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Question
Describe the climax scene in your own words. Write your comments on it.
Solution
The climax of Act III occurs when Dr. Stockmann notices the Mayor‘s official hat and office staff (stick) in the newspaper office. Because of this discovery, Dr. Stockmann realizes that the Mayor must have visited Hovstad and Aslaksen in order to stop the publication of the report through his influence. He quickly concludes that the Mayor must be hiding from him in the other room. At this moment, the doctor is still convinced of everyone‘s support for his report and on discovering his brother‘s attempts to manipulate the press, he is further encouraged to give him a piece of his mind. With this confidence, the doctor puts on the Mayor‘s hat himself and opens the door to the room, mocking the Mayor in the process. This leaves Peter enraged. The doctor‘s moment of confidence is short-lived as he quickly finds that Hovstad and Aslaksen no longer wish to print his report. They accuse Dr. Stockmann‘s concerns as being imaginary and state that printing the report would offend the public‘s opinion of the paper and hence, they declare that they will not print it. On seeing everyone turn against her husband, Mrs. Stockmann, who initially had concerns about the consequences of the report on her family, overcomes her anxiety and offers her support to her husband. Disheartened but not defeated by the betrayal, Dr. Stockmann pledges to reveal the report to the public one way or the other, including issuing a pamphlet or renting a hall to hold a public meeting and reading it aloud to the people. To this, the Mayor remarks that nobody will be willing to rent a hall to Dr. Stockmann. The Act ends with the doctor stating that if a hall cannot be arranged, he will march around town with a drum and read the report aloud. Mrs. Stockmann offers her resounding support to her husband‘s resolve and they leave.
In my opinion, the climax perfectly delivers the message of the act, by noting that the one who fights for the truth often walks alone on his path. This is evident when the Doctor realizes he has been betrayed by everybody. It also highlights the extent to which the majority (the Mayor, the newspapermen) will go to make sure that the truth is not revealed. This is clear from their decision to not publish the report and their mockery of Dr. Stockmann‘s decision to try other ways of making it public.
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RELATED QUESTIONS
A1. Choose two sentences that appropriately mention the theme of the passage :
(1) The extract deals with the writer’s concern over Chaitanya's handicap.
(2) The extract depicts the writer’s proud feelings towards her son’s achievement.
(3) The extract deals with how Chaitanya made the writer see positively towards life.
(4) The extract deals with how the writer helps Chaitanya to buy the bus ticket.
Early in 1997-98, when he returned from state-level inter-school sports, he had two prizes to his credit and a silver medal. He had won his laurels in athletic events and the silver medal in a running race.
When I saw the prizes and read the citation Chaitanya had received, I was stupefied, in total disbelief, then–hugged him, kissed him and cried unabashedly to my heart’s content. That day, I cried for the first time out of joy and a sense of being vindicated. Without practice, he had competed with approximately 1,800 children drawn from various schools all over the state. He was subsequently selected for the marathon race, but he could not participate due to a health problem. “Maybe next year, he would”, I assured myself. And I, as his proud mother, would proudly chronicle his future achievements and success to inspire other - mothers of the world.
Looking back at my own life, I feel that it is the spirit with which we can accept our life gracefully is what
matters ultimately; and it is love that nourishes us. All other things are unimportant. Chaitanya has made me look inwards. His handicap doesn’t disturb me any longer. He and I shall live with it and still be happy. The mental strength which he has given to me is inexhaustible.
One day, as both of us got onto a public transport bus, Chaitanya offered to buy the tickets for us.
“One full, one half ”, he said to the conductor beaming with joy.
Looking at him, I wondered whether he was really only a half? An incomplete person? Was I really full?
Complete in all respects? Why do then normal people feel that they are ‘full’ and others like Chaitanya are ‘half’ or incomplete? Chaitanya’s world is complete in itself, pure and innocent while our lives are full of deceit, jealousies, ill-feelings.
A2. Point out -
Point out two instances where you find Chaitanya's victory over his disability.
A3. Give reasons -
Chaitanya’s silver medal in a running race was very special for the writer, because :
(i) __________________
(ii) __________________
A4. Vocabulary -
Match the pairs of the words in column ‘A’ with their meanings in column ‘B’:
Column ‘A’ | Column ‘B’ | ||
(1) | stupefied | (a) | official statement about the special act of courage |
(2) | chronicle | (b) | record events in the order they happened |
(3) | vindicated | (c) | surprised or shocked |
(4) | citation | (d) | justified |
A5. Personal response -
Explain, your views about the ill-treatment the special children receive in society.
A6. Grammar -
Rewrite the following sentences in the ways instructed :
(i) He had won his laurels in athletic events and the silver medal in a running race.
(Rewrite the sentence using ‘not only...but also’.)
(ii) When I saw the prizes, I was stupefied.
(Rewrite the sentence using ‘No sooner.... than’.)
How does the poem relate to our study of the Diary of Anne Frank and the events of the Holocaust?
What do you think is the poet’s attitude towards the following 3 things: nature, memory, loneliness?
There's nobody on the house-tops now...
Just a palsied few at the windows set;
For the best of the sight is, all allow,
At the Shambles' Gate-or, better yet,
By the very scaffold's foot, I trow.
Read the above lines and answer the question that follow.
What is ‘scaffold’?
There's nobody on the house-tops now...
Just a palsied few at the windows set;
For the best of the sight is, all allow,
At the Shambles' Gate-or, better yet,
By the very scaffold's foot, I trow.
Read the above lines and answer the question that follow.
Why does Browning say that the palsied watched the execution?
Thus I entered, and thus I go!
In triumphs, people have dropped down dead,
"Paid by the world, what dost thou owe
Me? "....God might question; now instead,
'Tis God shall repay: I am safer so.
Read the above lines and amswer the question that follow.
What type of poetic piece ‘The Patriot: An Old Story’ is?
What does the poem “Abou Ben Adhem” convey?
Discuss the conflict in the story, “Old Man at the Bridge”?
Fill in the blank with an appropriate word:
The poet's mother was stung __________ a scorpion.
This is the place. The dog was rescued from its cruel owner.
The soldier laid________their lives defending their country.
‘Working women make better mothers than women who stay at home’. Express your views either for or against this statement.
She battled her way ___________the crowd.
What lessons do we learn from such hazardous experiences when we are face-to-face with death?
Identify instances of ironical comment in the story.
Use the phrase in a sentence of your own, after finding out its meaning.
blast off
We add ‘un-’ to make opposites. For example, true — untrue. Add ‘un’– to the word below to make its opposite. Then look up the meaning of the word you have formed in the dictionary.
important: ____________
What do you know about Kalpana Chawla’s birth, education, a great achievement, and tragic end?
State whether the following statement is true or false. Correct the false statement.
There is nothing wrong with being grateful to great men.
Column A shows your involvement in growing a tree, as well as the stages in the life of a tree. Column B shows the feelings you experience at all stages. Match them appropriately.
A | B | ||
1. | You planted a sapling. | a. | Gave you a feeling of joy to see the promising future. |
2. | You watered the plant. | b. | The new experience brought excitement to you. |
3. | You saw the shoot for the first time. | c. | You were happy and satisfied because you experienced what you had often heard, that a small beginning can lead to great achievements. |
4. | You fenced the plant. | d. | The colour, symbolizing life, gave you a feeling of hope. |
5. | The plant gradually saw lush green leaves grow on it. | e. | You wanted to make a humble beginning. |
6. | The tree had buds too. | f. | Your motive was to protect it. |
7. | Birds made a nest on the tree which was fully grown and laden with flowers. | g. | You cared for it. |
Your examinations are only two months ahead. Plan your schedule of studies and write in your notebook.
Gather information about the following insects. Draw their images or get pictures. On one sheet each, fix the image/picture and below it write the information. Compile these pages and make a file of ‘Insects - our friends’.
Insects: Bee/Praying mantis/Butterfly Beetle/Wasp/Dragon-fly
Read the following note from a school girl’s diary:
Miss Fernandes is our new class teacher. She is slim and fit even at the age of 50. With her grey hair, spectacles, and plain formal clothes, she looks so strict! But we discovered that her classes can be great fun. We begin each class with a simple two-minute game or activity. Today we had to write as many words beginning with 'a' as we could, within 60 seconds. I wrote 50! I got a pot on my back for making 'the best effort'! I feel on top of the world. |
Write diary entries for the interesting or important events that take place in your school. Write at least 3 entries.
Imagine Taffy comes to you for help to write a letter of apology, in the modern script we use. She wants to express her regret to the stranger-man for her mother’s action. Write that letter of apology (informal) on her behalf.
Write your opinion, in your own words:-
Why do you think the children dislike their aunt’s story?
Write 3 to 5 sentences about the following character.
The Aunt
Answer the following question :
What are the advantages of an imaginary argument with a person having a different bias?
Write the reason in your own words.
Akbar strongly desired to hear Ostad sing.
Prepare and present a speech on ‘My Favourite Place’.
Use the following points.
- Name of the place
- Its special features
- The reason why you like it
Dinesh and Divya have been assigned homework on non-finite. They are not sure when to use a gerund and when to use an infinitive. They decide to meet their teacher and get their doubts cleared. The teacher introduces them to Mr. Gerund and Ms. Infinitive.
Based on the reading of the poem, complete the web chart given below.
Create a poster for the following.
Good handwriting is the index of an individual. Design a poster on the importance of good handwriting. Use catchy slogans or phrases. Your poster should not exceed 50 words.
Write a letter of enquiry for the following.
Write a letter to the head of the BSNL office enquiring regarding the internet broadband scheme launched recently.
Having an ice cream on a hot summer day is exciting and enjoyable.
Write about some of the exciting and enjoyable things that one can do in the winter season.
______ do you go to school?
Reference to context.
Draw pictures of the speakers of the above lines.
Use the following clues to complete the following exercise.
play | stop | buy | learn | see | meet | learn |
be | eat | go | travel | start | read | visit |
Write three things you have not done in the last three years.
- I have not played ______
- ____________
- ____________
Correct the use of the describing word in the following sentence.
This is the simpler problem of them all.
What did Hiawatha love?
Some words have similar sound, but different meaning. Choose the correct word from the option and fill in the blank.
The squirrel has a long ______.
Some words have similar sound, but different meaning. Choose the correct word from the options and fill in the blank.
I have to leave at ______.
The old man shouted ______[loud]
As young Khushwant Singh, write a letter to your parents describing your daily routine expressing your thoughts and feelings about staying in the village.
What does each of the following mean in the story? Choose the right option.
a guardian of peace:
Why did K.C’s words shock Sletherby?
Complete the summary of the play, choosing the appropriate words from the list given below the passage.
A number of patients wait at the (1) ______of a dentist’s clinic. Everybody is tensed at the thought of a painful (2) ______being extracted. One of the women is bent on showing everyone her (3) ______. After the arrival of the dentist, Joe, the first (4) ______is called in. Sometime later, the nurse comes out and goes in with a (5) ______. Everyone is (6) ______at this, imagining Joe being subjected to a lot of hammering in the process of his tooth being pulled out. Once again the nurse comes out to fetch a large pair of (7) ______and later on she takes in a (8) ______. A little boy confesses that he pretended to have (9) ______, because he did not wish to go to school. The loud (10) ______and screeching from within the room makes everyone leave the (11) ______, one by one. Finally there are only two women in the waiting room, one of them being Joe’s wife. She weeps (12) ______about her husband. But Joe comes out and explains that he had shifted his (13) ______to the evening and had been given some pills for the pain. After they leave, the dentist comes out and locates the key of his tool (14) ______. He had been trying to open it using the hammer, the pliers and the hacksaw only in vain. The woman with the photographs is surprised to see that the (15) ______had moved quickly and she was the next patient to go in.
hammer | patient |
hacksaw | cabinet |
frightened | queue |
worried | waiting room |
pliers | tooth |
photographs | clinic |
toothache | sawing |
appointment |
Study the pie-chart carefully and answer the questions that follow.
Percentage of people who speak each language as their first language.
- Which language is spoken by most people?
- What are the Indian languages that rank among the top five spoken languages?
- Which are the languages that are spoken by less than three percent of people?
- With the help of the questions and answers, draw your own conclusions from the pie chart. Then, write a paragraph on the popular spoken languages.
Why did the photographer take a long time to photograph Leacock?
He was called on Saturday to ______.
What are the essentials one needs to lead a comfortable life? Fill in the empty bubbles with some of them
What advice did Aunt Jane offer the couple?
Urban living brings with it a possibility of various communicable diseases.
Now write an article of about 150 words for a leading newspaper on the various ways of maintaining personal hygiene and sanitation in order to ensure a healthy living. Make use of the hints given below
Hints:
a) Introduction – ‘Cleanliness is next to Godliness’ – brief explanation
b) Personal hygiene
(i) Frequent washing of hands and regular bathing
(ii) Brushing of teeth, trimming of nails and hair
(iii)Wearing clean clothes
c) Keeping diseases at bay
(i) Avoid street food
(ii) Keep food containers covered
(iii)Drink boiled water
(iv) Wash fruits and vegetables in flowing water
d) Keeping living areas, surroundings and the environment clean
(i) Disposal of domestic organic waste on a daily basis and hazardous waste in designated places
(ii) Regular sweeping, mopping and dusting
(iii)Disinfection of toilets and bathing areas
(iv) Avoid littering of public places
(v) Avoid spitting, urinating and defecating in public places
e) Conclusion – hygiene – a collective exercise – everyone’s involvement and practice, a must – ensure community health and happiness – celebrate life
Summarizing is to briefly sum up the various points from the notes made from the below passage.
The Sherpas were nomadic people who first migrated from Tibet approximately 600 years ago, through the Nangpa La pass and settled in the Solukhumbu District, Nepal. These nomadic people then gradually moved westward along salt trade routes. During 14th century, Sherpa ancestors migrated from Kham. The group of people from the Kham region, east of Tibet, was called “Shyar Khamba”. The inhabitants of Shyar Khamba, were called Sherpa. Sherpa migrants travelled through Ü and Tsang, before crossing the Himalayas. According to Sherpa oral history, four groups migrated out of Solukhumbu at different times, giving rise to the four fundamental Sherpa clans: Minyagpa, Thimmi, Sertawa and Chawa. These four groups have since split into the more than 20 different clans that exist today.
Sherpas had little contact with the world beyond the mountains and they spoke their own language. AngDawa, a 76-year-old former mountaineer recalled “My first expedition was to Makalu [the world’s fifth highest mountain] with Sir Edmund Hillary’’. We were not allowed to go to the top. We wore leather boots that got really heavy when wet, and we only got a little salary, but we danced the Sherpa dance, and we were able to buy firewood and make campfires, and we spent a lot of the time dancing and singing and drinking. Today Sherpas get good pay and good equipment, but they don’t have good entertainment. My one regret is that I never got to the top of Everest. I got to the South Summit, but I never got a chance to go for the top.
The transformation began when the Sherpa Tenzing Norgay and the New Zealander Edmund Hillary scaled Everest in 1953. Edmund Hillary took efforts to build schools and health clinics to raise the living standards of the Sherpas. Thus life in Khumbu improved due to the efforts taken by Edmund Hillary and hence he was known as ‘Sherpa King’.
Sherpas working on the Everest generally tend to perish one by one, casualties of crevasse falls, avalanches, and altitude sickness. Some have simply disappeared on the mountain, never to be seen again. Apart from the bad seasons in 1922, 1970 and 2014 they do not die en masse. Sherpas carry the heaviest loads and pay the highest prices on the world’s tallest mountain. In some ways, Sherpas have benefited from the commercialization of the Everest more than any group, earning income from thousands of climbers and trekkers drawn to the mountain. While interest in climbing Everest grew gradually over the decades after the first ascent, it wasn’t until the 1990s that the economic motives of commercial guiding on Everest began. This leads to eclipse the amateur impetus of traditional mountaineering. Climbers looked after each other for the love of adventure and “the brotherhood of the rope” now are tending to mountain businesses. Sherpas have taken up jobs as guides to look after clients for a salary. Commercial guiding agencies promised any reasonably fit person a shot at Everest.
Write slogan to create awareness of the following topic using the tips given above.
- Junk food
- Labour Day
- Save Water
- Yoga
- Blood Donation
Write a paragraph of about 150 word, on the following topic.
The value of discipline
Write a dialogue between a student and teacher on 'Importance of Yoga'.
Using the given informal letter as a model, write a letter on the topic given below.
Write a letter to your father asking permission to go on an educational tour.
Imagine someone has invited your family to a programme and you were the only person at home when the invitation was given orally.
Write a note (4-5 lines) to pass on the message to the other people in your family. Or, Write an imaginary conversation in which you pass on the message to your parents.
What’s the difference between ‘hear’ and ‘listen?