Advertisements
Advertisements
Question
How is colour highlighted in the poem and why? List all the words in the poem that suggest colour.
Solution
The various colours highlighted in the poem exemplify the difference between the landlady and the poet, based on the skin-colour of both. The use of the colour red is magnified to explain the various things which are red in colour like the telephone booth, the double-tiered bus and the pillar-box. It explains the colour of the dark-skinned poet who was not fair-complexioned like the landlady on the other side of the line. The expression 'gold-rolled' shows the elite class to which the 'fair-skinned' people are said to belong.
Various colours which are used in the poem are:
- Red, Black, Gold, milk chocolate, brunette and blonde.
APPEARS IN
RELATED QUESTIONS
B1. Select
Fill in the blanks choosing the correct alternatives from those given in the bracket:
(i) The author was inspired and motivated to read ............................................ by the time she was eleven.
[Shakespeare, Chaucer, G.B. Shaw]
(ii) Every lesson .......................... ......... took was spiced with half a dozen or more anecdotes.
[Mrs. Rowlands, Sister Monica, Mr. A.N. Patil]
(iii) The teachers helped the narrator to become ..................................... . .
[confident, happy, independent]
(iv) Mrs. Cynthia Nesamani and Sister Monica gave .......................................... to the narrator.
[freedom to do what he wanted, advice to do something, instructions to produce better results]
In a way, one of the greatest gifts any teacher can give a student, I think, is to inculcate a curiosity to learn.
I've been incredibly lucky to have at least one such teacher at every stage in my life. The first was Mrs. Rowlands who taught me in primary school. She taught me to read without ever pushing me. She made me want to read more by giving 'me some of the most interesting children's books available. And although I still love to go back to those books from time to time, it was only because of her that I was able to read Shakespeare by the time I was ten, and Chaucer a year later.
In later years, it was Mr. A.N. Patil, my Marathi and Hindi Teacher who made a huge impression on me. Every lesson he took, was spiced with half a dozen or more anecdotes from a wide variety of subjects: among them history, politics, religion and sociology. I was, and still am in awe of his knowledge, which despite rather desperate attempts, I doubt I'll ever be able to match.
There have also been other teachers who helped me to try to become independent: to think and act for myself using my own judgement, which to my mind has been just as, if not more important, than actually learning anything.
After all, it's much too easy to become a completely useless repository of facts and little else.
Two teachers whom I remember in particular are Mrs. Cynthia Nesamani and Sister Monica, both taught me in school. The former, by and large, gave me a free rein to do what I wanted to do. I, being one of those people who dislike instructions, she helped me to produce much better results than I'd have otherwise done.
B2.Complete
Read the extract and complete the following:
The teacher can
(i) .............
(ii) ..............
(iii )..............
(iv).................
B3. Similar word
Look at the following sentences arid pick the word having similar meaning to the given word and rewrite:
(i) Spiced His conversation is always with a lot of humour. (made interesting, garnished, flavoured)
(ii) Repository
The library should not merely be a ................ of books. (store-house, reservoir, tank)
(iii) Inculcate
It is the responsibility of the parents and teachers to .......values in the child's formative years. (imbibe, give, show)
(iv) Incredibly
I have been .. lucky to have at least one such teacher at every stage in my life. (importantly, unbelievably, beautifully)
B4. Language study
(i) There have also been other teachers. They have helped me to try to become
independent. (Combine using 'who')
(ii) It was only because of her that I was able-to read Shakespeare.
(Rewrite beginning with: If it was not for her, ).
B.5 Out motivators
Look at the following table and complete it by presenting your own views
| Personalities | Influence on your life |
| (i) Teachers | |
| (ii) Parents | |
| (iii) Relatives | |
| (iv) Friends |
We know that chimps are intelligent because
Read the extract and do the following activities:
A1 Complete :
| Night |
Morning |
| (i) | (i) |
| (ii) | (ii) |
There was a roaring in the wind all night;
The rain came heavily and fell in floods;
But now the sun is rising calm and bright,
The birds are singing in the distant woods;
Over his own sweet voice the Stock-dove broods;
The Jay makes answer as the Magpie chatters;
And all the air is filled with pleasant noise of waters
All things that love the sun are out of doors;
The sky rejoices in the morning’s birth;
The grass is bright with raindrops-on the moors
The hare is running races in her mirth;
And with her feet she from the plashy earth
Raises a mist; that, glittering in the sun,
Runs with her all the way, wherever she doth run.
A2 What do the different birds do? Discuss.
A3 The sky rejoices in the morning’s birth. (Name and explain the figure of speech)
The episode has been narrated in a light vein. What social mores does the author seem to ridicule?
Behrman was a hard-hearted person.
State whether the following statement is true or false. Correct the false statement.
The Ear was appointed as a judge.
Form suitable groups and discuss the following.
You have heard/read stories of Akbar and Birbal, Tenali Raman, Mulla Nasruddin. Recollect and write down the names of those stories.
Pick out those aspects of a story that you find a common in all their stories.
- Humour
- Supernatural event
- Wisdom
- Suspense
- Magic
- Beauty of Nature
- Wit
- Play upon words
- Sadend
- Violence
Draw a picture of the scene described in the poem.
Find sentences from the play related to the given points.
Loyalty in Irish Nationalism:
- Maybe Sergeant you’ll be on the side of the country yet.
- ____________________________
- ____________________________
- ____________________________
What themes would you like to add to the themes given in this passage?
Visit a library:
Read stories about Gautama Buddha. Relate one story in the class.
Read the poem aloud with the proper rhythm. What does the rhythm remind you of?
Think and answer:
Does the last line make you happy or sad? Why?
Who said the following, to whom, and when?
“He dwells within a cave of Himalaya.”
What did Anshuman’s father compare bad habits to?
How do we come to know that Kasim was a generous man?
Complete the given tabular column with the suitable plural forms.
| chair | - | |
| box | - | |
| Eskimo | - | |
| lady | - | |
| radius | - | |
| formula | - | |
| child | - | |
| deer | - | |
| loaf | - | |
| hero | - |
Find a sentence/word from the text which express the following.
Words related to prize.
Write the names of the characters in this story.
1. ______ 2. ______ 3. ______
Identify the character/speaker.
Oh no, I'll never get back to the right size.
Neerja leapt into action when she______.
What is the ‘breath of life’?
Why don’t we use chemicals?
Match the rhyming words.
| mars | crime |
| bed | cars |
| time | head |
Where is Keeraikuppam located?
What was the reason behind Nandhini’s dullness?
Which quality makes 'world is one and human is one'?
Work or play, let us______.
Why is the play called ‘The Giving Tree’?
Based on the poet’s idea of true success, think of four people in your surroundings - your family, neighbours, friends, teachers, classmates, etc. who have achieved true success. Write, in short, what makes them successful.
