Monday, 27 August 2018

10th Std Dear Departed

Extract Based Questions

Read the extracts given below and briefly answer the questions that follow:

Q. 1. “It didn’t take you long to start dividing my things between you.”
(a) Who speaks these words and to whom ?
(b) What things are being referred to ?
(c) Why did they start dividing the things ?
Ans. (a) These words are spoken by Abel Merry weather to his family members.
(b) He is referring to the bureau, clock, slippers, etc.
(c) They started dividing the things because they presumed Abel to be dead.

Q. 2. ‘Are we pinching it before Aunt Elizabeth comes ?’
(a) Who is asking this question and to whom ?
(b) What has happened before this incident ?
(c) What reaction of the speaker is evident from the given lines ?
Ans. (a) Victoria is asking her parents.
(b) The parents have brought down the bureau from the grandfather’s room.
(c) The girl understands that her parents are stealing the bureau .

Q. 3. They’ll stretch, won’t they ? I am not going to have them wasted.
(a) What is they ?
(b) What does the speaker want the listener to do ? Why ?
(c) What will happen when ‘They’ will stretch ?
Ans. (a) Abel Merryweather’s slippers won't stretch.
(b) She wants him to wear them as they are new and his own are old and worn out.
(c) The slippers are small for Henry. She says they will stretch once he starts wearing them.

Q. 4. “Mrs. Slater : I’m not satisfied but it’s the best we can do till our new black’s ready and Ben and Elizabeth will never have thought about mourning yet, so we’ll outshine them there.
(a) What is Mrs. Slater dissatisfied with ?
(b) What is the reference to ‘new black’ and why is it required ?
(c) What does her speech reveal about her character ?
Ans. (a) She is not satisfied with her mourning dress yet.
(b) She needs a new mourning dress as her father has died.
(c) She is a hypocrite, competes with her sister and doesn’t have any regret of her father’s death.

Q. 5. “Are we pinching it before Elizabeth comes ?”
(a) What does ‘it’ refer to here ?
(b) How does Victoria conclude that her parents are pinching ‘it’?
(c) Mention two reasons that Mrs. Slater gives for her action.
Ans. (a) It refers to the bureau here. Henry tells Victoria that he and his wife are going to bring the grandfather’s bureau down.
(b) Victoria concludes because they want to bring it down before Aunt Elizabeth comes.
(c) She tells them that she has always wanted to have the bureau after grandfather’s death. She tells them that ‘Elizabeth is sharp and will drive a hard bargain.’

Q. 6. That was a near thing. Open the door, Victoria. Now, Henry, get your coat on. (She helps him).
(a) What was a near thing ?
(b) Why has Victoria been asked to open the door ?
(c) Why has Henry been asked to wear a coat ?
Ans. (a) The speaker and her husband being caught in the act of stealing.
(b) To usher in her aunt and uncle.
(c) Because it is black in colour and it would make him appear to be in mourning.

Q. 7. No, for myself it’s such a relief to get into the black. And now perhaps you’ll tell us all about it. What did the
doctor say ?
(a) What is a great relief for the speaker ?
(b) What does the speaker mean by telling us all about it ?
(c) Who is the speaker of these lines ?
Ans. (a) To get into the black mourning dress is a relief.
(b) They want to know how the old man died.
(c) Elizabeth or Mrs. Jordan.

Q. 8. Shut up, Be quiet! It’s ours now. Come Henry, lift your end.
(a) Identify the speaker.
(b) Why is the speaker insisting on being quiet ?
(c) What ‘our now’ is being talked about ?
Ans. (a) Mrs. Slater. .
(b) As they are stealing grandpa’s bureau before others come.
(c) The bureau of grandpa.

Q. 9. “Victoria, if that’s your aunt and uncle you’re not to open the door.”
(a) Whose instructions are these for Victoria ?
(b) Why should her aunt and uncle not be allowed ?
(c) What was being done in their absence ?
Ans. (a) Amelia, her mother.
(b) As they are shifting the bureau containing a locked desk and they don’t want to be caught red-handed.
(c) Both Amelia and Henry were in grandfather’s room shifting an old-fashioned bureau.

Q. 10. “I don’t call that delicate, stepping into a dead man’s shoes in such haste.”
(a) Who is the speaker ?
(b) When does the speaker say these words ?
(c) What does the speaker mean by ‘stepping into a dead man’s shoes’ ?
Ans. (a) Mrs. Jordan.
(b) When she notices Henry wearing grandfather’s slippers.
(c) Stepping into a dead man’s shoes is to take the position of the dead man although one might not be capable
of it. She remarked that he was in a hurry to step into the grandfather’s shoes and didn’t even wait for his funeral.

Q. 11. No, if I’m not to have him you shan’t either. We quarrelled because Elizabeth said she wouldn’t take you off
our hands at any price. She said she’d had enough of you to last a life time, and we’d got to keep you.

(a) Who is I ?
(b) Why is there a quarrel ?
(c) Who had got to keep the old man according to the speaker ?
Ans. (a) T stands for Mrs. Slater.
(b) They quarrel over Elizabeth’s attempt not to keep the old man with her at any price.
(c) Mrs. Slater and Henry.

Q. 12. I’ll tell you what I’ve got to do. On Monday next I’ve got to do three things.
(a) These words are spoken by to..’
(b) The listeners’ reaction to the speaker’s declaration is that they are
(c) has made the speaker decide on three things.
Ans. (a) Abel; his family.
(b) taken aback.
(c) Family’s negligent attitude towards the speaker.

Q. 13. ‘She’s never been here since grandfather bought it. If it was only down here instead of in his room, she’d
never guess it wasn’t our own.
(a) These words are said by
(b) The word ‘it’ referred to here is
(c) The speaker is planning to
Ans. (a) Amelia. .
(b) the bureau.
(c) bring the bureau down.

Q. 14. “He’s done it on purpose, just to annoy us”.
(a) Who is the speaker ?
(b) Who is ‘He’ ?
(c) What has he done to annoy the others ?
Ans. (a) Mrs. Jordan.
(b) Grandfather – Abel Merryweather.
(c) He had not paid the premium – instead had gone to a public house.

Q. 15.1 may be wrong. But I don’t think father will fancy living on with you after what’s happened today.
(a) Who speaks the above lines ?
(b) What is the argument about in the conversation ?
(c) Why wouldn’t father want to stay with the listener ?
Ans. (a) Mrs. Jordan.
(b) The argument is over the place where Mr. Abel Merryweather should be staying.
(c) Mrs. Slater had behaved in a very mercenary manner and she wanted to take over her father’s belongings as
soon as he died.

Short Answer Type Questions

Q. 1. What are the three things that grandfather plans to do on next Monday ?
Ans. (i) To go to the lawyer to alter his will.
(ii) Pay insurance premium
(iii) Get married at St. Phillips church to Mrs. Shorrocks

Detailed Answer:
Grandfather plans to do three things on next Monday. He decides to consult a lawyer and alter his will in favour of Mrs. John Shorrocks. Secondly he decides to marry Mrs. Shorrocks and third he has to pay his insurance premium which is due.

Q. 2. Justify the title ‘The Dear Departed’.
Ans. (i) The play revolves around the father. Fathers are loved by their children, but here he is not dear/truly loved by them as they are more interested in dividing up his belongings and are upset when they are informed that he is getting married and that they will not inherit.
(ii) The father has not departed, they presume he is dead without checking or calling a doctor.

Q. 3. Why did the two sisters fight with each other ?
Ans. Grandfather decided that in his new will, he would leave all his money and things to the person he would be living with when he died. This led to another spat between the daughters. Since both of them were very keen to get his money and things, they wanted that he should stay with them.

Q. 4. Why was black the dress code for the day ?
Ans. Amelia had come to the conclusion that Abel Merryweather had passed away. So, the entire family had gathered to mourn the death of the grandfather. Black is the colour for mourning so they all had wome black.

Q. 5. Why is Mrs. Amelia Slater so edgy and nervous in the beginning of the play ?
Ans. In the beginning of the play, Mrs. Amelia Slater is very edgy and nervous. Actually, she wants to steal grandfather’s bureau as she likes it very much but she wants to shift it to her room before the Jordans come and for that she has to do it quickly. She doesn’t want the Jordans to know about her theft.

Q. 6. Bring out the irony in the title of the play, ‘The Dear Departed’.
Ans. Grandfather, the departed in this play, was not dear to his daughters and son-in-laws. Though they did not anxiously wait for his death, they actually did not regret even his sudden passing away.

Q. 7. What decision did Abel Merryweather take regarding his will ? What were his future plans for himself ?
Ans. He decided to make a new will and leave all his belongings to whomever he was living with when he dies. First, he would visit his lawyer,to alter his will. Second, he would go to the insurance office and pay his premium. Third, he would marry Mrs. John Shorrocks who kept the ‘Ring-O-Bells’ in Philip’s church.

Q. 8. What does Mrs. Slater want to possess from the grandfather’s room ? What were her plans after his death ?
Ans. Mrs. Slater has her eye on grandfather’s bureau and the clock She intends to grab her share of her grandfather’s property. She and her sister Mrs. Jordan are after jewellery, insurance, etc.

9. Mrs. Slater represents a great materialistic character in the play, ‘The Dear Departed’. Give two evidences in support of the statement.
Ans. When she is sure about the death of her father, she tries to grab all the essentials of her father first. Then she turns her attention to his insurance policy. She doesn’t want anyone to come there before she takes everything in her possession. She has no sympathy for anyone.

Q. 10. Why does Elizabeth wish to draw up a list of Grandpa’s things ?
Ans. Both the sisters, being calculative and selfish, did not want to be in any loss. Hence, Elizabeth wanted all the things to be listed so as to be able to get more than her share of inheritance.

Q. 11. Why did Victoria think that the behaviour of her parents was callous ?
Ans. Victoria thought the behaviour of her parents was callous as after the so-called departure of Grandpa’s soul, they were only bothered about money and other materialistic things.

Q. 12. Briefly describe the character of Victoria in ‘The Dear Departed’.
Ans. Victoria, the granddaughter, has been depicted as a compassionate and loving character who loved her grandfather and was very upset at the materialistic behaviour of the elders after the so-called death of her grandfather.

Q. 13. In what way is ‘The Dear Departed’ satirical ? Comment on the nature of human beings.
Ans. ’The Dear Departed’ brings out children’s greed; they are more interested in what they will inherit and try to grab a lion’s share. The play shows how children sometimes care more for what they will receive from their parents than for their welfare and happiness.

Q. 14. What change in the grandfather’s will lead to another spat between his two daughters ? Why ?
Ans. Grandfather decided that in his new will, he would leave all his money and things to the person he would be living with when he died. This led to another spat between the daughters. Since both of them were very keen to get his money and things, they wanted that he should stay with them.

Q. 15. Why was the family surprised /shocked to see the grandfather awake ?
Ans. The family was shocked to see the grandfather alive as all of them wanted to share his belongings which they would not be able to do then.

Q. 16. What was the reason for delay in opening the door when Mr. & Mrs. Jordan came ?
Ans. The Slaters wanted to bring the bureau down but did not want the other couple to know about it. So they delayed the opening of the door as at that moment they were in the process of bringing the bureau down.

Q. 17. Why does Mrs. Slater decide to shift the bureau from grandfather’s room before the arrival of the Jordans ?
Ans. Abel, the grandfather, is ‘found dead’ in the room by Mrs. Slater. She informs her sister and then starts waiting for her to come for the mourning. At that time it strikes her that grandfather’s things will be divided between the two of them. She loves the grandfather’s bureau. So she decides to shift it to her room before the arrival of Jordans so that she can tell them that the bureau is their and not grandfather’s. That way she will be the sole owner of it.

Q. 18. Ben appreciates grandfather saying ‘It is a good thing he did’ later he calls him a ‘drunken old beggar’, why does he change his opinion about her grandfather ?
Ans. Ben changes his opinion about grandfather and calls him a ‘drunken old beggar’ later because he realises that he has not paid his insurance premiums and so they will not get any benefit of money from his insurance.

Long Answer Type Questions

Q. 1. Victoria Slater is truly attached to her grandfather. She is confused by the behaviour of the elders at home, their attitude towards the old man.
As Victoria write a diary entry in not more than 150 words, outlining the incidents and the elders’ feelings towards the misfortune.

Ans. 28 August , 2018
Tuesday
10 pm.
Dear Diary
I am quite confused by the behaviour of the elders towards my grandfather. As soon as they found him to be dead, it was as if mother was in a hurry to divide Grandpa’s belongings. She informed aunt Elizabeth who arrived alongwith uncle. To my shock, none of them were feeling sad about the departed soul. Rather they started fighting for Grandpa’s properties. Is this what we call love and affection ? Bureau, grandpa’s slippers and many other things were gaining priority at that moment. My mother and aunt forgot that their father was dead. They were being so materialistic. It was a terrible experience. Thank God! Grandpa is still alive. Now I wonder would they accept if I pay them back in the same coin.
Victoria

Q. 2. You are Abel Merryweather. Express your ideas/feelings after you wake up and come to know about your daughters’ feelings, greed and intentions in the form of a letter to your friend.

Ans. 3 March, Thursday
 10 p.m.
Dear John
After an unbelievable experience of watching the selfishness of my family members, I have made my final decision. Let me first narrate you the incidents that led to this decision. One day I woke up only to find them fighting for my property. Both my daughters and son-in-laws were discussing this matter. They were being blunt and impolite. I saw them in their true colours that day. They were outdoing each other in considering me as a burden for them. They made me realize that they had only been tolerating me for five long years. Though all of them were in black mourning dress it never appeared that they were really sad. All of them were greedy, impolite, insensitive, dominating and what not. It was only my granddaughter who was an exception. So I’ve decided to marry Mrs. Shorrocks who seems to be quite humane. This was a horrible experience of my life which I wanted to share with you.
Abel

Q. 3. How is hypocrisy of the two sisters brought out in the play, ‘The Dear Departed’ ?

Ans. The two sisters in the play lived by double standards. Each of them tried to surpass the other. Amelia tried to . steal the bureau before Elizabeth’s arrival whereas Elizabeth was late because she wanted to reach there in mourning dress. She was in no hurry to reach her father’s house even after hearing the news of his death. Both of them laid more stress on getting materialistic gains from Abel’s death as Amelia wanted to steal the clock whereas Elizabeth wanted grandfather’s watch. Their hypocrisy reached its height when at tea, they discussed about newspaper announcement even before confirming his death. But when Abel came down, both of them were shocked. Further they got a terrible blow when their father announced his marriage to Mrs. Shorrocks and the change of his will.


9th std A Legend of the Northland

9th std A Legend of the Northland

Extract Based Questions

Read the extract given below and answer the questions that follow:

Question 1:
He came to the door of a cottage In travelling round the earth Where a little woman was making cakes And baking them on the hearth

A) Who does “he” refer to in the first line ?
B) What request did “he” make to the woman ?
C) Was the little woman rewarded or punished ? Why ?

Answer:

A) “He” refers to Saint Peter in the first line.
B) “He” requested the woman to give him a cake.
C) The little woman was punished since she was highly stingy, miserly, greedy and mean.

Question 2:
He came to the door of a cottage
In travelling round the earth
Where a little woman was making cakes
And baking them on the hearth.

A) What was Saint Peter doing ?
B) What was the little woman making ?
C) What is a hearth ?

Answer:

A) Saint Peter was travelling.
B) The little woman was baking cakes.
C) Hearth is a fire-place.

Question 3:
Then Saint Peter grew angry
For he was hungry and faint ‘
And surely such a woman Was enough to provoke a saint

A) Why was Saint Peter about to faint ?
B) How did the woman provoke Saint Peter ?
C) What is the rhyming scheme of the given stanza ?

Answer:

A) Saint Peter was about to faint as he had been preaching and fasting.
B) The woman provoked Saint Peter by not giving him the cakes that were baked for him.
C) The rhyming scheme of the given stanza is abcb.

Question 4:
He came to the door of a cottage In travelling round the earth Where a little woman was making cakes And baking them on the hearth.

A) What was Saint Peter doing ?
B) What was the little woman making ?
C) What is a hearth ?

Answer:

A) Saint Peter was travelling.
B)The little woman was baking cakes.
C)Hearth is a fire-place or oven to cook or bake things.

Question 5:
And being faint with fasting For the day was almost done
He asked her, from her store of cakes,
To give him a single one.

A) Who is “He” in the extract ?
B) What did he ask her to give him ?
C) Trace a word from the extract that means “weak”.

Answer:

A) “He” referred to in the extract is Saint Peter.
B) He asked her to give him one cake from her store.
C) The word from the extract means faint.

Question 6:
And being faint with fasting,
For the day was almost done,
He asked her, from her store of cakes,
To give him a single one.

A) Who is “He” in the passage ?
B) Why was he fainting ?
C) What is meant by “the day was almost done” ?

Answer:

A) “He” in the passage is Saint Peter.
B)  He was fainting due to fasting.
C) “The day was almost done” means that the day had finished or passed.

Short Answer Type Questions

Question 7:
Why does the poet say that the hours of the day are few ?
Answer:
In the poem, the poet uses a name Northland. In the area of Northland, the nights are longer and the days are shorter. As a result there are very few hours in a day.

Question 8:
Who came knocking at the door of the old woman? Why was he there ?
Answer:
In the Northland an old lady Lived in a cottage. She was baking cakes when St. Peter came knocking at her door. He had become weak with fasting and travelling. He was actually looking for some food.

Question 9:
Is this a true story? Which part of the poem do you think is really important ?
Answer:
This is a legend. It is not a true story. Even the poet feels that it is not true. The most important part of the poem is the point when we realize that the old woman is very greedy. She could not part with her cakes for a hungry man.

Question 10:
Is this poem correct in being known as a legend? Explain.
Answer:
A legend is a semi true story which has been passed on from person-to-person through ages. This legend has an important meaning or symbolism for the culture in which it originates. A legend includes an element of truth or is based on historic facts but with mythical qualities. The saint in turn curses the old woman. This poem can also be regarded as a folktale which again is a story told from one generation to another.

Value Based Questions

Question 11:
Why did the woman bake a little cake ?
Answer:
The woman in the poem has been shown as a highly stingy, miserly, greedy and mean by nature. Whenever, she took out cake from the hearth, they appeared to be larger than the original size. Hence, she baked a very small cake for Saint Peter.

Question 12:
Greed is a quality which God does not like. Discuss it in the context of the poem.
Answer:
Greed is considered to be a sin. This has been clearly brought out in the poem. In a legend of the Northland greed has no end. This is evident in the behaviour of the old lady when she was asked for a cake by Saint Peter. She could not even give him a wafer thin slice. This angered St. Peter and he cursed her to be a woodpecker. One should always be able to share with others as God has been so kind to give us so much.


9th Std My Childhood

My Childhood

Extract Based Questions

Read the passage given below and answer the questions that follow:

Question 1:
During the annual Shri Sita Rama Kalyanam Ceremony, our family used to arrange boats .....................in the middle of the pond called Rama Tirtha which was near our house.

a) What was the annual event held in Rameshwaram ?
b) Where did the boats carry the idols of the Lord ?
c) Find a word from the passage that means “images of God”.

Answer:
a)The annual event held in Rameshwaram was Shri Sita Rama Kalyanam Ceremony.
b)The boats carried the idols of the Lord in the middle of the pond on the site of the marriage ceremony or function.
c) Idols.

Question 2:
During the annual Shri Sita Rama Kalyanam Ceremony, our family used to arrange boats with a special platform for..............
........the bedtime stories my mother and grandmother would tell the children in our family.

a) How did the speaker’s family help in Shri Sita Rama Kalyanam Ceremony?
b) What light does the passage throw on speaker’s family ?
c) Find the word in the passage which means the same “the place where some event takes place”.

Answer:

a) The speaker’s family used to help in Shri Sita Rama Kalyanam Ceremony by arranging boats with a special platform for carrying idols.
b) The passage shows that the speaker’s family is a truly secular family which respected other religions also.
c) Site.

Question 3:
After school, we went home and told our respective parents about the incident. Lakshmana Sastry summoned the teacher,............................................ Lakshmana Sastry conveyed ultimately reformed this young teacher.

a) What brought about a change in the teacher ?
b) What kind of society did the speaker live in ?
c) Find the word/phrase in the passage which means “strong opinion or belief”.

Answer:

a) The strong sense of conviction that Lakshmana Sastry conveyed brought about a change in the teacher.
b) The speaker lived in a society which was truly secular.
c) Conviction.

Question 4:
His wife watched us from behind the kitchen door. I wondered whether she had observed any difference .................When I visited his house next week, Sivasubramaniam Iyer’s wife took me inside her kitchen and served me food with her own hands.

a) Why did the teacher’s wife watched them from behind the kitchen door ?
b) Why was the narrator hesitant to eat food, with a Hindu family ?
c) Find the word from the passage that means “to deal with”.

Answer:

a) The teacher’s wife believed in the segregation of different people. She did not want APJ Kalam to enter her kitchen and serve food.She as a result hid behind kitchen door and saw everything.
b) The narrator felt hesitant to eat food with a Hindu family because he felt he was not welcomed in the family.Confronted One day, he invited me to his home for a meal. His wife was horrified at the idea of a Muslim boy being invited to dine in her ritually pure kitchen. She refused to serve me in her kitchen.
c) Confronted .

Question5)
Why did A.P.J. Abdul Kalam call his childhood a secure childhood ?
Answer:
A.P.J. Abdul Kalam called his childhood a secure one because he had loving and caring parents.He had all necessary things which included food, clothes, medicine, etc.

Question 6)
Do you think the new teacher deserved the treatment meted out to him ? Why/why not ?
Answer:
Yes, he deserved the treatment meted out to him. He was spreading the poison of communal intolerance among the young minds which was a serious crime. If a teacher indulges in such a mean act he deserves no sympathy.

Question 7)
What was the difference in the attitudes of the science teacher and his wife towards A.P.J. Abdul Kalam ?
Answer:
Though his science teacher was an orthodox Hindu, he broke the social barriers, and mixed with other religions and communities. He invited Abdul home and served him meals and even sat and ate with him. On the contrary, his wife was conservative and refused to serve Abdul.

Question 8)
How did Second World War give opportunity to Kalam to earn his first wages ?
Answer:
Kalam’s cousin was a news agent. Train halt at Rameshwaram station was suspended. So, the newspapers were bundled up and thrown out from a moving train. Kalam helped his cousin to catch the bundles. He was given money for it.

Question 9)
How does Abdul Kalam describe his mother ?
Answer:
Abdul Kalam describes his mother by saying that she was an ideal wife and a gentle lady. He learnt from his mother to be gentle and kind. She even used to feed a lot of outsiders every day.

Question 10
What did Abdul Kalam’s family do during the annual Shri Sita Ram Kalayanam Ceremony ?
Answer:
Abdul Kalam’s family arranged for a boat with a special platform for carrying the idols of Lord Shri Sita Ram from the temple to the marriage sites situated in the middle of a pond called as Rama Tirtha. His parents even told him stories from the Ramayana.

Question 11)
What characteristics did Abdul Kalam inherited from his parents ?
Answer:
Abdul Kalam inherited honesty and self discipline from his father and faith in goodness and kindness from his mother. Like his parents even he respected all religions.

Q12)“Once you decide to change the system, such problems have to be confronted.” What system is being refer in the sentence from the chapter “My Childhood”? What are such problems ?
Answer:
System means system of discrimination on the basis of religion. The system includes the narrow-mindedness and poison of social inequality and communal intolerance. The Brahmins did not allow Muslims to enter their kitchen. The science teacher – a rebel by nature, invited Kalam to his home and proved that if one is determined to face problems and change the system, he will definitely succeed. Though, such indifferences come in everybody’s life but a person should have a broader outlook and overcome the obstacles.

Question 13)
What incident took place at the Rameshwaram Elementry School when a new teacher came to the class ?
Answer:
Kalam used to wear a cap and Ramanandha Sastry wore a sacred thread which marked him to be a Brahmin. When the new teacher came he could not tolerate a Hindu priest’s son sitting with a Muslim boy. He ordered Kalam to go and sit on the back bench. This made Ramanandha sad. Abdul started to sit in the last row but it left a bad impression on Abdul. Both the kids narrated the incident to their parents. As a result the teacher was rebuked and reprimanded for spreading communalism and hatred among children.




Tuesday, 21 August 2018

9th Std The snake and the mirror

The snake and the mirror

Short Answer Type Questions (2 marks each)
(About 30-40 words each)

Question 1:
What was the doctor thinking while he was seated before the mirror ?
Answer:
The doctor thought of various medicine he had and if any medicine was good enough to save him if the snake did bite him. He also realized that God had punished him for being so proud and arrogant.

Question 2:
Why did the doctor run from his house ?
Or
Why did the doctor run away to his friend’s house ?
Answer:
From writer’s arm the snake slithered into his lap, crept onto the table and then moved towards the mirror. The writer revived, got up from the chair and leapt into the yard and ran to his friend’s house to save his life.

Question 3:
How did the doctor show the presence of mind when he encountered the snake ?

Answer:
The doctor showed great presence of mind on seeing the snake: He neither jumped nor cried out.
He sat on the chair holding his breath. His body was still but his mind remained very active.

Question 4:
How did the snake change the writer’s opinion about himself ?

Answer:
The writer was proud of being a doctor. Coming face-to-face with the snake made him humble. He
thought he was only a poor and stupid doctor who should not be proud of his profession.

Question 5:
While looking into the mirror, what important and earth-shaking decisions did the doctor make ?
Or
What were the two important decisions taken by the doctor while looking into the mirror ?

Answer:
The important decision m^de by the doctor was that he would shave daily and grow a thin moustache, to look more handsome.
The earth-shaking decision made by the doctor was that he would always keep that attractive smile on his face.

Question 6:
What did the doctor do on seeing the snake ?

Answer:
The doctor saw the snake’s reflection in the mirror. He, then, went to have a closer look. He got up from the chair and ran away from the house.

Question 7:
What type of woman did the doctor in the story “The Snake and the Mirror”, want to get married to and why?

Answer:
The doctor, who had plenty of money and good medical practice, wanted to get married to a woman who was fat. The reason he gave was that if he, the doctor husband ever made any mistake, and tried to run away, she would not be able to catch him and stop him from escaping.

Question 8:
Why did the author of “The Snake and the Mirror” fantasize a fat woman as his wife ?
Answer:
The author of “The Snake and the Mirror’ fantasizes a fat woman as his wife since she would never be able to catch the doctor on his mistakes. She would not be able to run after him and he would be saved of all kinds of punishments. Thus, the author fantasizes a fat woman as his wife.

Question 9:
Why did the snake leave the doctor’s arm?
Answer:
The snake left the doctor’s arm because it saw its reflection in the mirror and was fascinated by it and so wanted to enjoy its own reflection by having a closer look. Like his parents even he respects all religions.

Question 10:
What made the doctor utter “Death lurked four inches away” ?
Answer:
The doctor was under the grip of the snake, and sat motionless as a statue, his body was inactive but mind was completely active. He knew very well that the snake would bite him at the slightest movement. This is what made his utter these words.

Long Answer Type Questions (4 marks each)
(About 80-100 words each)

Question 1:
“Birds of the same feathers flock together” goes the saying. Does the encounter between the snake and the doctor in the story “The Snake and the Mirror” support the saying? Why or why not ?

Answer:
Yes, the story supports the saying which means that the people of similar habits and tastes find each other. The doctor enjoyed self-appreciation and could not resist the temptation of looking at his reflection in the mirror. He also takes a number of decisions, so as to improve his looks. The snake that coiled itself on the doctor’s arm, kept staring at its reflection in the mirror for a long time, enjoying its beauty and appreciating its form. The snake was so much engrossed in its beauty that it forgot as to why it had come to the author’s house.

Question 2:
Without mirror, the story will lose its charm and reality. Justify.
Answer:
The story would lose its charm and reality without the mirror because it fascinates both the characters i.e., doctor and the snake. The doctor makes two important decisions – saving daily and growing thin moustaches to make himself more handsome and keeping a smile on the face all the time while looking at himself in the mirror. The snake also feels attracted to look at his face in the mirror and leaves the doctor’s arm. It sits on the table in front of mirror and the doctor finds an opportunity to move away to save himself. Thus, the story does revolve around the mirror and therefore its important.

Question 3:
What are the similarities between the doctor and the snake ?
Answer:
The doctor and the snake had striking similarities. Both were victims of self-adoration. This is clearly visible in two decisions of the doctor- to shave daily and a grow moustache and also to wear an attractive smile on his face to look handsome. While the snake enjoyed looking at his reflection at closer quarters. It did not move the doctor’s arm and later crept into the table and moved towards the mirror. ,

Question 4:
Justify the title of the story ‘The Snake and the Mirror’.
Answer:
The story revolves round the narrator, the snake, and the mirror. The narrator hears a dull thud and a snake lands on his shoulder. The doctor is terrified and sits there like a stone. He suddenly feels the presence of the cfeator of the world and death three inches away. He forgets danger and smiles feebly. The snake looks into the mirror, moves towards the mirror and wants to enjoy a close reflection in the mirror. Thus the title is justified as the story revolves around the snake and the mirror.

Question 5:
Describe in detail the doctor’s feelings when he saw the snake coiled around his arm ?

Answer:
The doctor was so engrossed in his day dreaming that he did not realize that a snake had wriggled over the back of the chair and landed on his shoulders and could round his left arm with its hood spread out. The doctor sat there without moving an inch, he was afraid lest the snake might strike.
He thought of various medicines he had and if any one of them was good enough to save him if the * snake struck him. He realized the presence of God and felt that it was a punishment for being proud and arrogant.

Value Based Question (4 marks)

Question 1:
God has a lot of ways of controlling Our lives. Discuss this in the light of the story ‘The Snake and the Mirror’.
Answer:
Our life is definitely in the hands of God. He is the supremest power who has the direct control of our lives. At times we forget this like the young doctor. He was under the false belief that he was the one who would decide what was going to happen in his life. He was standing in front of the mirror with a lot of pride thinking about his future. The snake was a symbol of God’s control over him. It made him realize that he was close to death and not to life. He was not the master of his life.


9th Std Ishwaran the story teller

Ishwaran the story teller

Q.1. Who was Mahendra? What did he do?

Ans. Mahendra was a young man,recruited as a junior supervisor in a firm. His firm offered supervisors hire at different construction sites. His job was to keep an eye on the activities at the work site. Being a bachelor his needs were simple and he enjoyed a transferable job. He could adjust him-self to all conditions and any situations.

Q.2. Describe Iswaran’s ‘amazing capacity to produce vegetables, etc.

 Ans. Mahendra had a cook. His name was Iswaran. He was quite attached to Mahendra and went wherever Mahendra was transferred. Iswaran was a good cook. He had an amazing capacity to produce vegetables from nowhere and cook them. Even at a place where there were no shops visible for miles. he was able to cook vegetables. He would conjure up delicious dishes made with fresh vegetables within an hour ofreachingthat place.

Q.3. How did Iswaran manage to make even the simplest incident interesting ? Give an example.

 Ans. Iswaran was a master storyteller. He narrated even the smallest of incidents by creating a lost of suspense. For example, if he had to describe a fallen tree, he would not simply say that he saw an uprooted tree on the highway,Rather he would say that the road was deserted and he was all alone. Suddenly he spotted something that looked like an enormous bushy beast. But as he came closer ,he saw that it was only a fallen tree.

 Q.4. What did Iswaran do after Mahendra had left for office?

Ans. When Mahendra left for office, Iswaran would do his work and take a leisurely bath. While taking bath, he kept muttering a prayer. After lunchtime, he would read for a while before going to sleep. He read popular Tamil thrillers. The stories that he narrated were greatly influenced by these novels.

Q.5. How did Iswaran add a prologue to his story of an elephant?

  Ans. Before starting the story,.Iswaran gave a detailed description of the place. He said that the place was a richly wooded forest. The logs of wood were hauled by elephants on lorries. But sometimes, the elephants turned mad. When an elephant turned mad, not even a skilled mahout could control it. .

 Q.6. What did the elephant do before Iswaran controlled it?

Ans. A tusker escaped from the timber yard. It roamed here and there. Then the tusker reached the town. People ran here and there in terror. After sometime, the elephant entered a school ground where children were playing. All the boys ran into the classrooms and shut the doors. The elephant pulled out the football goalpost, tore the volleyball net and broke the drum kept for water. Everyone watched helplessly.

Q.7. Why did Mahendra resolve to leave the haunted place the very next day?

 Ans. Mahendra had almost forgotten the incident of the previous night. But in the morning, lswaran told Mahendra that he had also heard the moan at night. He had come to his room. He had seen that Mahendra was looking out of the window at the ghost of the woman. Mahendra was cold with fear. As soon as he reached office, he handed in his papers for transfer from that place

Q.8. Do you think the ghost seen by Mahendra was only a trick played by his cook, Iswaran? Give reasons for your answer.

 Ans. First, Iswaran created the background by telling Mahendra that the place used to be a burial ground. Then he told the story of a ghost. One night Mahendra saw a figure outside his window. The figure looked like the ghost described by Iswaran. The next morning, lswaran told Mahendra that he had seen Mahendra looking out of the window at the ghost. This shows that it was only a trick played by Iswaran.

9.Who was Mahendra ? What did he do ?

 Ans. Mahendra was a young man. He was a bachelor. He was a junior supervisor in a firm. Mahendra’s job was to keep an eye on the activities at the work-site .

10. Describe Iswaran’s ‘amazing capacity to produce vegetables etc.

 Ans. Iswaran could get vegetables from anywhere. He could cook them very easily. He made delicious dishes even though he could get nothing else for them.

11. How did Iswaran manage to make even the simplest incident interesting ? Give an example.

Ans.Iswaran could create a suspense round the simplest incident. Once he saw a fallen tree on the highway. He said he had seen a big beast lying across the road. On going closer, he had found that it was only an uprooted tree .

12. How did Iswaran tackle the elephant in the school building ? Does it appear to be likely ?

 Ans. Iswaran grabbed a cane from the hands of one of the teachers. He hit the elephant hard on its third toenail. The elephant collapsed. It is hard to believe that a huge elephant could be tackled by merely hitting on its toenail.

13. How did Iswaran describe the uprooted tree ?

Ans. Iswaran said that the road was deserted. Suddenly he noticed something like a big bushy beast spread out across the road. He went closer and found that it was a fallen tree.

14. ‘Iswaran would not pick up the thread of the story right away.’ How did Iswaran build up his ghost story ?

Ans. Iswaran would first build up the background of the story. He told Mahendra that the whole factory area used to be a burial ground. Then one day he built up his story on it. He started telling Mahendra a ghost story.

15. Mahendra did not believe in ghosts. What happened to him on the last full-moon night ?

Ans. On the last full-moon night, Mahendra heard a low moan close to his window. The moan became louder. He looked out of the window. He saw a dark, cloudy form clutching a bundle.

16. What part did Mahendra’s imagination play in his vision of the ghost ?

Ans. The ghost that Mahendra saw was only a thing of imagination. It was a trick played by Iswaran. Iswaran enjoyed reading Tamil thrillers. His stories and activities were all influenced by these thrillers.

17. Describe Iswaran’s daily routine after Mahendra left for work.

 Ans. After Mahendra left for work, Iswaran would clean the shed and wash the clothes. He would then have a bath. After taking lunch he read for a while. He then slept for some time.

18. What havoc did the elephant create in the school ground ?

Ans. The elephant broke through the brick wall of the school. It pulled out the football goalpost. It tore down the volleyball net. It kicked and flattened the drum kept for water. It uprooted the shrubs

SHORT ANSWER QUESTIONS

(to be answered in about 30 – 40 words each)

Q1. Describe Mahendra’s character.

 Ans:Mahendra was a simple man with simple needs. He was a junior supervisor in a firm which offered on hire supervisors at construction sites like factories, bridges, dams etc. His work involved moving from one site to another as per the orders by his head office, and keeping an eye on the activities at the work site. He was a devoted employee and a kind-master.

Q2. Who was Iswaran? What did he do for his master?

Ans: Iswaran was Mahendra’s cook and a master storyteller. He cooked and washed for his master. He also enjoyed chatting and narrating interesting and convincing stories to Mahendra in leisure time.

Q3. What type of life did Mahendra lead?

 Ans:Mahendra was an unmarried man with simple needs. He made his living by supervising construction work at different sites as per orders from his head office. He was always accompanied by his cook Iswaran who served him faithfully.

 Q4. In what way is Iswaran an asset to Mahendra?
 Ans:Iswaran was called Mahendra’s asset because of his complete dedication and devotion to his master. He followed Mahendra to all his postings uncomplainingly and looked after his needs.He cooked excellently by improvising material even at the remotest place, washed clothes and also chatted with his master at night, often narrating interesting anecdotes and stories.

Q5. What sets apart Iswaran from other domestic helps?

Ans:Iswaran was different from other domestic helps because in addition to cooking delicious dishes, tidying up their makeshift shed, and washing clothes, he would also entertain Mahendra like a TV by narrating interesting stories. He would chat with him at night and give him company thus making up for his lonely, bachelor life.

Q6. Why does the author say that Iswaran seemed to more than make up for the absence of T.V. in Mahendra’s living quarters?                                              
Ans:The author says so because Iswaran was a fascinating storyteller who entertained Mahendra more than a TV could. Every day he narrated a new story packed with drama, adventure, horror and suspense.

Wednesday, 1 August 2018

9th Std The lake isle of innisfree

Very Short Answer Type Questions

1. Where had the poet, W.B. Yeats, spent his childhood?

Ans. The poet had spent his childhood at Innisfree Island.

2. Where does W.B. Yeats wish to go?

Ans. He wishes to go to Innisfree Island.

3. What sort of a house will Yeats build at Innisfree?

Ans. He will build there a house of clay and wood.

4. What will Yeats do for the honeybee?

Ans. He will make a hive for them.

5. Which trees will the poet grow at lnnisfree?

 Ans. He will grow bean trees at lnnisfree.

6. Who else will live at Innisfree with the poet?

Ans. He will live there all alone.

7. What happens to the Innisfree Island at midnight?

Ans. The whole island glimmers at midnight.

8. What do the crickets do?

 Ans. They sing at midnight.

9. What preview does the noon of Innisfree Island present?

Ans. The noon of lnnisfree Island presents a purple glow preview.

10. What does the poet hear at Innisfree?

Ans. He hears the pleasing noise of the bees in the orchard of Innisfree Island.

11. What does the poet see in the evening at Innisfree?

Ans. He sees that the sky of Innisfree Island is filled with small singing birds.

12. Who is the poet of the poem ‘The Lake Isle of Innisfree’?

Ans. W.B. Yeats.