Lesson Architecture Theme Stanza-wise Explanation NCERT Solution Extra Questions Theme: The poem is in the form of a ballad that tells the story of a cowardly dragon. The poem also showcases the heroic and chivalric act of bravery by a seemingly coward Dragon. The poem teaches us the lesson that we should not consider anyone insignificant and small. Even a seemingly insignificant person/animal can be of great help when occasion rises. People who are unassuming and make no proud proclamations, prove their worth when the occasion demands. Stanza-wise Explanation Stanza 1 Belinda lived in a little white house, With a little black kitten and a little grey mouse, And a little yellow dog and a little red wagon, And a realio, trulio, little pet dragon. Vocabulary: Belinda: Belinda is a lady who lives in a little white house with her four pets. Wagon: a carriage for carrying goods. realio: here it means 'really' trulio: here it means 'truly' dragon: a large aggressive animal with wings and a long tail Paraphrase: There was a little girl by the name Belinda who used to live in a little white house with her four pets-namely Ink( a black kitten) , Blink ( a grey mouse) Mustard ( a yellow dog) and Custard ( a little dragon). Stanza 2 Now the name of the little black kitten was Ink, And the little grey mouse, she called him Blink, And the little yellow dog was sharp as Mustard, But the dragon was a coward, and she called him Custard. Vocabulary: Mustard: a yellow coloured flower. Coward: a fearful person/animal Paraphrase: In this paragraph we are introduced to the names of Belinda's pets. Ink was a little black kitten, Blink was a little grey mouse, Mustard was a little yellow dog who was as sharp as Mustard and the little pet dragon was very scared and fearful and was called Custard by Belinda. Stanza 3 Custard the dragon had big sharp teeth, And spikes on top of him and scales underneath, Mouth like a fireplace, chimney for a nose, And realio, trulio daggers on his toes. Vocabulary: spikes: thin and sharp Scales: thin plates of hard material that cover the skin of many fish and reptiles. fireplace: an open space for a fire in the wall of a room Paraphrase: Custard the dragon is covered in scales with spikes on top and has enormous sharp teeth. He is capable of breathing out fire from his mouth like a fireplace and his nose is like a chimney through which the smoke comes out. His toes are so sharp like a dagger. Stanza 4 Belinda was as brave as a barrel full of bears, And Ink and Blink chased lions down the stairs, Mustard was as brave as a tiger in a rage, But Custard cried for a nice safe cage. Vocabulary: barrel full of bears: Belinda' bravery is equal to a cluster of bears. tiger in a rage: When a tiger becomes angry. safe cage: Safe cage refers to dragon's desire to take shelter inside a protected cage. Paraphrase: Belinda's bravery is presumed to be as good as a cluster of bears. Ink and Blink were also bold enough to chase lions down the stairs. The dog also appeared to be as brave as an angry tiger. But ironically, the big-sized dragon was very timid and always wanted a safe heaven in the form of a protected cage. Stanza 5 Belinda tickled him, she tickled him unmerciful, Ink, Blink and Mustard, they rudely called him Percival, They all sat laughing in the little red wagon At the realio, trulio, cowardly dragon. Vocabulary: tickled: to touch on a sensitive part of the body intended to make someone laugh. Percival: Sir Percival was one of King Arthur's most loyal knights. Paraphrase: Belinda used to tickle him in order to cause him discomfort and make him feel uneasy. Ink , Blink and Mustard were rude to the dragon and called him Percival as he was very soft and honest. They made fun of cowardly dragon by sitting in the little red wagon. Stanza 6 Belinda giggled till she shook the house, And Blink said Weeck! which is giggling for a mouse, Ink and Mustard rudely asked his age, When Custard cried for a nice safe cage. Vocabulary: shook the house: Belinda's laughter echoed her house. Weeck : sound made by the mouse. nice safe cage : Custard used to demand protection for himself in the form of a safe cage. Paraphrase: Belinda used to laugh so loudly that her laughter echoed the whole house. Blink-the mouse- made a weeck sound-which is equivalent to giggling. Ink and Mustard made fun of Custard and asked his age whenever Custard demanded a safe cage in which he could lock himself up and be safe. Stanza 7 Suddenly, suddenly they heard a nasty sound, And Mustard growled, and they all looked around. Meowch! cried Ink, and ooh! cried Belinda, For there was a pirate, climbing in the winda. Vocabulary: Pirate: a robber who attacks ships to steal. Winda: Here it means 'window'. Paraphrase: While Ink and Mustard were busy in making fun of Custard, they heard a nasty sound outside. Mustard barked at him and Ink meowed and Belinda cried ooh because they all became very scared of the pirate who was seen to be climbing on the window. Stanza 8 Pistol in his left hand, pistol in his right, And he held in his teeth a cutlass bright, His beard was black, one leg was wood; It was clear that the pirate meant no good. Vocabulary: cutlass bright: a bright sword one leg was wood : the pirate was handicapped. Paraphrase: He was carrying a pistol in his left and right hand and a bright sword in his teeth. His beard was black and on of his legs was made of wood. His approach indicated that he meant no good to Belinda and her pets. Stanza 9 Belinda paled, and she cried Help! Help! But Mustard fled with a terrified yelp, Ink trickled down to the bottom of the household, And little mouse Blink strategically mouseholed. Vocabulary: terrified yelp: give a sudden short cry trickled down: here run. household: at the end of the house. mouseholed: the hole where the mouse lives. Paraphrase: Belinda became pale with fear and cried for help. Mustard ran away with terrifying yelping sound. Ink left towards the end of the house. And Blink-the little mouse- in a planned manner went inside the mouse hole. Stanza 10 But up jumped Custard, snorting like an engine, Clashed his tail like irons in a dungeon, With a clatter and a clank and a jangling squirm, He went at the pirate like a robin at a worm. Vocabulary: snorting like an engine: Custard started making loud sound like an engine. irons in a dungeon : chains of the prisoners make sound when they strike one another in underground prison. clatter and a clank : types of sound produced by metals when they strike one another. jangling squirm : Sound of objects when they fall on one another. Paraphrase: Snorting like a full-throated engine and lashing his tail like chains in a dungeon, Custard attacks the pirate like a robin ( a type of bird) does at a worm. Stanza 11 The pirate gaped at Belinda’s dragon, And gulped some grog from his pocket flagon, He fired two bullets, but they didn’t hit, And Custard gobbled him, every bit. Vocabulary: gulped some grog: the pirate swallowed some drink . pocket flagon : the pirate swallowed drink from the container inside his pocket. gobbled : swallowed. Paraphrase: The pirate was staring at Custard and swallowed hastily some drinks from the container kept in his pocket. He then fired two shot at Custard. But the bullets missed their mark and Custard ate up the pirate bit by bit. Stanza 12 Belinda embraced him, Mustard licked him, No one mourned for his pirate victim. Ink and Blink in glee did gyrate Around the dragon that ate the pirate. Vocabulary: embraced: hugged mourned: feel sad for the death of the pirate. glee: happiness gyrate: dance. Paraphrase: After the death of the Pirate, Belinda hugged Custard, Mustard licked him. On the other hand, no one felt sad for the death of the victim Custard. Out of happiness Ink and blink started dancing around the dragon that ate up the pirate. Stanza 13 But presently up spoke little dog Mustard, I’d have been twice as brave if I hadn’t been flustered. And up spoke Ink and up spoke Blink, We’d have been three times as brave, we think, And Custard said, I quite agree That everybody is braver than me. Vocabulary: flustered : to become nervous/confused. up spoke : spoke up Paraphrase: Their gratitude gave way to self-promotion. Mustard said that he would have been twice as brave had he not been flustered by the sudden appearance of the pirate. Ink and Blink said that they would in fact have been three times as brave. Custard showed his calm and maturity by saying that he knew that everybody was braver than him. Stanza 14 Belinda still lives in her little white house, With her little black kitten and her little grey mouse, And her little yellow dog and her little red wagon, And her realio, trulio little pet dragon. Paraphrase: There was a little girl by the name Belinda who used to live in a little white house with her four pets-namely Ink( a black kitten) , Blink ( a grey mouse) Mustard ( a yellow dog) and Custard ( a little dragon). Stanza 15 Belinda is as brave as a barrel full of bears, And Ink and Blink chase lions down the stairs, Mustard is as brave as a tiger in a rage, But Custard keeps crying for a nice safe cage. Vocabulary: barrel full of bears: Belinda' bravery is equal to a cluster of bears. tiger in a rage: When a tiger becomes angry. safe cage: Safe cage refers to dragon's desire to take shelter inside a protected cage. Paraphrase: Belinda's bravery is presumed to be as good as a cluster of bears. Ink and Blink were also bold enough to chase lions down the stairs. The dog also appeared to be as brave as an angry tiger. But ironically, the big-sized dragon was very timid and always wanted a safe heaven in the form of a protected cage. Thinking About the Poem ( page 132) 1. Who are the characters in this poem? List them with their pet names. Ans: The characters in this poem are Belinda, a little black kitten, a little grey mouse, a little yellow dog and a little pet dragon. a little black kitten is called Ink. a little grey mouse refers to Blink. a little yellow dog is Mustard a little pet dragon is called Custard. 2. Why did Custard cry for a nice safe cage? Why is the dragon called “cowardly dragon”? Ans: Custard felt secured inside a protected cage as he was timid in nature. Dragon is timid in nature. He felt scared every time and wanted to cage himself to feel secured all the time. Therefore, he is referred to as ''cowardly dragon''. 3. “Belinda tickled him, she tickled him unmerciful...” Why? Ans: Belinda tickled him unmercifully because Custard was neither protesting at others when they were making fun of him nor did he try to retaliate those who laughed at him. 4. The poet has employed many poetic devices in the poem. For example: “Clashed his tail like iron in a dungeon” — the poetic device here is a simile. Can you, with your partner, list some more such poetic devices used in the poem? Ans: Some poetic devices being used by the poet are the following: Simile: the little yellow dog was sharp as Mustard... Belinda was as brave as a barrel full of bears Mustard was as brave as a tiger in a rage. Metaphor: Chimney for a nose daggers on his toes Repetition: Suddenly, suddenly they heard a nasty sound.... With a little black kitten and a little grey mouse, And a little yellow dog...... Refrain: 'And her realio, trulio little pet dragon' has been repeated several times in the poem. Alliteration: Belinda was as brave as a barrel full of bears “b” sound is repeated. Transferred Epithet: Terrified yelp. Onomatopoeia: And Blink said Weeck! And Mustard growled. Mustard with a terrified yelp With a clatter and a clank and a jangling squirm. 5. Read stanza three again to know how the poet describes the appearance of the dragon. Ans: The dragon has big sharp teeth with spikes on top of him and scales underneath. His mouth was like a fireplace and his nose was like a chimney. His toes were as sharp as daggers. 6. Can you find out the rhyme scheme of two or three stanzas of the poem? Ans: The rhyme scheme is aabb, ccdd, eeff. 7. Writers use words to give us a picture or image without actually saying what they mean. Can you trace some images used in the poem? Ans: The following are the instances of images used in the poem: the dragon's mouth like a fireplace. the dragon's nose like a chimney Belinda being as brave as a barrel full of bears. Custard going at the pirate like a robin at a worm. Custard lashing his tail like chains in a dungeon. 8. Do you find The Tale of Custard the Dragon to be a serious or a light-hearted poem? Give reasons to support your answer. Ans: The poem is a light-hearted poem as the poet has given an account of animals in a funny and comical manner. The dragon who is supposed to be fierce and terrifying has been projected to be timid . The exaggeration that has been used in the description of Belinda, her pets and the pirate give us the indication of this poem being light-hearted. An animal as fearful as a dragon has been described to be looking for a safe cage whereas the mouse, the cat and the dog are portrayed as braver than the custard. So the plot lends a humorous effect to the whole architecture of the poem. 9. This poem, in ballad form, tells a story. Have you come across any such modern song or lyric that tells a story? If you know one, tell it to the class. Collect such songs as a project. Note: Students can do a research on the topic and write down their viewpoints. Recommended Reading Important Questions for Board Exam, Term II <<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<< End>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

Lesson Architecture Theme Lesson-At-A-Glance NCERT Solution Theme: The lesson highlights that we should be happy with what we have and not aspire for something that is beyond our reach. We should keep our expectations and wants in alignment with our financial limit. In case we fail to restrict our wants within our means, we come to grief and repentance. We should learn to come to terms with grief consequent upon our actions. Lesson-At-A-Glance The story is about Matilda Loisel, a young & pretty woman who was born in a poor family and married to a poor clerk. She was very unhappy as she felt that she was meant for finer things of life. She could neither extend invitation to others for dinners nor could afford herself lavish gowns and jewels. One day her husband came with an invitation to a party at the minister's residence. Instead of being happy, Matilda threw the invitation card on the table as she was not having elegant dress as well as jewellery. Her husband gave up his saved money which he kept aside for buying a gun and bought a suitable dress for her. As the day of the ball approached Matilda was still sad as she had not ornament to wear. Her husband's suggestion to wear fresh flowers did not please her. He then suggested her to borrow a suitable ornament from her rich friend, Madame Forestier. Madame Forestier generously offers her jewels and asked Matilda to choose the she liked. Matilda chose a superb diamond necklace. She became extremely happy to get such a posh necklace. Matilda being the prettiest of all the ladies, men started noticing her and wanted to be introduced to her. Matilda danced and enjoyed till four o' clock in the morning. On their return from the party, Monsieur Loisel puts around her the modest wrap she had brought. But the shabby wrap clashed with the finery of the gown and Matilda did not wait for her husband to call the cab, but left hurriedly so that no one could see it. At home when Matilda stood in front of the mirror to have one finally looked herself in her finery, she was shocked to realize that the necklace was missing. Loisel enquires at the cab offices and puts an advertisement in the papers, but received no lead. He instructed Matilda to write to Madame Forestier that the clasp of the necklace had broken and that they would have it repaired. In a shop they found a diamond necklace which seemed exactly like the one they had lost. They borrowed money from usurers and lenders to pay for the necklace and spent the next ten years of their life in terrible hardship to repay the loans they had taken. Matilda washed clothes, brought water adn went to the grocer's and the butcher's like a common woman haggling to the last penny. Her husband, on the other hand, worked evenings and nights to bring in some extra money. The life of hardships took its toll on Matilda. She looked old and haggard. One day while walking in the Champs-Elysees, Matilda saw her friend Madame Forestier walking with a child, still looking pretty and young. When Madame Forestier heard the story of Matilda , she was shocked beyond all measure to hear that Matilda worked all these crucial years to pay for her imitation necklace. She informed Matilda that her necklace was false and did not cost her more than five hundred francs. NCERT Textbook Questions: Read and Find Out ( Page 39) 1.What kind of a person is Mme Loisel-Why is she always unhappy? Ans: Mme Loisel is a pretty young lady who is born in to a family of clerks and is married to a poor clerk. She always dreams of living a life of luxury with fine food on the table, and fine clothes and expensive jewellery. She is very unhappy as she feels that she is meant for finer things of life. 2. What kind of a person is her husband? Ans Monseiur Loisel is a poor clerk who is hardworking and economical in nature. He loves his wife and sacrifices his saved money so that she could buy herself a dress for the dinner. Read and Find Out ( Page 41) What fresh problem now disturbs Mme Loisel? She has no jewellery to wear for the dinner. She would look poor and deprived among the gathering of rich people. So she feels disturbed to think of this fact. How is the problem solved? Ans: The problem is solved by her husband who suggests that she borrows jewels from her rich friend, Mme Forestier. Read and Find Out ( Page 44) What do M. and Mme Loisel do next? Ans: M Loisel toes to the police and to the cab offices, puts an advertisement in the newspapers with an offer of a reward. He returns home with no trace of the necklace. He suggests to her wife that she should write to Mme Forestier that she has broken the clasp of the necklace and that she will have it repaired. How do they replace the necklace? In a shop of the Palais-Royal, they find a chaplet of diamonds, which seem to them exactly like the one they had lost. It is worth forty thousand francs, but they manage to buy it for thirty-six-thousand. Loisel had eighteen thousand francs and the rest he borrowed from usurers and moneylenders at high interest so that he could buy a replacement necklace to Mme Forestier. Think About It The course of the Loisel's life changed due to the necklace. Comment. Ans: Mrs & Mr. Loisel took ten years to repay eighteen thousands francs that they borrowed from moneylenders. They worked very hard and lived a beggar's life in order to repay the loan. They did the following things to get rid of a staggering loan. They sent away the maid, changed their lodgings, rented some rooms in an attic. She learned the odious work of a kitchen. She washed the dishes. She washed the soiled linen, their clothes and dishcloths, which she hung on the line to dry. She took down the refuse to the street each morning and brought up the water. she went to the grocer’s, the butcher’s and the fruiterer’s, with her basket on her arm, shopping, haggling to the last sou of her miserable money. The husband worked evenings, putting the books of some merchants in order. He often did copying at five sous a page. 2. What was the cause of Matilda's ruin? How could she have avoided it? Ans: The cause for her ruin was her ambitious desire to borrow a necklace from Mme Forestier. If she could manage with the flowers that her husband suggested her to wear in place of jewellery, she could have avoided having met such a miserable life. All their hard work for ten years was a waste as the necklace they borrowed was a imitation necklace and not a diamond one as both thought it to be. If Matilda could learn to live her life within her means, she would not aspire to borrow a necklace and fall into a trap of worldly possessions. Moreover, when she returned the necklace to Mme Forestier, she could tell the truth to Mme Forestier about the lost necklace. In that way she could have surely avoided being in such a great trouble for ten long years. 3. What would have happened to Matilda if she had confessed to her friend that she had lost her necklace? Ans: In my opinion, her friend would have informed her that the necklace was an imitation of a diamond necklace, which cost her only five hundred francs. Matilda could have immediately returned the diamond necklace or sold it to the same shop and got the money back. This disclosure by her friend would have helped Matilda and her husband to avoid ten long years of miserable lifestyle. Recommended Reading Important Questions for Board Exam, Term II

Lesson Architecture Theme Lesson-At-A-Glance NCERT Solution Extra Questions Theme: 'Coorg' situated midway between Mysore and Mangalore, is referred to as India's coffee country. The author calls the place ' piece of heaven' . The lesson describes the weather, natural beauty, animal and plant life of Coorg. The people are described as beautiful , hospitable and having a rich martial history. Lesson-At-A-glance Coorg or Kodagu, is the smallest district of Karnataka. It is home to evergreen forests and spice and coffee plantations. It rains heavily during the monsoons, but the months from September to March are ideal. The weather is perfect and the air is fragrant with the smell of refreshing coffee. The poeple of Coorg are a proud and brave race. It is said that they are of Arabic or Greek descent, and their customs and traditions are distinct from the mainstream population. Coorg homes have a rich tradition of hospitality, and one gets to hear tales of valour of fathers and sons if one visits them. The Coorgi regiment is one of the most decorated regiments of the Indian Army. The first Chief of the Indian Army, General Cariappa was a coorgi. The people of Coorg are the only people in India permitted to carry firearms without a licence. Coorg has amazing wildlife, and the terrain makes it a great place for outdoor and adventure activities. The rolling hills and the swiftly flowing river offer the perfect area for adventure sports-river rafting, canoeing, rappelling, rock climbing and mountain biking. Coorg also has numerous walking trails which are a favourite with trekkers. The Brahmagiri Hills give a panoramic view of the misty landscape of Coorg. Surrounded by the Kaveri and accessible by a rope bridge is the sixty-four acre island of Nisargadhama. Bylakuppe, which has a large Tibetan settlement, is situated nearby. Visitors searching for the heart and soul of India may find it right here in Coorg. NCERT Solution Thinking about the Text ( Page 92) 1. Where is Coorg? Ans: Coorg is midway between Mysore and the coastal town of Mangalore. 2. What is the story about the Kodavu people’s descent? As one story goes , a part of Alexander's army moved south along the coast and settled there when return became impractical. They married the locals and their culture is apparent in the martial tradition, marriage and religious rites, which are distinct from the Hindu mainstream. The theory of Arab origin can be derived frm the long, black coat with an embroidered waist-belt worn by the Kodavus and resembles the kufia worn by the Arabs and the Kurds. 3. What are some of the things you now know about (i) the people of Coorg? They are possibly of Greek or Arabic descent. (ii) the main crop of Coorg? Coffee and spices (iii) the sports it offers to tourists? It offers tourists river rafting, canoeing, rappelling, rock climbing, mountain biking and numerous walking trails for treks. (iv) the animals you are likely to see in Coorg? The animlas you are likely to see in Coorg are birds, bees and butterflies; Macaques, Malabar squirrels, langurs, slender loris and wild elephants. (v) its distance from Bangalore, and how to get there? Its distance from Bangalore is 260 kms. Extra Questions: 1. Where is Coorg located? Why is Coorg called the land of the rolling hills? Ans : Coorg is the smallest district of Karnataka. It is situated midway between Mysore and the coastal town of Mangalore. It is a land of rolling hills and picturesque landscape. Coorg is a coffee country famous for its hills, rain forests and spices. It is surrounded by hills and covered with rain forests. Because of numerous hills, the city is also called the land of rolling hills. Q2. What is Kodagu? Why is it famous? Ans : Kodagu is another name of Coorg, the smallest district of Karnataka. It is famous for its coffee gardens, spices and rainforests. It is also famous for its brave people and culture. Q3. What is the origin of the people of Coorg? Ans : According to one story, the people of Coorg are the descent of Greek. The army of Alexander settled here and expanded their families by marrying the locals. According to other belief, the people of Coorg are the descent of the Arabs as their dress resembles the Kuffia worn by the Arabs. Q4. What is Kuppia? How does it make the Kodavus close to the Arabs? Ans : ‘Kuppia’ is a long, black coat with embroidered waist belt worn by the people of Coorg. It is very similar to Kuffia worn by the Arabs. Q5. What are the two contradictory traits of the character of the Kodavus? Ans : The people of Coorg are peace-loving people. They are known for their hospitality and tradition. However, they are also known for their bravery. They are the only people in India who are permitted to carry firearms without a licence. Q6. Why are the Kodavus permitted to carry firearms without a licence? Ans: Kodavus, the people of Coorg, are known for their loyalty and bravery. The Coorg regiment is one of the most celebrated regiments in the Indian Army. The people of Coorg are the only one in India who are allowed to carry firearms without licence. Recommended Reading Important Questions for Board Exam https://www.englishwithadifference.com/term-ii-class-x-literature

THEME This lesson is about Ustaad Bismillah Khan. He was a well-known shehnai player in India. His Uncle, Ali Baux, inspired him to learn the lesson in Shehnai. He played the shehnai on the day India got independence i.e 15th August 1947. This lesson highlights his road to success and his philosophy of life. Story At A Glance EMPEROR Aurangzeb banned the playing of a musical instrument called pungi in the royal residence for it had a shrill unpleasant sound. A barber of a family of professional musicians, who had access to the royal palace, decided to improve the tonal quality of the pungi. He chose a pipe with a natural hollow stem and made seven holes on the body of the pipe. He played the instrument before royalty and everyone was impressed. The instrument was later named as the ‘shehnai. Shehnai is considered to be auspicious. For this reason it is still played in temples and is an indispensable component of any North Indian wedding. The credit for bringing this instrument onto the classical stage goes to Ustaad Bismillah Khan. As a five-year old, Bismillah Khan played gilli danda near a pond in the ancient estate of Dumraon in Bihar. He would visit the nearby Bihariji temple to sing the Bhojpuri ‘Chaita’, at the end of which he would earn a big laddu weighing 1.25 kg, a prize given by the local Maharaja. This little boy has grown up to earn the highest civilian award in India — the Bharat Ratna. Born on 21 March 1916, Bismillah belongs to a well-known family of musicians from Bihar. His grandfather, Rasool Bux Khan, was the shehnai-nawaz of the Bhojpur king’s court. His father, Paigambar Bux, and other paternal ancestors were also great shehnai players. Bismillah started accompanying his uncle, Ali Bux, to the Vishnu temple of Benaras where Ali Bux would play the shehnai and Bismillah would sit listenting for hours together. Slowly, he started getting lessons in playing the instrument and would sit practicing throughout the day. Utsad Bismillah Khan would visit the temple of Balaji, temple of Managala Maiya and on the bank of river Ganga he would practice playing the shehnai. The flowing waters of the Ganga inspired him to invent ragas that were earlier thought to be beyond the range of the shehnai. With the opening of the All India Radio in Lucknow in 1938 came Bismillah’s big break. He soon became an often-heard shehnai player on radio. When India gained independence on 15 August 1947, Bismillah Khan became the first Indian to greet the nation with his shehnai. The Raag that was played by Ustaad Bismillah Khan on the occasion of the Independence of India was Raag Kafi. He played it from the Red Fort. Bismillah Khan has given many memorable performances both in India and abroad. His first trip abroad was to Afghanistan where King Zahir Shah was so taken in by the maestro that he gifted him priceless Persian carpets and other souvenirs. Film director Vijay Bhatt was so impressed after hearing Bismillah play at a festival that he named a film after the instrument called Gunj Uthi Shehnai. The film was a hit, and one of Bismillah Khan’s compositions, “Dil ka khilona hai toot gaya ...,” turned out to be a nationwide chartbuster! Bismillah Khan became the first Indian to be invited to perform at the prestigious Lincoln Centre Hall in the United States of America. He also took part in the World Exposition in Montreal, in the Cannes Art Festival and in the Osaka Trade Fair. Film director Vijay Bhatt was so impressed after hearing Bismillah play at a festival that he named a film after the instrument called Gunj Uthi Shehnai. The film was a hit, and one of Bismillah Khan’s compositions, “Dil ka khilona hai toot gaya ...,” turned out to be a nationwide chartbuster! Bismillah Khan became the first Indian to be invited to perform at the prestigious Lincoln Centre Hall in the United States of America. He also took part in the World Exposition in Montreal, in the Cannes Art Festival and in the Osaka Trade Fair. National awards like the Padmashri, the Padma Bhushan and the Padma Vibhushan were conferred on him. In 2001, Ustaad Bismillah Khan was awarded India’s highest civilian award, the Bharat Ratna. With the coveted award resting on his chest and his eyes glinting with rare happiness he said, “All I would like to say is: Teach your children music, this is Hindustan’s richest tradition; even the West is now coming to learn our music.’’ A student of his once wanted him to head a shehnai school in the U.S.A., and the student promised to recreate the atmosphere of Banaras by replicating the temples there. But Khan saab asked him if he would be able to transport River Ganga as well. Ustaad Bismillah Khan’s life is a perfect example of the rich, cultural heritage of India, one that effortlessly accepts that a devout Muslim like him can very naturally play the shehnai every morning at the Kashi Vishwanath temple. Ustaad Bismillah Khan passed away on 21 August 2006 at the age of ninety after a prolonged illness. He was given a state funeral and the Government of India declared one day of national mourning. Recapitulation EMPEROR Aurangzeb banned the playing of a musical instrument called pungi in the royal residence for it had a shrill unpleasant sound. Later on a barber modified it and the instrument was later named as ‘shehnai. Shehnai is considered to be auspicious. For this reason it is still played in temples and is an indispensable component of any North Indian wedding. The credit for bringing this instrument onto the classical stage goes to Ustaad Bismillah Khan.

Subscribe to my Channel by Clicking Here THEME Evelyn is a famous multi- percussionist. She plays a variety of percussion instruments like xylophone, drums etc. The story of Evelyn Glennie is a inspirational story. It inspires us to overcome our physical disabilities and fulfil our dreams just like Evelyn did. Although the Almighty God snatched her hearing power, He gifted her the sense of feeling. That is why she was able to express music so beautifully. This lesson teaches us in spite of all handicaps, we can realize our dream with single-minded devotion and tenacity. STORY AT A GLANCE The story begins with the scene at the railway platform. Evelyn was waiting for the train to go to London to learn music as she has takne admission in the Royal Academy of Music. Evelyn being a girl of Scotland is very nervous to go to a big place like London. However, she is excited as well because she will learn music from the Royal Academy of Music in London. Evelyn faced a much bigger challenge that was her inability to hear. Therefore, she felt nervous at the Royal Academy of Music. Evelyn Glennie’s loss of hearing had been gradual. Her mother, Isabel Glennie, identified her deafness when she was eight-year-old waiting to play the piano. Her name was called, but she did not move. When Evelyn was eleven years old her marks has started deteriorating. The Headmistress requested her parents to take Evelyn to the doctor. It was then discovered that her hearing was severely impaired as a result of gradual nerve damage. Her parents were advised They were advised that she should be fitted with hearing aids and sent to a school for the deaf. But Evelyn was determined to lead a normal life and pursue her interest in music. When Evelyn saw a girl playing the Xylophone, she wanted to play it too. Most of the teachers discouraged her but percussionist Ron Forbes spotted her potential. He took two large drums tuned each drum to different notes. He then instructed her not to listen through her ears, but feel the music some other way. As Ron had tuned both the drums to different notes, Evelyn could hear higher notes of the drum from the upper part of her waist and the lower notes from the lower part of her waist. Forbes repeated the exercise, and soon Evelyn discovered that she could sense certain notes in different parts of her body. Slowly Evelyn started sensing the different sounds through the different parts of her body. She toured the United Kingdom with a youth orchestra and by the time she was sixteen, she had decided to make music her life. She auditioned for the Royal Academy of Music and scored one of the highest marks in the history of the academy. She gradually moved from group orchestra to solo performances. At the end of her three-year course , she had captured most of the top awards. If anyone complements Evelyn, she shares her success recipe that if we work hard and we have an aim, a goal then we will certainly achieve it. She gained expertise in almost one thousand musical instruments and she is acclaimed to be the most popular multi percussionist of the world. She has a very busy Schedule. She has programmes and concerts all over the world. The writer Deborah Cowley took Evelyn’s interview which lasted for two hours. Evelyn says that those men having long, bushy beards give her trouble. When they speak, she cannot see their lip movement which is covered with the bushy beards. Evelyn says that she not only sees the lip movement of the person’s face, but the entire expression of the face of the speaker to be able to understand what he is saying. After becoming deaf Evelyn also learned two new languages-French and basic Japanese. As for Music Evelyn explains that she identifies music as it creates sensation in her skin, in her cheekbones and even in her hair. So every part of Evelyn’s body responds to music. When she plays the xylophone, she can sense the sound passing up the stick into her fingertips. By leaning against the drums, she can feel the resonances flowing into her body. Whenever Evelyn performs, she performs on a wooden platform and she removes her shoes so that she can feel the vibrations of the musical instruments pass through the floor, into her feet and up her legs. In 1991 she was presented with the Royal Philharmonic Society’s prestigious Soloist of the Year Award. Evelyn does charity also. She gives free concerts in hospitals and prisons. She also takes classes for young musicians. For those children who want to learn music. Evelyn Glennie has already accomplished more than most people twice her age. Evelyn’s story is an inspiration to physically disabled people. They feel that they can also achieve their dreams. Evelyn’s performance is a delight for her audience. She is loved all over the globe. RECAPITULATION Her mother, Isabel Glennie, identified her deafness when she was eight-year-old waiting to play the piano. Her name was called, but she did not move. She took admission in Royal Academy of Music in London to learn music. The Headmistress requested her parents to take Evelyn to the doctor. It was then discovered that her hearing was severely impaired as a result of gradual nerve damage. Most of the teachers discouraged her but percussionist Ron Forbes spotted her potential. She auditioned for the Royal Academy of Music and scored one of the highest marks in the history of the academy. If anyone complements Evelyn, she shares her success recipe that if we work hard and we have an aim, a goal then we will certainly achieve it. She gained expertise in almost one thousand musical instruments and she is acclaimed to be the most popular multi percussionist of the world. In 1991 she was presented with the Royal Philharmonic Society’s prestigious Soloist of the Year Award. Evelyn’s story is an inspiration to physically disabled people. They feel that they can also achieve their dreams. Evelyn’s performance is a delight for her audience. She is loved all over the globe.

Subscribe to my Channel by Clicking Here NCERT Solution I Answer these questions in a few words or a couple of sentences each. 1. How old are Margie and Tommy? Ans: Margie is eleven and Tommy is thirteen years old 2. What did Margie write in her diary? Ans: Margie stated in her diary that on 17th May , 2157 Tommy found a real book. 3. Had Margie ever seen a book before? Ans: No, Margie had never seen a book before. 4. What things about the book did she find strange? Ans: The book was having yellow and wrinkled pages. The words of the book did not move unlike on computer screen where the words move. 5. What do you think a telebook is? A telebook is a book that is displayed on the computer screen. In other words, telebook refers to modern day e-books. 6. Where was Margie’s school? Did she have any classmates? Margie’s school was located in her own residence only. No, she did not have any classmate. 7. What subjects did Margie and Tommy learn? Ans: Margie learnt Geography and Mathematics whereas Tommy learnt History and Mathematics. II. Answer the following with reference to the story. 1. ‘‘I wouldn’t throw it away.’’ (i) Who says these words? Ans: Margie says these words. (ii) What does ‘it’ refer to? Ans: It refers to the real book that Tommy found in the attic (iii) What is it being compared with by the speaker? The speaker compares it with a telebook. 2. ‘‘Sure they had a teacher, but it wasn’t a regular teacher. It was a man.’’ (i) Who does ‘they’ refer to? Ans: ‘They’ refer to the people of the old times. (ii) What does ‘regular’ mean here? Ans: Regular’ means something what is always available. Here a ‘mechanical teacher’ is referred to . (iii) What is it contrasted with? Ans: It is contrasted with a mechanical teacher. III. Answer each of these questions in a short paragraph (about 30 words). 1. What kind of teachers did Margie and Tommy have? Ans: Margie and Tommy had mechanical teachers. These mechanical teachers had a slot in which the students had to put their homework and test papers. They had to write their answers in a punch code and the mechanical teacher calculated the marks immediately. 2. Why did Margie’s mother send for the County Inspector? Ans: Margie had been given many tests in geography by the mechanical teacher, but there was no improvement in her performance. It only kept getting worse. It is for this reason that Margie’s mother sent for the County Inspector to find out why this was happening. 3. What did he do? Ans: The county inspector slowed the mechanical teacher up to an average ten year level. 4.Why was Margie doing badly in geography? What did the County Inspector do to help her? Ans: Margie was doing badly in geography as her mechanical teacher was geared too advanced for her grade. The County Inspector slowed down the geography sector of the mechanical teacher to an average ten-year level. He also told Mrs. Jones that Margie's overall progress pattern was satisfactory. 4. What had once happened to Tommy’s teacher? Ans: Tommy’s teacher was taken away for nearly a month because the history sector had blanked out completely. 6. Did Margie have regular days and hours for school? If so, why? Margie had regular study schedule . Her mother believed that learning at regular hours helped little girls learn better. Her mechanical teacher was also regular except on Saturday and Sunday. 7.How does Tommy describe the old kind of school? Ans: Tommy says that the old schools had a special building for kids to study. They had fun together and learned lessons together in a classroom. 8. How does he describe the old kind of teachers? Ans: He describes that the old teachers were men who went to a special building where they taught and gave homework to students. IV. Answer each of these questions in two or three paragraphs (100–150 words). 1. What are the main features of the mechanical teachers and the schoolrooms that Margie and Tommy have in the story? Ans: Margie and Tommy were taught by mechanical teachers. They had large black screens on which contents in every lesson were displayed and questions were assigned. They had a particular slot in which students kept their homework and test papers. They had to write their answers in a punch code and the mechanical teacher calculated the marks immediately. Their schools were in their homes itself. They learned geography, history and arithmetic. They had regular days and hours for school. Margie's school was right next to her bedroom. The mechanical teacher was on screen at the same time every day except Saturdays and Sundays because her mother said that little girls learned better when they learned at regular hours. 2. Why did Margie hate school? Why did she think the old kind of school must have been fun? Margie hated school because a mechanical teacher used to teach her every day at a fixed time. Recently, her mother was not happy with the performance in Geography tests and sent for the County Inspector. The County Inspector managed to assemble all the parts of the mechanical teacher and set it right. The part that she hated the most was inserting the homework and test papers in the slot on the mechanical teacher. She did not like the fact that she had to write her answers in a punch code. She thought that the old kind of school must have been fun as she imagined all the kids from the entire neighbourhood came together and had fun together in school premises. She imagined that they would sit together in the classroom and go home together at the end of the day. They would learn the same thing and help one another with the homework. The teachers were also human beings. Thus she came to the conclusion that the old kind of school must have been fun.

A debate is the formal discussion or argument on a particular matter delivered in favour of or against a subject in a disciplined strong, convincing and refuting manner nature of the debate is argumentative. Tips to Remember Choose whether you want to write for or against the motion. Always try to select the side you want to support and have more information on that. Support your argument with strong statements. Give facts in support of your view. Clear agreement or disagreement must be expressed. Value points should be developed into paragraph. You can use polite sarcasm. 8. Begin with "Honourable Chairperson, Judges, teacher, and my dear friends, I stand before you to express my views for / against the motion "TOPIC". Use powerful expressions like: - I'd like to argue ……………. - In my opinion ……………… - I fail to understand …………………. - My I ask? …………………… - I disagree with my opponent …………….. - Refer to your opponent's view/views ……………… Adopt argumentative style. Conclusion - Suggestions and steps for improvement. Marking Scheme : Format- 1 Mark Content-2 Marks Expression-2 Marks SAMPLE DEBATE Q. You are Sheeya/Shyam or Modern Public School, Jaipur. In the modern world, it is often said that "ONLINE SMART CLASSES ARE THE FUTRE OF EDUCATION STYLE". Write a debate either for or against the motion in 150-200 words. Topic: Online Smart Classes Are the Future of Education Style. FOR THE MOTION. Honourable Judges, Respected teachers and dear friends. 1 stand before you to express my views on the topic 'online…………..' and today, I Sheeya of XI class will speak for the motion. If you are so old minded and think that computer will distract children from studies, 1 am really sorry because let me remind you that young generation has gone a long way with computers. When most parents think of learning from computers, socializing websites like facebook appear before their eyes. It is the biggest cyber tragedy there are definitely a large number of sites beyond fist facebook. Unemay, Khan academy, Byju's teaching app, the list of online teaching platforms is endless and ever growing. There are millions of students and teachers who use their websites and apps for their exam preparation. They are mostly free and it is what makes one turn away from traditional paper guides Google has already replaced the word Guru to become the greatest knowledge provide. E learning is also essential because we cut trees to make papers and books. So this is a bitter solution. Rather than living the life of a consumer let’s be contribution Let’s by E-books. Instead of collecting books, let’s convert our phones and computers into virtual libraries and learn. Thank you. Against the motion Honourable Judges, Respected teachers and my dear friends. My topic for the day is "online classes are the future of education sytel' and I choose to speak against the motion. Online learning or e-learning fefers to learning conducted via electronic media, typically on the internet. There is no face-to-face interaction between the teacher and the student. It decreases the scope of adjusting and modifying the language according to the demand of the audience. There is lack of proper guidance and self assessment mechanism. It would also reduce employment among teachers since it involves only brain work and not physical work, they tend to get lethargic. It also leads to lack of discipline. There is no proper schedule. Excellent interactions are involved in physical learning. People tend to make friends who support them and montors who guide them. Thus, no matter how fast technological why of learning should not be displaced. I hope all of you will agree with my views. Thank you and have a nice day. PRACTICE EXERCISES Q1. You are Shivam/Shivani of XI class. Write a debate either for or against the motion "Homes for the aged is a necessity in India". Q2. "Brain dreain is not a bone for a developing country like India'. Write a debate in 150-200 words either for or against the motion. You are Kirit/Krati of XI class. Q3. You are Ashish/Ashna of DAV Public School, Rohtak. You have observed that tuition centres are musbrooming at a high rate these days. Write a debate in favour or against the topic 'Tution or coaching centre are a necessity for students'. Q4. 'Students should be allowed to take mobile phones to school'. Write a debate in 150-200 words either for or against the motion. You are Ambika/Druv of XI class. You can Study Poster writing here Credits: DIRECTORATE OF EDUCATION Govt. of NCT, Delhi

A poster is a very useful means of making an announcement, propagation or appeal, and issuing a notice advertising a product/ service or bringing about awareness about issues of public interest. A poster is always visually very attractive and easily readable from a certain distance. Visuals are part of a poster and help in enhancing the overall impact. Students have the freedom to use any style, size and fonts to make it eye catching and appealing. A poster incorporates the following Theme/topic/event Purpose and/or occasion Date, time and place (in case of an event) A message of appeal, awareness, caution, warning, invitation) Catchy slogan, punch line and captions Sketch or simple drawings Letters of diffrent size and shape Proportionate spacing Name of the individual/organization issuing it. POINTS TO REMEBER Draw a box around the poster Mention clearly in LARGE,BOLD font the topic or the purpose of the posters Vary the font style and size for different texts within the posters Support the text with simple illustrations/graphics. Make it visually appealing.' If the poster is about an event mention the date, time and venue. If the poster is about a campaign mention its special features, advantages/disadvantages, dos and don'ts etc. Use slogans or catchy lines to increase the appeal of the posters; e.g. ‘Save Energy Save Money’ ‘Driving faster can cause a disaster’, ‘Energy misuse cannot be excused’ Life is precious, Be a life-saver, Give blood!’’ Keep to the word limit. Mention the issuing authority or person at the bottom of the poster. Some Sample Examples Ex1. Design a poster in not more than 50 words for your school library on the value of books and good reading habits. You may use slogans. Ex2. Design a poster in not more than 50 words for your school CCA activities on World Health Day. You may use slogans. Ex3. Design a poster in not more than 50 words on Road Safety Week to be observed in your school. You may use slogans. Ex4. Design a poster in not more than 50 words on Voluntary Blood Donation Day to be observed in your school. You may use slogans. Exercise for Practice 1. Draft a poster in not more than 50 words depicting the Do’s and Don’ts of COVID19. 2. Water is precious and each one of us must stop its wastage. Prepare a poster in not more thatn 50 words creating the awareness to save water. 3. Prepare a poster in not more than 50 words bringing about awareness against the hazards of reckless use of plastic. 4. Draft a poster in not more than 50 words depicting the ill effects of mobile games on young children. Credit: DIRECTORATE OF EDUCATION Govt. of NCT, Delhi

Detailed Explanation with NCERT solution Lesson Architecture Author Biography Theme Stanza-wise Explanation Recapitulation NCERT Solution Extra Questions Author Biography Walt Whitman was born in West Hills, Long Island, US on May 31, 1819. He was the second child in a family of eleven. In 1836, at the age of 17, he began his career as a teacher and continued to teach until 1841 when he turned to journalism as a full-time career. He founded a weekly newspaper, Long-Islander, and later edited a number of Brooklyn and New York papers. Under the influence of the Romantic movement in literature and art, Whitman held the theory that the chief function of the poet was to express his own personality in his verse. He is primarily known for his work ‘Leaves of Grass. Theme: The poem draws comparison between humans and animals. Unlike humans, animals do not complain and are always happy at their present state. Unlike humans, they do not commit sins and are very innocent and honest creatures. Animals possess all human virtues like honesty, truthfulness etc. which humans once possessed long, long time ago. Stanza-Wise Explanation NCERT Solution: Thinking about the poem ( Page 84) 1. Notice the use of the word ‘turn’ in the first line, “I think I could turn and live with animals…” What is the poet turning from?' Ans: the poet is turning from the world of humans to the world of animals. The poet tells us that he feels more at home with animals than humans, whom he finds complicated and false. 2. Mention any three things that humans do and animals don't. Ans: (i) Humans complain about their condition whereas animals do not. (ii) Humans weep for their sins whereas animals do not. They are not troubled by any sense of guilt. (iii) Humans are obsessed with the mania of owning things whereas animals are not. 3. Do humans kneel to other humans who lived thousands of years ago? Ans: Humans kneel to other humans who lived thousands of years ago. They could be some ancestors, saints or the preachers whom they follow religiously. 4. What are the 'tokens' that the poet says he may have dropped long ago, and which the animals have kept for him? Ans: The word 'tokens' according to the poet is the good qualities in human beings. the poet feels that nowadays good qualities do not exist in human beings They have lost them for the sake of worldly things which they want to achieve at any cost. Extra Questions: (a) How do human being make the poet sick? Human beings always sweat and whine about their condition. They always discuss their duty to God. It makes the poet sick. (b) Why does the author keep looking at them for long? The author keeps on looking at them for long because they are always happy and content. They never weep for their sins. (C) Why does the poet find animals better than humans? Animals are always happy and content and never whine about their condition. They never weep for their sins. Like human being they are not obsessed about owning things. Extra Questions for Practice: 1. Why does the poet wish to live with animals? 2. Why can't humans enjoy a sound sleep? Explain in the context of the poem. 3. What does the poet mean by the word ' tokens'? What are the 'tokens' that the poet says he may have dropped long ago? 4.How are the animals superior to humans according to the poet? Reference for Biographical Information of the poet •https://www.biographyonline.net/poets/walt-whitman.html •https://www.britannica.com/biography/Walt-Whitman/Later-life

Listen to the Podcast HERE Transitive Verb: A transitive verb is a verb that requires an object after it in order to complete its action. e.g. He plays cricket. Here in the above sentence ' cricket' is an object. Therefore, the verb ' plays' is a transitive verb. Note: Always remember that an object is either a NOUN or a PRONOUN. An object always goes after a verb. Most of the transitive verbs take only one object after them, but some transitive verbs take two objects after them. For Example, John gave me a book. Here in the above examples, 'me' and 'a book' are both the objects. 'Me' is called an indirect Object and 'a book' is called a direct object. Always remember that the name of a thing is called the Direct Object whereas the name of a person is called the Indirect Object. Now let's move on to the intransitive verb. An intransitive verb does not require an object after it to complete its action. Intransitive Verb: e.g. Boys are playing. In this example, there is no object after playing. Therefore, the verb ' are Playing' is an intransitive verb. Similarly, I work daily. In this sentence the verb 'work' is an example of intransitive verb because there is no object after the verb. The word 'daily' is neither a noun nor a pronoun. It is an adverb. Therefore, it is not an object. EXERCISE Identify the Transitive & Intransitive Verbs from the following Sentences. She sings a song. I have given him a pen. My friend sings well. Simon reads a book. Gopal scored good marks in the exam. The girls laughed loudly. I work daily for ten hours. The sun sets early in winter. We eat to live. The nurse boils water.

Revise the following Questions and Answers Listen to the story HERE Q1. Who is Joe? How does she respond to her father’s story-telling? Ans: Joe is a four-year-old daughter of Jack. Every evening and for Saturday naps, Jack used to narrate his daughter a self-composed story which is a slight variation of the original story. Joe is captivated by each story her father used to narrate to her. She became so involved with the stories that she kept on asking a host of questions to her father and could even predict the development in the tale. 2. What do you think was Jo’s problem? Ans: Jo was mainly concerned that Roger Skunk should be accepted by other animals. She was disappointed tha the mother had not understood Skunk’s misery. So she wanted the wizard to teach his mother a lesson. She wanted her father to change the story to suit her taste. 3. What is the moral issue that the story raises? Ans: The issue that the story raises is whether children should be allowed to use their abilities to reason and to question or be forced to remain mere shadows of adult influence and thought. Joe disagreed and questioned her father’s interpretation of how the story of the stinky Skunk should end. In fact, Jack had failed to appreciate the fact that Jo was growing up and was likely to have an independent thought of her own. Jack found it very difficult to come to terms with the fact that his daughter could disagree with him in the ending of the story. 4. How does Jo want the story to end and why? Ans: Jo wants the wizard to hit mommy in revenge as she had hit the Wizard. According to Joe, if Skunk’s mother insisted on changing his smell, then other animals would turn away from him. This is why Joe wanted the story to end when the Wizard hit Skunk’s mother back and wanted that Skunk should have the smell of roses so that other animals play with him. 5. Why does Jack insist that it was the wizard that was hit and not the mother? Ans: Jack wanted Joe to understand the fact that the Skunk’s mother knew what was best for him. Joe’s questioning about the ending of the story sounded like an act of defiance to Jack. While narrating the story about the poor stinky Skunk to Joe, Jack was reminded of all the humiliations of his own childhood. Jack’s support of Skunk’s mother is in actual terms a defense of his own mother who brought him up in the most authoritative manner. 6. What makes Jack feel caught in an ugly middle position? Ans: Joe’s defiance of the ending of her father’s story about Roger Skunk took him by surprise and he thought that Joe is questioning his authority. This gave rise to confusion in Jack’s mind and he was at a loss to understand how to react to his little daughter who suddenly started asserting her opinions. Moreover, Jack was also not able to help his wife, Claire with the painting work as he is stuck with his daughter. Thus Jack felt himself caught in an ugly middle position. 7. How did the Wizard help the skunk? Ans: The Wizard searched for his magic wand and asked Roger Skunk what he wanted to smell like. Roger replied that he wished to smell like roses. As the wizard changed his smell, he was pleased with his transformation and was happy to have friends around him with whom he could play. 8. What had upset Jo about the Skunk’s story? How did Jack react to it? Answer: Roger Skunk’s mother thought that Roger should smell like a little skunk and not like roses. She took Roger Skunk back to that wizard and hit him right over his head with an umbrella and made him change Roger back. This upset Jo as she wanted the wizard to hit Mommy back and refuse to change Roger back. Jo’s reaction angered Jack as he tried to make her see how Roger Skunk’s mother knew what was best for Roger. 9. What story did Jo want to hear the next day? Why? What was the father’s reaction? Answer: Jo pleaded with Jack to continue with the same story, the next day, where the wizard hit Roger’s mommy back with the magic wand. Being a child, she looked forward to a happy ending. But Jack declined to have such an ending as he wanted the little skunk to listen to what his mommy thought was best for him. He reasoned with Jo that Roger loved his mother more than all the other little animals, and she knew what was right for him. ( to be continued)

Read the following passages and answer the questions that follow. Q1. Read the passage given below and complete the statements that follow with the help of given options : Immaculately dressed as always, she arrives at our flat at 5.45 p.m. ,seven days a week. If we aren't in, we trust her completely as she has a spare key. Her gentle mannerisms and stylish attire make us believe the fact that she gets very little sleep and has been working at other houses and her own, since 5.30 a.m. Walking in , Archana Chakravarthy , 40 , homemaker and mother of two , surveys the fridge before deciding what to prepare. Although she offers suggestions , but mostly she makes what my wife , Geeta , asks for. Archana is a Bengali, but we are South Indians and yet she makes excellent sambhar after Geeta showed her how to. I like learning new recipes, says Archana with professional pride. Different families have different tastes. Some like deep fried things, others dislike oil. Some want spicy food, others bland. One person wants Dal mashed , others like to see its grains on their plate. No problem, she says. Mostly people take cooks for granted as long as they are good. But it's nice when someone compliments the cooking. She even dresses well so that families feel comfortable having her in their kitchen. While she makes every effort to please her employers, her own life has been hard. Archana's father , a poor farmer, couldn't send her to school. Being the eldest of six sisters, she was married off at 13, and with her earnings now about Rs. 5,000 monthly, she managed to get her five sisters married. Her husband is a casual factory worker, in and out of jobs. She takes all her troubles in her stride, slogging 17 hours a day to support her two school going sons. Too busy to realize the difference she is making, Archana is one of the countless Indian women who labour hard to keep their families together. (a) Archana is dependable because she __________. (i) dresses immaculately (ii) works in an other's house as in her own (iii) can be trusted with the house key (iv) has gentle manners and comes early. (b) Archana is one who takes pride in __________. (i) dressing well (ii) cooking well (iii) adjusting well (iv) learning well (c) She pleases her employers by __________. (i) cooking well with spices (ii) doing what they expect in taste (iii) dressing well and fashionably (iv) being cleanly dressed and learning new recipes (d) Archana is a pillar of strength as she __________. (i) support her sons (ii) helped her father get money for her sisters (iii) has steady earnings while her husband does not have (iv) all of the above. (e) ''No problem‟ as said by Archana means that __________. (i) she is casual (ii) she doesn't care about troubles (iii) she can manage some situations (iv) she solves all problems as a hobby. Q2. Read the following poem carefully and select the most suitable option as your answer. (a) The title of the poem shows that the poet is looking for -------------. (i) a friend who can help him in his hour of need (ii) a friend as he is a loner (iii) a friend who has godlike qualities (iv) an alien friend from the extra terrestrial world (b) The narrow road indicated in the fourth stanza is/ are ------------- (i) a narrow lane in one of the big cities (ii) a narrow path which leads up the hill (iii) negative thoughts which lead us to make wrong decisions (iv) pride and high headedness (c) To catch a fall means to --------------- (i) catch a falling object (ii) make the best use of end of season sales (iii) rescue a defeated soldier (iv) prevent a person from coming to any harm due to his insolence or false pride (d) The poet wants a friend who : (i) can sympathise with him in his hour of agony (ii) scolds him when he makes a mistake (iii) understands him and does not become judgmental (iv) can transform his habits (e) The poet's best friend is : (i) from amongst the many people he comes across in life (ii) his reader (iii) a priest of the church (iv) a poor helpless man in the street. Q3. Read the passage given below carefully : ADORATION BY MAN (1) We can imagine many reasons. If an exceptionally strong or brave man succeeded in killing an exceptionally large bear , might he not get the idea of boring a hole through one of its teeth with a sharp flint and tying the tooth round his neck in order to remind himself of his great achievement and to show his friends what a great man he was ? Gradually it might have become the custom in that tribe for all strong and brave hunters to wear a bear's tooth, and it might be regarded as a disgrace not to wear one and a sign that one was weak or very young. (2) Another man might make an ornament of a coloured shell or stone simply because he liked it or because its shape reminded him of something. Then if he happened to escape from some danger when he was wearing it he might think the ornament had something to do with it – that it had magic qualities. And his friends and relations would not be satisfied until they had an ornament of the same kind. (3) People who wear ornaments would soon learn to arrange them in different ways according to their size and colour in order to make them more decorative and impressive. A necklace found in Italy with the skeleton of a young man of the Stone Age was quite elaborate. It consisted of stag's teeth arranged at intervals with, between them, two upper rows made up of the vertebrae of a fish and one row of shells. (4) Another reason why men might tie feathers, horns, skins and all kinds of other things to themselves would be in order to make themselves look fierce and more terrifying to animals or to the men of other tribes. (5) Objects – such as sea- shells that came from a distance and were therefore scarce for people living far inland – would come in time to have a special value , and might be worn only by chiefs and their families in order to show that they were particularly important people. (6) Primitive tribes living today often associate themselves with some particular animal or bird , such as an eagle or lion , or with a particular place, such as a mountain or river. Man may have started doing this kind of thing very early in his history Then, every member of a group or family may have worn something such as feathers, claws or even a stone or wooden object of a certain shape or colour, to represent the animal or mountain or whatever it might be that they believed themselves to be connected with. (7) So, as we have seen , clothing may have started as ornament or to distinguish one tribe from another or to show rank or because certain things were believed to have magical qualities. But in some places a time came when men and women began to wear clothes for other reasons. During the Ice Age, when the polar ice spread over far more of the world than it does today, some of the districts in which human beings were living became very cold and bleak indeed. Man must have learnt that he would be more comfortable and more likely to survive, if he covered his body with the skins of animals . At first perhaps, he would simply tie a skin round his waist or over his shoulders but as time passed he learnt how to treat skin in order to make them softer and more supple and how to join them together in order to make better garments. (8) Flint tools have been found buried deep under the earth floors of caves in which prehistoric men sheltered when the weather became colder. Some of the tools were probably used to scrape the inner side of skins to make them soft. Stone Age people may also have softened skins in the same way that Eskimo women do today, by chewing them. The teeth of Eskimo women are often worn down to stumps by the constant chewing of seal skins. (9) Among the wonderful flint and bone tools and implements that later cave men made have been found some beautiful bone needles, some not bigger than those we use today : Although the people who made them had only flint tools to work with, some of the needles are finer and more beautifully shaped than those of Roman times. 1.1 On the basis of your reading of the above passage , complete the following statements briefly. (i) Man started to adorn himself --------------- (ii) The speciality about the necklace found in Italy was that -------- (iii) Man tied feather and skin to himself -------------- (iv) During the Ice age , man realized that ------------- (v) Due to chewing of seal skins the teeth of ------------ (vi) In spite of having just flint tools to work, ------------ 1.2 (i) Why did man begin to clothe himself ? Give two reasons. (ii) What tools did the early man make use of ? 1.3 Find the words from the above passage which mean the same as the following : (i) decorative object ( para 2) (ii) in detail ( para 3) Answer Key is available for download below.