GARDE 09

PROSE

1. THE FUN THEY HAD

I Answer these questions in a few words or a couple of sentences

each.

1. How old are Margie and Tommy?

Margie is eleven and Tommy is thirteen years old.

2. What did Margie write in her diary?

Margie wrote in her diary. “Today 17 May, 2157 Tommy

found a real book.”

3. Has Margie ever seen a book before?

No. Margie had never seen a book before.

4. What things about the book did she find strange?

The book had a yellow and wrinkled page. The words of the

book were still. They did not move as the words moved on the

computer screen. She found these things strange.

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5. What do you think a telebook is?

A telebook is displayed on the television screen and the text of

a telebook is

similar to a book.

II. Answer each of these questions in two or three paragraphs. (100-

150 words).

1. What are the main features of the mechanical teachers and the

schoolrooms that Margie and Tommy have in the story?

Margie and Tommy have mechanical teachers. They

need not go to school to get a formal education. The mechanical

teacher is placed in one of the rooms of the house and they can get

knowledge of various subjects individually. They don’t have

classrooms where students sit together. Their teacher has many

telebooks. So they don’t require books and exercise books. The

examination system is very different. They are to do homework in a

different way. Margie has to write them out in a punch code they

made her learn when she was six years old, and the mechanical

teacher calculated the marks in no time. So the system of Margie’s

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education is technologically advanced and not based on printed

books.

2. Why did Margie hate school? Why did she think the old kind of

school

must have been fun?

Margie hated school because she had a mechanical

teacher. It was in her house. She was supposed to sit in that room

alone to complete her hometask or assignments. The part Margie

hated most was the slot where she had to put homework and test

papers. The mechanical teacher calculated the marks in no time in

Geography and she had been doing worse. So she hated it more

than ever.

She thought that the old schools must have been fun because

the students used to sit together in the classroom. They enjoyed,

laughed and shouted in the schoolyard. Children need company to

hone their skills. If they are isolated, they get depressed and

dejected, Margie also feels alienated.

2.The Sound of Music (Part 1)

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Thinking About the Text:

I. Answer the questions in a few words or a couple of sentences

each:

1. How old was Evelyn when she went to the Royal Academy of
Music?

Ans: Evelyn was not even seventeen when she went to the Royal
Academy of

Music.

2. When was her deafness first noticed? When was it confirmed?

Ans: Her deafness was noticed when she was eight-year old. It was

confirmed by the time she was eleven.

II. Answer each of these questions in a short paragraph:

1. Who helped her to continue with music? What did he do and say?

Ans: Ron Forbes helped her to continue with music. He spotted her

potential and said, “Don’t listen through your ears, try to sense it

some other way.” He began by tuning two large drums to different

notes.

2. Name the various places and causes for which Evelyn performs.
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Ans: Evelyn performed free concerts in prisons and hospitals. She

made music her life and performed many regular concerts.

III. Answer the question in two or three paragraphs:

1. How does Evelyn hear music?

Ans: Evelyn became deaf by the time she was eleven. But she did

not give up. She was determined to lead a normal life and pursue

her interest in music. Ron Forbes, a percussionist, spotted her

potential. He asked her not to listen through ears but try to sense it

some other way. She realised she could feel the higher drum from

the waist up and the lower one from the waist down. Forbes

repeated the exercise and soon Evelyn discovered that she could

sense certain notes in different parts of her body. She learnt to open

her body and mind to sounds and vibrations. She herself explained,

“It pours in through every part of my body. It tingles in the skin, my

cheekbones and even in my hair”. When she played on the

xylophone, she could sense the sound passing up the stick into her

fingerprints. By leaning against the drums, she could feel the

resonances flowing into her body. On the wooden floor she used to
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remove her shoes so that the vibrations may pass through her bare

feet and up her legs.

The Sound of Music (Part 2)

I. Answer these questions in 30 – 40 words:

1. Why did Aurangzeb ban the playing of the pungi?

Ans: Aurangzeb banned the playing of the pungi because it had a

shrill and unpleasant sound.

2. How is a shehnai different from a pungi?

Ans: A shehnai is a pipe with a natural hollow that is longer and

broader than a pungi. It has seven holes on the body of the pipe.

3. Where was the shehnai traditionally played? How did Bismillah

Khan change this?

Ans: The shehnai was played traditionally in the temple at the royal

courts and at weddings. The credit must go to Bismillah Khan to take

this instrument onto the classical stage.

4. When and how did Bismillah Khan get his big break?
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Ans: Bismillah Khan got his big break with the opening of the All India

Radio in Lucknow in 1938.

5. Where did Bismillah khan play the Shehnai on 15 August 1947?

Why was the event historic?

Ans: Bismillah Khan played the shehnai on 15 August 1947 at the Red

Fort. He was the first Indian to greet the nation with his musical

instrument. This event was historic because we got independence

on that day. He poured his heart out in the presence of many

people including Pt. Jawaharlal Nehru.

6. Why did Bismillah Khan refuse to start a shehnai school in the USA?

Ans: Bismillah Khan refused to start a shehnai school in the USA

because he never wanted to leave India. He loved India so much

and he did not want to settle anywhere except India. That is why

whenever he was in a foreign country, he kept yearning to see

Hindustan.

7. Find at least 2 instances in the text which tell you that Bismillah

Khan loves India and Benares.

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Ans: Bismillah Khan loves India and Benares from the bottom of his

heart. He says that he misses the holy Ganga and India when he

goes abroad. While in Mumbai, he thinks of only Benares and the

holy river. And when he is in Benares, he remembers the unique

mattha of Dumraon.

3. THE LITTLE GIRL

I. Answer these questions in a few words or a couple of sentences

each.

1. Why was the little girl afraid of her father?

The little girl was afraid of her father because of his rude and

arrogant behaviour. She stuttered only with her father. He never

interacted with her politely and humbly.

2. Why did her father intend to punish?

Kezia’s grandmother asked her to give a birthday present to his

father. She made a cushion using some shuts of fine paper which

she found on her mother’s bed table. It was an important speech

but she tore those pages. So her father intended to punish her.

3. What did Kezia expect of her father?

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Kezia expected that her father should play with her and speak

politely. She needed affection and love. She felt segregated from

the mainstream of life due to her father’s behaviour.

4. How did the Macdonalds make her feel?

The Macdonalds lived next door. They had five children. The

children were playing with their father and they all were enjoying

themselves and laughing. She thought that there were different sorts

of fathers.

5. Explain the nightmare that she had.

She had a nightmare of the butcher with a knife and a rope,

who came nearer and nearer, smiling that dreadful smile, while she

could not move. She stood still and cried, Grandma!

II. LONG ANSWER TYPE QUESTIONS (80 WORDS)

1. What message does the author wish to convey through Kezia’s

story?

Kezia’s story is very touching. It shows that Kezia misinterprets

her parent’s attitude and behaviour because of her innocence. She

thinks that her father does not love her. She concludes that he is

rude and arrogant. He punishes her with a ruler. Moreover, he never

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plays with her and never spends time with her. But in the end of the

story he shows his affection and love towards Kezia when she is in

dire need of her father’s protection. He makes her feel comfortable

and lays beside her so that she may enjoy sound sleep and she may

not feel frightened due to a nightmare. The author intends to say

that parents can never go against their children. They persistently

strive hard for accumulating wealth to provide all the basic

necessities to their wards.

2. That night there was a hue and cry in the house. “Why did her

father get agitated?

One day, when Kezia was kept indoors with a cold, her

grandmother suggested she make a pin-cushion for her father. She

stitched three sides of the cushion and went to her mother’s

bedroom to look for scraps with which she could fill the cushion. On

the bed-table she discovered a great many sheets of fine paper,

gathered them up, tore them into tiny pieces and stuffed her case,

then sewed up the fourth side.

That night there was a hue and cry in the house because those

papers were important. It was a great speech for the Port Authority.
GARDE 09

So her parents were in search of those sheets. This was the reason

that her father got agitated and punished her with a ruler.

4.A Truly Beautiful Mind

Thinking About the Text:

1. Who had these opinions about Einstein?

(i) He was boring.

(ii) He was stupid and would never succeed in life.

(iii) He was a freak.

Ans:

(i) His playmates

(ii) A headmaster

(iii) His mother

2. Explain what the reasons for the following:

(i) Einstein leaving the school in Munich for good.

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(ii) Einstein wanted to study in Switzerland rather than in

Munich.

(iii) Einstein saw in Mileva an ally.

(iv) What do these tell you about Einstein?

(i) Einstein left the school in Munich because he did not like
the discipline of the school. He hated the school’s
regimentation and often clashed with teachers.
(ii) Albert’s parents moved to Milan and left their son with
relatives. After prolonged discussion, Einstein got his wish to
continue his education in German-speaking Switzerland.
Actually, it was more liberal than Munich.
(iii) Einstein saw an ally in Mileva because just like him, she too
was against ‘Philistines’ i.e. the people in Einstein’s family and
at the university with whom he was constantly at odds.
(iv)The above things tell us that Einstein was a genius and had
the capabilities to achieve his targets. Moreover, he had his
own view of life. He liked freedom too much.

3. What did Einstein call his desk drawer at the patent office?

Why?
GARDE 09

Ans: Einstein called his desk drawer at the patent office the

“bureau of theoretical physics”. Einstein was actually developing

his own ideas in secret and his drawer had all the evidence which

could reveal the secret.

4. Why did Einstein write a letter to Franklin Roosevelt?

Ans: With the emergence of Nazis in Germany, Einstein

immigrated to the United States. It was the fact that the Nazis had

the ability to develop the atomic bomb. It could destroy the

whole world. So he warned Franklin D. Roosevelt in his letter.

5. How did Einstein react to the bombing of Hiroshima and

Nagasaki?

Ans: The atomic bomb devastated the Japanese cities of

Hiroshima and Nagasaki. He was deeply shaken by the extent of

the destruction and wrote a public missive to the United Nations.

6. Why does the world remember Einstein as a ‘world citizen”?

Ans: The world remembers Einstein as a “world citizen” because

he believed in universal peace. When there was the rat race for

becoming atomic power, he was worried about the aftermath of

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the bomb. He was really a world citizen who was concerned with

humanity.

6.My Childhood

- APJ Abdul Kalam

Thinking About the Text:

I Answer these questions in one or two sentences each:

1. Where was Abdul Kalam’s house?

Ans: Abdul Kalam’s house was on the Mosque Street in

Rameswaram.

2. What do you think Dinamani is the name of? Give a reason for

your answer.

Ans: Dinamani is the name of a newspaper. Abdul Kalam attempts

to trace the Second World War’s news in the headlines of this

newspaper.
GARDE 09

3. Who were Abdul Kalam’s school friends? What did they later

become?

Ans: Ramanadha Sastry, Aravindan and Sivaprakasan were his

school friends. Ramanadha Sastry became a priest of the

Rameswaram temple. Aravindan went into the business of arranging

transport for visiting pilgrims. Sivaprakasan became a catering

contractor for the Southern Railways.

4. How did Abdul Kalam earn his first wages?

Ans: Abdul Kalam earned his first wages by distributing newspapers.

5. Had he earned any money before that? In what way?

Ans: Yes, he earned money before also. He used to collect the

tamarind seeds and sell them to a provision shop on Mosque Street.

A day’s collection would fetch him the princely sum of one anna.

II. Answer each of these questions in a short paragraph:

1. How does the author describe: (i) his father (ii) his mother (iii)

himself
GARDE 09

Ans: (i) The author describes his father as a wise and generous

person. He felt happy when he helped others. He did not have much

formal education and riches. He was a man of confidence and

great wisdom. He avoided inessential comforts and luxuries.

(ii) His mother was a noble and kind – hearted woman. She used to

feed a large number of people. She had all the attributes of a

typical Indian mother.

(iii) I was born into a middle – class Tamil family. I was a short

boy to tall and handsome parents. I studied physics and aerospace

engineering and became a scientist.

2. What characteristics does he say he inherited from his

parents?

Ans: The author inherited humility and benevolence from his

parents. He learnt lessons in honesty and integrity from his parents.

He was self- disciplined because of his parents’ exemplary life.

III. Answer the following in two or three paragraphs each:

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1. “On the whole, the small society of Rameswaram was very

rigid in terms of the segregation of different social groups,” says

the author.

(i) Which social groups does he mention? Were these

groups easily identifiable (for example, by the way

they dressed)

Ans: The author talks about the people who belong to various

castes and follow various religious preachings. Yes, these groups

were easily identifiable. Their dressing, traditions, culture and rituals

were different.

(ii) Were they aware only of their differences or did

they also naturally share friendships and

experiences? (Think of the bedtime stories in Kalam’s

house; of who his friends were; and of what used to

take place in the pond near his house)

Ans: They did share their personal experiences and friendships.

Lakshmana Sastry summoned the teacher who separated the author

and his friend in the class and told him that he should not spread the
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poison of social inequality and communal intolerance in the minds of

innocent children.

(iii) The author speaks both of people who were very

aware of the differences among them and those

who tried to bridge these differences. Can you

identify such people in the text?

Ans: The school teacher encouraged communal differences and

Lakshmana Sastry and Sivasubramania Iyer discouraged this

malpractice.

(iv) Narrate two incidents that show how differences

can be created, and also how they can be resolved.

How can people change their attitudes?

Ans: The influential people can do both the things. A teacher has

the ability to bridge communal differences and can play with

sentiments of the innocent and ignorant people. This is what the new

teacher did. But the Science teacher Sivasubramania Iyer changed

his wife’s attitude and showed her the right path.

2. (i) Why did Abdul Kalam want to leave Rameswaram?

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Ans: Abdul Kalam wanted to leave Rameswaram to study at the

district headquarters in Ramanathapuram.

(ii) What did his father say to this?

Ans: His father said that he knew he had to go away to grow. He

gave the example of a seagull and said that a seagull flies across

the sun alone and without a nest.

(iii) What do you think his words mean? Why do you think he spoke

those words?

Ans: He spoke these words because he intended to hone his skill. He

knew the harsh reality of life that children may have to live far from

their parents to make their career and earn their livelihood. So he

showed his wisdom and intelligence in uttering these words.

7.Packing

Thinking about the Text

I. Answer the following questions in a short paragraph:

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1. How many characters are there in the narrative? Narrate

them. (Don’t forget the dog!)

Ans: There are four characters in the narrative including the dog.

They are the narrator, George, Harris and the fourth is the dog

named Montmorency.

2. Why did the narrator (Jerome) volunteer to do the packing?

Ans: The narrator felt that he knew more about packing than any

other person living. Moreover, he would get an opportunity to boss

the job and George and Harris would do the job under his direction.

3. How did Gerome and Harris react to this? Did Jerome like their

reaction?

Ans: George and Harris accepted the narrator’s suggestion readily.

But Jerome did not like it.

4. What was Jerome’s real intention when he offered to pack?

Ans: Jerome’s real intention was to boss the job. He wanted Harris

and George to work under his guidance and instructions. But they

accepted the proposal and sat idle on the chairs comfortably.

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5. What did Harris say after the bag was shut and strapped? Why

do you think he waited till then to ask?

Ans: After the bag was shut and strapped, Harris pointed out that

Jerome had forgotten to pack his boots. I think that he waited till

then because he thought that Jerome would pack the boots in the

end.

6. What ‘horrible idea’ occurred to Jerome a little later?

Ans: Jerome was going to close the bag after putting the boots in it.

He suddenly thought of his toothbrush. While travelling, he must need

the toothbrush which he packed in the bag. Now he had to search

for it in the bag.

7. Where did Jerome finally find the toothbrush?

Ans: Jerome tried his best to find the toothbrush. He unpacked the

bag but could not find it. He put the things back one by one, and

held everything up and shook it. At last, he found it inside a boot.

8. Why did Jerome have to reopen the packed bag?

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Ans: Jerome packed his spectacles in the bag. So he had to reopen

the packed bag.

9. What did George and Harris offer to pack and why?

Ans: George and Harris offered to pack hampers because they

wanted Jerome to take some rest. They decided to pack the rest of

things themselves.

10. What does Jerome say was Montmorency’s ambition in life?

What do you think of Montmorency and why?

Ans: Montmorency’s ambition in life is to interfere with others and be

abused. He wants to be a perfect nuisance and make people mad.

If things are thrown at his head, he feels his day has not been

wasted. To get somebody to stumble over him and curse him

steadily for an hour is his highest aim and object. He came and sat

on things, just when they were going to be packed. He put his leg

into the jam and worried about the teaspoons and pretended that

lemons were rats and got into the hamper and killed three of them.

It is the natural, original sin that is born in him that makes him do

things like that.

GARDE 09

II. Answer the following questions in two or three

paragraphs:

1. Of the three, Jerome, George and Harris, who do you think is

the best or worst packer? Support your answer with details from

the text.

Ans: Of the three, Harris is the worst packer in this world. But none of

them is the perfect packer. All of them are confused and do not

know what is to be placed and where. So far as Jerome is

concerned he unpacked the bag to find his toothbrush in a boot. He

also packs his spectacles in the bag. Harris and George start their

work in a light hearted spirit. There are piles of plates, cups, kettles,

bottles, jars, pies, stoves, cakes and tomatoes. They break a cup.

Harris packs the strawberry jam on top of a tomato and squashes it.

They have to pick out the tomato with a teaspoon. George treads

on the butter. He gets it off from his slipper and puts it in the kettle.

He puts it down on a chair and Harris sits on it. It sticks to him and

then they look for it all over the room. In this way they created chaos

in the room.

2. How did Montmorency ‘contribute’ to the packing?

GARDE 09

Ans: Montmorency’s contribution to the packing cannot be

forgotten. His ambition in life was to disturb others and be abused by

them. He came and sat on things, just when they were going to be

packed and he put his leg into the jam. He disturbed everything. He

pretended the lemons to be rats and got into the hamper and killed

three of them.

Montmorency wanted to be a perfect nuisance and make people

mad. If things are thrown at his head, he feels his day has not been

wasted. To get somebody to stumble over him, and curse him

steadily for an hour was his highest aim and objective. When he

succeeded in accomplishing it, his conceit became quite

unbearable.

3. Do you find this story funny? What are the humorous elements

in it?

Ans: The story is really humorous and funny. Jerome’s episode of

packing and Montmorency’s contribution have made the story

funny and interesting. Jerome was confused about his toothbrush

and found it in a boot. He also packed his spectacles in the bag. The

incident of butter makes the reader laugh. George treads on the

GARDE 09

butter and it sticks to his slipper. Later he puts it on the chair. Harris sits

on the chair and it sticks to his bottom. They squash the tomatoes by

putting the strawberry jam on them.

Montmorency’s pretension for the lemons to be rats is also

fascinating and funny. These incidents are described in an orderly

and perfect way.

8.Reach for the Top

Thinking About the Text:

I Answer these questions in one or two sentences each:

1. Why was the ‘holy man’ who gave Santosh’s mother his

blessings surprised?

Ans: The ‘holy man’ who gave Santosh’s mother his blessings was

surprised because her grandmother sought blessings for a

daughter. In this society most of the people ask the seers to bless

for a son.
GARDE 09

2. Give an example to show that even as a young girl Santosh was

not ready to accept anything unreasonable.

Ans: She used to wear shorts and not the traditional dresses meant

for girls.

3. Why was Santosh sent to the local school?

Ans: She was sent to the local school in line with the prevailing

custom in the family.

4. When did she leave home for Delhi and why?

Ans: She left home for Delhi to get proper education. She was

sixteen at that time.

5. Why did Santosh’s parents agree to pay for her schooling in

Delhi? What mental qualities of Santosh are brought into light by

this incident?

Ans: Her parents got ready because she informed them of her

plans to earn money by working part time to pay her school fees.

II. Answer each of these questions in a short

paragraph: (about 30 words)

GARDE 09

1. How did Santosh begin to climb mountains?

Ans: She wished to climb mountains when she watched villagers

from her room, going up the hill and suddenly vanishing after a

while. One day, she decided to check it out herself. She found

nobody except a few mountaineers. Later she saved money and

enrolled in a course at Uttarkashi’s Nehru Institute of Mountaineering.

Then she began climbing Mountains every year.

2. What incidents during the Everest expedition show Santosh’s

concern for her teammates?

Ans: Santosh Yadav provided special care to a climber who lay

dying at the south pole in 1992 Everest Mission. She saved Mohan

Singh, who would have lost his life had she not shared her oxygen

with him.

3. What shows her concern for the environment?

Ans: Santosh was really concerned for the environment. She

collected and brought down 500 kilograms of garbage from the

Himalayas.

4. How does she describe her feelings at the summit of Everest?

GARDE 09

Ans: She said that it took some time for the enormity of the moment

to sink in. She was delighted at this moment and proudly unfurled the

Indian tricolor.

5. Santosh Yadav got into the record books both times she

scaled Mt. Everest. What were the reasons for this?

Ans: She is the youngest woman who has scaled Everest. She is the

only woman who has climbed Everest twice.

9.The Bond of Love

Thinking About The Text:

I. Answer the following questions:

1. “I got him for her by accident.”

(i) Who says this?

The author says this.

(ii) Who do ‘him’ and ‘her’ refer to?

‘Him’ refers to the baby bear and ‘her’ refers to the author’s

wife.
GARDE 09

(iii) What is the incident referred to here?

The incident refers to the coaching of the baby bear.

2. “He stood on his head in delight.”

(i) Who does ‘he’ refer to?

‘He’ refers to the baby bear.

(ii) Why was he delighted?

‘He’ was delighted to see the author’s wife after a long time.

3. “We all missed him greatly: but in a sense we were relieved.”

(i) Who does ‘we all’ stand for?

The author, his wife and son.

(ii) Who did they miss?

They missed the baby bear.

(iii) Why did they nevertheless feel relieved?

They felt relieved because it was getting difficult to keep the

baby bear at home.

GARDE 09

11.If I Were You

-DOUGLAS JAMES

I.SUMMARY

If I Were You is a play written by Douglas James. It begins with

the telephonic conversation of a dramatist, Gerrard who was
preparing to leave his house in order to attend a rehearsal. After
hanging up the phone call, he starts packing his travel bag. While he
is engaged in his work, he suddenly notices an intruder who has
silently entered from his right side. Gerrard notices that the unknown
man resembles him quite a bit and is holding a revolver in his hand.
The intruder without wasting any time asks Gerrard to raise his hands
up in the air. Gerrard on the other hand, is surprisingly relaxed and
does not panic at gunpoint. He starts chatting with the intruder and
asks his name pleasantly.

The intruder starts interrogating Gerrard about his details. Gerrard

requests him to discuss in a comfortable position, so the intruder asks
him to sit down on a chair. As they start talking again, he asks
Gerrard if he stays alone and owns a car. To this, the dramatist
replies that he often travels due to the nature of his work. One of his
bags is always kept packed as there are days when he needs to
travel out for some urgent work. Besides, Gerrard also tells the
intruder that he often talks on the telephone without meeting his
tradesmen in reality.
GARDE 09

Meanwhile, Gerrard also enquires about the intruder’s whereabouts

and the latter tells him that he is a criminal who mainly robs jewellery.
Further, he also killed a policeman and he wishes to take Gerrard’s
identity by killing him so that he can evade his arrest completely.
Hearing this, Gerrard realises that the intruder is not as smart as he
had assumed him to be. So, he manipulates the intruder wittingly to
believe him. Gerrard quickly makes up a story and states that he has
a mysterious life of his own. He convinces him to believe his words
and tells the intruder that the police is also after Gerrard for a
murder. Now if the intruder kills him, the police would anyway catch
him on account of Gerrard’s misdeeds.

Hearing this, the intruder believes Gerrard’s story when the latter asks
him to go to the garage and flee from the house through that route.
So, Gerrard opens the garage door and pushes the intruder inside
which is actually a cupboard and locks him up inside. Soon after, he
informs the police about the criminal’s whereabouts and hands him
over to them. Thus, we see that Gerrard’s presence of mind and
alertness saved him from a life-threatening situation.

II. Answer these questions.

1. “At last a sympathetic audience.”

i.Who says this?

Gerrard says this.

GARDE 09

ii.Why does he say it?

He says this because the intruder becomes sympathetic

towards him.

iii.is he sarcastic or serious?

He is, no doubt, sarcastic.

2.Why does the intruder choose Gerrard as the man whose identity

he wants to take on?

The intruder chose Gerrard as the man whose identity he wants

to take on because he is a kind of a mystery man. He phones his

orders and sometimes goes away suddenly and comes back just the

same.

3. “I said it with bullets.”

i. Who says this?

Gerrard says this.

ii. What does it mean?

GARDE 09

It means that he is not an ordinary person. He is very

dangerous.

iii. Is it the truth? What is the speaker’s reason for saying this?

NO, he wants the intruder to change his idea of killing him.

4.What is Gerrard’s profession? Quote the parts of the play that

support your answer.

Gerrard is a dramatist. He says, “Sorry I can’t let you have the

props in time for rehearsal…

5. “You’ll soon stop being smart.”

i. Who says this?

The intruder says this.

ii. Why does the speaker say it?

He says it because Gerrard does not seem afraid of his gun

even.

iii. What according to the speaker will stop Gerrard from being

smart?
GARDE 09

According to the speaker, the bullet will stop Gerrard from

being smart.

6. “They can’t hang me twice.”

i. Who says this

The intruder says this.

ii. Why does the speaker say it?

The speaker says it because he wants to murder Gerrard. And

he has already murdered someone. So the police cannot hang him

twice.

7. “A mystery I propose to explain.” What is the mystery the speaker

proposes to explain?

The speaker wants the intruder to explain what mystery is

associated with him. The mystery is about Gerrard placing his orders

on the telephone. And he goes out suddenly and returns in the same

way.

8. “This is your big surprise.”

GARDE 09

i. Where has this been said in the play?

Gerrard speaks this line. He tells the intruder that if he is not

hanged for his murder, he will certainly be hanged being Vincent

Charles Gerrard. At this time he utters these words.

ii. What is the surprise?

The big surprise is that Gerrard will not be killed by him. He is

right in saying this.

II. Answer the following questions in 30-40 words each:

1. On two occasions Bruno ate/drank something that should not

be eaten/drunk. What happened to him on these occasions?

Ans: Bruno ate Barium Carbonate which was put to kill the rats

and mice. Paralysis set in to the extent that he could not stand on

his feet. Once he drank one gallon of engine oil. But it had no ill

effects whatsoever.

2. Was Bruno a loving and playful pet? Why, then, did he have to

be sent away?
GARDE 09

Ans: Yes, Bruno was a loving and playful pet. But he was

mischievous also. The bear became very attached to the

narrator’s two Alsatian dogs and the children of the tenants. Bruno

had grown many times the size he was when he came. Now his

name was changed to Baba. Now he was getting too big to be

kept at home. So he was sent to a zoo.

3. How was the problem of what to do with Bruno finally solved?

Ans: Bruno was not feeling happy after getting separated from

the narrator’s family. He was getting weak every day. The

narrator’s wife went to Mysore to meet Bruno. After seeing his

pitiful condition she decided to get Bruno back home. The

narrator and his wife made special arrangements for Bruno and

created all facilities for him. At last Bruno was back home in a

small cage.
GARDE 09

POEM

1.The Road Not Taken - Robert Frost

Thinking About the Poem

1. Where does the traveller find himself? What problems does he

face?

Answer: The traveller finds himself at a point where two roads

diverged. His problem is to decide on which road he should walk.

2. Discuss what these phrases mean to you.

i) a yellow wood
GARDE 09

ii) it was grassy and wanted wear

iii) the passing there

iv) leaves no step had trodden black

v) how way leads on to way

Answer: i) A forest in the autumn season

ii) The road was grassy because it was a less travelled road. It

wanted people to move on it.

iii) It implies walking on the road.

iv) It means the leaves had not been crushed under the feet of

travellers.

v) How does one road lead to another?

3. Is there any difference between the two roads as the poet

describes them?

i) in stanzas two and three?

ii) in the last two lines of the poem?

GARDE 09

Answer: i) There is no difference between the two roads in stanzas

two and three.

ii) In the last two lines of the poem the poet tells that the road

he opted for is less travelled.

4. What do you think the last two lines of the poem mean? (Looking

back, does the poet regret his choice or accept it?)

Answer: The last two lines have the quintessence of the poem. The

poet expresses his opinion that it becomes difficult for a normal

human being to change his/her decision. The poet intends to walk

on the first road but he couldn't do so because life doesn't offer

multiple chances to choose. The decision taken may ruin one's future

or lead one to success. It makes all the difference. He now repents

for not getting a chance to travel on the first road.

II.

1. Have you ever had to make a difficult choice (or do you think you

will have difficult choices to make)? How will you make the choice

(for what reasons)?

GARDE 09

Answer: Such situations occur in everyone's life. In today's world

people have numerous alternatives. But the decision should be

taken after considering all the ins and outs of the situation. We must

ruminate over the disadvantages also.

2. After you have made a choice do you always think about what

might have been, or do you accept the reality?

Answer: One should live in the present and not in the past. The

philosophy of 'is' is the key to attaining success. Life is not a bed of

roses. It's hurdles are to be crossed bravely. One must not feel

nervous and get dejected in the trying circumstances. In some

instances, one needs to be confident about the choice he/she

makes.

2.Wind

Thinking About the Poem:

1. What are the things the wind does in the first stanza?

Ans: The wind breaks the doors of the window, scatters the papers

and throws down the books on the shelf. It also tears the pages of

the books and brings rain.

GARDE 09

2. Have you seen anybody winnow grain at home or in a paddy

field? What do people use for winnowing?

Ans: Yes, I have seen ladies winnow grain in my village. People

winnow grains to remove straws, chaff and dust found in grains

there.

3. What does the poet say the wind god winnows?

Ans: The wind god winnows all the things available at home.

4. How do we make wind our friend?

Ans: The poet suggests that we should build strong houses and fix the

doors firmly to make friends with the wind. Moreover, we should be

strong enough to face the difficulties in life.

5. What do the last four lines of the poem mean to you?

Ans: The last four lines convey the message that those who are not

determined and lack confidence face defeat. And those who set

their targets and make sincere efforts are not disturbed by any

obstacle.
GARDE 09

6. How does the poet speak to the wind – in anger or with humour?

You must also have seen or heard of the wind “crumbling lives”.

What is your response to this? Is it the same as the poet’s?

Ans: The poet speaks to the wind with humour. I opine that the

poet’s behaviour is pertinent, and I have also seen the wind

devastating the property mercilessly. The poet invites the wind to

attack him and intends to prepare himself for the attack.

3.RAIN ON THE ROOF

I. Answer these questions in a few words or a couple of sentences

each.

1. When you were a young child, did your mother tuck you in, as the

poet’s did?

Yes, my mother used to tuck me in when I was a child.

Whenever I said that I could not do that, she embraced me and

took me in her lap to get that work done. She used to feel sad and

dejected if I was involved in any mishap.

2. Do you like rain? What do you do when it rains steadily or heavily

as described in the poem?

GARDE 09

Yes, I like rain and prefer to take a bath for some time. But

when it rains heavily. I stay inside and enjoy the beauty of nature.

3. Does everybody have a cosy bed to lie in when it rains? Look

around you and describe how different kinds of people or animals

spend time, seek shelter, etc. during rain.

No, everybody is not so fortunate to have a cosy bed to lie in

when it rains. There are some people who live at railway platforms

and bus terminals. They don’t have a bed sheet to talk about

comfortable beds.

There are so many animals who don’t have any shelter and

tremble under the dark sky in the rainy season.

5. A LEGEND OF THE NORTHLAND

I. Answer these questions in a few words or a couple of sentences

each.

1. Which country or countries do you think “the Northland” refers to?

It is a country in the north where days are short and nights are

long.
GARDE 09

2. What did Saint Peter ask the old lady for? What was the lady’s

reaction?

Saint Peter asked the old lady for aims. The lady behaved

miserly and kept changing the size of the cake but could not give

him anything to eat.

3. How did he punish her?

He crushed her and made her a woodpecker.

4. How does the woodpecker get her food?

The woodpecker bores the hard and dry wood to get her food.

5. Do you think that the old lady would have been so ungenerous if

she had known Who Saint Peter really was? What would she have

done then?

No, she would not have done this. She might have given him

the smallest piece of cake.

6. Is this a true story? Which part of this poem do you feel is the most

important?
GARDE 09

No, it is an imaginative story. It is a legend. The third stanza of

the poem is very important.

7. What is a legend? Why is this poem called a legend?

A legend is a story from ancient times about people and

events. The title of the poem tells that it is a legend. The poet himself

says that ‘I don’t believe it is true’.

8. Write the story of ‘A Legend of the Northland’ in about ten

sentences.

The poem is a story of an old woman. She is asked by Saint

Peter for alms who have become weak with fasting and travelling.

But her greed forced her not to give him anything. He becomes

angry and makes her a woodpecker who bores hard and dry wood

to get food. Her clothes are burnt to ashes and she is left with a cap

on her head. She continues boring into hard wood for her little food.

6. NO MEN ARE FOREIGN

GARDE 09

I. Answer these questions in a few words or a couple of sentences

each.

1. What message does the poet want to convey?

The poet wants to say that there should be no discrimination on

the basis of nationality. It is inhuman to tease one because of one’s

foreign background. He wants people to discourage this practice

and love their fellow human beings.

2. How does the poet prove that there are no foreign countries?

The poet proves it with the help of nature. Everyone shares the

sun, earth and air. They have the same body structure and its

functioning elements. So there should be no biased attitude towards

anyone.

3. What does the poet ask us to remember in the last stanza?

GARDE 09

The poet warns the ordinary and innocent people whose

emotions and sentiments are stirred by some selfish people. Their

immoral acts and poisonous views don’t deserve attention.

4. How do we become responsible for the war?

Everyone is responsible for the war. If we start hating our

brothers, we will become the cause of tension. And the tension will

certainly convert into war one day. So nobody should hate and

despise anyone.

8. ON KILLING A TREE

I. Answer these questions in a few words or a couple of sentences

each.

1. Can a “simple jab of the knife” kill a tree? Why not?

GARDE 09

No, a simple jab of a knife does not have the ability to kill the

tree. It has to go through various processes. If its root is not removed

from the earth. It will sprout again.

2. How has the tree grown to its full size? List the words suggestive of

its life and activity.

The tree consumes the earth, and rises out of it feeding upon its

crust. It absorbs years of sunlight, air and water.

3. What is the meaning of “bleeding bark”? What makes it bleed?

‘Bleeding bark’ means the twigs which are cut mercilessly.

They leave a liquid substance. If any part of the human body is cut,

bleeding starts. In the same way the liquid substance comes out

from the branch of a tree. The human beings’ axe makes it bleed.

4. The poet says “No” in the beginning of the third stanza. What does

he mean by this?

‘No’ is used to emphasize the perspective that chopping or

hacking will not be sufficient for killing a tree.

5. What is the meaning of “anchoring earth” and “earth cave”?

GARDE 09

It means that the earth protects it like a mother. ‘Earth Cave’

implies a hole inside it. The tree spreads its roots underneath that

hole.

9. THE SNAKE TRYING

I. Answer these questions in a few words or a couple of sentences

each.

1. How does the snake protect itself? What kind of body does he

have?

The snake moves with sudden carvings gliding through the

water to protect himself from the attack. He has a thin, long body.

2. How does the poet describe his shapes?

The poet says that the snake makes beautiful and graceful

shapes. He is mesmerized to see the zig-zag walk of the snake.

3. What does the poet appeal to?

GARDE 09

· The poet is a very kind and generous man. He is

sympathetic to the snake.

· So it appeals to let him go safely to his place.

4. Where does the snake vanish?

The snake vanishes in the ripples among the green thin reeds.
GARDE 09

SUPPLEMENTARY

1. THE LOST CHILD

I. Answer these questions in a few words or a couple of sentences

each.

1. What are the things the child sees on his way to the fair? Why does

he lag behind?

On his way to the fair the child sees toys, balloons of different

colour, garland of gulmohur, swing and a snake-charmer playing a

flute. He gets attracted towards all these things. So, he lags behind.

2. In the fair he wants many things. What are they? Why does he

move on without waiting for an answer?

The child wants many things in the fair. He is willing to have

toys, different sweets, garland, balloons of different colours and has

GARDE 09

a keen desire to enjoy roundabouts. He moves on without waiting

for an answer because he knows that his parents will not buy all

these things for him.

3. When does he realise that he has lost his way? How have his

anxiety and insecurity been described?

The child sees a roundabout in the fair and gets attracted to it.

He is desirous to have a ride on it. He asks his parents for permission

to enjoy it. Having no response on the part of his parents he realises

that he has lost his way. He starts crying bitterly at once and runs

here and there in search of them.

4. Why does the lost child lose interest in the things that he had

wanted earlier?

The lost child loses interest in the things he had wanted earlier

because he loses his parents in the fair. Nothing is more important

than parents for a child. So, he wants them first.

5. What do you think happens in the end? Does the child find his

parents?
GARDE 09

I think the child finds his parents at last. The kind-hearted

person must have tried his best to find his parents. On the other

hand the parents of the child must have left no stone unturned to

find their child.

II. LONG ANSWER TYPE QUESTIONS:

1. Describe the scene of the fair.

The fair was organised to celebrate the festival of spring. The

scene of the fair was full of excitement. It was a crowded

place.People from different parts of society visited the fair. The

atmosphere was quite noisy. There were many decorated shops.

There were toys, balloons of different colours, garland of gulmohar,

swing and the special things that attracted the people. Children

with their parents enjoyed the swing. There was enjoyment all

around. In the fair, there was hustle and bustle. Many groups of

men, women and children could be seen easily..

2. Discuss the behaviour of the child before and after his separation

from the parents.

GARDE 09

The child looked happy when he entered the fair. He was

fascinated towards all things he saw. He was willing to have sweets,

a garland of gulmohur and balloons. Apart from all these things the

child had keen interest in round-about and wanted to enjoy the

music played by the snake-charmer. Though his demands were not

satisfied yet he enjoyed the fair.

But when he was separated from his parents, his mood was

totally different. He was filled with fear and became restless. Tears

started rolling down from his eyes. A kind –hearted man lifted him

up. He took him to the round-about and offered him other things.

But the child had no interest in all these things.

2.The Adventures of Toto

Think About It

1. How does Toto come to grandfather’s private zoo?

Ans: Grandfather loved animals. One day he saw this attractive

monkey with a tonga driver. The monkey was tied to a feeding

GARDE 09

trough and seemed out of place there. Grandfather had a great

liking for animals. So, he decided to buy Toto from the tonga

driver and bought it for five rupees.

2. “Toto was a pretty monkey.” In what sense is Toto pretty?

Ans: Toto had bright eyes sparkling with mischief, pearly white

teeth, quick and wicked fingers and a gracious tail which served

as a third hand. The smile of Toto was cute and frightened elderly

Anglo-Indian ladies. Altogether all these qualities made him

pretty.

3. Why does grandfather take Toto to Saharanpur and how?

Why does the ticket collector insist on calling Toto a dog?

Ans: Toto was a mischievous monkey. He kept disturbing all other

animals in grandfather’s private zoo. It seemed that only

grandfather could manage him properly. So, he took Toto to

GARDE 09

Saharanpur in a bag. The ticket collector called Toto a dog as the

monkey did not qualify the category of human beings.

4. How does Toto take a bath? Where has he learnt to do this?

How does Toto almost boil himself alive?

Ans: Toto cunningly tested the temperature with his hand then

gradually stepped into the bathtub. He stepped first one foot,

then the other, until he was into the water up to his neck. He

rubbed himself all over with the soap. He learned it all from the

author. One Day Toto got in a large kitchen kettle which was on

fire to boil. He enjoyed the warm water but when the water

turned out to be hot, he jumped up and down. Suddenly the

grandmother arrived and pulled him out in half-boiled condition.

GARDE 09

5. Why does the author say, “Toto was not the sort of pet we

could keep for long”?

Ans: Author’s statement about Toto proves itself if we take Toto’s

misdeeds into consideration. Nobody could afford the frequent

losses. He disturbed all other animals too. Obviously, Toto was not

the sort of pet we could keep for long.

3. In the Kingdom of Fools

Think About It

1. What are the two strange things the guru and his disciple find

in the Kingdom of Fools?

The Guru and the disciple found that in the Kingdom of Fools people

used to work during nights and sleep during days. Everything was

cheap and cost the same.

GARDE 09

2. Why does the disciple decide to stay in the Kingdom of Fools? Is

it a good idea?

Everything was cheap in the Kingdom of Fools. The disciple had a

peculiar diet. He was tempted by the cheap food. So, he decided

to stay in that kingdom. It was not a good idea to stay there for a

long time as one could be in danger any time because of the

unpredictable behavior of fools.

3. Name all the people who are tried in the king’s court and give

the reasons for their trial.

The owner of the house i.e. the merchant, the bricklayer, the

dancing girl and the goldsmith were tried in the king’s court. They all

were tried because the thief died when the wall of the merchant's

house had collapsed. The merchant was tried for building a weak
GARDE 09

wall. The bricklayer was tried for doing his work carelessly. The

dancing girl was tried for disturbing the concentration of the

bricklayer. The goldsmith was blamed for making the dancing girl

walk up and down to his house a dozen times.

4. Who is the real culprit according to the king? Why does he

escape punishment?

The merchant’s dead father was held responsible for making the wall

weak. But according to the king the rich merchant was the real

culprit because he had inherited both the sins and riches of his

father. He escaped the punishment because he was too thin to fit

the stake.

5. What are the Guru’s words of wisdom? When does the disciple

remember them?
GARDE 09

The Guru was full of wisdom and knew well that the unpredictable

behavior of the fools could create danger anytime. The Guru’s

words were, “They are all fools. This won’t last very long, and you

can’t tell what they’ll do to you next”. The disciple remembered

them when he was arrested by the men of the king to execute

merely because he fitted the stake. It was because of the Guru’s

words of wisdom that the execution was postponed.

6. How does the Guru manage to save his disciple’s life?

The Guru arrived on time to save his disciple and created a drama.

He told the king that it was not an ordinary stake and whoever went

to the stake first would become the king in the next life. The second

to die would become his minister. The king wanted to avail himself of

the opportunity. The Guru and his disciple were released. Thus the

Guru managed to save his disciple’s life.

GARDE 09

5.The Happy Prince

Think About It:

1. Why do the courtiers call the prince ‘the Happy Prince’? Is he

really happy? What does he see all around him?

Ans: He was a prince when he was alive. Being a prince he

never knew sorrow and suffering. So, the courtiers called

him ‘the happy prince’. But he was not happy in a real

sense as his heart could feel the misery of needy people.

He saw the miserable conditions of people around him.

2. Why does the Happy Prince send a ruby for the seamstress?

What does the swallow do in the seamstress’ house?

Ans: The seamstress was tired due to overwork. She was so

poor that she could not buy oranges for her little sick son.

Her son was thirsty. The Happy Prince saw the poor lady
GARDE 09

and her son. He felt pity for them. So, he sent a ruby for

her. The swallow came to the poor woman’s house and

laid the ruby on the table beside her. The bird fanned the

boy’s forehead with wings and flew back to the Happy

Prince.

3. For whom does the prince send the sapphires and why?

Ans: The playwright was very poor. He was incapable of

buying food and firewood. The prince sent the sapphires

for the playwright so that he could finish a play for the

director of the theatre in time. The princess sent his second

sapphire to a poor match girl. Her matches had fallen out

the gutter. She was afraid that her father would beat her

for this loss. So, she was helped by the prince by sending

her the second sapphire.

GARDE 09

4. What did the swallow see when it was flying over the city?

Ans: The swallow saw all categories of people. He found the

rich making merry in their beautiful houses and beggars

begging sitting at the gates. He also saw a group of

wandering children who were poverty-stricken.

5. Why did the swallow not leave the prince and go to Egypt?

Ans: At first, the swallow was willing to go to Egypt just after

discharging his duty properly. But when he saw Prince’s

activities of charity and kindness he got impressed. On the

other hand now the Happy Prince had become totally

blind due to the deeds of charity. In this condition, he

GARDE 09

could not leave the Prince helpless. He left the idea of

going to Egypt and decided to serve the Prince.

6. What are the precious things mentioned in the story? Why are

they precious?

Ans: The leaden heart of the Happy Prince and the dead

swallow are the two precious things mentioned in the

story. They are precious as they did various deeds for the

welfare of people and sacrificed their lives for the sake of

others.

6. WEATHERING THE STORM IN ERSAMA

I. Answer these questions in a few words or a couple of sentences

each.

1. When did the cyclone hit Orissa and what were its effects?
GARDE 09

In the evening of 27 October 1999, the cyclone hit Orissa and

caused devastation all around. The dreadful consequences of the

cyclone ruined society and disturbed life.

2. When did Prashant decide to go to his village? Did he find his

family?

After two days the rain ceased and the rain waters began to

recede slowly. Prashant is determined to go to his village. He found

his family in a shelter.

3. Where did Prashant go seven years after his mother’s death?

Prashant went to the block headquarters of Erasma, a small

town in coastal Orissa. This town was around eighteen kilometres

from his village. He went there with one of his friends to spend the

day.

4. Describe the scene after the storm and heavy rain.

The scene after the storm and heavy rain was quite tragic.

There were dead bodies and uprooted trees all around. A brown

sheet of water covered everything. There were screams and water

everywhere.
GARDE 09

5. When did the rain cease? What was its result?

The rain ceased after two days. There was nothing but water all

around. Because of heavy rain there was little hope for the

betterment of the flood victims.

II. LONG ANSWER TYPE QUESTIONS:

1. Write the character-sketch of Prashant.

Prashant was a young boy. He was a brave fellow. He had the

qualities of a great leader. He saw the devastation very closely. He

was soft at heart. He kept thinking about his family during his stay

with his friend. He took the initiative and decided to help others. He

organised various groups and assigned them their duties. He formed

a youth task force to improve the condition. He thought about all

categories of people. He was daring and opposed the decision of

the government. related to the setting up of separate institutions for

widows and orphans. He was the real hero. He helped others

selflessly. It was due to his support that the rehabilitation work could

progress fast.

2. Describe the desperate situation in the shelter.

GARDE 09

After the devastation the shelter was established. It was

established at Kalikuda. Around 2500 people were there. The whole

atmosphere was grimmy. The people survived on green coconuts.

The men, the women and the children looked helpless. They were

filled with fear and groaning for the dead. Prashant took the

initiative and organised many groups. They succeeded in their

efforts and got rice to eat. They got relief packages sent through

helicopters. There were filth, vomit, urine and floating carcasses

around and inside the shelter. Life seemed slow here. The people

there passed their time gossiping and performing several activities.

The situation of the shelter showed the clear picture of suffering

humanity.

7. The Last Leaf

- O. Henry

Think About It:

1. What is Johnsy’s illness? What can cure her, the medicine or the

willingness to live?
GARDE 09

Ans: Johnsy, a young artist, was ill. She was suffering from

pneumonia. But later on she suffered from a misconception that she

would die soon as the last leaf on the creeper would fall down. The

medicine had no effect on her. Her willingness to live could cure her.

2. Do you think the feeling of depression Johnsy has is common

among teenagers?

Ans: Life has two aspects i.e. positive and negative. It depends upon

us how we take it. Nowadays it is very common that teenagers are

getting depressed because of cut throat competition. On the other

hand, a majority of teenagers who take life positively and face

difficulties boldly never lose hope and proceed further.

3. Behrman has a dream. What is it? Will it come true?

Ans: Behrman had a dream to paint a masterpiece in his life. He kept

waiting for the opportunity to give it a practical shape. Yes, he could

materialize his dream when he painted the last leaf of the ivy

creeper.

4. What is Behrman’s masterpiece? What makes Sue say so?

GARDE 09

Ans: Behrman was a 60 year old artist who had a dream to paint a

masterpiece. His painting of an ivy leaf was his masterpiece which

saved the life of Johnsy. It was such a painting that it was not easy to

make out whether the leaf was real or it was just a painting. When

Behrman died painting this life saving painting, Sue called it a

masterpiece.

8.A House is Not a Home

Think about it:

1. What does the author notice on Sunday afternoon? What is his

mother’s reaction? What does she do?

Ans: The author, while doing his homework noticed the smoke

pouring in through the seams of the ceiling. The room was filled

with smoke very quickly. The author and his mother ran outside to

save their life. His mother ran out of the house with a small metal

box full of important documents. She became so crazy that she

rushed back to the house just after dropping the box.

2. Why does he break down in tears after the fire?

GARDE 09

Ans: The author’s house was completely burned down. Five hours

later when the fire was finally put out, he realized at once that his

cat was nowhere to be found. He had to face the loss of old

school, his house and cat. In such a state, he cried and broke

down in tears.

3. Why is the author deeply embarrassed the next day in school?

Which words show his fear and insecurity?

Ans: The author was full of remorse as he was left with nothing. He

didn’t have proper dress and study material. He had no

backpack. He had a feeling of insecurity. All things appeared

strange to him. He was deeply shocked and seemed frustrated.

The words uttered by him “Was I destined to be an outcast and a

geek all my life? I didn’t want to grow up, change or have to

handle life, if it was going to be this way. I just wanted to curl up

and die” reveal his fear and insecurity.

4.The cat and the author are very fond of each other. How has this

been shown in the story? Where was the cat after the fire? Who

brings it back and how?

GARDE 09

Ans: The author loved his cat very much. He never considered her

far from him. She kept sitting beside him when he did his

homework and other household work. When the author found his

cat back, his happiness was beyond the limits. He grabbed her

quickly and felt relieved. This proved that they were very fond of

each other.

The cat ran over a mile away when the house was on fire. A

stranger lady brought it back as there was a phone number

written on the collar of the cat.

5. What actions of the schoolmates change the author’s

understanding of life and people, and comfort him emotionally?

How does his loneliness vanish and how does he start

participating in life?

Ans: His schoolmates bought up school supplies, notebooks, and

all kinds of clothes for the author in order to help him. It was a

matter of surprise and too difficult to believe for him. He got

emotional satisfaction. People who had never spoken, introduced

themselves one by one. All things seemed new and created

GARDE 09

interest in his life. Now, he had all the things he used to have. He

started enjoying his life as usual.

6. What is the meaning of “My cat was back and so was I”? Has

the author gone anywhere? Why does he say that he is also

back?

Ans: Here the author wants to point out that life without affection

is useless. He was depressed after a great loss in all fields. His old

school and teachers were always in his mind. The fire had

reduced his house to ashes. His cat was also not with him. In such

circumstances he considered himself dead and had no interest in

life. In the end as soon as the conditions took the turn he felt

relieved. Now he had all the things with him. The author had not

gone anywhere. It was his state of mind. He recovered from this

gloomy state and started enjoying life when he got his cat back.

10: The Beggar

Think About It
GARDE 09

1. Has Lushkoff become a beggar by circumstance or by

chance?

Ans: Lushkoff was a middle – aged man and belonged to the

Russian choir. He was not a born beggar. He was sacked from the

choir because of his drinking habits. He became a beggar by

choice as he did not like to work hard at the stage.

2. What reasons does he give to Sergei for his lying?

Ans: Lushkoff told the truth and accepted that he was a liar. Formerly

he used to be a singer. He told lies to seek the favour of others. If he

had spoken the truth none would have helped him. So, he decided

to tell lies.

3. Is Lushkoff a willing worker? Why, then, does he agree to chop

wood for Sergei?

Ans: No, he was not a willing worker. He was too weak to work. He

had lost his strength and stamina due to his habit of drinking and

secondly he was a middle aged man. He agreed to chop wood

because of pride and shame and he had been trapped by his own

words. So he had no other way but to accept Sergei’s offer.

GARDE 09

4. Sergei says, “I am happy that my words have taken effect.”

Why does he say so? Is he right in saying so?

Ans: Sergei looked satisfied with the performance of the beggar and

felt happy. When Lushkoff’s job of packing and hauling the furniture

was over, he praised him while handing him a rouble. But he was not

right in saying so because Lushkoff had not developed the habit of

working hard. He was still an idle fellow.

5. Lushkoff is earning thirty five roubles a month. How is he

obliged to Sergei for this?

Ans: Sergei played a very important role in improving the condition

of the beggar. It was because of Sergei that Lushkoff could earn

thirty five roubles a month. He offered him the job to chop wood at

his home. Later on he sent him to one of his friends to do the job of

copying. Lushkoff was highly obliged to Sergei because now he was

a notary because of him.

6. During their conversation Lushkoff reveals that Sergei’s cook,

Olga, is responsible for the positive change in him. How has Olga

saved Lushkoff?
GARDE 09

Ans: Olga was a social and sympathetic lady. She loved humanity.

She realized the condition of Lushkoff and tried her best to improve

the same. She did the work of his part as she wanted to change him.

She kept criticizing him in order to improve him. He realized her

feelings towards him and a change took place in his heart. So, Olga

was responsible for the positive change in him.