Madhya Pradesh Rajya Shiksha Kendra Bhopal
Madhya Pradesh Rajya Shiksha Kendra Bhopal
Madhya Pradesh Rajya Shiksha Kendra Bhopal
Create successful ePaper yourself
Turn your PDF publications into a flip-book with our unique Google optimized e-Paper software.
The Rainbow<br />
Textbook<br />
(Special English)<br />
Class-IX<br />
<strong>Madhya</strong> <strong>Pradesh</strong> <strong>Rajya</strong> <strong>Shiksha</strong> <strong>Kendra</strong><br />
<strong>Bhopal</strong><br />
Year 2012 Price Rs.
Publication Year 2007<br />
Revised Edition 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012<br />
© <strong>Madhya</strong> <strong>Pradesh</strong> <strong>Rajya</strong> <strong>Shiksha</strong> <strong>Kendra</strong><br />
B-Wing, Arera Hills, Pustak Bhavan, <strong>Bhopal</strong>-462 011<br />
◆ Direction : M. K. Singh, I.A.S.<br />
Commissioner,<br />
M. P. <strong>Rajya</strong> <strong>Shiksha</strong> <strong>Kendra</strong>, <strong>Bhopal</strong><br />
◆ Coordination : Shakuntala Shrivastava<br />
Coordinator-Curriculum, Textbook and TLM<br />
M. P. <strong>Rajya</strong> <strong>Shiksha</strong> <strong>Kendra</strong>, <strong>Bhopal</strong><br />
◆ Subject-Coordinators : Rajendra Kumar Pandey<br />
ELTI, M. P. <strong>Rajya</strong> <strong>Shiksha</strong> <strong>Kendra</strong>, <strong>Bhopal</strong><br />
ii<br />
Amit Saxena<br />
ELTI, M. P. <strong>Rajya</strong> <strong>Shiksha</strong> <strong>Kendra</strong>, <strong>Bhopal</strong><br />
◆ Writers : N. P. Tiwari, Retd. Principal, <strong>Bhopal</strong><br />
Preeti Shrivastav, Govt. KRG College, Gwalior<br />
Yogesh Dwivedi, BRCC, BAC, Datia<br />
Y. K. Dubey, Principal, Shree Sanskar Academy, Agar (Malwa) M.P.<br />
◆ Moderators : Dr. R. P. Saxena, Retd. Reader, NCERT<br />
Anil Chaturvedi, Senior Lecturer, DIET Bijalpur, Indore<br />
R. S. Negi, Retd. Principal, Indore<br />
◆ Editors : N. P. Tiwari, Retd, Principal, <strong>Bhopal</strong><br />
Preeti Shrivastav, Govt. KRG College, Gwalior<br />
Yogesh Dwivedi, BRCC, BAC, Datia<br />
◆ Cover Page Design : Vikas Malviya, M. P. <strong>Rajya</strong> <strong>Shiksha</strong> <strong>Kendra</strong>, <strong>Bhopal</strong><br />
◆ Typesetting : Sanket Graphics, M.P. Nagar, <strong>Bhopal</strong><br />
Textbook
Textbook<br />
Approved by<br />
<strong>Madhya</strong> <strong>Pradesh</strong> Textbook Standing Committee<br />
S.No. Name and Address Designation<br />
01. Dr. Govind Sharma Chairman<br />
Former Additional Director, Higher Education, Govt of M.P.<br />
Gwalior<br />
02. Dr. Umrao Singh Choudhary Member<br />
Former Vice Chancellor, Devi Ahilya University, Indore<br />
03. Prof. Udai Jain Member<br />
Former Principal, Shri Vaishnav College, Indore<br />
04. Dr. Subhash Gupta Member<br />
Former Dean, Student Welfare, Devi Ahilya University, Indore<br />
05. Dr. (Smt.) Binay Rajaram Member<br />
Professor and Head of the Department-Hindi,<br />
Shri Satya Sai Women's College, <strong>Bhopal</strong><br />
06. Prof. Sureshwar Sharma Member<br />
Former Vice Chancellor,<br />
Rani Durgawati Vishwavidyalaya, Jabalpur<br />
07. Dr. Prakash Bartunia Member<br />
Assistant General Manager, IDBI, <strong>Bhopal</strong><br />
08. Dr. Manmohan Upadhyaya Member<br />
Educationist and Former Deputy Chairman,<br />
M.P. Sanskrit Board, <strong>Bhopal</strong><br />
09. Shri Bhagirath Kumrawat Member<br />
Educationist, <strong>Bhopal</strong><br />
10. Commissioner Member<br />
<strong>Rajya</strong> <strong>Shiksha</strong> <strong>Kendra</strong>, <strong>Bhopal</strong> Secretary<br />
11. Commissioner Member<br />
Public Instruction, M.P., <strong>Bhopal</strong><br />
12. Secretary Member<br />
Board of Secondary Education, M.P., <strong>Bhopal</strong><br />
13. Managing Director Member<br />
M.P. Textbook Corporation, <strong>Bhopal</strong><br />
14. Representative - NCERT Member<br />
15. Representative - Navodaya Vidyalaya Sangthan Member<br />
16. Dr. Prem Bharati Guest<br />
Educationist and Member, Member<br />
State Level General Body and Working Committee,<br />
Sarva <strong>Shiksha</strong> Abhiyan, <strong>Madhya</strong> <strong>Pradesh</strong><br />
iii
iv<br />
Foreword<br />
The Rainbow is an English elective course book intended for students of Class-IX of <strong>Madhya</strong><br />
<strong>Pradesh</strong> Secondary Board. Through this book we intend to give students exposure to English<br />
literature. The book includes –<br />
* Prose (essays and short stories)<br />
* Poetry<br />
* One act plays<br />
We recognize that :<br />
* English skills are necessary for students as they grow up and enter the job market or work<br />
on their own.<br />
* Students must be exposed to texts that they can understand and appreciate in terms of<br />
content, including cultural content and meaning.<br />
* Text-based vocabulary must be taught to students to enhance their linguistic competence.<br />
* Grammatical items must be so chosen that they could be integrated with the lessons.<br />
* The text should help in enhancing the thinking skills of students.<br />
* The textbook should also equip students to reach out and read material that is relevant for<br />
them but which could not be included here.<br />
With these aims in view the material contained here has been chosen and graded according<br />
to reader appeal. Our emphasis is on the ability of learners to learn the language through a<br />
focus on meaning. If students are asked to spend most of their time in consulting a dictionary or<br />
looking up for difficult words, they are not left with much time to learn the linguistic skills. The<br />
choice of lessons-poems, essays, short stories and one act plays ensures exposure to classic<br />
as well as to modern, living authors, British and American as well as Indian. Moreover, most of<br />
the extracts given here are from representative and well-known authors and poets, though care<br />
has been taken not to include material that is oft repeated. The wide variety of selection - from<br />
Shakespeare to Ruskin Bond would, it is hoped, certainly appeal to our learners. An attempt has<br />
been made to acquaint learners with the changing moods and styles in literature.<br />
The activities and exercises in each lesson will help in developing reading comprehension,<br />
vocabulary, grammar and other language skills. The exercise given after each lesson would<br />
provide sufficient practice to learners.<br />
Vocabulary exercises are set to develop related skills like spelling, formation of words,<br />
understanding of synonyms and antonyms and the like. Activities for speaking and writing have<br />
also been provided for the overall enhancement of the vocabulary of learners.<br />
Textbook
Abstract explanations have been kept to the minimum. Where the lesson demands literary<br />
features of that work have been explained and exercies have also been given to ensure the<br />
understanding of the literary features.<br />
As we are living in the age of globalization, we need citizens who can use English in different<br />
ways in varied situations, so the learners are required to be equipped with essential language<br />
skills and to have confidence to use it in daily life. With this shift of emphasis from learning for<br />
learning sake to learning for using the language we have developed the following materials :<br />
i. A main course book<br />
ii. A workbook-containing listening, speaking, reading, writing and grammar activities for more<br />
practice<br />
Charateristic features of the textbook -<br />
* It provides enough material for practising all the four skills.<br />
* Since exercises for listening and speaking have been given with the text, their technical<br />
aspects like English sounds and stress are being provided in the workbook to help both<br />
learners as well as teachers.<br />
* There is a careful balance between structure (the way language is organised) and function<br />
(the way language is used).<br />
* Possible Grammatical explanations have been provided.<br />
* Unseen passages and poems for comprehension have also been given.<br />
* Writing has been given due importance by providing exercises for writing reports, description,<br />
paragraph, letter, essay etc.<br />
We hope that the learner friendly material provided here would enable the teachers<br />
also to develop the needed skills in the learners. Teachers with ingenuity and imagination would<br />
be able to interest learners in the task of making learning fun.<br />
Textbook<br />
Commissioner<br />
<strong>Rajya</strong> <strong>Shiksha</strong> <strong>Kendra</strong><br />
<strong>Bhopal</strong><br />
v
vi<br />
Acknowledgments<br />
We are thankful to all those individuals and<br />
institutions who have been helpful, directly and indirectly,<br />
in the development of this book. We have picked up some<br />
poems and stories from different publications and<br />
gratefully acknowledge all those who are their writers.<br />
We are grateful to Rupa & Co., Shrijee's Book<br />
International, Penguin Books India Pvt. Ltd., National<br />
Book Trust, India, Oxford University Press, Sahitya<br />
Akademi, University Press (India) Private Limited,<br />
Children's Book Trust and USB Publishers' Distributors<br />
Ltd., for some stories and poems which we have adapted<br />
from their publications.<br />
Suggestions given by the Textbook Standing<br />
Committee have been incorporated in the book.<br />
Wherever possible, the publishers have been applied<br />
for copyright permission. We would appreciate<br />
information about the pieces we have not been able to<br />
trace. Appropriate acknowledgments will be made in<br />
future editions of the book.<br />
Textbook
Textbook<br />
CONTENTS<br />
S. No. Lesson Page No.<br />
1. Bharat our Land 1<br />
2 The Victory 7<br />
3. Little girls wiser than men 15<br />
4. Past and Present 23<br />
5. Dead Man's Riddle 29<br />
6. Arise, Awake! 35<br />
7. The World is too much with us 42<br />
8. The Goal not Scored 45<br />
9. The Mission-Agni 54<br />
10. Polonious Advice 65<br />
11. Grandpa fights an Ostrich 71<br />
12. The Poet and the Pauper 79<br />
13. Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening 87<br />
14. Old Blockhead repairs his House 93<br />
15. How it all began 100<br />
16. Where the Mind is without Fear 108<br />
17. On Saying Please 112<br />
18. The Never-Never Nest 123<br />
vii
viii<br />
Pure vowels<br />
/i:/ as in seat /si:t/<br />
/I/ as in sit /sIt/<br />
/i/ as in happy /'h&pi/<br />
/e/ as in set /set/<br />
/&/ as in sat /s&t/<br />
/A:/ as m farm /fA:m/<br />
/Q/ as in shot /shQt/<br />
/O:/ as in sort /sO:t/<br />
/U/ as in foot /fUt/<br />
/u:/ as in shoot /SU;t/<br />
Key to Phonetic Symbols<br />
/u/ as in actual /'&ktSuJ<br />
/V/ as in shut /SVt/<br />
/3:/ as in shirt /S3;t/<br />
/J/ as in upon /J'pQn/<br />
Diphthongs<br />
/eI/ as in say /seI/<br />
/aI/ as in fly /flaI/<br />
/OI/ as in boy /bOI/<br />
/aU/ as in how /haU/<br />
/oU/ as in no /noU/<br />
/IJ/ as in here /hIJ(r)/<br />
/eJ/ as in hair /heJ(r)/<br />
/UJ/ as in poor /pUJ(r)/<br />
Consonants<br />
/b/ as in bed rub<br />
/d/ as in dog bad<br />
/f/ as in fan half<br />
/g/ as in get dog<br />
/h/ as in hat hat<br />
/k/ as in king walk<br />
/l/ as in lamp girl<br />
/m/ as in man seem<br />
/n/ as in not man<br />
/p/ as in pen top<br />
/r/ as in run fairy<br />
/s/ as in sit bus<br />
/t/ as in time hat<br />
/v/ as in very love<br />
/w/ as in wet -<br />
/z/ as in zoo -<br />
/S/ as in sheep wash<br />
/tS/ as in church catch<br />
/dZ/ as in judge germ<br />
/N/ as in sing having<br />
/T/ as is thick path<br />
/D/ as is this bathe<br />
/j/ as is yet year<br />
/Z/ as is pleasure usual<br />
Textbook
Textbook<br />
The mighty Himvant is ours -<br />
there’s no equal anywhere on earth.<br />
The generous Ganga is ours -<br />
which other river can match her grace ?<br />
The sacred Upanishads are ours -<br />
what scriptures else to name with them ?<br />
This sunny golden land is ours -<br />
she’s peerless, let’s praise her !<br />
Gallant warriors have lived here,<br />
many a sage has sanctified this land.<br />
The divinest music has been heard here,<br />
and here all auspicious things are found.<br />
Here Brahma-knowledge has taken root,<br />
and the Buddha preached his dhamma here.<br />
Of hoary antiquity is Bharat,<br />
she’s peerless, let’s praise her !<br />
Danger shall not scare us any longer,<br />
and poverty shall not sear our souls.<br />
Self-interest shan’t drive us to meanness,<br />
and cowardly indiff'rence shall cease for ever.<br />
Here our land o’erflows with milk and honey,<br />
and perennial is the supply of fruit and corn.<br />
Ours is the famed Aryan land of Bharat :<br />
she’s peerless, let’s praise her !<br />
- Subramania Bharati<br />
Brahma-knowledge : Knowledge or experience of Brahma, the supreme,<br />
reality according to Hindu philosophy.<br />
1<br />
Bharat our Land<br />
1
Glossary<br />
generous /'dZenJrJs/ kind<br />
scriptures /'skrIptSJz/ the holy books of a particular religion<br />
peerless /'pIJlJs/ better than all others of its kind<br />
gallant /'g&lJnt/ brave<br />
sanctify /'s&NktIfaI/ to make something holy<br />
divinest /dI'vaInist/ wonderful, beautiful<br />
auspicious /O:'spISJs/ promising good fortune<br />
hoary /'hO:ri/ very old and well-known<br />
antiquity /&n'tIkwiti/ the ancient past<br />
sear /sIJ(r)/ burn<br />
perennial /pJ'reniJl/ continuing for a very long time<br />
Vocabulary<br />
A. Match the following.<br />
2<br />
Exercises<br />
gallant Upanishads<br />
cowardly antiquity<br />
golden warriors<br />
sacred land<br />
hoary indifference<br />
B. Find out from the poem the words which mean -<br />
- equal to or better than another in strength<br />
- having bright sunlight<br />
Textbook
- to speak of with admiration and approval<br />
- showing a dishonourable lack of courage<br />
- the state of being poor<br />
C. Notice how the letter ‘s’ is pronounced /s/or/z/ in the following words.<br />
cups<br />
Textbook<br />
dogs<br />
Now pronounce the following words carefully :<br />
scriptures<br />
Upanishads<br />
ours<br />
warriors<br />
things<br />
souls<br />
overflows<br />
praise<br />
Comprehension<br />
A. Read the first stanza of the poem and answer the questions.<br />
1. The sunny golden land of India makes it unique. Name two such things<br />
that make India unique.<br />
2. The poet describes the Ganga as ‘generous.’ Suggest two more adjectives<br />
that can be used with the Ganga.<br />
3. Name atleast two other holy scriptures of India.<br />
B. Read the second stanza of the poem and answer the questions.<br />
1. What is the contribution of the brave and the sages to this country ?<br />
3
4<br />
2. What is the root of Indian philosophy and culture ?<br />
C. Read the third stanza of the poem and answer the questions.<br />
1. Find out the lines that express the idea of abundance of milk, honey,<br />
fruits and grain.<br />
2. What negative qualities have we removed from us ?<br />
3. Name two specialities which made Bharat unique and famous.<br />
Speaking Activity<br />
A. Work in pairs. One of the two students will say the following words<br />
from the poem and the other will repeat the same along with the<br />
additional words as given in the text :<br />
Himvant the mighty Himvant<br />
Ganga<br />
Upanishads<br />
land<br />
warriors<br />
music<br />
B. Make two groups in the class. Group one will ask questions by<br />
rearranging the words given in column A and group two will respond as<br />
the example given.<br />
A B<br />
Example -<br />
the/is / what /Himvant / ? / mighty<br />
What is the mighty Himvant ? The mighty Himvant is the Himalaya.<br />
where / the/ Ganga/is/? ___________________________<br />
Textbook
the/Upanishads/?/are/what ___________________________<br />
music/here/what/heard/has been/ ? ___________________________<br />
lived/who/here/? ___________________________<br />
C. We are proud of our motherland. Say a few sentences in praise of Bharat.<br />
Some of the clues are given below.<br />
Textbook<br />
vast land<br />
from Kashmir to Kanyakumari<br />
beautiful land<br />
culture and civilization<br />
unity in diversity<br />
great rivers and mountains<br />
great personalities<br />
scientific achievements<br />
Writing Activity<br />
A. Write a letter to your pen friend, living in another country, describing the<br />
Indian culture. (50 words)<br />
B. Write a short speech to be delivered on the Independence Day. You may make<br />
use of the clues given below :<br />
Mahatma Gandhi, 1947, freedom fighters, nationalism, sacrifice, non-violence,<br />
unity, brotherhood, education<br />
(150 words)<br />
5
Think it over<br />
A. India is the country of diversity in natural riches. There are lofty mountains,<br />
lush green forests, dry hot desert, vast plains, plateaus and deep seas. What<br />
are the other diversities ?<br />
6<br />
Think over them. You can think of languages, dances, festivals, food habits<br />
etc.<br />
B. We are Indians, our love and dedication should be reflected not only in words<br />
but also in our deeds. What should guide our actions ?<br />
Things to do<br />
Go to your library and collect some poems of similar theme and write them in<br />
your diary.<br />
Textbook
Textbook<br />
The The V VVictor<br />
V ictor ictory ictor<br />
Alexander the Great had won many battles. His desire was to conquer the<br />
world.<br />
“Proceed to the Golden Bird,” he ordered his brave generals.India was<br />
known as the Golden Bird in the world at that time. With Alexander’s command,<br />
the generals consulted the map and the army turned towards India. It crossed the<br />
mighty Himalayas through the long terrain in the cold, entered the country and<br />
reached the River Sindhu. There was a battle between Alexander’s army and the<br />
army of King Puru of India. King Puru was defeated, and was made captive.<br />
With the first victory in India, Alexander was very happy.<br />
After the days’ battle when Alexander’s army was resting, he mounted his<br />
horse Bucephalus and quietly slipped out of the tent to see more of the Indian<br />
countryside. Alexander moved on the streets and drove his horse on and on. The<br />
houses remained dark, without lights. The women were wailing, children were<br />
crying. Alexander felt no pity. Instead he felt proud of his own victory.<br />
Soon he turned his horse on the other side, towards the jungle. As he<br />
moved further, he noticed a bonfire at a distance. He went closer and found<br />
some Indian Saints performing the yagya (religious ritual) on the bank of the<br />
Sindhu. He stood quietly behind the thick trunk of a tree.<br />
It was winter time. The wind was blowing and it was extremely cold. The<br />
saints wore no clothing on the upper parts of their bodies. Alexander said to himself,<br />
‘Oh, they are poor and they do not have anything to cover their bodies.’ He<br />
felt sorry for the saints, ‘l must do something for these naked fakirs.’ It was night<br />
already. He went back to his tent, woke up his chief general and said, “Bring thick<br />
woollen blankets and woollen clothes immediately. I need them urgently.”<br />
Heaps of thick blankets and woollen clothes were brought. In no time they<br />
were loaded on horses and Alexander himself led them, riding back to the jungle.<br />
The caravan stopped where the saints were performing the yagya. Alexander<br />
2<br />
7
found the saints were still busy chanting hymns. He moved his horse closer but the<br />
saints took no notice of the presence of Alexander and his caravan. In order to get<br />
their attention, Alexander patted his horse, and coughed. Still no one paid any attention.<br />
Alexander got irritated now. He dismounted and proceeded towards the<br />
oldest saint. The saint did not notice and Alexander felt totally ignored. Then he<br />
approached one of the saints and called, “Fakir, listen, I am the famous Alexander<br />
the Great.”<br />
The saint looked up and asked coolly and very sweetly, “What do you want,<br />
young man? What can I do for you?”<br />
Alexander was taken aback with the question. He paused. “Well...well, I<br />
don’t want anything from you. I am Alexander the Great, I have conquered your<br />
Hindustan.” Alexander announced proudly. He continued, “When I saw you<br />
people naked in this cold weather, I brought woollen blankets and clothes for all of<br />
you.”<br />
The saint threw a sharp glance at Alexander. He came closer and put his<br />
hand on Alexander’s shoulder.<br />
“Young man, so you are the famous Alexander, who conquers the countries<br />
by robbing them?” The saint gave a loud laugh and asked, “Tell me, my child,<br />
how can a robber be a conqueror and a giver?” And the saint looked deep into<br />
Alexander’s eyes.<br />
Alexander turned pale, not knowing what to say. He stood still like a<br />
statue. The saint continued, “Well, my child if you really want to conquer the<br />
world, first win the hearts of the countrymen with love. As for us, we have<br />
renounced the world and we do not need anything. Whatever is left with us now,<br />
we can give that too. Now tell me, what do you want?”<br />
Alexander could not believe his ears. He had never seen or heard things<br />
like this. The feeling of guilt made him sad suddenly. He saluted the saint.<br />
Without saying a word, he mounted his horse and went back to his camp. The<br />
caravan followed the master.<br />
It was dawn and Alexander could hear the chattering of birds. He had<br />
come to his decision, and, he stopped his forward march. He released King Puru<br />
and put off his future plans to conquer other parts of India.<br />
- Deepawali Debroy<br />
8<br />
Textbook
Glossary<br />
victory /'vIktJri/ success<br />
terrain /tJ'reIn/ piece of land, considered especially as a place<br />
for a battle<br />
wail /weIl/ cry out with grief<br />
caravan /'k&rJv&n/ company of travellers across the desert<br />
pat /p&t/ touch lightly with the flat hand<br />
renounce /rI'naUns/ to give up<br />
Vocabulary<br />
Textbook<br />
Exercises<br />
A. Find words in the lesson which have the meanings given below :<br />
1 large fire made out of doors for pleasure or to burn dead leaves in a<br />
garden<br />
2 got down from a horse<br />
3 part of the body between the neck and the top of the arm<br />
4 success in battle or in a game<br />
5 cloth shelter as used by soldiers<br />
B Refer to a dictionary and find out the meanings of the following. Use<br />
them in sentences. You can use the sentences given in the dictionary as<br />
models.<br />
countryside, winter, chanting, taken aback, dawn<br />
C Notice the past tense of verbs ending with ‘-ed’ are pronounced in three<br />
different ways /t/, /d/ and /id/.<br />
Examples : asked /A:skt/<br />
9
10<br />
charged /tSA:dZd/<br />
counted /kaUntid/<br />
Now pay attention to the pronunciation of the past tense forms of the following<br />
words and pronounce them in the class.<br />
ordered, consulted, entered, turned, stopped<br />
D. Listen and put the following verbs in the correct columns.<br />
lived, died, loved, stayed, finished, started, looked, liked, conquered,<br />
announced, coughed, laughed, wanted<br />
Comprehension<br />
/t/ /d/ /id/<br />
looked loved started<br />
____________ ____________ ____________<br />
____________ ____________ ____________<br />
____________ ____________ ____________<br />
____________ ____________ ____________<br />
____________ ____________ ____________<br />
A Answer each of the following questions in about 25 words.<br />
1. Why did Alexander want to conquer India ?<br />
2. What did Alexander see while moving around the countryside ?<br />
3. Why did Alexander release King Puru and went back without winning<br />
the rest of India ?<br />
4. Who do you think was the real conqueror ?<br />
5. What made India famous as 'the Golden Bird' ?<br />
Textbook
B Answer each of the following questions in about 50 words.<br />
1. Describe the incident of Alexander’s encounter with the saint.<br />
2. Describe the last conversation between the saint and Alexander. What<br />
was the effect of this conversation on Alexander ?<br />
Grammar<br />
A. Study the following sentences.<br />
1. His desire was to conquer the world .<br />
2. He ordered his brave generals.<br />
3. It crossed the mighty Himalayas.<br />
4. There was a battle.<br />
5. Alexander moved on the streets and drove his horse on and on.<br />
Textbook<br />
The underlined verbs are in simple past tense.<br />
Now, put the verbs given in brackets into the simple past tense.<br />
Alexander (mount) his horse and quietly (slip) out of the tent to see more of<br />
the Indian countryside. He (feel) no pity instead he (feel) proud of his own<br />
victory. Soon he (turn) his horse on the other side, towards the jungle.<br />
B. Study these sentences.<br />
1. The women were wailing.<br />
2. The children were crying.<br />
3. The wind was blowing.<br />
The underlined verb phrases are in past continuous tense.<br />
11
12<br />
Now, put the verbs in brackets into the past continuous or simple past.<br />
He (notice) a bonfire at a distance. He (go) closer and (find) some Indian<br />
saints. They (perform) the yagya on the bank of the Sindhu. He (stand) quietly<br />
behind the thick trunk of a tree. Alexander (not know) what to say. He<br />
(dismount) and (proceed) towards the oldest saint.<br />
Speaking Activity<br />
A Complete the following conversation orally. Clue words are given there<br />
for your help.<br />
Alexander to the<br />
Chief General : Bring ———————————— and —————<br />
Alexander to<br />
————immediately. ———them————<br />
One of the saints : ————,————— I am —————————<br />
The saint to<br />
—————— the great.<br />
Alexander : ______do______ want, ________?<br />
What _________________ for __________?<br />
Alexander to : Well........well, ____________________________<br />
the saint I am ——————, I have —————————<br />
The saint to : _________, so you are ———————————<br />
Alexander conquers___________________?<br />
Tell me ——————— how —————————<br />
and a ——————— ?<br />
Textbook
B. Enact the above scene delivering the dialogues properly.<br />
C. Give your opinion about :<br />
Textbook<br />
Alexander's invading India<br />
Alexander's desire to conquer the world<br />
The teachings of the Indian saints<br />
You can start expressing your opinion like this :<br />
I agree / I disagree ————<br />
I feel that ————————————<br />
I am of the opinion that ————————<br />
Friends, this is true that ———————<br />
Well, let’s examine/think about ————<br />
Writing Activity<br />
A. Imagine that you are Alexander. Write the changes that took place in you after<br />
meeting the Indian saints. (50 words)<br />
B. Write a short note on the consequences of war. (150 Words)<br />
Think it over<br />
A. India was known as the golden bird in the olden days. It was because the trade<br />
and commerce supported by agriculture flourished here. The handicraft was<br />
fine and the craftsmen skilled. Think about the present India.<br />
13
B. When Alexander was coming to invade India his teacher told him to take<br />
blessings of Indian sages. Why ?<br />
C. How can one win people's heart ?<br />
Things to do<br />
14<br />
Convert the story into a one-act-play and try to enact it on the stage in the<br />
annual function. Take the help of your teacher and friends.<br />
Textbook
Textbook<br />
Little girls wiser than men<br />
It was an early Easter. Sledging was only just over; snow still lay in the<br />
yards and water ran in streams down the village street.<br />
Two little girls from different houses happened to meet in a lane between<br />
two homesteads, where the dirty water after running through the farm-yards had<br />
formed a large puddle. One girl was very small, the other a little bigger. Their<br />
mothers had dressed them both in new frocks. The little one wore a blue frock<br />
the other a yellow print, and both had red kerchiefs on their heads. They had<br />
just come from church when they met, and first they showed each other their<br />
finery, and then they began to play. Soon the fancy took them to splash about<br />
in the water, and the smaller one was going to step into the puddle, shoes and<br />
all, when the elder checked her :<br />
‘Don’t go in so, Malasha’, said she, ‘your mother will scold you. I will<br />
take off my shoes and stockings, and you take off yours.’<br />
They did so, and then, picking up their skirts, began walking towards each<br />
other through the puddle. The water came up to Malasha’s ankles, and she said:<br />
‘It is deep, Akoulya, I’m afraid !’<br />
‘Come on,’ replied the other. ‘Don’t be frightened. It won’t get any<br />
deeper.’<br />
When they got near one another, Akoulya said : ‘Mind, Malasha, don’t<br />
splash. Walk carefully!’<br />
She had hardly said this, when Malasha plumped down her foot so that<br />
the water splashed right on to Akoulya’s frock. The frock was splashed, and so<br />
were Akoulya’s eyes and nose. When she saw the stains on her frock, she was<br />
angry and ran after Malasha to strike her.<br />
Malasha was frightened, and seeing that she had got herself into trouble,<br />
she scrambled out of the puddle, and prepared to run home. Just then Akoulya’s<br />
3<br />
15
mother happened to be passing, and seeing that her daughter’s skirt was splashed,<br />
and her sleeves dirty, she said :<br />
16<br />
‘You naughty, dirty girl, what have you been doing?’<br />
‘Malasha did it on purpose’, replied the girl. At this Akoulya’s mother<br />
seized Malasha, and struck her on the back of her neck. Malasha began to howl<br />
so that she could be heard all down the street. Her mother came out.<br />
‘What are you beating my girl for?’ said she; and began scoldidng her<br />
neighbour. One word led to another and they had an angry quarrel. The men<br />
came out and a crowd collected in the street, every one shouting and no one<br />
listening. They all went on quarrelling, till one gave another a push, and the<br />
affair had very nearly come to blows, when Akoulya’s old grandmother, stepping<br />
in among them, tried to calm them.<br />
‘What are you thinking of, friends ? Is it right to behave so ? On a day<br />
like this, too! It is a time for rejoicing, and not for such folly as this.’<br />
They would not listen to the old woman and nearly knocked her off her<br />
feet. And she would not have been able to quiet the crowd, if it had not been<br />
for Akoulya and Malasha themselves. While the women were abusing each<br />
other, Akoulya had wiped the mud off her frock, and gone back to the puddle.<br />
She took a stone and began scraping away the earth in front of the puddle to<br />
make a channel through which the water could run out into the street. Presently<br />
Malasha joined her, and with a chip of wood helped her dig the channel. Just<br />
as the men were beginning to fight, the water from the little girls’ channel ran<br />
streaming into the street towards the very place where the old woman was trying<br />
to pacify the men. The girls followed it; one running each side of the little<br />
stream.<br />
‘Catch it, Malasha ! Catch it!’ shouted Akoulya ; while Malasha could not<br />
speak for laughing.<br />
Highly delighted, and watching the chip float along on their stream, the<br />
little girls ran straight into the group of men; and the old woman, seeing them,<br />
said to the men:<br />
‘Are you not ashamed of yourselves ? To go fighting on account of these<br />
lassies, when they themselves have forgotten all about it, and are playing happily<br />
together. Dear little souls! They are wiser than you!’<br />
Textbook
The men looked at the little girls, and were ashamed, and, laughing at<br />
themselves, went back each to his own home.<br />
‘Except ye turn, and become as little children, ye shall in no wise enter<br />
into the kingdom of heaven.’<br />
Textbook<br />
- Leo Tolstoy<br />
Glossary<br />
easter /'i:stJ(r)/ feast day in memory of Christ’s rising from<br />
the dead<br />
sledging /'sledZiN/ to go or race down slopes on a sledge<br />
homesteads /'hJUmstedz/ farms or homes with the land round them<br />
puddle /'pVdl/ small quantity of water lying in a hollow,<br />
e.g. in the road<br />
finery /'faInJri/ beautiful clothes and ornaments<br />
scold /skJUld/ to blame, find fault with<br />
plumped /plVmpt/ fell suddenly<br />
stains /steInz/ coloured marks<br />
scrambled /'skr&mbld/ to climb using the hands and knees<br />
howl /haUl/ (of a dog, wolf etc) to make a long, loud<br />
cry when you are in pain, angry, amused<br />
etc.<br />
abusing /J'bju:ziN/ speaking rudely (to a person)<br />
lassies /l&siz/ girls<br />
ye /ji:/ you<br />
17
Vocabulary<br />
18<br />
Exercises<br />
A. Match the words given under ‘A’ with the meanings given under ‘B’.<br />
A B<br />
stream - to speak angrily to somebody<br />
catch - to come or go after or behind somebody<br />
heads - to stop and hold a moving object<br />
especially in your hands<br />
scold - a small narrow river<br />
follow - the front side of a coin, which often<br />
has the head of a king, queen,<br />
president etc on it<br />
B. Use the following words in sentences of your own.<br />
watch, look, except, folly, stains<br />
C. Find single words in the lesson which have the meanings given below.<br />
1. a way, course, or passage for liquids<br />
2. a Christian holy day in March or April when Christians remember the<br />
death of Christ and his return to life<br />
3. only just<br />
4. not obeying a parent, teacher, set of rules etc.<br />
5. close fitting nylon garments covering the foot and leg, worn especially<br />
by women<br />
Textbook
D. If the word ‘NEVER’ occurs before a pause or before a word beginning with<br />
a consonant (as in ‘never better’) then it is pronounced with no /r/ sound. If<br />
the immediately following word begins with a vowel, then /r/ is pronounced.<br />
Now say -<br />
better off, here it is, four or five, dark cloud, Easter<br />
Comprehension<br />
A. Answer each of the following questions in about 25 words.<br />
1. Describe the place where the two girls were playing.<br />
2. Who is younger, Malasha or Akoulya ? How do you know ?<br />
3. Why did Akoulya run after Malasha ?<br />
4. Why did the girls dig the channel ?<br />
5. What made men laugh at themselves ?<br />
B. Answer each of the following questions in about 50 words.<br />
1. Do you agree with the author that girls are wiser than men ? Elaborate.<br />
2. What made men forget their quarrel and calm down ?<br />
Grammar<br />
A. Study the following sentences.<br />
Textbook<br />
They had just come from church when they met.<br />
She had hardly said this, when Malasha plumped down her foot so that<br />
the water splashed right on to Akoulya’s frock.<br />
The underlined clauses are in past perfect.<br />
Now read the following examples and underline the past perfect clauses in the<br />
given sentences.<br />
1. The meeting had ended when we arrived.<br />
19
20<br />
2. He had just gone out when his friend called.<br />
3. Long after, he confessed that he had made a fool of himself.<br />
4. When I had read the book I was much wiser.<br />
5. Mary, who had disappeared on her own business, soon rejoined them.<br />
Speaking Activity<br />
A. Here are the dialogues from the lesson. Divide yourself in a group of<br />
five each. Assuming yourselves Malasha, Akoulya, Malasha's mother,<br />
Akoulya’s mother and the old lady. Now repeat the related dialogues in<br />
proper sequence.<br />
Your mother will scold you. I will take off my shoes and stockings and<br />
you take off yours.<br />
It is deep, Akoulya, I'm afraid !<br />
Come, don’t be frightened.<br />
Mind, don’t splash. Walk carefully.<br />
You naughty, dirty girl.<br />
What are you beating my girl for ?<br />
Is it right to behave so ?<br />
Are you not ashamed of yourselves ?<br />
B. You are passing with your friend through a forest. You come across a stream.<br />
Discuss how you will cross it.<br />
Writing Activity<br />
A. Write a letter to your friend describing the memorable event you and your<br />
grandparents shared. (50 words)<br />
B. Write on ‘Innocence is bliss’. (150 words)<br />
Textbook
Think it over<br />
A. Children play in small groups. They are emotionally attached to one another<br />
yet they sometimes quarrel. Try to remember an incident in which you were<br />
involved.<br />
B. Many a time the policy of ‘forget and forgive’ helps us. Think.<br />
Things to do<br />
There are five situations given in the chart below. Each situation calls for<br />
an action by the people. Write in the blank space what actually happens<br />
and what should happen. One is done for you.<br />
Situation What generally What should<br />
happens happen<br />
1. There is a road People avoid him People should help<br />
accident at a lonely and go away the injured person.<br />
place. A person is<br />
badly injured. He is<br />
lying on the road.<br />
2. The children of a<br />
colony want to play<br />
a badminton match.<br />
But they do not<br />
have money to buy<br />
shuttlecocks.<br />
3. A little boy works in<br />
a tea shop. He wants<br />
to study. He is<br />
compelled to work<br />
due to poverty. He<br />
begs for help.<br />
Textbook<br />
21
22<br />
Situation What generally What should<br />
happens happen<br />
4. A small puppy has<br />
fallen into a shallow<br />
pit. It is unable to<br />
climb out. It howls<br />
in anxiety.<br />
5. You have not<br />
completed your<br />
homework. You<br />
have just started<br />
doing it. Your<br />
friends call you for<br />
a friendly match.<br />
Textbook
Textbook<br />
I remember, I remember<br />
The house where I was born,<br />
The little window where the sun<br />
Came peeping in at morn;<br />
He never came a wink too soon<br />
Nor brought too long a day;<br />
But now, I often wish the night<br />
Had borne my breath away.<br />
I remember, I remember<br />
The roses, red and white,<br />
The violets, and the lily-cups<br />
Those flowers made of light !<br />
The lilacs where the robin built,<br />
And where my brother set<br />
The laburnum on his birth-day,<br />
The tree is living yet !<br />
I remember, I remember<br />
Where I was used to swing,<br />
And thought the air must rush as fresh<br />
To swallows on the wing;<br />
My spirit flew in feathers then<br />
That is so heavy now,<br />
4<br />
Past and Present<br />
23
24<br />
And summer pools could hardly cool<br />
The fever on my brow.<br />
I remember, I remember<br />
The fir trees dark and high;<br />
I used to think their slender tops<br />
Were close against the sky :<br />
It was a childish ignorance,<br />
But now 'tis little joy<br />
To know I'm farther off from Heaven<br />
Than when I was a boy.<br />
Glossary<br />
peeping /pi:piN/ look at secretly and for a moment<br />
morn /mO:n/ morning<br />
- Thomas Hood<br />
wink /wINk/ shine with a light that flickers or flashes quickly<br />
on and off<br />
borne /bO:n/ carried<br />
laburnum /lJ'b3:nJm/ tree with yellow flowers<br />
swallows /'swQlJUz/ to take something in or completely cover;<br />
small birds with long pointed wings and tail<br />
with two points.<br />
spirit /'spIrIt/ soul<br />
slender /'slendJ(r)/ long and thin<br />
ignorance /'IgnJrJns/ no knowledge<br />
joy /dZOI/ gladness<br />
Textbook
Vocabulary<br />
Textbook<br />
Exercises<br />
A. Infer the meanings of the following words from the context.<br />
remember, peeping, light, spirit, heavy<br />
B. Make a list of words where ‘re’ is not used as a prefix.<br />
Example : record.<br />
C. Distinguish between the following words.<br />
house - home<br />
little - small<br />
too - very<br />
heavy - light<br />
hard - hardly<br />
D. Pronounce the following words.<br />
living - leaving where - were<br />
pulls - pools farther - father<br />
born - barn - borne<br />
Comprehension<br />
A. Read the first stanza and answer the questions.<br />
1. Why does the poet remember ‘the house’ ?<br />
2. What does ‘too soon’ and ‘too long’ refer to ?<br />
3. What does the poet desire ?<br />
4. Find out the lines which express the beauty of the sun-shine.<br />
25
B. Read the second stanza and answer the questions.<br />
26<br />
1. Describe the beauty of flowers as depicted by the poet.<br />
2. What objects of nature attract the poet most ?<br />
3. Find out the rhyming words in the second stanza.<br />
C. Read the third stanza and answer the questions.<br />
1. How did the poet enjoy the freshness of air ?<br />
2. Highlight the difference between past and present spirit of the poet.<br />
3. What made the past pleasant ?<br />
4. Why is the present heavy for the poet ?<br />
D. Read the last stanza and answer the questions.<br />
1. Which lines tell about the height of thin fir trees ?<br />
2. How does the poet compare childhood with manhood ?<br />
Speaking Activity<br />
A. Say the correct responses.<br />
1. The poet remembers :<br />
the car he travelled in<br />
the house he was born in<br />
the morning he spent<br />
Textbook
2. The poet’s brother set the laburnum :<br />
Textbook<br />
on his birthday<br />
on Good Friday<br />
on Christmas<br />
3. Thomas Hood says :<br />
the air must stop<br />
the air must blow<br />
the air must rush<br />
4. It was little joy for the poet to think that :<br />
the fir trees were dark and high<br />
the tops of the trees were close against the sky<br />
he was farther off from heaven than when he was a boy<br />
B. Narrate your own past experiences of an event which you have not<br />
forgotten even today. You can begin as :<br />
When I was ........................... years old.<br />
or<br />
When I was living with my ..................... at ..................... .<br />
or<br />
It was the month of .......................... .<br />
27
Writing Activity<br />
A. We owe a lot to nature. Write about the things you observe in the company of<br />
nature. (50 words)<br />
B. Describe the activities you used to do as a little child. (150 words)<br />
Think it over<br />
28<br />
(i) It is a general notion that childhood is the most memorable period of<br />
one’s life. Why is it so ? Is it the carefree sporting or the love and care<br />
one receives or something else ?<br />
(ii) What lessons can we learn in the lap of nature ?<br />
Things to do<br />
Observe your natural surroundings. Make an entry of your observations in<br />
your diary. For example :<br />
July 07, 2007<br />
Yesterday when I went to a garden, I saw a butterfly, sitting on a flower. It<br />
kept on opening and closing its wings as if it was a book and the flower was<br />
reading it. ............................................<br />
Textbook
Textbook<br />
Dead Man's Riddle<br />
Often, when there are two or more brothers in a family, they want to divide<br />
their parents’ property between them and get into arguments and court cases over<br />
this.<br />
In the villages, the panchayat decides how the property should be divided.<br />
In my childhood, I used to attend meetings of the panchayat with my grandfather<br />
where the division of some villager’s property would be discussed. The elders<br />
would assemble and call the brothers who were fighting for the property. If there<br />
were three brothers, they would make three divisions of the property, each of<br />
approximately the same value. For example, each part would contain a little bit<br />
of gold, some silver and vessels. The values of all the articles in each group<br />
would be approximately fixed by the elders of the villages. It was difficult always<br />
to make the value of each part equal to the others. In such a situation, the<br />
youngest brother would get to choose his part first. The logic behind it was that<br />
he had stayed the least number of days with his parents. In those days, in villages,<br />
staying with parents was also considered an asset.<br />
The village elders were all well-respected and everyone knew they were<br />
impartial. Their decisions were final and no one went to court against them.<br />
Going to court for such matters was considered a waste of time and energy.<br />
There is a saying in the village that if two feuding parties approach the court,<br />
both parties lose money, only the advocate becomes rich.<br />
Once, there was such a disagreement in the division of property of a<br />
certain family. The Sarpanch tried his best to make the brothers agree to a<br />
certain division but they just would not accept the decision. Finally, Sarpanch<br />
Som Gowda told a story which everyone listened to carefully.<br />
It seems, a long time back, in our village itself, there lived a rich man. He<br />
had three sons who never agreed with their father about anything. The rich man<br />
had a friend called Sumanth, who was well educated and very wise. He would<br />
say, time will teach them everything, don’t be in a hurry.<br />
5<br />
29
One day, the old man died. He left seventeen horses, lots of gold and land<br />
for his sons. He wrote a will which was very strange. He divided the land and<br />
gold into three parts but for the division of horses there was a riddle. Nobody<br />
could understand the riddle. It said, ‘The half of the total horses should be given<br />
to the elder son, in the remaining half two-third should be given to the second<br />
son and what remains out of that two-third should be given to the third son.’<br />
Seventeen was the total number of horses. Half of it meant eight and a half<br />
horse to the elder son. That meant one had to kill a horse to divide it. Subsequently,<br />
two-third of eight would mean one more horse had to be killed. The old man<br />
loved his horses immensely and would never have wanted any of them killed. So<br />
what did he mean ? The brothers scratched their heads for a few days over the<br />
will. When they could not come up with a solution, they showed the will to their<br />
father’s friend. Sumanth read it and smiled.<br />
He replied, ‘It is very easy. Tomorrow morning I will come and divide the<br />
horses.’<br />
The next day, everybody assembled in the ground. All seventeen horses<br />
were standing in a row. Sumanth came on his own horse. He made his horse<br />
stand along with the other horses.<br />
He said, ‘Now there are eighteen horses. I am as good as your father. Let<br />
us divide the horses as per the will.’<br />
But the sons objected. ‘You have added your horse to our horses, that was<br />
not our father’s wish.’<br />
Sumanth said, ‘Don’t worry, wait until the division is over. I will take my<br />
horse back. Out of these eighteen horses as per the will, half will go the elder<br />
son. Half of eighteen is nine, so the elder one gets nine horses. Now there are<br />
nine remaining, out of nine two-third means six horses will go the second son.<br />
Now there are three remaining. Two-third of three means two horses out of<br />
three, will go the third son. One horse is left, which was anyway not yours. It<br />
is mine and I am taking it and going home.’<br />
All the people who had assembled were puzzled. The three sons did not<br />
know how the division took place without killing a horse. They went to Sumanth<br />
and asked, ‘Uncle, how did you manage without killing any horse ?’<br />
30<br />
Sumanth smiled and said, ‘Experience has taught me many things in life.<br />
Textbook
Your father also knew it. Many a time a work may look impossible. But if<br />
someone gives the smallest suggestion, you can work on it. That is the reason<br />
your father wrote his will in such a way that you were forced to take somebody’s<br />
advice. You may think you know everything, but please remember you are still<br />
a student. Life is an eternal teacher, provided you have an open mind.’<br />
Som Gowda concluded, ‘That’s the way elders have taught us lessons.<br />
Experience is the best teacher in life. Elders have seen many ups and downs in<br />
their lives and interacted with many people. During the process they have acquired<br />
knowledge which can’t be taught in a school or college. It has to be learnt over<br />
a period of time. Now it is left to you people to make the decision.’<br />
The three brothers, after listening to the story, agreed to the panchayat’s<br />
division of their property.<br />
Glossary<br />
riddle /'rIdl/ difficult or amusing question<br />
Textbook<br />
- Sudha Murty<br />
fighting /faItiN/ to try to get what you want in a court of<br />
law<br />
approximately /J'prQksImJtli/ nearly, not exactly but almost<br />
asset /'&set/ help<br />
impartial /Im'pA:Sl/ just; not favouring one side<br />
court /kO:t/ the place where legal trials take place and<br />
where crimes etc are judged<br />
feud /fju:d/ long continued quarrel between persons,<br />
families or groups<br />
will /wIl/ paper showing to whom a man’s<br />
possessions are to be given after his death<br />
immensely /I'mensli/ very much<br />
interact /%IntJr'&kt/ to communicate with somebody, especially<br />
while you work, play or spend time with<br />
them<br />
31
Vocabulary<br />
32<br />
Exercises<br />
A. Use the following words in your own sentences.<br />
problem, mystery, puzzle, riddle<br />
B. The word ‘WILL’ has different meanings. Find a few of them and write<br />
them down in your notebook.<br />
C. The word ‘disagreement’ has a prefix and a suffix. Write some words which<br />
have a prefix as well as a suffix.<br />
D. Write expressions like ‘two-third’, ‘the half’ etc. with their meanings.<br />
E. The mark (’) apostrophe is used to show that one or more letters or numbers<br />
have been left out as in don't and '86 for do not and 1986. Write other uses of<br />
the apostrophe with examples and practise them.<br />
Comprehension<br />
A. Answer each of the following questions in about 25 words.<br />
1. What happens when there are two or more brothers in a family?<br />
2. What did the villagers think about going to the court ?<br />
3. Why was the younger brother given priority in choosing his part ?<br />
4. What was the will of the dead man ?<br />
B. Answer each the following questions in about 50 words.<br />
1. How did Sumanth divide the property ?<br />
2. ‘Experience is the best teacher in life.’ Why ?<br />
3. What lesson do you learn from the story ?<br />
Textbook
Grammar<br />
A. Study these sentences.<br />
Textbook<br />
The youngest brother would get to choose his part first .<br />
The village elders were all well respected.<br />
The half of the total horses should be given to the elder son.<br />
The rich man had a friend.<br />
There are three degrees of comparison :<br />
Positive : young rich old<br />
Comparative : younger richer elder, older<br />
Superlative : youngest richest eldest, oldest<br />
Now, write the degrees of comparison used in the sentences given below.<br />
1. We are three brothers. My eldest brother is a doctor.<br />
2. My school building is bigger than my house.<br />
3. Riding is the best kind of exercise.<br />
4. I work harder than you.<br />
5. All the teachers are wise.<br />
Speaking Activity<br />
A. Narrate the story told by the Sarpanch Som Gowda in your own words.<br />
B. Enact the story in the class with the following characters -<br />
Three sons<br />
the reader of the will<br />
Sumanth, their father’s friend<br />
33
C. What has been said in the story about court cases ? Quote it<br />
D. Play the role of Sumanth and distribute the horses among the three brothers.<br />
34<br />
Begin like this : Come on boys, I am your father’s close friend, just like<br />
your father. I will help you to get your proper share ....................... .<br />
Writing Activity<br />
A. Narrate, how you were benefited with the elder’s advice to be regular in<br />
studies. (50 words)<br />
B. ‘Life is an eternal teacher.’ Express your views. (150 words)<br />
Think it over<br />
A. There are certain things which are not taught at schools or colleges. Think<br />
about such things.<br />
B. Sometimes things look impossible but they can be made possible by a little<br />
effort. Is it so?<br />
Things to do<br />
There are three jars.The first contains gold coins, the second silver coins and<br />
the third silver and gold coins mixed. The lables are wrongly put on the jars.<br />
Now you are permitted to take out a single coin from any one of the jars and<br />
tell using logic or wit what is contained in each jar.<br />
Find the answer and write it in your project book.<br />
Textbook
Textbook<br />
Arise, Awake !<br />
Strength, strength is what the Upanishads speak to me from every page.<br />
This is the one great thing to remember, it has been the one great lesson. I have<br />
been taught in my life, strength, it says, strength. O man, be not weak. Stand up<br />
and be strong. Ay, it is the only literature in the world where you find the word<br />
‘Abhih’, fearless, used again and again; in other scriptures in the world is the<br />
adjective either to God or to man. Abhih, fearless ! strength, strength for us.<br />
What we need is strength, who will give us strength ? Therefore, my friends as<br />
one of your blood, as one that lives and dies with you, let me tell you that we<br />
want strength, strength, and every time strength. And the Upanishads are the<br />
great mine of strength.<br />
Arise, awake and stop not till the desired end is reached. Be bold and fear<br />
not. Arise, awake, for your country needs this tremendous sacrifice. It is the<br />
young men that will do it “the young, the energetic, the strong, the well-built,<br />
the intellectual.” Arise, awake the world is calling upon you. Think not that you<br />
are poor, that you have no friends. The moment you fear you are nobody. It is<br />
fear that is the great cause of misery in the world. It is fear that is the greatest<br />
of all superstitions. It is fear that is the cause of our woes, and it is fearlessness<br />
that brings heaven even in a moment.<br />
Therefore, Arise! Awake! Come, the youth of my country, stand by me.<br />
Help me. Go out in the world, to the villages, go across the country and spread<br />
this message of courage ; Arise! Awake! Spread this message to the humblest<br />
and to the mightiest. Talk to the people, plead with the people, inspire the<br />
people, tell them that there is no end to their strength. Tell them that they are<br />
the inheritors of the earth–unleash their creative energies. Let them gird up their<br />
loins and plunge into the battle of life. Let them be man enough. Let them know<br />
6<br />
35
that they are the shapers of their destiny. Let them be self-reliant. Let them have<br />
faith. Let them know that it was out of indomitable faith that all great things are<br />
born. Forward, O, the youth of my country ! He who has no love in his heart<br />
is dead. Do not aspire to be a leader, but aspire that you may serve. If you want<br />
to be a master, first be a servant. I am a humble servant of man. I am not a<br />
politician, not am I a social reformer.<br />
Educate and raise the masses and thus alone a nation is possible. But what<br />
is education ? Is it book-learning ? No. Is it diverse knowledge ? Not even that.<br />
Education is the manifestation of the perfection already in man. Is that education<br />
which is slowly making man a machine ? It is more blessed, in my opinion, even<br />
to go wrong, impelled by one’s free will and intelligence, than to be good as an<br />
automation ..... Take your universities. What have they done during the fifty<br />
years of their existence ? They have not produced one original man. They are<br />
merely examining bodies....... Education is not the amount of information that<br />
is put into your brain–remains undigested all your life. We must have service to<br />
man, life-building, man-making, character making, assimilation of ideas. If you<br />
have assimilated five ideas and made them your life and character, you have<br />
more education than any man who has got by heart a whole library.<br />
Let each one of us pray day and night for the down-trodden millions in<br />
India who are held fast by poverty, priestcraft, at tyranny..... pray day and night<br />
for them.. I am no philosopher, nay, no saint, I am poor, I love the poor .. Who<br />
feels in India for the two hundred millions of men and women sunken forever<br />
in poverty and ignorance ? Where is the way out ? Who will bring light to them?<br />
So long as the millions live in hunger and ignorance, I hold every man a traitor<br />
who, having been educated at their expense, pays not the least heed to them. The<br />
poor is our God, the illiterate is our Master. Do not search for God in obscure<br />
places, for God is there in front of you in million forms. He who loves creation<br />
is serving God ..... Throw away the paraphernalia of worship ! Go out and<br />
worship man, for God has appeared in the form of man and to worship man is<br />
to serve man, so serve is to toil and labour.<br />
36<br />
- Swami Vivekanand<br />
(adapted)<br />
Textbook
Glossary<br />
arise /J'raIz/ come up<br />
tremendous /trJ'mendJs/ very large, very great<br />
misery /'mIzJri/ great suffering of the mind or body<br />
inheritors /In'herItJz/ persons who are affected by the<br />
work, ideas of people who lived<br />
before them<br />
unleash /Vn'li:S/ to suddenly let a strong force,<br />
emotion etc. be felt or have an effect<br />
gird up their loins /g3:d Vp DeJ(r) lOInz/ (idiom) to get ready to do something<br />
difficult<br />
indomitable /In'dQmItJbl/ unyieldingly courageous<br />
aspire /J'spaIJ(r)/ desire eagerly to seek some high aim<br />
manifestation /%m&nIfe'steISJn/ expression<br />
impelled /Im'peld/ urged<br />
assimilation /J%sImJ'leISn/ absorption<br />
down-trodden /'daUntrQdn/ pushed down by a strong power<br />
sunken /'sVNkJn/ become worse or weaker<br />
traitor /'treItJ(r)/ one who does harm to his own king<br />
or country by helping an enemy<br />
obscure /Jb'skjUJ(r)/ dark, not well known<br />
paraphernalia /%p&rJfJ'neIliJ/ many and various things belonging<br />
to a person or used in some work<br />
Textbook<br />
37
Vocabulary<br />
A. Match the following.<br />
38<br />
Exercises<br />
tat - a very small child<br />
taught - something of very low quality<br />
taut - to carry especially with difficulty<br />
tot - showing signs of worry or anxiety<br />
tote - pass on knowledge or skill<br />
tut - care or responsibility<br />
trust - used for expressing slight disapproval or annoyance<br />
B. Write 'in' or 'un' before the following words.<br />
____ domitable ____ bearable<br />
____ complete ____ audible<br />
____ able ____ auspicious<br />
____ avoidable ____ correct<br />
____ eligible ____ sincere<br />
____ leash ____ polite<br />
C. Choose the correct word and fill in the blanks.<br />
(i) Children in school are expected to ———(collect/assimilate/take) what<br />
they have been taught.<br />
(ii) Do not search for God in ——— (vague, clear, obscure ) places.<br />
(iii) This latest outbreak of violence is a clear ——— (manifestation,<br />
feeling, belief) of the growing discontent in the area.<br />
Textbook
Textbook<br />
(iv) Do not____ (aspire, expire, ceasefire) to have wanted things<br />
in your life.<br />
(v) Our country needs ———— (wide, large, tremendous) sacrifice.<br />
D. In words like ‘arise’ and ‘awake’ stress is not on the first syllable. Give some<br />
more examples of the words begining with 'a' ————— and having stress<br />
on the second syllable.<br />
Example : again<br />
Comprehension<br />
A. Answer each of the following questions in about 25 words.<br />
1. What does Swami Vivekanand say about the importance of strength ?<br />
2. What is the biggest enemy of strength ? Why ?<br />
3. What good qualities should the youth of our country acquire ?<br />
4. What is real worship ?<br />
5. How can we make our nation prosper ?<br />
B. Answer each of the following questions in about 50 words.<br />
1. What according to Swami Vivekanand is real education ?<br />
2. Why do you agree that the ideas of the author are universal ?<br />
3. Discuss the need and importance of mass education.<br />
Grammar<br />
A. Study these sentences.<br />
Upanishads speak to me from every page–stand up and be strong.<br />
What we need is strength, who will give us strength.<br />
39
40<br />
Arise, awake and stop not till the desired end is reached.<br />
Help me. Go out in the world, to the villages.<br />
Spread this message to the humblest and to the mightiest.<br />
There is no obvious future tense in English corresponding to the time/tense<br />
relation for present and past. Instead there are several possibilities for denoting<br />
future time.<br />
Pick out the sentences from the text showing Future Time references.<br />
Speaking Activity<br />
A. Following are the excerpts from the speech of Swami Vivekanand. Learn<br />
a few of them and speak them in the manner Swamiji might have spoken.<br />
Strength, strength what the Upanishads speak to me from every page.<br />
O man, be not weak. Stand up and be strong.<br />
Arise, awake and stop not till the desired end is reached.<br />
Be bold and fear not. Arise ! Awake for your country needs this tremendous<br />
sacrifice.<br />
Think not that you are poor, that you have no friends. The moment you<br />
fear you are nobody. It is fear that is the great cause of misery in the<br />
world. It is fear that is the cause of our woes and it is fearlessness that<br />
brings heaven even in a moment.<br />
B. Quote orally some sayings of the other Indian philosophers and social reformers<br />
like Mahatma Gandhi, Maharishi Aurobindo, Dr. Radhakrishnan,<br />
Swami Dayanand and others.<br />
Writing Activity<br />
A. What qualities would you like to imbibe after reading the speech. Write to<br />
your younger brother about them. (50 words)<br />
Textbook
B. If you were a reporter of a newspaper present at the time of Swami Vivekanand’s<br />
speech given in the text, what report along with a headline you would have<br />
written. (150 words)<br />
Think it over<br />
A. To be a citizen of a strong nation is a great feeling. What are the things that<br />
make a nation strong ? Is it only army that makes a nation strong or is it only<br />
national character that makes a nation strong ? Why ?<br />
B. Fear is the greatest of all superstitions because fear is often based on false<br />
ideas. One should always be fearless to venture into unknown. Is it true ?<br />
C. Education is the continual refinement of human instincts and behaviour.<br />
Education builds national character. The national character decides the direction<br />
in which the nation progresses. How important is character in your view?<br />
D. Service to mankind means service to God. The poor is our God in million<br />
forms. What is your opinion ?<br />
Things to do<br />
Visit your library and collect information regarding the life of Swami<br />
Vivekanand on the following points -<br />
Textbook<br />
birth<br />
childhood<br />
education<br />
fame<br />
message to the Indian youth<br />
41
Glossary<br />
42<br />
The World is too much with us<br />
The World is too much with us ; late and soon,<br />
Getting and spending, we lay waste our powers<br />
Little we see in Nature that is ours;<br />
We have given our hearts away, a sordid boon.<br />
This Sea that bares her bosom to the moon,<br />
The winds that will be howling at all hours<br />
And are up-gather'd now like sleeping flowers,<br />
For this, for everything, we are out of tune;<br />
It moves us not–Great God I’d rather be<br />
A Pagan suckled in a creed outworn,<br />
So might, I, standing on this pleasant lea,<br />
Have glimpses that would make me less forlorn;<br />
Have sight of Proteus rising from the sea;<br />
Or hear old Triton blow his wreathed horn.<br />
sordid /'sO:dId/ unpleasant<br />
forlorn /fJ'lO:n/ lonely and unhappy<br />
7<br />
- William Wordsworth<br />
Textbook
Vocabulary<br />
Textbook<br />
Exercises<br />
A. ‘late and soon’, ‘Getting and spending’ are the expressions used in the poem.<br />
Write some more expressions of this type.<br />
Example ‘coming and going’<br />
B. Use the words ‘heart’ and ‘hearts’ in some sentences. The words used in<br />
sentences should have different meanings.<br />
C. Find out the odd one : boon, soon, noon, horn, moon<br />
Comprehension<br />
A. Read the first four lines of the poem and answer the following questions.<br />
1. Find out the lines expressing the following idea : we waste our energy in<br />
worldly affairs without realising that Nature belongs to us.<br />
2. What is the effect of materialism as shown in the first stanza ?<br />
B. Read the next five lines of the poem and answer the following questions.<br />
1. What makes the poet unhappy ?<br />
2. What do you understand by the following :<br />
a ‘This Sea that bares her bosom to the moon’<br />
b ‘A Pagan suckled in a creed outworn’<br />
C. Read the next five lines of the poem and answer the following questions.<br />
1. Why does the poet say that we have become out of tune ?<br />
2. What does the poet mean by ‘sleeping flowers’ ?<br />
3. Describe the feelings of the poet after looking at 'Proteus rising from the<br />
sea'.<br />
43
Speaking Activity<br />
A. Talk in pairs about two persons : one who lives in a city and the other who<br />
lives in a village, in the lap of nature.<br />
44<br />
Talk about their life styles, availability of fresh air, vehicles, pomp and show<br />
in life, simplicity, crowd, peace, hustle and bustle, size of the houses, gardens<br />
and parks, fields and farms etc.<br />
B. Discuss the title of the poem among the members of your group. Justify the<br />
title mentioning your own personal experiences.<br />
Writing Activity<br />
A. Write your friend about your attitude towards the nature. (50 words)<br />
B. Compare the creations of God and man-made things. Write your observations.<br />
(150 words)<br />
Think it over<br />
A. How can you see a thing with your eyes and mind both ?<br />
B. Why do you feel happy in the company of nature ?<br />
Things to do<br />
Collect some pictures which show that the things of the nature are beautiful.<br />
Textbook
Textbook<br />
8<br />
The The Goal Goal not not Scored<br />
Scored<br />
Arif rubbed his knees gingerly. He knew that he had to be fit for the next<br />
day’s match. The inter- house matches were going on and he was going to make<br />
sure that he played well in the next match. They were going to meet the Red<br />
House in the next match and the Reds had been claiming that they had never<br />
lost to the Blues. Arif was sure that there was always going to be a first time.<br />
The match was also important because his team, the Blue House, needed a win<br />
to get the two points necessary for them to get into the finals. He was their star<br />
player and could not afford to be injured for such an important match.<br />
The amount of practice he and his teammates had put in before the match<br />
also had been phenomenal. Arif was having the feeling that they were playing<br />
some very important tournament, when it was actually only a small match between<br />
the different houses in the same school.<br />
“This is going to be our most important match’’, said Vikas the captain of<br />
the Blues, trying to lift the morale of his team before the match. “Give<br />
everything.’’ he said. “We want a victory at any cost. I repeat, we want a victory<br />
at any cost.’’<br />
They had practised till all of them had been completely tired. Their game<br />
plan was almost final and they were beginning to play as a team. They had<br />
plenty of coordination too.<br />
‘‘There is no reason why we should not win this match,’’ said Santosh,<br />
their goalkeeper.<br />
‘‘We won’t lose unless you concede a goal.’’ said Vikas.<br />
‘‘I won’t let the ball get past me’’, “said Santosh with determination. ‘‘The<br />
Reds are going to lose this time !”<br />
45
They still remembered, with anger, the last match they had played with the<br />
Reds in the previous year’s finals. They had been leading by a goal till half-time,<br />
after which the Reds had turned violent. The blues had become slightly subdued<br />
by the violent tactics and the Reds had used the resultant confusion to strike two<br />
quick goals towards the end of the game. This time, the Blues had decided that<br />
they would not allow the Reds to get away with their rough tactics.<br />
The team went to the ground with determination. The Reds were already<br />
on the ground. They too looked confident. Among other things, the main strength<br />
of the Reds was their goalkeeper, Praveen. Everyone believed that it would be<br />
very difficult to get the ball past him. Their players also looked smart in their<br />
red-coloured T-shirts and shorts. The supporters of the two teams were lined<br />
up on both sides of the playground. As the match was expected to create a lot<br />
of tension and excitement, they had taken no chances with the refereeing. They<br />
had convinced their sports teacher. Mr, Sahu, to stand in as the referee for the<br />
match. Mr Sahu gave the whistle and the match got underway.<br />
With the kick-off the match started. It was tougher than what Arif had<br />
imagined. The Reds obviously had the impression that Arif was the star player<br />
of the Blues and had decided to target him from the beginning. Even as Arif<br />
would be thinking of getting to the ball, he would find that a Red House player<br />
would come out of nowhere and stop him by force. These attacks did fetch their<br />
team a couple of free kicks, but Arif was beginning to feel the pressure of the<br />
game, every time he was pushed on to the ground. For a while, he tried to stay<br />
away from the ball. He noticed that the player of the Reds, who was marking<br />
him was paying no attention to the ball and was trying to keep a close watch<br />
on Arif.<br />
The game had begun to get rough. Arif felt that the Reds were adopting<br />
their usual strategy. However, this time the Blues had responded well. The<br />
players of both sides were seen falling on the ground or nursing their injuries.<br />
Soon neither of the teams was able to make much headway and the game was<br />
being played in the midfield only.<br />
Arif knew that the Blues had to score in order to get the two points. He<br />
had to run fast enough and also introduce an element of surprise in order to get<br />
46<br />
Textbook
id of the player who was marking him. He ran towards the ball and with a<br />
sudden action he stopped. Then he turned and ran back. The player who was<br />
marking him was caught off guard. Arif was fairly deep into the rival territory<br />
by now and the other players of his team had realized his position. Vikas<br />
managed to move along the flanks and sought out Arif who was free of the player<br />
who had been marking him. Arif got a beautiful through pass and he dribbled<br />
the ball close to the opponent’s goal post. There was total confusion at the<br />
goalpost of the Reds. There were also a couple of Blue players who were adding<br />
to the confusion. They seemed to be pushing against each other and Arif tried<br />
to dribble through the confusion. Now he was very close to the goalpost and<br />
his primary task was to put the ball past the goalkeeper who had valiantly foiled<br />
their earlier attempts.<br />
As he jumped over a player who had fallen over the ground. Arif realized<br />
that it was the goalkeeper and he seemed to be badly injured. For a moment,<br />
Arif had a vision of the vacant and unprotected goalpost where he could push<br />
the ball through and claim his team’s rightful victory. Then he realized that the<br />
referee had not noticed the fallen goalkeeper. Arif stopped by the ball and did<br />
not shoot. There were cries of ‘‘shoot’’ from his team-mates, but Arif did not.<br />
He was signalling to the referee showing him the injured player. The referee<br />
noticed the injured player and decided to stop the game.<br />
The goalkeeper, Praveen seemed to be injured seriously. He was not able<br />
to walk by himself and had to be carried off the ground unconscious. They had<br />
to complete the match in his absence. Another of the Reds took Praveen’s place<br />
at the goalpost and the play was resumed. There were only five minutes left in<br />
the game and both the teams tried their best to score. However, the game got<br />
even more rough and during much of this short period, the game took place in<br />
the midfield and neither of the teams could do any scoring. They had to console<br />
themselves with a draw and split with one point each from the game. The Blues<br />
went back disappointed-they had missed the chance to go up in the tournament.<br />
“What were you doing there with the ball?’’ asked Vikas, the captain of<br />
the Blues, unable to hide his anger and frustration. “There, at that moment, you<br />
had the goalpost undefended before you and, of all things you had to call up the<br />
Textbook<br />
47
eferee. It seemed as if you did not want the Blues to win.”<br />
“No, what he did was right,” protested Santosh, their goalkeeper. “Winning<br />
is not that important. Even if Arif had kicked the ball over the unconscious<br />
goalkeeper, the victory would have been meaningless. And if the referee had<br />
noticed the injury earlier, he would anyway have stopped the play.’’<br />
view.<br />
48<br />
“Yes,” agreed the rest of the team and Vikas also had to accept the general<br />
Arif's action seemed to have touched a chord with the Reds who were<br />
known to be the most aggressive of the lot. In the remaining matches and in the<br />
next few years they were much more polite and softer in their approach to the<br />
game. Arif’s gesture seemed to make them also realize that there was something<br />
in the game, which was more than merely winning it.<br />
Glossary<br />
- Manoj T. Thomas<br />
gingerly /'dZIndZJli/ carefully for fear of a mistake or of<br />
getting hurt<br />
phenomenal /fJ'nQmInl/ strange and unusual<br />
tournament /'tUJnJmJnt/ number of games played between different<br />
players<br />
morale /mJ'rA:l/ level of confidence<br />
at any cost /Jt 'eni kQst/ extremely important<br />
coordination /kJU%O:dI'neISn/ working together<br />
concede /kJn'si:d/ give away, yield after disagreeing<br />
determination /dI%t3:mI'neISn/ strong will to succeed<br />
violent /'vaIJlJnt/ fierce and usally dangerous<br />
subdued /sJb'dju:d/ quiet, controlled<br />
Textbook
tactics /'t&ktIks/ clever plans<br />
resultant /rI'zVltJnt/ caused by the thing that has just<br />
been mentioned<br />
shorts /SO:ts/ short trousers<br />
excitement /Ik'saItmJnt/ happiness and enthusiasm<br />
underway /%VndJ'weI/ having started<br />
free kicks /fri: kIks/ to kick the ball without any opposition<br />
to get rough /tJ get rVf/ difficult to hit the ball<br />
strategy /'str&tJdZi/ tactics<br />
to make headway /tJ meIk 'hedwJI/ to forward<br />
off guard /Qf gA:d/ away from guard<br />
flanks /fl&Nks/ left or right side of a game<br />
dribbled /'drIbld/ to move the ball along with several<br />
short kicks, hits or bounces<br />
valiantly /'v&liJntli/ bravely<br />
shoot /Su:t/ to hit or throw the ball into a goal<br />
console /kJn'sJUl/ to give comfort or sympathy<br />
disappoint /%dIsJ'pOInt/ cause sorrow because of failing to do<br />
what is expected<br />
frustration /frV'streISn/ feeling annoyed and impatient<br />
because you cannot achieve<br />
what you want<br />
touched a chord /tVtSt J kO;d/ feel sympathy or enthusiam<br />
aggressive /J'gresIv/ quick to attack, threatening<br />
gesture /'dZestSJ(r)/ a particular feeling or intention<br />
Textbook<br />
49
Vocabulary<br />
50<br />
Exercises<br />
A. Make adverbs from the following words.<br />
(1) ginger (2) complete (3) obvious (4) fast (5) well<br />
B. Write the difference between the following.<br />
(i) match and tournament<br />
(ii) practice and practise<br />
(iii) captain and caption<br />
(iv) plenty and surplus<br />
(v) through and thorough<br />
(vi) moment and movement<br />
C. What are the different meanings of ‘shoot’ in the following sentences?<br />
(1) I’m coming out with my hands up : don’t shoot.<br />
(2) We’ll be ready to shoot as soon as all the cameras are loaded.<br />
(3) Let’s shoot a game of pool.<br />
(4) He invited us to his country estate for a week-end shoot.<br />
(5) Rose bushes shoot again after being cut back.<br />
(6) Can you shoot a goal from twenty yards out ?<br />
(7) You want to tell me something ? Well, shoot !<br />
D. Pronounce the following words.<br />
gingerly, game, gem, guard, goal, ground, gesture, general<br />
Textbook
Comprehension<br />
A. Answer each of the following questions in about 25 words.<br />
1. Explain the importance of winning the match to the Blues.<br />
2. Why were the Blues angry on their defeat in the last match ?<br />
3. How did the Red prevent Blues from attacking ?<br />
4. How did Arif change the attitude of the Reds in the coming matches ?<br />
5. What is more important than victory ?<br />
B. Answer each of the following questions in about 50 words.<br />
1. Describe, how Arif succeeded in taking the ball to the goal post of the<br />
Reds.<br />
2. Why did Arif not hit the ball into the goal even though he was sure to<br />
score a goal ?<br />
3. What qualities of a good player do you notice in Arif ?<br />
Grammar<br />
Textbook<br />
Study these sentences.<br />
A. The inter-house matches were going on.<br />
Arif was having the feeling that they were playing some very important<br />
tournament.<br />
The players were adding to confusion.<br />
B. They were going to meet the Red house. They were beginning to play<br />
well as a team.<br />
The sentences given under 'A' show past continuous tense.<br />
The sentences given under 'B' have ‘going to’ form. This form always<br />
implies a premeditated intention. The intention is accompanied by a plan.<br />
51
52<br />
Now, put the verbs in brackets into simple past or past continuous.<br />
I (walk) along the streets in Mumbai when I (realize) that a man with a<br />
ginger bread, whom I had seen three times already that afternoon (follow)<br />
me. To make quite sure, I (walk) on quickly, (turn) right then left and<br />
(stop) suddenly at a shop window. I (go) on. Whenever I (stop he (stop)<br />
and whenever I (look) round he (be) still there. He (look) a very respectable<br />
type and (wear) very conventional clothes and I (wonder) if he was a<br />
policeman or a private detective.<br />
Speaking Activity<br />
A. Consider yourself a commentator, make a live commentary of the match<br />
played between the Red House and the Blue House.<br />
B. Ask questions about the match described in the lesson. Use the following<br />
words:<br />
1. between/whom<br />
Between whom was the match played ?<br />
2. What/ Arif/ feeling<br />
3. How/the team/enter<br />
4. The blues/why/disappointed<br />
C. What are the do's and don'ts of the winners and losers ? Discuss with your<br />
friends.<br />
For example,<br />
Winners should not laugh at the losers.<br />
Losers should not be discouraged.<br />
Writing Activity<br />
A. Give a pen-portrait of Arif to be published in the school magazine. You may<br />
write about Arif’s exemplary action. (50 words)<br />
Textbook
B. Write the highlights of any memorable match you have watched recently.<br />
(150 words)<br />
Think it over<br />
A. All the sports and games are played according to the rules. The rules are<br />
enforced by a referee or an umpire. Who knows the rules better, the player or<br />
the referee?<br />
B. Think of two arguments supporting the Arif’s viewpoint.<br />
C. Suppose there is a wrong judgement in the field. How should the players<br />
react to it.<br />
Things to do<br />
Make a list of the fouls in a game of your choice.<br />
Name of the game ............................................<br />
Textbook<br />
S.l. No. Fouls<br />
1<br />
2<br />
3<br />
4<br />
5<br />
6<br />
7<br />
8<br />
9<br />
10<br />
11<br />
53
54<br />
The Mission-Agni<br />
Indian core competence in rocketry has been firmly established again,<br />
beyond any doubt. The robust civilian space industry and viable missile-based<br />
defences has brought India into the select club of nations that call themselves<br />
superpowers. Always encouraged to follow Buddha’s or Gandhi’s teachings,<br />
how and why did India become a missile power is a question that needs to be<br />
answered for future generations.<br />
Two centuries of subjugation, oppression and denial have failed to kill the<br />
creativity and capability of the Indian people. Within Just a decade of gaining<br />
independence and achieving sovereignty, Indian Space and Atomic Energy<br />
Programmes were launched with a perfect orientation towards peaceful<br />
applications. There were neither funds for investing in missile development nor<br />
any established requirement from the Armed Forces. The bitter experiences of<br />
1962 forced us to take the basic first steps towards missile development.<br />
Would a Prithvi suffice ? Would the indigenous development of four or<br />
five missile systems make us sufficiently strong ? Or would having nuclear<br />
weapons make us stronger ? Missiles and atomic weapons are merely parts of<br />
greater whole. As I saw it, the development of Prithvi represented the selfreliance<br />
of our country in the field of advanced technology. High technology is<br />
synonymous with huge amounts of money and massive infrastructure. Neither of<br />
these was available, unfortunately, in adequate measure. So what could we do?<br />
Perhaps the Agni missile being developed as a technology demonstrator project,<br />
pooling all the resources available in the country, could provide an answer ?<br />
I was very sure, even when we discussed REX in ISRO about a decade<br />
ago, that Indian scientist and technologists working together had the capability<br />
to achieve this technological breakthrough. India can most certainly achieve<br />
state of-the-art technology through a combined effort of the scientific laboratories<br />
and the academic institutions. If one can liberate Indian Industry from the self-<br />
9<br />
Textbook
created Image of being mere fabricating factories, they can implement Indigenously<br />
developed technology and attain excellent results. To do this, we adopted a threefold-strategy<br />
multi institutional participation, the consortium approach, and the<br />
empowering technology. These were the stones rubbed together to create Agni.<br />
The Agni team was comprised of more than 500 scientists. Many<br />
organizations were networked to undertake this huge effort of launching Agni.<br />
The Agni mission had two basic orientations work and workers. Each member<br />
was dependent on the others in his team to accomplish his target. Contradiction<br />
and confusion are the two things most likely to occur in such situations. Different<br />
leaders accommodate concern for workers while getting work done, in their own<br />
personal ways. Some shed all concern for workers in order to get results. They<br />
use people merely as instruments to reach goals. Some give less importance to<br />
the work, and make an effort to gain the warmth and approval of people working<br />
with them. But what this team achieved was the highest possible integration in<br />
terms of both the quality of work and human relationships.<br />
Involvement, participation and commitment were the key words to<br />
functioning. Each of the team members appeared to be performing by choice.<br />
The launching of Agni was the common stake not only for our scientists, but for<br />
their families too. VR Nagaraj was the leader of the electrical Integration team.<br />
Dedicated technologist that he is, Nagaraj would forget basic requirements like<br />
food and sleep while on the Integration gig. His brother-in-law passed away<br />
while he was at ITR. His family kept this information from Nagaraj so that there<br />
would be no interruption in his work towards the launching of Agni.<br />
The Agni launch had been scheduled for 20 April 1989. This was going<br />
to be an unprecedented exercise. Unlike space launch vehicles, a missile launch<br />
involves wide-ranging safety hazards. Two radars, three telemetry stations, one<br />
telecommand station and four electro-optical tracking instruments to monitor the<br />
missile trajectory had been deployed. In addition, the telemetry station at Car<br />
Nicobar (ISTRAC) and the SHAR radars were also commissioned to track the<br />
vehicle. Dynamic surveillance was employed to cover the electrical power that<br />
flows from the missile batteries within the vehicle and to control system pressures.<br />
Should any deviation be noticed either in voltage or in pressure the specially<br />
designed automatic checkout system would signal “Hold”. The flight operations<br />
Textbook<br />
55
would then be sequenced only if the defect was rectified. The countdown for<br />
the launch started at T-36 hours. The countdown from T-7.5 minutes was to be<br />
computer controlled.<br />
All activities preparatory to the launch went according to schedule. We had<br />
decided to move the people living in nearby villages to safety at the time of the<br />
launch. This attracted media attention, and led to much controversy. By the time<br />
20 April 1989 arrived, the whole nation was watching us. Foreign pressure was<br />
exerted through diplomatic channels to abort the flight trial, but the Indian<br />
Government stood behind us like a rock and staved off any distraction to our<br />
work. We were at T -14 seconds when the computer signalled “Hold”, indicating<br />
that one of the instruments was functioning erratically. This was immediately<br />
rectified. Meanwhile, the down range station asked for a “Hold”. In another few<br />
seconds, multiple Holds were necessiated, resulting in irreversible internal power<br />
consumption. We had to abort the launch. The missile had to be opened up to<br />
replace the on board power supplies. A weeping Nagaraj, by now informed about<br />
the tragedy in his family, met me and promised that he would be back within three<br />
days. The profiles of these courageous people will never be written about in any<br />
history book, but it is such silent people on whose hard work generations thrive<br />
and nations progress. Sending Nagaraj off, I met my team members who were<br />
in a state of shock and sorrow. I shared my SLV-3 experience with them. “I lost<br />
my launch vehicle in the sea but recovered successfully. Your missile is in front<br />
of you. In fact you have lost nothing but a few weeks of rework. This shook<br />
them out of their immobility and the entire team went back to retrieve the<br />
subsystems and re-charge them.<br />
Finally, the launch was scheduled for 22 may 1989. The previous night,<br />
Dr Arunachalam, Gen. KN Singh and I were walking together with the Defence<br />
Minister KC Pant who had come to ITR to witness the launch. It was a fullmoon<br />
night, it was high tide and the waves crashed and roared, as if singing of<br />
His glory and power. Would we succeed with the Agni launch tomorrow ? This<br />
question was foremost in all our minds, but none of us was willing to break the<br />
spell cast by the beautiful moonlit night. Breaking a long silence, the Defence<br />
Minister finally asked me, “Kalam ! what would you like me to do to celebrate<br />
the Agni success tomorrow ?” It was a simple question, to which I could not<br />
56<br />
Textbook
think of an answer immediately. What did I want ? What was it that I did not<br />
have ? What could make me happier ? And then I found the answer. “We need<br />
100,000 saplings to plant at RCI,” I said. His face lit up with a friendly glow.<br />
“You are buying the blessings of Mother Earth for Agni.” Defence Minister KC<br />
Pant quipped. “We will succeed tomorrow”, he predicted.<br />
The next day Agni took off at 0710 hrs. It was a perfect launch. The<br />
missile followed a textbook trajectory. All flight parameters were met. It was<br />
like waking up to a beautiful morning from a nightmarish sleep. We had reached<br />
the launch pad after five years of continuous work at multiple work centres. We<br />
had lived through the ordeal of a series of snags in the last five weeks. We had<br />
survived pressure from everywhere to stop the whole thing. But we did it at last.<br />
It was one of the greatest moments of my life. A mere 600 seconds of elegant<br />
flight washed off our entire fatigue in an instant. What a wonderful culmination<br />
of our years of labour.<br />
Textbook<br />
Do not look at Agni<br />
as an entity directed upward<br />
to deter the ominous<br />
or exhibit your might.<br />
It is fire<br />
in the heart of an Indian.<br />
Do not even give it<br />
the form of a missile<br />
as it clings to the<br />
burning pride of this nation<br />
and thus is bright.<br />
- A.P.J. Abdul Kalam<br />
57
Glossary<br />
core /kO;(r)/ the most important<br />
competence /'kQmpItJns/ skill<br />
rocketry /'rQkItri/ the art of making missiles<br />
robust /rJU'bVst/ strong<br />
subjugation /%sVbdZu'geISn/ under control<br />
oppression /J'preSn/ cruel and unfair treatment<br />
decade /'dekeId/ a period of ten years<br />
sovereignty /'sQvrJnti/ full power to rule or govern a country<br />
indigenous /In'dIdZJnJs/ produced in the country<br />
synonymous /sI'nQnImJs/ word which has almost the same<br />
meaning as another word<br />
massive /'m&sIv/ having great size and weight<br />
infrastructure /'InfrJstrVktSJ(r)/ the basic systems and services that<br />
are necessary for a country or an<br />
organization<br />
pooling /pu;liN/ collecting<br />
break-through /breIk Tru;/ to make new and important<br />
discoveries<br />
consortium /kJn'sO;tiJm/ a group of people/companies<br />
working together on a particular<br />
project<br />
empowering /Im'paUJriN/ to give power or authority to do<br />
something<br />
orientations /%O;riJn'teISnz/ training or information<br />
accomplish /J'kVmplIS/ achieve<br />
contradiction /%kQntrJ'dIkSn/ a lack of agreement between facts,<br />
opinions, actions etc.<br />
commitment /kJ'mItmJnt/ promise to do something<br />
stake /steIk/ risk on an event<br />
gig /gIg/ a small light carriage with two wheels<br />
58<br />
Textbook
interruption /%IntJ'rVpSn/ something that temporarily stops an<br />
activity or a situation<br />
launching /lO;ntSiN/ starting an activity, especially an<br />
organized one<br />
scheduled /'Sedju;ld/ at the planned time<br />
unprecedented /Vn'presIdentId/ that has never happened<br />
hazards /'h&zJdz/ risks<br />
trajectory /trJ'dZektJri/ the curved path of something that has<br />
been fired, hit or thrown into the air<br />
deviation /%di;vi'eISn/ move away from the straight or<br />
correct path<br />
to abort /tJ J'bO;t/ to end before it has been completed<br />
staved off /steIvd Qf/ prevent<br />
distraction /dI'str&kSn/ a thing that takes your attention away<br />
from what you are doing or thinking<br />
about<br />
erratically /I'r&tIkAli/ not following any plan or regular<br />
pattern<br />
irreversible /%IrI'v3;sJbl/ that cannot be changed back to what<br />
it was before<br />
profiles /'prJUfaIls/ description that gives the most<br />
important information<br />
thrive /TraIv/ be successful<br />
retrieve /rI'tri;v/ get back something lost<br />
parameters /pJ'r&mItJz/ something that decides or limits the<br />
way in which one thing can be done<br />
nightmarish /'naItmeJrIS/ very frightening or unpleasant<br />
entity /'entiti/ something that exits separately from<br />
other things and has its own identity<br />
ominous /'QmInJs/ suggesting that something bad is<br />
going to happen in the future<br />
clings /klINz/ holds firmly to<br />
Textbook<br />
59
Vocabulary<br />
60<br />
Exercises<br />
A. What is meant by the following expressions?<br />
1. series of snags<br />
2. washed off<br />
3. safety hazards<br />
4. pooling all the resources<br />
5. peaceful applications<br />
B. Use the following in sentences of your own :<br />
launch, bitter, suffice, indigenously, accomplish, commitment, interruption,<br />
automatic, rectified, parameters<br />
C. Rewrite the following sentences using a word from the lesson in place of<br />
the underlined word or words.<br />
1. We will be able to do what we have tried or wanted to do.<br />
2. The discovery was the last and highest point of our years of labour.<br />
3. The act of counting backwards in seconds to zero for the launch started.<br />
4. Contradiction and the state of being mistaken are the two things most<br />
likely to occur in such situations.<br />
5. The programmes were launched with a perfect position or direction towards<br />
peaceful applications.<br />
D. The following words have more than three letters. How many sounds are<br />
there in each word ?<br />
doubt, club, call, always, power<br />
Textbook
E. Say the words ‘GATE’ WAIT ‘LATE’ Do the sounds underlined remain the<br />
same from start to finish ? Now, find some more examples.<br />
Comprehension<br />
A Answer each of the following questions in about 25 words.<br />
1. What is India’s policy about Space and Atomic energy development pro<br />
gramme ?<br />
2. Why was the development of 'Agni' treated as a technology<br />
Textbook<br />
demonstrator project ?<br />
3. How can you say that the families of the scientists were also associated<br />
with the mission ?<br />
4. How did the safety device stop the launch of 'Agni' on 20 April 1989 ?<br />
5. What do the following lines convey ?<br />
‘Your missile is in front of you. Infact you have lost nothing but a few<br />
weeks of rework.<br />
B. Answer each of the following questions in about 50 words.<br />
1. Why was it necessary to start missile development mission ?<br />
2. Discuss the importance of ‘Prithvi’ in making India self-reliant.<br />
3. What qualities of the team led the mission to success ?<br />
Grammar<br />
A. Study the following sentences.<br />
The Agni team was comprised of more than 500 scientists.<br />
Many organizations were networked to undertake this huge effort of<br />
launching Agni.<br />
61
62<br />
The SHAR radars were also commissioned to track the vehicle.<br />
Dynamic surveillance was employed to cover electrical power.<br />
Foreign pressure was exerted through diplomatic channels.<br />
The above sentences are in passive form of simple past.<br />
Now put the verbs in brackets into the passive form of simple past : The<br />
first one is done for you.<br />
1. Puru (defeat) by Alexander / Puru was depeated by Alexander.<br />
2. The map (consult) by the generals<br />
3. No clothing (wear) on the upper parts of their bodies<br />
4. The country (attack) and the soldiers (catch)<br />
5. The students and the countrymen (ask) to go to their respective places<br />
Speaking Activity<br />
A. Converse in pairs. One of you will ask the given questions and the other will<br />
answer them and vice-versa.<br />
Q. What’s this lesson about ?<br />
A. This lesson is about the launching of the missile ‘Agni’.<br />
Q. What was the bitter experience of 1962 ?<br />
A. _______________________________________________________<br />
_______________________________________________________.<br />
Textbook
Q. What did the development of ‘Prithvi’ represent ?<br />
A.<br />
Textbook<br />
_______________________________________________________.<br />
_______________________________________________________.<br />
Q. What strategy was adopted to create Agni ?<br />
A. _______________________________________________________<br />
_______________________________________________________.<br />
Q What were the key words behind the functioning of the mission ?<br />
A. _______________________________________________________<br />
_______________________________________________________.<br />
Q. How did Dr. APJ Abdul Kalam want to celebrate the success of Agni,<br />
the next day ?<br />
A. _______________________________________________________<br />
_______________________________________________________.<br />
B. Assuming yourself a scientist in the mission narrate the preparations of the<br />
launch of the missile in proper sequence .<br />
Writing Activity<br />
A. Plantation of one lac saplings was to maintain the ecological balance. Think<br />
and write some other such measures to maintain ecological balance.<br />
(50 words)<br />
B. Write your views on ‘Joy of work’. (150 words)<br />
63
Think it over<br />
A. Rocket can be used as a vehicle for carrying men and material to the space. It<br />
can carry weapons too. Can you think of some other peaceful applications of<br />
rockets?<br />
B. Hard work and dedication to duty is a key to success. Our scientists have<br />
achieved technological edge after years of saintly dedication. Think of their<br />
great achievements.<br />
Things to do<br />
64<br />
Indian scientists have developed different missiles which are either land<br />
to land or land to air or air to air or air to land. Explore your various<br />
resources to collect information about them and fill it in the grid.<br />
S.l. No. Name of missile Type of missile<br />
1.<br />
2.<br />
3.<br />
4.<br />
5.<br />
6.<br />
7.<br />
8.<br />
Textbook
Polonious. Yet here, Laertes! Aboard, aboard for shame !<br />
Textbook<br />
The wind sits in the shoulder of your sail,<br />
Polonious Advice<br />
And you are stay'd for. There - my blessing with thee !<br />
And these few precepts in the memory<br />
Look thou character. Give thy thoughts no tongue,<br />
Nor any unproportion'd thought his act.<br />
Be thou familiar, but by no means vulgar.<br />
The friends thou hast, and their adoption tried,<br />
Grapple them to thy soul with hoops of steel;<br />
But do not dull thy palm with entertainment<br />
Of each new-hatch'd unfledg'd courage. Beware<br />
Of entrance to a quarrel ; but, being in,<br />
Bear't that the opposed may beware of thee.<br />
Give every man thy ear, but few thy voice ;<br />
Take each man's censure, but reserve thy judgment.<br />
Costly thy habit as thy purse can buy,<br />
But not express'd in fancy ; rich, not gaudy ;<br />
For the apparel oft proclaims the man ;<br />
10<br />
65
Glossary<br />
66<br />
And they in France of the best rank and station<br />
Are of a most select and generous choice in that.<br />
Neither a borrower nor a lender be ;<br />
For loan oft loses both itself and friend,<br />
And borrowing dulls the edge of husbandry.<br />
This above all–to thine own self be true,<br />
And it must follow, as the night the day,<br />
Thou canst not then be false to any man.<br />
Farewell; my blessing season this in thee !<br />
precepts /'pri:septs/ rules of behaviour<br />
vulgar /'vVlgJ(r)/ not polite<br />
grapple /'gr&pl/ seize and hold<br />
unfledg'd /'Vn'fledZd/ untiring<br />
censure /'senSJ(r)/ opinion<br />
habit /'h&bIt/ clothes, dress<br />
fancy /'f&nsi/ fanciful<br />
gaudy /'gO:di/ worthless and showy<br />
husbandry /'hVzbJndri/ careful use of money<br />
- William Shakespeare<br />
Textbook
Vocabulary<br />
A. Match the following.<br />
Textbook<br />
Exercises<br />
beware credit<br />
generous rules of behaviour<br />
precepts careful<br />
loan showy<br />
gaudy willing to give freely<br />
B. Explain the meaning of the following words in the poem.<br />
oft, thee, thou, thy<br />
C. Pronounce the following words.<br />
here hear<br />
shame same<br />
sail sale<br />
steel still<br />
day they<br />
Comprehension<br />
A. Read the lines from 'Give thy thoughts ----- may beware of thee' and<br />
answer the following questions.<br />
1. What advice has been given about a friend ?<br />
2. What should the young men do before materialising the thoughts ?<br />
67
B. Read the poem from 'beware ------ generous choice in that' and answer<br />
the following questions.<br />
68<br />
1. What is the poet's advice about showing courage ?<br />
2. What is the poet's suggestion regarding listening and speaking ?<br />
3. How should one take judgement ?<br />
C. Read the last 8 lines and answer the following questions.<br />
1. What does the poet say about the dress ?<br />
2. Discuss the disadvantages of borrowing and lending.<br />
3. What has been said about night and day ?<br />
Speaking Activity<br />
A. Following are the two columns. In column 'A' we have what Polonious<br />
suggested to Laertes and in column 'B' the meanings of the suggestions<br />
which are not in order, you have to speak the original version loudly<br />
matching it with its proper meaning :<br />
A B<br />
The wind sits in the shoulder Don't be too vocal to disclose<br />
of your sail. your secrets.<br />
Give thy thoughts no tongue. Let familiarity not breed contempt.<br />
The friends thou hast and their Don't be extravagant.<br />
adoption tried, grapple them to<br />
thy soul with hoops of steel;<br />
Give every man thy ear, You have favourable environment.<br />
but few thy voice.<br />
Textbook
Textbook<br />
Costly thy habits as thy Money transaction affects<br />
purse can buy; friendship.<br />
l rich not gaudy; For the Test the men to whom you<br />
apparel oft proclaims the man; are going to keep friendship.<br />
Once they are tested keep them<br />
close to you for ever.<br />
Neither a borrower nor a Listen more speak less.<br />
lender be ;<br />
For loan oft<br />
looses both itself and friend,<br />
be thou familiar but by no Be properly dressed, a man is<br />
means vulgar. judged by his dress.<br />
Writing Activity<br />
A. Suppose your father had given you the similar piece of advice as given in the<br />
text. Convey it in the form of a letter to your friend. (50 words)<br />
B. Write a letter to your younger brother who is going abroad, suggesting him<br />
some precepts. (150 words)<br />
Think it over<br />
A. The elders advise youngsters so that they can minimize their mistakes. Think<br />
about the importance of their advice.<br />
B. One who learns from his own experiences is definitely prudent, but one who<br />
learns from others’ experiences is always wiser. How far do you agree ?<br />
69
Things to do<br />
70<br />
Make a list of advice you receive at home, in school and on the playground.<br />
S.l. No. Place Advice<br />
1. home _______________________<br />
_______________________<br />
_______________________<br />
2. school _______________________<br />
_______________________<br />
_______________________<br />
3. playground _______________________<br />
_______________________<br />
_______________________<br />
Textbook
Textbook<br />
11<br />
Grandpa fights an Ostrich<br />
Before my grandfather joined the Indian Railways, he worked for a few years<br />
on the East African Railways, and it was during that period that he had his now<br />
famous encounter with the ostrich. My childhood was frequently enlivened by this<br />
oft told tale of his, and I give it here in his own words–or as well as I can remember<br />
them !<br />
While engaged in the laying of a new railway line, I had a miraculous escape<br />
from an awful death. I lived in a small township, but my work lay some twelve<br />
miles away, and I had to go to the work-site and back on horseback.<br />
One day, my horse had a slight accident, so I decided to do the journey on<br />
foot, being a great walker in these days. I also knew of a short-cut through the<br />
hills that would save me about six miles.<br />
This short-cut went through an ostrich farm or ‘‘camp’’, as it was called.<br />
It was the breeding season. I was fairly familiar with the ways of ostriches, and<br />
knew that male birds were very aggressive in breeding season, ready to attack on<br />
the slightest provocation, but I also knew that my dog would scare away any bird<br />
that might try to attack me. Strange though it may seem even the biggest ostrich<br />
(and some of them grow to a height of nine feet) will run faster than a racehorse<br />
at the sight of even a small dog. So, I felt quite safe in the company of my dog,<br />
a mongrel who had adopted me some two months previously.<br />
On arrival at the ’’camp’’, I climbed through the wire fencing and, keeping<br />
a good look-out, dodged across the open spaces between the thorn bushes. Now<br />
and then I caught a glimpse of the birds feeding some distance away.<br />
71
I had gone about half a mile from the fencing when up started a hare. In an<br />
instant my dog gave chase. I tried calling him back even though I knew it was<br />
hopeless. Chasing hares was that dog's passion.<br />
I don't know whether it was the dog's bark or my own shouting, but what<br />
I was most anxious to avoid immediately happened. The ostriches were startled<br />
and began darting to and fro. Suddenly, I saw a big male bird emerge from a<br />
thicket about a hundred yards away. He stood still and stared at me for a few<br />
moments. I stared back. Then, expanding his short wings and with his tail erect,<br />
he came bounding towards me.<br />
As I had nothing, not even a stick, with which to defend myself, I turned<br />
and ran towards the fence. But it was an unequal race. What were my steps of two<br />
or three feet against the creature's great strides of sixteen to twenty feet ? There<br />
was only one hope : to get behind a large bush and try to elude the bird until help<br />
came. A dodging game was my only chance.<br />
And so, I rushed for the nearest clump of thorn bushes and waited for my<br />
pursuer. The great bird wasted no time-he was immediately upon me.<br />
Then the strangest encounter took place. I dodged this way and that, taking<br />
great care not to get directly in front of the ostrich's deadly kick. Ostriches kick<br />
forward, and with such terrific force that, if you were struck, their huge chisellike<br />
nails would cause you much damage.<br />
I was breathless, and really quite helpless, calling wildly for help as I<br />
circled the thorn bush. My strength was ebbing. How much longer could I keep<br />
going ? I was ready to drop from exhaustion.<br />
As if aware of my condition, the infuriated bird suddenly doubled back on<br />
his course and charged straight at me. With a desperate effort I managed to step<br />
to one side. I don't know how, but I found myself holding on to one of the<br />
creature's wings, quite close to its body.<br />
It was now the ostrich's turn to be frightened. He began to turn, or rather<br />
waltz, moving round and round so quickly that my feet were soon swinging out<br />
72<br />
Textbook
from his body, almost horizontally ! All the while the ostrich kept opening and<br />
shutting his beak with loud snaps.<br />
Imagine my situation as I clung desperately to the wing of the enraged bird.<br />
He was whirling me round and round as though he were a discus-thrower-and I<br />
the discus! My arms soon began to ache with the strain, and the swift and<br />
continuous circling was making me dizzy. But I knew that if I relaxed my hold,<br />
even for a second, a terrible fate awaited me.<br />
Round and round we went in a great circle. It seemed as if that spiteful bird<br />
would never tire. And, I knew I could not hold on much longer. Suddenly the<br />
ostrich went into reverse ! This unexpected move made me lose my hold and sent<br />
me sprawling to the ground. I landed in a heap near the thorn bush and in an<br />
instant, before I even had time to realise what had happened, the big bird was<br />
upon me. I thought the end had come. Instinctively I raised my hands to protect<br />
my face. But the ostrich did not strike.<br />
I moved my hands from my face and there stood the creature with one foot<br />
raised, ready to deliver a deadly kick ! I couldn't move. Was the bird going to play<br />
cat-and mouse with me, and prolong the agony ?<br />
As I watched, frightened and fascinated, the ostrich turned his head sharply<br />
to the left. A second later he jumped back turned, and made off as fast as he could<br />
go. Dazed, I wondered what had happened to make him beat so unexpected a<br />
retreat.<br />
I soon found out. To my great joy, I heard the bark of my truant dog, and<br />
the next moment he was jumping around me, licking my face and hands. Needless<br />
to say, I returned his caresses most affectionately ! And, I took good care to see<br />
that he did not leave my side until we were well clear of that ostrich ’’camp’’.<br />
Textbook<br />
- Ruskin Bond<br />
73
Glossary<br />
ostrich /'QstrItS/ a very large African bird with beautiful<br />
feathers, which runs very quickly but<br />
cannot fly<br />
encounter /In'kaUntJ(r)/ meet with, e.g. an enemy or a great<br />
difficulty<br />
enliven /In'laIvn/ bright and full of action<br />
miraculous /mI'r&kjJlJs/ a wonderful unexpected event<br />
mongrel /'mVNgrJl/ dog of mixed birth<br />
startled /'stA:tld/ surprised and frightened<br />
dart /dA:t/ run quickly<br />
thicket /'TIkIt/ place where there are many trees and<br />
bushes<br />
ebbing /ebiN/ become gradually lower and weaker<br />
exhaustion /Ig'zO;stSJn/ the state of being completely tired<br />
infuriated /In'fjUJrieItd/ to make (some one) extremely angry<br />
waltz /wO:ls/ dance made up of six steps, for two<br />
persons dancing together<br />
swing /swIN/ to (cause to) move backwards and<br />
forwards or round and round from a<br />
fixed point above<br />
discus /'dIskJs/ flat round object used for throwing<br />
spiteful /'spaItfl/ showing spite<br />
instinctively /In'stINktIvli/ natural ability<br />
wonder /'wVndJ(r)/ surprise and admiration<br />
retreat /rI'tri:t/ act of going back e.g. from an enemy<br />
truant /'tru:Jnt/ purposely staying away without<br />
permission<br />
74<br />
Textbook
Vacabulary<br />
Textbook<br />
Exercises<br />
A. Refer to the dictionary and find out the meanings of the following. Use them<br />
in sentences. You can use the sentences given in the dictionary as models.<br />
strange, instant, passion, emerge, unequal, strides, elude, dodging, terrific,<br />
desperate<br />
B. Use the following expressions in your own words.<br />
needless to say .........................................<br />
strange though it may seem ....................<br />
a glimpse of .............................................<br />
in an instant .............................................<br />
suddenly ................................................<br />
C. Pick out from this lesson some words that suggest.<br />
1. movement<br />
2. surprise<br />
3. anger<br />
D. Choose the correct word and fill in the blanks.<br />
1. I was ------------- by the maddening behaviour of the clerk at the post<br />
office. (infuriated, delighted, admired)<br />
2. She's made a ------------ recovery. (strange, miraculous, shocking)<br />
3. I had to go to the ------------. (work-site, work-sight, work-cite)<br />
4. The dog was jumping around me, ------my face and hands. (licking, liking,<br />
leaking)<br />
5. My horse had a ---------------- accident. (feeble, small, slight)<br />
75
Comprehension<br />
A. Answer each of the following questions in about 25 words.<br />
76<br />
1. Why did Grandpa decide to go through the ostrich camp ?<br />
2. Why did he feel quite safe in such a dangerous situation ?<br />
3. What was the only chance to keep him safe during the chase ?<br />
4. Why was the huge bird frightened ?<br />
5. Describe the unexpected withdrawl of the ostrich.<br />
B. Answer each of the following questions in about 50 words.<br />
1. Why did Grandpa dare to cross the ostrich farm ?<br />
2. Describe the nature and behaviour of ostriches as known to Grandpa.<br />
3. There was an unequal race between Grandpa and the ostrich. Describe<br />
it.<br />
4. What traits of character do you notice in Grandpa ?<br />
Grammar<br />
A. Study these sentences.<br />
Now and then I caught a glimpse of birds.<br />
He began to turn or rather waltz.<br />
All the while the ostrich kept opening and shutting his beak with loud<br />
snaps.<br />
I don't know whether it was the dog's bark or my own shouting but what<br />
I was most anxious to avoid immediately happened.<br />
The underlined words are connectors. In the first sentence 'and' connects<br />
words, in the second sentence 'or' connects phrases in the third sentence<br />
'and' connects clauses and in the fourth sentence 'or' connects phrases, 'but'<br />
and ‘whether’ connects clauses.<br />
Textbook
B. Fill in the blanks with appropriate connetors given in brackets.<br />
1. He roamed the whole world over to find a real princess________ there<br />
was always something wrong. (and, but)<br />
2. He may offer either Mathematics ________Physics. (nor, or)<br />
3. The frock was splashed ________so were Akoulya's eyes ________<br />
nose. (nor, and, but, or )<br />
4. Some patients had died ________the doctor arrived. (before, after)<br />
5. Their game plan was almost final ________ they were beginning to play<br />
well as a team. (but, and)<br />
Speaking Activity<br />
A. Discuss with your friends in the class and find out main characteristics of<br />
ostriches.<br />
Writing Activity<br />
A. How will you save yourself if you are chased by a dog ? (50 words)<br />
B. Make an entry in your diary of the day when you missed your school bus.<br />
(150 words)<br />
Think it over<br />
A. An ostrich is a large bird. There is a proverb on the habit of this bird. Why<br />
shouldn't we adopt 'ostrich policy'? Think.<br />
B. When a person encounters a dangerous situation, he prepares himself to face<br />
it. Experience helps him ? How?<br />
Textbook<br />
77
Things to do<br />
78<br />
We read about 'disaster management.' Collect information about the situation<br />
described below :<br />
Disaster What should be done<br />
1. Fire breaks out in the school.<br />
2. There is an earthquake, the students<br />
are in the classes.<br />
3. There is a bus accident.<br />
4. A building collapses in your<br />
neighbourhood.<br />
Textbook
Textbook<br />
The Poet and the Pauper<br />
[Enter Kunjabihari Babu, the celebrated poet, and Bashambad Babu.]<br />
Kunja : What brings you here, my good man ?<br />
Bashambad : Sir, I a'm starving. You'd talked about a job...<br />
Kunja : (interrupting hurriedly) A job ? Work ? Who thinks of work<br />
in this sweet autumn weather ?<br />
Bashambad : No one does so of choice, sir it's this hunger that —<br />
12<br />
Kunja : Hunger? Fie, fie, what a mean, paltry word! Pray do not<br />
repeat it before me!<br />
Bashambad : Very good sir, I won't. But I can't help thinking about it all<br />
the time.<br />
Kunja : Really, Bashambad Babu! All the time ? Even on a serene<br />
tranquil, beautiful evening such as this ?<br />
Bashambad : Yes indeed. I'm thinking even more about it now than I usually<br />
do. I had a little rice at half past ten before I set out job<br />
hunting, and I haven't had a bite since then.<br />
Kunja : Does it matter ? Must you can (Bashambad scratches his head<br />
in silence.) Doesn't one wish, sitting in this autumn moonlight,<br />
that a man might live without gorging himself like a beast ?<br />
That these moonbeams, the nectar of flowers and the spring<br />
breeze might suffice for all his needs ?<br />
Bashambad : (terrified, softly) Sir, that would hardly suffice to hold body<br />
79
80<br />
and soul together–one needs something more substantial to<br />
eat.<br />
Kunja : (heatedly) Then go away and eat! Go stuff yourself with<br />
gobbets of rice and dal and curry! This is no place for you–<br />
you're trespassing.<br />
Bashambad : I'll go at once, sir. Just tell me where I might find that rice and<br />
dal and curry! (Seeing that Kunja Babu looks very angry) No,<br />
Kunja Babu, you're quite right: the breeze from your garden<br />
is enough to fill one's belly, one doesn't really need anything<br />
else.<br />
Kunja : I'm glad to hear you say so–spoken like a man! Well, let's go<br />
outside then. Why stay indoors when there's such a lovely<br />
garden to walk in ?<br />
Bashambad : Yes, let's. (Softly, to himself) There's a chill in the air, and I<br />
don't even have a wrap...<br />
Kunja : Wonderful ! How charming autumn is!<br />
Bashambad : That's right–but a little cold, don't you think?<br />
Kunja : (Wrapping his shawl closely around himself) Cold? Not at<br />
all.<br />
Bashambad : No, no, not at all! (His teeth chatter)<br />
Kunja : (looking up at the sky) What a sight to gladden the eye! Fleecy<br />
puffs of cold sailing like proud swans in the azure lake, and<br />
amidst them the moon like –<br />
Bashambad : (has a violent fit of coughing) Ahem, ahem, ahem!<br />
Kunja : .... the moon, like –<br />
Bashambad : Cough, cough–ahem!<br />
Textbook
Kunja : (nudging him roughly) Do you hear me, Bashambad Babu ?<br />
The moon, like –<br />
Bashambad : Wait a minute – ah, ah, ahem, cough, cough !<br />
Kunja : (losing his temper) What sort of philistine are you, sir ? If<br />
you must go on wheezing like this, you should wrap yourself<br />
in a blanket and huddle in a corner of your room. In such a<br />
garden...<br />
Bashambad : (frightened, desperately suppressing another cough) But I<br />
have nothing -(aside) neither a blanket nor a wrap !<br />
Kunja : This delightful ambience reminds me of a song. Let me sing<br />
it.<br />
Textbook<br />
This bea-oo-tiful gro-o-ve, these bloo-oo ming trees,<br />
The winsome bakul –<br />
Bashambad : (sneezes thunderously) Ah - h - choo !<br />
Kunja : The winsome bakul –<br />
Bashambad : Ahchoo ! Ahchoo!<br />
Kunja : D' you hear ? The winsome bakul –<br />
Bashambad : Ahchoo! Ahchoo!<br />
Kunja : Get out. Get out of my garden!<br />
Bashambad : Just a minute–ahchoo!<br />
Kunja : Get out at once, you....<br />
Bashambad : I'm going, I'm going as I don't want to stay here a moment<br />
longer. If I don't leave at once my life will take leave of me<br />
ahchoo! The liquid sweetness of autumn is overflowing<br />
through my nose and eyes – I'll sneeze my life out in a<br />
81
Servant : Dinner is served.<br />
82<br />
moment-ahchoo! ahchoo! Cough, cough, cough.... But Kunja<br />
Babu, about that job-ahchoo! (Exit)<br />
[Kunja Babu draws his shawl closer and gazes silently at the<br />
moon. Enter Servant.]<br />
Kunja : Why so late ? Does it take two hours to get the food ready?<br />
(Hurries out)<br />
Glossary<br />
(Curtain)<br />
celebrated /'selIbreItId/ famous<br />
starving /stA;ving/ be without food<br />
fie /faI/ shame<br />
paltry /'pO;ltri/ worthless<br />
serene /sJ'ri;n/ calm and peaceful<br />
tranquil /'tr&NkwIl/ calm<br />
- Rabindranath Tagore<br />
gorging /gO;dZiN/ eat too quickly and more than is<br />
necessary<br />
substantial /sJb'st&nSl/ solid, real<br />
gobbets /'gQbIts/ lumps<br />
trespassing /'trespJsing/ go unlawfully on to another's land<br />
belly /'beli/ stomach<br />
chatter /'tS&tJ(r)/ make a noise with the teeth when<br />
cold<br />
golden /'gJUldJn/ to make glad or happy<br />
Textbook
fleecy /'fli;si/ woolly like a fleece<br />
azure /'&ZJ(r)/ bright blue colour<br />
philistine /'fIlIstaIn/ one who does not understand and<br />
actively dislikes art, literature music<br />
wheezing /wi;zing/ rough whistling sound<br />
frightened /'fraItnd/ afraid<br />
desperately /'despJrJtli/ ready for any wild act because of<br />
loss of hope<br />
ambience /'&mbiJns/ atmosphere<br />
gazes /geIziz/ looks steadily for a long time<br />
Vocabulary<br />
Textbook<br />
Exercises<br />
A. What is meant by the following expressions ?<br />
fie, not at all, sir, wonderful, that's right, aside, bea -oo-tiful, ah - h - choo<br />
B. Use the following words in your own sentences :<br />
job, work, trade, employment, profession<br />
C. ‘Sweet’ and ‘charming’ adjectives are being used for ‘autumn,’ what other<br />
adjectives can be used for ‘autumn’.<br />
D. Before the word 'evening' serene, tranquil and beautiful these adjectives have<br />
been used. Write other appropriate adjectives.<br />
E. Match the words given under A with the meanings given under B, list B<br />
has some extra items.<br />
A B<br />
gaze feeling which one has when in danger<br />
stare a person or things that looks silly or unattractive<br />
gape something which causes long lasting fear<br />
afraid look steadily at with wide open eyes<br />
83
84<br />
fear look at, usually for a longtime with wonder or<br />
desire<br />
fright an attitude or opinion<br />
look at in a foolish way without understanding<br />
F. Identify the theme of the lesson and list some more vocabulary items pertaining<br />
to the theme.<br />
G. Listen and repeat : really, haven't, belly, azure, minute, moment, hours,<br />
ours, sneeze<br />
Comprehension<br />
A. Answer each of the following questions in about 25 words.<br />
1. Compare the needs of the poet and the pauper.<br />
2. Why did Bashambad need a job ?<br />
3. Why does Bashambad say that breeze was enough to satisfy one's belly<br />
and nothing else was needed.<br />
4. What class of people do Kunja Babu and Bashambad represent ?<br />
B. Answer each of the following questions in about 50 words :<br />
1. "Why so late ? Does it take too hours to get the food ready" ? Characterise<br />
Kunja Babu in the light of his above statement.<br />
2. Describe in brief the condition of the pauper.<br />
Grammar<br />
A. Study these sentences occurring in a dialogue.<br />
Kunja : This is no place for you–you are trespassing.<br />
Bashambad : I'll go at once.<br />
Kunja : I'm glad to hear you say so.<br />
Textbook
Textbook<br />
Bashambad : There's a chill in the air.<br />
The above are the speakers' exact words : Direct speech is found in conversations<br />
in books, in plays, and quotations. In indirect speech we give the exact<br />
meaning of a remark or speech, without necessarily using the speakers' words.<br />
Examples : Thus we can write the aforesaid dialogue.<br />
Kunja said that was no place for him. He was trespassing.<br />
Bashambad said that he would go at once.<br />
Kunja said that he was glad to hear him say so.<br />
Bashambad said that there was a chill in the air.<br />
Put the following statements into indirect speech.<br />
1. Bashambad : I'm thinking even more about it now than I usually do. I<br />
had a little rice at half-past ten before I set out job hunting, and I haven't<br />
had a bite since then.<br />
2. Kunja : If you must go on wheezing like this, you should wrap yourself<br />
in a blanket and huddle in a corner of your room.<br />
Speaking Activity<br />
A. You have gone through the one-act-play. Now, sit in pairs and deliver<br />
the following dialogues with proper intonation.<br />
Kunjabihari : What brings you here, my good man ?<br />
Bashambad : Sir, I'm starving. You'd talked about a job ---<br />
Kunjabihari : A job ! work ! Who thinks of work in this<br />
sweet autumn weather?<br />
Bashambad : No one does so of choice, sir, it's this hunger<br />
that ----<br />
85
86<br />
Kunjabihari : Hunger ? Fie, fie, what a mean, paltry word !<br />
Pray, do not repeat it before me !<br />
B. What is the message conveyed to us by the one-act-play ? You start like this:<br />
In my opinion the play conveys a very important message ----<br />
Writing Activity<br />
A. Suppose you are Bashambad Babu, who has always been subdued, express<br />
how you feel at last.<br />
(50 words)<br />
B. Discuss how the differences in stature of the poet and the poor man are<br />
depicted. Whom do you admire more and why ?<br />
Think it over<br />
(150 words)<br />
A. If a man is hungry his mind will be preoccupied with the thought of food. It<br />
would be difficult for him to talk about poetic expressions. But often poets<br />
and writers had gone through these unfulfilled basic demands and created<br />
masterpieces. How ?<br />
B. Humour is the brighter part of life. Finding humour in day to day life generates<br />
optimistic view. Do you feel so ?<br />
Things to do<br />
Stage the one act play.<br />
Take help of your teacher and your friends.<br />
Textbook
Textbook<br />
Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening<br />
Whose woods these are I think I know.<br />
His house is in the village though ;<br />
He will not see me stopping here<br />
To watch his woods fill up with snow.<br />
He gives his harness bells a shake<br />
To ask if there is some mistake.<br />
The only other sound's the sweep<br />
Of easy wind and downy flake.<br />
My little horse must think it queer<br />
To stop without a farmhouse near<br />
Between the woods and frozen lake<br />
The darkest evening of the year.<br />
The woods are lovely, dark and deep.<br />
But I have promises to keep,<br />
And miles to go before I sleep,<br />
And miles to go before I sleep.<br />
13<br />
- Robert Frost<br />
87
Glossary<br />
woods /wUdz/ a place where trees grow thickly,<br />
smaller than a forest<br />
queer /kwIJ(r)/ strange<br />
frozen /'frJUzn/ covered with ice<br />
harness /'hA:nIs/ an apparatus for controlling a horse<br />
sweep /swi:p/ to remove or move with a brushing<br />
or swinging movement<br />
flake /fleIk/ a light leaf like little bit (of<br />
something soft)<br />
Vocabulary<br />
88<br />
Exercises<br />
A. Distinguish between the following words given in pair.<br />
1) house and home<br />
2) woods and forests<br />
3) snow and ice<br />
4) watch and see<br />
5) say and ask<br />
B. Add two more opposites to the given list.<br />
1) known : strange, alien, unknown, ________,______<br />
2) village : city, town, ________,______<br />
Textbook
3) easy : difficult, complex, hard, ________,______<br />
4) dark : light, pale, bright, ________,______<br />
5) deep : shallow, thin, ________,______<br />
C. Write some more synonyms for each of the following words.<br />
1) sleep - slumber, ______, ______, ______, ______<br />
2) house - abode, ______, ______, ______, ______<br />
3) ask - demand, ______, ______, ______, ______<br />
4) mistake - error, ______, ______, ______, ______<br />
5) lovely - appealing, ______, ______, ______, ______<br />
D. Say the following sentences and notice the difference in the pronunciation<br />
of the words ‘and’ and ‘but’.<br />
1) I need some bread and butter.<br />
2) And miles to go before I sleep.<br />
3) But I have promises to keep.<br />
4) But she is at home.<br />
5) They are poor but proud.<br />
E. Say the following words and notice the difference in the vowel sounds :<br />
wood - food<br />
full - fool<br />
Textbook<br />
89
90<br />
this - these<br />
is - ease<br />
dip - deep<br />
slip - sleep<br />
will - well<br />
bill - bell<br />
dark - dock<br />
farm - form<br />
Comprehension<br />
A. Read the first two stanzas of the poem and answer the following<br />
questions.<br />
1. Who do you think is the real owner of the woods ?<br />
2. Find out the lines that convey the following meaning :<br />
The poet stopped there to enjoy the beauty of the woods covered with<br />
snow.<br />
3. What is strange about the poet's stopping by woods ?<br />
B. Read the third and fourth stanzas and answer the following questions.<br />
1. Why does the horse give his harness bells a shake ?<br />
2. Why does the horse think it to be a mistake ?<br />
3. What other sounds are heard by the poet ?<br />
4. What do you understand by 'downy flake' ?<br />
Textbook
5. Why does the poet think of the 'promises to keep' ?<br />
6. What message do the last two lines of the poem convey ?<br />
Speaking Activity<br />
A. Practise the following rhyming words.<br />
know here lake sweep<br />
though queer shake deep<br />
B. The poet says about the woods :<br />
The woods are lovely, dark and deep.<br />
Now, use the words given in brackets and say about the following :<br />
(beautiful, green, sandy, spacious, shallow, high, steep, full of water, airy)<br />
The hills are _________, _________ and ______________.<br />
The rivers are _________, _________and ______________.<br />
The house is_________, _________ and ______________.<br />
Writing Activity<br />
A. Have you ever been enchanted with a beautiful scene. Describe the scene and<br />
your feelings. (50 words)<br />
B. Compare the life in a city with the life in a village. (150 words)<br />
Textbook<br />
91
Think it over<br />
A. 'Wood' is a place where nature is in its most beautiful form. The sounds that<br />
we hear in the woods have a musical effect.<br />
B. What different sounds do we hear in a wood in different seasons ?<br />
C. A frozen lake is like a playground. What games can be played there ?<br />
Things to do<br />
92<br />
Collect wild flowers growing in your surroundings. Dry them with the help<br />
of a blotting paper and stick them in your project book. Write a few lines<br />
about the activity you have done.<br />
Textbook
Textbook<br />
Old Blockhead repairs his House<br />
In a little village, there lived a man and his wife. The man was called Old<br />
Blockhead, and his wife was called Ma Blockhead.<br />
They lived happily in a little wooden house far away from other people.<br />
The roof of their house was full of holes and the walls were rotten. Ma Blockhead<br />
planned to repair the house.<br />
One day, Ma Blockhead said to Old Blockhead, ‘‘Let us repair this house.<br />
Look at the roof. It leaks. And the walls they've got holes in them.’’<br />
‘‘A good idea,’’ said Old Blockhead readily.<br />
‘‘My dear husband,’’ said Ma Blockhead sweetly, ‘‘I think you should<br />
repair this house.’’<br />
‘‘Me ? Did you say .. me ?’’ asked Old Blockhead. He was shocked.<br />
Old Blockhead did not want to repair the house, so he made all kinds of<br />
excuses. First he told Ma Blockhead that he had a lot of work to do. Then he<br />
told her that he was tired. And finally he told her he was sick.<br />
it.’’<br />
14<br />
Ma Blockhead replied, ‘‘This is our house, isn't it ? Then we should repair<br />
‘‘Actually,’’ said Old Blockhead, ‘‘I don't want to do it. And I don't know<br />
how to do it.’’<br />
Ma Blockhead shook her head. She thought, ‘‘How can I persuade Old<br />
Blockhead to repair the house ? If he does, we can save some money.’’<br />
93
Suddenly, she had an idea. She dug a winding road which started from their<br />
garden and, passing through bushes and undergrowth, led back to their garden.<br />
A few days later, Ma Blockhead said to Old Blockhead, ‘‘My dear husband,<br />
we have very little food left. I think it will be a good idea if you go out and look<br />
for work. If you work, we shall have money. When we have money, we can buy<br />
the things we need.’’<br />
Old Blockhead asked Ma Blockhead if she knew where he could get a job.<br />
She replied, ‘‘I've heard that the owner of the house at the end of this road is<br />
looking for someone to work there. Why don't you try there ? If you are lucky,<br />
you might get the job.’’<br />
Old Blockhead then set out to look for the house at the end of the road. He<br />
followed the winding path through the bushes and undergrowth. After walking<br />
for some time, he finally reached the end of the road. Old Blockhead saw a little<br />
wooden house.<br />
94<br />
‘‘Is anybody home ?’’ he asked.<br />
A woman came out.<br />
‘‘Yes. What is it you want ?’’<br />
Old Blockhead could not believe his eyes. He thought to himself. ‘‘This<br />
woman looks a lot like my wife. Even the house looks like my house. Ah, no,’’<br />
he told himself, ‘‘I must be mistaken.’’<br />
The woman asked him what he wanted. Old Blockhead told her that he was<br />
looking for a job. The woman asked Old Blockhead to repair her house. ‘‘The<br />
roof must be replaced.’’ she said. ‘‘The walls too. All the materials will be<br />
provided by the owner of the house. You will be the carpenter.’’<br />
Old Blockhead agreed to work at the house that looked exactly like his.<br />
The next day, he started repairing the house. He pulled down the rotten walls.<br />
He also brought down the leaky roof. Both the roof and the walls were to be<br />
replaced. While he worked, Old Blockhead was well looked after. His food and<br />
Textbook
drink were taken care of by the woman who looked like his wife. In the evening,<br />
Old Blockhead went home. This happened everyday. At the end of the week,<br />
Old Blockhead had finished his work. He had repaired the woman's house who<br />
lived at the end of the road. He had replaced the old roof, and had replaced the<br />
rotten walls. The woman paid him well for the job.<br />
Old Blockhead then went home with the money. He was very happy. He<br />
sang softly as he walked along the winding road through the bushes and undergrowth.<br />
He stopped short when he reached his house.<br />
her.<br />
‘‘Ma ! Ma !’’ he shouted as loudly as he could.<br />
Ma Blockhead came out, beaming. She took the money her husband gave<br />
‘‘Thank you, my dear husband. Now we can buy lots of delicious food,’’<br />
she said happily.<br />
But Old Blockhead was still bewildered. He stared at his house without<br />
blinking.<br />
‘‘Our house has been repaired, Ma ?’’ asked Old Blockhead, surprised.<br />
‘‘Oh yes,’’ replied Ma Blockhead smiling.<br />
Old Blockhead asked again, ‘‘Who did it ?’’<br />
‘‘Oh ,..... Let's see... His name is Old Blockhead,’’ replied his wife, shaking<br />
with laughter.<br />
‘‘No, no. That cannot be true. I repaired the house at the end of this road,’’<br />
said Old Blockhead.<br />
Ma Blockhead told him the real story.<br />
‘‘So, all this while, I was repairing my own house !’’ exclaimed Old Blockhead,<br />
scratching his head.<br />
Textbook<br />
(a folk tale of Malaysia)<br />
95
Glossary<br />
persuade /pJ'sweId/ to make someone willing to do<br />
something<br />
undergrowth /'VndJgrJUT/ bushes small trees and other plants<br />
growing around and under trees<br />
set out /set aUt/ start on a journey<br />
mistaken /mI'steIkJn/ wrong<br />
winding /'waIndIN/ having a twisting turning shape<br />
blinking /'blINkIN/ open and close the eyes quickly<br />
scratching /skr&tSiN/ an act of rubbing a part of the body<br />
with your nails<br />
blockhead /'blQkhed/ a very stupid person<br />
Vocabulary<br />
96<br />
Exercises<br />
A. Use the following in your sentences :<br />
far away, let, suddenly, a few, looking for set out, a lot, pull down, look after,<br />
take care of, at the end<br />
B. Give the meanings of :<br />
look, look into, look ahead, look at, look down, look for, look in, look<br />
upon, look up, look here<br />
C. Match the words given under 'A' with their meanings given under 'B'.<br />
A B<br />
owner suffering from decay<br />
mistaken smile radiantly<br />
rotten one who owns something<br />
Textbook
Textbook<br />
beaming very pleasant to the taste<br />
delicious wrong in one's opinion or judgement<br />
D. Write different meanings of the following words and use them in your<br />
own sentences.<br />
call, idea, save, like, short<br />
E. What is common in the pronunciation of the following words :<br />
man, back, sad, have, thank<br />
Comprehension<br />
A. Answer each of the following questions in about 25 words.<br />
1. Describe the condition of the house as narrated by Ma Blockhead.<br />
2. Why was the repair of the house urgent ?<br />
3. Why did Ma Blockhead dig the road ?<br />
4. After walking the dug road, where did old Blockhead reach ?<br />
B. Answer each of the following questions in about 50 words.<br />
1. How was old Blockhead persuaded to work ?<br />
2. What excuses did old Blockhead make ?<br />
3. Describe the reaction of old Blockhead when he came to know that he<br />
had repaired his own house.<br />
Grammar<br />
A. Read the following extracts of conversation :<br />
‘‘My dear husband’’ said Ma Blockhead sweetly, ‘‘I think you should<br />
repair this house.’’<br />
‘‘Me ? Did you say --- me ? ’’ asked old Blockhead.<br />
97
98<br />
‘‘Actually’’ said old Blockhead, ‘‘I don't want to do it. And I don't<br />
know how to do it.’’<br />
The above sentences are in Direct Speach.<br />
We can give the exact meaning without using the speaker's words.<br />
Ma Blockhead told her husband politely that she thought he should repair<br />
that house.<br />
Old Blockhead asked if she had said ..... him.<br />
Old Blockhead said that actually he did not want to do that. And he did<br />
not know how to do that<br />
The above sentences are in Indirect Speech.<br />
Now, convert the following into indirect speech :<br />
1. Ma Blockhead replied, ‘‘This is our house, isn't it ? Then we should repair<br />
it.’’<br />
2. A few days later, Ma Blockhead said to old Blockhead, ‘‘My dear husband,<br />
we had very little food left. I think it will be a good idea if you go out and<br />
look for work. If you work, we shall have money. When we have money, we<br />
can buy the things we need .’’<br />
Old Blockhead asked Ma Blockhead if she knew where he could get a job.<br />
She replied, ‘‘ I've heard that the owner of the house at the end of this road is<br />
looking for someone to work there. Why don't you try there ? If you are<br />
lucky, you might get the job.’’<br />
Speaking Activity<br />
A. Following are the events from the story. Discuss the order of the events<br />
among yourselves, rearrange them and narrate it :<br />
Old Blockhead had finished his work.<br />
Textbook
Textbook<br />
She dug a winding road.<br />
No, no I repaired the house at the end of this road.<br />
The roof of their house is at the end of this road.<br />
Old Blockhead agreed to work at the house.<br />
She took the money from her husband.<br />
If you are lucky, you might get the job.<br />
This is our house, isn't it ? Then we should repair it.<br />
Writing Activity<br />
A. How can an idle person be motivated to work hard? Elaborate. (50 words)<br />
B. ‘A stitch in time saves nine’ justify the statement. (150 words)<br />
Think it over<br />
A. A man, who is in the habit of postponing his work, is not liked by people.<br />
Why ?<br />
B. Ma Blockhead managed to draw the best out of Old Blockhead. Putting such<br />
people into work is a witty idea. Think of some other ideas like this.<br />
Things to do<br />
Arrange your study room systematically everyday.<br />
99
100<br />
15<br />
How it all began<br />
MANY YEARS ago when I was a young man, I happened to spend a<br />
summer with my friends, the Wints, in Oxford. Guy Wint was on the staff of<br />
The Observer and was away in London most of the day. His wife, Freda, had<br />
converted to Buddhism and was also out most of the time meeting fellow<br />
Buddhists. Their son, Ben, was at a boarding school. For company, I had the<br />
Wints' three-year-old daughter, Allegra. In the mornings I worked in my room.<br />
When Allegra returned from her nursery school, I gave her a sandwich and a<br />
glass of milk before we went out for a walk. Since she knew the neighbourhood,<br />
she led the way along paths running through woods of oak, beech and rhododendron<br />
to the University cricket grounds. I would watch the game for a while<br />
– the nawab of Pataudi often played there–buy her an ice-cream and then follow<br />
her back homewards.<br />
Allegra, or Leggie as we called her, was a great chatterbox as well as an<br />
avid collector of wild flowers. Our return journey always took much longer as<br />
I had to pick whatever flower she wanted. She would point in some direction<br />
and order: ‘I want those snow-drops behind that bush.’ Or shout, ‘Goody ! I<br />
want them bluebells ! I want lots of them for Mummy !’ Then there were<br />
periwinkles and lilies-of-the-valley, and many others. By the time we had our<br />
hands full of flowers, Leggie was too tired to leg it home. I had to go down on<br />
my knees for her to climb up on my shoulders. She had her legs round my neck<br />
and her chin resting on my head. A game she enjoyed was to stick flowers in<br />
my turban and beard. By the time we got home, I looked like a wild man of the<br />
woods. It was from little Allegra Wint that I learnt the names of many English<br />
wild flowers.<br />
Textbook
On weekends when the Wint family was at home we spent most of the day<br />
sunning ourselves in the garden. Since the Wints had a few cherry and apple<br />
trees, there were lots of birds in their garden. The dawn chorus was opened by<br />
thrushes and blackbirds. They sang through the day till late into the twilight.<br />
Both birds sounded exactly alike to me. Freda would quote Robert Browning to<br />
explain the difference:<br />
That's the wise thrush; he sings each song twice over,<br />
Lest you should think he never could recapture<br />
The first fine careless rapture.<br />
The wise thrushes of Oxford had not read Browning and rarely repeated<br />
their notes. Or perhaps the blackbirds deliberately went over theirs again to<br />
confuse people like me. Then there were chaffinches, buntings, white throats,<br />
and many other varieties of birds whose songs became familiar to me. That<br />
summer, I heard nightingales on the Italian lakes and in the forest of<br />
Fontainebleau. (Contrary to the popular notion, nightingales sing at all hours of<br />
the day and night).<br />
Back home in Delhi I felt as if I was on alien territory as far as the fauna<br />
and the flora were concerned. Before I had gone abroad, I had taken no interest<br />
in nature. When I returned I felt acutely conscious of this lacuna in my information<br />
as I could not identify more than a couple of dozen birds or trees.<br />
Getting to know about them was tedious but immensely rewarding. I acquired<br />
books on trees, birds and insects and spent my spare time identifying those I did<br />
not know. I sought the company of bird-watchers and horticulturists. Gradually<br />
my fund of information increased and I dared to give talks on Delhi's natural<br />
phenomena on All India Radio and Doordarshan.<br />
For the last many years I have maintained a record of the natural phenomena<br />
I encounter every day. However, my nature watching is done in a very<br />
restricted landscape, most of it in my private back garden. It is a small rectangular<br />
plot of green enclosed on two adjacent sides by a barbed wire fence<br />
Textbook<br />
101
covered over by bougainvillaea creepers of different hues. The other two sides<br />
are formed by my neighbour's and my own apartments. He has fenced himself<br />
off by a wall of hibiscus; I have four ten-year-old avocado trees (perhaps the<br />
only ones in Delhi) which between them yield no more than a dozen pears every<br />
monsoon season; and a tall eucalyptus smothered by a purple bougainvillaea.<br />
There is a small patch of grass with some limes, oranges, grapefruits and a<br />
pomegranate. I do not grow many flowers; a bush of gardenia, a couple of<br />
jasmines and a queen of the night (raat ki rani). Since my wife has strictly<br />
utilitarian views on gardening, most of what we have is reserved for growing<br />
vegetables. At the further end of this little garden. I have placed a bird-bath<br />
which is shared by sparrows, crows, mynahs, kites, pigeons, babblers and a<br />
dozen stray cats which have made my home theirs. Facing my apartment on the<br />
front side is a squarish lawn shared by other residents of Sujan Singh Park. It<br />
has several large trees of the ficus family, a young choryzzia and an old mulberry.<br />
I have a view of this lawn from my sitting-room window framed by a<br />
madhumalati creeper and a hedge of hibiscus. What perhaps acounts for the<br />
profusion of bird life in our locality are several nurseries in the vicinity, the<br />
foliage of many old papari (Pongamia glabra) trees and bushes of cannabis<br />
sativa (bhang) which grow wild. I have not kept a count of the variety of birds<br />
that frequent my garden but there is never a time when there are none. Also,<br />
there are lots of butterflies, beetles, wasps, ants, bees and bugs of different<br />
kinds.<br />
There was a time when I spent Sunday mornings in winter in the countryside<br />
armed with a pair of binoculars and Salim Ali's or Whistler's books on<br />
Indian birds. My favourite haunts were the banks of the Jamuna behind Tilpat<br />
village ; Surajkund, the dam which supplies water to its pool; and the ruins of<br />
Tughlaqabad Fort with its troops of rhesus monkeys. I still manage to visit these<br />
places at least once a year to renew acquaintance with water fowl, skylarks,<br />
weaver birds and a variety of wild plants like akk, dehla, vasicka, mesquite,<br />
Mexican poppy and lantana which grow in profusion all round Delhi.<br />
102<br />
- Khushwant Singh<br />
Textbook
Glossary<br />
rhododendron /%rJUdJ'dendrJn/ a large bush which has large bright<br />
flowers and which keeps its<br />
leaves in winter<br />
chatterbox /'tS&tJbQks/ a person who talks a lot<br />
avid /'&vId/ extremely eager, keen<br />
rapture /'r&ptSJ(r)/ great joy and delight<br />
alien /'eIliJn/ foreign<br />
fauna and flora /'fO:nJ Jnd 'flO:rJ/ animals and plants<br />
lacuna /lJ'kju:nJ/ gap<br />
tedious /'ti:diJs/ long and unintersting<br />
horticulturists /'hO:tIkVltSJrist/ one who practises science of<br />
growing fruit, flowers and<br />
vegetables<br />
phenomena /fi'nQmInA/ unusual and/or at scientific interest<br />
landscape /'l&ndskeIp/ beautiful natural scene<br />
hibiscus /hI'bIskJs/ a tropical plant with large bright<br />
flowers<br />
avocado /%&vJ'kA:dJU/ a green or purple tropical fruit with<br />
a large stone and smooth oily flesh<br />
smothered /'smVDJrd/ covered heavily<br />
nurseries /'n3:sJriz/ where plants and trees are grown to<br />
be sold or planted in other places<br />
vicinity /vJ'sInJti/ neighbourhood<br />
foliage /'fJUlidZ/ the leaves of a plant or plants<br />
countryside /'kVntrisaId/ land outside the cities and towns<br />
used for farming or left unused<br />
Textbook<br />
103
skylark /'skaIlA:k/ a small bird (lark) that sings while<br />
flying upwards<br />
weaver bird /'wi:vJ(r) b3:d/ tropical bird that makes its nest by<br />
tightly weaving together leaves,<br />
gross, twigs, etc.<br />
Vocabulary<br />
104<br />
Exercises<br />
A. What are the different meanings of the following words.<br />
nursery, glass, cricket, watch, collector, interest, couple, record, encounter,<br />
country, bank<br />
B. Use the following expressions in your own words.<br />
large as life, at large, by and large<br />
C. Pronounce the following words given in pair and write their meanings<br />
also, You can consult a dictionary.<br />
place - palace<br />
lake - lack<br />
none - nun<br />
years - ears<br />
son - sun<br />
people - pupil<br />
shout - shoot<br />
poppy - puppy<br />
fort - forte<br />
Textbook
D. Pronounce the following.<br />
Wints, Oxford, The Observer, Ben, Allegra, Rhododendron, Leggie,<br />
Fontainebleau, Salim Ali, Whistler, Tughlaquabad<br />
Comprehension<br />
A. Answer each of the following questions in about 25 words.<br />
1. What did the author do at the cricket ground ?<br />
2. Why was the homeward journey longer ?<br />
3. How did the author increase his information about birds and trees ?<br />
4. Where did the author learn the names of English wild flowers from ?<br />
5. How did the author spend his weekends with the little child ?<br />
6. How was the author motivated to know more about trees and birds ?<br />
B. Answer each of the following questions in about 50 words.<br />
1. What were the qualities of Allegra or Leggie ?<br />
2. Describe the private back garden of the author.<br />
3. Justify the author's visit to countryside on Sundays.<br />
Grammar<br />
A. Study the following sentences.<br />
Textbook<br />
Their son, Ben, was at a boarding school.<br />
In the mornings I worked in my room.<br />
His wife had converted to Buddhism.<br />
105
106<br />
I gave her a glass of milk.<br />
The other two sides are formed by my neighbour's and my own apartments.<br />
The underlined words are prepositions. A prepositon is a word<br />
that relates nouns, pronouns and noun clauses (small sentences<br />
inside a bigger one, working as nouns) in space, time, order and<br />
direction.<br />
Now, pick out prepositions from the following sentences.<br />
1. I spend Sunday mornings in my garden.<br />
2. Surajkund supplies water to its pools.<br />
3. There was a variety of wild plants.<br />
4. I could'nt identify more than a couple of dozen birds.<br />
5. For the last many years I have maintained a record of the natural phenomena.<br />
6. He always writes letters to his friends in ink.<br />
7. What's the time by your watch ?<br />
Speaking Activity<br />
A. Present an oral report of the natural phenomena around you. You can base<br />
your report on the details given in the lesson.<br />
B. Below are given some natural phenomena, visualise them and express your<br />
ideas orally<br />
sunrise, sunset, rainbow<br />
Textbook
Writing Activity<br />
A. Prepare a short introductory radio talk on 'bird watching'.<br />
B. Make entries in your diary of the flora and fauna of your area.<br />
Think it over<br />
Textbook<br />
(50 words)<br />
(150 words)<br />
A. Just ponder over the inter-relations and interdependence among man, animals<br />
and plants.<br />
Things to do<br />
Prepare a list of flowering plants and birds found in your surroundings; also<br />
note down their distinctive features.<br />
Name of flowering Distinctive Name of birds Distinctive<br />
plants features features<br />
Morning glory bell shaped parrot red beak,<br />
violet flower green<br />
feathers<br />
107
108<br />
Where the Mind is without Fear<br />
WHERE the mind is without fear and the<br />
head is held high;<br />
Where knowledge is free<br />
Where the world has not been broken up into fragments<br />
by narrow domestic walls;<br />
Where words come out from the depth of truth,<br />
Where tireless striving stretches its arms towards perfection;<br />
Where the clear stream of reason<br />
has not lost its way into the dreary desert sand of dead habit;<br />
Where the mind is led forward by Thee<br />
into ever-widening thought and action<br />
Into that Heaven of freedom<br />
My Father, let my country awake.<br />
- Rabindranath Tagore<br />
Glossary<br />
striving /straIviN/ to try very hard to achieve something or to<br />
defeat something<br />
dreary /'drIJri/ that makes you feel sad<br />
16<br />
Textbook
Vocabulary<br />
Textbook<br />
Exercises<br />
A. The following words have special meanings in the poem.Write them.<br />
high, free, walls, stream, awake, head, desert<br />
B. Match the words given in column A with their meanings given in<br />
column B.<br />
A B<br />
fear you<br />
knowledge large sandy piece of land where nothing<br />
grows because there is no rain<br />
thee not having<br />
desert feeling which one has when in danger<br />
without things known<br />
C. Write the meanings of the following expressions :<br />
in fear and trembling<br />
for fear of / that<br />
No fear !<br />
without fear or favour<br />
I fear<br />
D. Pronounce the following words :<br />
when van<br />
worse verse<br />
wary very<br />
109
110<br />
wine vine<br />
while vile<br />
Comprehension<br />
A. Read the first four lines of the poem and answer the questions.<br />
1. What does the poet mean by ‘the head is held high’ ?<br />
2. Explain what does the poet mean by ‘Where knowldge is free’ ?<br />
3. What are narrow domestic walls ?<br />
B. Read the next four lines and answer the following questions.<br />
1. Find out the line expressing, ‘Endless efforts are made to achieve the<br />
best quality.’<br />
2. What do you understand by ‘clear stream of reason’?<br />
3. What is the ‘dead habit' according to the poet ?<br />
C. Read the last four lines and answer the following questions.<br />
1. What does the poet mean by ‘ever widening thought and action’ ?<br />
2. Describe any two traits of character the poet wants to inculcate in his<br />
countrymen.<br />
3. What does the poet mean by ‘let my country awake’ ?<br />
4. What is ‘Heaven of freedom’ according to the poet ?<br />
Speaking Activity<br />
A. Form four groups in the class. Each group will be assigned some lines of the<br />
poem. Discuss the particular lines in your group and express your opinion<br />
about the poet's view.<br />
Textbook
Writing Activity<br />
A. Write a letter to your friend describing the contribution of a freedom fighter.<br />
(50 words)<br />
B. How can we get rid of narrow domestic walls ? Express your views.<br />
(150 words)<br />
Think it over<br />
A. All human beings are one. Caste, creed and colour divide people in small<br />
groups. Such divisions go on till we are left alone. Still there are such narrow<br />
domestic walls. Why ?<br />
B. Superstitions and prejudices hinder our progress. How ?<br />
C. How far has the idea of 'Heaven of freedom' been materialized in the modern<br />
world ?<br />
Things to do<br />
Go to the library and read the fundamental rights as described in the<br />
Constitution of India. Write them in your diary also.<br />
Textbook<br />
111
112<br />
17<br />
On Saying Please<br />
The young lift-man in a City office who threw a passenger out of his lift the<br />
other morning and was fined for the offence was undoubtedly in the wrong. It<br />
was a question of 'Please'. The complainant entering the lift, said, 'Top'. The liftman<br />
demanded 'Top-please' and this concession being refused he not only<br />
declined to comply with the instruction, but hurled the passenger out of the lift.<br />
This, of course was carrying a comment on manner too far. Discourtesy is not<br />
a legal offence, and it does not excuse assault and battery. If a burglar breaks<br />
into my house and I knock him down, the law will acquit me, and if I am<br />
physically assaulted, it will permit me to retaliate with reasonable violence. It<br />
does this because the burglar and my assailant have broken quite definite commands<br />
of the law, but no legal system could attempt to legislate against bad<br />
manners, or could sanction the use of violence against something which it does<br />
not itself recognize as a legally punishable offence. And whatever our sympathy<br />
with the lift-man, we must admit that the law is reasonable. It would never do<br />
if we were at liberty to box people's ears because we did not like their behaviour,<br />
or the tone of their voices, or the scowl on their faces. Our fists would<br />
never be idle, and the gutters of the City would run with blood all day.<br />
I may be as uncivil as I may please and the law will protect me aganist<br />
violent retaliation. I may be haughty or boorish and there is no penalty to pay<br />
except the penalty of being written down an ill-mannered fellow. The law does<br />
not compel me to say 'please' or to attune my voice to other people's sensibilities<br />
any more than it says that I shall not wax my moustache or dye my hair or wear<br />
ringlets down my back. It does not recognize the laceration of our feelings as<br />
a case for compensation. There is no allowance for moral and intellectual damages<br />
in these matters.<br />
Textbook
This does not mean that the damages are negligible. It is probable that the<br />
lift-man was much more acutely hurt by what he regarded as a slur upon his<br />
social standing than he would have been if he had a kick on the shins, for which<br />
he could have got a legal redress. The pain of a kick on the shins soon passes<br />
away but the pain of a wound to our self-respect or our vanity may poison a<br />
whole day. I can imagine that lift-man, denied the relief of throwing the author<br />
of his wound out of the lift, brooding over the insult by the hour, and visiting<br />
it on his wife in the evening as the only way of restoring his equilibrium. For<br />
there are few things more catching than bad temper and bad manners. When Sir<br />
Anthony Absolute bullied Captain Absolute, the latter went out and bullied his<br />
man, Fag, whereupon Fag went out downstairs and kicked the page-boy. Probably<br />
the man who said ‘Top’ to the lift man was really only getting back on his<br />
employer who had not said ‘Good morning’ to him because he himself had been<br />
henpecked at breakfast by his wife, to whom the cook had been insolent because<br />
the housemaid had ‘answered her back’. We infect the world with our ill humours.<br />
Bad manners probably do more to poison the stream of the general life<br />
than all the crimes in the calendar. For one wife who gets a black eye from an<br />
otherwise good natured husband there are a hundred who live a life of martyrdom<br />
under the shadow of a morose temper. But all the same the law cannot<br />
become the guardian of our private manners. No Decalogue could cover the vast<br />
area of offences and no court could administer a law which governed our social<br />
civilities, our speech, the tilt of our eyebrows and all our moods and manners.<br />
But though we are bound to endorse the verdict against the lift-man most<br />
people will have a certain sympathy with him. While it is true that there is no<br />
law that compels us to say ‘Please’, there is a social practice much older and<br />
much more sacred than any law which enjoins us to be civil. And the first<br />
requirement of civility is that we should acknowledge a service. ‘Please’ and<br />
‘Thank you’ are the small change with which we pay our way as social beings.<br />
They are the little courtesies by which we keep the machine of life oiled and<br />
running sweetly. They put our intercourse upon the basis of a friendly co operation<br />
an easy give and take, instead of on the basis of superiors dictating to<br />
inferiors. It is a very vulgar mind that would wish to command where he can<br />
Textbook<br />
113
have the service for asking, and have it with willingness and good feeling instead<br />
of resentment.<br />
I should like to 'feature' in this connection my friend, the polite conductor.<br />
By this discriminating title, I do not intend to suggest a rebuke to conductors<br />
generally. On the contrary, I am disposed to think that there are few classes of<br />
men who come through the ordeal of a very trying calling better than bus<br />
conductors do. Here and there you will meet an unpleasant specimen who regards<br />
the passengers as his natural enemies - as creatures whose chief purpose<br />
on the bus is to cheat him, and who can only be kept reasonably honest by a<br />
loud voice and an aggressive manner. But this type is rare - rarer than it used<br />
to be. I fancy the public owes much to the Underground Railway Company,<br />
which also runs the buses, for insisting on a certain standard of civility in its<br />
servants and taking care that that standard is observed. In doing this it not only<br />
makes things pleasant for the travelling public, but performs an important social<br />
service.<br />
It is not, therefore, with any feeling of unfriendliness to conductors as a<br />
class that I pay a tribute to a particular member of that class. I first became<br />
conscious of his existence one day when I jumped on to a bus and found that<br />
I had left home without any money in my pocket. Everyone has had the experience<br />
and knows the feeling, the mixed feeling, which the discovery arouses.<br />
You are annoyed because you look like a fool at the best and like a knave at the<br />
worst. You would not be at all surprised if the conductor eyed you coldly as<br />
much as to say, ‘Yes I know that stale old trick. Now then, off you get.’ And<br />
even if the conductor is a good fellow and lets you down easily, you are faced<br />
with the necessity of going back and the inconvenience, perhaps, of missing your<br />
train or your engagement.<br />
Having searched my pockets in vain for stray coppers, and having found<br />
I was utterly penniless, I told the conductor with as honest a face as I could<br />
assume that I couldn't pay the fare, and must go back for money. ‘Oh, you<br />
needn't get off: that's all right’, said he. ‘All right’, said I, ‘but I haven't a copper<br />
on me.’ ‘Oh I'll book you through, he replied. ‘Where d'ye want to go ?’ and<br />
114<br />
Textbook
he handled his bundle of tickets with the air of a man who was prepared to give<br />
me a ticket for anywhere from the Bank to Hong Kong. I said it was very kind<br />
of him, and told him where I wanted to go, and as he gave me the ticket I said,<br />
‘But where shall I send the fare?’ ‘Oh, you'll see me some day all right’, he said<br />
cheerfully, as he turned to go. And then, luckily, my fingers, still wandering in<br />
the corners of my pockets lighted on a shilling and the account was squared. But<br />
that fact did not lessen the glow of pleasure which so good-natured an action<br />
had given me.<br />
A few days after, my most sensitive toe was trampled on rather heavily as<br />
I sat reading on the top of a bus. I looked up with some anger and more agony,<br />
and saw my friend of the cheerful countenance. ‘Sorry, sir’, he said. ‘I know<br />
these are heavy boots. Got'em because my own feet get trod on so much, and<br />
now I'm treading on other people's. Hope I din't hurt you, sir,’ He had hurt me<br />
but he was so nice about it that I assured him he hadn't. After this I began to<br />
observe him whenever I boarded his bus, and found a curious pleasure in the<br />
constant good nature of his bearing. He seemed to have an inexhaustible fund<br />
of patience and a gift for making his passengers comfortable. I noticed that if<br />
it was raining he would run up the stairs to give some one the tip that there was<br />
‘room inside’. With old people he was as considerate as a son, and with children<br />
as solicitous as a father. He had evidently a peculiarly warm place in his heart<br />
for young people, and always indulged in some merry jest with them. If he had<br />
a blind man on board it was'nt enough to set him down safely on the pavement.<br />
He would call to Bill in front to wait while he took him across the road or round<br />
the corner, or otherwise safely on his way. In short, I found that he irradiated<br />
such an atmosphere of good temper and kindliness that a journey with him was<br />
a lesson in natural courtesy and good manners.<br />
What struck me particularly was the ease with which he got through his<br />
work. If bad manners are infectious, so also are good manners. If we encounter<br />
incivility most of us are apt to become uncivil, but it is an unusually uncouth<br />
person who can be disagreeable with sunny people. It is with manners as with<br />
the weather. ‘Nothing clears up my spirits like a fine day’, said Keats, and a<br />
cheerful person descends on even the gloomiest of us with something of the<br />
Textbook<br />
115
enediction of a fine day. And so it was always fine weather on the polite<br />
conductor's bus, and his own civility, his conciliatory address and good humoured<br />
bearing infected his passengers. In lightening their spirits he lightened<br />
his own task. His gaiety was not a wasteful luxury, but a sound investment.<br />
I have missed him from my bus route of late; but I hope that only means<br />
that he has carried his sunshine on to another road. It cannot be too widely<br />
diffused in a rather drab world. And I make no apologies for writing a panegyric<br />
on an unknown bus conductor. If Wordsworth could gather lessons of wisdom<br />
from the poor leechgatherer ‘on the lonely moor,’ I see no reason why lesser<br />
people should not take lessons in conduct from one who shows how a very<br />
modest calling may be dignified by good temper and kindly feeling.<br />
It is a matter of general agreement that the war has had a chilling effect<br />
upon those little every day civilities of behaviour that sweeten the general air.<br />
We must get those civilities back if we are to make life kindly and tolerable for<br />
each other. We cannot get them back by invoking the law. The policeman is a<br />
necessary symbol and the law is a necessary institution for a society that is still<br />
somewhat lower than the angels.But the law can only protect us against material<br />
attack. Nor will the lift man's way of meeting moral affront by physical violence<br />
help us to restore the civilities. I suggest to him, that he would have had a more<br />
subtle and effective revenge if he had treated the gentleman who would not say<br />
'Please' with elaborate politeness. He would have had the victory, not only over<br />
the boor, but over himself, and that is the victory that counts. The polite man<br />
may lose the material advantage, but he always has the spiritual victory. I commend<br />
to the lift-man a story of Chesterfield. In his time the London streets were<br />
without the pavements of today and the man who 'took the wall' had the driest<br />
footing. ‘I never give the wall to a scoundrel,’ said a man who met Chesterfield<br />
one day in the street. ‘I always do’, said Chesterfield, stepping with a bow into<br />
the road. I hope the lift man will agree that his revenge was much more sweet<br />
than if he had flung the fellow into the mud.<br />
116<br />
- A.G. Gardiner<br />
Textbook
Glossary<br />
undoubtedly /Vn'daUtIdli/ known for certain to be so<br />
discourtesy /dIs'k3:tJsi/ not polite<br />
assault and /J'sO:lt Jnd 'b&tri/ an attack which includes not only<br />
battery threats but the actual use of violence<br />
burglar /'b3;glJ(r)/ thief who breaks into houses shops<br />
etc with the intention of stealing<br />
retaliate /rI't&lieIt/ to do something bad to someone<br />
who has done something bad to you<br />
assailant /J'seIlJnt/ an attacker<br />
legislate /'ledZIsleIt/ to make a law or laws<br />
violence /'vaIJlJns/ action or feeling that causes<br />
damage, unrest etc<br />
to box /tJ bQks/ to fight with the fists (closed hands)<br />
haughty /'hO:ti/ having a high opinion of oneself and<br />
often a low opinion of others<br />
laceration /%l&sJ'reISn/ hurt feelings<br />
slur /sl3:(r)/ a cause of blame<br />
brooding over /'bru:dIN 'JUvJ(r)/ spend time thinking anxiously or<br />
sadly about something<br />
equilibrium /%i:kwI'lIbriJm/ balance of the mind, emotions<br />
insolent /'InsJlJnt/ very rude<br />
martyrdom /'mA:tJdJm/ the death or suffering of a martyr<br />
morose /mJ'rJUs/ very sad and ill tempered<br />
Decalogue /'dekJlOg/ the Ten Commandments<br />
intercourse /'IntJkO:s/ dealings with<br />
resentment /rI'zentmJnt/ anger<br />
ordeal /O:'di:l/ difficult or painful experience<br />
cheerfully /'tSIJfli/ happily<br />
Textbook<br />
117
squared /skweJd/ having no doubt, settled<br />
inexhaulstible /%InIg'zO;stJbl/ can never be finished<br />
solicitous /sJ'lIsItJs/ giving helpful care<br />
uncouth /Vn'ku;T/ not having good manners<br />
benediction /%benI'dIkSn/ a blessing<br />
conciliatory /kJn'sIliJtJri/ trying to win friendly feelings<br />
panegyric /%p&nJ'dZIrIk/ a speech or piece of writing praising<br />
someone highly<br />
boor /bUJ(r)/ a rude insensitive person<br />
Vocabulary<br />
118<br />
Exercises<br />
A. Consult a dictionary and find out the subtle distinction in the meanings<br />
of the following words.<br />
rob, steal, burgle, poach<br />
B. Find out the words with prefix 'un' and 'in' in the lesson.<br />
C. Write some adjectives which can be used for a person not having good manners<br />
and for a person having good manners.<br />
D. Mark the stress in the following words.<br />
policeman, gentleman, lift-man, house-maid, henpecked, breakfast, specimen,<br />
everyone, alright, good humoured<br />
Comprehension<br />
A. Answer each of the following questions in about 25 words.<br />
1. Distinguish between a legal and a moral offence.<br />
2. Give some examples of bad behaviour that are not punishable under law.<br />
Textbook
3. Discuss the importance and effect of good manners.<br />
4. Discuss the impact of good temper and kindliness on the society in the<br />
light of the two good-mannered conductors.<br />
5. What is natural courtesy ? How does it affect the society?<br />
6. How could the liftman take a polite and effective revenge ?<br />
B. Answer each of the following questions in about 50 words.<br />
1. Suggest some ways to encourage people to adopt good moral behaviour.<br />
2. How does the stream of general life get polluted by one's behaviour ?<br />
3. Discuss the necessity of the police and law in the society.<br />
4. What are the ill effects of war on our everyday civilities ?<br />
Grammar<br />
A. Study these sentences.<br />
Textbook<br />
We must admit that the law is reasonable.<br />
The law does not compel me to say that I shall not wax my moustache or<br />
dye my hair or wear ringlets down my back.<br />
The underlined clauses do the work of nouns in relation to some<br />
other clauses.<br />
Now, point out the Noun Clauses in each of the following sentences.<br />
1. Duty requires that we should help the wretched.<br />
2. We do not know whether they enjoyed their work<br />
3. That a man is virtuous is commendable.<br />
4. The rumour that he is ill is baseless.<br />
119
120<br />
5. You must never forget this, that honesty is the best policy.<br />
6. The report that the thief had broken into the house has not reached me.<br />
7. Listen to what the teacher says.<br />
B. Study these sentences<br />
The young lift-man in a city office who threw a passenger out of his lift and<br />
was fined for the offence was undoubtedly in the wrong.<br />
There are few classes of men who came through the ordeal of a very trying<br />
calling better than bus cunductors do.<br />
The underlined clauses do the work of an adjective in relation to some<br />
word in some other clause. Relative clauses are intoduced by relative<br />
pronouns or relative adverbs.<br />
Now, point out the Relative Clauses in the following sentences.<br />
1. He who hesitates is lost.<br />
2. He laughs best who laughs last.<br />
3. The speech he made last night was not his best.<br />
4. The man who appeared to be gentleman was charged with disturbing the<br />
peace.<br />
5. There are times when everyone feels the vanity of human wishes.<br />
6. The man that hath no music in his soul is fit for treason.<br />
7. He who increases his riches increases his cares.<br />
Textbook
Speaking Activity<br />
A. Imagine you are a user of a lift. The liftman misbehaves with you. You<br />
want to lodge a complaint against him on telephone.<br />
Now, ask your friend to be the caretaker of the lift. Begin your conversation<br />
like this.<br />
User : Hello, May I speak to, Mr. Kapoor the caretaker ?<br />
Mr. Kapoor Yes please.<br />
User : I am .... (name), a user of the lift of your office.<br />
Mr. Kapoor What can I do for you sir ?<br />
_________________________________________________________________<br />
_________________________________________________________________<br />
_________________________________________________________________<br />
_________________________________________________________________<br />
_________________________________________________________________<br />
_________________________________________________________________<br />
_________________________________________________________________<br />
Writing Activity<br />
A. Write to your mother about the courteous behaviour of a bus conductor you<br />
have come across recently.<br />
(50 words)<br />
B. Prepare a speech to be delivered in the morning assembly on 'Good manners<br />
are infectious’.<br />
(150 words)<br />
Textbook<br />
121
Think it over<br />
A. Everyday civilities of behaviour have a great importance in life. Bitter problems<br />
can be solved by sweet words. Great wars could have been avoided by a little<br />
courtesy. Sweet words spoken at the right time sweeten our life. So, why to<br />
miss an opportunity to get a lot of happiness at no cost ?<br />
B. Observance of etiquette in a normal situation is important but more important<br />
is their observance when situation is adverse. Isn't it ?<br />
Things to do<br />
122<br />
Cultivate the habit of saying ‘please’, ‘thank you’ ‘sorry’ etc. Observe its<br />
effect on the people and make its entry in your diary.<br />
Textbook
Character<br />
Textbook<br />
JACK,<br />
Jill, his wife<br />
Aunt Jane<br />
Nurse<br />
The Never-Never Nest<br />
Scene: The lounge of JACK and JILL'S Villa at New Hampstead The essential<br />
furniture consists of a table on which are writing materials, and two<br />
chairs. As the curtain rises the lounge is empty, but JACK and JILL come<br />
immediately, followed by AUNT JANE.<br />
JILL : And this is the lounge.<br />
18<br />
AUNT JANE : Charming! Charming! Such a cosy little room! and such pretty<br />
furniture.<br />
JACK (modestly) : We like it, you know, handy place to sit in and listen to the<br />
radiogram.<br />
AUNT JANE : Oh, have you got a radiogram as well as a car and a piano?<br />
JACK : Why, of course, Aunt Jane. You simply must have a radio set<br />
nowadays.<br />
JILL : And it’s so nice for me when Jack’s away at business. I even<br />
make him move it into the kitchen, so that I can listen to it<br />
while I cook.<br />
JACK : Sit down, Aunt Jane, You must be tired—and we’ve shown<br />
you everything now.<br />
123
JILL : What do you think of our little nest, Aunt Jane?<br />
AUNT JANE : I think it’s wonderful, my dears. The furniture—and the car—<br />
and the piano—and the refrigerator and the radio-what’s it—<br />
it’s wonderful, really wonderful!<br />
JACK : And we owe it all to you.<br />
AUNT JANE : Yes, Jack, that’s what’s worrying me.<br />
JACK : Worrying you, Aunt Jane?<br />
AUNT JANE : Yes. That cheque I gave you for your wedding present—it<br />
was only two hundred pounds, wasn’t it? I— didn’t put two<br />
thousand by mistake?<br />
JILL : Why no, Aunt Jane. What on earth made you think that?<br />
AUNT JANE (relieved): Well, that’s all right. But I still don’t altogether understand.<br />
This house—it’s very lovely—but doesn’t it cost a great deal<br />
for rent?<br />
JACK : Rent? Oh, no, we don’t pay rent.<br />
AUNT JANE : But, Jack, if you don’t pay rent, you’ll get turned out—into<br />
the street. And that would never do. You’ve Jill and the baby<br />
to think of now, you know.<br />
JACK : No, no, Aunt Jane. You misunderstood me. We don’t pay<br />
AUNT JANE : YOURS?<br />
124<br />
rent because the house is ours.<br />
JILL : Why, yes; you just pay ten pounds and it’s yours.<br />
JACK : You see, Aunt Jane, we realized how uneconomic it is to go<br />
on paying rent year after year, when you can buy and enjoy a<br />
home of your own for ten pounds—and a few quarterly payments,<br />
of course. Why be Mr Tenant when you can be Mr<br />
Textbook
Textbook<br />
Owner?<br />
AUNT JANE : I see. Yes, there’s something in that. Even so, you must be<br />
getting on very well to keep up a place like this.<br />
JILL : Oh, he is, Aunt Jane. Why, only last year he had a five shilling<br />
rise—didn’t you, Jack?<br />
JACK (modestly): Of course that was nothing, really. I’m expecting ten this Christmas.<br />
AUNT JANE (suddenly): Jack ! I’ve just thought of something. That car—is it yours?<br />
JILL : Of course it’s ours.<br />
AUNT JANE : All yours?<br />
JACK : Well, no. Not exactly all.<br />
AUNT JANE : How much of it?<br />
JILL : Oh, I should say the steering wheel—and one of the tyres -and<br />
about two of the cylinders. But don’t you see, that's the<br />
wonderful thing about it.<br />
AUNT JANE : I don’t see anything wonderful about it.<br />
JILL : But there is, Aunt Jane. You see, although we could never buy<br />
a car outright, we can enjoy all the pleasures of motoring for a<br />
mere five pounds down.<br />
AUNT JANE : And the rest by easy instalments, I suppose.<br />
JILL : Exactly.<br />
AUNT JANE : Exactly. And what about the radio-what’s it?<br />
JACK : Well, that’s the—<br />
AUNT JANE : And the piano?<br />
125
JILL : Well, of course—<br />
AUNT JANE : And the furniture?<br />
JACK : I—I’m afraid so—<br />
AUNT JANE : I suppose all you own is this leg. (She points to one)<br />
JILL : Well, no, as a matter of fact, it’s that one. (She points to another.)<br />
AUNT JANE : And the rest belongs to Mr Sage, I suppose?<br />
JILL : Er—Yes.<br />
AUNT JANE : Well. I’m not going to sit on—Mr Sage’s part for any one.<br />
(She stands up.) Now, tell me, how much do all these<br />
instalments come to?<br />
JACK : Well, actually—(He takes out his pocket-book and consults<br />
it.)—actually to seven pounds eight and eight pence a week.<br />
AUNT JANE : Good heavens! And how much do you earn?<br />
JACK : As a matter of fact—er—that is—six pounds.<br />
AUNT JANE : But that’s absurd! How can you pay seven pounds eight and<br />
eight pence out of six pounds?<br />
JACK : Oh, that’s easy. You see, all you have to do is to borrow the<br />
rest of the money for the payments from the Thrift and Providence<br />
Trust Corporation.<br />
JILL : They’re only too glad to loan you any amount you like, on<br />
note of hand alone.<br />
AUNT JANE : And how do you propose to pay that back?<br />
JACK : Oh, that’s easy, too. You just pay it back in instalments.<br />
AUNT JANE : Instalments! (She claps her hand to her forehead and sinks<br />
126<br />
Textbook
Textbook<br />
back weakly into the chair. Then realizes that she is sitting on<br />
Mr. Sage’s piece and leaps to her feet again with a little<br />
shriek.)<br />
JACK : Aunt Jane! Is anything the matter? Would you like to lie down?<br />
AUNT JANE : Lie down? Do you suppose I’m going to trust myself in a bed<br />
that belongs to Mr Sage, or Marks and Spencer, or somebody?<br />
No, I am going home.<br />
JILL : Oh, must you really go?<br />
AUNT JANE : I think I’d better.<br />
JACK : I’ll drive you to the station.<br />
AUNT JANE : What! Travel in a car that has only one tyre and two<br />
thingummies! No thank you—I’ll take the bus.<br />
JACK : Well, of course, if you feel like that about it....<br />
AUNT JANE (relenting a little): Now, I’m sorry if I sounded rude, but really I’m<br />
shocked to find the way you’re living. I’ve never owed a penny<br />
in my life—cash down, that’s my motto and I want you to do<br />
the same. (She opens her handbag.) Now look, here’s a little<br />
cheque I was meaning to give you, anyway. (She hands it to<br />
JILL.) Suppose you take it and pay off just one of your bills—<br />
so that you can say one thing at least really belongs to you.<br />
JILL (awkwardly): Er—thank you. Aunt Jane. It’s very nice of you.<br />
AUNT JANE (patting her arm): There! Now I must be going.<br />
JACK : I’ll see you to the bus. anyway.<br />
JILL : Good-bye, Aunt Jane—and thanks so much for the present.<br />
AUNT JANE (kissing her): Good-bye, my dear. (She and JACK go out. JILL looks at<br />
the cheque and exclaims ‘Ten pounds!’ Then she hurries to<br />
127
128<br />
the table, addresses an envelope, endorses the cheque and<br />
slips it inside with a bill which she takes from the bag and<br />
seals the envelope. Then she rings the bell. In a moment the<br />
NURSE comes in with the baby in her arms.)<br />
JILL : Oh, nurse. I want you to run and post this for me. I'll look after<br />
baby while you’re gone.<br />
NURSE : Certainly, madam. (She hands the baby to JILL, takes the<br />
letter, and goes.)<br />
(A second later JACK comes in again.)<br />
JACK : Well, she’s gone! What a tartar! Still, she did leave us a bit on<br />
account—how much was it?<br />
JILL : Ten pounds.<br />
JACK (with a whistle): Phew! That’s great! We can pay off the next two months on<br />
the car with that.<br />
JILL : I—I’m afraid we can’t—<br />
JACK : Why ever not?<br />
JILL : You see, I—I’ve already sent it off for something else. Nurse<br />
has just gone to post it.<br />
JACK : Well that’s all right. Who have you sent it to?<br />
JILL : Dr. Martin.<br />
JACK : Dr Martin! What on earth possessed you to do that?<br />
JILL (nearly in tears): There! Now you’re going to be angry with me.<br />
JACK : I’m not angry! But why waste good money on the doctor?<br />
Doctors don’t expect to get paid anyway.<br />
JILL (sobbing a little): Bu—but 'you don’t understand —<br />
Textbook
JACK : Understand what?<br />
JILL : Why; just one more instalment and BABY’S REALLY OURS!<br />
Glossary<br />
Textbook<br />
(She is holding out the infant, a little pathetically, as we<br />
black out.)<br />
- Cedric Mount<br />
villa /'vIlJ/ small house standing in its own garden<br />
cosy /'kJUzi/ warm and comfortable<br />
absurd /Jb's3:d/ very foolish, unreasonable<br />
shriek /Sri:k/ give a high loud cry<br />
exclaims /Ik'skleImz/ speak with strong feelings<br />
tartar /'tA:tJ(r)/ an irritable, hard to cope with person<br />
phew /fju:/ expresing tiredness, shock or relief<br />
Vocabulary<br />
Exercises<br />
A Supply a context of your own in which the following expressions take<br />
place naturally :<br />
1. I think it's wonderful.<br />
2. But that's absurd !<br />
3. I'm afraid we can't .....<br />
4. Oh, that' easy<br />
5. It's very nice of you.<br />
129
B. Rewrite the following sentences using a word, from the text in place of<br />
the word or words in bold type :<br />
130<br />
1. I had to spend Rs. 5000 on the purchase of cots, tables, chairs and cupboards.<br />
2. One must learn the habit of careful spending and save some money every<br />
month.<br />
3. Aunt Jane never owed any money to any one in her life, her principle<br />
was 'cash down.'<br />
4. You have a warm and comfortable place, though it is expensive.<br />
5. He looks at the cheque and speaks loudly and suddenly, because of surprise,<br />
Ten Pounds!<br />
C. Write synonyms of the following words :<br />
villa, nice, angry, expect, infant<br />
D. Pronounce the following words carefully and notice the difference in,<br />
their pronunciation.<br />
Bye, Boy, By, Bay, Buy, Bye-Byes, Byre<br />
Comprehension<br />
A. Answer each of the following questions in about 25 words.<br />
1. Describe Jill's house and the things that charmed Aunt Jane.<br />
2. What made Aunt Jane worried about her gift cheque ?<br />
3. What arguments did Jack give in support of purchasing the house and<br />
other things on instalment basis.<br />
4. Why did Aunt Jane finally refuse to sit on the furniture ?<br />
Textbook
B. Answer each of the following questions in about 50 words.<br />
1. What easy sources did Jack speak about to Aunt Jane to repay instalments<br />
?<br />
2. Discuss the disadvantages of purchase on instalments.<br />
3. Who is the real owner of the house and other things till the payment of all<br />
the instalments? Why do you think so?<br />
Grammar<br />
A. Study the following sentences from a conversation.<br />
JILL : What do you think of our little nest, Aunt Jane ?<br />
AUNT JANE : It's wonderful, really wonderful !<br />
JILL : What on earth made you think of that ?<br />
AUNT JANE : Doesn’t it cost a great deal for rent ?<br />
Textbook<br />
We can give the exact meaning without using the speaker's words.<br />
Jill asked Aunt Jane what she thought of their little nest.<br />
A UNT JANE exclaimed that it was really very wonderful.<br />
J ILL asked what on earth had made her think of that.<br />
A UNT JANE asked if it did not cost a great deal for that.<br />
Now, give the exact meaning of the following without using the speaker's<br />
words.<br />
1. Aunt Jane : How can you pay seven pounds eight and eight pence out of six<br />
pounds?<br />
2. Jack : Aunt Jane ! Is anything the matter ?<br />
3. Jack : We can pay off the next two months on the car with that.<br />
131
4. Jill : There ! You are going to be angry with me.<br />
5. Aunt Jane : How do you propose to pay that back ?<br />
6. Jill : Oh, must you really go ?<br />
7. Jack : Why waste good money on the doctor ?<br />
Speaking Activity<br />
A. Enact a scene where two persons are planning to negotiate a loan for purchasing<br />
house.<br />
B. Enact a scene showing facilities and furniture provided in your newly<br />
constructed house to your friends.<br />
C. Express your own views on borrowing books from friends.<br />
D. If you get a chance to go abroad for higher studies and you take a loan. How<br />
will you repay it ?<br />
Writing Activity<br />
A. Write a letter to your cousin telling him/her the consequences of pretence.<br />
(50 words)<br />
B. Elaborate 'cut your coat according to your cloth'. (150 words)<br />
Think it over<br />
A. What difficulties arise when a man spends more than what he earns ?<br />
B. Borrowing is easier than paying. Ponder.<br />
Things to do<br />
132<br />
Go to different banks and enquire about the facilities provided there.<br />
Textbook