Advertisements
Advertisements
Question
Answer the following question in one or two sentences.
Who were Abdul Kalam’s school friends? What did they later become?
Solution
Abdul Kalam had three close friends in school – Ramanandha Sastry, Aravindan and Sivaprakasan. Ramanandha Sastry took over the priesthood of the Rameswaram temple from his father; Aravindan started a business of arranging transport for visiting pilgrims; and Sivaprakasan became a catering contractor for the Southern Railways.
APPEARS IN
RELATED QUESTIONS
Answer these question in a few words or a couple of sentence.
Had Margie ever seen a book before?
Answer these question in 30–40 words.
Why did Aurangzeb ban the playing of the pungi?
Think about the Text
Discuss in pairs and answer the question below in a short paragraph (30 − 40 words).
“The sound was familiar one.” What sound did the doctor hear? What did he think it
was? How many times did he hear it? (Find the places in the text.) When and why did the
sounds stop?
Thinking about Language
Here are some sentences from the text. Say which of them tell you, that the author:
(a) was afraid of the snake, (b) was proud of his appearance, (c) had a sense of humour,
(d) was no longer afraid of the snake.
1. I was turned to stone.
2. I was no mere image cut in granite.
3. The arm was beginning to be drained of strength.
4. I tried in my imagination to write in bright letters outside my little heart the words, ‘O
God’.
5. I didn’t tremble. I didn’t cry out.
6. I looked into the mirror and smiled. It was an attractive smile.
7. I was suddenly a man of flesh and blood.
8. I was after all a bachelor, and a doctor too on top of it!
9. The fellow had such a sense of cleanliness…! The rascal could have taken it and used it
after washing it with soap and water.
10. Was it trying to make an important decision about growing a moustache or using eye
shadow and mascara or wearing a vermilion spot on its forehead?
Answer the following question in not more than 100 − 150 words.
How does the author describe Kathmandu’s busiest streets?
Is Lushkoff a willing worker? Why, then, does he agree to chop wood for Sergei?
What is the meaning of “My cat was back and so was I”? Had the author gone anywhere Why does he say that he is also back?
Notice how ideas are connected in the story.
Write what the following words you just used in 1.1 imply by choosing suitable options from the box.
- and:
- but:
- where:
- while:
- after:
- until:
- so :
connects similar actions, objects
denotes contrast
denotes time.
The words given above are called connectors. Connectors do not simply join sentences together; they also show how ideas are related.
There are many different ways of classifying connectors according to their meaning. We shall start with the ones you are already familiar with.
The angel wrote and vanished.
The next night, It came again with a great wakening light,
And show's the names whom love of God had blest,
And Lo! Bin Adhem's name led all the rest.
Read the lines given above and answer the following question.
Mention two other words used by the poet to refer to the angel.
Joe did not see the Guardians of the Poor on that day, on the next, nor on the day following. In fact, he never saw them at all on Maggie’s account, for in less than a week Mrs. Joe Thompson would as soon leave thought of taking up her own abode in the almshouse as sending Maggie there.
What light and blessing did that sick and helpless child bring to the home of Joe Thompson, the poor wheelwright! It had been dark, and cold, and miserable there for a long time just because his wife had nothing to love and care for out of herself, and so became soar, irritable, ill-tempered, and self-afflicting in the desolation of her woman’s nature. Now the sweetness of that sick child, looking ever to her in love, patience, and gratitude, was as honey to her soul, and she carried her in her heart as well as in her arms, a precious burden. As for Joe Thompson, there was not a man in all the neighbourhood who drank daily of a more precious wine of life than he. An angel had come into his house, disguised as a sick, helpless, and miserable child, and filled all its dreary chambers with the sunshine of love.
Read the extract given below and answer the question that follow.
Who was the angel? Why does the author say she was disguised?
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.
Answer the following question.
What is “the master call”? Why is it the most important signal for an elephant to learn?
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. _____
(i) The man insisted on buying the doves because he was fond of birds. Do you agree?
(ii) How had he earned the five dollars he had?
Complete the following sentence.
Trying to hide beneath the tray of chillies, Mahendran________________________________.
Is there a room in your house or a house in your neighborhood/locality where you would rather not go alone, and never at night? If there is such a place and a story to go with it, let others hear all about it.
What went wrong when the tortoises, snakes and lizards left the forest?
Does father lose all his hope of bringing the cat down?
The hawker passes time _________.
Encircle the correct article.
Would you like (a/an/the) apple or (a/an/the) banana?
