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प्रश्न
She lighted another match, and then she found herself sitting under a beautiful Christmas-tree. It was larger and more beautifully decorated than the one which she had seen through the glass door at the rich merchant’s. Thousands of tapers were burning upon the green branches, and colored pictures, like those she had seen in the show- windows, looked down upon it all. The little one stretched out her hand towards them, and the match went out.
The Christmas lights rose higher and higher, till they looked to her like the stars in the sky. Then she saw a star fall, leaving behind it a bright streak of fire. “Someone is dying,” thought the little girl, for her old grandmother, the only one who had ever loved her, and who was now dead, had told her that when a star falls, a soul was going up to God.
Read the extract given below and answer the question that follow.
What happened when she stretched her hand to touch?
उत्तर
As soon as she stretched her hand to touch the match went out and the tree disappeared.
APPEARS IN
संबंधित प्रश्न
Here are some words with silent letters. Learn their spelling. Your teacher will dictate these words to you. Write them down and underline the silent letters.
| knock | wrestle | walk | wrong |
| knee | half | honest | daughter |
| hours | return | hornet | calm |
| could | sign | island | button |
The waves beside them danced, but they
Out-did the sparkling leaves in glee;
A poet could not be but gay,
In such a jocund company!
I gazed-and gazed-but little thought
What wealth the show to me had brought:
Read the lines given above and answer the question that follow.
Which wealth is referred to by the poet?
“There were three animals altogether,” he explained. “There were two goats and a cat and then there were four pairs of pigeons.”
“And you had to leave them?” I asked.
“Yes. Because of the artillery. The captain told me to go because of the artillery.” “And you have no family?” I asked, watching the far end of the bridge where a few last carts were hurrying down the slope of the bank.
“No,” he said, “only the animals I stated. The cat, of course, will be all right. A cat can look out for itself, but I cannot think what will become of the others.”
“What politics have you?” I asked.
“I am without politics,” he said. “I am seventy-six years old. I have come twelve kilometers now and I think now I can go no further.”
“This is not a good place to stop,” I said. “If you can make it, there are trucks up the road where it forks for Tortosa.”
“I will wait a while,” he said, “ and then I will go. Where do the trucks go?” “Towards Barcelona,” I told him.
“I know no one in that direction,” he said, “but thank you very much.
Read the extract given below and answer the question that follow.
Does the old man have a family? What were the animals he was worried about?
The horse was nearly life-size, moulded out of clay, baked, burnt, and brightly coloured, and reared its head proudly, prancing its forelegs in the air and flourishing its tail in a loop; beside the horse stood a warrior with scythelike mustachios, bulging eyes, and aquiline nose. The old image-makers believed in indicating a man of strength by bulging out his eyes and sharpening his moustache tips, and also decorated the man’s chest with beads which looked today like blobs of mud through the ravages of sun and wind and rain (when it came), but Muni would insist that he had known the beads to sparkle like the nine gems at one time in his life.
Read the extract given below and answer the question that follow.
What was the effect of the construction of the highway?
“So that is what you are doing out here? A marshal!” “My dear Miss Fairchild,” said ’ Easton, calmly, “I had to do something. Money has & way of taking wings unto itself, and
you know it takes money to keep step with our crowd in Washington. I saw this opening in the West, and—well, a marshalship isn’t quite as high a position as that of ambassador, but—” “The ambassador,” said the girl, warmly, “doesn’t call any more. He needn’t ever have done so. You ought to know that. And so now you are one of these dashing Western heroes, and you ride and shoot and go into all kinds of dangers. That’s different from the Washington life. You have been missed from the old crowd.” The girl’s eyes, fascinated, went back, widening a little, to rest upon the glittering handcuffs. “Don’t you worry about them, miss,” said the other man. “All marshals handcuff themselves to their prisoners to keep them from getting away. Mr. Easton knows his business.” “Will we see you again soon in Washington?” asked the girl. “Not soon, I think,” said Easton. “My butterfly days are over, I fear.”
Read the extract given below and answer the question that follow.
Give three similarities between Mr Easton and a butterfly.
Read the following passage carefully and answer the questions that follow:
Granny knew I'd been in the train for two nights, and she had a huge breakfast ready for me. Later she told me there'd been a letter from Uncle Ken.
'He says he's the manager in Fitpo's hotel in Simla,' she said. 'The salary is very good. It's a steady job and I hope he keeps it.' Three days later Uncle Ken was on the veranda steps with his bedding roll and battered suitcase. 'Have you given up the hotel job?' asked Granny. 'No,' said Uncle Ken. 'They have closed down.' I hope it wasn't because of you.' 'No, Aunt Ellen_ The bigger hotels in the hill stations are closing down. 'Well, never mind. Come along and have your lunch. Over lunch; Uncle Ken talked very seriously about ways and means of earning a living. There is only one taxi in the whole of Debra, he mused. 'Surely there is business for another?' `I'm sure there is,' said Granny. 'But where does it get you? In the first place, you don't have a taxi. And in the second place, you can't drive.' I can soon learn. There's a driving school in town. And I can use Uncle's old car.' 'I don't think it will run now,' said Granny. 'Of course, it will. It just needs some oiling and greasing and a spot of paint.' 'All right, learn to drive.' So, Uncle Ken joined the driving school.After a month Uncle Ken announced that he could drive and that he was taking the car out for a trial run. 'You haven't got your license yet,' said Granny. 'Oh, I won't take it far,' said Uncle Ken. 'Just down the road and back again.' He spent all morning cleaning up the car. Granny gave him money for a can of petrol. After tea, Uncle Ken said, 'Come along, Ruskin, hop in and I will give you a ride. Bring Mohan along too.' Mohan and I needed no urging. We got into the car beside Uncle Ken. 'Now don't go too fast, Ken,' said Granny anxiously. 'You are not used to the car as yet.' Uncle Ken nodded and smiled and gave two sharp toots on the horn. He was feeling pleased with himself. Driving through the gate, he nearly ran over a cat. Miss Kellner, coming out for her evening rickshaw ride, saw Uncle Ken at the wheel of the car and ran indoors again. [40] Uncle Ken drove straight and fast, tootling the horn without a break. At the end of the road there was a roundabout. 'We’ll turn here,' said Uncle Ken, 'and then drive back again.' He turned tt;e steering wheel, we began going round the roundabout, but the steering wheel wouldn't turn all the way, not as much as Uncle Ken would have liked it to... So, instead he went on - and straight through the Maharaja of Jetpur’s garden wall. It was a single-brick wall, and the car knocked it down and emerged on the other, side without any damage to the car or any of its occupants. Uncle Ken brought it to a halt in the middle of the Maharaja's lawn. Running across the grass came the Maharaja himself. When he saw that it was Uncle Ken at the wheel, the Maharaja beamed with pleasure. 'Delighted to see you, old chap!' he exclaimed. 'Jolly decent of you to drop in again. How about a game of tennis?'
(a) Give the meaning of the following words as used in the passage:
One word answers or short phrases will be accepted.
(i) battered
(ii) bused
(iii) emerged
(b) Answer the following questions briefly in your own words.
(i) Why did Granny hope Uncle Ken would keep his job at Fitgo's hotel?
(ii) When Uncle Ken arrived with his luggage, Granny remarked that she hoped the hotel had not closed down because of him. What does this remark tell you about Uncle Ken?
(iii) Why did Uncle Ken think that driving a taxi in Dehra would be profitable?
(iv) Which sentence tells you that the narrator and his friend were waiting to be invited for a drive in a car?
(v) Why did Miss Kellner run indoors when she saw Uncle Ken at the wheel of the car?
(vi) What was Uncle Ken's intention at the roundabout?
(c)
(I) In not more than 60 words, describe what happened after the car went through the wall.
(ii) Give a title to your summary in 3(c)(i). Give a reason to justify choice of the title.
Given below are four words and phrases. Find the words which have a similar meaning in the passage:
(1) Coming near
( 2 ) Disappeared suddenly
(3) Awakening from sleep
(4) Moved slowly and gradually
What roused the pride of the animals and made them reconcile to the new arrangement? In the meanwhile, what sudden decision was taken by the pigs? What do we learn about Napoleon at this juncture?
Write ‘True’ or ‘False’ against each of following statements.
(i) Mr. Purcell sold birds, cats, dogs and monkeys. ____
(ii) He was very concerned about the well-being of the birds and animals in his shop. _____
(iii)He was impressed by the customer who bought the two doves. _____
(iv)He was a successful shopowner, though insensitive and cold as a person. _____
Comment on the aptness of the title of the story, ‘A Pact with the Sun’. What message or idea does the story bring home to you?
