10th std -The Frog and the Nightingale

The Frog and the Nightingale

1. What did the frog do all night?

The frog croaked every night from dusk to dawn.

2. How did the other creatures react to his voice?

The other creatures hated the fog’s voice. They threw stones, sticks

and bricks at him, begged him to stop singing, insulted him and

complained about him, but all in vain.

3. Find a word from the poem which the poet has made up?
‘awn’ The poet has done so to create a rhyme scheme with dawn.

4. Explain: ‘crass cacophony.

5. The phrase means very loud and unpleasant noise.

6. What features of the frog’s personality are brought out in the first

stanza of the poem?

The frog was thick-skinned and impervious to insults. He was

determined and stubborn.

7. Explain the phrase: ‘whole admiring bog’

All the creatures of the Bog were struck with admiration for the

nightingale’s melodious song.

8. How did the frog react to the nightingale’s song?

The frog was dumbstruck by the beauty of her voice.

9. Who was the solitary loon? How was his behaviour different from that

Loons are water birds. The single loon came to listen to the

nightingale’s song. The sweetness of her voice stirred something within

him. He was so overcome by emotion that he wept.

10. How do you know that the nightingale’s song was a sensation?

The creatures of the Bog heard her voice and swam towards her.

They listened to her song, enraptured and encouraged her to sing the

11. What can you conclude about the nightingale’s personality from the

information in this stanza?

The nightingale could easily be influenced by others. Appreciation

and criticism alike could get her to follow what others asked her to

12. How did the nightingale make the public happier?

 By singing sharper stronger and quicker.

13. ‘We must aim for better billings, you still owe me sixty shillings’
 These lines reveal the frog to be greedy and money-minded/ a miser.

Answer the following questions briefly. 

1.‘Other creatures loathed his voice,

But, alas, they had no choice,

And the crass cacophony

Blared out from the sumac tree

At whose foot the frog each night

Minstrelled on till morning night’

a. Why had ‘they’ no choice?

The frog would go on singing continuously without caring for others.

b. Why did other creatures loathe his voice?

... because he sang loudly, constantly and unpleasantly.

c. Find a word from the passage which means ‘hated’

loathed.

2. ‘And the whole admiring bog

Stared towards the sumac, rapt,

And, when she had ended, clapped,

Ducks had swum and herons waded

To her as she serenaded’

a. Where did the whole admiring bog stare?

They stared towards the sumac tree.

b. When did they clap?

They clapped when the nightingale ended her melodious song.

c. Find a word from the passage which means ‘walked through water’?

waded.
3. "Oh! " the nightingale confessed.

Greatly flattered and impressed

That a critic of such note

Had discussed her art and throat:

"I don't think the song's divine.

But - oh, well - at least it's mine".

a. How did the nightingale take the frog’s critical comments?
She felt flattered and impressed.

b. What did the Nightingale think of the frog?

She thought of him to be a great critic of art and music.

c. Find the synonym of the word ‘agreed/accepted’

confessed

4. “Bravo!” “Too divine!” “Encore!”

so the nightingale once more,

quite unused to such applause,

sang till dawn without a pause.

a. Why was the nightingale unused to applause?

The nightingale had never sang before an appreciative audience

such as the one in Bingle Bog.

b. Why did she sing without a pause?

She got so carried away with the praise and applause of her

audience that she sang without taking a break till it was dawn.

c. What does the word ‘encore’ mean?

The word ‘encore’ means sing some more.

5. ‘Did you like my song?

‘Not too bad ...but far too long.

the techniques was fine of course

But it lacked a certain force”


 a. What do you think is the real message conveyed by the poet in the

dialogue given here?

The poet wants to show how rough, coarse and incompetent people

rule the competent skilful and intelligent ones.

b. Why is the frog not justified in reviewing the song of the nightingale?

The frog has no talent for singing and therefore cannot review the

nightingale’s song.

c. How does the nightingale react to the frog’s claim of being a music

critic?
The nightingale was very impressed with the frog’s boast and she

flattered that an artist and a critic of great fame had heard her.

 B. Answer the following questions briefly. 

a. Which are the different ways in which the frog asserts his importance?

The frog knows that the nightingale is naive, timid and lacks self- esteem. He becomes

her self-styled guide and teacher. He makes money by showcasing her talent to the

admiring creatures of the bog. He charges her a fee for the lessons in singing. He asserts

himself to be the owner of the sumac tree.


b. Why is the frog’s joy both sweet and bitter?

The frog exploited the nightingale’s talent to his advantage. He sold

her songs for silver. He was filled with joy when he saw ladies of status

and wealth coming to hear the nightingale’s song. But he was also

bitter as he was jealous of the appreciation and attention she

received from the creatures of the bog.

c. Why was the frog angry?

The frog was angry when he realised that the nightingale was no

longer a source of income for him. He couldn’t sell her songs like

before since her tired and uninspired voice did not attract the

creatures of Bingle Bog. He was even more enraged when The frog

tried to push her into changing her style and practising with more

gusto but nothing seemed to improve the earnings.

d. How did the frog become the unrivalled king of the bog again?

The frog’s loathsome singing could not be curbed inspite of threats

insults and pleading from the creatures of the bog. The nightingale

attracted the ‘whole admiring bog’ with her melodious singing. The

cruel and scheming frog tired the nightingale to death by forcing her

to sing without a moment of rest. After her death the frog remained

the unrivalled king of the bog again.

C. Long Answers

a. Bring out the irony in the frog’s statement: ‘Your song must be your

own.’

The frog’s statement ‘Your song must be your own’ is quite ironical.

The frog who charged the nightingale for being stupid and ‘too prone

to influence’ says these words. It was the frog who ruined her natural

potential for singing by claiming to be a critic and appointing himself

her trainer. He then went on to exploit her by telling her that her

singing needed some improvement. He made her practise till she

was tired and her uninspired voice could not attract an audience.

When she died he charged her for not being an inspired singer.

b. Do you think the end is justified?

The end seems tragic but is justified. Those who do not have self- esteem and confidence

 in their own talent generally meet the same fate as the nightingale did. The timid and servile bird

allowed herself selfishness. Not only did she ruin her voice but also brought an end to

herself.

c. Do you agree with the frog’s inference of the Nightingale’s

character?

The words of the frog may sound quite ironical but they are

unfortunately true. He refers to her as a ‘stupid’ and ‘brainless bird’

which she really was. He calls her ‘far too nervous and tense’. This

extremely talented bird lacked self-confidence and an ability to

assert herself. She was foolish enough to consider that the frog was

Mozart and ask for his guidance. She had no mind of her own. She

listened to what the frog told her without analysing and checking

facts for herself. Sadly, she was very easily influenced by a foghorn of

a frog who exploited her and finally led her to her death.

d. Draw a character sketch of the nightingale.

As against the frog, the nightingale is a simple-hearted and

unsuspecting creature. She is a symbol of innocence and symbolises

all innocent and simple-hearted people. She personifies real human

qualities and has no ill-will against anybody. Moreover, she doesn’t

suspect anyone of evil. She is naive enough to respect all and think

that everyone around her is just like her. That is why she is easily

deceived by the sly and wily frog. The frog’s villainous traits are

masked by his keenness to help train her. The nightingale has no self- confidence

so she gives in and follows his commands. In the name of training the frog tires

 her out. She finally dies like a martyr to the cause of humanism.

10th std grammar practice -Determiners

Fill in the blanks using the correct determiner from the brackets.

Dear mother and father,

I am having _______ (the, a) good time with _______ (the, a) Kapoors.

They are a warm and loving family. Kishore Kapoor works as _______ (a,

the) hotel manager in a five star hotel. He has married a girl called Nisha

who is _______ ((the, an) architect. _______ (Few, Both) husband and wife have _______ (much, some)

common interests. They spend _______ (much, many) time together in

pursuing these interests. This has served to strengthen their relationship

with _______ (every, each) other. _______ (many, most) an evening is spent

in reading and listening to music. Kishore likes to skate and so does Nisha. _______ (Every, Few) weekend they take off to their farmhouse and spend

_______ (much, a few) hours in the company of nature.

I wish you were here too. I’ll return home on the 24th of May. Do have a

wonderful time at the Annual May Fest.

Yours lovingly,

Divya


B. Read the dialogue and fill in the blanks by using words which will help to

make the meaning clear. _______ two chairs look so shabby. Don’t you think we need to get _______ new ones?

We’ll talk about it _______ later, I have _______ important piece of work to

complete tonight. I can’t spare _______ time right now.

I saw _______ brands of chairs exhibited at ‘The Carpenters’ yesterday. I

think they would fit beautifully in _______ drawing-room. ‘The Carpenters’! It is _____ most expensive furniture store in town.

I agree with you but they have authentic teak furniture, or we could

choose _____ set of chairs in rosewood.

I guess it would be wise to spend _____ more money on furniture which

would last for _____ years.

So when can you spend _____ hours to visit ‘The Carpenters’ with me?

We could go _____ Saturday or Sunday.

C. The following paragraph has not been edited. There is one error or

omission in each line. The errors have been underlined and the omissions

marked with a ‘/’ Write your corrections in the space provided. The first

correction has been done as an example.

The area of /Atlantic Ocean south of Florida

has been an tricky one for travellers.

in the days of sail, ships crossing / area

often find themselves becalmed for /periods.

to save drinking water, more horses on board

would be thrown into /sea.

Nevertheless, any sailors died of thrist.

One of / unique sea-going mysteries ever:

an 103-foot sailing ship was found floating,

abandoned with the life-boat missing

In the last 100 years much than 50 ships

or 20 aeroplanes have disappeared in the Bermuda triangle.

The Road Not Taken

The Road Not Taken

Read the extracts given below and answer the questions that follow.

1. ‘Two roads diverged in a yellow wood,

And sorry I could not travel both

And be one traveler, long I stood

And looked down one as far as I could

To where it bent in the undergrowth’

a. What does the phrase ‘yellow wood’ mean?

The poet refers to the yellow leaves of the trees which fall during the

season of autumn.

b. Why did the poet stand there looking at the two roads for a long time?

The poet stood for a long time since he could not decide which road he

should take.

c. What does the poet regret?

The poet regrets the fact that he cannot travel on both the roads. He

regrets the fact that once he chooses one road there may be no going

back to the other.

2. ‘Then took the other, as just as fair,

And having perhaps the better claim,

Because it was grassy and wanted wear;

Though as for that the passing there

Had worn them really about the same,’

a. What does ‘other’ refer to in the above lines?

In the above lines, ‘other’ refers to the road that was grassy and less

travelled upon

b. Which road did the narrator choose?

The narrator chose the one that was grassy and less travelled upon.

c. Explain ‘grassy and wanted wear’

The road was covered with grass as not many people had walked this

road so it was more inviting.

3. ‘And both that morning equally lay

In leaves no step had trodden black.

Oh, I kept the first for another day!

Yet knowing how way leads on to way,

I doubted if I should ever come back.’

a. What does ‘both’ refer to?

In the given lines ‘both’ refers to the two roads that forked out in

different directions.

b. Explain the line ‘In leaves no step had trodden black’ The given line means a path not commonly used so the dried leaves

that lay on the ground had not been trampled upon.

c. What made the narrator doubt whether he ‘should ever come back’?

The fact that one road generally leads to another made the narrator

doubt that he should ever come back.

B. Answer the following briefly. 

1. What is wood? What did the narrator see in the wood? Were the paths

similar?

Wood means a forest. The narrator saw two paths diverging and

disappearing in the undergrowth. One of the paths had more grass and

seemed less used than the other.

2. Does one road seem to be more appealing than the other? Use

examples from the poem to support your answer.

The narrator faces a dilemma when he comes to a fork in the road. He

is not able to decide which road to take. One of the roads looks more

tread upon while the other appears less travelled on. Though he wants

to walk on both, he decides to take the second road with the intention

of walking on the first one sometime in the future.

3. Bring out the symbolism in the poem “The Road Not Taken.”

Through the poem, Robert Frost has spoken of something more than the

choice of roads. We can interpret the poet’s quandary of choosing a

road as a symbol of the numerous choices we have to make in life.

There are occasions in our life when two alternatives appear almost

equally attractive. Through the years however, we come to realize that

the choices we make and the path we take to journey on makes a

difference to our lives.

THE BROOK - EXTRA QUESTIONS

Read the extracts given below and answer the questions that follow.

1. ‘With many a curve my banks I fret

By many a field and fallow,

And many a fairy foreland set

With willow-weed and mallow ’

a. Explain: ‘With many a curve my banks I fret.’

The poet refers to the erosion of the bank by the constant brushing of

the brook against the bank.

b. What kind of terrain is referred to here?

The kind of land being referred to here is land that is fertile and also

land that has become infertile due to successive efforts of farming.

c. Comment on the movement of the brook at this stage.

The brook moves swiftly and powerfully.

2. ‘I wind about, and in and out

With here a blossom sailing

And here a lust trout

And here and there a grayling’

a. How does the brook’s movement ‘i wind about, and in and out,’

differ from the brook’s earlier movement?

In the beginning the brook hurries downhill but gradually it gently

meanders along.

b. Name the flowers that grow on the banks of the brook. .... forget-me-nots and mallow.

c. Name the fishes that live in the river.

The fishes that live in the river are trout and grayling.

3. ‘I steal by lawns and grassy plots,

I slide by hazel covers;

I move the sweet forget-me-nots

That grow for happy lovers

I slip i slide, I gloom, I glanc

Among my skimming swallows

I make the netted sunbeam dance

Against my sandy shallows’ a. Comment on the movement of the brook at this stage.

The movement of the brook is sedate and subdued.

b. What place does the brook pass by at this stage?

The brook passes by lawns, grassy plots of land, where hazel trees

grow and bushes bearing forget-me-nots.

c. Which bird flies near the brook at this stage?

The swallow flies near the brook at this stage.

d. Name the poetic device used in line 2

.......... alliteration

e. What does ‘netted sunbeam’ mean? How does it dance?

The interplay of sunshine and shadow makes sunbeams appear to be

trapped on the surface of the brook; they appear to dance to the

movement of the brook.

B. Answer the following briefly. 

1. How does the brook babble> why has the narrator used this word?

When the brook passes over pebbles and stones, it makes a lot of

noise. It seems as if it were babbling or talking gaily.

2. Why is the sound created by the brook called ‘chatter’?

As the brook passes over small and large stones, it makes a series of

high-pitched sounds like monkeys do. Hence it has been called

chatter.

3. When doe the sound of the brook resemble a ‘murmur’?

When the brook reaches the end of its journey it slows down in speed

considerably and the sound then made by the brook resembles a

‘murmur’.

4. What do ‘skimming swallows’ refer to?

The phrase ‘skimming swallows ‘refers to the swallows (a kind of bird)

that ‘skim’ or lightly touch the surface as they fly very close to the

surface of the water.

Long Answers 

1. How does the poet use the brook to draw a parallel with the life of

man?

This is a poem that traces the life of a brook or a small stream as it

emerges from the mountaintop and flows down the hills and across

valleys to empty into the river. On a deeper level, the poet uses the

brook to draw a parallel with the life of a man. Like the brook, man is

energetic, lively and moves swiftly when he is young as he is striving

to overcome the obstacles or challenges that he encounters. Man

slows down later on in life just like the brook does before it reaches

the river. The brook carries a blossom, a trout or a grayling just like

man who meets people, forges bonds and gathers memories that he

cherishes till his life ends.

2. Describe the various things a brook travels past to join the river.

The brook emerges from the mountaintop where coots and heron live

and flows down the hills and across valleys to empty into the river. It

bubbles with energy as it flows down the hill-side making a lot of

noise. As it passes through different landforms like forests, fields that

are either fertile or fallow, grassy lawns or flower-filled gardens with

forget-me-nots and hazel trees, it slows down considerably. It does

not follow a straight path but meanders on around rocks and

boulders without letting anything stop its path. Thus it continues to

flow from its source to the river eternally.

3. Explain the lines: ‘For men may come and men may go but I go on

forever.’

These lines highlight the eternal nature of the brook which continues

to flow year after year from its source to the river without fail. It

expresses the fact that though men die and others are born the brook

is immortal. Therefore these lines highlight the short-lived quality of

human-life as compared to nature which is eternal.

4. The brook appears to be a symbol of life. Pick out examples of

parallelism between life and the brook.

The brook is definitely a symbol of life. Tennyson has personified the

brook to draw parallelism between life and the brook. These are :

Stages of life: the brook emerges from the place of its birth just like an

infant that is born.

Youth: In human beings this is the period when life is at its peak. One

is strong full of energy and enthusiasm. Similarly, the brook in its youth

– ‘By thirty hills I hurry down’, Words like: ‘bickers’, ‘frets’ and ‘chatters’ are used to bring out the

vitality of the brook just after it emerges from its source.

Life support system: the brook is a symbol of life. It provides a support

system to life and the living. The brook is full of ‘trouts’ and ‘graylings’

which provide food for animals and living beings.

Old age: before it ultimately joins the brimming rive, the brook

assumes a leisurely and peaceful demeanour while stealing by

grassy lawns and plots or ‘sliding’ by hazel covers.

THREE MEN IN A BOAT

Vocabulary

fits of giddiness-feeling that everything is moving around and that

you are going to fall

impelled (to the conclusion)- forced to (conclude)

virulent (form)- extremely dangerous or harmful and quick to have an

effect

indolently (study the symptoms) lethargically, without any interest, slowly,

premonitory (symptoms) – warning of future misfortune

sift (the word comes from the word sieve which is a utensil with a fine

mesh. It is used to strain solids from liquids or coarser particle from

finer particles. Mother uses a sieve in the kitchen to sift flour)

Here it refers to examining something very carefully to isolate that

which is most important.

plodded – worked or did something slowly and steadily

malignant – dangerous to health

malignant or benign tumour/ cancer

zymosis – an infection caused by fungus

pondered – thought

I reflected I had every other known malady in the Pharmacology...... Pharmacology – the scientific study of drugs and their case in

medicine

I had walked into the reading-room a happy, healthy man, I crawled

out a decrepit wreck

decrepit –very old and not in good health

a general disinclination to work of all kind – disinclination – lack of

enthusiasm

skulking little devil - skulking- hiding or moving around secretly

remedies are more efficacious than the dispensary stuff – efficacious- producing the result that was wanted

swagger about the deck- swagger- walk about in a proud and

confident way

wan sweet smile- wan- pale (complexion that gives the impression

that one is ill)

young man’s envious query- envious- wanting to be in the same

situation as someone else

Summary

The author along with his friends George and William Samuel Harris,

was discussing their imagined ailments. While George and Harris both

claimed to have spells of giddiness, the author believed that his live

was out of order. He then shared a humorous anecdote describing

his visit to the British Museum, where he read a medical text and

came to the conclusion that he had symptoms of all known diseases,

except housemaid’s knee. His doctor advised him to eat and drink

well, walk every morning and sleep early every night. The author then

described how similar symptoms had been termed as laziness when

he was a child, and instead of medicines were treated most

successfully by beatings. The three friends discussed their respective

disease until supper. Further discussion on the matter made them

decide that their conditions were caused by overwork. They agreed

that they needed rest and a change of scene.

When Harris suggests a sea trip the author objected. He cited several

stories of people who went on board a ship and were seasick for

almost a week. By the time they managed to overcome their

seasickness, it was time to return to land. He also examined the

strange manner in which people who were seasick seemed to

completely forget this fact when they reached dry land. In the end,

George suggested going up the river in a boat. The author and Harris

were in favour of this plan, but Montmorency, the author’s dog did

not seem to like the plan much.

Questions

a. Jerome’s habit of reading about different diseases made him suffer.

Do you agree? What

were the diseases that Jerome suspected himself to be suffering

from?

Jerome had this habit of reading about diseases. When he read the

patent liver-pill circular wherein the detailed symptoms of a liver

disorder were described, he was convinced that he had them all.

Every patent medicine advertisement he read forced him to believe

that he was suffering from the particular disease described therein.

On one occasion he suspected that he had a touch of hay fever

and went to the British Museum to read up the treatment for the

same. After he had read about hay fever he went on to read about

other diseases. By the end of his reading session, he concluded that

he had distemper , typhoid fever, and St Vitus’ Dance, Cholera. The

only malady he concluded he had not got was housemaid’s knee.

He felt rather hurt that he had been excluded from the list of people

who had Housemaid’s knee. When he reflected on the fact that he

had every malady known in Pharmacology he was less grieved

about not having Housemaid’s Knee. He was hypochondriacal to

say the least.

b. ‘Life is brief and you might pass away before I had finished”. Who

said it and Why?

Jerome said these words to his doctor when the doctor asked him to

describe what was wrong with him. Jerome is convinced that he has

every malady in Pharmacology. He exaggerates this claim by saying

that the description would take so long that the doctor would pass

away before he had finished talking about his maladies.

On his usual visits to the doctor’s office Jerome would feel slighted by

the Doctor’s very casual attitude towards his patient. This time, Jerome visited him hoping to give the doctor some practice of

diagnostic skills. Jerome thought that he with all his various diseases

was the best person to give his doctor some practice compared to

the seventeen hundred commonplace patients with only one or two

diseases each.

c. What did he use to get in his childhood as a treatment for his

disease?

In his childhood he would get a scolding from his parents and elders

for the few symptoms he dared to describe. He was admonished and

asked to do something for a living. He did not get pills for his sickness

instead he was given clumps on his head and asked to get to work.

They put down any complaints related to disease as a general

disinclination to work. Jerome now endorses these old-fashioned

remedies to be more efficacious than medicines given at the

dispensary.

d. Why did the chemist not give the narrator any medicine when he

gave him the doctor’s prescription? What does this mean?

The chemist did not give the narrator any medicines because the

prescription did not contain the names of any medicines. All it had

written was the name of the food and drink that the doctor had felt

the narrator should have and the exercise that he should have. It also

contained the time at which he should sleep. This meant that the

doctor did not think anything was wrong with the narrator.

e. Why was Montmorency not too keen to go on the boat?

Montmorency , the dog, was not keen to go on the boat ride

because he was not looking forward to being confined to a boat for

hours together without any exercise, neither could he go chasing rats

and he was apprehensive that the men might not be able to handle

the boat carefully and so there were chances of their falling

overboard into the river.

CREATIVE WRITING - BIO SKETCH

Rewrite this bio sketch of William Shakespeare using determiners.

William Shakespeare was born in Stratford-upon-Avon on 23rd April 1564.

His father William -successful local businessman and mother Mary was the

daughter of landowner-relatively prosperous- family paid for William’s

education -no evidence he attended university.

In 1582 William, aged only 18, married older woman named Anne

Hathaway- three children, Susanna, Hamnet and Juliet- son Hamnet died

aged just 11-due to well timed investments Shakespeare - firm financial

background, leaving time for writing and acting –bought land near

Stratford- soon doubled in value.

During lifetime, acquired fame-and had critics - he not without

controversy - received praise for plays -popular and commercially

successful-plays have retained appeal throughout history and world.

9th std GET GROOMED WITH GRAMMAR

Fill in the blanks using ‘a’, ‘an’ or ‘the’. ____ moon rose in the sky after _____ small pesky cloud moved out of its

way. It shone on _____house that stood braving the cold of _____

December night. _____open window on the top floor of _____ house

revealed the silhouette of _____young girl who sat holding _____urn on her

lap. _____ copper urn gleamed in her pale quivering hands. It held

_____ashes of _____only person who had loved and cared for her in this

world. She wanted to call out to her but _____words froze in her throat.

Somewhere _____window slapped shut and brought her out of _____daze

that seemed to drown her completely.


Choose a suitable word from the options given and complete the story from Tunisia.

A weary traveler stopped at a Bedouin’s tent and asked for shelter for the night. Without (a) __________hesitation , the man killed (b) __________ chicken and handed it to (c) __________ wife for (d) __________ guest’s

supper.

As the woman stirred the meat in (d) __________ copper cooking pot, she

smelled the rich steam and could not resist tasting (f) __________ of the

meat and soup, to see if it was soft and tasty. But mouthful followed

mouthful, and there wasn’t (g) __________ chicken left, but for the neck

piece, which she gave to her little son to nibble. The boy found so tasty

that he whined, “Give me (h) __________ chicken, mother!” the woman

slapped the little boy and scolded him: “It’s a shameful thing (i) __________ father taught you, enough of it, I tell you!” on the (j) __________side of the wooden hanging which screened the woman’s part of the

tent from the rest, the traveller overheard them. “What habit has (k) __________ father taught (l) __________ child?” He asked curiously. “Oh,”

said the woman, “whenever a guest arrives at (m) __________ tent, he

cuts off his ears and roasts them over the fire for (n) __________ son to

eat.” Making not a sound, the traveller picked up (o) __________ shoes

and ran.
a.    i. no any ii. little iii. any iv. no

b.    i. a few ii. some iii. few iv. a

c.    i. his ii. her iii. their iv. there

d.    i. his ii. her iii. their iv. there

e.    i. the ii. a iii. theirs iv. their

f.    i. some ii. many iii. a few iv. few

g.    i. any ii. some iii. a few iv. few

h.    i. any ii. some iii. a few iv. few

i.i hers ii. your iii. their iv. his

j. i. an other ii. another iii. other iv. one

k. i. hers ii. her iii. him iv. his

l. i a ii. an iii. the iv. x

m. i. x ii. our iii. ours iv. their

n. i. their ii. his iii. our iv. x

o. i. her ii. his iii. our iv. x

Here are a few question and statements written down by the Cultural

Secretary, that she/he needs to share. Tick the correct words from those

given in brackets.

a. How (much/many) chairs do we need?

b. (Much/Several) (schools/school) will be participating.

c. (Several/Much) students have arrived.

d. How (much /many) time do we have to get the participants ready?

e. There are only (a few, a little) seats in the auditorium.

THE BROOK

THE BROOK

1.How does the brook sparkle?

The brook sparkles when the sunlight and rays fall on its watery surface. The

watery surface acts as a medium and reflects the sun rays producing a

sparkling effect. The brook “sparkle out among the fern” growing near its

banks.

2. Why has the word ‘chatter’ been repeated in the poem?

The first use of the word is: ‘I chatter over stony ways’, the second time: ’I

chatter, chatter as I flow’ the repeated use of chatter seems to signify the

continuous movement of the brook and the vitality with which is flows.

3. What does the word ‘hern’ refer to ?

The word hern refers to the bird heron. The word hern is an example of poetic

license. It refers to the bird heron. The poet has used this to maintain the

rhyme scheme.

4. With many a curve my banks I fret’ What does the brook seem to be doing

here? What image has the poet tried to convey to the reader?

The brook is moving at great speed and with the rush of water at every curve

along the bank there is an erosion of the bank which is referred to as ‘banks I

fret’

The poet has tried to convey the fact that the brook flows very swiftly when it

is very near to its source and it seems to signify youth and vigour.

5. ‘By many a field and fallow

By and many a fairy foreland set

with willow wed and mallow’ What does ‘fairy foreland’ refer to?

The land or terrain that lies on either side of the flowing brook before it meets

the river is called foreland. It is referred to as a fairy because the weeds and

mallow have lent it beauty of a magical or supernatural kind.

6. Name the different things found floating in the brook.

Many things can be found floating in the brook as it is a source of life. We

find blossoms ‘sailing over its surface’, a ‘lusty trout’ and a ‘grayling’ swimming in and out of its depths. As it travels onward , we can see ‘foamy flakes’ floating over its surface.

7. What does the poet try to convey by using the words ‘steal’ and ‘slide’?

The brook steals by ‘lawns and grassy plots’ and slides by ‘hazel covers’ This

symbolises the slowing down of the brook which now has an easy quiet

movement that goes unnoticed. This is different from the energetic mood it

was in during the early part of its course.


8.‘I make the netted sunbeam dance’

The rays of the sun pass through the leaves and branches of the trees that

line the brook. The interplay of light and shadow gives the effect of

sunbeams trapped in a net. These sunbeams seem to bob up and down on

the surface of the moving brook which the poet refers to as a dance.

FORMAL LETTER

You are Ratan/Ratna of Indore. The following extract of a magazine drew your attention. As a concerned citizen write a letter to the editor of a national daily, expressing your ideas and views on global warming and also giving suggestion on how to
save our planet from this problem.

According to the findings of the Inter-Governmental Panel of
Climate Change, the consequence of environmental changes in
South-East Asia include risk of floods and droughts in many regions,
decreased agricultural productivity, adverse impacts on fisheries
and adverse effects on many ecological systems.


25/1 roger street ,
symphony complex,
Indore-32

To,
 The Editor,
The Times of India
Indore-12

Date:13th april,2016

Subject: Global Warming

Dear Sir,

The extract in a magazine regarding the consequences of

environmental changes in South-East Asia is a wake-up call for the

governments in the region. South-East Asia is a densely populated

region. Meeting the needs of the huge population puts increased

pressure on the resources available for growth and survival: both

natural and man-made.

 In this scenario, a decrease in agricultural

productivity and an increased risk of floods and droughts will rock

the boat even further unless some steps are taken to check global

warming. It is a matter of world-wide concern.

There is a need to work towards decreasing the production of

greenhouse gases which in turn will reduce the effects of global
warming.

thanking you.

yours sincerely,
Ratna

9th std ENGLISH PORTION FOR UT-1

HOW I TAUGHT MY GRANDMOTHER TO READ

REORDERING OF SENTENCES

DIARY ENTRY OR FORMAL LETTER

HOW I TAUGHT MY GRANDMOTHER TO READ

Read the extracts given below and answer the questions that follow.

1. ‘Unfortunately for Kannada literature, she died very young. Even

now, after forty years, people continue to appreciate her novels.’

a. Whom does ‘she’ in the above lines refer to?

‘She’ refers to Triveni a popular writer in the Kannada language.

b. Mention one of ‘her novels’ One of her novels is Kashi Yatre. c. Why do people continue to appreciate her novels?

Her stories were interesting, easy to read and very convincing.

2. ‘After hearing what happened next in Kashi Yatre, she would join her

friends at the temple courtyard where we children would also gather

to play hide and seek. She would discuss the latest episode with her

friends. At that time, i never understood why there was so much of

debate about the story.’

a. What is ‘Kashi Yatre’?

Kashi Yatre is a novel written by the Kannada writer Triveni which

appeared as a serial in the Kannada weekly Karmaveera.

b. Why were the women at the temple so interested in discussing the

latest episode of ‘Kashi Yatre’?

The women at the temple could relate to the protagonist in the story

of the serial hence they were interested in discussing the latest

episode of ‘Kashi Yatre’.

c. Who was the protagonist of the novel?

The protagonist of the story was an old lady who had an ardent

desire to go to Kahsi or Varanasi.

 3. ‘Avva came and sat next to me. Her affectionate hands touched my

forehead. I realised she wanted to speak.’

a. What does the term Avva mean?

The term Avva means mother in Kannada.

b. What did Avva tell the narrator?

Avva told the narrator about her childhood, why she had never gone

to school and how helpless she felt when she couldn’t read the story

from magazine in the narrator’s absence.

c. Comment on the relationship of the narrator with Avva?

Avva and the narrator had a warm and loving relationship. The

narrator understood Avva’s needs and tried to meet them in every

way she could. On the other hand Avva loved the narrator and

respected her for her empathy and kindness.

B. Answer the following questions briefly.

a. Give evidence from the lesson to confirm the fact that the narrator’s

grandparents village was in a remote place.

The morning paper came on a bus that brought it in the afternoon

and the weekly magazine came a day late.

b. Why did the grandmother depend on her granddaughter to know

what unfolded every week in the serial?

The grandmother had never gone to school primarily because she

had lost her mother at a very early age and also because in those

times education was never considered essential for girls. Therefore

she depended on her granddaughter to read the story out to her.

c. What values does the story Kashi Yatre uphold?

The story Kashi Yatre upholds the values compassion and

magnanimity. Through the character of the protagonist the author,

Triveni emphasizes the quality of selfless love which is considered to

be a divine attribute.

d. How do we know that the grandmother was determined to read?

We know that the grandmother was determined to read as firstly with

all humility she requested her granddaughter to teach her. Secondly,

she set a deadline by which she would learn to read. Thirdly, she was

persevering enough to practise her reading regularly

e. Why could the grandmother succeed in her attempt to become

literate?

The grandmother was a determined lady who worked hard under

the guidance of her granddaughter. She would read, repeat, write

and recite what was taught.

Long Answers

a. A local reporter comes to learn of the grandmother’s story and writes

a report about it in the newspaper. Write the report. Awesome Avva

Avva as she is called by her granddaughter, Sudha is one

determined lady who has learnt to read and write at the age of 62.

Her teacher was none other than her 12-year-old granddaughter, a

bright young girl blessed with immense patience and empathy.

This graceful grandmother was determined and worked very hard to

accomplish this feat. When asked what inspired her to take this step

she said, ‘I always felt helpless and embarrassed at not being able to

read. By God’s grace our family is prosperous and happy. But I realise

that money and possessions are of no use if you’re illiterate.’

It happened this way: the old lady liked to listen to a story written by

the famous author, Tirveni. Every week, her granddaughter read out

the serial that appeared in the weekly magazine. Once when her

granddaughter was away, there was no one to read to her. It was

then that she decided that she would learn to read and write and

approached her granddaughter for help.

Taking up the onus of learning upon herself she gave herself a

deadline: she would learn to read before the Saraswati Puja day

during Dassera.

This student is an inspiration for many who have missed out on

becoming literate. As Guru Dakshina, the sprightly student touched

her teacher’s feet and gave her a gift. The ‘teacher’ presented the

Kannada novel ‘Kashi Yatre’ that was the spark for this grand

endeavour. What a ‘Yatra’ it has been!

b. Describe the character of the grandmother.

As has been mentioned in the lesson, the grandmother was a happy

and contented woman who was totally involved in meeting the

needs of her children and grandchildren. Though she had never

been to school, she knew the value of education and therefore

made sure that all her children were well-educated. When she

realised that a lack of literacy made her dependent and helpless she

was determined to do all she could to fill this blank in her life. She was

determined to be able to read and write and become independent.

She said, ‘For a good cause if you are determined you can

overcome any obstacle.’ She was not in the least embarrassed to

share her feelings with her granddaughter and ask for help. She was

very hard working as we see that she worked very hard often redoing

her work to learn within the deadline she had set for herself. We also

see that she was not self-conscious and did not feel embarrassed to

bow down and touch her granddaughter’s feet. She was humble

enough to respect her teacher who had taught her to read and

write at the age of 62. She was a wise and introspective woman who

understood the value of education. Her words: ‘We are well off, but

what use is money when I cannot be independent’ prove that she

knew that it was important to be self-reliant.