ENGLISH

ENGLISH IMPORTANT (PROSE & POETRY)

THE NIGHT AT THE HOTEL

1.         Why did the night receptionist regretfully shrug his shoulders?(Or)

            “The night receptionist regretfully shrugged his shoulders”.  What did he regret?

A.        The night receptionist regretfully shrugged his shoulders because of his inability to provide Schwamm a single room.

2.         “I probably have the strangest reason for coming into town.” What was Schwamm’s reason?(or)

            What was Schwamm’s reason for coming into town?

A.        Schwamm had a son. This son, on his way to school used to wave to the passengers travelling by train. But none of the passengers waved him back. This made the boy feel unhappy. Schwamm wanted to take the next morning train and wave back to his son. So, he came into the town to catch the early morning train.

3.         What did Schawamm’s son do in the morning? How did he behave in the evening? What was the reason for his behavior?

A.        Every morning, on his way to school, Schwamm’s son had to wait at the railway crossing for the morning train to pass by. He used to wave to the passengers in the train eagerly. In the evening he would act bewildered and could not do his home work. He often broke out into tears. The reason was that he was disappointed as none of the passengers waved him back.

4.         “I hate them and avoid them….”. Why did the stranger hate children?

A.        The stranger said that he hated the children as his wife died giving birth to their firstborn.

5.         How did Schwamm feel when he returned home? How do you think he felt when he met his son?

A.        Schwamm returned home down-hearted and disappointed. He felt that his trip to town was a waste. When he met his son, he saw him in a happy mood. Schwamm might have felt great relief and surprised.

6.         What do you think had happened in the morning in the hotel room? What did the stranger do? (or)

            Who do you think was the man who waved to Schwamm’s son?  (or)

            How did the stranger help Schwamm solve his problem? (or)

            “When he awoke in the morning, he was alone in the room”. What do you think had happened?

A.        Schwamm overslept in the hotel room. Finding him asleep, the stranger took the early morning train and waved at Schwamm’s son for ever so long and made him happy.     

IN CELEBRATION OF BEING ALIVE

1.         What was the accident that Dr. Bernard and his wife met with? What happened to them?

A.        One day Dr. Bernard and his wife were crossing the road after a lovely meal. A car hit him onto his wife. She was thrown to the other line of the road and was struck by a car coming from the opposite direction. He had eleven broken ribs and a perforated lung. His wife’ shoulder was badly fractured.

2.         How did Dr. Bernard react to the accident?

A.        Dr. Bernard could not understand why his wife and he should suffer. He was worried about the plight of the patients who were waiting for him to be operated on them. His wife had a young baby who needed her care.

3.         What had made Dr. Bernard sensitive to the suffering of children? Why do you think his father had kept the half-eaten biscuit? Who do you think Dr. Bernard had got his compassion from?

A.        Dr. Bernard’s brother died at an early age, due to abnormal heart. This had made Dr. Bernard sensitive to the suffering of children. He thought that his brother had died due to lack of sophisticated surgery in those days.

            His father kept the half-eaten biscuit, as a token of his affection towards his son. Dr. Bernard got compassion from his brother.

4.         Who were the driver and mechanic of the Grand Prix? In what way was the choice of their roles suitable?

A.        The driver was a one-armed boy, seated on the lower desk of the trolley. He steered the trolley by scrapping his foot on the floor. The mechanic was a blind boy, provided power of galloping along behind the trolley with his head down.

            The choice of their role was suitable because the mechanic being totally blind could only provide motor power and the driver who had only one arm could steer the trolley.

5          Why does Dr. Bernard find the suffering of the children, particularly heart-breaking?

A.        Dr. Bernard finds the suffering of children particularly heart-breaking because children completely keep their trust in doctors and nurses without any complaint. If they can not help, they accept their fate. Even if they go through mutilating surgery they never complain.

6.         What lesson(s) did the tow children teach Dr. Bernard?

A.        The tow children taught Dr. Bernard a profound lesson of being alive. They taught him that the business of living is joy in the real sense. They taught him that it is not what you have lost is important but what you are left with.

7.         “You don’t become a better person because you are suffering but you become a better person because you have experienced suffering”. How does Dr. Bernard support this observation?

A.        Dr. Bernard says that we can not appreciate light if we have not known darkness. Nor we can appreciate warmth if have never suffered cold.

CIRCUS CAT – ALLEY CAT

1.         Why did Anna leave the circus? What happened to her?

A.            Anna married a boy who led cats in circus. He was ambitious and in no time he showed her that a women’s place was her home. Anna in a spurt of cat-like temper, left her home with her baby.

2.            In what state was Anna when Mrs. Bates found her? Mrs. Bates had done two things. What were they?

A.            Mrs. Bates found Anna,  begging and in a state of near starvation in Daryaganj, in Delhi. Mrs. Bates gave her a white uniform and put bath salts in her wash tub in order to wash off the circus odour. Mrs. Bates gave Ann’s child a cradle and fed the baby on milk and oranges.

   3.         What were the changes in the children after the coming of Anna? (or)

                ‘Even our voices changed.’ Do you think this could be true? If not, why did the author said the above?

A.            With the coming of Anna, children stopped walking or running. They were prowling like lions and tigers. They would not hop or skip but spring and leap. I think it is their imagination because her very presence was frightening them.

4.            What did Mrs. Bates try to do? Did she succeed?

A.            Mrs. Bates tried to domesticate Anna. She tried to change Anna into a tame alley cat, a nice motherly pussy cat. She did not succeed.

5.            “My baby has been taken away…” What did the writer understand? What had really happened to the baby?

A.            The writer thought that Anna’s baby had died. The way of crying and weeping made the writer think  so. Actually Ann’s husband had taken away the baby.

6.            Explain the significance of the title of the story. Which role suits Anna better?

A.            Anna was a born circus cat. She tried to become an alley cat but in vain. She finally returned to circus. So the title of the story is apt. The role of ‘circus cat’ suits Anna better.

7.            When did the writer see Anna next?

A.            The writer saw Anna after several years when the writer had gone to the circus. She found the name Shakti on the hand bill and picture of Anna with a snarling tiger on her shoulder. They saw a girl somersaulting in the sawdust and wondered if it was Anna’s baby.

8.            The children imagine that quite ordinary things in Anna’s hands became circus equipments. Can you give some examples?

A.            Quite ordinary things in Anna’s hands became circus equipments as shown in the following examples.

                a) A piece of bread looked like a piece of meat dripping with scarlet blood.

                b) A cooking spoon in her hand turned to a circus whip.

                c) A plain brooch pinned to her lapel made her white uniform look a gaudy, satin stage costume.

MOTHER TERESA

1.            Is there anything outstanding about Mother Teresa’s appearance? What does her uniqueness lie in?

A.            The outstanding thing about Mother Teresa’s appearance is her plain face without any special charm. Her uniqueness lies in merging herself with the common people.

2.            What is the dress that has been prescribed for the Sisters of Charity? What are its qualities? How does the dress suit their work and ideals?

A.            A blue bordered white saree is the dress prescribed for the Sisters of Charity. It is designed to hide any female charms that may attract attention. It suites their ideals because the poor will be able to approach the nuns who appear to be equal to them.

3.            In what way was the 10^th of September 1946 important in Mother Teresa’s life? What was the ‘call’?

A.            The 10^th of September 1946 was an important day for Mother Teresa because it is on the day she received a special call from Jesus Christ. She also calls this day as “Day of Decision” and an “Inspiration Day”. The call was to give up all and to follow Him to the slums to serve the poorest of the poor.

4.            What are the four vows taken by the Missionaries of Charity? What is the significance of the special vow?

A.            The four vows taken by Missionaries of Charity are to observe 1) Poverty 2) Chastity 3) Obedience and

 4) Wholehearted free service to the poor.

The significance of the special vow is they neither work for the rich nor accept any money for the service.

5.            “Mother, whence this special interest in the dying?” What reason does Mother give for her special interest?

A.            Mother Teresa says it is a call, a vocation. She says she takes in the dying because nobody wants the dying, the diseased, the sick and the crippled. She wants those whom no one wanted, no one loved and cared.

6.            How did Mother get special interest in the dying? (or) How did the special interest in dying start?

A.            When Mother left Loreto in 1948, she saw a woman dying in front of a hospital, half eaten by rats and maggots. She was discarded by the hospital authorities. Mother took pity on her and looked after her till she died. Thus she started a Home for the Dying.

7.            Many of Mother Teresa’s qualities are clearly seen in her ‘begging mission’. Mention some of them.

A.            Mother Teresa was very tactful and clever in dealing with people in her begging missions. She once went to the manager of a biscuit factory. She agreed with him of his difficulties first. But when she narrated how a poor man died of hunger, he at once offered her 40 tins of broken biscuits.

ON KILLING A TREE (Poem)

1.            Some people think it is easy to destroy a tree. What does the poet say? Why does it take much time to kill a tree

A.            It is not an easy one to destroy a tree. According to the poet, it takes much time to kill a tree because it has grown slowly consuming the earth feeding upon its crust and rising out of it and absorbing years of sunlight, air and water.

2.            Why does the poet use the word “kill” rather than destroy? Does it suggest his attitude to tree?

A.            The poet uses the word ’kill’ rather than ‘destroy’ to suggest his sympathetic attitude to the trees and to reveal man’s cruel nature against innocent creatures.

3.            What is the secret source of the tree’s strength? Why is the source of the tree the most sensitive?

A.            The strength of the tree lies in the roots. The source of the tree is most sensitive as it is protected from the sun for years inside the earth cave.

4.            Why does the poet describe the killing of a tree in such graphic detail?

A.            The poet describes the killing of a tree in such graphic detail as his sympathies are with the oppressed and anyone denied the right to live. It reveals man’s cruelty to living beings.

THE GALLOWS (Poem)

1.            What did the keeper do to the weasel? Why do you think he did so? Where does the weasel hang? Does the animal have any feeling now?

A.            The keeper shot the weasel and hung him up on the dead oak tree for its nuisance to the other birds. There is nothing to feel by the animal as it was dead.

2.            “There was a magpie, too had a long tongue and long tail.” What does a long tongue do? What does a long tail show?

A.            Magpie was a bird with a long tongue and a long tail. A ‘long tongue’ shows that it can talk a lot and a ‘long tail’ shows that it is a beautiful bird. Her ability to talk and its beauty could not save her life.

3.            Who do you think was more cruel? ..the weasel that killed smaller animals or the keeper who killed the weasel? Why do you think so?

A.            The keeper was more cruel than the weasel. Because he had not only deprived the weasel of its lawful prey but also killed it.

4.            Of all the birds and beasts the keeper had shot, only three are mentioned. What does each of them represent?

A.            The keeper had shot weasel, crow and magpie. He killed only these as the weasel is a cruel animal that kills other animals, crow is a thief and murderer and magpie is more talkative.

 

THE CASE FOR THE DEFENCE

1.            Was this a case of circumstantial evidence? What kind of evidence was produced in this case?

A.            No. This was not a case of circumstantial evidence. In such cases truth is produced from the circumstances leading to a crime. Here direct evidence from four witnesses were produced .

2.            Why did the witnesses not forget the murderer? What was his most unforgettable feature?

A.            The witnesses did not forget the murderer because of his noticeable features. He was an ugly man with bulging blood shot eyes. All his muscles seemed to be in his thighs. The most unforgettable feature of him was the bulging blood shot eyes.

3.            ‘…….the crown proposed to call four witnesses……’ Who were four witnesses. What did each one testify?

A.            Mrs. Salmon saw Adams coming out of Mrs. Parker’s house and dropping a hammer in the garden. She heard a door click shut. She thought it was her own gate. The second witness, Henry MacDougall, saw him in the middle of the road while driving home late night from Bendfleet to Northwood street. The third witness, Mr. Wheeler was awakened by a noise. He saw Adams. In Laurel another witness saw him.

4.            ‘…His luck was badly out….’ In what way? Would anyone like to see a murderer being luck? Why does the narrator say …. ‘he might as well have committed the crime in broad daylight?

A.            Adams was seen by four people after he murdered Mrs. Parker. There was a street light and moonlight to identify him. He was seen as if the murder had been committed in broad daylight.

5.            ‘She was the ideal witness.’ What made Mrs. Salmon an ideal witness?

A.            Her expression of honesty, care and kindness made Mrs. Salmon an ideal witness. She spoke very firmly witout any malice in her eyes. She did not feel important as the judge listen to her and the reporters writing.

6.            Why was the accused in the Peckham murder case acquitted? Why was his twin brother not convicted?

A.            The four witnesses for the Crown council confused as the defence lawyer presented the twin brother of the accused. Each of the Adams had his alibi that he was at home with his wife at the time of murder. Hence the accused was acquitted for lack of evidences and mistaken identity.

7.            ‘That extraordinary day had an extraordinary end..’ How was the end extraordinary? (or) What was the ‘Divine Vengeance,?

A.            The end was extraordinary because when the twins were leaving the court, one of the twin brothers got pushed on to the road in front of a running bus and died on the spot.  

SNAPSHOT OF A DOG

1.            What are the two important qualities of Rex?

A.            The two important qualities of muscular and beautifully made and another one is not to lose dignity even when trying to accomplish the extravagant tasks.

2.            ‘Rex was a tremendous fighter….’ But he was different from other dogs in several ways. What were they?

A.            Rex came from a line of fighters but he did not like to get into fights. Though he was a tremendous fighter, he never started fights. He never went for another dog’s throat, but for one of its ears.

3.            ‘But he had a gentle disposition.’ Two pieces of evidence are offered to support this. What are they?

A.            Rex had a gentle disposition. He never started fights or looked for troubles. He never bit a person or did not even growl at any others except prowlers.

4.            ‘He had his own philosophy about such things.’ What was Rex’s philosophy about chasing things? Why were not wagons a part of his world?

A.            Rex had his own philosophy about chasing things. His philosophy was not to chase any thing he could not catch or something he could not do any thing even if he caught it. Wagons were not a part of his world because he knew that they were beyond his reach.

5.            Who was Rex waiting for? How did that person come through the gate? Why did he stop whistling?

A.            Rex was waiting for one of his three masters. He came through the gate whistling. He stopped whistling seeing the condition of Rex. He was shocked to see Rex walking a few wobbling paces towards him instead of running.

6.            Describe Rex briefly.

A.            Rex was an American Bull Terrier. He had one brindle eye, a brindle saddle and a brindle stocking on a hind leg. The rest was white. He was big and muscular and beautiful.

SNAKE

1.            Why did the poet decide that he had to stand and wait? How did the poet treat the snake?

A.            As the snake was the first one at the trough the poet decided to stand and wait as he saw the snake which was deinking water. He treated the snake as his guest.

2.            The poet had four different feelings towards the snake. What were they? (or) The poet had four different reasons for not killing the snake. What were they? Which was the strongest among them?

A.            The four feelings that the poet had towards the snake were cowardice, perversity, humility and honour. Honour is the strongest of all.

3.            What did the voice of education ask the poet to do? What is the argument for killing a golden snake?

A.            The voice of education asked the poet to kill the snake because the golden snakes in Sicily are venomous while the blacks are not.

4.            What does the port regret? What is the mean act? Why does he despise his voice of human education?

A.            The poet regrets of his mean act because it is very paltry and vulgar to throw a log at the snake. He despises his voice of human education because it had asked him to do the mean act of killing the snake.

FIRE IN THE FOREST

1.            How did the Forest Department officials get ready to halt the fire? Do you think they were prepared to meet the situation? How?

A.            The Forest Department officials cleared the undergrowth and all the trees and made a fire line to meet the       on coming blaze. They lighted up the fire line so that the tow fires would go out when they met.

2.            Why was the spotted  deer lying away from the herd? ‘She was at peace with the world’. Why was she at peace?

A.            The spotted deer had just given birth to a fawn. So, she was lying away from the herd. She had chosen that spot because the deep grass there provided her a safe hiding place. She was at peace because she knew that there was no danger threatened her baby.

3.            How do the deer spot the danger? Why was she on  the alert all the time?

A.            The deer usually spot the danger only they see a tiger or a panther. She was alert all the time flicking her ears to face any unexpected danger .

4.            How did the deer react when she first got the smell of danger?

A.            When the deer first got the smell of danger, she got on to her feet, with an outstretched neck. She stared nervously up wind and stamped lightly in warning. It was not a natural reaction. She was more alert because of her fawn.

5.            Why did the deer stay back at the pool even when the other animals went away? What did she do later?

A.            The fawn was too weak to move yet. So the deer and the fawn stayed back at the pool, cooling their burns and drinking the tepid water. Later when her fawn was strong enough, she and her baby moved into the unburned forest and joined the herd.        

VINOBA – A PORTRAIT SKETCH

1.            How did Vinoba appeal to the landlords? Did he appeal for charity or for a rightful share?

A.            Vonoba would appeal to the landlords to treat him as their fifth son and give him his rightful share. He did not appeal for charity but asked for rightful share.

2.            How did Vinoba win over the landlords? In what sense are the landlords lucky?

A.            Vinoba won over the landlords by touching their conscience with a spirit of loving conciliation. In Vinoba’s opinion the landlords are lucky because they are privileged in giving to others than receiving from others.

3.            ‘Vonoba has reversed this process.’ What is the process the author is talking about and how did h e reverse it?

A.            The author was talking about the renunciation of worldly possessions, retirement from service and leading an austere life. Vinoba reversed it starting his service at the age of 57, when the most of the people think of retirement.

4.            Why did Vinoba refuse to attend his mother’s funeral? Do you think he was right in doing so?

A.            Vinoba refused to attend his mother’s funeral because he believed that it was an act of casteism.

5.            What are the things that Vinoba renounced? Which one do you think was his greatest sacrifice?

A.            Vinoba renounced marriage, salt, worldly pleasures and he burnt his certificates. I think his greatest sacrifice is not getting married because it is against the basic instinct of man.

6.            What was the mission’s target? How much land had it collected? (or) What was Vinoba’s mission?

A.            Vinoba’s mission was the” Land Gift Mission”. It had collected more than one million acres of land.

UPAGUPTA

1.            What did the dancer request Upagupta? (or) What did the dancing girl ask the ascetic to do?

A.            The dancer requested Upagupta to come to her house. She was attracted by his austerely handsome face.

2.            What do you think Upagupta declined(refused) the request of the dancing girl?

A.            Upagupta was a saint. He hated comfort, wealth and worldly pleasures. So he declined the dancer’s request.

3.            “The time, at last, has come to visit you and I am here.”  In what sense has the time come?

A.            Upagupta said this to the dancing girl. The dancing girl was suffering from a deadly disease and she was driven away from the town. The time for the ascetic had come to serve her.

THE BEAUTIFUL WHITE HORSE

1.            What was Aram’s family famous for? What were the qualities of the family?

A.            Aram’s family was famous for honesty. The members of the family were proud first, honest next and after that they believed in right and wrong.

2.            How did Aram justify his cousin’s way of getting hold of a horse? Why did he think it was not stealing at all?

A.            Aram justified it saying it would not be stealing as they were not going to sell the horse. He also asserted that stealing a horse for a ride was not the same as stealing something else, such as money.

3.            “How long ago did you steal the horse.” How did Aram realize that Mourad had stolen the horse some time ago?

A.            Aram asked Mourad, where he was going to hide the horse. Mourad said that he knew a place. Then Aram realized that Mourad had stolen the horse some time ago and riding it early in the mornings for sometime.

4.            Did John Byro recognize his horse? Why did not he accuse Aram And Mourad of stealing the horse?

A.            Yes, John Byro recognized his horse. He did not accused Aram and Mourad of stealing horse as he wanted them realize their mistake, by referring to their family’s good name for honesty  and nobility.

5.            Why do you think the cousins returned the horse? Do you think they were ashamed of what they had done?

A.            The cousins returned the horse to the owner as the horse was recognized by its owner. They were ashamed of what they had done.

6.            What did Aram want Mourad to do after he knew that the horse belonged to John Byro?

A.            Aram asked Mourad to keep the horse until he learnt riding. Mourad did not want to keep it so long. He said that the horse must go back to its owner in six months.

KNOWLEDGE AND WISDOM

1.            What does the author state as the first factor that contributes to wisdom?

A.            Sense of proportion – the capacity to take account of all the important factors in a problem and to attach  to each its due weight is the first factor that contributes to the wisdom. It is also known as ‘Comprehensive Vision.

2.            How many factors contribute to wisdom? List them.

A.            The factors that contribute to wisdom are: 1) Sense of proportion 2) Certain awareness of the ends of human life

                3) The choice of the ends to be pursued  4) Emancipation from the personal prejudice 5) Emancipation from the tyranny of the here and the now.

3.            In what way did the war conducted by Lincoln differ from other wars?

A.            Lincoln conducted a great war without never departing from wisdom. He fought the war in order to attain freedom to the Negroes. The other wars were aimed at the destructions of enemy.

4.            “Some men lack what I am calling wisdom.” What kind of men is Russell referring to?

A.            The author says that wisdom includes intellect and feeling. Some people will have wide knowledge but their feelings are narrow. Such men lack what he calls wisdom.

5.            What does increase in knowledge result in?

A.             Increase in knowledge results in the development of various skills further resulting in scientific advancement. It also augments our capacity for evil unless our purposes are wise. So increase in knowledge should result in wisdom, in proportion. Otherwise it would lead to hatred, destruction and disaster.

I’LL GET ONE TOMORROW

1.            Why has the poet finally decided to visit the barber?

A.            The poet is very much irritated by torrents of hair that climb like an ivy creeper round his ears. They play and jump on his neck and collar. He is unable to tolerate these things. So he has finally decided to visit the barber.

2.            What kind of hair-cut does the poet want? What will he look like after the hair-cut?

A.            The poet wants a thorough and overhaul hair-cut by almost plucking the hair from its very roots. After the hair-cut, he thinks, he will look like a lizard.

3.            ‘Sloth is strong, but hair is stronger;….’ What do the lines mean?

A.            It means that the poet is unable to bear any longer the discomfort caused by his hair. Inspite of his laziness he has to go to a barber. They produce a rhythmic effect.

4.            “Men no braver than myself Comfort the armory on they shelf.” What is the poet talking about?

A.            The poet is talking about the barber. The barber’s tools are called ‘armoury,. They consist of shears, scythes and snippers. One must be brave enough to comfort the barber.