: - b) barking deer
31 When did Mara’s hands thrust? 42 Why did the narrator speechless while the heard the
Ans: -When Mara was cutting the shoot, accidently he story of Mara?
cut his hand. Ans: - Narrator was speechless because of Mara’s
inventive genius.
32 Who brought some leaf and pressed against the
wound of Mara and bandaged it? 43 Who did the narrator met with the creeper?
Ans: -Someone near with Mara. Ans: - Chandru
33 For who did Mara went for proper dressing? 44 Who was Chandru?

Ans: - A Plant pathologist. 3. How is Krishna Cured of his illness?

Ans: - Being a Rickshaw driver, Krishna had piles. So had
45 What did the scientist friends told to the narrator? started passing blood with his stools. Now he had become
Ans: - Scientist friend told to the narrator that they were serious and tired. So Krishna went to see the Malayali God
wasting a liter of milk be listening to all kind of cock and man. Now He had become too old. Apparently, he told
bull stories. Krishna that he did not have the strength to search for the
plant. He simply describes it. Krishna had to search for
46 While the narrator inverted the vessel the whole this plant, dig out the tuberous root, mix it with milk and
thing fell out like a ------ drink the medicine for five days. Within a day his piles
Ans: - Moulded cost improved. He was completely cured in five days.
47 What disease Krishna earlier had? III. Answer the following questions in 200 words.
Ans: - Piles
1. Do you think the author is suggesting that Indian
48 What was only allopathic treatment for piles? herbal medicine is better/ safer than allopathic
Ans: - Surgery. medicine?
OR
49 What had Malayali God man treated? What has made the modern man lose the knowledge of
Ans: - Krishna’s earlier disease of developing boils on traditional medicine? Do you think Ayurveda will
his body. make a comeback in a successful way?
II. Answer the following questions in a paragraph of Ans: - The writer K.P Poornachandra Tejaswi’s is trying
80-100 words. to suggest that Indian Herbal Medicine is better and safer
than allopathic medicine. People like Mara and his wife
1. How long did it take the narrator to learn the facts were ignorant and neglected the significance of the
about the medicinal creeper? What does it signify? medicinal creeper and this took the author almost twenty
Ans: - The writer K.P Poornachandra Tejaswi’s was with years to test, if there was some Truth in what Mara and
Mara and his friends for a long time to know more about other illiterates claimed.
the medicinal herbs. It took almost twenty years for the
author to learn about the medicinal creeper, all because of The author tries to show that Indian herbal medicine can
the unwillingness of the local people to share their do wonders, when allopathic medicine becomes a failure
knowledge regarding these medicinal plants. or settle as the one with side effects than benefits, through
surgery. Allopathic Practitioners have regarded Ayurveda
This signifies that there were a lot of myths (legends) as ‘Bunkum’ but the reality is that there is a wealth of
regarding this creeper. Nobody was sure of the type of knowledge to be explored in the Indian Herbal Medicine.
disease that it could cure, its availability, in what form it Today people are seen giving more importance to the
must be taken and so on. herbal cosmetics and other products having a tag ‘herbal’.
This shows that ‘Ayurveda’ will make a comeback.
2. What does the incident of Mara’s wife throwing the
leaves into the fire tell us about Indians in general? 2. “Our Natural Resources are our vital resources.”
Ans: - Mara and his friend had caught a barking deer. Explain the statement in the light of several
They skinned (painful) and cleaned it and divided the developmental projects that are being promoted today.
meat. Mara covered his share of meat with certain leaves Ans: - Natural resources are indeed the vital resources. In
and took it home. His wife prepared the masala with this story we realize the importance of natural resources
spices, put the water to boil and opened the packet with such as medicinal herbs. The mismanagement of these
the leaves. To her surprise, she found a live wild buck natural resources has led to various disasters and natural
instead of the meat. In anger and out of frustration she calamities, global warming, climatic changes, new
threw those leaves into the fire, while Mara ran behind diseases and epidemics. Water, air, land and space have
the buck. She ignorantly threw the leaves into fire, thus been polluted beyond imagination. We have lost
remaining ignorant about her own local medicines. This innumerable flora and fauna in the name of some
tells us that Indians have a casual attitude towards the developmental projects.
medicinal plants though it can do wonders.

Recycling the natural resources and finding alternate

sources of energy would help us conserve the precious
natural resources. Harnessing (tie together) solar energy
for various purposes in the form of solar cells, cooker and
heater will help save a lot of other resources. Rain water
Harvesting should be made mandatory in order to save
water. Opting for alternative sources like wind energy
and tidal energy to generate electricity can be utilized.
Finally, by following the principles of 3R’s Reduce,
Reuse and Recycle, one can conserve the natural
resources for the generations to come.
*************

CHAPTER: - 4 8. What was the working hours of the narrator?

TOPIC: - ORU MANUSHYAN Ans: - From 9:30 till 11:00 in the night.
VAIKOM MUHAMMAD BASHEER 9. What amount was paid to people for writing postal
addresses at the post office?
SUMMARY
Ans: - Between one Anna and 4 Annas.
This story has been written by Vaikom Mohammed
10. What time did the narrator wake up every day?
Basheer. The narrator in this story is living one thousand
Ans: - Wake up at 4 in the evening.
five hundred miles away from his home. He was working
as a teacher. He was teaching English to migrant laborers.
11. How much money did the narrator had in his
He was teaching to write address in English. He had
wallet?
saved fourteen rupees from his earnings. He was getting
Ans: - 14 rupees.
up every day at 4 pm to save the expenses on morning tea
and noon meal. One day he got up in the evening and
12. Where did the narrator go to take his meal?
went to a restaurant. He ate chapatti and meat curry and
Ans: - In a crowded restaurant.
drank tea. But he could not pay the bill of eleven Annas
because someone had picked his wallet. But the owner of
13. What did the narrator order in his meals at the
the restaurant did not believe him. He asked him to to
restaurant?
take off his clothes one by one. But the narrator could not
Ans: - Full meals consisting of chapattis and meat curry
take off his trousers because he had nothing on
and tea as well.
underneath. Every one demanded to take off the trouser
but one tall man with a red turban came to his help. He
14. Why did the narrator begin to sweat profusely in
paid the bill, took the narrator to a bridge outside the
the restaurant?
town and returned his wallet. He was the thief.
Ans: - As the narrator put his hands in the pocket he
realized that his wallet was missing.
I. Answer the following questions in a word or
sentence each.
II. Answer the following questions in a paragraph of
80-100 words.
1. How far was the big city from the narrator’s home?
Ans: - Some thousand five hundred miles.
1. Sketch the character of strange man.
Ans: - The strange man was fair complexion. He had six
2. What was the traditional profession of the people in
foot tall. He had wearied with a red turban and white
the story ‘Oru Manushyan’?
trousers. He had a handle- bar moustache and had blue
Ans: - By tradition the people were professional soldiers.
eyes. He had avoided the shamefulness of removing the
trousers for paid amount for a meal and a tea. He had paid
3. How were the inhabitants in the story Oru -
the money to the restaurant keeper. He took the narrator to
Manushyan?
the deserted bridge and requested him not to say any one if
Ans: - Never known for quality of mercy and were cruel
they ask him whether he had seen him. He even gave his
people.
wallet along with his money. He was appeared to a human
being while compare to all civilized person of the city. All
4. What was valued much by the people?
citizens are treated him inhumanly. But the stranger
Ans: - Money was highly valued by them.
treated him humanly as a good being. Instead of a
pickpocketed he is absorbed human being.
5. Where did the narrator stay in the big city?
Ans: - Stayed in a very small, dingy room on a dirty
2. Describe the people and the place where the incident
street.
took place.
Ans: - In a faraway big city in the valley of mountain the
6. What was the profession of the narrator?
narrator stayed in a small and shabby room on a dirty
Ans: - Teaching English to some migrant labourers.
street. Here the narrator had a profession of teaching
English to migrant laborers. They were cruel people.
7. Which skill was taught by the narrator in the story?
Murder, robbery, pick-pocketing were daily occurrences.
Ans: - The skill of writing addresses in English.
By traditions they were professional soldiers. Some of

them went to distant places and lent out money on 2. Do you think the restaurant keeper was over
interest. Many others served as watchman in banks, mills reacting when the narrator could not pay the bill? If
and large commercial establishments in big cities. Money so, what accounts for his behavior?
was highly valued by them. For money they would do Ans: - The inhabitants of the big city in the valley of a
anything. They hey would ready to commit murder for mountain were cruel and known for robbery, pick-
money. pocketing and murder. Money was highly valued by them.
They would even commit murder for money. It so
3. Give an account of the embracing experience of the happened that the narrator took up a profession of teaching
narrator at the restaurant. English to migrant laborers in that place. To save the
Ans: - one day the narrator as usual got up at 4 p. m and expense he would forego his morning tea and noon lunch.
went out for a meal. He carried a wallet consists of One evening as usual he went to a crowded restaurant and
fourteen rupees. He ate a full meal and he drank a tea. ate a full meal and drank tea. But to his horror he realizes
The bill was eleven Annas. While he put his hand in a his wallet has been picked by someone. He conveys to the
coat pocket to pay for it, he was really swatting because owner of the restaurant about the same. The restaurant
his wallet was not there in a coat. He told to this to the keeper with a loud laughter caught him by the lapels of his
restaurant owner. He caught his coat lapels and cried that coat and cried out loudly saying that such tricks would not
to pay the amount without played any tricks. All the work there and if he fails to pay the bill, his eyes would be
people around him looked him like a hungry wolf. In the gouged out. Here the restaurant keeper was a little over
meantime, the restaurant keeper forced him to remove his reacting and drawing the attention of the crowd. He was
coat, shirt and even his trousers also. It was great rude and his act was a humiliating one when he decided to
embracing movement to the narrator. strip the author and gouge his eyes.
4. What was the routine of the narrator in the city?

Ans: - The narrator stayed in a small, dingy room on a ***********
dirty street. He made his living by teaching English to
some migrant laborers from 9:30 to 11 in the night. He
taught them to write the addresses in English. Just to
avoid the expense of morning tea and afternoon meals, he
slept whole day and woke up only at four in the evening.
This was his daily routine.
III. Answer the following questions in 200 words.
1. Does this story talk about transformation in a

person? Discuss.
Ans: - Yes, this story is about the transformation of a
pick-pocketer into a more considerate and humane
person. The author in a far off place from his native land
is struggling to earn his bread. Sometimes he foregoes his
morning tea and afternoon lunch to cut his expenses. It so
happens one evening after consuming a full meal and a
cup of tea he realizes that his wallet that contained
fourteen rupees was missing. This was followed by
threats from the restaurant keeper. When he was on the
edge of getting stripped, a fair complexioned man, six-
foot-tall, with a red turban and white trousers with blue
eyes and handle-bar moustache appeared as a God-man to
save him. He pays the eleven Annas and takes the author
to a deserted bridge. There he asks him to pick his wallet
among the five wallets he had flicked.

CHAPTER: - 5 2. How does an individual measures the value of

TOPIC: - MONEY MADNESS another individual in terms of money?
Ans: - The poet D.H. Lawrence says that if an individual
D.H. LAWRENCE has money; he is treated with respect & dignity by others.
SUMMARY If he has a lot of money, the respect increases. However, if
the individual does not have any money, people are happy
Money madness is a poem written by D H Lawrence. In to leave him starve to death. They say, ‘Let him eat dirt &
this poem, the author speaks about the effect of money on go cold’. Money madness makes people so insensitive that
people. The people are mad about money. They are not they are ready to kill one another for the sake of money.
ready to give money to anyone. They may give one
pound but they are not ready to give ten pound to others. Comprehension: III
We are not afraid of money but we are afraid of money
madness. People want to exploit others. If someone has 1. Collective madness about money affects the
no money they give him a little food and make him work individuals also. How does the poem bring this out?
like a slave. The author is afraid of exploitation by others. Or
The author wants food, shelter and fire to be free. He says 2. What according to the poet, might happen if people
that the money mad people may kill each other in future. do not regain sanity about money? What solution does
he offer?
Comprehension: I Ans: - Money has become a powerful player in societies
of today and holds primary importance in the modern day
1. How do people feel when they give life style. The poet says that wherever we look there is
A. One Pound? madness for money; infact money can be termed as
B. Ten Pound? symbol for the word madness. He shivers as if he has been
robbed. Money makes us kneel in front of it. It makes us
A. One Pound-People are not happy to give away the fearful and a sense of apprehension (worry) and stress
pound note, they feel a pang. hold us, as we try to overcome it.
B. Ten Pound-If a person thinks to give away ten-pound Poet feels that no one cares for moral values and behavior,
note, and then he feels tremors within him and feels instead society judges a man by his riches. If one has no
dejected. He under goes a lot of pain money then he well deserves all the guilt, criticism and
blame that come with poverty.
2. “Money has got us down” it means
Ans: - It has made us its slaves. It lends him little money which is enough to buy a piece of
bread in the name of humanity. But even this small
3. How are people without money, usually treated? offering doesn’t come freely. Poor man has to eat dirt
Ans: - The people without money are usually treated as (humiliation) to get it; suffering through pain and
beggars; they are humiliated, degraded by all. criticisms. Poet announces that bread, shelter and fire
should be free to anybody and everybody all over the
4. What things should be made available free of cost? world.
Ans: - Bread, fire, shelter should be made available free
of cost “to all and anybody”. III. Answer the following questions in 200 words.
1. What are the ideas about the money madness dealt
5. The speaker is frightened of in the poem by D.H. Laurence?
Ans: - Having no money. Or
2. Write the summary of the poem “Money Madness”
6. What happens if we do not regain our sanity about Ans: - “Money Madness” by D.H. Lawrence is one of the
money? important poems of his time. It presents a personalized
Ans: - If we do not regain our sanity about money, we view of the horror of money. It also critically evaluates
will start killing each other for money. rush affluences of Money that are visible all around us. It
becomes a powerful player in societies of today and holds
Comprehension: II more importance than anything else in the modern day
lifestyle. So that the poet has tried to exemplify money
1. How does Money trigger fear in an Individual?
Or
madness in the society and how it degenerates social and

moral values of society.
In the poem Lawrence's says that wherever we look there

is madness for money, infect wealth inverts control him.
So therefore he used money used as a metaphor for the
word madness. And this madness is not on small or
individualistic levels. It is the madness of the multitude,
in numbers unimaginable and at levels incredible. And
since the multitude as a whole is mad, so every person in
this world carries his share of this madness. His share of
this insane race after money, the poet doubts that there
exists a human in this world who hands out a pound note
to someone without feeling a pang at heart. No matter
how noble he may feel while giving away that note. His
heart always wishes if only he could do all that good
without having to take out a note from his own pocket.
And when that note turns to a ten-pound note, we
experience real tremors within us. We tremble from
inside while giving away that note, as if we have been
robbed. Money makes us kneel in front of it. It makes us
fearful, and a sense of apprehension and stress grips us as
we try to overcome a loss as materialistic and small as
ten-pounds. It has an exaggerating power to influence our
life.
The poet goes on to say that if one has no money, the

World would give him little money, only enough to
perhaps buy a piece of bread, in the name of humanity.
But even this small offering doesn’t come for free. He has
to eat dirt to get it, suffering through pains unheard and
criticisms unparalleled. The poet says it is this pitiful and
inhumane situation that he is afraid of. He fears that such
madness for money might result in the world going
completely insane. It is this fear of money-mad fellow-
men going into a state of delirium that resides within him.
**************

CHAPTER: - 6 education, parents still have to bear the cost of uniforms

TOPIC: - BABAR ALI and other books.
SAMARPITA MUKHERJEE SHARMA 7. Tulu Rani Hazra is________

Ans: - An illiterate educationalist
SUMMARY
8. The teaching staff of Babar Ali’s school is made up
Babar is the first person in his family to get a formal of____
education. And the heartwarming story is that it (the Ans: - High school student volunteers.
learning) didn't end with him, it was the beginning. At the
tender age of nine, Babar Ali had the heart, the vision and 9. Babar Ali gets the children to listen by______
the dedication to bring education to hundreds of children Ans: - Making friends with them.
in his village. Babar Ali was a person from Murshidabad,
West Bengal. He is known as the "youngest headmaster Comprehension: II
of the world". He was given this title by BBC, in the year
2009. Babar Ali was still a student when he started 10. Why do you think Babar Ali took the initiative to
teaching. He initially began teaching as a time pass, just start his own school?
for fun. Or
11. What started as a game resulted in a much sought
Comprehension: I after school for the unprivileged.’ Explain.
Or
1. Where does Babar Ali run classes for poor 12. Do you think that Babar Ali’s act of thoughtfulness
children? has enabled the poor children move towards growth?
Ans: - Babar Ali runs classes for poor children in the Discuss
backyard of his house in Murshidabad, West Bengal. Ans: - Babar Ali noticed how most of his friends in his
village had not received formal education. Although
2. How is Babar Ali’s routine described by the writer? children were provided with free education, the parents
Ans: - Babar wakes up every morning at seven and starts still had to bear the cost of books and uniform, instead of
his day by doing some house hold chores. Then he takes going to school most of the boys worked as mechanics,
an auto rickshaw first and later walks five kilometers to day laborers, grass cutters live stock herders whereas girls
his class as a student of XII. worked as maid servants, cooking, cleaning, and washing
clothes and dishes for their employers. So Babar Ali
3. Give a picture of Babar Ali s school wanted to bring about a change in their lives. Nasiruddin
Ans: - Babar Ali’s school is made up of a dilapidated Sheikh, Babar’s father a jute seller believed that education
concrete structure covered in half torn posters. Children is man’s true religion. So he supported his son to open a
study under the open blue sky. Some sit in the mud while school and provided free meals for the poor students.
others on rickety benches under a rough homemade
shelter. Babar Ali actually started his school Anand Shiksha
Niketan when he was nine. It grew out of a game. Babar
4. Why is Babar Ali called ‘a fortunate soul’ in his Ali and his friends used to play school-school with him as
village? a teacher. As his friends had never experienced school
Ans: - Babar is called a fortunate soul in his village atmosphere they enjoyed playing as students. While they
because unlike most children he received formal played, his friends would end up learning arithmetic and
education because he was firmly supported by his father this was what led him to open his own institution, for his
Nasiruddin Sheikh. friends and other children like them in his own village.
Teaching in Ali’s school is taken care of by high school
5. What according to Babar’s father, is true religion? student volunteers. According to Babar Ali teaching
Ans: - According to Babar’s father Nasiruddin Sheikh learning process has become more effective as the
Education is man’s true religion. generation gap is less between the teacher and the
students, and this is a big advantage. Education is free and
6. Why is sending children to school, a costly affair for books are made available to the students.
parents?
Ans: - Poor families find sending children a costly affair Comprehension: III
because even though children are provided with free
1. According to Nasiruddin ‘Education is man’s True

Religion’. How does Babar Ali’s school prove this?
Or
2. The increasing strength of Babar Ali’s school
reflects the transformation in our society’s attitude
towards education. Substantiate.
Or
3. Do you feel that Babar Ali’s initiation is a success
story? Explain
Ans: - Education is a boon and this is a remarkable story
of the desire to learn amid the direst (extreme) poverty.
So Ali’s thoughtfulness and initiative turned an
impossible mission into a possible one. Success cannot be
measured by money or fame that is visible but by the
positive transformation caused by a small act of courage.
The School which was started in a very humble manner

in the backyard of Babar Ali’s house with eight students
has been transformed today to the one with eight hundred
students, with 60 regular attendees and over 220 students
on roll call. Anand shiksha Niketan consists of ten
volunteer teachers teaching grade 1 to 8. It is registered
with the West Bengal Government. This means that the
children who gain access to education will also have
more career opportunities. Text books are free from class
1 to 5. The School provides free mid-day meals and
opportunity to get into the High School. Students join his
School with lots of enthusiasm and interest.
Moreover, they are very keen to study when a person

receives education it uplifts his way of thinking and
improves the quality of his life. The school has not only
created confidence in young children but also enhanced
self confidence of the entire villagers in this process of
education. People like Tulu Rani Hazra a fish monger,
high school volunteers, Debarita Bhattachary, Monks at
the local Rama Krishna Mission, IAS officers and local
cops have participated in the school’s activities which
reflect their devotion towards education. In short, Babar
Ali’s foresight has given opportunities for hundreds of
deprived students.
*************

CHAPTER: - 7 Comprehension: I
TOPIC: - IF I WAS A TREE
1. The speaker wants to be a tree because
MUDNAKUDU CHINNASWAMY Ans: - Trees are not treated as objects of defilement.
SUMMARY
2. What wouldn’t the bird ask the tree?
 This poem has been written by Mudnakudu Ans: - The bird wouldn’t ask what caste the tree belongs
Chinnaswamy. In this poem he is speaking on behalf of to before it builds its nest.
the untouchables. He loves the life of a tree instead of
being an untouchable because a tree is acceptable to 3. When does the sacred cow scrape her body onto the
society but an untouchable is not acceptable to society. bark?
Even in modern times an untouchable is disliked and kept Ans: - Sacred cow scrapes her body onto the bark of the
out of society. If he becomes a tree, a bird may build its tree when it felt an itch, or whenever it get itched.
nest on the tree without thinking of the tree as
untouchable. Sun light would not discriminate him as 4. How does the speaker want to be purified?
untouchable tree. An untouchable's shadow is considered Ans: - By burning in the holy fire the speaker wanted to
unclean but a tree's shadow is not untouchable. Rain be purified.
would have fallen on it without discrimination. A cow is
considered very sacred but it would come and touch the 5. The phrase ‘dog –eater’ refers to Untouchable.
tree. At last, the dry broken wood of the tree may be used
for the funeral of good people. Through this poem, the 6. What uses of the wood does the speaker see?
author condemns the blind belief called untouchability. Ans: - The wood can be used in a holy fire for sacrifices
or rituals. It also becomes the bier for a sinless dead body
 Mudnakudu Chinnaswamy has written on the evils of on the shoulders of four good men.
untouchability in this poem. The feeling of anger and
dejectedness is expressed through a young boy who feels Comprehension: II
that if he had been a tree, he could have birds build its
nest without asking him which caste he was, sun would 1. Why would mother earth not flee according to the
have embraced him and his friendship with the breeze speaker?
and leaves would have been cool and pleasant. Or
2. How do the life forces-sunlight and the cool breeze
The boy states that if he had been a tree, the rain would enforce nature’s idea of equality?
not turn its back because he was an untouchable and the Ans: - The poem if I was a tree by Mudnakudu
mother earth would not have run to take bath because his Chinnaswamy is a satire on social discrimination as it
roots were touching hers. Through this, the boy states the portrays how even a tree is treated better than a human
attitude of the people towards him and how hurt he was. being who belongs to the lower castes. Literally Dalit
means oppressed or crushed. In earlier times, these people
He also states that as a tree, he would allow the cows to were made to live outside the villages and cities and their
scratch its skin against the rough surface of the bark and touch or even shadow was considered polluting. These
in turn he would get blessings from the thousand gods groups were not entitled to education or any position of
and goddess who were supposed to be residing in the status and authority. However, the sad reality is that it is
cow’s stomach. still in practice in a lot of place around the country.
The boy also yearns to be purified in some way or the The poet feels that if he was a tree he would not have to
other and states his wish that if he had been a tree, he face discrimination at the hands of people. The poet says if
would have been broken into pieces and would have been he was tree then the bird wouldn’t ask for his cast before it
used for some holy rituals, or would have been used to built its nest on him, his shadow wouldn’t feel defiled
burn a sinless person or would have been used to carry (polluted) if the sunlight embraced him. He further thinks
the body of the dead by touching the shoulders of four that his friendship with the breeze and leaves would be
men. He calls the four men as “good” because only those sweet and congenial (friendly, pleasing)
people are allowed to carry all the bodies of all the caste
people.

The poet is trying to tell us that nature does not

differentiate between upper and lower caste; it does not
reserve its resources only for the upper castes. Forces like
the rain, the wind, water serve all human beings in the
same way. It is in the name of caste and creed that man
differentiates and oppresses those who come from the
lower castes.
The poet feels that the sacred cow would scrape her body
on the tree’s bark whenever he feels the need to scratch
its body and the three hundred thousand Gods sheltering
inside her would touch him as well.
Even if it is cut and made into pieces it may be used to

light the holy fire or used as a bier for a sinless body
being carried by four good men on the shoulders.
How can someone be purified by a bath if their inner

selves are polluted with the idea of discriminating
individuals? The poet feels it is convenient to be a tree
that is beyond the boundaries of caste rather than being a
human being who belong to the untouchable caste and
suffer from caste politics.
*************

CHAPTER: - 8 The first time, when the Goddess appeared before Mara,
TOPIC: - WATCHMAN OF THE LAKE he recognized her immediately as the divine mother and
fell at her feet. He was struck by her grand look, he gives
R.K. NARAYAN description of her appearance that her hair was flying in
SUMMARY the wind and she had worn coronet which had stars. Her
garment was woven in gold.
Mara is pleading with the headman who was in the
process of constructing the road as the king would be The second time, when the Goddess appeared before
visiting soon, to allow him to meet the king. He wants to Mara, he understood that she was in angry and had terrible
inform the king about the warning received from the look. This time she laughed loudly and she had carried a
River Veda about building a tank around it so that no sword. She did not speak as she spoke at the first time. She
farmers will suffer. The headman was in a hurry to wanted to destroy the tank which was built by her wish.
complete the road work because the king was to pass by Now listening her command, he prostrated before her and
that way the next day and the road had to be ready for begged.
use.
We see that the same river as the saviour and destroyer.
The headman doesn’t understand his dream and throws Initially, Goddess herself appears in the dream of Mara
him in the cell with his hands and legs tied. He hid and informs him to construct a tank to imprison river Veda
himself in the branches of tree to draw the attention of the
which is her plaything. Mara also follows the same as it
king to tell about his dream which has revealed to him by
was told by Goddess. But when everything is going
Goddess. It was the goodness of Bhima that Mara was smoothly, the Goddess shows another form of hers which
able to escape and meet the king by falling from a tree is terrible to witness. She informs to Mara that she is in a
and stopping the king’s procession. reckless mood to slash the bounds of the lake which is
extended more than a tank. Being helpless Mara couldn't
Mara tells a story from the epic about the spot that think of anything else except to meet and deliver the
standing in front of the king below the tree, Mara says message to the king. But people in general claim that they
that that place is a sacred spot because Lord Hanuman will have control over nature. But this play breaks down
had stood there once. That was the day when Lakshmana those false notions. Being a mortal being Mara couldn't do
was wounded in the battlefield at Lanka and lay in a anything except sacrifices his own very life for the sake of
deadly faint. Guided by omens, Hanuman came to that people. His only request is to make his son the next
spot and then went up the mountain. On the peak of the watchman and his grandson and great grandsons after his
mountain he found Sanjeevini. He flew to Lanka with it, son to be subsequent watchmen of the lake.
and at its breath Yama's messengers fled, and Lakshmana
rose to his feet with a new life. Such was the power of We see that Ganga is the watchman of the lake and he
Sanjeevini; and where it grew there rose a steam which narrates to his son when he took over his father's duty.
came down the mountain and flowed near the village. From his narration we come to know that the king had
come personally to inform Ganga that his father was no
Mara, the watchman of the lake allows people and more. The king had also asked Ganga to start doing his
animals to drink water at the lake. He doesn't tolerate father's duty immediately. The king had also built a shrine
anyone killing birds or animals there. Mara threatens the with two figures - one of the Guardian Goddess on the top
man who was fishing in the lake that if he ever dared to pedestal and one immediately below it - of Mara. By the
fish in the lake, he would abuse him and push him into king's order, worship was to be performed every Tuesday
tank. He tells his son also to be as strict as he was with and Friday. Ganga remarks that scores of people since
such people. He tells him that the lake is sacred and then had come from far and near to worship. Thus, we see
belongs to the Goddess, and her command is that nothing that Mara, who was called a lunatic by the village
flies or swims or walks in these parts should ever be headman, was worshipped by thousands of villagers.
killed. When Mara sees a man taking his cow to the water
edge, he sends his son to warn that man not to go to deep Comprehension: I
into the water. We see Mara as a proud watchman of the
lake, doing his duty of protecting the water from cruel 1. Where does the action take place?
human beings very sincerely. He is not afraid of anyone Ans: - In Sakkrepatna.
and says that even the village headman will have to beg
Mara for permission if he wants to touch the water. 2. Who is the rustic hero referred in the drama?

Ans: - Mara. 17. What was the greatest gift given?

Ans: - His wife was the greatest gift.
3. Which lake was Mara watching?
Ans: - Ayyanakere. 18. Where was Mara imprisoned?
Ans: - In the cellar behind the old temple.
4. Why were the roads being repaired in the town?
Ans: - Because the king was approaching the city. 19. Who was asked to guard Mara? /who was asked to
keep Mara in the cellar?
5. Why was the headman in a hurry to complete the Ans: - Bhima.
road work?
Ans: - The king Rukmangada was expected pass through 20. How was Bhīma to look at?
the village next day. Ans: - Bhima was a giant and could swing an elephant by
its tail.
6. Where is Sakkrepatna?
Ans: - On the base of Baba Budan Hills. 21. How did Bhima manage to grow so fat?
Ans: - Bhima's mother gave him iron decoction when he
7. Who is lunatic according to village headman? was a baby and at every dawn he ran up the hill with a
Ans: - Mara. large grind-stone on his back.
8. Why did the village headman get angry with Mara? 22. Who helped Mara to escape from the cellar?
Ans: - He thought that Mara was a lunatic & always Ans: - Bhima
disturbed the work.
23. Why did jailor let Mara out of cellar?
9. Why did the village headman call Mara a lunatic? Ans: - On knowing about his dream.
Ans: - Because he was engaged with his own work
disturbing the workers. 24. Where was Mara waiting for the king?
Ans: - In a tree.
10. Where was Mara when he was called a lunatic?
Ans: - Behind a rock. 25. Why was Mara waiting for the king on the tree?
Ans: - He wanted to tell about his dream to the king, but
11. How did Mara spring off according to the was afraid of the village headman.
workmen?
Ans: - Like a buck. 26. What was the confusion at the arrival of the king?
Ans: - Someone jumped down from the tree as the king
12. Why did the headman order his workers to stop was about to arrive.
all work?
Ans: - To catch Mara and bring Mara before him. 27. Who came in Mara's dream?
Ans: - The goddess of the river.
13. Why did the village head decide to lock Mara up
in the cellar? 28. How was the goddess' garment?
Ans: - He did not want Mara to trouble the King. Ans: - Her garment was of gold woven with lightening.
14. What will Mara do if the headman locks him up in 29. Which / what was the plaything of the goddess?
the cellar? Ans: - Veda.
Ans: - Mara will sit there and pray.
30. Where was Veda born?
15. What would the headman offer Mara if he behaves Ans: - In the fleeting mists of the mountain top.
like a good fellow?
Ans: - Gift 31. What did the goddess command Mara to tell the
king?
16. Who gave Mara the greatest gift according to Ans: - To build a tank.
him?
Ans: - His father-in-law. 32. Why did goddess ask the king to build a tank?

Ans: - Not to let Veda leave the village. 46. What did Mara give the king to save the tank?
Ans: - Solution to kill himself
33. What did Mara call himself as?
Ans: - An unworthy dog. 47. What was Mara's last request?
Ans: - To make Ganga as watchman of the lake.
34. How does the king respond to Mara's information
about the tank? 48. Where is the figure of the Guardian Goddess of
Ans: - When Mara revealed his dream about the goddess, lake?
the king believed him and invited him to his palace. Ans: - On the top pedestal.
35. Where did Hanuman find Sanjeevini? 49. When is the worship performed by the king's
Ans: - On the crest of mountain in Sakkrepatna order?
Ans: - On the evenings of every Tuesday & Friday.
36. Who was Ganga?
Ans: - Ganga was Mara's son. Comprehension: II
37. What was Ganga watching when Mara called 1. What was the significance of Mara's dream?
him? Ans: - Mara narrated the king about his dream in which
Ans: - A man was finishing in the lake. the goddess of the river commanded him to tell the king to
build a tank around the river Veda & stop its flowing
38. Why did the visitor approach Mara? away. Mara where he met the king told him that the place
Ans: - The visitor had come to ask for water from Mara's where they stood was a sacred spot because that was the
tank as the crops had parched up and cattle were dying of place Lord Hanuman had stood upon once. Later. He had
drought. gone up the mountains to bring Sanjeevini. The magical
herb. From the place where the herb grew, a stream began,
39. Who would guard the lake after Mara? came down the mountain & became the river Veda which
Ans: - His son Ganga. flowed near the town. Its water was the life saver of the
people of Sakkarepatna, but in the summer months, it dries
40. What is the command of goddess about the up & the town has to go without water. If the king
animals in that area? believed Mara's dream & acted upon it, the town of
Ans: - The animals should never be killed. Sakkarepatna would never be deprived of water, even in
the hottest summer.
41. Who summoned the king one late night?
Ans: - Mara. 2. "Nature is both protective & destructive"- how does
the play bring out this idea?
42. What condition was Mara in? Ans: - The goddess of the river is the symbol of nature in
Ans: - Battered by rain. this story. Once she came in Mara's dream and
commanded him to tell the king to construct a tank around
43. What message did Mara bring to the king about the stream of Veda and not let her flow away from that
the lake? place. The place was a sacred spot. The goddess claims
Ans: - It is about to smash it’s bounds/the goddess is herself that Veda is her plaything and she plays with it as
going to destroy the lake. she wants. She wanted to make the nature protective by
constructing a lake so that the people never have to suffer
44. On what condition did Mara make the goddess drought. Things were calm for some years. One evening,
wait for him? Veda started swelling. It became stormy. Mara fears
Ans: - He requested the goddess not to destroy the tank floods will destroy the tank and prays to the goddess, she
wall till he came back after informing the king about the appears and says that she is in a mood to 'kick away the
danger to the lake. miserable stones they have piled up imprison the waters of
her Veda. Thus she wants to destroy the whole thing.
45. What did the king want the announcer to
announce? Comprehension: III
Ans: - It was the last day of the world.

1. How is Mara's role brought out in protecting the

lake?
Ans: - Mara is central character of the play Mara
struggles a lot to meet the king. He wanted to meet the
king Rukmangada as he wanted to narrate his dream in
which the goddess of the river came and commanded
Mara to tell the king to construct a lake/tank around Veda
-Her plaything. The village headman was busy with his
workmen repairing the roads as the king was going to
pass through that village next day. He called Mara, a
lunatic and even put Mara in a cellar.
Mara could escape from the prison and climbed up the

tree expected king's arrival, though the village headman
avoids him, Mara shows his commitment for the
livelihood issue of the drought hit villagers. Then the
king appointed him as the watchman of the lake. He
shows total commitment to the welfare of the living
beings depending on the lake. He prevents the people
from polluting it. One stormy night, Mara observes the
river Veda. Waves rose and harmed the back of the lake.
He prays the goddess to let him to inform the king and
wait until he comes back. At last she has given a word
that she won't damage till he returns from the palace.
That was enough for Mara to save the lake. He goes to
the palace to inform the king and decided not to go to
back to the lake. He asked the king to kill him. The
goddess is kept waiting for the return of Mara. She has
not done any harm to the lake. Thus Mara gives a
message to selfish society through his selfless life. His
sacrifice saved the people.
***********

CHAPTER: - 9 Ans: - Cotton

TOPIC: - THE FARMER’S WIFE
11. What has the farmer poisoned his wife?
VOLGA Ans: - Her bitter existence.
SUMMARY
12. Name one of the troubles given by the farmer to his
The farmer's wife is a poem written by Volga. In this wife?
poem the poet has spoken on behalf of a farmer's wife. Ans: - Abused / kicked / reviled.
The farmer's wife is sad and sorrowful because he had
committed suicide. He has died because he had borrowed 13. When did he trouble his wife?
money for his crop from money lenders. But he was Ans: - When he was drunk.
unable to repay the loan. He had grown cotton crop. But
there was no yield from the fields. Cotton pods were 14. What did the farmer's wife think when he troubled
eaten by worms. So, he could not repay the loan. He took her?
poison. But he forgot his responsibility as a husband and Ans: - He is but a man.
as a father. Now she has to answer the money lenders.
She has to look after the children. She has to feed the 15. What remained even after the farmer's death?
children. She has to educate the children. She has to do Ans: - Debt.
all this alone and so she is sadly thinking about future. 16. How many children did the farmer have?
Ans: - Four children.
Comprehension: I
17. Where has the farmer's wife remained?
1. Who is 'you' in the poem ‘The farmer's wife'? Ans: - Before his creditors
Ans: - The farmer
18. What happened to the dignity of the family?
2. Who do "I" in the poet refer to? Ans: - Dignity hit the dust.
Ans: - The farmer's wife.
19. What did the farmer imagine about his wife?
3. Who is the 'virtuous man' according to ‘The Ans: - Her back would bear the burden of 4 children.
farmer's wife’?
Ans: - Her husband. 20. What is meant by 'harvest of my womb?
Ans: - Means her children.
4. Why does she call her husband as 'virtuous man'?
Ans: - Because he has managed to escape from the 21. What needs a firm heart according to the farmer's
creditors. wife?
Ans: - To ask questions like what is this? Why is this?
5. Who is the 'poor sinner' in the poem?
Ans: - The farmer's wife. 22. What does the farmer's wife decide to teach her
children?
6. Why does she refer herself a 'poor sinner'? Ans: - To clench a fist.
Ans: - Because she is alive and facing the creditors every
day, 23. What does the farmer's wife want to embrace?
Ans: - Life.
7. Why has the farmer committed suicide?
Ans: - Due to bad harvest, he could not repay the loan he Comprehension: II & III
had taken.
1. What series of contrasts does the speaker draw
8. What does the phrase ' you crossed over' mean? between herself and her husband?
Ans: - Relief from the troubles. Ans: - The farmer's wile sarcastically refers to her
husband as the virtuous one and herself as the 'sinner.' She
9. How did the farmer die? refers so because her husband has managed to escape from
Ans: - By consuming poison. the creditors, where as she is alive and facing the creditors'
every day. She also says that he could never bend his head
10. Name the crop grown by the farmer?
in front of others or stretch his hand to ask for help. He

could not even sell his crops. But his wife was submissive
right from her birth used to stretch her hand in front of
everyone and also familiar with being sold. She also says
that her husband died, unable to bear the burden of his
children, but she will not only bear the burden of 4
children, but teaches her children to clench a fist against
the odds.
2. What memories of her husband trouble her now?

Ans: - The wife refers her husband as virtuous who was
managed to escape from the creditors, remembers him as
a proud person who wouldn't bend his head in front of
anyone. She is also troubled by the abuses & kicks the
husband had heaped on her when he was alive. She had
forgiven him then, but now, in the light of his suicide &
consequent desertion of her, she feels betrayed. She
realizes that her life with him has been a continuous story
of sadness & deprivation.
3. How does the poem bring out the plight of farmer's

wife?
Ans: - The poet Volga depicts farmer's suicide for many
reasons. His death leaves behind his wife and children. In
this poem, the farmer's wife calls herself "a sinner' as she
has remained to face the creditors, where as the farmer,
who is a 'virtuous' is gone. The farmer dies because he is
unable to repay his loan and could not ask any one for
help by bending his head or stretching out his hand. He
was not able to sell his crop. But, she was born to be
humiliated & ask help from everyone; she was also used
to being sold. The poison released him from frustration,
but has poisoned the wife's life & made it bitter forever.
She recalls the days with her husband. The life was not
always happy. She had shed tears, faced abuses &
violence from him & tolerated all pains. She thought that
he had right to do so since he was a man. But his suicide
blew the worst of her life. The crop was gone, but the
debt remained and their dignity suffered immensely. She
asked him how she could bear the burden of 4 children.
Committing suicide is easy where as living while facing
the challenges is very difficult. She asserts that she will
not escape like him, but live & teach her children to face
all the odds of life. She also gets ready to struggle for life.
***********

CHAPTER: - 10 Douglass used a simple, straightforward

TOPIC: - FREDERICK DOUGLASS narrative style with a focus on the details of his life as a
slave.
FREDERICK DOUGLASS
SUMMARY Douglass was the important leader in the Abolitionism
movement. Abolitionism was a movement to end slavery.
Frederick Douglass was born into slavery sometime in It gained prominence in US during the Civil
1817 or 1818. Like many slaves, he is unsure of his exact War. Frederick Douglass was the most prominent African
date of birth. ... Lloyd owns hundreds of slaves, who call American abolitionist and an important leader in the
his large, central plantation the “Great House Farm.” Life movement.
on any of Lloyd's plantations, like that on many Southern
plantations, is brutal. Douglass devoted his life to abolish slavery but his
work did not end when in 1861 President Lincoln ended
Remembering Frederick Douglass' escape from the institution of slavery. Douglass fought for civil rights
slavery. Frederick Douglass escaped from slavery on and to empower African Americans to develop their own
September 3, 1838, aided by a disguise and job skills he skills and to take responsibility for their actions.
had learned while forced to work in Baltimore's
shipyards. Douglass posed as a sailor when he grabbed a Douglass is essentially willing to die for his freedom. He
train in Baltimore that was headed to Philadelphia. believes that man was created to be free and utterly detests
his condition as a slave. Freedom is the ultimate gift
Frederick Douglass does not know his true age or date of in Douglass's opinion, and he suffers through
birth because he is a slave. He also states that none of the extraordinary obstacles to gain his independence.
slaves he has ever met could not tell of
their birthday either. ... Frederick Douglass' relationship Frederick Douglass has been called the father of the civil
with his mother is not good, seeing that they are both rights movement. He rose through determination,
working on separate plantations. brilliance, and eloquence to shape the American nation.
He was an abolitionist, human rights and women's rights
As a slave, Douglass did not know his parents well. His activist, orator, author, journalist, publisher, and social
father was most likely his master, and his mother was on reformer.
a neighboring planation and died when he was still a
young boy. ... He was separated from his mother as an Comprehension: I
infant, as was the custom with slaves. She would come
and visit him, but he barely knew her. 1. Who was Frederick Douglass?
Ans: - He was a slave boy.
Frederick Douglass is mainly famous as an abolitionist.
After he escaped from slavery, he became one of the 2. What was the earlier name of Frederick Douglass?
leading abolitionist speakers and writers in the United Ans: - Frederick Augustine Washington Bailey.
States. He was definitely the most important African
American male abolitionist. He pushed for black freedom 3. When was he born?
in many ways. Ans: - In 1817or 1818.
Frederick Douglass was an escaped slave who became a 4. Why was he sent to Baltimore?
prominent activist, author and public speaker. He became Ans: - To be a house servant/child servant.
a leader in the abolitionist movement, which sought to
end the practice of slavery, before and during the Civil 5. Who taught him to read and write?
War. Ans: - His master's wife.
Captain Anthony - Douglass's first master and probably 6. When did he escape from slavery?
his father. Anthony is the clerk for Colonel Lloyd, Ans: - In 1938.
managing Lloyd's surrounding plantations and the
overseers of those plantations. Anthony is a cruel man 7. Where did he go after escaping from slavery?
who takes pleasure in whipping his slaves, especially Ans: - He went to New York City
Douglass's Aunt Hester.

8. Where was he born? 21. Name the person who was believed to be both
Ans: - Born in Tuckahoe. Douglass' father & master'?
Ans: - Captain Anthony.
9. Where is Tuckahoe?
Ans: - Tuckahoe is near Hillsborough, about 12 miles 22. Who are mulatto Children?
from Easton, in Talbot County, Maryland. Ans: - A child with one white parent & the other black
parent.
10. Why did he write "narrative of the life of
Frederick Douglass."? 23. How did Douglass receive the tidings of his
Ans: - Because he was such an impressive orator that mother's death?
numerous persons doubted if he had ever been a slave. Ans: - As the death of a stranger.
11. Name the autobiographical works of Frederick 24. Who was Anna Murray?
Douglass Ans: - Douglass's wife.
Ans: - "My Bondage and my Freedom" and "Life and
Times of Frederick Douglass". 25. Why did Mr. Anthony acquire the name Captain
Anthony?
12. Why didn't Frederick Douglass know his correct Ans: - Because by sailing a craft on the Chesapeake Bay.
age?
Ans: - Because he has no authentic record. 26. How many farms did him own?
Ans: - He owned two or three farms.
13. What would the master look at the enquiries about
the slave's birthday? 27. Who was Mr. Plummer?
Ans: - The master considered the enquiries about the Ans: - He was an overseer, a miserable drunkard, a
slave was improper & impertinent & evidence of a profane swearer, & a savage monster.
restless spirit.
Comprehension: II
14. Who was Frederick Douglass’s mother?
Ans: - Harriet Bailey. 1. What kind of hardships did the slaves suffer at the
hands of the slave holder and his mistress?
15. What was whispered about his father? Ans: - The slaves suffer a lot of hardships at the hands of
Ans: - It was whispered that his own master was his the slave holder and his mistress. They were a constant
father. offence to their mistress. She was forever disposed to find
fault with them. They could never do anything to please
16. When was he separated from his mother? her; she took pleasure in seeing them whipped. Especially,
Ans: - When he was just an infant. when she suspected her husband of showing greater
concern towards his mulatto children than the other black
17. Why were the children separated from their slaves. To please the mistress. The master was forced to
mothers at an earlier age? sell such slaves to human flesh-mongers. The only
Ans: - To hinder the development of the child's affection alternative to this cruel deed was to whip them himself or
of the mother for the child. see one white son tie up his brother & ply the gory lash to
his naked back.
18. Who takes care of the separated children?
Ans: - An old woman who is too old for field labor. 2. What was Mr. Plummer? Give instances to show his
ruthlessness.
19. What was the penalty to the field hand for not Ans: - Mr. Plummer was an overseer. He was a miserable
being in the field at Sunrise? drunkard. A profane Swearer and a savage monster. He
Ans: - A whipping. looked after Captain Anthony's farms. He always went
armed with a cow skin and a heavy cudgel. He would cut
20. How old was Douglass when he lost his mother? and slash the women's heads so horribly that even masters
Ans: - He was about seven year’s old. would be enraged at his cruelty. He used to tie up to a joist
and whip them upon to their naked backs till they were
literally covered with blood. No words, No tears, No Give

prayers, from his gory victim, seemed to move his iron

heart from its bloody purpose. The louder they screamed
the harder he whipped; and where the blood ran fastest,
there he whipped longest. He could stop whipping only
when he was tired.
Comprehension: III
1. How does the passage comment on the dreadful

experience of slavery?
Ans: - The passage reveals the emotional & physical
torture slaves have to undergo at the hands of their
masters. Right from the time of their birth, they were not
allowed to have any sense of their identity, except the
realization that they were inferior to the white children.
Their birth dates or names of parents were not revealed.
The children were separated from their mothers in
infancy itself in order to avoid any bond forming between
the mothers and the children. The mother would be sent
to a distant farm and child was placed under the care of
very old slave woman.
The children were made to do all kinds of tasks in the

house and on the fields without any rest. They were not
allowed to ask for any favours. Impertinence or mistakes
of any kind resulted in their being whipped till blood
flowed on their backs. They were deliberately kept
ignorant. The mistress would find fault in their work and
take pleasure in punishing them. To please the mistress,
the master was forced to sell his own children to human
flesh mongers. Unless he would do that, he must not only
whip them himself, but see one white son tie up his
brother and play the gory lash to his naked back.
Douglass points out how the masters manipulate the
circumstances to suit their Convenience. Blacks are not
born subhuman, but are dehumanized to such heartless
practices of the slave Owners.
**************

CHAPTER: - 11 old woman to do in the hills where she abides: how can
TOPIC: - AN OLD WOMAN she live? She seems to imply.
ARUN KOLATKAR The shock the man receives is looking at the sky, perhaps
SUMMARY as blue as the woman's eyes: but what stops him is the
sense that her eyes are like bullet holes—this image is
An introduction and occasion of the poem shocking and riveting, as is, perhaps, his enlightened
The poem ‘An Old Woman’ gives a graphic picture of an perception of this woman and her connection to this old
old beggar woman. The decay of the old woman here land.
symbolizes the decay in our own lives. She grabs hold of
the sleeve of a person and tags along with him till the The man will note that as he looks at the woman, and the
person gives him a coin in alms. Like all other beggars, cracks around her eyes, the cracks will seem to spread to
she insists on getting something from others. She is a the landscape around her: to the hills, the temples and
poor woman who has lost the promises of her past and is even the sky. But he will see, as he watches, that even
reduced to the present state. The speaker, in the poem, though the sky may fall and shatter around her, she is
views her squarely and becomes aware that decay has set untouched: "shatterproof."
in her person.
In the midst of the life that has reduced her to trying to
Summary of the poem earn some money as a guide for tourists, and seen only an
 An old beggar woman catches hold of the sleeve of the old woman to the tourists—not worth their time and barely
speaker and insists on getting a fifty paisa con in alms. worth their notice—her resolve is strong. She is a part of
She tags along with him and promises that she will take the land, as old as it is: she is as immovable. She lives, the
him to the horseshoe temple. If he tells her that he has man will see, with what is made available to her.
already seen the temple, she hobbles along with him and
catches hold of his shirt tightly and again insists on It would seem, that in the face of the man's realization, he
getting a fifty paisa coin. She will not let him go. Like all will feel as if he has been reduced to nothing more than his
other old women, she, too, sticks to him life a burr money, for he does not have that kind of connection
(prickly seed case of plants which stick to clothes). He to his land or his heritage. And perhaps, in light of the
turns around and wants to get rid or her. In order to end trials and tribulations of life, he is really the unimportant
this useless activity, he tells her firmly to leave him. one—beyond the small change in his pocket—
When she remarks, but she stands, unbreakable and strong.
“What else can an old woman do Comprehension: I
On hills as wretched as these”.
1. Who is 'you' in this poem?
He looks right at the sky in contemplation. As he looks Ans: - The reader/anyone.
on her, he finds that the cracks that begin around her eyes
have spread beyond her skin. The decay of the old 2. What does the old woman grab?
woman has spread to the hills and the temples and in our Ans: - The sleeves of the tourist.
lives. The old woman stands there alone. And he is
reduced to the small change in her hand. 3. Why does she grab sleeve?
Ans: - Because she wants a fifty paise coin.
 Someone may be walking and a woman may grab
ahold of his or her sleeve. For a price, she will take what 4. What would she do if you pay her a fifty paise coin?
seems to be a sightseer to a nearby shrine. The man will Ans: - She would take them to the holy shrine.
not interested: he has seen the shrine before. However,
the woman will be insistent; the man may want to dismiss 5. Where would she take the tourists?
her because she is an old woman, and they cling and Ans: - To the horse-shoe shrine.
won't let go.
6. Where is the horse-shoe shrine?
The man will turn, about to end their association, to put Ans: - In Jejuri.
her in her place and demand that she leave, but she will
look at him and explain that there is little else left for an 7. How does the old woman walk?

Ans: - She hobbles along the way. temples. Even the sky be falls on her she stands all alone,
firm and bring change in the self-esteem of the speaker.
8. Why does she tighten her grip on the shirt? The speaker is reduced to so much and he keeps a small
Ans: - Because the tourist should not slip away/go away change that is a fifty paise coin in her hand.
from her.
Comprehension: III
9. How do the old women stick?
Ans: - Like a burr. 1. How is the plight of the old woman depicted in the
poem?
10. What does she expect for her service? Ans: - The old woman is depicted as a helpless lonely
Ans: - A fifty paise coin. pitiable person, who is forced to beg for her living, but she
is proud enough to render a small service for the money
11. How would he end the farce? that she asks; she will take the tourists to the horse shoe
Ans: - By giving the old woman a fifty paise coin. shrine) When the tourist says that he has seen the shrine &
tries to walk away, she tags along. Though she is unable to
12. What does she ask when you would like to end the walk properly, she hobbles along the tourist gets irritated
farce? with her & turns around to scold & sends her away. She
Ans: - What else can an old woman do on hills as asks what a lonely, old helpless woman could do, if not
wretched as these? beg from people He looks into the sunken eyes which look
like bullet holes & sees the innumerable wrinkles which
13. What does 'the cracks that begin around her eyes' seem to stretch all around her up to the sky His irritation
suggest? vanishes & his pride collapses in front of her helplessness.
Ans: - That the woman is very old. He feels guilty for not being able to help her in any
substantial manner. She is shatterproof, having faced such
14. Where do the cracks spread? tourists & being asked such questions every day. There is
Ans: - The cracks spread beyond her skin. nothing more in life to surprise or excite her. He just gives
her some coins & goes away. She goes back & is forced to
15. What is meant by the hills crack/temple crack/The enact the same behavior with another tourist.
sky falls?
Ans: - Hill/temple/sky are the hard things that are
unshaken even they crack, but the old woman is harder
than these objects who could tolerate all the difficulties of ************
life.
16. How does she stand?

Ans: - Alone.
Comprehension: II
1. How does the speaker's attitude undergo a change?

Ans: - The speaker is on a visit to the temple at Jejuri. He
meets an old woman there. She is not an ordinary old
Woman. She represents the degradation of human values.
The old woman offers her service of taking the tourist to
horse shoe shrine for just a 50 paise coin. She hobbles
along the way.
She holds the tourist by the sleeves & sticks like a burr.
The speaker feels that she is being exploited by her. Then
later, he understands that she is doing this as there is no
other ways for her livelihood. There are cracks around
her eyes & they spread beyond her skin. She faces many
difficulties in her life like the cracks in the hills &

CHAPTER: - 12 part of the resistance movement. Once the war was over,
TOPIC: - TWO GENTLEMEN OF VERONA Lucia got afflicted with tuberculosis and the boys had to
admit her to the hospital. So, they have been trying their
A.J. CRONIN best to make the payments regularly to the hospital.
SUMMARY
The narrator waited outside the room. He did not say
The narrator is driving through the foothills of the Alps anything to the boys on their way back in order to give the
along with his companion. While driving on the outskirts impression that they did not know about their secret.
of Verona, two young boys who sell wild strawberries
stop their car. The small boys appear to be quite shabby Comprehension: I
and the driver is not keen on buying strawberries from
them. Then the narrator’s companion gets to know that 1. Name the boys mentioned in the story.
the boys are brothers. The elder one aged 13 is Nicola, Ans: - Nicola & Jacopo
and the younger brother, aged 12, is Jacopo. The narrator
and his companion buy the biggest basket of strawberries 2. Where did the narrator first meet the two boys?
from the boys and go towards the city. The next morning, Ans: - On the outskirts of Verona.
they again see the same two boys doing the shoe
shining job and on being asked, they say that they do 3. Name the mountain mentioned in the story
many things for a living. They also tell the narrator and Ans: - Alps.
his companion that they could work as guides and show
the visitors places of interest in the town. So, the narrator 4. What were the boys selling, when the narrator met
asks them to take them to Juliet’s tomb. During the time them?
of their stay in the town, the two young boys turn out to Ans: - Wild berries, bright scarlet berries.
be very helpful to the visitors.
5. How did the berries look?
Then, the boys are found with a bundle of unsold Ans: - Delicious.
newspapers and are ready to sell them when the last bus
arrived one night. The narrator then talks to them and 6. Who is Luigi?
asks them why they are working so hard. He also told Ans: - Luigi is the narrator's car driver.
them that they seem to fetch sufficient money, so why
were they not spending anything on clothes and food. 7. Why doesn't the driver approve of the narrator
Nicola tells him that they had something in their minds buying fruit from the two boys?
but he does not elaborate. Ans: - The driver suspected that the boys had stolen the
fruit & were selling them.
Jacopo then requests the narrator to drop them in his car
to the village polenta that is around 30 kilometers away. 8. Why was Luigi not interested to buy from the boys?
He requests him and says that it would be a great favor. Ans: - Because of their shabby appearance.
Although, Nicola does not like the fact that his brother is
troubling the narrator. But the narrator gladly agrees to 9. How did the boys try to satisfy the needs of the
help the boys with reaching that place. So, the next narrator & other реople?
afternoon, he along with his companion drives to the Ans: - By their cheerful competence.
village. After dropping them, the small boys enter a large 10. Who was the elder brother?
red-roofed villa, which is actually a hospital. Ans: - Nicola
The narrator hesitates to enter the hospital room. He tries 11. How old was Nicola?
to find out from the nurse about the girl in the hospital Ans: - Thirteen years.
and the boys. Later, the nurse tells him that Lucia is the
sister of these two boys and is suffering from 12. How old was Jacopo?
tuberculosis. She also mentions that a bomb destroyed Ans: - Nearly twelve years.
their home during the war. And even their father, a
widower, had got killed during the early part of the war. 13. Who have reputed to live in Verona city?
When he died, his three children were left to starve. She Ans: - Romeo and Juliet.
told the narrator that the boys also started hating the
Germans who came to rule the city and even became a
14. Why was Verona lost its bridges? Ans: - She was undergoing treatment.
Ans: - Because it was bombed in the recent wars.
29. Who/Whom did the narrator see, as he reached the
15. Mention one of the things the boys used to do to villa?
earn money. Ans: - A trained nurse.
Ans: - Sold fruits/hawked newspapers/shined
shoes/conducted tourists round the town/ran errands for 30. Why did the narrator not follow the boys?
tourists. Ans: - To respect their privacy
16. What was the surprising fact that strike one about 31. How old was Lucia?
the two boys? Ans: - About 20 years
Ans: - Their unremitting willing ness to work.
32. What was their father?
17. What qualities in the two boys attracted the Ans: - A well-known singer at La Scala.
narrator?
Ans: - The boys' remitting willingness to work, their 33. What had the boys and their sister known always?
friendliness, cheerfulness & their seriousness attracted the Ans: - A comfortable & cultured life.
narrator.
34. What had made the 2 boys & their sister homeless?
18. Why Nicola's face drawn by fatigue? Ans: - A bomb explosion.
Ans: - A bundle of unsold newspaper lay at his feet.
35. How had the three suffered after their father's
19. Why were boys waiting for the last bus? death?
Ans: - To sell the unsold newspapers. Ans: - They had suffered horribly from near starvation &
exposure to the cold Veronese winter.
20. What kind of meal do the 2 boys usually have?
Ans: - Black bread and figs. 36. Who established headquarters in Verona?
Ans: - The German Elite Guard.
21. Where do the boys make a visit on every Sunday?
Ans: - To Poleta. 37. How long did they rule the city?
Ans: - For 3 years.
22. How far is Poleta from Verona city?
Ans: - It is 30 kms. 38. How did they rule the city?
Ans: - With ruthless severity
23. How would they usually go to Poleta?
Ans: - By hiring bicycles. 39. Why were the brothers made immensely valuable?
Ans: - Their youth, insignificant size, intimate knowledge
24. Why was Nicola not pleased when Jacopo asked of the neighboring village made them immensely valuable.
the narrator to drive them to Poleta?
Ans: - He did not want to ask any one for favours. 40. Why were the two boys used in the resistance
movement?
25. Why did the boys go to Poleta every Sunday? Ans: - To carry messages to the forces of Liberation.
Ans: - To meet their sister
41. How did the boys carry letters to the force of
26. Why did they want the narrator not to follow Liberation?
them? Ans: - By keeping letters in their shoes.
Ans: - They did not want the narrator to know their
problems. 42. How did Lucia contract the disease?
Ans: - During the miseries.
27. Name the sister of the two boys.
Ans: - Lucia. 43. How long had she been in the hospital?
Ans: - For the past twelve months.
28. Why was the boy's sister in Poleta?

44. What did the boys persuade the hospital Comprehension: III
authorities?
Ans: - To take Lucia into the hospital. 1. Two gentlemen of Verona" is telling comment on the
character of gentlemen -Elaborate.
45. What are the boys hoping to see their sister? Ans: - Nicola and Jacopo were truly the gentlemen of
Ans: - Good progress, she will walk and sing again. Verona. They were very refined and sensitive in character.
The tests in their lives began after their father's death and
46. What has not broken the spirit of the boys? the destruction of their home in the bomb blast. The 3
Ans: - War. children built a shelter and lived there. When Verona was
occupied by the Germans, the 2 boys joined the resistance
47. How had the boys accepted the problems? & acted as messengers. They moved around at night
Ans: - With dignity and courage. through mountain passes carrying messages in their shoes.
48. What have the selfless action of the boys brought? Their sister Lucia was suffering from tuberculosis of the
Ans: - A new mobility to human life, gave promise of a spine & was hospitalized for treatment. The boys were
greater hope for human society. devoted to her & in order to earn money for her treatment,
they undertook all kinds of jobs available in Verona. They
Comprehension: II sold fruit, shined shoes ran errands & hawked newspapers
throughout the day. This shows that they did not consider
1. 'Appearance are deceptive.' How does the story any job below their dignity. They were selfless because
bring out this idea? they earnestly saved money. They earned in order to pay
Ans: - When Luigi, the driver of the narrator's car, asked the hospital. They never spent on clothes or on good food.
him not to buy fruit from the boys. He had implied that They were very proud boys. Even when the narrator took
the two boys, might be thieves selling the fruit they had them to the hospital, they went in by themselves & did not
stolen. This suspicion proved to be totally false as in the speak about their sister. The boys prove to be gentlemen &
coming days/The narrator saw that the boys did all kinds gain respect from the narrator. They arouse feelings of
of odd jobs and never spent the money they earned on love & respect in the nurse of the hospital too.
themselves. As the narrator comes to know later, the
children had led a comfortable cultured life before the
death of their father. They were always cheerful and
friendly, yet they were doing all this for the sake of their
sister who was sick & in hospital. Though they spoke in a
lively manner, they never talked about their problems. **************
2. "War may destroy one's home, but not one's heart.

--- Discuss.
Ans: - Nicola & Jacopo's father was killed in the early
part of the war. A bomb destroyed their home & they
become homeless. Till then they had a very comfortable
life. The 2 boys & their sister Lucia had suffered horribly
from starvation & cold winter for months. They shelter
with their own hands amidst the rubble. There the
German Elite guard established headquarters and ruled
Verona city mercilessly for 3 years. The boys hated the
unwanted masters of the German & joined the resistance
movement. Then the boys were used to keep letters in
their shoes, go through the mountain in the darkness by
risking their lives. When the war was over, they come
back to their sister & found her suffering from
tuberculosis of the spine. They persuaded the hospital
people to admit her. They were very eager to see their
sister able to walk one day.

CHAPTER: - 13 Ans: - Not to ask the love that once he had for her.
TOPIC: - DO NOT ASK OF ME, MY LOVE
4. What did the speaker once have for her?
FAIZ AHMAD FAIZ Ans: - The Love.
SUMMARY
5. How was life for the poet?
‘Do not ask of me, my love’ poem does two things: it Ans: - Life was bright, young, and blooming.
puts our own losses and sorrows in outlook when held
against the great evils that exist in the world, and it asks 6. What was much more than any other pain to the
that we do not reside on what has been tried failed, but poet?
rather look to the future and to fixing those existing ills— Ans: - Her sorrow
those things over which we may as yet have some
control. The poem is spoken to an old lover, and the first 7. What did her beauty give the spring?
seven lines concern the relationship between this person Ans: - An everlasting youth.
and the speaker; the lovers lived, at that time, in a world
populated only by each other. “Beyond your eyes,” the 8. What we’re everything for him?
speaker wondered, “what could the world hold?” At that Ans: - Her eyes.
time, “the world’s grief was far.”
9. When does the speaker realise what he thought
But with the dissolving of their relationship the reality about love was not true?
and vastness of the world crept back into the speaker’s Ans: - When he moved around in the world & saw many
life, and his or her own trials suddenly seem unimportant sorrows, he realized what he thought about love was not
in comparison to all else that the world contains. “The true.
world knows sorrows other than those of love, / Pleasures
beyond those of romance.” Life is not one person’s 10. What does the poet think when his beloved was
relationship, but a vast global empire of emotion, of with him?
beauty and terror and everything in between. And after Ans: - The world was his.
counting a handful of the terrible things that are going on
in the world today—slavery, war, defeat —the speaker 11. What was an illusion for him?
asks two questions. “My gaze returns to these: what can I Ans: - The thought that the world was his when his
do? / Your beauty still haunts me: what can I do?” beloved was with him was an illusion.
With this association, the speaker affirms that there are 12. Where have the bodies risen from?
ways he or she can be useful in the fight against evil in Ans: - Cauldron of diseases.
the world; there are no ways he or she can be useful in
pining for a lost lover. The latter of these things is 13. What are the things that poet finds other than love?
hopeless; the former is not—it is instead a good fight, and Ans: - Sorrow, Pleasures.
an honorable one. And so, at the end of the poem, the
speaker repeats that the world is greater than the sum of Comprehension: II & III
one couple’s lost love; that there is real, damaging
suffering occurring all around us, and so the speaker asks 1. What harsh realities of life have drawn on the
of his own past lover, “Do not demand that love which speaker's attention much more than the beauty of his
can be no more.” There are greater ills which demand our beloved?
attention—things that can still be changed. Ans: - The poet loves his beloved very much. Her sorrow
was more than anything else to him when he was young.
Comprehension: I Her beauty gave an 'everlasting youth' for spring. Her eyes
were everything to him. He thought that he owned the
1. Who is 'I' in the poem? world when she was with him. But the images what 'he
Ans: - The poet Faiz Ahmed Faiz is 'I' in the poem. had for his love was an illusion' or the image suddenly
changes when the poet comes out of the world of fantasy,
2. Who is 'you' in the poem? to the world of reality where sorrows preceded love and
Ans: - 'His Love' other pleasures.
3. What does the speaker ask his love?
The brutal curses of countless centuries, woven, silk,

satin, & brocade are highlighted. The sufferings caused in
the world by war, the blood, and the dust covered bodies
of soldiers, the miseries of those suffering from chronic,
deadly diseases, their sores that ooze out pus, the woes of
slaves who are ill-treated and sold in the market like
animals. These are the harsh realities that have drawn the
writer's attention away from the beauty of his reality.
2. What transformation in the perception of love do

you see in the poem?
Ans: - When the poet was young, he was immersed in the
love of a beautiful girl. As long as the girl was with him,
he felt the whole world was his. The sorrow of separation
from her was the only sorrow for him at that time. He
loved her eyes and felt that her beauty made spring time
young. However, he moved around in the world and saw
many things which were totally different from what he
was used to till now. He saw sufferings caused by war
and conflicts, the bodies of soldiers covered with blood
and dust, the miseries of those afflicted with chronic,
deadly diseases, their wounds that ooze out pus, the woes
of slaves who are tortured and sold in the market like
animals, and many more things.
These made him realize that the pain of separation from

his beloved was not the only sorrow, but there are many
more in the world. He assures his beloved that she is still
beautiful, but tells her that he is helpless because he has
to take the responsibility of other sufferings in this world.
He realizes the responsibility of serving the society is
greater than pleasing his beloved. Hence, he requests her
not to ask him to love her in the same manner.
***********


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P.U.

COURSE BOOK - REFLECTIONS

2 Ehthashamuddin J Sheikh M.A., M.ED., I.I.S.T

3 Ehthashamuddin J Sheikh M.A., M.ED., I.I.S.T

friends to share himself. That Was the price he had to pay

It takes a lot of effort from everyone concerned to

4 Ehthashamuddin J Sheikh M.A., M.ED., I.I.S.T

CHAPTER: - 2 STANZA –TWO (2)

1 Ehthashamuddin J Sheikh M.A., M.ED., I.I.S.T

2 Ehthashamuddin J Sheikh M.A., M.ED., I.I.S.T

7. What cannot child find in books?

8. Where does the bird not sing?

9. What the bird represent for?

10. Where does the boy disturb?

11. The condition of child is compared to---------

3 Ehthashamuddin J Sheikh M.A., M.ED., I.I.S.T

CHAPTER: - 3 8 When would the medicines lose their potency

1 Ehthashamuddin J Sheikh M.A., M.ED., I.I.S.T

2 Ehthashamuddin J Sheikh M.A., M.ED., I.I.S.T

Ans: - A Plant pathologist. 3. How is Krishna Cured of his illness?

3 Ehthashamuddin J Sheikh M.A., M.ED., I.I.S.T

Recycling the natural resources and finding alternate

4 Ehthashamuddin J Sheikh M.A., M.ED., I.I.S.T

CHAPTER: - 4 8. What was the working hours of the narrator?

1 Ehthashamuddin J Sheikh M.A., M.ED., I.I.S.T

4. What was the routine of the narrator in the city?

III. Answer the following questions in 200 words.

1. Does this story talk about transformation in a

2 Ehthashamuddin J Sheikh M.A., M.ED., I.I.S.T

CHAPTER: - 5 2. How does an individual measures the value of

madness in the society and how it degenerates social and

In the poem Lawrence's says that wherever we look there

The poet goes on to say that if one has no money, the

2 Ehthashamuddin J Sheikh M.A., M.ED., I.I.S.T

CHAPTER: - 6 education, parents still have to bear the cost of uniforms

SAMARPITA MUKHERJEE SHARMA 7. Tulu Rani Hazra is________

1. According to Nasiruddin ‘Education is man’s True

The School which was started in a very humble manner

Moreover, they are very keen to study when a person

2 Ehthashamuddin J Sheikh M.A., M.ED., I.I.S.T

1 Ehthashamuddin J Sheikh M.A., M.ED., I.I.S.T

The poet is trying to tell us that nature does not

Even if it is cut and made into pieces it may be used to

How can someone be purified by a bath if their inner

2 Ehthashamuddin J Sheikh M.A., M.ED., I.I.S.T

1 Ehthashamuddin J Sheikh M.A., M.ED., I.I.S.T

Ans: - Mara. 17. What was the greatest gift given?

2 Ehthashamuddin J Sheikh M.A., M.ED., I.I.S.T

3 Ehthashamuddin J Sheikh M.A., M.ED., I.I.S.T

1. How is Mara's role brought out in protecting the

Mara could escape from the prison and climbed up the

4 Ehthashamuddin J Sheikh M.A., M.ED., I.I.S.T

CHAPTER: - 9 Ans: - Cotton

in front of others or stretch his hand to ask for help. He

2. What memories of her husband trouble her now?

3. How does the poem bring out the plight of farmer's

2 Ehthashamuddin J Sheikh M.A., M.ED., I.I.S.T

CHAPTER: - 10 Douglass used a simple, straightforward

1 Ehthashamuddin J Sheikh M.A., M.ED., I.I.S.T