10th Std THE BOOK THAT SAVED THE EARTH

THE BOOK THAT SAVED THE EARTH

Answer the following questions in 30-40 words each.
(a) What is Think-Tank’s second guess about books?
Think-Tank’s second guess about books is that they are communication
devices. He orders Omega to listen to them (books). He puts a book to his
ears and tries hard to listen. Think-Tank asks Omega if he can listen to
something from them. Omega replies that they may not be on the correct
frequency.
(b) What is the time and place of the story at the beginning?
This is a science fantasy. This imaginary story is set in the twenty-fifth
century. The place is the Museum of Ancient History. Department of the
Twentieth Century. There is a historian sitting at a table. There is a movie
projector on the table.
(c) Why was the twentieth century called the ‘Era of the Book’?
The twentieth century was often called the ‘Era of the Books’ because in those
days there were books for everything from anteaters to Zulus. Books taught
people how to, when to, where to and why to. They illustrated, educated,
punctuated and decorated.
(d) How did one old book of nursery rhymes save the Earth from a Martian invasion?
This book is totally misunderstood by the Martians. The Martians thought
that earthlings were planning to invade Mars. So, they cancelled their
invasion of Earth and went back. Think-Tank totally misunderstands the
book. Phrases like ‘shell’, ‘silver’, ‘garden’ gave him a false idea that
earthlings grew silver and weapons. He starts thinking that earthlings are
very advanced technologically.
Q2 Answer the following questions in in 100 -150 words.
(a) The play, The Book That Saved the Earth’ conveys the message that
misunderstanding of cultural differences between various races can cause confusion and conflict. Based on your reading of the play, write how such
confusion and conflicts can be checked so that peace and harmony is maintained.
The confusion in the mind of Think-Tank occurred due to the literal
interpretation of the nursery rhymes in the book-‘Mother Goose’. To ensure
that conflicts are checked so that peace and harmony are maintained, cultural
differences should be sorted out by initially sending mature and wise people
from one culture to the other to establish contact before deciding to wage
war. Think-Tank had sent an initial probe, but the crew members of the probe
were not sufficiently intelligent or mature to understand Earth’s culture. That
is why they literally interpreted the nursery rhymes and caused
misunderstanding in the mind of Think-Tank.
(b) Compare and contrast the characters of Noodle and Think-Tank.
Noodle and Think-Tank have contrasting characters. Think-Tank likes to be
called the ‘Great and the Mighty’. He orders and commands. He is the ruler of
Mars, but has no intelligence. He thinks books to be sandwiches. He is wrong
about everything. He demands that the crew obey him. He likes to pass on
other’s idea as his own. He is a coward who simply boasts about his power.
Noodle, his apprentice, is very clever and wise. He corrects the mistakes of
the ruler (Think-Tank) very gently. He never takes credit for his ideas. But he
offers them to the ruler very gently. Think-Tank makes them his own.

10th Std THE PROPOSAL

THE PROPOSAL

Answer the following questions in 30-40 words each.
(a) How does Natalya react when she comes to know that Lomov had come to propose?
When Natalya cames to know that Lomov had come there to propose her she
was shocked. She wails, changes her stance and asks her father to fetch
Lomov.
(b) How does Lomov come to Chubukov’s house? What for does he come? How is he
received?
Lomov came to Chubukov’s house in the evening dress with gloves on. He
cames to propose to his daughter Natalya. He is received with all the respect
by Chubukov.
(c) What is the cause of the second quarrel between Natalya and Lomov?
Lomov starts praising the qualities of the dog Guess. But Natalya says that
her dog which she purchased for 85 roubles is much better than his dog
Guess. Both of them praise the qualities of their dogs. Now they start
quarrelling on this topic. They again start shouting at each other.
(d) Natalya was not Lomov’s real love. But still, he wanted to marry her. Give two
reasons for his decision.
Though Lomov was not in love with Natalya, he wanted to marry her because
he was suffering due to a weak heart and sleep-sickness. He wanted a
companion who could look after him.
Q3 Answer the following questions in in 100 -120 words.
(a) Draw a brief character-sketch of Natalya.
Natalya is the heroine of the play ‘The Proposal’. She is twenty-five years old.
She is still unmarried. It causes great worry to her father. Natalya wishes that
somebody should love her and propose to her. Her father calls her ‘a love-
sick cat.’ She is very quarrelsome. She quarrels with others over trifles. Lomov
comes to propose to her, but she starts quarrelling with him over the
ownership of a piece of land. Lomov leaves her house in a fit of anger. When
she comes to know that he had come to propose to her, she starts weeping.
She asks her father to bring him back. When Lomov comes back, she tries to
please him. But after some time, she starts quarrelling with him on the
question of dogs. Lomov faints and she again begins to wail lest she should
lose the opportunity for marriage. After some time, Lomov regains
consciousness. Her father does not want to lose this opportunity. He at once
puts Natalya’s hand in the hands of Lomov. He announces that they are
engaged with each other. Natalya becomes very happy. But she again starts
quarrelling with him. Thus Natalya is an interesting character.
(b) Neighbours must have a cordial relationship which Lomov and Natalya do not
have. Describe the first fight between them.
Lomov and Natalya meet and rather than proposing her he gets off the point.
He tells her how he inherited his land and how he respects her father. He also
tells Natalya that his Oxen meadows touch Natalya’s Birchwood. On hearing this, Natalya says that Oxen Meadows are theirs. They start arguing about it.
Lomov clarifies that he is talking about the Oxen Meadows that are between
her Birchwoods and Burnt marsh. Natalya again insists that they are theirs.
Lomov refuses it. He tells her that his aunt’s grandmother gave those
meadows to her father’s grandfather. The peasants used the land for forty
years and started regarding it as their own. Natalya’s father comes and also
starts quarreling with Lomov. They get into a heated argument and resort to
name-calling. After some time, Lomov leaves their house.

10th Std THE TALE OF CUSTARD THE DRAGON

THE TALE OF CUSTARD THE DRAGON

Answer the following questions in 30-40 words each.
(a) What did Custard look like?
Custard looked really dangerous with spikes on his top and scales
underneath. His mouth was like a fireplace and nose like a chimney. His toes
looked like daggers.
(b) Why did Belinda and her pets prove ungrateful to Custard who killed the pirate?
Belinda and her pets showed a temporary appreciation of Custard’s heroic
feat. Belinda embraced him and other pets danced around him. But they
again started indulging in self-patting and self-praise. They showed their
ungratefulness by undermining and not acknowledging Custard heroic fight
with the pirate.
(c) Describe the appearance of the pirate.
The pirate looked quite dreadful and dominating. He carried a pistol in his
left as well as in right hand. He held a shining dagger in his mouth. His beard
was black and one of his legs was of wood. It seemed that his intentions were
terrible.
(d) Why did Belinda tickle Custard mercilessly? Why was he teased as `Percival’?
Belinda had a very poor opinion of Custard. She considered him a coward and
always taunted and tickled him for being so. All other pets, Ink, Blink and
Mustard mocked at Custard’s timidity and lack of courage. Tauntingly, they
called him Percival, who was a brave knight of King Arthur.

Q3 Answer the following questions in in 100 -150 words.
(a) Evaluate Ogden Nash’s ‘The Tale of Custard the Dragon’ as a ballad. What message
does the poet give to the readers in this poem?
Ballads are stories told in verse. Generally, ballads are tales of adventures and
heroism. In the poem, the poet does present the encounter of Custard and
the pirate in the typical spirit of a ballad. The four-line stanzas have the
rhyme scheme: aabb throughout the poem.
Ogden Nash gives a subtle message to the readers through the fate of Custard, the dragon. In this world of deceit, self-confidence, self-dependence
and self-respect are essentials to earn your rightful place among your peers.
The mere presence of physical strength is not enough. The more important
point is that you must be conscious of your strength. You must be fully aware
of the fact that many others who are far inferior in strength and power
should have no right to taunt and ridicule you.
(b) Describe the fight between the dragon and the pirate. In spite of being so powerful
and displaying rare bravery, why is Custard called a coward?
The dragon had big sharp teeth, and spikes on top of him and scales
underneath but everyone boasted about their bravery and called him a
coward. But when the pirate entered, all were scared and ran away except
Custard who faced him boldly, attacked him, hit him hard with his forceful
tail and gobbled every bit of him. All of them later felt obliged to Custard for
saving their lives.
No doubt, Custard has a lot of physical strength. However, Custard had very
low self-esteem which is why he kept demanding for a nice safe cage. It is
because of this demand; he was called a coward by the other pets.