Tamilnadu Board

Tamilnadu State Board Class 10 English Solutions Prose Chapter 7 The Dying Detective

The Dying Detective In Text Questions

The Dying Detective Questions and Answers Class 10 Question a.
How did Watson feel when he heard of Holmes illness?
Answer:
Watson felt horrified when he heard of Holmes illness because he had hot heard about it before.

Question b.
Why didn’t the landlady call the doctor?
Answer:
The landlady didn’t call the doctor because Holmes would not allow her to bring one.

Question c.
What was the condition of Holmes when Watson saw him?
Answer:
Holmes had a gaunt face. His eyes had a brightness of fever, his cheeks were flushed and his hand twitched all the time. He lay listless.

Question d.
According to Holmes what was the disease he was suffering from?
Answer:
Holmes was suffering from Tarpaunli fever or black Formosa plague.

Question e.
Who did Watson see when he entered the room?
Answer:
Watson saw Culverton Smiths butler at the doorway. On entering the room, he saw a thin man with bald head, Mr. Culverton Smith.

Question f.
What were the instructions given by Holmes to Watson?
Answer:
Holmes did not want Watson to go before six. He asked Watson to persuade Smith to come, to tell Smith that Holmes was dying and force Smith to come. Watson should return to Holmes’ house, before Smith’s arrival. He asked Watson to light the gas and keep it half-on.

Question g.
Why did Holmes plead with Smith?
Answer:
Holmes pleaded with Smith to cure him of his disease.

Question h.
Who was responsible for Victor Savage’s death? What was the evidence for it?
Answer:
Culverton Smith was responsible for Victor Savage’s death. The ivory box was the last piece of evidence of it.

Question i.
What explanation did Holmes give for speaking rudely to Watson?
Answer:
Holmes explained that he spoke rudely to Watson because he wanted to bring Smith there and he didn’t want Watson to know that he wasn’t ill.

Question j.
How was Holmes able to look sick?
Answer:
Holmes starved for three days without food and water to look really sick.

The Dying Detective Textual Questions

A. Answer the following questions in one or two sentences.

Question 1.
Who was Mrs. Hudson? Why was she worried?
Answer:
Mrs. Hudson was the landlady of Sherlock Holmes. She was worried because Holmes was very sick.

Question 2.
Why didn’t Holmes let Watson examine him?
Answer:
Holmes didn’t let Watson examine him by telling that he was suffering from a deadly and contagious disease. In fact Holmes was acting as if he was a sick person. If Watson examined him, he would know that Holmes was not ill.

Question 3.
Why did Holmes warn Watson against touching his things? What was Watson’s reaction?
Answer:
Holmes warned Watson against touching his things because he disliked others touching his things and the box was an important evidence. Watson sat down silently.

Question 4.
What did Watson find on the table near the mantelpiece?
Answer:
Watson found a small black and white ivory box with sliding lid, on the mantelpiece.

Question 5.
Who is Mr. Culverton Smith?
Answer:
Mr. Culverton Smith is the man who has the knowledge of the disease, Holmes was suffering from. He is a planter. He lives in Sumatra, now visiting London.

Question 6.
What did Holmes ask Watson to do before leaving his room?
Answer:
Holmes asked Watson to put the money in his pockets, light the gas lamp half on, and place some letters and paper on the table. He also asked him to place the ivory box within his reach.

Question 7.
What instructions did Holmes give Watson to get Mr. Smith?
Answer:
Holmes asked Watson to persuade Mr. Culverton Smith of 13, Lower Burke Street to come and to tell him that Holmes was dying. He asked him to plead with Smith to save him.

Question 8.
Why did Holmes want Smith to treat him?
Answer:
Holmes wanted Smith, to treat him because he was the only man with the knowledge of the disease Holmes was suffering from.

Question 9.
According to Smith how did Holmes get the disease?
Answer:
According to Smith, Holmes got the disease from the spring in the ivory box, that drew blood.

Question 10.
Who arrested Smith? What were the charges against him?
Answer:
Inspector Morton arrested Smith on charges of murder of Victor Savage.

Short Questions & Answers – Additional

Question 1.
How did Watson know Holmes was sick?
Answer:
Mrs. Hudson, the landlady of Sherlock Holmes told Watson that Holmes had been sinking for three days and he would not allow any doctor to come in. After she had insisted Holmes accepted that Watson could see him.

Question 2.
How did Holmes react when Watson came to see him?
Answer:
Holmes stopped Watson from entering his room, stating that he was suffering from a deadly disease that he got from Sumatra. When Watson tried to force himself to go near Holmes, Holmes told him that he would only allow a doctor in, when he had confidence and Watson wasn’t a specialist in that field. Holmes wanted Culverton Smith, who was knowledgeable about the Eastern Diseases to deal with him.

Question 3.
What happened when Watson waited behind the locked door?
Answer:
Watson was asked to wait till 6 O’ clock to bring a doctor of Holmes’ choice. Holmes suggested that Watson could read some books. Unable to read, Watson walked around the room and happened to see a black and white ivory box on the mantelpiece. When he held it to see it, Holmes gave a dreadful cry. He asked Watson not to touch any of his things. So Watson sat in dejection until 6’0 clock.

Question 4.
Describe the character of Mr. Culverton Smith.
Answer:
Culverton Smith was the only man who had the knowledge of the disease, Formosa plague. He was not a medical man. He was a planter. He lived in Sumatra. He lived at 13, Lower Burke Street. He was frail with a bald head. He killed his nephew, Victor Savage. Holmes as the dying detective pretended to be sick to bring the truth out of Culverton Smith.

B. Answer the following questions in a paragraph of about 100-150 words.

Question 1.
How did Holmes trap Mr. Culverton Smith to confess the murder?
Answer:
Holmes sent Watson to bring Culverton Smith who was the only man who knew how to cure Eastern diseases. Holmes pretended to be seriously ill with black Formosa Plague. He had starved for 3 days, very sick and dying. When Watson pleaded with Smith to save Holmes, the shocked Smith rushed to Holmes. There Holmes spoke about the ivory box that confirmed the disease to Smith.

Holmes also said that he very well knew that Smith was behind the murder of Victor Savage, who was a victim of the same disease. Smith confessed and said none could prove it. Smith also told that Holmes’ end is nearing. Holmes asked Smith to brighten the lamp so that he could see him better. Holmes was only acting as if he was sick. Thus he made Smith confess the truth about the murder of Victor Savage.

Question 2.
How did Watson help his friend to arrest the criminal?
Answer:
Holmes sent Watson was sent by Holmes to 13 Lower Burke Street, where Culverton Smith lived. Watson pleaded with Smith to save Holmes, who was suffering from plague. On hearing Holmes’ name, Smith was shocked. Before Smith could come along, Watson left, to meet Holmes to inform about Smith’s arrival. He disappeared to the next room before Smith came. As Holmes and Smith were speaking about the dangerous ivory box and the spring that drew blood, Smith said that Holmes would die of it, as Victor had died.

But Holmes stated he was sure Smith was behind the murder of Victor. But Smith told that none could prove it. When Smith tried to get away with the ivory box, which was the last piece of evidence, Inspector Morton came in to arrest him on charges of murder. Thus Watson brought Smith to Holmes and made way for the arrest.

Paragraph Question & Answer Additional

Question 1.
Describe Sherlock Holmes as the dying detective.
Answer:
Mrs.Hudson the landlady of Holmes told Watson that Holmes of was dying of a dreadful disease, he had contracted from Rotherhithe while working on a case. He had been sinking for three days without eating or drinking. He could not allow any doctor to take care of him. His face was gaunt, his eyes had the brightness of fever and his cheeks were flushed. His hands twitched all the time and he was listless. The disease being contagious, he did not even allow Watson, his close friend and a doctor to come close to him.

He only wanted Culverton Smith who had the knowledge of Eastern disease to treat him. He pretended to be sick in order to bring out the truth behind the murder of Victor Savage. While Culverton Smith was in conservation with Holmes regarding the death of Victor Savage, Holmes pleaded with Culverton Smith to cure him. Smith heard about the box and tried to take it away as it was the last evidence to prove the murder. Meanwhile the police arrest Smith on charges of murder. Thus the dying detective successfully pretends to bring out the truth behind the murder.

Vocabulary

C. Complete the following sentences by choosing the correct options given.

1. Niteesh bought a ………………. (knew / new) cricket bat.
Answer:
new

2. The shepherd ……………… (herd / heard) the cry of his sheep.
Answer:
heard

3. Lakshmi completed her baking ……………… (course / coarse) successfully.
Answer:
course

4. Priya has broken her …………………. (four / fore) limbs.
Answer:
fore

5. Leaders of the world must work towards the (peace/piece) of human race.
Answer:
peace

Use the given examples and make sentences of your own. Commonly confused words.

1. My friend had brought many things from his native place.
2. My grandfather had bought a pair of spectacles from the shop.
3. Bad weather affected the health of the people.
4. Some bacteria have good effects on the human system.

D. Complete the tabular column by finding the meaning of both the words given in the boxes. Use them in sentences of your own.

Listening

E. Listen to the story and answer the questions given below.

Question 1.
Where does this story take place?
(a) in a bakery
(b) at the police station
(c) in Ms. Gervis’ house
(d) in Ms. Gervis’ apartment
Answer:
(d) in Ms. Gervis’ apartment

Dying Detective Question 2.
Near the beginning of the story, “Ms. Gervis’ eyes are full of tears. Her hands are shaking.” How does Ms. Gervis probably feel?
(a) She is upset
(b) She is tired
(c) She is hungry
(d) She is confused
Answer:
(a) She is upset

Question 3.
What makes the detective sure that the robber did not come through the windows?
(a) The windows are locked
(b) The windows face the police station.
(c) The windows have not been used in months.
(d) The windows are too small for a person to fit through.
Answer:
(c) The windows have not been used in months

Question 4.
What else was stolen from the apartment?
(a) crystal
(b) jewelry
(c) money
(d) nothing
Answer:
(d) nothing

Question 5.
“And the robber definitely did not use the front door.” Which is the best way to rewrite this sentence?
(a) “And the robber may not have used the front door.”
(b) “And the robber probably did not use the front door.”
(c) “And the robber was not able to use the front door.”
(d) “And the robber certainly did not use the front door.”
Answer:
(b) “And the robber probably did not use the front door”

Question 6.
What does Ms. Gervis do with her cakes?
(a) She eats them
(b) She sells them
(c) She hides them
(d) She gives them away
Answer:
(d) She gives them away

Question 7.
What does the detective seem to think will happen if he solves the mystery?
(a) Ms. Gervis will start baking cakes again
(b) Ms. Gervis will bake him extra cakes
(c) Ms. Gervis will give him her secret recipe
(d) Ms. Gervis will give him money and jewels
Answer:
(a) Ms. Gervis will start baking cakes again

Question 8.
Do you like mysteries? What is your favorite kind of story? Explain.
Answer:
I like mysteries which are not dangerous and frightening. The stores like what we have read just now is good to listen with no negative or criminal mind at work. Stories, where boys try to hunt he treasure and land themselves in mysterious surrounding, search for the treasure with a lot of difficulty for a long time and finally succeed are interesting to read.

Speaking

F. Exercise

Question 1.
Present the review of a movie that you have watched recently.
Answer:
Good Morning Friends. Recently I watched the movie TITANIC. I was thrilled to see the size of the ship that was built in such a way that it would not sink. The interiors and all the advanced and aristocratic machinery used, attracted my attention. Unfortunately, it strikes an iceberg and sinks. Many get killed and the only survivor is an old lady, who narrates the entire story of the ship and she was a passenger when she was around twenty years. They have taken great efforts to make the movie which was a real incident.

Question 2.
Give the review of a book that has interested you a lot.
Answer:
I enjoyed reading, Shakespeare’s “Merchant of Venice”. The way the playwright uses disguise to make the story interesting. The value of friendship is also a highlight here. How each friend helps the other at the time of need and how Portia disguised as a lawyer to save Antonio who had helped them by borrowing money, from Shylock. Shakespeare employs clever argument through Portia who saves Antonio by telling that he could take a pound of flesh from Antonio’s body without shedding a drop of Christian blood. And then Shylock realises his mistake. That is a good story, which teaches one not to be greedy.

Question 3.
Review an event which your school has hosted recently.
Answer:
Recently our school hosted an inter-school cultural event. About 20 schools from the city participated in many competitions conducted on stage and off stage. It proved to be a platform to show case the talents of students from various schools. We enjoyed watching various performances.

Reading

G. Match the following.

Answers:

1. c
2. e
3. d
4. a
5. b

H. State whether the given statements are true or false. If false correct the statements.

1. Mathew is a very busy man.
2. He woke up very late in the morning.
3. He always had lunch with his family.
Correct Statement: He always had lunch with Lalli and Lolly.
4. He exercised with Louise every day.
Correct Statement: He exercised with Basky every day.
5. He preferred handling mail by himself.
Correct Statement: He preferred handling mail with Louise.
Answers:
1. True
2. True
3. False
4. False
5. False

I. Create a pamphlet for the following

Question 1.
Make a pamphlet on ‘Dengue Awareness’ (Focus on its causes, preventions, symptoms and precautions).
Answer:

Question 2.
Make an attractive pamphlet for your school’s Fair organised for raising funds for (any) relief (Specify the date, time, types of stalls and the reasons for the fair).
Answer:

Question 3.
Make a pamplet on the latest gadgets (Mention the variety of models, uses, need and avability).
Answer:

J. Write a letter of enquiry for the following

Question 1.
You are a librarian in a newly established school. Write a letter to the book dealer inquiring about the list of newly arrived English children’s story books and various subject books relevant to 10-14 age groups.
Answer:

Question 2.
Venkat hails from a remote village of Kancheepuram district, Tamil Nadu who inspires to become an IAS officer. currently, he is in x. He notices an advertisement on free classes for the IAS aspirants by a trust in a newspaper. He writes a letter to the coordinator of the trust inquiring for further details.
Answer:

Question 3.
Write a letter to the head of the BSNL office enquiring regarding the internet broadband scheme launched recently.
Answer:

A. Transform of the following sentences

Question 1.
On seeing the teacher, the children stood up. (into Complex)
Answer:
When the children saw the teacher, they stood up.

Question 2.
At the age of six, Varsha started learning music, (into Complex)
Answer:
Varsha started learning music when she was six years old.

Question 3.
As Varun is a voracious reader, he buys a lot of books, (into Simple)
Answer:
Varun, being a voracious reader, buys a lot of books.

Question 4.
4. Walk carefully lest you will fall down, (into Complex)
Answer:
Unless you walk carefully, you will fall down.

Question 5.
Besides being a dancer, she is a singer, (into Compound)
Answer:
RASI She is both a dancer and a singer.

Question 6.
He is sick but he attends the rehearsal, (into Simple)
Answer:
In spite of being sick he attends the rehearsal.

Question 7.
If Meena reads more, she will become proficient in the language, (into Compound)
Answer:
ESI Meena must read more otherwise she will not become proficient. (or)
Meena should read more and then only she will become proficient.

Question 8.
He confessed that he was guilty, (into Simple)
Answer:
He confessed his guilt.

Question 9.
The boy could not attend the special classes due to his mothers illness, (into Compound)
Answer:
The boy’s mother was sick and so he could not attend the special classes.

Question 10.
He followed my suggestion, (into Complex)
Answer:
He followed what I suggested.

B. Combine the pairs of sentences below into simple, complex and compound.

Question 1.
Radha was ill. She was not hospitalised.
Answer:
Simple: Being ill Radha was hospitalised.
Complex: As Radha was ill she was hospitalised.
Compound: Radha was ill and so she was hospitalised.

Question 2.
The students were intelligent. They could answer the questions correctly.
Answer:
Simple: The intelligent students could answer the questions correctly.
Complex: The students, who were intelligent, could answer the questions correctly.
Compound: The students were intelligent and so they could answer the questions correctly

Question 3.
I must get a visa. I can travel abroad
Answer:
Simple: I must get a visa to travel abroad.
Complex: If I get a visa, I can travel abroad.
Compound: I must get a visa then only I can travel abroad

Question 4.
I saw a tiger it was wounded.
Answer:
Simple: I saw a wounded tiger.
Complex: I saw a tiger which was wounded.
Compound: I saw a tiger it was wounded.

Question 5.
There was a bandh. The shops remained closed.
Answer:
Simple: The shops remained closed due to bandh.
Complex: since there was a bandh the shops remained closed.
Compound: There was a bandh and so the shops remained closed

The Dying Detective BY Arthur Conan Doyle

sir Arthur Conan Doyle (1859 – 1930) was a British detective fiction writer featuring the character of Sherlock Holmes. Doyle has written over forty-six such short stories, the notable works include “Stories of Sherlock Holmes” and “The Lost World”.

The Dying Detective Key Points

• Dr. Watson, the narrator is informed of Mr. Holmes’ serious illness by Mrs. Hudson, Holmes’ Landlady.
• Holmes contracts the deadly and contagious disease Formosa plague from the Chinese sailors while at work at Rotherhithe.
• Holmes doesn’t allow even a doctor in to cure him. Starves for three days and looks deathly ill.
• Watson offers to bring Dr. Ainstree but Holmes only locks the door and keeps Watson in for two hours – till 6 O’clock to get the only person – Culverton Smith, of 13 Lower Burke Street – who knows all about the deadly disease.
• Watson meets Inspector Morton who enquires about Holmes sickness.
• Watson goes to Smith’s house,
• Watson pleads with Smith to save Holmes.
• On hearing about Holmes, Smith readily goes to meet him.
• Watson leaves on a pretext of an appointment.
• Smith meets Holmes who knew that he alone had a high knowledge of Eastern Diseases.
• Smith, informs Holmes of Victor’s death due to the same disease on the fourth day.
• Holmes is sure that Smith was behind victor’s death. But Smith is sure none could prove it.
• Holmes, unable to recall incidents pleads with Smith to cure him.
• Smith questions whether he received any box by post. Holmes accepts he got a box with a spring that drew blood.
• Smith tries his level best to take away the last piece of evidence the box, and tells it isn’t a joke but it is deathly and Holmes would die of it.
• But Holmes asks Smith to save him.
• Holmes asks him to light the gas to see him better.
• Smith comes to know that Holmes has acted very well by starving for 3 days and seeming sick.
• In the meantime, Inspector Mortan arrives to arrest Smith on the charges of murder of Victor.
• Thus Holmes plays the role of a dying detective, in identifying Smith as the murderer of Victor Savage

The Dying Detective Summary

The narrator Mr. Watson is informed by Mr. Holmes’ landlady that Holmes is seriously ill. He has contracted a deadly contagious disease, Formosa plague from the Chinese sailors while at work at Rotherhithe. Everyone expresses shock over his illness including Inspector Morton who meets Watson and enquires about Holmes.

Holmes starves for three days without food and water and looks deathly pale. He does not permit even a doctor to come close to him. Watson offers to help Holmes but he refuses and doesn’t even want Dr. Ainstree to be brought.

Holmes locks the door and asks Watson to wait for two hours. In the mean time he asks him to read. Unable to read, Watson walks around to find a small black and white ivory box with sliding lid. But Holmes does not permit him even to touch it.

After some time, Holmes asks him to put his money in the watch pocket and light the gas only half on. He asks Watson to place some papers within Holmes’ reach, before Watson leaves to bring Mr. Culverton Smith of 13 Lower Burke Street, who according to Holmes, is the only highly knowledgeable person about Eastern Diseases.

Overhearing Mr. Culverton Smith telling his butler that he was not here, Watson rushes to plead with Smith to save Holmes. As soon as Smith heard the name of Holmes he rushes to visit him Waston goes away on a pretext of an appointment. Holmes meets Mr. Smith and informs him that he knows everything about the symptoms of the disease. Mr. Smith also speaks of Victor Savage who died of the same disease on the fourth day.

But Holmes insists that it was only Smith who killed him. But Smith is sure it can’t be proved. As Holmes pleads with Smith to cure him, Smith asks Holmes whether he received a box by post. Holmes said he received a box with a spring that sucked blood and it was a joke. Smith clearly states that it wasn’t a joke and that in spite of knowing so much about Victor’s death he shouldn’t have crossed Smith’s path and added Holmes death was near.

Holmes asks Smith to turn up the gas to have a better look at him, and Smith is shocked to see Holmes who admits that he was only acting all the while. Footsteps are heard by the narrator and inspector Morton arrests Smith on charges of murder.

Holmes apologises to Watson for having undermined his capabilities as a doctor. He did it only to bring in Smith who had killed his nephew. He wanted to kill Holmes, too to avoid imprisonment. Holmes gets ready to have nutritious food at Simpsons’ and thanks Watson.

The Dying Detective Glossary

advancing – moving forward
aroused – awaken
bald – without hair
bolted – closed the door with a latch
bulter – waiter
coincidence – instance of things happening at the same time
Confidence – self-trust
contagious – spreading of a disease from one person to another
crowns – former British coins
dejection – sadness
delirious – disturbed state of mind
dreadful – fearful appearance
evidence – proof
flushed – become red in the face
frail – weak and delicate
gaunt – lean, because of suffering or age
groaned – made a painful noise
hesitant – slow to act or speak
horrified – filled with shock or fear
ignorant – not knowing facts
listless – lacking energy
mental piece – a structure of wood above a fireplace
persuade – force
plague – a contagions bacterial disease
plead – beg
pretending – acting
startled – felt sudden shock or alarm
stipulated – within limit
scuffle – to have a sudden short fight
symptoms – signs
tongs – a device with two long pieces free at one
twitched – give sudden jerking movement

Tamilnadu Board Class 10 English Solutions

Tamilnadu State Board Class 9 English Solutions Supplementary Chapter 5 Little Cyclone: The Story of a Grizzly Cub

Vocabulary

A. use the following phrases in sentences of your own.

1. earn one’s name – make a name for oneself.
She earned her name in politics, as a powerful leader.

2. in the rear of – at the back of.
Harry was sitting in the rear of seat of his car.

3. to see one fight – to struggle to get through something.
I can see him fighting for his right to vote.

4. devoid of – lacking in.
This apartment is devoid of all comforts.

5. air and manner – to behave in a way that does not show how you really feel.
Audy assumed an air and manner of indifference, whenever her name was mentioned.

6. quick as a flash – very quickly.
He was at her side as quick as a flash.

7. in wild haste – rapidly.
It is very important that decisions are not taken in wild haste.

8. make a pass – make advances to someone.
Men seldom make passes at girls who wear glasses.

B. Now refer a dictionary and find idioms on the following animals, birds and insects. Learn their meanings and share what you have learnt with your class. Try to frame illustrative sentences with those idioms. Find opportunities to use them in your everyday conversations.

1. lion – get the lion’s share – get the greatest percentage.
My aunt got the lion’s share of the inheritance.

2. mouse – as poor as a church mouse – very poor.
My cousin is as poor as a church mouse and never has any money to spend.

3. parrot – as sick as a parrot – To be thoroughly displeased.
Tim was as sick as a parrot to be separated from my family.

4. fox – as sly as a fox – smart and clever.
The manager of our apartment is as sly as a fox.

5. hawk – watching like a hawk – watching something very, very closely.
I’m watching you like a hawk.

6. Snake – nurse a snake in one’s bosom – look after.
I have nursed a snake in my bosom all these years.

7. monkey – I’ll be a monkey’s uncle – I’m very surprised.
Well, I’ll be a monkey’s uncle. I never thought I’d pass that test.

8. dog – dog days – very hot days.
I slept in the basement during the dog days of August.

9. snail – At a snail’s pace – Moving very slowly.
Traffic is moving at a snail’s pace.

10. bee – make a beeline for – go quickly and directly to somebody or something.
My grand mother made a beeline for the food as soon as she arrived

C. Based on your reading, answer the following questions in a paragraph of about 100-150 words each.

Little Cyclone the Story of a Grizzly Cub Question 1.
Describe the appearance of Little Cyclone.
Little Cyclone the Story of a Grizzly Cub Questions and Answer: Little Cyclone is a grizzly cub from Alaska. He earned his name by the vigour of his resistance to ill-treatment. He was a curious and amusing little cub. It had fluffy hair, two big black eyes which sparkled like jet beads, short and fat nose and high shoulders. But his claws were strong and dangerous and he had a truly grizzly spirit. He did not show any fear to its opponents. He was bom full of courage and devoid of all sense of fear. He was a queer looking gray fellow with a broad head. He could fight any other bear on three seconds’ notice.

Question 2.
What does the fight Little Cyclone and his brother put up, tell you about the nature of grizzly bears?
Answer:
Grizzly bears are bom full of courage and devoid of all sense of fear. Little cyclone is a grizzly cub from Alaska. He earned his name by the vigour of his resistance to ill treatment. When his mother was fired at, on a timbered hillside, he and his brother ran away as fast as their short and thick legs could carry them. When they came back,they thought their mother was sleeping. They cuddled up close against her warm body and slept peacefully until morning.

They were awakened by the rough grasp of human hands. Bravely, they bit, scratched and cried aloud with anger. His brother made a fight so fierce and terrible that his nervous captor let him go. Although, Little Cyclone fought just as desperately, his captor seized him by his hind legs, dragged him backwards and bound him. This fight of the grizzly bears proves their strength and grit. They do not wish to be cowed down or dominated by their opponents.

Little Cyclone the Story of a Grizzly Cub Mind Map Question 3.
“If any of you fellows think there is anything coming to you from me, come and take (t”. How did Little Cyclone prove this?
Answer:
When Little Cyclone’s travelling box was opened, he found himself free in the Bear Nursery at New York. He walked stiffly with pride to the centre of the stage, halted and calmly looked about him. His air and manner said as plainly as English, “I’m a grizzly from Alaska, and I’ve come to stay. If any of you fellows think there is anything coming to you from me, come and take it’. Usually a new comer would be badly scared during his first day in the Nursery and very timid during the next. But grizzlies are different. They are born full of courage and devoid of all sense of fear.

Naturally, it is a good test of courage and temper to turn a new bear into that roistering crowd. But Little Cyclone was fearless and quick in attacking his opponents on three seconds’ notice.

Question 4.
Describe the confrontation between Little Czar and Little Cyclone.
Answer:
Little Czar was a very cheeky and impertinent bear. But it was a good-natured European brown bear. He walked to Little Cyclone and aimed a sample blow at Cyclone’s left ear. Quick as a flash, outshot Cyclone’s right paw, as only a grizzly can strike and caught the would-be hazer on the side of the head. Amazed and confused, Czar fled in wild haste. Next Cyclone also attacked a black bear cub, who made a pass at the newcomer and made him to quit the field.

Little Cyclone carefully and meticulously met every attack, real or faked, that was made upon him. All the bears in the Nursery understood that Little Cyclone can fight any other bear on three seconds’ notice. He could also strike anyone hard and quickly.

Paragraph : Additional Questions

Question 1.
Describe the Bear’s Nursery and how did Little Cyclone managed there?
Answer:
The Bears’ Nursery at New York Zoological Park is a big yard with a shade tree, a tree to climb, a swimming pool, three sleeping dens and a rock cliff. It never contains fewer than six cubs and sometimes eight. Naturally, it is a good test of courage and temper to turn a new bear into that roistering crowd. Usually a new comer is badly scared and timid during his first and second day in Nursery. But Little Cyclone was different. He was courageous and devoid of all sense of fear.

He walked stiffly with pride to the centre of the stage, halted and calmly looked about him. He didn’t show any fear when Little Czar and a black bear cub attacked him, quickly he gave them hard blow. All the bears understood that on three seconds’ notice, he could fight any other bear.

Question 2.
How did the captor seized Little Cyclone and what happened after that?
Answer:
When Little Cyclone and his brother were grasped by the human hands, they fought bravely to escape from their captors. His brother escaped but Little Cyclone was seized by the hind legs, dragged him backwards, occasionally swung him around his head, and kept him engaged until ropes were obtained for binding him. When he was chained and established with a collar, the captor tried to dig him with a long pole to see him fight. Barely in time to save him from that madness, Little Cyclone was rescued by the friendly hands of the Zoological Society’s field agent, placed in a comfortable box, freed from all annoyance and shipped to New York.

Question 3.
Describe the Cyclone’s meticulous way of attacking its opponents.
Answer:
When Little Czar aimed a sample blow at him quick as a flash, outshot Cyclone’s right paw and caught the would-be hazer on the side of the head. When a black bear made a pass at him, he gave a hard blow at him, who quit the field and scrambled to the top of the cliff. Cyclone carefully and meticulously met every attack real or faked that was made upon him.

In less than an hour, it was understood by every bear in the Nursery that the queer-looking gray cub with broad head and short nose could strike quick and hard and that he could fight any other bear on three seconds’ notice. From that time on, cyclone’s position has been assured. He was treated with respect, but Cyclone being a dignified grizzly, he never had a fight with anyone.

D. Telling the Story Again.

Little Cyclone was a grizzly cub from __________ (i) ___________. earned his name __________ (ii) _________. When his mother was fired at, they ____________ .(iii) ___________. The next day at sunrise the two orphans found themselves at _____________ (iv) _____________ .One of them escaped ____________ (v) _____________. So the captor let him go. But the other cub was ____________ (vi) ___________ and taken to the ___________ (vii) ___________ at New York. The Zoological Park had _____________ (Viii) _____________ . Usually a newcomer is badly scared on his first day but ______________ (ix) ______________. When the box was opened he stood up with courage __________(x) ____________.  Cyclone courageously met every __________________ (xi) ___________ In less than an hour, all the other bears understood _________ (xii) ____________. From then on Little Cyclone’s position was _____________ (xiii) _____________.
Answer:
(i) Alaska, who
(ii) by the vigour of his resistance to ill-treatment.
(iii) ran away as fast as their stumpy legs could carry them.
(iv) the rough grasp of human hands.
(v) after a fierce and terrible fight,
(vi) seized
(vii) Zoological Park
(viii) Bears’ Nursery.
(ix) grizzly bears are different
(x) and walked stiffly with pride to the center of the stage, halted and calmly looked about him.
(xi) attack real or faked.
(xii) that Cyclone could strike quick and hard and fight any other bear on three seconds’notice.
(xiii) assured with respect and dignity.

E. Choose the correct answer.

Question 1.
Little Cyclone is a grizzly cub who earned his name by his ____________.
(a) appearance and behaviour.
(b) viguor of resistance to ill-treatment.
(c) speed and courage.
(d) escape from a cyclone.
Answer:
(b) vigour of resistance to ill-treatment

Question 2.
The nervous captor let one bear go because ____________.
(a) he was afraid of bears.
(b) he did not have proper equipment to seize him.
(c) he bear fought so fiercly.
(d) the bear escaped and ran away.
Answer:
(c) the bear fought so fiercly

Question 3.
Little Cyclone was rescued by the ____________.
(a) members of the Blue Cross.
(b) friendly hands of the Zoological Society.
(c) members of the National Zoo.
(d) volunteers from New York.
Answer:
(b) friendly hands of the Zoological Society

Question 4.
Little Czar was a ____________.
(a) good natured European brown bear.
(b) grizzly cub from Alaska.
(c) furry little Polar bear.
(d) North American black bear.
Answer:
(a) good natured European brown bear

Question 5.
Little Cyclone will fight any other bear in ____________.
(a) 10 minutes’ notice.
(b) 15 minutes’ notice.
(c) 03 seconds’ notice.
(d) 10 seconds’ notice.
Answer:
(c) 03 seconds’ notice

Mcqs – Additional

Complete The Following By Choosing The Correct Answer From The Options Given:

Question 1.
Little Cyclone is a grizzly cub from ____________.
(a) London
(b) Alaska
(c) America
(d) Europe
Answer:
(b) Alaska

Question 2.
He earned his name by the vigour of his resistance to ____________.
(a) bad friends
(b) ill health
(c) ill-treatment
(d) good behavior
Answer :
(c) ill treatment

Question 3.
____________ they bit and scratched and bawled aloud with rage.
(a) Bravely
(b) Softly
(c) Fiercely
(d) Valiantly
Answer:
(d) Valiantly

Question 4.
He was at that time as droll and roguish-looking a grizzly cub as ever ___________.
(a) met
(b) come across
(c) stepped
(d) fought
Answer:
(c) stepped

Question 5.
It never contains fewer than six cubs and sometimes ____________.
(a) nine
(b) seven
(c) ten
(d) eight
Answer:
(d) eight

Question 6.
They are bom, full of courage and devoid of all sense of ____________.
(a) fear
(b) joy
(c) happiness
(d) strength
Answer:
(a) fear

Question 7.
Little Czar was a very saucy, ____________ but European brown bear cub.
(a) soft natured
(b) good-natured
(c) short
(d) sturdy
Answer:
(b) good-natured

Question 8.
Amazed and confounded, Czar fled in a wild ____________.
(a) haste
(b) scream
(c) rush
(d) manner
Answer:
(a) haste

Describe the appearance of Little Cyclone Question 9. Cyclone conscientiously met every ____________.
(a) stroke
(b) attack
(c) beat
(d) person
Answer:
(b) attack

Question 10.
He attacks no one and never has had a ____________.
(a) talk
(b) grumble
(c) fight
(d) complain
Answer:
(c) fight

Identify The Character / Speaker – Additional

1. They are born full of courage.
2. “I’ve come to stay”.

Answers:

1. The grizzly bear cub
2. Little Cyclone

Short Questions And Answers: Additional

Question 1.
How did Little Cyclone earn his name?
Answer:
He earned his name by the vigour of his resistance to ill-treatment.

Question 2.
What happened when his mother was fired at?
Answer:
When his mother was fired at, he and his brother ran away as fast as their short, thick legs could carry them.

Question 3.
Who tried to capture them?
Answer:
The two orphans were awakened by the rough grasp of the human hands.

Question 4.
How did the bears confront their captors?
Answer:
Bravely they bit, scratched and cried aloud with rage, when the captors tried to seize them.

Question 5.
Who rescued Little Cyclone?
Answer:
He was rescued by the friendly hands of the Zoological Society’s field agent.

Little Cyclone the Story of a Grizzly Cub Lesson Plan Question 6.
Where was Little Cyclone taken?
Answer:
He was shipped to New York and was handed over to the Bear’s Nursery.

Question 7.
How are grizzlies different?
Answer:
They are born full of courage and devoid of all sense of fear.

Question 8.
Who was Little Czar?
Answer:
He was a very cheeky and impertinent bear. But a good-natured European brown bear.

Question 9.
Describe the appearance of the black bear cub. What did it do to Little Cyclone?
Answer:
The black bear cub was twice the size of Little Cyclone. He made a pass at Cyclone and received a fierce blow instantly.

Question 10.
How did Little Cyclone meet every attack?
Answer:
Little Cyclone met every attack, real or faked, that was made upon him, very carefully and meticulously.

Little Cyclone: The Story of a Grizzly CubTextual Activities

Warm Up

Work with a partner and discuss the following questions. Share your views with the class.

Question 1.
Why are some animals endangered?
Answer:
Some animals are endangered because of threats from changing environments or predators.

Question 2.
Why do wild animals from the forest often enter the human living spaces?
Answer:
Wild animals from the forests often enter the human living spaces because they are losing their natural habitat.

Question 3.
Are animals happy in wild life rehabilitation centres?
Answer:
No, they are not happy in wildlife rehabilitation centres.

The Story of a Grizzly Cub Question 4.
Can a rehab animal survive in the wild?
Answer:
No, their chances of survival are often less.

Question 5.
How many types of bear do you think are there living in the world today?
Answer:
Today there are only eight species of bears in the world.

Little Cyclone: The Story of a Grizzly Cub by William Temple Hornaday

William Temple Hornaday was born on 1st December 1854, in Avon, Indiana United States. He was an American Zoologist, conservationist, taxidermist and author. He served as the first director of the New York Zoological Park, known today as the Bronx Zoo and he was pioneer in the early wildlife conservation movement in the United States. During his life time, he published many books and articles on the need for conservation of wildlife, some, of his famous books are Awake America, old – Fashioned verses, ‘Our Vanishing wildlife!’‘The American Natural History and Two years in the Jungle’.

Little Cyclone: The Story of a Grizzly Cub Summary

Little Cyclone is a grizzly cub from Alaska, who earned his name by the vigour of his resistance to ill-treatment. When his mother was fired at, on a timbered hillside facing Chilkat River, he and his brother ran away as fast as their stumpy legs could carry them. When they crept, where they had last seen her, they thought that she was asleep. They cuddled up close against her warm body and slept peacefully until morning.

The two orphans were awakened by the rough grasp of human hands. They made a fierce fight to save themselves from these captors. His brother escaped but Little Cyclone was seized by them. He was bound by ropes. When he was saved by the friendly hands of the Zoological Society’s field agent, placed in a comfortable box, freed from all annoyance and shipped to New York.

He was at that time as curious and amusing roguish looking cub as ever stepped. It had fluffy hair, two big black eyes, which sparkled like jet beads and short fat nose. But his claws were strong and dangerous and he had a true grizzly spirit. The Bears’ Nursery at the New York Zoological Park was a big yard with a shade tree to climb, a swimming pool, three sleeping dens and a rock cliff. Six to eight cubs can be accommodated into that Nursery.

Usually a new comer would be scared and timid on the first day. But grizzlies are different. They are bom full of courage and devoid of all sense of fear. He walked stiffly with pride and found himself free in the Nursery. When Little Czar, cheeky but good-natured European brown bear, aimed a sample blow at Cy-clone’s left ear, Cyclone quickly struck him on the side of his head. Amazed and confused, the Little Czar fled away. Next, a black bear cub who made a pass at the new comer, was struck by Cyclone. So every bear in the nursery understood that Cyclone could fight any other bear on three seconds’ notice. From that time, he was treated with respect. But he was a fine spirited, dignified little grizzly and never attacked anyone.

Little Cyclone: The Story of a Grizzly Cub Main characters

1. Cyclone, the grizzly bear hub
2. Little czar, the European brown bear.
3. A Black bear cub.
4. Two captors.

Little Cyclone: The Story of a Grizzly Cub Mind map

Little Cyclone: The Story of a Grizzly Cub Glossary

Tamilnadu Board Class 9 English Solutions

Tamilnadu State Board Class 9 English Solutions Prose Chapter 4 Seventeen Oranges

Seventeen Oranges In-Text Questions

Question.
Where did the narrator work?
Answer:
The narrator worked at the Swift Delivery Company.

Seventeen Oranges Solutions Question.
What was the narrator’s job in the docks?
Answer:
The narrator’s job was to drive a little pony-and-cart in and out of the docks.

Question.
What was Clem Jones carrying in the box?
Answer:
Clem Jones was carrying a cat in the box.

Question.
What happened when the box was opened?
Answer:
When the box was opened, a ship’s cat jumped out and ran back into the docks.

Question.
Did the narrator believe Clem’s story?
Answer:
The narrator believed Clem’s story.

Question.
What was the narrator carrying in his pockets?
Answer:
The narrator was carrying seventeen oranges in his pockets.

Question.
Who is Pongo?
Answer:
Pongo is a policeman.

Question.
Why did Pongo want to bring another policeman?
Answer:
Pongo wanted to bring another policeman to get a witness for the case.

Question.
What did the voice in the narrator’s head tell him to do?
Answer:
The voice in the head told him to eat all the seventeen oranges.

Question.
Why did the policemen arrive a little late to the cabin?
Answer:
The policemen had seen some carts at the dock gate. They went and talked to the drivers. So they were late to the cabin.

Question.
What did the narrator do with the pips and peels?
Answer:
He swallowed the pips and the peels.

A. From your reading of the text, choose the correct answers from the options given below.

Question 1.
The narrator was very fond of ____________.
(a) reading detective stories.
(b) driving a pony-and-cart.
(c) eating oranges
(d) munching away at something.
Answer:
(c) eating oranges

Question 2.
The narrator was searched by the policeman, because ____________.
(a) the oranges could be smelt
(b) he was singing songs
(c) he was carrying a box
(d) his pockets were bulging
Answer:
(d) his pockets were bulging

Question 3.
The narrator kept his mouth shut when questioned by Pongo, because ____________ .
(a) anything said would be held as evidence against him
(b) the oranges would fall out
(c) he did not steal the oranges
(d) he was scared of Pongo
Answer:
(a) anything said would be held as evidence against him

Question 4.
The voice in the narrator’s head advised him to _____________ .
(a) confess the truth to Pongo
(b) eat all the oranges
(c) deny his guilt
(d) hide all the oranges
Answer:
(b) eat all the oranges

Question 5.
Pongo found no trace of the oranges on the table, because ____________ .
(a) Pongo’s mate had stolen them
(b) all the oranges were sold
(c) the narrator had eaten them all
(d) they disappeared mysteriously.
Answer:
(c) the narrator had eaten them all

MCQs – Additional

Complete the following by choosing the correct answer from the options given.

Question 1.
The narrator was driving a little pony-and-cart for ____________ .
(a) Ralph company
(b) Swift Delivery company
(c) Clem’s company
(d) Pongo’s company
Answer:
(b) Swift Delivery company

Question 2.
Clem Jones was a ____________ planner.
(a) careless
(b) careful
(c) irresponsible
(d) senseless
Answer:
(b) careful

Question 3.
Clem replied to the policeman that if he opened the box, the cat will ____________ .
(a) get scared
(b) scream
(c) run away
(d) jump on him
Answer:
(c) run away

Question 4.
The cat ran back into the ____________.
(a) box
(b) cart
(c) kitchen
(d) docks
Answer:
(d) docks

Question 5.
Clem opened the box in the kitchen and took out a ____________ .
(a) small bottle
(b) large Dutch cheese
(c) big orange
(d) glass
Answer:
(b) large Dutch cheese

Question 6.
Two minutes later, Clem came back with ____________ .
(a) another box
(b) an empty box
(c) the same box
(d) a bag
Answer:
(c) the same box

Question 7.
Pongo looked everywhere for the ____________ .
(a) apples
(b) biscuits
(c) flowers
(d) oranges
Answer:
(d) oranges

B. Answer the following questions briefly in one or two sentences.

Question 1.
Why did the narrator call Clem Jones a careful planner?
Answer:
Clem Jones planned a theft carefully and executed it well.

Question 2.
What was Clem Jones carrying in the box during his second attempt?
Answer:
Clem Jones was carrying a large Dutch cheese in the box during his second attempt.

Question 3.
Why did the policeman suspect the narrator?
Answer:
The police man caught the narrator red-handed because the string of the narrator’s apron broke and the cop noticed that the narrator’s pockets were bulging.

Question 4.
What did Pongo consider as evidence against the narrator?
Answer:
The policeman considered the seventeen oranges as evidence against the narrator.

Question 5.
How did the narrator feel when he was alone in Pongo’s cabin?
Answer:
When the narrator was locked in the cabin, he lost hope in life and felt afraid that he would lose his job.

Question 6.
What did the narrator do to get rid of the evidence?
Answer:
The narrator ate all the oranges to get rid of the evidence.

Question 7.
What did Pongo do when he found no oranges on the table?
Answer:
Pongo looked everywhere for the oranges. He looked in the narrator’s pockets and in his apron. He became angry and shouted at the narrator.

Question 8.
Why were the policemen not able to bring any charges against the narrator?
Answer:
As there was no evidence left against the narrator, the policemen were not able to bring any charges against the narrator.

Question 9.
How did the narrator feel after eating seventeen oranges?
Answer:
The narrator felt sick for a week and the oranges kept working away in his stomach.

Question 10.
What happened to the narrator’s love for oranges after the incident?
Answer:
He was never crazy for oranges after that incident.

Short Questions and Answers : Additional

Question 1.
What do you know about the narrator’s love for oranges?
Seventeen Oranges Questions and Answer:
The narrator loved oranges so much that he could eat a number of oranges continuously. He even stole oranges due to his love for them.

Question 2.
What kind of a job did the narrator do at the docks?
Answer:
The narrator used to work at a shipyard, carrying fruits and other goods to the docks in his pony cart.

Question 3.
Can you call the narrator a thief in the ordinary sense? Why or why not?
Answer:
No, in fact the narrator was not a thief in the ordinary sense. An ordinary thief steals for a living but the narrator stole for enjoyment. Unlike the thief, he didn’t resort to threat or violence to steal things.

Seventeen Oranges Question 4.
What were the narrator’s ways of ‘taking’ bananas and other fruits from the ships?
Answer:
When there was a banana boat in the docks, he would drive his little cart beside it. When some loose bunches fell to the ground, he would grab them. Often some of his friends would kick a bunch from the boat. He would pick them also and hid them under his apron.

Question 5.
How did the narrator carry the stolen things from the docks?
Answer:
The narrator carried the stolen things by keeping them in his apron.

Question 6.
Who was Clem Jones? How smart a thief was he?
Answer:
Clem Jones was one of the narrator’s friends who worked with him at the dock. Clem was amazingly smart about stealing things from the docks and boats that , he easily fooled policemen with his cunning plans.

Question 7.
Why did Clem look angrily at Pongo when he returned with his box the second time?
Answer:
When Clem Jones returned with the box of cheese, he looked angrily at the policeman Pongo to make the policeman feel guilty of his previous act of opening the box, in which the cat was kept inside. By making Pongo feel guilty, Clem was able to avoid any more security check and thus was able to steal a large Dutch Cheese.

Question 8.
How was the narrator caught with the seventeen oranges?
Answer:
The policeman caught the narrator red-handed because the narrator’s apron string broke. The policeman also noticed that the narrator’s trouser pockets were some what bulging.

Question 9.
What kind of an example did Pongo want to make by catching the narrator? Why did he say that the narrator was the unlucky one?
Answer:
Pongo wanted to set an example for the rest of the employees at the dock, about the necessity of being honest and the punishment for stealing anything from the dock.

Question 10.
What did Pongo do to the narrator at last?
Answer:
Pongo let the narrator go. He was angry and shouted at him as he could not see any evidence.

C. Answer the following in about 80-100 words.

Question 1.
Narrate the clever strategy followed by Clem Jones to deceive Pongo.
Answer:
Clem Jones was one of the narrator’s friends who worked with him at the dock. Clem was amazingly smart about stealing things from the docks and boats that he easily fooled the policemen with his great cunningness. Once, he carried a box and came out of the docks. The cop Pongo stopped him and investigated about the box. Clem told that it had a cat. The cop insisted on opening it. When Clem did so, a ship’s cat jumped off and escaped into the docks. When Clem Jones returned with the box of cheese, he looked angrily at the policeman Pongo to make the policeman feel guilty of his previous act of opening the box, in which the cat was kept inside. By making Pongo feel guilty, Clem was able to avoid any more security check and thus was able to steal a large Dutch Cheese.

Question 2.
Describe the confrontation between the narrator and Pongo.
Answer:
The narrator used to work at a shipyard, carrying fruits and other goods to the docks in his pony cart. The narrator loved oranges so much that he could eat a number of oranges without a break for hours. The narrator was once caught with his seventeen oranges because his apron string broke and a policeman Pongo noticed that the narrator’s pockets were somewhat bulged.

So, the policeman looked into the narrator’s pockets and found there were seventeen oranges. Pongo wanted to set an example for the rest of the employees at the dock of the necessity of being honest and of the dire consequences of stealing anything from the dock. When the narrator was locked in the cabin, he lost hope in life, felt afraid that he would lose his job. The narrator ate all the oranges to get rid of the evidence. Pongo looked everywhere for the oranges. He looked in the narrator’s pockets and in his apron.

As there was no evidence left against the narrator, the policemen were not able to bring any charges against the narrator. He felt sick for a week and those oranges kept working away in his stomach.

Paragraph Questions and Answers : Additional

Question 1.
What made the narrator to say nothing, when he was caught by Pongo? How did he obey
his inner voice?
Answer:
When the narrator was caught by Pongo for stealing the oranges from the dock, he said nothing. The narrator had read a lot of detective stories to make the mistake of blabbing. Anything said, may be used as an evidence against a person caught for stealing. So he thought that the best plan was to remain silent and say nothing. His inner voice ordered him to eat all the seventeen oranges and the evidence will be gone. He had to swallow all the pips and peels and leave no evidence. The narrator obeyed his inner voice and was saved from the police.

Vocabulary

D. Find the synonyms for the underlined words.

Question 1.
The voice in his head asked the narrator to eat the evidence.
(a) proof
(b) contradict
(c) disprove
(d) refute
Answer:
(a) proof

Question 2.
Clem looked at Pongo furiously.
(a) politely
(b) gently
(c) angrily
(d) calmly
Answer:
(c) angrily

Question 3.
When Pongo caught the narrator with the oranges, he was very frightened.
(a) undaunted
(b) afraid
(c) valiant
(d) brave
Answer:
(b) afraid

Question 4.
The narrator was quiet when Pongo questioned him.
(a) calm
(b) noisy
(c) silent
(d) agitated
Answer:
(c) silent

Question 5.
The narrator was in trouble because he took the oranges.
(a) peace
(b) difficulty
(c) harmony
(d) comfort
Answer:
(b) difficulty

Another Type of Exercise

Choose the appropriate Synonym of the underlined words.

1. “Too many people are stealing (i) from the docks,” Pongo said, “You’ve stolen these oranges and concealed (ii) them in your pocket. Have you anything to say?” I said nothing. I was very frightened (iii), but I kept quiet (iv). I had read a lot of detective stories to make the mistake of blabbing (v).

i) (a) hiding
(b) pilfering
(c) taking
(d) packing
Answer:
(b) pilfering

ii) (a) revealed
(b) bought
(c) hidden
(d) connected
Answer:
(c) hidden

iii) (a) bold
(b) unafraid
(c) cool
(d) afraid
Answer:
(d) afraid

iv) (a) loud
(b) active
(c) calm
(d) noisy
Answer:
(c) calm

v) (a) disclosing
(b) concealing
(c) hiding
(d) lying
Answer:
(a) disclosing

2. I almost gave up the hope (i) of escaping (ii) from the trouble. I was locked in the cabin (iii) and the oranges were on the table. Pongo had gone to bring a witness (iv). I was in trouble. “Eat the oranges”, said a voice in my head. “Eat the evidence (v).”

i) (a) despair
(b) fear
(c) confidence
(d) doubt
Answer:
(c) confidence

ii) (a) evading
(b) appearing
(c) arriving
(d) confronting
Answer:
(a) evading

iii) (a) fort
(b) castle
(c) room
(d) corridor
Answer:
(c) room

iv) (a) contributor
(b) upstander
(c) participant
(d) spectator
Answer:
(d) spectator

v) (a) refutation
(b) concealment
(c) proof
(d) hearsay
Answer:
(c) proof

3. I was lucky (i). Pongo and the other policeman had seen some carts at the dock gate. They went and talked to the drivers. This gave me a few more minutes. I must swallow all the oranges, I thought. Only three left! I swallowed (ii) the first one, and then the second one. Suddenly the door began to open. I went through a great deal of struggle (iii) and finally managed (iv) to finish off the last (v) piece of the last orange.

i) (a) disastrous
(b) hapless
(c) fortunate
(d) ill fated
Answer:
(c) fortunate

ii) (a) gulped
(b) sipped
(c) expelled
(d) rejected
Answer:
(a) gulped

iii) (a) harmony
(b) conflict
(c) concord
(d) repose
Answer:
(b) conflict

iv) (a) bungled
(b) unorganized
(c) controlled
(d) failed
Answer:
(c) controlled

v) (a) initial
(b) beginning
(c) intermediate
(d) final
Answer:
(d) final

4. I was very frightened (i) but I kept quiet (ii). I had read a lot of detective (iii) stories to make the mistake of blabbing (iv). Anything you say may be used as evidence (v) against you. I knew the best plan was to say nothing.

i) (a) determinant
(b) scared
(c) brave
(d) courageous
Answer:
(b) scared

ii) (a) cute
(b) noisy
(c) calm
(d) sleepy
Answer:
(c) calm

iii) (a) imaginative
(b) scientist
(c) investigative
(d) bad time
Answer:
(c) investigative

iv) (a) admitting
(b) refusing
(c) confusing
(d) talking foolishly
Answer:
(d) talking foolishly

v) (a) proof
(b) reward
(c) charge
(d) punishment
Answer:
(a) proof

E. Find the antonyms for the underlined words in the following sentences.

Question 1.
Seventeen oranges were hidden in the narrator’s pockets.
(a) exposed
(b) masked
(c) concealed
(d) buried
Answer:
(a) exposed

Question 2.
Clem Jones was ordered to open the box.
(a) prepared
(b) arranged
(c) forced
(d) requested
Answer:
(d) requested

Question 3.
Pongo locked the narrator inside the cabin.
(a) closed
(b) sealed
(c) released
(d) chocked
Answer:
(c) released

Question 4.
Pongo carefully searched the narrator’s pockets,
(a) attentively
(b) carelessly
(c) cautiously
(d) strictly
Answer:
(b) carelessly

Question 5.
The narrator of the story felt very sick for a week
(a) healthy
(b) disordered
(c) feeble
(d) unhealthy
Answer:
(a) healthy

Another Type of Exercise

Choose the appropriate Antonyms of the underlined words.

1. Oranges! I was fond of (i) them. I used to eat them all day and every day. But one day a police man found seventeen oranges hidden away in my pockets. He locked (ii) me up and I have never (iii) eaten an orange again. I want to tell you the story. I was driving a little (iv) pony- and-cart for the Swift Delivery Company, and I often (v) went in and out of the docks.

i) (a) loving
(b) hating
(c) caring
(d) adoring
Answer:
(b) hating

ii) (a) fastened
(b) shut
(c) unlocked
(d) closed
Answer:
(c) unlocked

iii) (a) not at all
(b) no way
(c) in no case
(d) ever
Answer:
(d) ever

iv) (a) large
(b) diminutive
(c) small
(d) tiny
Answer:
(a) large

v) (a) regularly
(b) frequently
(c) usually
(d) rarely
Answer:
(d) rarely

2. I said nothing (i). Pongo looked everywhere (ii) for the oranges. He looked in my pockets. He looked in my apron. But he didn’t find one orange. Finally (iii), Pongo understood what had happened. But it was very difficult (iv) to believe (v). “Seventeen oranges!”, he said. “Seventeen big oranges! How did you eat them all?”

i) (a) anything
(b) not at all
(c) everything
(d) whatsoever
Answer:
(c) everything

ii) (a) throughout
(b) nowhere
(c) anywhere
(d) all over
Answer:
(b) nowhere

iii) (a) at last
(b) eventually
(c) ultimately
(d) first
Answer:
(d) first

iv) (a) hard
(b) easy
(c) tough
(d) arduous
Answer:
(b) easy

v) (a) trust
(b) consider
(c) disbelieve
(d) think
Answer:
(c) disbelieve

3. “So you won’t say anything,” said Pongo. “I’m going to bring (i) another policeman here. He’ll be a witness against you when I bring up this case in the court”. Pongo left the cabin and locked the door behind (ii) him. I was very worried (iii). I looked at the walls. I looked at the door. I looked at the seventeen oranges, and I looked at the apron with its broken (iv) string. I’ll lose (v) my job, I thought.

i) (a) take
(b) get
(c) fetch
(d) drop
Answer:
(d) drop

ii) (a) rear
(b) ahead
(c) bottom
(d) back
Answer:
(b) ahead

iii) (a) troubled
(b) upset
(c) unconcerned
(d) uneasy
Answer:
(c) unconcerned

iv) (a) split
(b) shattered
(c) damaged
(d) perfect
Answer:
(d) perfect

v) (a) forfeit
(b) miss
(c) win
(d) fail
Answer:
(c) win

Listening

F. Complete the table with suitable responses.

G. Answer the following questions based on your listening.

Question 1.
Why did Chatur Pandit ask the king for 1000 gold coins?
Answer:
Chatur Pandit said that he had spent 1000 gold coins to catch the red peacock.

Question 2.
Where did Chatur Pandit find the red peacock?
Answer:
He said that his servants found the red peacock in the jungle.

Question 3.
What sort of a person was Chatur Pandit?
Answer:
He was a greedy minister.

Question 4.
State whether the statement is true or false.
Tenali was given three weeks to bring more red peacocks.
Answer:
False

Question 5.
Why the people feel that they were lucky to have Krishna Deva Raya as their king?
Answer:
The people felt that they were lucky to have a king who would not afraid to admit his mistake.

Speaking

H. Work in groups of four. Choose one of the situations given below. Discuss how the story would have been different if.

1. Pongo had pardoned the narrator after scolding him.
2. Pongo had arrived on the scene before the last orange was eaten.
3. Pongo had forgotten to lock the door properly but the narrator only discovered it just before Pongo returned.
   Share your ideas with the rest of the class.

Answer:
1.  If Pongo had pardoned the narrator after scolding him, the narrator would have felt guilty. He would never steal anything in the docks and he would have been a completely changed man. His love for oranges would have remained the same.
2. If Pongo had arrived on the scene before the last orange was eaten, he would have caught the narrator redhanded and would have evidence before the other cop. The narrator would have been punished for his mistake.
3. If Pongo had forgotten to lock the door properly but the narrator discovered that just before Pongo returned, the narrator would have felt bad of the lost opportunity.

Writing

1. Work in groups and discuss. Then write a diary entry in about 60-80 words describing your feelings and emotions for the given situations.
Imagine, you are Pongo.

1. Your feelings when you caught the boy.
Answer:

Place : XYZ
Date : 20th June, 20xx.
Day & Time : Friday, 8.00 p.m.

Dear Diary,

Today, while I was on duty at the security gate, I saw a little boy with his apron string broke. I also noticed that his pockets were somewhat bulged. I took him into my cabin and found that seventeen oranges were hidden in his pocket. I wanted to set an example for the rest of the employees at the dock of the necessity of being honest and of the dire consequences of stealing anything from the dock.

I was angry at him and went to bring another policeman, who would be a witness and evidence, to file a case in the court.

pansa

2. Your feelings and emotions when you came back and found the oranges gone.
Answer:

Place : XYZ
Date : 20th June, 20xx.
Day & Time : Friday, 9.00 p.m.

Dear Diary,

Today, I saw a poor little boy who tried to steal the oranges from the ship. His apron string broke and his pant pockets were bulging with oranges. I caught him red handed and locked him in the cabin. He had seventeen oranges with him and I wanted to punish him so that other employees would dare not do so. But unfortunately, I couldn’t gather any evidence as that little fellow ate all the seventeen oranges along with the pips and chunks.

pansa

Reading

J. Complete the following table with information from the anecdote about Mr Scotti’s short trip.

K. Circle the best option.

Question 1.
In New York Mr Scotti left the plane because he thought he
(a) had to change the plane
(b) was in Rome
(c) had to phone his cousins
(d) had to look at the airport.
Answer:
(b) was in Rome

Question 2.
He decided to find his cousins’ home without their help. He asked the policeman for information in Italian because he
(a) thought he was in Italy.
(b) knew the policeman.
(c) didn’t speak any other language
(d) liked the language.
Seventeen Oranges Question and Answer:
(a) thought he was in Italy

Question 3.
On the next day, Mr Scotti was at how the local people responded to his queries.
(a) surprised
(b) unhappy
(c) glad
(d) upset
Answer:
(a) surprised

Question 4.
Circle three words that best describe Mr. Scotti

L. Have you experienced any unexpected turn of events in your life? What happened? How did you feel about it at that moment? How do you feel about it now? Write an article for your school magazine describing your experience in about 150 words.
Answer:

An accident on a lake

– By Arun

Last year my friends and myself went boating in a small lake. In spite of the boatman’s warning, two of my friends jumped up and down in excitement, causing the boat to rock violently. One of my friends fell into the water. We all started screaming hysterically. Luckily, two patrol-boats were nearby. Our boatman waved to them and they rushed to us very speedily, caught hold of my friend and managed to lift him into their boat very quickly. After first-aid, my friend who had fainted, regained his consciousness. He was advised to take rest and we came back to the shore, thanking the boatman and the patrol boatman.

Grammar

Phrasal Verbs

A. Given below in Column A are some phrasal verbs taken from the text. Find the meanings by using a dictionary and complete Column B.

B. Can you do it?

Work in pairs and discuss things a person might be able to do. Include things that some people can do and others cannot do, and make a list on the board.

The activity (playing the game) to be done by the students.

Write down all the ‘can do activities’ from the board and write down your classmates names In the box.
Answer:
(1) Can you sing a song? – Latha
(2) Can you dance? – Ragavi
(3) Can you read? – Varan
(4) Can you run? – Michael
(5) Can you do skipping? – Vaishnavi
(6) Can you cook? – Pavithra
(7) Can you cross a road? – Akash

C. Do’s and Don’ts (Necessity, Obligation and Permission)

Choose the correct option.

Seventeen Oranges Lesson Plan Pdf Question 1.
We use (should / must / ought) when something is compulsory, obligatory
and important.
Answer:
must

Question 2.
We use (should / must / ought) when something is the right thing to do.
Answer:
should

Question 3.
We use (should / must / ought) when something is suggested or recommended.
Answer:
ought

D. Complete the sentences with one of the modal verbs given below.
( can, can’t, could, couldn’t, may, shouldn’t )

1. Students be quiet when they write the examination.
2. Youwere a coat , its quite warm.
3. open the window? It is very hot in the room.
4. I go to the school yesterday because I was ill.
5. When she was eighteen, she run fast.
6. You drive fast. It’s not safe.
7. He is famous cricketer. He bat well.

Answer:

1. may
2. may
3. could you
4. couldn’t
5. couldn’t
6. shouldn’t
7. can

E. You are Aadhav. While you were away on a holiday, your house was burgled. Use appropriate modals and complete the letter to your friend tellii him / her about it.

No. 36, Gandhi Road
Chennai – 45
04 August 2018

Dear Ramesh,

How are you? I feel sad to inform you that my house was burgled last week when I was on a holiday. Burglars might have known from the accumulated newspaper pile that I had gone away. When I came back last Sunday, I found the back-door lock broken. I could have forgotten to bolt the back-door from inside and they should have entered through it. My room was ransacked. They took my laptop and other valuables. I must have deposited the jewellery in a bank locker to avoid this loss. I should have informed my neighbours about my week-long trip. Well, I have registered an FIR with the police. They are investigating the case. They have assured that I would get my jewels back. The burglars will be caught very soon. Convey my regards to all at home.

Yours lovingly,
Aadhav

F. Match the Squares to Form Proper Sentences.

Answer:
Advice : I shouldn’t take some pills. She should wear warm clothes. They shouldn’t go home. Sam and Jai should see a doctor.
Obligation / Prohibition : I mustn’t take some pills. She must wear warm clothes. They mustn’t go home Sam and Jai must see a doctor.

G. Fill in the blanks with appropriate modals.

(Will, Shall, Would, Should, Can, Could, May, Might, Ought to )

Milk is a nutritious food enriched with vitamins and proteins. We should take milk regularly so that we will not develop deficiencies in our body. Aged persons, children and patients should take milk in sufficient quantities as it provides strength to their body. We could supplement it with fruits, vegetables and pulses for proper growth of the body. But we should consume milk of good quality. Otherwise it may cause harm to the body. We ought to be very careful while selecting our food items because there are chances that these might be adulterated. We should protect our health.

Seventeen Oranges Textual activities

Warm Up

Share with your classmates.
Imagine you are caught while sneakily eating something without your parent’s permission.

Question.
What would be your reaction at that moment?
Answer:
If I am caught while sneakily eating something without my parent’s permission, I will
explain my hunger and the love for the food that I ate.

Question.
How would you manage that situation?
Answer:
I would manage that situation by keeping a sorry face and pretend to be too hungry so that my parents pity me.

Seventeen Oranges About the author

William John Francis Naughton, or Bill Naughton (12 June 1910 – 9 January 1992) was an Irish-born British playwright and author, best known for his plays and short stories. He attended Saint Peter and Paul’s School, and worked as a weaver, coal-bagger and lorry- driver before he started writing.

Naughton was a prolific writer of plays, novels, short stories and children’s books. His preferred environment was working class society, which is reflected in much of his written work.

His work also includes the novel One Small Boy (1957), and the collection of short stories The Goalkeeper’s Revenge: And Other Stories (1961). His 1977 children’s novel My Pal Spadger is an account of his childhood in 1920s.

Seventeen Oranges Summary

The narrator used to work at a shipyard, carrying shipments to docks. He had an irresistible love for oranges. He stole them from the boats and ships and chewed them for hours.

However, once he was caught by security police guard, Pongo. Pongo wanted to make his case an example for all the other workers and frighten them of the consequences of dishonesty and stealing. So, he locked the narrator up in a room.

When the police officer locked him in a room and went out for getting another police officer to be a witness, the narrator ate up all the seventeen oranges, with their seeds and peel, and vanished the last of the evidence against him. That was a bitter experience for him. Well, thereafter he was never crazy about oranges.

Seventeen Oranges Mind Map

Seventeen Oranges Glossary

Synonyms

Antonyms

Tamilnadu Board Class 9 English Solutions

Tamilnadu State Board Class 10 English Solutions Poem Chapter 7 The House on Elm Street

The House on Elm Street Textual Questions

The House on Elm Street Poem A. Read the given lines and answer the questions given below.

1. It sat alone.
What happened there is still today unknown.
It is a very mysterious place,
And inside you can tell it has a ton of space,
But at the same time it is bare to the bone.
a. What does ‘It’ refer to?
b. Pick out the line that indicates the size of the house?
Answer:
a. It refers to the house.
b. “And inside you can tell it has a ton of space,”
This line indicates size of the house.

Nadia Bush Poet Question 2. I drive past the house almost every day.
The house seems to be a bit brighter.
On this warm summer day in May.
It plays with your mind.
a. To whom does ‘I’ refer to?
b. Pick out the alliterated words in the 2nd line.
Answer:
a. I refers to the poet Nadia Bush.
b. be, bit, brighter.

3. It never grows leaves,
Not in the winter, spring, summer or fall.
It just sits there never getting small or ever-growing tall
a. What does “it’ refer to?
b. In what way the tree is a mystery?
Answer:
a. ‘It’ refers to the leafless, bare tree.
b. The tree neither grows nor becomes small. This is a mystery.

4. Rumors are constantly being made,
And each day the house just begins to fade.
What happened inside that house?
a. Does the house remain the same every day?
b. How does the poet consider the house to be a mystery?
Answer:
a. No. The house begins to fade every day. It does not remain the same.
b. The poet does not know what happened inside the house. This remains a mystery.

5. What happened inside that house?
I really don’t know I guess it will always be a mystery
a. Does the poet know what happened in the house?
b. What is the mystery about the house?
Answer:
a. No, the poet does not know what happened inside the house.
b. No one knows what is happening inside the house and the poet thinks it will remain a mystery.

The House on Elm Street Poetic Comprehension – Additional

About Nadia Bush Question 1. At night the house seems to be alive,
Lights flicker on and off.
I am often tempted to go to the house,
To just take a look and see what it is really about,
But fear takes over me.
(a) When does the house seems to be alive?
(b) Who is often tempted to go to the house?
(c) Why does she want to go there?
Answer:
(a) The house seems to be alive at night.
(b) The poet Nadia Bush was often tempted to go to the house.
(c) She wants to go there to know what it is really about.

2. Beside the house sits a tree.
It never grows leaves,
(a) What is near the house?
(b) Do leaves grow in the tree?
(c) What does the poet say about the tree?
Answer:
(a) There is a tree near the house.
(b) No, leaves don’t grow in that tree.
(c) She says it is a mysterious tree.

It Sat Alone Figure of Speech Poetic Devices – Additional

1. How could this be?
What is the figure of speech used here?
Answer:
“Rhetorical question” is used here to make a point about the mystery of the tree.

2. But at the same time it is bare to the bone.
Pick out the alliterated words.
Answer:
The alliterated words: “bare – bone”.

3. Rumors are constantly being made,
And each day the house just begins to fade.
Pick out the rhyming words in these lines.
Answer:
The rhyming words are ‘made and fade”.

4. It just sits there, never getting small or ever-growing tall,
What is the literary device used here?
Answer:
Paradox is the literary device used here.

B. Answer the following in a paragraph.

Question 1.
Where is the house located? Why is it a mysterious place?
Answer:
The house is located in a lonely place. It continues to be a mystery because no one knows what happens inside. There is a lot of empty space inside. At night lights go on and off. The poet is tempted to go in to see what happens but fear stops her from entering the house. She passes the house every day. It seems bright on the summer day of May. It is a lonely house. There is a bare tree next to the house. It is another mystery to the poet as it neither grows nor becomes small.

There are plenty of rumors about the place. As time passes, it becomes dim. The poet finds that the house will remain a mystery forever.

Question 2.
How is the mystery depicted in the poem?
Answer:
The house is lonely. No one knows what happens inside. It is spacious and empty. During the night, lights go on and off. The poet is afraid to go in and see. There is a bare tree that neither grows nor becomes small. During all the seasons it remains the same. The rumors spread continuously. Each day the house becomes dim, and the poet doesn’t know what happens inside the house. Thus the house remains a mystery forever.

C. Read the poem and write the rhyming words and rhyme scheme for the given stanzas.

It Sat Alone what is The Figure of Speech D. Identify the poetic lines where the following figures of speech are employed and complete the tabular column.
Figure of speech

Figure of speech	Meaning	Lines
Synecdoche	A figure of speech in which a part is made to represent the whole or vice versa, e.g. “The Western wave was all a-flame.” The “Western wave” is a Synecdoche as it refers to the sea by the name of one of its parts i.e. wave.	“Inside it has a ton of space” A ton of space refers to not only the inside but the entire house seems big.
Paradox	A figure of speech in which a statement appears to contradict itself. e.g. To bring peace we must war. Be cruel to be kind.	“It just sits there, never getting small or ever-growing tall”
Onomatopoeia	A figure of speech wherein the word imitates the sound associated with the object it refers to. e.g. Pitter-patter, pitter-patter Raindrops on my pane.	“Lights flicker on and off”
Rhetorical Questions	A figure of speech in the form of a question that is asked to make a point rather than to elicit an answer. e.g. And what is so rare as a day in June?	“How could this be?”

The House on Elm Street Key Points

• The house stood alone.
• None know anything about the mysterious place.
• It had plenty of space and looked empty.
• The house seemed alive at night.
• Lights went on and off.
• Though tempted to go in, fear kept the poet from entering into it.
• The poet drove past the house every day.
  It seemed to be bright on the summer day in May.
• It seemed unique.
• There is a tree near the house and it is always bare without leaves.
• Whatever the season, it just exists there neither shrinking nor growing.
• Rumors are continuously regularly spread and every day the house begins to become dim.
• Nothing is known about what happened inside the house. Everything seems a mystery.

The House on Elm Street Summary

The house on Elm Street was a lonely house. No one knows what happens there. It is a mysterious place. It had plenty of empty space. At night the house is well lit with lights, that go on and off. The poet is very often tempted to have a look at what really happened inside but fear kept him from going into the house. He drives past the house every day. It looks bright on the summer day in May. It looks unique. There is a tree next to the house. It is always bare. It never has the leaves in any of the seasons. It is just there neither growing nor shrinking. Rumours are spread every day and each day the house becomes dim. Not knowing what happened inside the house, it remains a mystery.

The House on Elm Street Explanation of Poetic Lines

Line No. 1 – 3
It sat alone.
What happened there is still today unknown.
It is a very mysterious place,
Explanation:
The poet talks about the house on Elm Street. It was there all alone. What happened there in that house, is still not known till today. It seemed to be a mysterious place.

House on Elm Street Line No. 4 – 5
And inside you can tell it has a ton of space,
But at the same time it is bare to the bone.
Explanation:
Inside the house, there seems to be a lot of space. But at the same time, it is empty everywhere Emptiness is being found in every nook and corner of the house.

Line No. 6 – 7
At night the house seems to be alive,
Lights flicker on and off
Explanation:
At night, the house seems to look lively with the lights flickering now and then. The lights on and off during the night.

Line No. 8 – 10
I am often tempted to go to the house,
To just take a look and see what it is really about,
But fear takes over me.
Explanation:
The poet often gets tempted to go into the house to just take a look at it. She wanted to know what it is really about. But her fear does not allow her to do so.

Line No. 11 – 13
I drive past the house almost every day.
The house seems to be a bit brighter
On this warm summer day in May.
Explanation:
The poet drives past that house every day. The house seems to be a bit brighter during May on the warm summer days.

Line No. 14 – 15
It plays with your mind.
To me I say, it is one of a kind.
Explanation:
This mysterious house plays with our mind since no one knows what is happening there. To the poet, it is one of the mysterious kind.

Line No. 16 – 18
Beside the house sits a tree.
It never grows leaves, Not in the winter, spring, summer or fall.
Explanation:
There is a tree at the side of the house. It never grows leaves in any of the seasons at all. Not a leaf grows in winter, spring, summer or autumn.

Line No. 19 – 20
It just sits there, never getting small or ever-growing tall,
How could this be?
Explanation:
The tree stands there constantly never getting small or forever growing taller. The poet wonders to how could this happen?

The House on The Elm Street Line No. 21 – 22
Rumors are constantly being made,
And each day the house just begins to fade.
Explanation:
Rumors are continuously being made about the house. Each day, the house just beings to lose its brightness. It begins to fade and look dull.

Line No. 23 – 25
What happened inside that house?
I really don’t know.
I guess it will always be a mystery.
Explanation:
The poet wonders what happened inside that house. She really doesn’t know. She just guesses that it will always be a mystery to here.

The House on Elm Street Glossary

alive – alert and active, living
alone – isolated
bare – uncovered
constantly – continuously, always
fade – dim
mystery – something difficult to understand
tempted – enticed
ton of space – a lot of space

Tamilnadu Board Class 10 English Solutions

Tamilnadu State Board Class 9 English Solutions Poem Chapter 2 A Poison Tree

A. Answer the following questions in a sentence or two.

1. I was angry with my friend
I told my wrath ‘my wrath did end.

Question (a).
Who does ‘I’ refer to?
Answer:
‘I’ refers to the poet, William Blake.

Question (b).
How did the anger of poet come to an end?
Answer:
The poet told the reason of his anger to his friend. The anger came to an end.

2. And I watered it in fears
Night and morning with my tears;

Question (a).
What does ‘it’ refer to?
Answer:
‘It’ refers to anger.

Question (b).
How is ‘it’ watered?
Answer:
It is watered with fears and tears and tears of the poet.

3. In the morning glad I see
My foe outstretched beneath the tree

Question (a).
How did the poet feel in the morning?
Answer:
He felt glad in the morning.

Question (b).
Who is the ‘foe’ referred to here?
Answer:
The person on whom the poet is angry with.

Question (c).
Why was the ‘foe’ found lying outstretched beneath the tree?
Answer:
The ‘foe’ ate the apple from the poison tree of anger. So he fell below the tree.

4. And it grew both day and night,
Till it bore an apple bright

Question (a).
Who does ‘it’ refer to?
Answer:
It refers to anger, that is personified to the ‘poison tree’.

Question (b).
What does ‘apple’ signify?
Answer:
Apple indicates anger.

Question (c).
What grew both day and night?
Answer:
Anger that is personified to the ‘poison tree’ grew both day and night.

B. Complete the summary by filling in the given spaces with suitable words.

Once the poet was angry with his friend. He expressed his _________(i)__________ and it ended. They became friendly but when he grew angry with his foe, he ________(ii)________it and allowed his anger to grow. Day and night he watered it with his tears allowing it to grow. He ____(iii)______ his foe with false smiles and cunning tricks. The tree kept growing and yielded a bright apple which _______(iv)______ his foe to eating it stealthily during the night. The next morning the poet was happy to see his foe lying ______(v)______  under the tree.
Answers:
(i) anger
(ii) suppressed
(iii) faced
(iv) attracted
(v) outstretched

C. Answer the following questions in about 80-100 words.

Question 1.
How did the poet’s anger with his friend end?
Answer:
The poet expressed his anger towards his friend as well as his enemy. But he specified the difference between two types of anger. He told that when he was angry with a friend, he convinced his own heart to forgive his friend. He sorted out the differences with his friend by expressing his anger to him and by discussing his own points of view with him. Even if he was hurt and he knew that his friend had done injustice to him, he would have tried his best to forget the past and end the feeling of vengeance in his heart. In this way, the poet’s anger, with his friend, came to an end.

Question 2.
Describe how his anger kept growing?
Answer:
The poet confessed that when he was angry with his enemy, he did not reveal his anger to his enemy. He feared that if he expressed his anger to him, his enemy would do harm to him. So he suppressed his anger. Day and night he shed tears thinking about the ill or the injustice that had been caused by his enemy to him. Thus, he watered the tree of anger with his tears, allowing the anger to grow. He also aroused his anger with his false smiles and cunning tricks towards his enemy. Since the poet kept his anger within himself and had his own fear and tears, his anger kept growing every day.

Question 3.
Describe the effect of the poisonous fruit on the’enemy’.
Answer:
The poet, William Blake, revealed his anger to his friend and the anger ended. But when the poet concealed his anger from his enemy, the anger grew. It grew like a tree that bore a bright apple. His enemy saw the shining apple. Even though he knew that the apple belonged to the poet, he wanted to have it. So the enemy came secretly into the garden when it was night and ate the apple. In the morning, the ‘ poet’s anger changed into gladness when he found the enemy outstretched under the poison tree. The apple in the tree of anger symbolizes the poisonous effect.

D. Poem Appreciation: Figures of speech.

Question.
Pick out et least two Instances of alliteration from the poem.
Answer:
1. I was angry with my foe.
2. Night and morning with my tears.
3. And I sunned it with smiles.
4. Till it bore an apple bright.

E. Read the following lines from the poem and answer the questions that follow.

1. I was angry with my friend;
I told my wrath, my wrath did end.
I was angry with my foe:
I told it not, my wrath did grow.

Question 1.
Pick out the rhyming words.
Answer:
friend – end; foe – grow

Question 2.
What is the rhyme scheme of the stanza?
Answer:
aabb

Question 3.
Identify the figure of speech in the title of the poem.
Answer:
Personification

2. And I watered it in fears
Night and morning with my tears;

Question 1.
What figure of speech is used in ‘watered it in fears’?
Answer:
Personification.

Poem Comprehension And Poetic Devices

Additional Questions

1. 1 was angry with my foe :
I told it not, my wrath did grow.

Question (a).
Who was the poet angry with?
Answer:
The poet was angry with his enemy.

Question (b).
Why did he not reveal it?
Answer:
He did not reveal it, for he wanted his enemy to suffer the consequence of his anger.

Question (c).
What was the consequence?
Answer:
As he did not reveal it, it started growing bigger.

2. And I watered it in fears,

Question (a).
Bring out the significance of the line.
Answer:
The poet gave more life to his anger with his fears.

3. And he knew that it was mine.

Question (a).
What does ‘he’ refer to here?
Answer:
He refers to the poet’s enemy.

Question (b).
What did he know?
Answer:
The enemy wanted to eat the apple and he knew that it belonged to the poet.

4. And it grew both day and night.
Till it bore an apple bright.

Question(a).
Pick out the rhyming words.
Answer:
The rhyming words: night – bright

5. And into my garden stole,
When the night had veiled the pole;

Question (a).
Who crept into the garden? Why?
Answer:
The enemy of the poet crept into the garden, to eat the apple.

Question (b).
When did the foe sneak into the garden?
Answer:
He sneaked into the garden at night.

Question (c).
How does wrath keep growing like a tree?
Answer:
Wrath keeps growing like a tree, when you have grudges and allow the feelings of hatred to stay inside without dealing with them through communication.

Listening

F. Listen to the passage on ‘anger management* and match the sentence parts by drawing a line. The recording can be played more than once if needed.

Answers:

1. (c)
2. (e)
3. (b)
4. (a)
5. (d)

G. Answer the following in about 80-100 words. Take ideas from the poem and also use your own ideas.

Question 1.
Recall a recent situation when you became angry. What were the consequences of your anger? After listening to the guidelines on anger management, find out how well you could have handled the situation. Write your findings.
Answer:
I got angry when I did not find a place to sit in a bus. I went to the school with anger. When I listened to the methods of anger management, I leamt to apologise and forget the situation. It made me happy.

Question 2.
What might have caused the conflict which led to the poet becoming angry with his enemy? Think of one such situation that you have experienced. Describe how you felt and how the enmity grew and things became worse.
Answer:
One situation of the enmity with a friend might have been his refusal to help when he was in need. I was waiting in a place for the rain to stop. It became very late. I could not find any bus. After sometime I saw my friend coming in his car. When I tried to stop him for a lift he did not stop and drove away. This made me very angry. I did not talk to him for many days. He forgot to bring his pen for the exam. Since I was his friend I just took this as a chance to place him in the same coin and refused to help him. Now both of us became enemies to each other.

Paragraph Questions And Answers : Additional

Question 1.
How did talking to his friend about his anger help the speaker in ‘A Poison Tree’ by William Blake?
Answer:
William Blake’s poem ‘A Poison Tree’ is a figurative expression of the relation of the spiritual world with the natural world. When the speaker of this poem becomes angry with his friend, he communicates his feelings to his friend. As a result, his anger is released and their friendship continues. In contrast to this, ‘ he fails to release his feelings with his enemy.

This causes his anger to increase so much so that the poison tree grows, as he waters it with his fears and tears and suns ; it with deceitful tricks. The poison tree becomes the symbolic of the corruption that occurs in the soul, when a person suppresses his feelings. The tree produces an apple, which ends the life of his enemy.

Question 2.
What Is the meaning of night and morning in the poem?
Answer:
The poet describes how he suppressed his anger for his enemy. Overtime his anger increased. In the second stanza, he says he watered it ‘Night and morning’. He means that he allowed his anger to grow day and night. It grew into an apple. The enemy crept secretly at night and ate his fruit of wrath which killed him ultimately. The speaker is glad to see his enemy dead. Here, Blake condemns one who cultivates wrath and the effects of it.

Question 3.
How Is Blake’s *A Poison Tree’ a parable?
Answer:
A parable is a short symbolic story that teaches a moral lesson. Blake’s ‘A Poison, Tree’ is a parable about the dangers of suppressing anger. The poet explains the , point he is trying to make in the first stanza. When he became angry with his friend, he told him about why he was angry and he soon felt better. But, when he becomes angry with someone he disliked, he kept it a secret and became more and more angry.

His anger became a tree that bears an apple like the Tree of knowledge in the ‘Garden of Eden’. The poet tempts his enemy, like the serpent in the Bible, to eat it with his deceitful smile. His enemy is poisoned by his anger and dies. The moral of this parable is that suppressing anger can make things.

H. Discuss and Write.

Question 1.
Identify five to six qualities which make an ordinary person, loved and respected by all. Work In groups of five or six. Each group has to take up one quality and discuss the methods for Imbibing that quality and Identify the challenges that need to be faced.
Answer:
Mahatma Gandhi
We must forgive.
We must forget wrong things done by others.
We must apologise.
We must not watch others suffering.
We must be kind and helpful to others.

Question 2.
Adolescents are often distracted by feelings like anger, disappointment and general helplessness when they face challenges at school or at home. Suggest way to turn such feelings Into positive ones.
Answer:
Adolescents are full of energy and highly competitive. They cannot came to an understanding or shake hands with enemies easily. They must learn to forget past mistakes, to forgive people who hurt them, to apologise if they hurt others, to help even an enemy who harmed them, to think to them selfless why they are angry, to control harsh words and actions.

A Poison Tree Textual Activities

Warm Up

A. Choose the option that suits your own behavior in the given situations. Compare your answers with a partner’s answers.

Question 1.
You overhear a friend talking badly about you. How angry does that make you feel?
I don’t feel angry at all.
I feel moderately angry.
I feel slightly annoyed.
I feel very angry.
I feel a little angry.
I feel furious. ✓

Question 2.
Your friend persuades you to take help to prepare for the Maths board examination, from a close friend. That person does not turn up at all, as agreed. How angry does that make you feel?
I don’t feel angry at all.
I feel moderately angry.
I feel slightly annoyed.
I feel very angry. ✓
I feel a little angry.
I feel furious.

Question 3.
You have agreed to pick up some friends at the train station. They are coming to stay with , you for a few days. You’ve arranged with your elder brother/sister to drive the car for the day. You are about to leave the house when you realise the car is outside but your brother/sister has gone to work, taking the keys!. How angry does that make you feel?
I don’t feel angry at all.
I feel moderately angry.
I feel slightly annoyed.
I feel very angry. ✓
I feel a little angry.
I feel furious.

Question 4.
During a get together, your friend makes fun of your singing in front of your friends. You thought your singing was fine, but your friend thinks you really need to practice much more. How angry does that make you feel?
I don’t feel angry at all.
I feel moderately angry.
I feel slightly annoyed.
I feel very angry. ✓
I feel a little angry.
I feel furious.

B. Answer the following questions. Share your views with the class

Question.
Do you argue often with your classmates?
Answer:
Yes, I do. But often I am the first person to apologize or if necessary, make others realise their faults and become my friends once again.

Question.
Do you forgive them or choose to remain enemies forever?
Answer:
I forgive my classmates. I do not consider them my enemies at all.

Question.
How long does your anger last?
Answer:
My anger lasts for one or two days. I forgive my friends or apologize to them, if it is my mistake. We forget the bad quarrels and become friends again.

A Poison Tree by William Blake

William Blake (1757 – 1827) was an English poet, painter and print maker. He is now considered a seminal figure in the history of English poetry. Born in London he was an imaginative poet who wrote boldly against the wrong things using his imagination and art. Some of his famous poems are “The Lamb” and “The Tiger”.

A Poison Tree Summary

The poet says that he was angry with his friend. When he told him about it, his anger ended. The poet was angry with his enemy. When he did not tell it, his anger grew. As his anger grew he gave more life to it with his fears and tears. He tried to smile but he had some bad thoughts behind his smile. Hence his anger towards his enemy grew day and night. It grew like a tree that bore a bright apple. His enemy saw the shining apple and he knew that the apple belonged to the poet. He came secretly into that garden when it was night. In the morning the poet’s anger changed into gladness when he found the enemy outstretched under the poison tree.

A Poison Tree The Main characters : The Poet and his enemy.

A Poison Tree poem overview

No.1
Poem Line:
I was angry with my friend;
Explanation:
The poet says that he was angry with his friend.

No.2
Poem Line:
I told my wrath, my width did end.
Explanation:
When he told him about his anger, it ended.

No.3
Poem Line:
I was angry with my foe;
Explanation:
He was also angry with his enemy .

No.4.
Poem Line:
I told it not, my wrath did grow;
Explanation:
But he did not tell it to him so his anger grew more on him.

No.5
Poem Line:
And I water’d it in fears;
Explanation:
He gave more life to it with his fears

No.6.
Poem Line:
Night and morning with my tears:
Explanation:
and his cries every morning and night.

No.7
Poem Line:
AndI sunned it with smiles;
Explanation:
He brightened it with smiles

No.8.
Poem Line:
And with soft deceitful wiles,
Explanation:
and with soft tricky thoughts.

No.9
Poem Line:
And it grew both day and night;
Explanation:
And the anger grew both day and night.

No.10
Poem Line:
Till it bore an apple bright.
Explanation:
It grew like a tree that bore a bright apple.

No.11
Poem Line:
And my foe beheld it shine,
Explanation:
His enemy saw it shine brightly.

No.12
Poem Line:
And he knew that it was mine.
Explanation:
And knew that the apple belonged to the poet.

No.13
Poem Line:
And into my garden stole,
Explanation:
He came secretly into his garden;

No.14
Poem Line:
When the night had veiled the pole;
Explanation:
when the night covered the pole.

No.15
Poem Line:
In the morning glad I see,
Explanation:
In the morning, the poet’s anger changed into gladness.

No.16
Poem Line:
My foe outstretched beneath the tree.
Explanation:
to see his enemy outstretched beneath the tree.

A Poison Tree Mind Map

A Poison Tree Glossary

Tamilnadu Board Class 9 English Solutions

Tamilnadu State Board Class 9 English Solutions Prose Chapter 7 A Birthday Letter

A Birthday Letter In-Textual Questions

Question.
From which prison did Nehru write this letter?
Answer:
Nehru wrote the letter from Central Prison, Naini, in Uttar Pradesh.

Question.
Did Nehru send any presents to Indira?
Answer:
No, he did not send any solid material presents.

Question.
Which historical character inspired young Indira?
Answer:
The historical character which inspired young Indira was Joan of Arc.

Question.
What helps the ordinary men and women to become heroes?
Answer:
History helps the ordinary men and women to become heroes.

Question.
Who is addressed as ‘Bapuji’?
Answer:
Mahatma Gandhiji is addressed as Bapuji.

Question.
What should the soldiers of India respect?
Answer:
The soldiers of India should respect India’s honour.

A. Answer the following questions in one or two sentences.

Question 1.
Why could not Nehru send any presents to Indira?
Answer:
Nehru could not send any presents to Indira because he was in prison.

Question 2.
What cannot be stopped even by the high walls of prisons?
Answer:
Mind and spirit cannot be stopped even by the high walls of prisons.

Question 3.
Why did Nehru dislike sermonizing?
Answer:
Nehru has always thought that the best way to find what is right is not by giving a sermon but by talking and discussing.

Question 4.
What does history tell us?
Answer:
History tells us the life of nations, of great men and women.

Question 5.
What do ordinary men and women usually think of?
Answer:
Ordinary men and women are not usually heroic. They think of their bread and butter, of their children, of their household worries and the like.

Question 6.
When do ordinary men and women become heroes?
Answer:
A time comes when a whole people become interested in a great cause. Then history helps even simple, ordinary men and women to become heroes.

Question 7.
What does the phrase ‘great drama’ refer to?
Answer:
The great drama refers to India’s freedom movements.

Question 8.
Why are the freedom fighters under Gandhi not afraid of anything?
Answer:
The freedom fighters under Gandhi are not afraid of anything as there is no room for secrecy or hiding.

Short Questions and Answers : Additional

Question 1.
When did Jawaharlal Nehru began writing letters to his daughter?
Answer:
Jawaharlal Nehru began writing letters to his young daughter, Indira in the summer of 1928.

Question 2.
On what topic does he speak to his daughter?
Answer:
Jawaharlal Nehru speaks to his daughter on a wide range of topics including languages, trade, history, geography, science, epics and evolution.

Question 3.
What did his letters contain?
Answer:
Nehru’s letters contained his understanding of the world which he wanted to further impart to his daughter.

Question 4.
What was his book of letters called? When was it published?
Answer:
“Glimpses of World History” was the book of letters by Nehru published in 1942.

Question 5.
What did Jawaharlal Nehru dislike?
Answer:
Jawaharlal Nehru disliked sermonising and giving out good advice.

Question 6.
What did he say about a letter?
Answer:
A letter can hardly take the place of a talk. At best, it is a one-sided affair.

Question 7.
Who has inspired millions of Indians? How?
Answer:
Mahatma Gandhiji has inspired millions of Indians by the magic of his message.

Question 8.
What does ‘the desire to hide anything1 mean according to Nehru?
Answer:
‘The desire to hide anything’ means that you are afraid, and fear is a bad thing and it is unworthy of you.

Question 9.
What is not an easy matter?
Answer:
It is not an easy matter to decide what is right and what is not.

Question 10.
What does Jawaharlal Nehru insist his daughter to do in her private life?
Answer:
Jawaharlal Nehru insisted her to make friends with the sun and work in the light and do nothing secretly.

B. Answer the following in about 80-100 words each.

Question 1.
Explain the important elements of Nehru’s letter.
Answer:
Pandit Nehru was imprisoned in Naini jail. As he was not able to send a gift to Indira on her birthday, he sends her a letter. Though presents are appreciated, letters can equally be cherished as gifts. Nehru did not like to sermonize or give advice. We have learnt that it is important to do things without fear. We should recognize right from wrong. While facing problems, we can resolve them by discussing them with near and dear ones.

The value of the contribution of our leaders to fight for freedom and the value of qualities exhibited by these leaders. The two factors that make ordinary men heroes are, (i) full faith in a great cause and (ii) love and respect for the nation. Mahatma Gandhi inspired millions of people to fight for freedom. Nehru wants Indira to develop qualities like respect for her country’s honour, trust, patriotism, etc.

Question 2.
Imagine yourself as Indira and write a reply letter to your father, Nehru for the letter your received on your birthday.
Answer:

Mussoorie,
October 31, 1930.

My dear Papa,

Thank you so much for your wonderful birthday gift – a letter – a true gift though not solid or material. Your heartfelt wishes and your words mean a lot to me. Your mind and spirit guide me from wherever you are. Your letter isn’t an advice or a sermon, the words are powerful enough to trigger the potential within me to fight for our nation. I understand that Bapuji focuses on truth, courage, fearlessness, openness, hard work, peace, straight-forwardness and non-violence. I shall follow your words and grow up into a brave soldier in India’s service.

With all my love and good wishes,

Your loving daughter,
Indira.

Paragraph Questions and Answers : Additional

Question 1.
What did Jawaharlal Nehru asked his daughter to apply, whenever she was in doubt?
Answer:
Jawaharlal Nehru instructed Indira not to do anything in secret or anything that she would wish to hide. If she has a desire to hide anything, it means that she is afraid of something. Fear is a bad thing and not worthy of her. So she should always be brave and all the rest would follow her after that. He also wrote to her that in their great Freedom movement, under Bapuji’s leadership, there was no room for secrecy or hiding.

They had nothing to hide. They were not afraid of what they did or what they said. They worked in the sun and in the light. Even we in our private lives, should make friends with the sun and work in the light and do nothing secretly. If she does this, she will grow up as a child of the light, unafraid, calm and peaceful in all circumstances.

Question 2.
“History helps even simple, ordinary men and women to become heroes” – Elucidate.
Answer:
Ordinary men and women are not usually heroic. They think of their bread and butter, of their children, of their household worries and the like. But a time comes, when a whole people become interested in a great cause. Then history helps even simple, ordinary men and women to become heroes. Great leaders have something in them which inspires a whole people and makes them do great deeds.

In India, a great leader has inspired our people to great actions and noble sacrifice with his love and guidance. He has helped to make the starving, the poor and the oppressed free and happy. He was none other than Mahatma Gandhiji, who has stolen the hearts of millions of Indians with the magic of his message.

C. Match the words with correct Synonym and Antonym from the table.
Answer:

Think and answer.

Question.
What is the difference between an opinion and a fact?
Answer:
An opinion is one’s feelings or thoughts about somebody / something.
A fact is a piece of information that can be proved to be true.

D. Identify, whether the following statements are of OPINION or FACT.

Question 1.
On your birthday, you have been in the habit of receiving presents and good wishes. (Opinion / Fact)
Answer:
Fact

Question 2.
I have liked my talks with you. (Opinion / Fact)
Answer:
Opinion

Question 3.
The best way to find what is wrong and right is by discussing. (Opinion / Fact)
Answer:
Fact

Question 4.
A letter can hardly take the place of a talk. (Opinion / Fact)
Answer:
Opinion

Question 5.
For the desire to hide anything means that you are afraid. (Opinion / Fact)
Answer:
Fact

Listening

E. “listen to the dialogue and answer the following questions.

Question 1.
Aadhav and Raghav are ________.
(a) brothers
(b) friends
(c) colleagues
(d) classmates
Answer:
(a) brothers

Question 2.
The brothers are planning to celebrate their ________wedding anniversary.
(a) uncle’s
(b) parents’
(c) grandparents’
(d) sister’s
Answer:
(b) parents

Question 3.
The wedding anniversary is on ________.
(a) March 2nd
(b) April 2nd
(c) May 2nd
(d) June 2nd
Answer:
(b) April 2nd

Question 4.
As part of the celebration, the brothers have planned to make their parents to ________.
(a) visit an orphanage
(b) donate some money
(c) plant a mango sapling
(d) conduct a game
Answer:
(c) plant a mango sapling

Question 5.
State whether the statement is true or false.
The brothers have decided to borrow money for the wedding anniversary celebration.
Answer:
False

Reading

F. Answer the following questions based on the given reading passage.

Question 1.
What is the name of her diary?
Answer:
Kitty is the name of her diary.

Question 2.
Why did Anne want to exchange the book ‘Camera Obscura’?
Answer:
Anne’s sister Margot already has it. So, Anne wanted to exchange it.

Question 3.
Who baked the homemade cookies?
Answer:
Anne baked the homemade cookies.

Question 4.
What game did Anne choose to play?
Answer:
Anne chose to play the volleyball.

Question 5.
Which gift did Anne value the most?
Answer:
Anne valued the diary the most.

Speaking

G. Imagine you are going to celebrate your forthcoming birthday at an orphanage/ bid-age home.
Deliver a short speech about your birthday celebration by using the following hints.

• The reasons for choosing an orphanage / old-age home.
• The people who accompany you.
• The food which you are going to offer them.
• The useful gifts / articles which you are going to give them.
• Other events like cake cutting, conducting games etc.

Answer:
Good morning everybody. I am going to speak about my birthday celebration this year. On my birthday, we decided to celebrate it in a different way, a day to remember. So we went to Mother Teresa Ashram in T.Nagar, Chennai.

First my younger sister and I played with the children there. We distributed them ” games materials like bat, ball, chocolates, etc. My parents decorated the hall with balloons and flowers. Then we celebrated the birthday cutting a cake. The mother and other sisters of the orphanage gave me blessings. The children presented me flowers to show their love.

Then, we had our lunch with them. We enjoyed there the whole day. It is our duty to help them. After coming back home, I felt a little sad on the plight of the people there. But I decided to go there and celebrate every year.

Thank you.

Writing

H. Write a meaningful paragraph using the hints given below.

Mahesh – celebrates – 14th birthday – an old-age home – family, friends – informs home in advance – delegates tasks – friends buy things necessary – arrives home early – decorates place – balloons, colour papers – inmates gathered – cuts cake – sing song, claps – distributes cakes – expresses his feelings – gets blessings – offers things – bedsheets, footwear etc. needed – fun, entertainment – happy and content.

Answer:
Mahesh celebrated his 14th birthday at an old age home with his family and friends. His parents had informed the home in advance to delegate tasks. His friends bought all the necessary things for the inmates of the old age home. His friends arrived the home early, decorated the place with balloons and colour papers. The inmates gathered at the hall and Mahesh cut a cake. Everybody sang the birthday song and clapped happily. Mahesh distributed cakes to all. He expressed his feelings and got their blessings. He offered them things like bed sheets, footwear, etc. There was a lot of fun and entertainment programmes. He was very happy and contented.

Grammar

Determines

A. Choose the Correct Determiner

Question 1.
Could you bring me_______tools I left in the garden? (this, those, these)
Answer:
Those

Question 2.
________Earth revolves around the sun. (the, a, an)
Answer:
The

Question 3.
I found ________one rupee coin in the playground while playing, (a, an, the)
Answer:
a

Question 4.
There aren’t ________students in the library, (much, many, a lot)
Answer:
many

Question 5.
It was ________unforgettable experience, (a, an, the)
Answer:
an

Question 6.
I haven’t got ________pictures in my bedroom, (some, any, many)
Answer:
any

Question 7.
He said that he wanted to become ________engineer, (a, an, the)
Answer:
an

Question 8.
Kokila gave a pen to ________ child in the classroom on her birthday, (any, all, each)
Answer:
each

Question 9.
I’ve got to solve math problems before I go to sleep, (all, some, any)
Answer:
some

Question 10.
India is largest democracy in the world, (a, an, the)
Answer:
the

Question 11.
My father doesn’t drink coffee, (much, many, a lot)
Answer:
much

Question 12.
I always keep ________ money in my wallet for emergencies, (any, every, some)
Answer:
some

Question 13.
This year we are celebrating my sister’s ________birthday, (a, two, second)
Answer:
second

Question 14.
I have ________ pencils with me. (a, three, third)
Answer:
three

Question 15.
‘What is that noise?’ I think it is ________ airplane, (a, an, the)
Answer:
an

B. Observe the following call-outs. Reporter (C) has reported the sentences of Speaker (A). Now, help Reporter (C) report the rest of the sentences of Speaker (A).

C. Report the following sentences.

Question 1.
Banu said, “Do not spoil the eco-system.”
Answer:
Banu advised not to spoil the ecosystem.

Question 2.
Pranav said, “Have you booked the tickets to Delhi?”
Answer:
Pranav asked whether I had booked the tickets to Delhi.

Question 3.
Rekha said to Tilak, “When are we leaving to our native?”
Answer:
Rekha asked Tilak when they were leaving to their native.

Question 4.
Sujith said, “Ryan, you should get up early in the morning.”
Answer:
Sujith advised Ryan that he should get up early in the morning.

Question 5.
Vivaan said to his mother, “Can you, please, buy me a hot-chocolate?”
Answer:
Vivaan requested his mother to buy him a hot-chocolate.

Question 6.
“Tomorrow I have to take a test in English”, said Sudan
Answer:
Sudar said that he had to take a test in English the next day.

Question 7.
Pragathi said to her sister, “I need your help to arrange the books in the shelf.”
Answer:
Pragathi asked her sister’s help to arrange the books in the shelf.

Question 8.
“Why don’t you use crayons for colouring?” said Dhilip to his son.
Answer:
Dhilip suggested his son to use crayons for colouring.

Project

D. Write a Diary entry each day for a month and compile them into a book. You may also name your diary as Anne Frank did.
(To be done by the students)

A Birthday Letter Textual Activities

Warm Up

Question.
Have you ever received a personal letter from your friends or relatives?
Answer:
Yes, I have received.

Question.
If yes, from whom and about what?
Answer:
I received a letter from my friend about a mobile phone.

Question.
Have you ever written a personal letter to anyone?
Answer:
Yes.

Question.
if yes, to whom and about what?
Answer:
I wrote a letter to my uncle thanking him for his present.

Synonyms & Antonyms : Additional Questions

I. Choose the correct Synonym for the underlined words.

Question 1.
Good wishes you will still have in full measure.
(a) meager
(b) plenty
(c) dearth
Answer:
(b) plenty

Question 2.
Beyond our world lie other wonderful and mysterious worlds.
(a) strange
(b) known
(c) visible
Answer:
(a) strange

Question 3.
We have to respect India’s honour, and that honour is a sacred trust.
(a) suspect
(b) doubt
(c) faith
Answer:
(c) faith

Question 4.
How your ambition was to be something like her?
(a) inactivity
(b) aim
(c) apathy
Answer:
(b) airn

Question 5.
He has helped to make the starving, the poor and the oppressed free and happy.
(a) delighted
(b) liberated
(c) downtrodden
Answer:
(c) downtrodden

Another Type of Exercise

Choose the appropriate Synonym of the underlined words.

1. You know (i) sweetheart, how I dislike (ii) sermonising and doling (iii) out good advice. I have, always thought that the best way to find out what is right and what is not right, what should be done and what should not be done, is not by giving a sermon (iv), but by talking and discussing, and out of discussion sometimes a little bit (v) of truth comes out.

i) (a) abstain
(b) be aware
(c) be ignorant
(d) forget
Answer:
(b) be aware

ii) (a) admire
(b) regard
(c) hate
(d) desire
Ans :
(c) hate

iii) (a) giving
(b) collecting
(c) holding
(d) hating
Answer:
(a) giving

iv) (a) citation
(b) praise
(c) tribute
(d) preaching
Answer:
(d) preaching

v) (a) lot
(b) deal
(c) part
(d) bunch
Answer:
(c) part

2. But what am I to do then (i)? A letter can hardly (ii) take the place of a talk; at best (iii) it is a one-sided affair. Imagine that I have made a suggestion (iv) to you for you to think over, as if we really were having a talk. In history we read of great (v) periods in the life of nations, of great men and women.

i) (a) in that case
(b)present
(c) although
(d) currently
Answer:
(a) in that case

ii) (a) gently
(b) easily
(c) scarcely
(d) quite
Answer:
(c) scarcely

iii) (a) foremost
(b) relent
(c) rags
(d) inferior
Answer:
(a) foremost

iv) (a) demand
(b) command
(c) proposal
(d) ultimatum
Answer:
(c) proposal

v) (a) awful
(b) excellent
(c) tiny
(d) moderate
Answer:
(b) excellent

3. Bapuji is in prison, but the magic of his message (i) has stolen the hearts of India’s millions. Men and women, and even little (ii) children, come out of their little shells (iii) and become India’s soldiers of freedom (iv). In India today we are making history, and you and I are fortunate (v) to see this happening before our eyes and to take some part ourselves in this great drama.

i) (a) contour
(b) bafflement
(c) information
(d) rumour
Answer:
(c) information

ii) (a) great
(b) immense
(c) ample
(d) small
Answer:
(d) small

iii) (a) structures
(b) ammunitions
(c) plates
(d) grenades
Answer:
(a) structures

iv) (a) limitation
(b) captivity
(c) liberty
(d) restriction
Answer:
(c) liberty

v) (a) hapless
(b) baneful
(c) dire
(d) lucky
Answer:
(d) lucky

4. Do you remember (i) how fascinated (ii) you were when you first read the story of Joan of Arc, and how your ambition (iii) was to be something like her? Ordinary men and women are not usually heroic. They think of their bread and butter, of their children, of their household worries (iv) and the like. But a time comes when a whole people become interested in a great cause (v).

i) (a) recall
(b) overlook
(c) neglect
(d) disregard
Answer:
(a) recall

ii) (a) tired
(b) dingy
(c) tired
(d) attracted
Answer:
(d) attracted

iii) (a) apathy
(b) aspiration
(c) contentment
(d) humility
Answer:
(b) aspiration

iv) (a) reliefs
(b) delights
(c) concerns
(d) calms
Answer:
(c) concerns

v) (a) neglect
(b) motivation
(c) fate
(d) aftermath
Answer:
(b) motivation

II. Choose the correct Antonym for the underlined words.

Question 1.
How fascinated you were when you first read the story of Joan of Arc.
(a) attracted
(b) bored
(c) interested
Answer:
(b) bored

Question 2.
you will grow up a child of the light, unafraid and serene.
(a) violent
(b) quite
(c) calm
Answer:
(a) violent

Question 3.
You and I are fortunate to see this happening before our eyes
(a) happy
(b) blessed
(c) unlucky
Answer:
(c) unlucky

Question 4.
A letter can hardly take the place of a talk.
(a) rarely
(b) easily
(c) roughly
Answer:
(b) easily

Question 5.
Out of discussion sometimes a little bit of truth comes out.
(a) evidence
(b) fact
(c) lie
Answer:
(c) lie

Another Type of Exercise

Choose the appropriate Antonyms of the underlined words.

1. I have liked (i) my talks with you and we have discussed many (ii) things, but the world is wide (iii) and beyond our world lie other wonderful and mysterious worlds. None of us need (iv) ever be bored or imagine that we have learned everything worth learning and become very wise (v).

i) (a) desired
(b) cherished
(c) esteemed
(d) disliked
Answer:
(d) disliked

ii) (a) several
(b) few
(c) lot of
(d) various
Answer:
(b) few

iii) (a) broad
(b) extensive
(c) narrow
(d) ample
Answer:
(c) narrow

iv) (a) want
(b) detest
(c) desire
(d) require
Answer:
(b) detest

v) (a) sage
(b) prudent
(c) sensible
(d) foolish
Answer:
(d) foolish

2. Great leaders have something in them which inspires (i) a whole people and makes them do great deeds (ii). In India, a great leader, full of love for all who suffer and eager (iii), to help them, has inspired our people to great actions and noble (iv) sacrifice. He has helped to make the starving, the poor (v) and the oppressed free and happy.

i) (a) instills
(b) stimulates
(c) discourages
(d) induces
Answer:
(c) discourages

ii) (a) failures
(b) actions
(c) activities
(d) performances
Answer:
(a) failures

iii) (a) enthusiastic
(b) reluctant
(c) keen
(d) anxious
Answer:
(b) reluctant

iv) (a) shameful
(b) dignified
(c) grand
(d) royal
Answer:
(a) shameful

v) (a) inadequate
(b) miserable
(c) inferior
(d) rich
Answer:
(d) rich

3. We are not afraid (i) of what we do or what we say. We work in the sun and in the light. Even so in our private (ii) lives let us make friends with the sun and work in the light and do nothing secretly (iii) and if you do so, my dear, you will grow up a child of the light, unafraid and serene (iv) and unruffled (v), whatever may happen.

i) (a) scared
(b) fearful
(c) brave
(d) alarmed
Answer:
(c) brave

ii) (a) intimate
(b) individual
(c) personal
(d) public
Answer:
(d) public

iii) (a) obviously
(b) quietly
(c) confidentially
(d) on the sly
Answer:
(a) obviously

iv) (a) calm
(b) placid
(c) agitated
(d) peaceful
Answer:
(c) agitated

v) (a) wild
(b) tranquil
(c) cool
(d) undisturbed
Answer:
(a) wild

MCQs – Additional

Complete the following by choosing the correct answer from the options given.

Question 1.
When Indira was about to turn 13 in ____________, Nehru started sending her more detailed letters.
(a) 1936
(b) 1932
(c) 1934
(d) 1930
Answer:
(d) 1930

Question 2.
Over the next four years, Nehru continuously wrote to his daughter from _______and his words are still inspiring.
(a) prison
(b) home
(c) office
(d) Mussoorie
Answer:
(a) prison

Question 3.
My presents cannot be very material or _______.
(a) compact
(b) solid
(c) good
(d) attractive
Answer:
(b) solid

Question 4.
Things that even the high walls of prison cannot _______.
(a) avoid
(b) permit
(c) stop
(d) prevent
Answer:
(c) stop

Question 5.
A letter can _______take the place of a talk.
(a) hardly
(b) scarcely
(c) rarely
(d) never
Answer:
(a) hardly

Question 6.
_______ men and women are not usually heroic.
(a) extra-ordinary
(b) simple
(c) poor
(d) ordinary
Answer:
(d) Ordinary

Question 7.
Bapuji is in prison, but the magic of his _______has stolen the hearts of India’s millions.
(a) words
(b) message
(c) actions
(d) deeds
Answer:
(b) message

Question 8.
It is no easy matter to _______what is right and what is not.
(a) tell
(b) argue
(c) decide
(d) analyse
Answer:
(c) decide

Question 9.
We have nothing to _______.
(a) store
(b) disclose
(c)hide
(d) save
Answer:
(c) hide

Question 10.
May you grow up into a brave _______ in India’s service.
(a) person
(b) soldier
(c) lady
(d) leader
Answer:
(b) soldier

A Birthday Letter About the Author

Jawaharlal Nehru (14 November 1889 – 27 May 1964) was the first Prime Minister. He emerged as an eminent leader of the Indian independence movement under the tutelage of Mahatma Gandhi. He served India as Prime Minister from 1947 until his death in 1964. He is considered to be the architect of the modern Indian nation-state: a sovereign, socialist, secular, and democratic republic. His birthday is celebrated as Children’s Day.

He was a prolific writer in English and wrote a number of books, such as The Discovery of India, Glimpses of World History, and his autobiography, Toward Freedom. In 1955, Nehru was awarded Bharat Ratna, India’s highest civilian honour by the President Rajendra Prasad.

A Birthday Letter Summary

The letters written by Nehru from the various prisons in British India to his daughter Indira, were published in 1942 as a book called “Glimpses of World History”. It is a collection of 196 letters on World History. This extract is about a letter written by Jawaharlal Nehru to his daughter Indira, when he was in the Central Prison at Naini. As he was not able to send a gift to Indira on her birthday, he writes to her. Though presents are appreciated, letters can equally be cherished as gifts. Nehru disliked giving sermons or advices because he believed that only by talking and discussing, sometimes a little bit of truth comes out.

The two factors that make ordinary men heroes are full faith in a great cause and love and respect for the nation. Mahatma Gandhi inspired millions of people to fight for freedom. He has helped to make the starving, the poor and the oppressed free and happy. If we are to be India’s soldiers, we have to respect India’s honour which is a sacred trust. He advises Indira not to do anything in secret or wish to hide anything. She should always stand bold and be brave always. Only then, she will grow up to be a child of the light, unafraid, calm and peaceful. He concludes finally by wishing her to grow up into a brave soldier in India’s service.

A Birthday Letter Mind Map

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A Birthday Letter Glossary

Synonyms

Antonyms

Tamilnadu Board Class 9 English Solutions

Tamilnadu State Board Class 9 English Solutions Supplementary Chapter 7 The Christmas Truce

A. Choose the correct answer.

Question 1.
The story is set during the _________.
(a) World War I
(b) World War II
(c) Kargil War
(d) Indo-China War
Answer:
(a) World War I

Question 2.
The story is about the celebration of _________festival.
(a) Deepavali
(b) Pongal
(c) Ramzan
(d) Christmas
Answer:
(d) Christmas

Question 3.
Tom called the incidents happened there as a _________.
(a) fairy tale
(b) poetry
(c) tragedy
(d) comedy
Answer:
(a) fairy tale

Question 4.
The Germans had placed Christmas trees in front of their _________.
(a) houses
(b) trenches
(c) tanks
(d) cars
Answer:
(b) trenches

Question 5.
One of the German soldiers worked as a _________ at Victoria Station.
(a) tea-seller
(b) ticket-checker
(c) porter
(d) shop keeper
Answer:
(c) porter

MCQs- Additional

Question 1.
As I wrote before, there has been little serious _________ of late.
(a) argument
(b) fighting
(c) row
(d) quarrel
Answer:
(b) fighting

Question 2.
It _________ and cakes everything, and constantly sucks at our boots.
(a) splatters
(b) scatters
(c) splashes
(d) spreads
Answer:
(a) splatters

Question 3.
Through all this, we could not help feeling _________ about the German soldiers across the way.
(a) anxious
(b) happy
(c) curious
(d) proud
Answer:
(c) curious

Question 4.
I went to the dugout to rest and lying on my cot, I must have drifted _________.
(a) away
(b) asleep
(c) around
(d) above
Answer:
(b) asleep

Question 5.
This carol may not yet be _________ to us in Britain.
(a) similar
(b) popular
(c) familiar
(d) common
Answer:
(c) familiar

Question 6.
There in the trenches, we looked at each other in _________.
(a) astonishment
(b) bewilderment
(c) amazement
(d) excitement
Answer:
(b) bewilderment

Question 7.
A bonfire was built and around it we _________.
(a) surrounded
(b) gathered
(c) assembled
(d) mingled
Answer:
(d) mingled

Question 8.
He showed me a _________. of his family back in Munich.
(a) photo
(b) picture
(c) snap
(d) portrait
Answer:
(b) picture

Question 9.
What does it mean, this impossible befriending of _________?
(a) soldiers
(b) warriors
(c) enemies
(d) terrorists
Answer:
(c) enemies

Question 10.
All nations say they want _________.
(a) unity
(b) peace
(c) good wishes
(d) laurels
Answer:
(b) peace

B. Identify the Character, Speaker or both of the following lines.

1. Our first complete silence in months!
2. Come and see! See what the Germans are doing!
3. Hold your fire.
4. You no shoot, we no shoot.
5. My God, why cannot we have peace and all go home? Ans: Older German soldier

Answers:

1. Tom.
2. John.
3. The British Captain.
4. One of the German soldiers.
5. Older German soldier.

Identify The Character / Speaker – Additional

1. We have mostly stayed in our trenches and waited.
2. I am not lying to you.
3. “That you must ask your emperor”.
4. “But we must also ask our hearts”.
5. “Send officer to talk”.
6. “English, come over!”.
7. “Because many have worked in England”.
8. “Perhaps you did!”.
9. “Christmas Trees!”.
10. And now it seems, they felt the same.

Answers:

1. Tom
2. Tom
3. Tom
4. An older German soldier
5. One of the German Soldiers
6. One of the German Soldiers
7. One of the German Soldiers
8. Tom
9. John, Tom’s friend
10. The German Soldiers

C. Answer the following question in about 100 -120 words.

Question 1.
Narrate the Christmas celebration as happened in the war field.
Answer:
On Christmas eve, the soldiers had their first good freeze. Everything was tinged white with frost and a bright sun shone. It was perfect Christmas weather. Clusters of tiny lights were shining all along the German line and they had placed Christmas trees, lit by candles, lanterns, like beacons of goodwill. The Germans began singing, “ Stille nacht..” The British applauded the Germans. Both the troops crossed the barbed wires and were in No Man’s Land.

They shared their joy, greeted and wished each other. They exchanged wonderful presents with all that they had, badges, tea, coffee, buttons, knife, etc… The Christmas celebration was wonderful as joy prevailed everywhere and they longed for peace.

Paragraph : Additional Questions

Question 1.
Why did more of Germans know English? How did others converse?
Answer:
More of Germans knew English because many of them have worked in England. One of the Germans was a waiter at Hotel Cecil. Another German had been a porter at Victoria Station. He showed Tom a picture of his family back in Munich. It was so lovely. Tom told him that he would like to meet his family members one day.

The German happily gave him his family’s address. Even those who could not converse could still exchange gifts – tea for coffee, corned meat for sausages, badges and buttons from uniforms changed owners, spiked helmets, jack knife for a leather equipment belt.

Question 2.
What happened when all were starting back to their trenches?
Answer:
When all were starting back to their trenches after the celebration of Christmas Eve, an older German soldier clutched Tom’s arm and said why can’t they have peace and all go home. Tom gently told him that he must ask his emperor about this. The old German looked at him searchingly and said again that they must also ask their hearts.

It was such a heart rending incident. What does it all mean, this impossible befriending of enemies? The soldiers may be decent, but they had to follow the orders and not shirk their duties. If the leaders were to offer good wishes in place of warnings; songs in place of insults; gifts in place of reprisals, would not all ward end at once.

D. Think and answer.

Question 1.
Do you envision a similar truce taking place in any wars or fighting today? Explain.
Answer:
Yes. I feel the same enmity is between India and Pakistan borders. Both the countries were united before the British left India. People who lived as brothers and sisters are now partitioned and called different nationalities. The bond of ‘ brotherhood still exists.

Question 2.
Today, much of what we know about the truce comes from soldiers’ postcards home. In the postcard given below, write a short message home, imagine that you took part in the 1914 Christmas Truce.
Answer:
My dear Mom,

It was a wonderful Christmas this year. We had the opportunity of celebrating ‘ with our foes. Sorry, they are our friends now. We crossed boundaries, exchanged gifts and sang Christmas songs.

It’s all like a dream. I couldn’t believe that the Germans would be too kind, lovable. Hope all this truce ends soon. We long for peace.

Yours,
John.

Additional Questions

I. Short Questions And Answers.

Question 1.
What does this story highlight?
Answer:
It highlights the beauty of unlikely friendships and fellowship.

Question 2.
When was this letter written and to whom was it written?
Answer:
It was written on the Christmas day in the year 1914 by a British soldier, Tom to his sister Janet.

Question 3.
Why did the British soldiers not dared to lift their heads above the ground?
Answer:
In daylight, the British soldiers did not dare to lift their heads above the ground for fear of a sniper’s bullet.

Question 4.
What happened to a new recruit in the dugouts?
Answer:
As there was rain daily, mud accumulated in their trenches. One new recruit got his feet stuck in it and then his hands too got stuck, when he tried to get out of it.

Question 5.
How did Germans place their Christmas trees?
Answer:
The Germans had placed their Christmas trees in front of their trenches, lit by candle or lantern like beacons of good will.

Question 6.
What song did the Germans sing first? Who translated it?
Answer:
They sang ‘Stille nacht, heilige nacht’ in German. John translated it to English ‘Silent Night, Holy Night’.

Question 7.
What did the captain of the British announced?
Answer:
He announced that both the captains had agreed that there will be no shooting before midnight, till the next day.

Question 8.
Where did the soldiers meet for the Christmas Eve
Answers:
They built a bonfire and around it, over a hundred soldiers and officers of each side mingled and shook hands with each other.

Question 9.
Who showed a picture of his family to Tom?
Answer:
A German, who had been a porter at Victoria Station, showed Tom a picture of his family back in Munich.

Question 10.
How did the soldiers parted after the Christmas Eve?
Answer:
They parted with promises to meet again the next day, for a football match.

II. Read The Passage And Answer The Questions.

1. It is 2:00 in the morning and most of our men are asleep in their dugouts – yet I could not sleep before writing to you about what happened here on Christmas Eve. In truth, what happened seems almost like a fairy tale, and if I had not been through it myself, I would have scarce believed it. While you and the family sang carols before the fire there . in London, I did the same with enemy soldiers here on the battlefields of France! As I wrote before, there has been little serious fighting of late. The first battles of the war left so many dead that both sides have held back until replacements could come from home. So, we have mostly stayed in our trenches and waited.

Question (a).
At what time did Tom write his letter?
Answer:
He wrote His letter at 2.00 in the morning.

Question (b).
What day was it?
Answer:
It was Christmas day.

Question (c).
What did Janet and her family do in London?
Answer:
Janet and her family sang carols before the fire in London.

Question (d).
What happened during the first battles of the war?
Answer:
The first battles of the war left so many dead that both sides were held back until replacements came from home.

Question (e).
Where did they stay?
Answer:
They stayed in their trenches.

2. But what a terrible waiting it has been! Knowing that any moment an artillery shell might land and explode beside us in the trench, killing or maiming several men. And in daylight not daring to lift our heads above ground, for fear of a sniper’s bullet.

And the rain – it has fallen almost daily. Of course, it collects right in our trenches, where we must bail it out with pots and pans. And with the rain has come mud – a good foot »’ or deeper. It splatters and cakes everything, and constantly sucks at our boots. One new recruit got his feet stuck in it, and then his hands too when he tried to get out.

Question (a).
What was the terrible thing?
Answer:
Knowing that any moment an artillery shell might land and explode beside them in the trench, killing or injuring several men was the terrible thing.

Question (b).
Who is a sniper?
Answer:
A person who shoots accurately from a hiding place is a snipper.

Question (c).
Where does the rain water collect?
Answer:
The rain water collects in their trenches.

Question (d).
What splatters and cakes everything?
Answer:
Mud splatters and cakes everything and constantly sucks at their boots.

Question (e).
Who got his feet stuck in it?
Answer:
One new recruit got his feet stuck in it.

3. I went to the dugout to rest, and lying on my cot, I must have drifted asleep. All at once my friend John was shaking me awake, saying, “Come and see! See what the Germans are doing!” I grabbed my rifle, stumbled out into the trench, and stuck my head cautiously above the sandbags.

I never hope to see a stranger and more lovely sight. Clusters of tiny lights were shining all along the German line, left and right as far as the eye could see.

“What is it?” I asked in bewilderment, and John answered, “Christmas trees!”
And so it was. The Germans had placed Christmas trees in front of their trenches, lit by candle or lantern, like beacons of goodwill.

Question (a).
Who went to the dugout to rest?
Answer:
Tom went to the dugout to rest.

Question (b).
What did John tell Tom?
Answer:
John woke up Tom and asked him to see what the Germans were doing.

Question (c).
What was tom’s reaction for this?
Answers:
He grabbed his rifle, stumbled out into the trench and stuck his head cautiously above the sandbags.

Question (d).
What was the lovely sight?
Answer:
cluster of tiny lights were shining all along the German line, left and right as far as the eye could see.

Question (e).
What is a beacon
Answer:
A beacon is a fire or light set up in a high position as a signal.

4. I saw one of our men lift his rifle to the ready, and no doubt others did the same – but our captain called out, “Hold your fire.” Then he climbed out and went to meet the Germans halfway.

We heard them talking, and a few minutes later, the captain came back and announced, “We’ve agreed that there will be no shooting before midnight tomorrow. But sentries are to remain on duty, and the rest of you, stay alert.”

Across the way, we could make out groups of two or three men starting out of trenches and coming towards us. Then some of us climbed out too, and in minutes, there we were in No Man’s Land – over a hundred soldiers and officers of each side, shaking hands with men we’d been trying to kill just hours earlier!

Before long, a bonfire was built and around it we mingled – British khaki and German grey. I must say, the Germans were the better dressed, with fresh uniforms for the holiday.

Question (a).
What did the captain ordered his man?
Answer:
He ordered his men not to shoot.

Question (b).
Whom did the captain meat?
Answer:
He met one of the German officers.

Question (c).
Who ware coming towards the British soldiers?
Answer:
Groups of two or three German men started out of their trenches and were coming towards them.

Question (d).
What did they build In’No Man’s land’?
Answer:
They built a bonfire in ‘No Man’s land’.

Question (e).
What was the colour of the uniform of the British and the Garman?
Answer:
The British wore a Khaki uniform and the Germans had a grey uniform.

5. Only a couple of our men knew German, but more of the Germans knew English. I asked one of them why that was so.
“Because many have worked in England!” he said. “Before all this, I was a waiter at the Hotel Cecil. Perhaps I waited on your table!”

“Perhaps you did!” I said, laughing.

Another German had been a porter at Victoria Station. He showed me a picture of his family back in Munich. It was so lovely, I told him I would like to meet his family members someday. He happily gave me his family’s address.

Even those who could not converse could still exchange gifts – our tea for their coffee, our corned meat for their sausage. Badges and buttons from uniforms changed owners, and one of our boys walked off with a spiked helmet! I myself traded a jack knife for a leather equipment belt – a fine souvenir to show when I get home.

Question (a).
How many British soldiers knew German?
Answer:
Only a couple of British soldiers knew German.

Question (b).
Why did more of the Germans knew English?
Answer:
More of the Germans knew English because many had worked in England.

Question (c).
Who worked as a waiter?
Answer:
One of the Germans worked as a waiter at the Hotel Cecil.

Question (d).
Who traded a Jack knife for a leather belt?
Answer:
Tom traded a Jack knife for a leather belt.

Question (e).
How will he preserve it?
Answer:
He will preserve it as a fine souvenir to show his family members.

III. Mind Map

Question 1.

Answers:

1. little shelling from either side.
2. stopped entirely.
3. peaceful holiday.
4. off guard.
5.  to rest.

Question 2.

Answer:

1. fine harmonies.
2. applause of their own.
3. the words in Latin.
4. No Man’s Land.
5. more amazing.

VII. Write A Brief Description Of The Story In A Story Map Format.

Title: Christmas Truce
Author: Aaron Shepard
Characters:

1. Tom, the British Soldier
2. Jack his sister
3. John his friend
4. The British Captain
5. New recruit of the British
6. British Soldiers
7. German Soldiers
8. An elderly German

Settings: On the battlefields during the World War – II.
Plot: The British soldier’s letter to his sister Janet on how all enemity was forgotten as British and German soldiers celebrated Christmas together.
Theme: It highlights the beauty of unlikely friendships and fellowship.
End: If the leaders were to offer good wishes in place of warnings; songs in place of insults; gifts in place of reprisals, would not all wards end at once. All the nations want peace.

The Christmas Truce Textual activities

Warm Up

Question.
Name one festival which you like the most.
Answer:
The festival which I like the most is Navarathri.

Question.
How do you celebrate that festival?
Answer:
We celebrate the festival by arranging beautiful dolls as Kolu at home.

Question.
A Narrate a memorable incident which happened during that celebration?
Answer:
During a Navarathri Kolu, a press reporter took snaps of our doll arrangement. That week, we received a special prize for best Kolu. Our Kolu picture appeared in the newspaper.

The Christmas Truce by Aaron Shepard

Aaron Shepard was born on 7th October 1950. He was a professional story teller and performer in reader’s theater from 1985 to 1991. He had also worked as a publisher, journalist, computer programmer, musician, instrument maker and salesman. He is the award winning author of Savithri: A Tale of Ancient’India, the Legend of Lightning Larry, The Sea King’s Daughter and many more childrens books. Aarons speciality is retelling folktales and other traditional literature from around the world. His work has been honoured by the American Library Association, the National Council for the Social Studies, the American Folklore Society, the New York Public Library and the Bank Street College of Education.

The Christmas Truce Summary

This is a British soldier’s letter to his sister on how all enmity was forgotten as British and German soldiers celebrated Christmas together. It was World War -1 time and there was a war between British and German. It was Christmas eve while everyone sang Christmas Carols before fire place. Tom, the British soldier was on the battle field of France.

They had stayed in a long narrow ditch. It was terrible. The German’s trench was only fifty yards from them. Between them lay No man’s land bordered both sides with barbed wire. On Christmas eve the shooting stopped completely.

Their first complete silence in months. The German soldiers had placed Christmas trees lit by candles or lantern, like beacon of good will. Both of them agreed to stop shooting on Christmas. They both exchanged gifts and food and sang Christmas songs. Thus they celebrated Christmas in the midst of war. All nations say that they want peace. Yet on that Christmas morning he wonders if they want it quite enough.

The Christmas Cruce Main Characters  

1. The Narrator
2. His friend John
3. German Soldiers

The Christmas Truce Mind Map

The Christmas Truce Glossary

Tamilnadu Board Class 9 English Solutions

Tamilnadu State Board Class 9 English Solutions Supplementary Chapter 6 Mother’s Voice

Mother’s Voice In text Questions

A. Choose the correct answer.

Question 1.
Mother was excited because __________.
(a) her son would be home in the spring
(b) her son was coming back to earth
(c) it was her first visit to the moon
(d) her son was going to another galaxy
Answer:
(c) it was her first visit to the moon

Question 2.
On weekdays, as Mother went about the chores __________.
(a) she constantly thought of her son
(b) she was always tired
(c) her singing would be soft and almost inaudible
(d) her singing was muted and a little sad
Answer:
(d) her singing was muted and a little sad

Question 3.
__________ occupies more than a hundred square kilometers on the moon.
(a) Selenopolis
(b) Metropolis
(c) Astrodrome
(d) Orchards
Answer:
(a) Selenopolis

Question 4.
The Community of Nations Square is where people __________.
(a) live on the moon
(b) work on the moon.
(c) walk on the moon
(d) of different nationalities come after work
Answer:
(d) of different nationalities come after work

Question 5.
They are planning an expedition to a neighbouring __________.
(a) galaxy
(b) country
(c) planet
(d) star
Answer:
(a) galaxy

Question 6.
The mother was not able to understand why people wanted to leave the moon because __________.
(a) it was better to remain as a part of solar-system
(b) it was better to remain on the earth
(c) it was not possible to come back
(d) it was a place to enjoy life
Answer:
(a) it was better to remain as a part of solar system.

MCQs – Additional

Question 1.
When she came to the moon, she looked around and __________ the moonscape.
(a) watched
(b) admired
(c) praised
(d) applauded
Answer:
(b) admired

Question 2.
His mother had still a young __________ voice.
(a) ringing
(b) soft
(c) sweet
(d) pleasant
Answer:
(a) ringing

Question 3.
He almost told her about the __________.
(a) journey
(b) voyage
(c) expedition
(d) tour
Answer:
(c) expedition

Question 4.
The words were __________ but the voice was worried.
(a) enthusiastic
(b) cheerful
(c) energetic
(d) joyful
Answer:
(b) cheerful

Question 5.
They’re walking towards the __________.
(a) river
(b) pond
(c) sea
(d) lake
Answer:
(d) lake

Question 6.
They looked quite__________ from a distance.
(a) big
(b) huge
(c) tiny
(d) small
Answer:
(d) small

Question 7.
These are very __________ spaceships Mother!
(a) dependable
(b) reliable
(c) expensive
(d) huge
Answer:
(b) reliable

Question 8.
He felt good __________ to her.
(a) speaking
(b) teaching
(c) listening
(d) preaching
Answer:
(c) listening

Question 9.
He __________ saw everything with different eyes.
(a) suddenly
(b) gradually
(c) abruptly
(d) always
Answer:
(a) suddenly

Question 10.
He __________ pushed a button and the went dark.
(a) picture
(b) image
(c) screen
(d) television
Answer:
(c) screen

B. Identify the character or speaker of the following lines.

1. It’s so easy to walk here, son!
2. They’re planning an expedition to a neighbouring galaxy.
3. Why should people go off into the unknown?
4. I don’t know when we’ll see each other again.
5. Operator on duty, ………. report to office.

Answers:

1. Mother
2. Son
3. Mother
4. Son
5. A voice from the loud Speaker

Identify The Character / Speaker – Additional

1. ‘It’s so easy to walk here, son! ’
2. ‘Back home the orchards are in bloom’.
3. ‘Let’s ride for a bit’.
4. ‘These are very reliable spaceships, Mother! ’
5. ‘You may be right, but… ’
6. ‘Do you know why people settle down on the Moon so easily’.
7. ‘When will you take your holidays?’
8. ‘At least try to come in the Autumn’.
9. ‘You think I don’t want to walk barefoot on the dewy grass?’
10. ‘They’ve deepened our pond; it’s full of fish now, You like fishing.

Answers:

1. Astronaut’s Mother
2. Astronaut’s Mother
3. The Young Astronaut
4. The Young Astronaut
5. The Young Astronaut
6. Astronaut’s Mother
7. Astronaut’s Mother
8. Astronaut’s Mother
9. The Young Astronaut
10. Astronaut’s Mother

C. Answer the following questions in about 100 -120 words.

Question 1.
Write a paragraph listing all the sentimental and the scientific reasons given by the mother against the expedition to neighbouring galaxy.
Answer:
The mother’s sentimental and scientific reasons against the expedition to the neighbouring galaxies are that the moon is a beautiful place, easy to walk on. There are lots of fruits on earth. The river Dnieper is better to swim. She asked her son why people should go off into the unknown and ask for trouble. She also suggested that it is advisable for people to settle on the moon first and then on the planets in the solar system.

She philosophized that the moon has the same gravitational field of their native earth, under the native sun. She sentimentally invited her son to come in the autumn for the apples, pears and the watermelons. She persuaded him to come to their deepened pond to fish and indicated that the pond was now full of fish.

Paragraph : Additional Question

Questin 1.
Describe the intimate relationship of the young astronaut with his mother.
Answer:
The young astronaut took his mother along the endless tunnels of Selenopolis, showing the tall structures which propped up the star studded sky. His mother still had a young ringing voice because she had been such a great singer. She had always liked singing. She sang cheerfully, when they had guests during the holidays. But on weekdays , when she was doing her work, her singing was muted and a little sad. When she spoke, it was also in a sing song manner. There was something unusual in her voice, when she stepped into the moon.

She was so excited may be because it was her first visit to the moon. He listened to her familiar voice that was so dear to him. There was worry in her voice, when she questioned her son whether he will come for a holiday in summer. He wanted to tell her about the expedition, but he checked himself, as he did not want to make her get more worried. He felt that she would have guessed of their parting and did not want him to go on an expedition to another galaxy.

D. Think and answer.

“The explorer in this story is travelling to another galaxy. The final destination is an unknown ‘ planet in another galaxy. The travel will take many years”. What qualities and lifeskills do you think an explorer like him must possess? Why? Do you have any of these skills and qualities? Explain.
Answer:
Space explorers work either as pilots who fly spacecraft or as mission specialists who conduct experiments. Regardless of their position, they need certain qualities to survive both NASA’s selection process and space travel itself. The qualities and life- skills needed are intelligence, adaptability, good physique, mental endurance and good ‘ knowledge. I have all these skills except the educational level which I would study as I grow up. ‘

Intelligence:
Astronauts need above-average intelligence and need quick thinking to A handle unexpected problems. They also need the intellectual creativity to dream up new avenues of space-based research into medicine, materials and processes for use N on Earth and in space. Curiosity is key, as are people skills and communication skills.

Adaptability:
Astronauts have many responsibilities in space. They need the flexibility to move from one task to another, different task. They also work on teams with astronauts from other countries and cultures, so they must be open-minded to diversity. They must be willing to change routines to accommodate new procedures.

Physical Condition:
The rigors of space travel are just about as intense as the rigors of space training. Astronauts need eyesight of20/100 or better uncorrected, correctable to 20/20 in each eye. Their blood pressure can’t be above 140/90. Candidates also must meet military water survival standards, which test for the ability to swim without stopping and to swim and tread water clothed in flight gear.

Astronauts also must be SCUBA-qualified to prepare for spacewalk training. Their bodies must respond well to high and low atmospheric pressures. They also must be prepared for the physical effects of zero gravity training up to 40 times a day. Space travel can last for months, during which the human body must function amid physical stress.

Mental Endurance:
Astronauts who make it through the physical demands of space travel must also grapple with isolation, fear and separation from loved ones. It’s not easy to live in close quarters with virtual strangers for three to six months or more. Astronauts must begin to cope with those long periods away from home during training, which takes two to three years and requires heavy travel to practice with international mission partners.

Education:
Astronauts need a bachelor’s degree from an accredited university in engineering, biological science, physical science and maths.

E. Based on the understanding of the story, discuss in groups and make a note of the following.

Additional Questions

I. Short Questions And Answers.

Question 1.
Why did the young astronaut’s mother had a ringing voice?
Answer:
She had a young ringing voice because she had been such a great singer.

Question 2.
Why was his mother excited?
Answer:
She was excited because it was her first visit to the moon.

Question 3.
What was an exotic experience?
Answer:
It was quite an exotic experience to have a swim on the moon.

Question 4.
Where were they planning to go?
Answer:
They were planning to go on an expedition to a neighbouring galaxy.

Question 5.
Describe the tunnels of Selenopolls?
Answer:
The endless tunnels of Selenopolis had tall structures and spacious caves with sparkling walls.

Question 6.
Who come to the community of Nations Square?
Answer:
People of different nationalities who work in Selenopolis come there after work. Some tourists also visit this place.

Question 7.
How did the young astronaut listened to his mother’s voice?
Answer:
He listened and listened to her as if drinking water from a spring on the earth in the shade of trees.

Question 8.
What did his mother say about people settling on the moon so easily?
Answer:
She said that people settle down on the moon so easily because they are in the gravitation field of their native Earth, under their native Sun.

Question 9.
What made his mother shrink?
Answer:
She shrank from the thought that her son might go off into space and be lost to his relatives forever.

Question 10.
What does the young astronaut often play on his screen?
Answer:
He often plays his recording of his mother on the moon and he feels, as if he is walking again with his mother, looking down at his native planet.

II. Read The Passage And Answer The Questions.

1. ‘It’s so easy to walk here, son! ’
His mother had still a young, ringing voice: perhaps because she had been such .a great singer! So long as he could remember her, she had always liked singing. On holidays, when they had guests, she sang cheerily and enthusiastically, but on weekdays, as she went about the chores, her singing was muted and a little sad. She even talked in a singsong manner. Now, too, there was something unusual in her voice – perhaps she was excited because it was her first visit to the Moon! As he listened to her familiar voice that was so dear to him, he wondered why it had this ringing sound.

Question (a).
What did his mother say, when she stepped into the moon?
Answer:
She said that she had never realized that it was such a beautiful place.

Question (b).
Where did the young astronaut take her?
Answer:
He took her along the endless tunnels of Selenopolis.

Question (c).
What was his mother?
Answer:
She was a great singer.

Question (d).
How did she sing, when they had guests?
Answer:
She sang cheerfully and enthusiastically.

Question (e).
What was so dear to the astronaut?
Answer:
His mother’s voice was so dear to him.

2. He almost told her about the expedition. The words were on the tip of his tongue, but he checked himself. Why make her worry? Worry. That was it. There was worry in her voice. The words were cheerful but the voice was worried. Had she guessed that this was their parting!

‘It’s easy to walk here,’ he said, ‘but the distances are long. Selenopolis occupies more than a hundred square kilometers. Let’s ride for a bit’.

A moving pavement covered with green plastic strips rushed them through echoing tunnels and spacious caves with walls sparkling in the light of the quartz lamps. The elevator delivered them to the surface. She looked in silence at the enormous lily-shaped tent over a crater that was at least a kilometer in diameter.

Question (a).
What was there in this mother’s voice?
Answer:
There was worry in her voice.

Questionc (b).
What does Selenopolis occupy?
Answer:
It occupies more than a hundred square kilometers.

Question (c).
How were the caves?
Answer:
The caves were spacious with walls sparkling in the light of the quartz lamps.

Question (d).
Was it easy to walk there in Selenopolis?
Answer:
Yes, it was easy to walk there.

Question (e).
What was the diameter of the lily shaped tent?
Answer:
Its diameter was one kilometer.

3. ‘The community of Nations Square,’ he told her. ‘People of different nationalities who work in Selenopolis come here after work. And there are some tourists. They’re * walking towards the lake. It’s quite an exotic experience to have a swim on the Moon.’

‘I’m sure it’s better in the river Dnieper when you come to the Earth for your holiday.’
When they looked at the astrodome, where two spaceships the size of the Ostankino TV tower were pointed into the black void of the universe, she sighed again.

‘What are these?’

‘Long-range spaceships, Mother. They’re planning an expedition to a neighbouring galaxy.’
She screwed up her eyes to look at the rockets where assembly men were busy. They looked quite small from a distance.

Question (a).
Who come to the community of Nations Square?
Answer:
People of different nationalities who work in Selenopolis come here after work. Some of the Tourists also come there.

Question (b).
What is a exotic experience?
Answer:
To have a swim in the moon is quite an exotic experience.

Question (c).
How many spaceships were there?
Answer:
There were two space ships.

Question (d).
What were they planning to do?
Answer:
They were planning an expedition to a neighbouring galaxy.

Question (e).
Who were busy at the rockets?
Answer:
The assembly men were busy at the rockets.

4. He listened and listened as if drinking water from a spring on the Earth, in the shade of trees. His mother, looking in the direction of the vast blue globe, lowered her voice and continued:

‘Look, son, isn’t it a miracle? The Earth floats through space, all by itself. See the snow-cap on the pole, and the glittering ocean! The cradle of life. And you want to leave this fabulous beauty! ’

He suddenly saw everything with different eyes. He saw how beautiful his native planet was, a real wonder of nature.
He had never felt that way before. His heart ached.

Question (a).
How did the astronaut listened to his mother?
Answer:
He listened and listened, as if drinking water from a spring on the Earth in the shade of trees.

Question (b).
What is the fabulous beauty?
Answer:
The Earth is a fabulous beauty.

Question (c).
What was the real wonder of nature?
Answer:
The beautiful native planet was the real wonder of nature.

Question (d).
Who saw everything with different eyes?
Answer:
The young astronaut saw everything with different eyes.

Question (e).
How is the ocean on the earth described?
Answer:
It is described as the ‘glittering ocean’.

5. But he knew very well that there would be no holidays and that his mother was seeing him for the last time. The thought of such a tremendous journey was already sending a chill through his heart.

‘At least try to come in the Autumn, ’ she pleaded, ‘ in time for the apples and pears… and the water-melons.’
‘You think I don’t want to walk barefoot on the dewy grass?’

‘Of course, you’ll walk on the dewy grass. And you could visit your relatives and friends’.
She shrank from the thought that her son might go off into space and be lost to his relatives forever.
‘They’ve deepened our pond; it’s full of fish now, You like fishing… ’

‘Operator on duty, report to office,’ a voice bellowed from the loudspeaker.
He pushed a button and the screen went dark. His mother fell silent.

Question (a).
What thought worried the astronaut?
Answer:
The thought of such a tremendous journey was sending a chill through his heart.

Question (b).
What fruits can we see In Autumn?
Answer:
Apples, pears and watermelons are seen in the Autumn season.

Question (c).
Why did his mother feel sad?
Answer:
She felt sad that her son might go off into space and be lost to his relatives for ever.

Question (d).
Where did the voice come from?
Answer:
A voice roared from the loudspeaker.

Question (e).
How did the screen go dark?
Answer:
The screen went dark, when the astronaut pushed a button.

III. Mind Map

Question 1.

Answers:

1. admired the moon scape
2. a beautiful place
3. the tall structures
4. ringing voice
5. liked singing

Question 2.

Answers:

1. expedition
2. checked himself
3. voice was worried
4. parting
5. worry

Question 3.

Answers:

1. he was longing for
2. the selection commision
3. his departure
4. to get upset
5. so dear to him

IV. Write A Brief Description Of The Story In A Story Map Format.
Answer:
Title: Mother’s
Author: Voice Vasil Berezhnoy
Characters: A young Astronaut, his mother and some of the assembly men.
Settings: A scene in the Moonscape.
Plot: The spirit of discovery that prompts a young astronaut to go looking for another world.
Problem: The young astronaut’s mother did not approve the author’s journey to another galaxy because it was a such a tremendous journey which will take many years to return to the earth.
End: The young astronaut goes to another galaxy leaving his native Sun which was then just a 12th magnitude star, visible through the telescope.

Mother’s voice Textual Activities

Warm up

Answer:
Yes. If I am given an opportunity to go on a one-way trip to Mars, I will accept it. I shall also take my family and friends with me. I am ready

Mother’s Voice Summary

The story talks about the love and affection between mother and son. The explorer being a son, tries to convince his mother as he is parting from her to neighbouring galaxy where he would never return. He invites his mother to the moon and made her to admire the beauty of it. He showed her echoing tunnels and spacious caves and also showed the tent where the different nationalities work. At first he enjoyed her voice and also listened to her talk. Her talk made him a little diversion towards his native planet.

She highlighted the glittering ocean, snow cap on pole and the fabulous beauty of earth which tempted him! His heart started aching but it’s time to depart from his mother. She pleaded him to give a visit in holidays. But the explorer is not sure about his return to earth. His unlucky mother requested him to return in Autumn to enjoy his favourite fruits and sport. But the explorer heard a voice which would take him to a different world. He pushed the button and the screen went dark.

But he often plays back the recording of his mother’s voice and feels as if he is with his mother on the moon. But they started off to another galaxy to the distance where the sun looked as 12th magnitude star through telescope. They became invisible to the earth.

Mother’s Voice Mind Map

Mother’s Voice Glossary

Tamilnadu Board Class 9 English Solutions

Tamilnadu State Board Class 10 English Solutions Prose Chapter 3 Old Man River (Drama)

A. Based on your understanding of the play, choose the correct answer and fill in the blanks.

Question 1.
The radio announced that ________.
(a) the river was above flood stage
(b) the Burnet Dam had given way
(c) there will be a cloud burst.
(d) they will be a cyclone.
Answer:
(a) the river was above flood stage

Question 2.
Mother couldn’t get home from Mrs. Brant’s because ____________.
(a) it was raining heavily.
(b) the bridges between home and the town were under water.
(c) there was an emergency at Mrs. Brant’s house.
(d) she has broken her leg.
Answer:
(b) the bridges between home and the town were under water

Question 3.
The Burnett Dam gave away as ______________ .
(a) it rained for days.
(b) the dam was weak.
(c) it rained heavily and the snow was melting.
(d) the maintenance was poor.
Answer:
(c) it rained heavily and the snow was melting

Question 4.
There was no power because ________________.
(a) the power house was out of commission.
(b) the power house was flooded.
(c) the dam gave away.
(d) there was fire.
Answer:
(a) the power house was out of commission

Question 5.
Why did they splint up Sara’s leg with pillows?
(a) She was unconscious out of fear.
(b) She has broken her leg below the knee.
(c) She was too lazy to walk.
(d) She was making a fuss.
Answer:
(b) She has broken her leg below the knee

MCQs- Additional

Question 1.
Who said, “We will be perfectly safe upon the roof.
(a) Jim
(b) Sara
(c) Betty
Answer:
(a) Jim

B. Based on your reading, answer the following in two or three sentences each.

Question 1.
Why did Jim run from school?
Answer:
Jim ran from school as there was a cloudburst and it was raining heavily.

Question 2.
Where was Amy’s mother?
Answer:
Amy’s mother was at her friend Mrs. Brant’s house.

Question 3.
Why did Amy ask Betty to fill in the water tubs?
Answer:
Amy asked Betty to fill in the water tub because the town supply of water may be
cut off or made unsafe to drink.

Question 4.
According to Jim what are the two things that a person should remember in times of *, emergency?
Answer:
Jim asked the girls to get organized. He asked Betty to look up her flashlight, candles, lamps, lanterns. He asked Rose to fill the tubs and pails and Amy and he will check on food, blankets and coats. He asked them to get first aid kit, quickly.

Question 5.
Why is Jim climbing on the roof?
Answer:
Jim climbed out on the roof and started waving the flashlight so that someone can see it and come for their help.

Question 6.
Who were there in the living room? What were they doing?
Answer:
Betty, Rose and Amy were in the living room. Sara was asleep. The three had candles. Betty tried to read.

Question 7.
Why were they going to sleep in the attic?
Answer:
Since the flood was rising near the house, they decided to sleep in the attic.

Question 8.
Who came in the boat?
Answer:
Mr. Tom Peters and Miss. Marsh from the Red Cross came in the boat to rescue.

Question 9.
Who is the founder of Junior Red Cross?
Answer:
Jean Henry Dunant is the founder of Junior Red Cross.

C. Match the following by drawing a line across column A and B.


Answer:

1. (e)
2. (c)
3. (h)
4. (g)
5. (i)
6. (d)
7. (j)
8. (f)
9. (b)
10. (a)

Short Questions and Answers : Additional

Question 1.
Describe the condition that prevailed outside due to heavy rain.
Answer:
The backyard of the house turned into a small lake. It had been raining heavily for three days and the area was likely to get flooded.

Question 2.
What did Amy’s mother tell her, over the phone?
Answer:
Amy’s mother told her to inform Rose’s mother over the phone that Rose would spend the night at Amy’s house. Betty, Amy were to fill all the bowls, tubs, pails and pitchers with fresh water in case the town supply is cut off or made unsafe to drink. She also expected Jim to stay back and help them.

Question 3.
What instructions did Jim give Amy, Betty and Rose?
Answer:
Jim asked Betty to set her flashlight and candles, lamps, lanterns. He asked Rose to fill the tubs and pails and Amy to check on food, blankets and coats and the first-aid-kit.

Question 4.
How had Sara got into the playhouse porch?
Answer:
Sara had followed Rose and got into the playhouse.

Question 5.
How did Jim succeed in bringing back Sara safe?
Answer:
Jim waded through the water and carried Sara back home.

Question 6.
Who came to the rescue of Amy and the others?
Answer:
Mr. Tom Peters and Miss Marsh, the Red Cross nurse came to their rescue.

Question 7.
What things did Amy rush to collect before going to the attic?
Answer:
Amy wanted to get her father’s most valuable books and mother’s jewel case.

Question 8.
What did Jim ask Amy to bring instead?
Answer:
Jim wanted her to get water and food more than books and jewels.

Question 9.
How did Sara meet with an accident?
Answer:
Sara had fallen off the step ladder. She hurt herself very badly.

Question 10.
Who were taken to safety first? What did Mr. Peter promise the others?
Answer:
Sara, Rose and Betty were taken to safety first. He promised to come back or send a boat for Jim and Amy.

Question 11.
Why was Jim thankful to the Disaster Committee?
Answer:
They were very alert and well-equipped. They had saved many lives and rescued many. So Jim was thankful to the Disaster Committee.

D. Based on your understanding of the text, answer the following in about 3 to 4 sentences each.

Question 1.
Describe the ‘home alone’ experience of the children.
Answer:
Rose, Amy and Betty were in the living room. Suddenly there was a cloudburst and Jim ran from his school to the house. The Burnett Dam gave way and the situation was bad. Mother was unable to come home from Mrs. Brant’s house, as the bridges were under water. Rose was also unable to go home. The children decided to fill fresh water in tubs and pails. They got flash light lantern and candles ready. Rose’s sister Sara was rescued by Jim from the playhouse porch. They arranged to cook in the kitchen. They slept in the attic. Jim also decided to climb the roof to wave a flash light so that someone would rescue them.

Question 2.
Elaborate the rescue operation undertaken by Mr. Peter.
Answer:
Tom Peters and Miss. Marsh came from the Red Cross in a boat. Mr. Peters found the children all alone. Sara had suddenly fallen off the step ladder and Peter carried her. Miss. Marsh, the nurse, fixed the hurt leg and made her comfortable. They decided to take her to the emergency Red Cross Hospital in the Armoury. Sara was taken carefully to the boat while Jim and Amy stayed behind.

Question 3.
How did Jim prove himself as a good rescuer in the flood situation?
Answer:
When Amy is scared, Jim narrates how he has served on the Junior Red Cross emergency squad during the war. When Sara, Betty and Rose leave with Mr. Peters and Miss. Marsh, Jim stays behind bravely with Amy promising Peter that they could take care of themselves. As the flood levels came down, Jim raises a coffee cup to Amy to toast the Coffee, lantern and rescue. He also got the entire situation organized with the help of the other girls and rescued Sara from the play porch when she was almost drowned in by the flood.

Question 4.
Briefly narrate the happenings of.the play in Scene II.

a. How did Amy manage the situation at home?
Answer: Amy, being the eldest in the family, managed the situation at home very diplomatically. She was a responsible girl, who did not show her fear to anyone. She managed the situation cleverly along with Jim, her neighbour.

b. How did the Marshal save the children?
Answer:
Tom Peters and Miss. Marsh came from the Red Cross committee in a boat and saved the children from the flooding situation. They also took Sara, who was hurt, to the Red Cross Hospital.

Paragraph Questions and Answers : Additional

Question 1.
Where did this play take place and what are the children talking about?
Answer:
This play ‘Old Man River’ takes place in the living room of the Marshall family in the late afternoon in March. Amy, Betty and Rose and sitting around the living room table. Amy and Rose are knitting. Betty is looking at pictures in a magazine. As it was raining heavily for the past three days, it was getting dark earlier. So Amy puts on the electric light. Rose comments that their backyard looks like a small lake. Betty joins them and says that the radio had announced that morning that the river was above flood stage. Rose says that the snow is also melting in the hills in the northern part of the state and that’s why there is water all over.

Question 2.
When Amy said that she was scared, how did Jim consoled her?
Answer:
When Amy said that she was scared of the situation over there, Jim, placed his hand on her shoulder and gave her confidence, saying that they had been through bad things before and come out safely. He reminded her about the school fire and how they managed to come out safely. He said that the first thing to be practised is that they must not let others see how scared they are and asked her to get all the things, they can together there – water, food, blankets, coats and lights. He also consoled her saying that if the water surrounds their house and sweeps into floor, they can climb into the attic and onto the roof.

Question 3.
Where was Sara and what happened to her after the lights went off?
Answer:
Sara was on the play house porch. Jim waded across the water and brought Sara back safely. After the power went off, Sara fell off the step ladder and her leg got hurt badly. But the nurse assured that they can fix it up and they could all get into the boat and take her home. She had broken her right leg just below the knee. So they splint her leg with pillows and umbrella and lifted her safely into the boat.

Think and answer

Question.
You are one of the survivors of an earthquake that has affected your city a lot. Share the trauma you underwent and what helped you to sail through it. Give a talk for two minutes.
Answer:
Ten years back, when we were in Andaman Islands, I experienced an earthquake which *, affected the city a lot. When we are all watching television, the building started shaking terribly. We ran, out of fear and I’ve witnessed the building coming to a crash. Since we were in the ground floor, we were all out safe. But most of our valuable things were destroyed. We have to run for our life to a safer place. The trauma that we all underwent was an unforgetful one.

E. Using a dictionary, find out the synonyms and the antonyms of the words given below. One has been done for you.

listening

The (i)________ South Indian floods resulted from heavy rainfall generated by the annual north east monsoon in (ii)________ 2015. They affected the (iii) ________ region of the South Indian states of (iv) ________ , and the Union Territory of (v)________,withTamilNaduandthecityof (vi)________ particularly hard-hit. Morethan (vii)________ people were killed and over 18 lakh people were (viii)________. With estimates of damages and losses ranging from nearly 200 billion rupees to over 1 trillion rupees, the (ix)________ were the costliest to have occurred in 2015, and were among the costliest natural disasters of the year. The flooding has been attributed to the 2014-16 (x)________
Answers:
(i) 2015
(ii) November, December
(iii) coromandel coast
(iv) Tamilnadu and Andhra Pradesh
(v) puducherry
(vi) Chennai
(vii) 500
(viii) displaced
(ix) floods
(x) El – Nino event

Writing

As a local government official working in the flood affected area you are talking to an old lady who has lost her belongings. Write a dialogue between you and the old woman. Complete the conversation.

You: Good morning Madam.
Old lady: Good morning sir
You: I am from the Fire and Rescue department. How can I help you?
Old lady: Sir, I have lost my belongings in the flood.
You: Oh, very pathetic. Where is your house?
Old lady: I live near the bridge. But right now, I have no home. It has been washed away.
You: My God! Where are you staying now?
Old lady: I am staying with a relative of my neighbour.
You: Have you enough food to eat?
Old lady: Sir, there are about eight of us in the house. We don’t have sufficient food or clothes.
You: I shall arrange for the transport to take you all to the flood relief camp. You can stay there until the position improves.
Old lady: Thank you sir.

Creative Writing

H. Write a letter to your friend about your experiences during the recent ‘Caja’ cyclone.
Answer:

25, November 2018.
Muthupet, Tiruvarur Dist.

Dear Rakesh,

I hope you are all fine there. You would have read in newspaper about the cyclone ‘Gaja’ and how had it played on the Cauvery delta region. Well, I had a bitter experience when the cyclone hit our town with full speed. Hundreds of trees were uprooted. There was no power supply for four days continuously. We ran shortage of water supply, as we could not switch on the motor. We had to get water from the trains. It was horrible. We could not go anywhere, as there were no transport facilities and the roads were damaged and blocked. There was slush and dust everywhere. Our neighbours fell sick with fever. I cannot forget that nightmarish week.

We are now slowly returning to normalcy. Don’t worry. We will meet soon.

Your loving friend,
R. Saravanan

I. Make a poster of any natural disaster, giving details about the devastations caused.
Answer:

J. Youareavolunteerinyourlocalitytoservepeoplewhoareaffectedbyfloods.How will you caution them to move to a safer place taking only their bare necessities? Describe.
Answer:

Cautions to the people affected by floods

1. Listen to all warnings issued for your area.
2. Do not walk or drive across flood waters.
3. Avoid recreational contact with flood waters due to the unknown amount of raw sewage, waste chemicals and the risk of drowning.
4. Stay away from floodwaters. If you come upon a flowing stream where water is above your ankles, stop, turn around and go another way.
5. Six inches of swiftly moving water can sweep you off your feet.
6. If you come upon a flooded road while driving, turn around and go another way.
7. Most cars can be swept away by less than two feet of moving water.
8. Do not walk near a transformer or an electrical post. Electrocution is also a major killer in floods.
9. Be more cautious at night because the impact of flood is more difficult to recognize in darkness.
10. Leam how flooding occurs and what you can do to minimize the damages to your property.
11. More importantly, getting educated about floodwaters could save you or your loved ones in the event of an emergency.

K. Given below are some qualities that the characters in the play displayed during the floods for survival. Identify and write the character with the qualities.

Scaling Heights

L. Based on your reading answer the following questions in a sentence or two.

Question 1.
Is mountaineering a dangerous sport? Why? (para 1)
Answer:
Yes, mountaineering is a dangerous sport because, as one climbs higher and higher, breathing becomes more and more difficult.

Question 2.
What is frostbite? (para 2)
Answer:
When the climbers climb on ice, chillness is so severe that their skin, feet, toes, fingers and tissues freeze, become numb and they may become a frostbite.

Question 3.
What are the qualities of a good climber? (para 3)
Answer:
A good climber must be in good physical condition, possess courage, perseverance and power of endurance.

Question 4.
What do climbers carry with them? (para 4)
Answer:
The climbers carry with them packs loaded with first aid supplies, food and extra clothing for sudden changes of weather.

Question 5.
Where is the Mountaineering institute situated in India?
Answer:
The Mountaineering Institute is situated in Darjeeling.

Question 6.
What qualities of humankind are brought out by this adventurous sport? (para 6)
Answer:
This adventurous sport brings the heroic qualities of human kind.

Question 7.
Why do mountaineers deserve praise? (para 6)
Answer:
Mountaineers deserve all praise for their courage and heroism.

Question 8.
What kind of visitors does Mt. Everest get? (para 6)
Answer:
Mt. Everest has been scaled several times by foreign climbers.

Poster Making

M. The Adventure Club of your school is organising an expedition to Kolli hills. Design an attractive poster for the same, giving relevant details.
Answer:

Grammar

Phrases and Clauses

A. Identify the dependent clauses or phrases in the following sentences and underline them.

1. Texting on his phone, the man swerved into a ditch.
2. It isn’t necessary to cram all night if you have studied a little each day.
3. We climbed up the hill to enjoy the view.
4. I enjoy painting during my holidays.
5. Whether he attends the party or not, I have decided to go.
6. I will stop playing the drums when you go to sleep.

B. Complete the following sentences using appropriate prepositional phrases.

Question 1.
I would like to order coffee _______ tea.
(a) instead of
(b) instead from
(c) instead to
Answer:
(a) instead of

Question 2.
______ the rains, we went out.
(a) In spite of
(b) In spite
(c) In spite on
Answer:
(a) In spite of

Question 3.
__________ fire, break the glass to escape.
(a) In case of
(b) In case
(c) In case with
Answer:
(a) In case of

Question 4.
I am standing here _______my friends.
(a) in behalf of
(b) on behalf of
(c) on behalf
Answer:
(b) in behalf of

Question 5.
We solved the problem _______ a new device developed by our engineers.
(a) by means of
(b) by means
(c) by means to
Answer:
(a) be means of

Question 6.
_______we are impressed with their performance.
(a) In general
(b) On general
(c) In generally
Answer:
(a) In general

Non-Finite Verbs

C. Look at the action words in bold. Identify whether they are either finite or non- finiteverb.

Infinitives and Gerunds

D. Read the following pairs of sentences.

Travelling might satisfy your desire for new experiences.
The study abroad program might satisfy your desire for new experiences.

Identify the subject in the first sentence Travelling.

They do not appreciate my singing.
They do not appreciate my assistance.
Identify the direct object in the first sentence Singing.

My cat’s favourite activity is sleeping.
My cat’s favourite food is salmon.
Identify the subject complement in the first sentence Sleeping.

The police arrested him for speeding.
The police arrested him for criminal activity.
Identify the object of the preposition in the first sentence Speeding.

E. You may role-play the conversation.

Teacher: This is Mr. Gerund. You may have seen him after these verbs ‘enjoy’, ‘finish’,
‘keep’, ‘mind’, ’suggest’, ’forgive’, ’excuse’, ‘postpone’,’go’
Gerund: I come after a Preposition too.
Teacher : Mr. Gerund comes in handy to describe a real action.
Infinitive: Hello friends, I am Infinitive. Words such as ‘like’, ‘refuse’ are followed by me.
Dinesh: I know you. I take your help to describe a general or future action.
(I think I need to get up early tomorrow to complete my grammar exercise.)
Divya: You have helped me to express ‘reason’, ’intention’,’ purpose’.
(I wish to finish my assignment by tonight.)
Gerund: Do you know, after verbs like ‘begin’,’ love’,’ continue’, ‘try’, Team’, ‘start’,
‘neglect’, you can use either of us?
Infinitive: But remember we mean different things when used after ‘stop’.
Dinesh: Divya,When we saw Rajesh at the mall, I stopped to talk to him.Why didn’t
you wait?
Divya: Don’t you know I stopped talking to him?
Gerund : I am also used after these phrases -‘It’s no use ‘ , ‘It’s no good1
Dinesh and Divya : Thank you, mam. Bye Mr. Gerund and Ms. Infinitive.

F. Now, work in pairs and help Dinesh and Divya complete the exercise given below. Write the gerund / infinitive form of verbs in the blanks.

Question 1.
The astronauts managed ________ (complete) their training in record time.
Answer:
to complete

Question 2.
They learned how _____ (survive) in space without gravity.
Answer:
to survive

Question 3.
The best astronaut almost quit (try) to learn the complex information.
Answer:
trying

Question 4.
Their mission appeared _____ (be) in jeopardy.
Answer:
to be

Question 5.
Then Marina encouraged him by saying, “It’s no good ______ (quit) the project right at the end.”
Answer:
quitting

Question 6.
Being an astronaut will enable you ______ (achieve) great success in life.
Answer:
to achieve

Question 7.
If you give up (study) now, our mission will be scrubbed.
Answer:
studying

Question 8.
Think of your fellow astronauts who wouldn’t hesitate ______ (help) you in time of trouble.
Answer:
to help

Question 9.
We astronauts must keep on ______ (prepare) for our space launch.
Answer:
preparing

Question 10.
Some say it’s no use_____ (travel) to distant planets, because it takes too long.
Answer:
travelling

Question 11.
But we really want ______ (visit) other planets and find out if life exists on them.
Answer:
to visit

Question 12.
Can you imagine _______(walk) up to a Martian and shaking hands and ____ (say), “Hello, how are you?”
Answer:
walking, saying

Question 13.
We really look forward _______ (meet) alien creatures and _____ (find) out what they are really like.
Answer:
to meet, finding

Question 14.
Many scientists have warned us not _______ (take) this dangerous journey, but we are not discouraged.
Answer:
to take

Question 15.
Travelling to far away planets involves ______ (risk) our lives for the thrill of discovery.
Answer:
risking

Question 16.
However, we won’t delay ______ (blast) off into space.
Answer:
blasting

Question 17.
Would you like __________ (accompany) us on our journey if you could?
Answer:
to accompany

Question 18.
During our training, we have got used to _____ (be) weightless and _____ (live) under difficult conditions.
Answer:
being, living

Question 19.
Scientists admit to _____ (be) intensely curious about life on other planets.
Answer:
being

Question 20.
I’m sure they would also enjoy _____ (travel) with our crew.
Answer:
travelling

Question 21.
We told them _____ (come) with us on our trip, but some of them think it is a waste of time ______ (search) for life that doesn’t exist.
Answer:
to come, searching

Question 22.
We have been taught how ______(endure) hardships during our training and now we can’t afford _____ (waste) money.
Answer:
to endure, to waste

Which planet are the astronauts heading to first? Add the infinitives.
Neptune-10, Venus-09, Mars-18, Jupiter-11
Answer:
The astronants are heading first o Mars – 18.

Old Man River (Drama)Textual Activities

Warm up

Look at these pictures of cyclone, floods, earthquake, tsunami and volcanic eruption.

A. Discuss in pairs for two minutes on any one of these natural disasters. You may use the following points.

• Causes
• Damages
• Precautions

Answer:
Earthquake is a terrible natural disaster. Unexpectedly, the earth gets split into cracks and wide craters are formed. Houses tumble down like packs of cards. Vehicles big and small get upturned. Trees get uprooted. Vehicles upturn. While cities are reduced into rubble and disintegrated particles, the earth gets cracked up and people are buried alive. It is very difficult to survive an earthquake. People are advised to run out into the open when there is a slight tremor marking the beginning of an earthquake. Many times tsunamis have caused earthquakes. Seismographs measure the intensity and level of earthquakes. A reading of 7 on the Richter scale indicates a severe earthquake.

B. Fill the word web with words related to natural disasters. One example has done for you.

C. Imagine a situation where your house is surrounded by water and answer the following.

Question (i).
What health hazards are caused when water stagnates around your place?
Answer:
During the floods in Chennai in 2015, our entire house was surrounded by knee-deep water on all sides. We found it difficult to wade through the water and go in and out. Sewage water got mixed with the flood water. People in the neighbourhood developed high fever and infectious diseases. Some suffered from diarrhea and other water-borne diseases. Mosquitoes started breeding in the dirty water. It was a horrible period of pollution, sickness and constant chillness.

Question (ii).
When there is a power shutdown for long hours during floods, what will you do?
Answer: I would rather consider the power-cut a boon, as I would find time to spend with my family. When there is no power supply, I would help my parents pump water from a pipe in the street and carry the pots home. I would gather my family members together and we would sit together and play cards, indoor games, sing songs, narrate incidents that took place in school and so on. Instead of fretting and cursing, I would regard things in an optimistic manner and utilise the situation to my benefit.

Question (iii).
What precautions would you take if there is an announcement about flooding in your area?
Answer:
We should choose a place that is higher than ground level, so that water does not enter the houses. We should be prepared to leave the house at anytime and collect our valuables so that they can be preserved in a safer place. We should turn off the main switches and should not use electrical equipments, to avoid electric shock. We should stay away from phone lines and electrical wires, to avoid electrocution.

D. List out the Human activities which have an impact on nature. Complete the tabular column. One is done for you.

Synonyms & Antonyms: Additional Questions

I. Choose the appropriate Synonym of the underlined words.

Question 1.
It must have covered the south meadows and the highway there.
(a) a main road
(b) a street
(c) a track
(d) a path
Answer:
(a) a main road

Question 2.
The river is rising fast.
(a) decreasing
(b) lowering
(c) running
(d) increasing
Answer:
(d) increasing

Question 3.
‘Betty’, you and I are to fill all the bowls, tubs, pails and pitchers with fresh water.
(a) mugs
(b) buckets
(c) large jugs
(d) bottles
Answer:
(c) large jugs

Question 4.
Everyone make it snappy.
(a) short and sweet
(b) fast
(c) pleasant
(d) long
Answer:
(a) short and sweet

Question 5.
Jim and Amy watch it a moment. Amy shudders.
(a) laughs loudly
(b) thinks cleverly
(c) shivers out of fear
(d) gets angry
Answer:
(c) shivers out of fear

Question 6.
Hark, what’s that?
(a) stand up
b) listen
(c) watch
(d) stay ahead
Answer:
(b) listen

Question 7.
There she is on the playhouse porch.
(a) verandah
(b) entrance
(c) a covered shelter at the entrance
(d) hall
Answer:
(c) a covered shelter at the entrance

Question 8.
Sara is sobbing softly.
(a) laughing
(b) crying
(c) smiling
(d) whispering
Answer:
(b) crying

Question 9.
We can split it with pillows and umbrella.
(a) attach
(b) support
(c) tied
(d) arrest
Answer:
(b) support

Question 10.
She helps Sara to her feet and quickly wraps a blanket around her.
(a) puts
(b) wears
(c) covers
(d) throws
Answer:
(c) covers

Another Type of Exercise

Choose the appropriate Synonym of the underlined words.

It isn’t only the rain. It’s the snow melting (i) in the hills in the northern part of the state. (The girls return to the table.) Oh, I hope (ii) we don’t have a flood here! (There is a noise (iii) of stamping feet and someone breathing hard (iv). The girls all look to the right, the direction (v) of the sounds.)

i) (a) freezing
(b) coagulating
(c) liquefying
(d) materializing
Answer:
(c) liquefying

ii) (a) wish
(b) doubt
(c) fear
(d) distrust
Answer:
(a) wish

iii) (a) peace
(b) sound
(c) quiet
(d) Serenity
Answer:
(b) sound

iv) (a) lightly
(b) easy
(c) heavily
(d) soft
Answer:
(c) heavily

v) (a) deviation
(b) justification
(c) invocation
(d) track
Answer:
(d) track

2. (Entering from right in shining (i) wet rain coat and rain helmet, which he drags off (ii) as he enters. He is panting (iii).) Gosh, girls, it’s a cloudburst!(iv) (He kicks off his shoes.) I’ve run every step of the ‘way from school to get here. The river is rising fast. The Burnett Dam gave way (v) an hour ago they say and it looks bad!

i) (a) dimming
(b) gleaming
(c) tarnishing
(d) darkening
Answer:

ii) (a) pushes off
(b) staves off
(c) pulls off
(d) rushes off
Answer:
(c) pulls off

iii) (a) breathing with short
(b) breathing with agony
(c) heaving
(d) longing
Answer:
(a) breathing with short

iv) (a) drizzle
(b) violent rainstorm
(c) sprinkle
(d) dripping
Answer:
(b) violent rainstorm

v) (a) closed for traffic
(c) broken down
(b) closed for repairs
(d) shutters closed
Answer:
(c) broken down

3. Hello. Yes, Mother – I know. Isn’t it awful (i)? How will you get home? Yes, mother, I’m listening carefully (ii). (Amy’s voice grows very serious) Yes – yes – yes, I will. No, mother, no, I won’t. Jim Hall is here and Rose Field too. Yes, all right, I’ll tell them. Goodbye. (Amy returns (iii) to the room. She is looking very scared (iv).) Mother can’t get home from Mrs. Brant’s. The bridges between here and town are under water. Rose, mother says you are to telephone your mother right away and tell her you will spend (v) the night here.

i) (a) excellent
(b) gorgeous
(c) terrible
(d) delicious
Answer:
(c) terrible

ii) (a) cautiously
(b) casually
(c) fearlessly
(d) recklessly
Answer:
(a) cautiously

iii) (a) leaves
(b) expenses
(c) forsakes
(d) comes back
Answer:
(d) comes back

iv) (a) brave
(b) frightened
(c) confident
(d) cooled
Answer:
(b) frightened

v) (a) pass
(b) conserve
(c) save
(d) hoard
Answer:
(a) pass

II. Choose the correct antonyms of the word underlined below:

Question 1.
The stage is not very bright.
(a) shining
(b) elegant
(c) dull
(d) sparkling
Answer:
(c) dull

Question 2.
The radio said the river was above flood stage this morning.
(a) ahead
(b) beyond
(c) upward
(d) below
Answer:

Question 3.
It’s the snow melting in the hills in the northern part.
(a) western
(b) eastern
(c) north-eastern
(d) Southern
Answer:
(d) Southern

Question 4.
She ought to be here soon.
(a) late
(b) immediately
(c) instantly
(d) suddenly
Answer:
(a) late

Question 5.
‘Yes’ mother, I’m listening carefully.
(a) minutely
(b) carelessly
(c) attentively
(d) interestingly
Answer:
(b) carelessly

Question 6.
She is looking very scared.
(a) confident
(b) afraid
(c) timid
(d) angry
Answer:
(a) confident

Question 7.
Mother says she hopes you will stay and help us Jim.
(a) believes
(b) expects
(c) despair
(d) understand
Answer:
(c) despair

Question 8.
Well, girls, let’s get organized.
(a) disorganized
(b) irritated
(c) arrogant
(d) displeased
Answer:
(a) disorganized

Question 9.
Remember the school fire?
(a) listen
(b) forget
(c) think
(d) analyses
Answer:
(b) forget

Question 10.
I’m glad I served the Junior Red Cross.
(a) happy
(b) merry
(c) sad
(d) angry
Answer:
(c) sad

Another Type Exercise

Choose the appropriate Antonyms of the underlined words.

1. Well, girls, let’s get organized (i). Betty, look up your flashlight and candles, lamps, lanterns or anything you’ve got. Rose, fill (ii) the tubs and pails and Amy and I will check on food, blankets and coats. Better get out the first-aid kit. Everyone make it snappy (iii). This is serious (iv), Amy. I don’t want to scare (v) you, but your house is in the direct line of the river.

i) (a) arranged
(b) disarranged
(c) formed
(d) coordinated
Answer:
(b) disarranged

ii) (a) refill
(b) stock
(c) empty
(d) replenish
Answer:
(c) empty

iii) (a) sluggish
(b) smart
(c) quick
(d) brisk
Answer:
(a) sluggish

iv) (a) grave
(b) severe
(c) difficult
(d) funny
Answer:
(d) funny

v) (a) terrify
(b) comfort
(c) alarm
(d) frighten
Answer:
(b) comfort

2. (Placing a hand on her shoulder) Steady (i), old pal(ii)! We’ve been through bad things before and come out safely. Remember (iii) the school fire? First thing, we must not let the others see how scared we are. Next, get all the things you can together here: water, food, blankets, coats, lights. I’m glad (iv) I served on the Junior Red Cross emergency squad during the war! It’s too bad (v) you live in a bungalow instead of a two-storey house.

i) (a) stable
(b) persistent
(c) unstable
(d) firm
Answer:
(c) unstable

ii) (a) foe
(b) friend
(c) guest
(d) brother
Answer:
(a) foe

iii) )(a) recall
(b) forget
(c) recollect
(d) remind
Answer:
(b) forget

iv) (a) happy
(b) delighted
(c) merry
(d) sad
Answer:
(d) sad

v) (a) wicked
(b) evil
(c) awful
(d) good
Answer:
(d) good

3. Yes, you have hurt it badly, Sara, but we can fix (i) it up and we will all get into the boat and take you home. You are going to be alright. She has broken her right leg just below (ii) the knee. We can splint it up with pillows and umbrella and lift (iii) her safely (iv) into the boat. I think we ought to take (v) her to the emergency Red Cross hospital in the Armoury.

i) (a) set
(b) break
(c) fasten
(d) attach
Answer:
(b) break

ii) (a) under
(b) bottom
(c) above
(d) down
Answer:
(c) above

iii) (a) drop
(b) rise
(c) raise
(d) elevate
Answer:
(a) drop

iv) (a) securely
(b) dangerously
(c) reliably
(d) surely
Answer:
(b) dangerously

v) (a) get
(b) accept
(c) receive
(d) give
Answer:
(d) give

Scene 1

Discuss with your partner and answer the following questions.

Question 1.
What were the girls doing in the living room?
Answer:
The girls were sitting and knitting in the living room. Betty was looking at pictures in a magazine.

Question 2.
Why was mother not able to come home?
Answer:
Amy’s mother took Dick to the dentist’s and was going to stop at Mrs. Brant’s for a recipe on her way home. So she was not able to come home.

Question 3.
How did Jim want the girls to ‘get organised’?
Answer:
Jim asked the girls to get organized. He asked Betty to look up her flashlight,
, candles, lamps, lanterns. He asked Rose to fill the tubs and pails and Amy and he will check on food, blankets and coats. He asked them to get first aid kit, quickly.

Question 4.
Which two important things did Jim want the girls to do to avoid getting scared?
Answer:
Jim wanted the girls not to let the others know how scared they were. Secondly he wanted all the necessary things like food, water, blankets, coats and lights to the brought.

Question 5.
Where did Jim want the girls to climb up? How was it going to help them?
Answer:
Jim suggested the girls that they could climb into the attic and onto the roof.
It might help them staying away from the flood before it reached them.

Question 6.
Who went to get Sara? Where was she?
Answer:
Jim went to get Sara. She was in the playhouse porch.

Scene 2

Discuss with your partner and answer the following questions.

Question 1.
What were the important objects that the girls and Jim try to move to the attic? Why?
Answer:
Food, water, father’s books and mother’s jewel case were moved to the attic.
They did so because water was rising.

Question 2.
Who came to rescue the children?
Answer:
Tom Peters and Miss. Marsh from the Red Cross came to rescue the children.

Question 3.
What happened to Sara?
Answer:
Sara had fallen off the step ladder and hurt her right leg just below the knee.

Question 4.
Who is Miss Marsh? How does she help Sara?
Answer:
Miss. Marsh is a nurse from the Red Cross. She tries to fix Sara’s right leg which was badly hurt. Miss. Marsh consoles Sara who cries with pain. She decides to carry Sara, with pillows and umbrella to put her safely in the boat.

Question 5.
Who were taken in the boat? Who were left behind?
Answer:
Sara, Rose and Betty were taken in the boat. Jim and Amy were left behind.

Question 6.
How does Red Cross help the children?
Answer:
Red Cross helped the children by taking them in the boat that had all the needs like food, lanterns and the rescue team.

Old Man River Summary

One late afternoon in March it was a rainy day. The rains were very heavy. It worsened and the bridges seem to be flooded. Amy Betty and Rose watched the heavy rain and heard from their mother that she wouldn’t come back home since the rain was heavy. Jim joins the three children at home. Amy’s father was in Chicago. The children decide to stay indoors. They fill fresh water in containers. They have lanterns and candles ready for a shut down of electricity. Telephones stop working.

Each takes responsibility for cooking, food, blankets and coats. They expect the dam to give a way anytime. Sara, Rose’s sister is caught in the playhouse porch. Jim saves her. As Jim was wet, they decide to give Dad’s warm clothes to him. The river kept on rising. Jim decides to show the flashlight from the roof. An hour later, without any light, all the children try to keep, them safe.

Amy decides to save father’s books and mother’s jewel case. Jim says water and food is more important. By then Mr. Peters and Miss. Marsh a nurse, came for their rescue in a boat. Water was everywhere. By then Sara falls off the step ladder and hurt her knee. She was brought on to the boat. She was taken to the emergency Red Cross Hospital. Jim and Amy stay and send the others in the rescue boat. Jim and Amy decide to wait on the roof. Miss. Marsh relieves Sara’s pain. Jim and Amy sip their coffee feeling happy about their Disaster Committee from the Red Cross.

Old Man River Main Characters

Amy Marshall (17), Betty Marshall – Sisters
Jim Hall (17): Neighbour
Rose Field (16), Sara Field (9) – Sisters
Penny Marsh – Red Cross Nurse
Mr. Peters – Member Red Cross

Old Man River Mind Map

Old Man River Glossary

Synonyms

Antonyms

Tamilnadu Board Class 9 English Solutions

Tamilnadu State Board Class 9 English Solutions Supplementary Chapter 3 Earthquake

A. Fill in the blanks with words from the text.

1. The name of the narrator is _________________ .
2. There were _________________ villages in the valley.
3. Brij went to Pauri to buy his _________________ .
4. The soldiers had set up a _________________
5. Bhuli had been buried under the debris for _________________  hours.

Answers:

1. Brij
2. six hundred and seventy
3. school books
4. makeshift hospital
5. hundred and sixteen

B. Based on your understanding of the story, choose the right answers from the options.

Question 1.
Brij started a tea shop because he wanted to _________________ .
(a) start a company.
(b) serve the people.
(c) go on a pilgrimage.
(d) become a tour guide.
Answer:
(b) serve the people

Question 2.
Molthi was completely devastated because of _________________ .
(a) a high intensity earthquake.
(b) thunder and hail storm!
(c) drought and famine.
(d) flash floods
Answer:
a high intensity earthquake.

Question 3.
The brother searched everywhere and looked dejected because _________________ .
(a) he couldn’t find his house.
(b) he couldn’t locate his sister.
(c) he was hungry and didn’t eat for a few days.
(d) he lost his school books.
Answer:
he couldn’t locate his sister.

Question 4.
The boy had great reverence and respect for Army officers as they _________________ .
(a) were brave and courageous,
(b) worked day and night
(c) saved his sister from death.
(d) all the above.
Answer:
saved his sister from death

Question 5.
Brij finally offered the traveller a _________________ .
(a) cup of milk
(b) cup of tea
(c) glass of water
(d) cup of coffee
Answer:
cup of tea

MCQs – Additional

Question 1.
Welcome to my humble roadside __________ .
(a) coffee shop
(b) snack shop
(c) tea shop
(d) fruit shop
Answer:
(c) tea shop

Question 2.
It looks rickety, but it will hold your __________ .
(a) height
(b) weight
(c) strength
(d) body
Answer:
(b) weight

Question 3.
The heat, the crowd, the __________ it was all too much.
(a) sun
(b) smoke
(c) water
(d) pollution
Answer:
(d) pollution

Question 4.
The earthquake lasted less than __________ minutes.
(a) three
(b) four
(c) five
(d) two
Answer:
(c) five

Question 5.
I had saved most of my __________ .
(a) vessels
(b) books
(c) instrument
(d) earnings
Answer:
(d) earnings

Question 6.
Its effects were felt as far away as Delhi and __________ .
(a) Agra
(b) Lucknow
(c) Kashmir
(d) Calcutta
Answer:
(b) Lucknow

Question 7.
It was a sheer chance that I was away that _________________ .
(a) evening
(b) morning
(c) night
(d) after noon
Answer:
(c) night

Question 8.
The __________ had set up a make shift camp.
(a) doctors
(b) soldiers
(c) people
(d) officers
Answer:
(b) soldiers

Question 9.
We spent the outside __________
(a) entire day
(b) entire night
(c) entire morning
(e) entire evening
Answer:
(b) entire night

Question 10.
I had gone to __________ to buy my school books
(a) Molthi
(b) Delhi
(c) pauri
(d) garhwal
Answer:
(c) pauri

Question 11.
He stood in the middle of a small __________.
(a) place
(b) door
(c) way
(d) hollow
Answer:
(d) hollow

Question 12.
__________ hours later, a soldier called out, ‘Sir!’
(a) Three
(b) Five
(c) Two
(d) Four
Answer:
(c) Two

C. Identify the character or speaker of the following lines.

1. Greetings, traveller. You looked tired and cold.
2. Tomorrow, we will go back to Pauri.
3. Whom are you looking for?
4. My men have been on their feet for days.
5. May God be with you!

Answers:

1. Brij
2. Uncle
3. Army officer
4. Army officer
5. Brij

Identify The Character / Speaker – Additional

1. ‘Are you a stranger to these parts?’
2. ‘I started this tea shop two years ago’.
3. ‘They have taken the bodies to the river bank’.
4. ‘But we must find her ’.
5. ‘Come, you must perform the last rites before sunset.’
6. ‘Brij, get a grip on yourself’.
7. ‘Boy, it is no use’.
8. ‘My sister, Sir”.
9. ‘They have done all they could here.’
10. They laboured doggedly.

Answers:

1. Brij
2. Brij
3. Uncle
4. Brij
5. Uncle
6. Uncle
7. The Army Officer
8. Brij
9. The Army Officer
10. The three soldiers

D. Answer the following questions in a paragraph of about 80 to 100 words.

Question 1.
Explain the efforts taken by the Army Officer to save the baby.
Answer:
The officer came with three soldiers armed with spades and crowbars. Without a word, the men began to remove the debris. They laboured doggedly. When it was completely dark, some one brought a few lit petromax lamps. Two hours r later, a soldier called out, “ Sir”. He stood in the middle of a small hollow. The wall had caved in at that spot. Brij recognised a part of the door. Beneath it, was a little foot. Feverishly, the soldiers began to clear the hollow. Then they lifted the door. It was a miracle. They rescued the baby alive after a hundred and sixteen hours. A ragged cheer went up and she was carried to a make-shift hospital.

Question 2.
Brij has become a symbol of love and humanity. Explain.
Answer:
Brij was happy to have Bhuli after a tough rescue operation. The officer who helped him was never seen again. He wanted to thank that Army officer. He hoped that one day he would run into him again. So Bhuj offered special tea with love and care to all tired travellers, army officers and soon every person who went that way. He felt a surge of sheer joy. He considered it as a humble service. Brij has become an epitome of love and a symbol of humanity.

Paragraph Questions And Answers : Additional

Question 1.
What happened to Brij’s village ‘Molthi’?
Answer:
A terrible earthquake occurred, four years ago in the month of October in a Valley near the Himalayas. Its effects were felt as far away as Delhi and Lucknow. They were six hundred and seventy villages in the valley. Out of these, six hundred and two villages were destroyed. The earthquake lasted less than five minutes. But it was enough time to set the centuries old mountains, to crash, to reduce the villages to rubble and to snuff out hundreds of lives. Brij’s village, “Molthi” was also destroyed during this terrible earthquake. He lost all his family members, except his little sister Bhuli. Every single house had been flattened. Only stones, rubbles and dust remained.

Question 2.
What did Brij tell to the traveller about his family?
Answer:
Brij’s house was a two-storeyed stone building with a slate roof/His great grandfather had built that house. They were a small family. His father had died after an illness, just fourteen months ago. His mother took care of all her children. Brij was the oldest of all. His brother Nilu was ten years old. Bhuli, his two-year old sister was the baby of the family. His grandmother also lived with them. He had lost his family, when he went to Pauri to buy his school books. While he was leaving for Pauri, his family members stood at the doorway and waved out to him.

E. Answer the following questions based on the reading of the story. Do not forget to go back to the passage whenever necessary to find and confirm the answers.

Additional Questions

I. Rearrange The Following Jumbled Sentences In The Correct Order.

Question A.
1. While you warm yourself, I will prepare for you the best cup of tea in all Garhwal.
2. Anyway, whoever you are, come with me. Wait at my tea shop.
3. It will chase away the pinched, blue look from your face.
4. As you can see, I am carrying this can of milk to the shop.
5. In ten minutes, I will have a fire going.
Answer:
2,4, 5,1, 3

2. Anyway, whoever you are, come with me. Wait at my tea shop.
4. As you can see, I am carrying this can of milk to the shop.
5. In ten minutes, I will have a fire going.
1. While you warm yourself, I will prepare for you the best cup of tea in all Garhwal.
3. It will chase away the pinched, blue look from your face.

Question B.
1. By the grace of God, it provides me a decent enough livelihood.
2. I came back and with a little help, I started this shop.
3. Before that, I worked in a roadside shop outside Panipat.
4. I had saved most of my earnings.
5. The heat, the crowd, the pollution – it was all too much.
Answer:
3, 5,4, 2,1

3. Before that I worked in a roadside shop outside Panipat.
5. The heat, the crowd, the pollution – it was all too much.
4. I had saved most of my earnings.
2. I came back and with a little help, I started this shop.
1. By the grace of God, it provides me a decent enough livelihood.

Question C.
1. One night, the earth quaked.
2. We, who live here, are accustomed to tremors.
3. It was four years ago, in the month of October.
4. Yes, tremors are common in these parts.
5. These snows may seem eternal, the Himalayas may look solid, but the truth is, deep down they are unstable.
Answer:
3,1,4, 5,2

3. It was four years ago, in the month of October.
1. One night, the earth quaked.
4. Yes, tremors are common in these parts.
5. These snows may seem eternal, the Himalayas may look solid, but the truth is, deep down they are unstable.
2. We, who live here, are accustomed to tremors,

Question D.
1. I had gone to Pauri to buy my school books.
2. We felt tremors. We ran out into the open.
3. Again and again the tremors came. We spent the entire night outside.
4. It was sheer chance that I was away that night.
5. I stayed the night at my uncle’s house.
Answer:
4,1, 5,2, 3

4. It was sheer chance that I was away that night.
1. I had gone to Pauri to buy my school books.
5. I stayed the night at my uncle’s house.
2. We felt tremors. We ran out into the open.
3. Again and again the tremors came. We spent the entire night outside.

II. Read The Passage And Answer The Questions.

1. Here we are. Welcome to my humble roadside teashop. Make yourself comfortable on this wooden bench. It looks rickety but it will hold your weight. My name, Sir? I am called Brij. I am seventeen years old. I started this tea shop two years ago.

Question (a).
Where was Brij’s teashop?
Answer:
His teashop was by the roadside.

Question (b).
How was the wooden bench in his tea shop.
Answer:
It was poorly made and likely to collapse.

Question (c).
How old was Brij?
Answer:
He was seventeen years old.

Question(d).
When did he start the tea-shop?
Answer:
He started the tea shop two years ago.

Question (e).
Who did Brij invite to his tea shop?
Answer:
Brij invited a traveller to his tea shop.

2. Here, your tea is ready – strong, sweet, flavoured with cardamom. Enjoy it, Sir, while I get on with my chores. This is my daily routine. At sunset, I will shut my shop and walk back the three miles to my dwelling on the hillside.

The name of my village?
It was my village. The village of my ancestors.
It is no more. Molthi is gone.

Question (a).
How did Brij prepare tea for the traveller?
Answer:
He prepared strong, flavoured tea with cardamon.

Question (b).
What time does he shut his shop?
Answer:
He shuts his tea shop at sunset.

Question (c).
How many miles he has to walk to his dwelling?
Answer:
He has to walk three miles to his dwelling on the hillside.

Question (d).
What was the name of his village?
Answer:
Molthi was the name of his village.

Question (e).
Why does Brij say that his village ‘Molthi’ is gone?
Answer:
He says that Molthi is gone because it was destroyed by an earthquake.

3. It was four years ago, in the month of October. One night the earth quaked. Yes, tremors are common in these parts. These snows may seem eternal, the Himalayas may look solid, but the truth is, deep down they are unstable. We, who live here, are accustomed to tremors. But what happened that night was more than that. It was a terrible earthquake. Its effects were felt as far away as Delhi and Lucknow.

Question (a).
When did the earthquake occur?
Answer:
It occurred four years ago in the month of October.

Question (b).
Are tremors common in those parts of the valley?
Answer:
Yes, Tremors are common in those parts of the valley.

Question (c).
What did Brij say about the Himalayas?
Answer:
Himalayas may look solid and eternal, but deep down, they are unstable.

Question (d).
Are the villagers who lived there accustomed to Tremors?
Answer:
Yes, they are accustomed to Tremors.

Question (e).
How were the effects of the Tremor?
Answer:
Its effects were felt as far away as Delhi and Lucknow.

4. When the soldiers began to clear the debris, my uncle led me away. I was in a complete daze, too numb to feel anything. The soldiers had set up a makeshift camp. Someone gave me tea and biscuits. I don’t know how long I was there. Suddenly it was evening and uncle was standing beside me. “They have taken the bodies to the river bank,” he said gently. “Come, you must perform the last rites before sunset. Tomorrow, we will go back to Pauri.”

Question (a).
What was the state of Brij, after the devastation?
Answer:
He was in a complete daze, too numb to feel anything.

Question (b).
What did the soldiers set up?
Answer:
The soldiers set up a makeshift camp.

Question (c).
What did his uncle say to him?
Answer:
He said that they have taken the bodies to the river bank. So he must perform the last rites before sunset.

Question (d).
When the soldiers began to clear the debris, what did his uncle do?
Answer:
He led Brij away from that place.

Question (e).
What was given to Brij by someone?
Answer:
He was given tea and biscuits.

5. He stood in the middle of a small hollow. The wall had caved in at that spot. I recognized a part of a door. Beneath it, a small foot.
Feverishly the soldiers began to clear the hollow. Then, they lifted the door.
“She is alive!” someone said.

It was a miracle. She had been buried under the debris for a hundred and sixteen hours. She had survived the earthquake, the cold nights and the wild animals. A ragged cheer went up and the soldier wrapped her in a warm blanket and carried her to the tent, where a makeshift hospital had been set up. Bhuli lived. The next day, I went to thank the Army Officer. But he was gone. I did not even know his name.

Question (a).
Where did one of the soldiers stand?
Answer:
He stood in the middle of a small hollow.

Question (b).
When the soldiers saw a small foot beneath a part of a door, what did they do?
Answer:
Feverishly, the soldiers began to clear the hollow. Then, they lifted the door and found the little girl there.

Question (c).
How many hours was the little girl buried under the debris?
Answer:
She had been buried there for a hundred and sixteen hours.

Question (d).
What steps were taken by the soldiers to save Bhuli?
Answer:
The soldiers wrapped her in a warm blanket and carried her to the tent, where a makeshift hospital had been set up.

Question (e).
What made Brij to go to the area, where the soldiers were labouring?
Answer:
The next day, he went to the area, to thank the army officer for saving his sister.

III. Short Question And Answers.

Question 1.
What was Brij carrying to his shop?
Answer:
He was carrying a can of milk to his shop.

Question 2.
Where did Brij work earlier?
Answer:
He worked in a roadside shop outside Panipat.

Question 3.
How did he prepare the tea for the traveller?
Answer:
He prepared a strong, sweet flavoured tea with cardamom for the traveller.

Question 4.
How many miles did Brij walk everyday to his dwelling?
Answer:
He walked three miles to his dwelling on the hillside.

Question 5.
When did the terrible earth quake occur?
Answer:
It occurred four years ago in the month of October.

Question 6.
How many villages were destroyed?
Answer:
Six hundred and two villages out of six hundred and seventy villages in the valley, were destroyed.

Question 7.
With whom did Brij live?
Answer:
He was living with his mother, a brother, who was ten years old, a two year old sister Bhuli and his grandmother.

Question 8.
What did the Army officer do, after Brij requested him to search for his sister?
Answer:
Ten minutes later, the army officer was back with three soldiers armed with spades and crowbars.

Question 9.
Was Briji’s sister alive?
Answer:
Yes, she was alive. She had been buried under the debris for a hundred and sixteen hours.

Question 10.
Did Brij thanked the army officer? Why?
Answer:
No, he could not thank him, as he was gone, the next day.

Earthquake Textual Acitivies

Warm Up

Question.
When was the last time you helped someone? Write a few instances of your act of kindness.
Answer:
I helped an old lady recently when she was very hungry and I had just ten rupees for my favourite chocolate. But, I was happy to get her a bun, butter and jam and feed her. I felt relieved and happy when she wished me goodluck.

• I have offered to carry weight for an aunt with a child,
• I have offered my seat in the bus for elders,

Earthquake On Killing a Tree by Mahadevan

M. S. Mahac van, is a prolific South Indian English writer. His short stories are known for the lucid style and typical Indian conditions. The Mole, Daughter Daughter, 200 Metres, The Enemy are some of his famous short stories.

Earthquake On Killing a Tree Summary

Brij, a little boy of 17 years old, offers tea at free of cost to any of the army officers or tired travellers. On his way to his tea-shop, he looks happy and excited. He offers a tired traveller tea and tells the incident of an earthquake that killed almost all of his family four years ago. On that day Brij went to a nearby Village, Pauri, to buy his school books and stayed at his uncle’s house.

That day night, his hometown, Molthi, was shattered by a powerful earthquake. He could just see the corpse of all his family members except his little sister, Bhuli. Everyone believed that she would have been eaten by some wild animals. But Brij felt that she would be alive. He requested an Army officer to search. The officer brought a team of three soldiers and started removing debris, to search for the little child.

Fortunately they found Bhuli who survived 116 hours without food in between the ruckus. Brij was very happy to have his sister. He didn’t even thank the officer as he never met him again. From that day, he started to offer free tea and service to all tired travellers who went that side.

The main characters are : 1. brij, 2. army officer, 3.bhuli 4.A tirerd traveller

Earthquake On Killing a Tree Mind Map

Earthquake On Killing a Tree Glossary

Tamilnadu Board Class 9 English Solutions