10th English Question Answer

 Poem No-01 -The frog & The Nightingale                                                           BY- VIKRAM SETH

Q1: How did the creatures of the Bingle bog react to the nightingale's singing?

Answer: The creatures of the Bingle Bog who were quite fed up of the unpleasant and harsh voice of the frog cheered, when they heard the melodious and beautiful voice of the nightingale. They were full of admiration and listened to her enchanting song with great interest. When her song ended, all the creatures clapped for her and asked her to sing some more. Ducks and herons waded towards her. All the creatures were filled with fascination and delight.

Q2: Which were the different ways in which the frog asserts his importance?

Answer: The frog introduced himself to the nightingale as the owner of the sumac tree. He proudly declared himself to be very famous singer of the Bog, who had a splendid baritone as well as a music critic who used to write for bog Trumpet magazine. He found faults with the nightingale's song in order to assert his superiority over her. He even offered to train her so as to improve her singing. The gullible nightingale was completely obstructed by the frog's sweet sugar coated words.

Q3: Why is the frog's joy both sweet and bitter?

Answer: The frog's joy is both sweet and bitter. His joy is sweet because he is able to earn a lot of money from the musical concerts at the cost of the nightingale. His joy is bitter because he is highly jealous of the nightingale who is becoming famous day by day. The frog can never get respect and admiration from the creatures of bog as everyone hated his hoarse voice.

Q4: Why was the frog angry?

Answer: The frog was angry because his strain of long practice and over-rehearsal had adversely affected the nightingale's singing. As a result, her voice lost his beauty and her tired, exhausted songs appeared mechanical to audience and the creatures could no longer enjoy her songs. The audience twiddles and the ticket office crashed because of which the frogs earning declined. So, he lost his temper and scolded the nightingale badly, calling her brainless bird.

Q5: How did the frog become the unrivaled king of the bog again?

Answer: The frog who was jealous of the nightingale because of her growing popularity devised of devil plan to get rid of her. He pretended to train her and made her practice for long hours, even in the rain. As a result, her voice lost the charm and the other creatures stop coming to hear her sing at the musical concert. The frog's earnings declined due to which he was annoyed with the nightingale. He urged her to sing loudly and with more passion. She didn't have any confidence in her own ability and genius. She blindly trusted the frog and sang with so much force that one of her vein bursted and she died. In this way, the frog became the unrivalled king of the bog again.

Q6: Bring out the irony in the frog's statement-'Your song must be your own'.

Answer: The nightingale had no confidence on her own. She had a very melodious voice but she was befooled by the frog, who was very jealous of her. He pretended to train her and made her practice for long hours, even in the rain. As a result, her voice lost the charmand one day she was told by the frog to sing more loudly. As she blindly trusted him, she sang with so much force that she died. The frog had planned all this deliberately. When she died, he passed this comment that everyone should follow one's own advice which seems highly ironical in this context.

Q7: Do you think that the end is justified?

Answer: In my opinion, this end portrays the victory of evil over good. The tragic end of innocent nightingale is not justified. The wicked and crook frog should get punishment in the end for his conspiracy.

Q8: Do you think that the nightingale is 'brainless'? Give reasons for your answer.

Answer: Yes, the nightingale is certainly 'brainless'. She foolishly and blindly trusted the frog and changed her style of singing. This led her to suffer the end she had met with. She failed to see through frog's wicked plans and turned out to be a loser and died.

Q9: Inspite of having a melodious voice and being a crowd puller, the nightingale turns out to be a loser and dies.How far is she responsible for her down downfall?

Answer: The nightingale was totally responsible for her downfall. She had a very sweet

and melodious voice. Her songs were full of enchantment and all the creatures were filled with fascination and delight on hearing her songs. In spite of her qualities, she was very easily befooled by the frog. She lacked self-confidence and blindly trusted the frog. She didn't use her brain and did all what she was told to do. Her simple heartedness and lack of confidence were the main reasons for her downfall and the tragic end.

Q10: Do you agree with the Frog's inference of the Nightingale's character? Give reasons for your answer.

Answer: The Frog was very wicked and befooled the nightingale. He scolded and demoralized her. He made her sing so forcefully and loudly that she died. He used her for his benefit and even at her death, he was not sorry for his conspiracy. He called her stupid and he was right in saying so.

Q11: Who do you hold guilty for the bird's death?

Answer: According to me, frog was very wicked and befooled the nightingale. He scolded and demoralized her. He made her sing so forcefully and loudly that she died. But the nightingale was also equally responsible for her tragic end. She foolishly and blindly trusted the frog and changed her style of singing. This led her to suffer the end she had met with.

Poem No-02  The Mirror                                                                             BY- SYLVIA PLATH

1.            What is the poetic device used when the mirror says 'I swallow'?
Answer: In this case, the poet has used a metaphor. A mirror does not reject anything rather accepts everything which is presented in front of it.

2.          How does the mirror usually pass its time?
Answer: The mirror most passes most of its time by staring at the opposite wall. It has been doing that since so long that the wall appears like an inseparable part of the mirror.

3.          What disturbs the mirror's contemplation of the opposite wall?
Answer: Two things disturb the mirror’s contemplation of the opposite wall. One of them is darkness and another is someone standing in front of the mirror.

4.          Why does the mirror appear to be a lake in the second stanza? What aspect of the mirror do you think is being referred to here?
Answer: Like a lake, a mirror is very deep and hides so many secrets and mysteries in its innards. A mirror is the place where someone may have lost her childhood, her youth, or her innocence. Whatever is lost in this depth is lost forever. You cannot recover your past from the depth of a mirror.

5.          What is the woman searching for in the depths of the lake?
Answer: The woman is searching her true personality in the mirror. She knows that those who appreciate her beauty are liars and only the mirror can tell the truth.

6.          How does the narrator convey the fact that the woman looking at her reflection in the lake is deeply distressed?
Answer: When she looks in the mirror, she waves her hands frantically. This shows that the lady must be deeply distressed.

7.           What makes the woman start crying?
Answer: When the lady discovers that mirror is showing nothing but the truth, she begins to cry. She is crying because she is glad that the mirror had been faithful to her.

8.          What do you think the 'terrible fish' in the last line symbolizes? What is the poetic device used here?
Answer: The poet has used ‘terrible fish’ as a metaphor. In this case, advancing age is the terrible fish. All of us age every day and cannot escape the harsh fact that one day all of us shall become too old, too weak and too unattractive.

9.              Find the various instances of personification used in this poem.
Answer: The mirror has been personified in many cases. At first, the mirror has been personified as the God who looks at us from all angles. Then the mirror has been personified as a lake which hides so many secrets in its depth.

Poem No-03  Not Marble Nor Gilded Monuments                       BY- WILLIAM SHAKESPEARE

Explain – ‘‘Nor Mars his sword, nor wars’ quick fire shall burn the living record of your memory.’’

Ans: The poet says that no kind of wars and even the God of war with his powerful sword can ever destroy the poems the poet has written for his friend. He means to say that written words are immortal and cannot be destroyed by anyone.

Explain – ‘‘you live in this, and dwell in lover’s eyes’’

Ans: The poet’s friend will live forever for he is immortalized in the verses written by the poet. Everything else will perish on the Judgment Day. But the poet’s love for his friend will not perish; it will live in the eyes of the lovers forever.

1. How is Time personified in the poem? What purpose does it serve?

Ans: Time is a great leveler. It destroys everything like the monuments or statues. All the magnificent structures of the world will be razed to the ground. Then ‘time is personified as a slut which is an unfavorable comparison. Just as a slut’s beauty changes with time, similarly, time also changes everything. A slut’s physical beauty does not last, nor does her attractions. Similarly time changes all relations or equations that one forges in life.

2. What is the poet’s message in sonnet 55?

Ans: The poet wishes to communicate that Love is beyond all barriers, whether materialistic or physical. All the other things are doomed for destruction but love will stand the test of time. Since there is no end to love, it will exist forever. Time’s cruel knife cuts everything, changes all relations but not love. So the poet’s love for his friend will continue strongly even in the face of death and dispassionate enmity. It will live forever in the eyes of the lovers. So the theme is love and the power of love that outlives all.

Poem No-04  -Ozymandias                                                                            BY- Percy Bysche Shelley

(a) ‘‘The hand that mocked them, and the heart that fed’’. Whose hand and heart has the poet referred to in this line?

Ans. The hand and heart refer to Ozymandias, the mighty king who ruled his kingdom with great cruelty. He looked after his people and fed them but hated them and felt that they were weak and helpless.

(b) ‘‘My name is Ozymandias, king of kings’’. Why does Ozymandias refer to himself as ‘king of kings’? What quality of the king is revealed through this statement?

Ans. Ozymandias was very mighty, conceited, arrogant and was intoxicated with power. He was very boastful and proud and so considered himself to be even greater than other kings. He thought himself to be above all on this world.  He was very confident  of his might  and extraordinary power.

(c) ‘‘Look on my works, ye Mighty, and despair ’’!  Who is Ozymandias referring to when he speaks of ye Mighty? Why should they despair?

Ans. Ozymandias is referring to anyone who considers himself to be mighty and powerful. He throws a challenge to him that he should look at the work of Ozymandias first and then consider their might. Others will despair because none can ever equal Ozymandias’ achievements and power.

(d) Bring out the Irony in the poem.

Ans. Ozymandias was very boastful of his power. His arrogant and shattered face, broken statue, the waste and ruins around prove that the great king’s work and civilization has crumbled to dust. Time has levelled his fame and work and the ruins around along with the shattered statue bear a testimony to the fact that nothing lasts for ever and all the boasts will be disproved ironically in the end.

 (e) “Nothing beside remains”. What does the narrator mean when he says these words?

Ans. All power, might, civilisations, status crumble to dust. Man is insignificant before the power of Time and everything  is reduced to nought. The statement ‘‘Dust thou art to dust returnest’’ proves true in the end. This is the true destiny of man and the passage of Time proves to be a great leveller.

 (f) What is your impression of Ozymandias as a king?

Ans. Ozymandias was a very boastful and arrogant king, who believed in his might to rule over his kingdom. He was egoistic, very conceited and he looked after and fed the citizens as a favour. He  hankered after immortality and eternal fame. Ozymandias believed that none could ever equal his exploits.

(g) What message is conveyed in t he poem ‘‘Ozymandias’’?

Ans. The poet uses a shattered statue to highlight the ephemeral nature of fame, popularity and power. The great king’s proud; boast (I king of kings, look on my work, ye mighty and despair) has been ironically disproved. Ozymandias’ works and might have crumbled and disappeared, his civilization has disappeared, all has been razed to the ground by the impersonal, indiscriminate destructive power of history. The ruined statue is merely a monument of one man’s ‘hubris’ and a powerful statement about the insignificance of human beings to the passage of Time. Ozymandias is first and foremost a metaphor for the ephemeral nature of political power. So this becomes Shelley’s most dominant sonnet with political overtones. Ozymandias not only symbolises political power but the statue is a metaphor for the pride and ‘hubris’ for all mankind. It is worth noting that all the remains of Ozymandias, his work of art and a group of words as Shakespeare has done in his sonnets, demonstrate the fact that art and language long outlive the other legacies of power.

1. Discuss the poetic style of the poem, ‘‘Ozymandias’’.

Ans. Ozymandias, written in 1817 is a very masterful sonnet by Shelley. It is written in iambic pentameter and was an unusual rhyme-scheme. The poem interlinks the octave by gradually replacing old rhymes with new ones in the form of ABABACDCEDEFEF. This sonnet is Shelly’s brilliant rendering of the story of a powerful king. Framing the sonnet as a story told to the speaker by ‘‘a traveller from an antique land’’,enables Shelley to add another level of obscurity to Ozymandia’s position with regard to the reader. Rather than seeing the statue with our own eyes, we hear it from someone who has heard from another source, so and so forth. Thus the ancient king is rendered less commanding. The distancing of the narrative serves to undermine his power over us, like the passage of time. Shelley gradually reconstructs the figure of the king. First we see the ‘‘vast trunkless legs,’’ then the ‘shattered visage’’ and, then the inscription. The expression on the king’s face, then we are introduced to the king’s people of his time. The kingdom is now imaginatively complete and we are introduced to the proud boast of the king. With this the poet demolishes our imaginary picture of the king, with centuries of ruinand bare sands between it and us. Basically the poet is devoted to a single metaphor throughout the poem – the shattered ruined statue in the desert waste land with its arrogant and passionate face

2. How did the poet come to know about the broken statue of Ozymandias?

Ans : The poet was told the story of Ozymandias by a speaker who had met a traveller from an ancient land. The story and the condition of Ozymandias’ statue is conveyed by word of mouth. This adds a tinge of obscurity and mystery to the statue.

3. In what condition was the statue found?

Ans : The statue of Ozymandias was found in a distant desert. The head of the statue was broken and nearby two vast legs of stone stand without a body. The head is half sunk in the sand. The statue has a bitter and cruel expression of command and power.

4. Who had written the inscription on the pedestal below the statue? What did it indicate?

Ans : On the pedestal of the statue the words inscribed were, “My name is Ozymandias, I am the king of kings. If anyone wishes to know how great I am, then let him surpass my works.” These words indicate the arrogance, conceit and arrogance of the king. The king appeared to sneer at people who were weak and helpless.

5. Describe the surroundings of the statue of Ozymandias?

Ans : The broken statue of Ozymandias was surrounded by vast stretches of sand and loneliness of deserts. These ruins prove that the king’s work and civilization has crumbled to dust. Nothing lasts forever, and loneliness, desertions convey a feeling of crumbling under the cruel knife of time.

5. Do you believe Ozymandias was justified in persisting in the belief of his supremacy? Why/ Why not?

Ans : Ozymandias was cruel, dominating and arrogant. He was too conceited and looked down upon the weak and helpless. He believed that he was the mightiest. But his challenge was ironically disproved by time itself. All his achievements, fame, empire were razed to the ground. Fate and time make a mockery of all this. So his boast could never be justified.

6. Give the chacacter-sketch of king Ozymandias as depicted in the poem.

Ans : King Ozymandias considered himself to be the king of kings. He ruled over his empire with a firm hand. He fed his subjects but regarded them as inferior. He was boastful of his power and considered himself to be above all. He believed that no one will ever be able to equal his achievements. He considered himself to be blessed with extraordinary powers. The king was so intoxicated with power and passion that the welfare of his people was never

his consideration. He believed himself to be above law and destiny. Ironically his statue and the surroundings proved just the opposite. He believed himself to be even greater than other kings — the Emperor of all.

7. Suppose by a miracle Ozymandias visits planet Earth and comes across his statue in that dilapidated state. He is dejected and awakens

to the realisation of a life frittered away for materialistic and political gains. In a state of regret he pens down his thoughts in the form of

a diary entry. Write the diary for him.

Ans : Dear Diary, Traversing over the desert, I was dumbfounded with great shock when I discovered that my statue was lying broken, without head and body, in an eroded state. Imagine my reaction. I had considered myself above all, I was the greatest, the mightiest, and I believed that the coming generations would worship or pay respect to my statue. The condition of my statue pained me. All my achievements, my confidence in my power was razed to the ground. There were sands and loneliness around. No one seemed to remember my greatness. May be I was wrong. I should have devoted my life to welfare, looked after my people with compassion and care, maybe then the fate of my statue would have been different.

Ozymandias.

8. After reading the poem, what is the lesson ingrained in it for the rest of mankind? Discuss.

Ans : Power, position, pelf should be used for the welfare of mankind. History may record one’s territorial achievements but if one wins the hearts of people, then that is real victory. One must command respect and not demand it. Many times sages and saints are respected more than mighty kings. So one must never misuse power and might. Time is a great leveller. So glorious deeds should be committed to get respect from posterity. Shelley also demonstrates the fact that art and language long outlive the other legacies of power. Real power is winning hearts and not in ruling the weak and the needy.

Poem No-05   The Rime of Ancient Mariner                                           BY- Samuel Taylor Coleridge

1. Describe the ancient mariner.
   Answer: The Ancient Mariner is an old man. He is quite thin and frail. He long grey beard and there is a glitter in his eyes.

2.          How did the ancient mariner stop the wedding guest?

Answer; The ancient mariner used his gleaming eyes to stop the wedding guest.

3. How does the mariner describe the movement of the ship as it sails away from the land?
   Answer: The mariner describes the movement of the ship as it sails away from the land; in following words. This ship is going farther and farther on the horizon. First of all, the ship appears to be going below the kirk, then below the hill. Finally the ship is so far that it appears to be even below the lighthouse top.

4.          Was the wedding guest happy to be stopped? Give reasons for your answer.

Answer: The wedding guest does not seem to be happy at being stopped. He is a young person who has come to attend the wedding ceremony and would be least interested in an old tale by an old man.

5.          What kind of weather did the sailors enjoy at the beginning of their journey? How has it been expressed in the poem?
Answer: The weather was pleasant and sunny. The sun came as if appearing from the innards of the sea. The sun was bright day after day during the initial phase of the journey.

6. How did the sailors reach the land of mist and snow?
   Answer: The fierce storm forced the ship to reach the land of mist and snow.
7. How does the mariner express the fact that the ship was completely surrounded by icebergs?
   Answer: The mariner says that the ice was here, the ice was there and it was all around.
8. How do we know that the albatross was not afraid of the humans? Why did the sailors hail it in God’s name?
   Answer: The way albatross came to eat from the sailor’s hands shows that it was not afraid of humans. After the albatross appeared, the weather became pleasant and hence the sailors hailed it in God’s name.
9. What was the terrible deed done by the Mariner? Why do you think he did it?
   Answer: It is not clear why the Mariner killed the albatross. It can be assumed that the Mariner was fed up all the attention which the Albatross was getting.
10. In which direction did the ship start moving? How can you say?
    Answer: The ship began to move towards north because the sun is not setting to the left.
11. Why does the mariner say that ‘no sweet bird did follow’?
    Answer: The mariner tries to express his sadness at having killed the albatross. Hence he is making this statement.

12. How did the other mariners behave towards the Ancient Mariner at first? How many times did they change their mind about the Ancient Mariner? What does this tell us about their character?
    Answer: The other mariners changed their opinions as per the changing weather. When the weather was favourable, they hailed the Ancient Mariner for killing the albatross. But when the weather was not favourable, they cursed the Ancient Mariner. This shows that human beings most often interpret something as per their convenience. It does not say anything about their character.
13. How did the sailing conditions change after the ship had moved out of the land of mist and snow? What or who did the mariners blame for this change?
    Answer: Once the ship came out of the land of mist and snow, it had to withstand a condition of complete lull. The wind was still and the ship could not move an inch. The mariners blamed the killing of the albatross for this change.
14. What is indicated by the line ‘The bloody sun, at noon, /Right up above the mast did stand, /No bigger than the moon’?
    Answer: The heat of the sun is being compared with the tortuous situation which the sailors were suffering from.
15. How does the mariner describe the fact that they were completely motionless in the middle of the sea?
    Answer: The ship was so still that it appeared as a painted ship on the painted ocean. This sentence aptly describes the motionless ship in the middle of the sea.
16. What is the irony in the ninth stanza? Explain it in your own words.
    Answer: The biggest irony is that inspite of being in the midst of the ocean of water, the sailors don’t have a single drop to drink. We know that saline water is not fit for human consumption. Hence, if a person is caught in the middle of the sea and he does not have drinking water; only God can save his life.
17. What or who did the mariners feel was responsible for their suffering?
    Answer: The mariners felt that some evil spirits from the unfathomable depth of the ocean were responsible for their suffering.
18. Describe the condition of the mariners as expressed in the thirteenth stanza.
    Answer: The mariners were barely able to speak because of their parched throat. They were unable to speak as if their throats were parched with soot.
19. Why did the mariners hand the albatross around the neck of the Ancient Mariner?
    Answer: Albatross around the neck is used in the proverbial sense as if a heavy burden is thrust upon you. The mariners probably tied the albatross around the neck of the Ancient Mariner to symbolize the burden of guilt because of killing the albatross.

Poem No-06  The Snake                                                                                           BY- D.H. Lawrence

1. Why does the poet decide to stand and wait till the snake has finished drinking? What does this tell you about the poet?
   Answer: The snake had arrived at the water trough before the poet and hence the poet decided to wait for his turn. This incident shows that poet has respect for other living beings the way a human being should have for another human being. His civic sense is highly developed.
2. In stanza 2 and 3, the poet gives a vivid description of the snake by using suggestive expressions. What picture of the snake do you form on the basis of this description?
   Answer: The snake is earthy brown and earthy golden in colour and has a long body. it has a two-forked tongue and has toothless gum.
3. How does the poet describe the day and the atmosphere when he saw the snake?
   Answer: It was a hot day of July and the temperature was further increased by the heat from Mt. Etna.
4. What does the poet want to convey by saying that the snake emerges from the ‘burning bowels of the earth’?
   Answer: The earthy brown and golden colour of the snake appeared as if it had just come from the hot innards of the earth.
5. Do you think the snake was conscious of the poet’s presence? How do you know?
   Answer: The way the snake paused for a moment and vaguely looked at the poet shows that the snake was conscious of the poet’s presence.
6. How do we know that the snake’s thirst was satiated? Pick out the expressions that convey this.
   Answer: Once the snake quenched its thirst, it lifted its head dreamily; as if heavily drunk. It also appeared to be licking its lip; the way people do after drinking something. The godly expression on the face of the snake also shows that it was satiated.
7. The poet has a dual attitude towards the snake. Why does he experience conflicting emotions on seeing the snake?
   Answer: Because of his mental conditioning, the poet wants to react and kill the snake. But the artist inside him prevents him to do so. The artist wants to enjoy one of the unmatched beauty of the nature. He wants to enjoy every moment of a snake enjoying the bounty of the nature.
8. The poet is filled with horror and protest when the snake prepares to retreat and bury itself in the ‘horrid black’, ‘dreadful’ hole. In the light of this statement, bring out the irony of his act of throwing a log at the snake.
   Answer: The poet does not want his amusement to end so abruptly. He wants to have more of it and hence does not wish the snake to disappear into the hole. These feelings convey a sense of admiration which the poet has for the snake. But ironically, he tries to hit the snake with a log; as if venting his anger at the snake for daring to break the dreamy sequence.
9. The poem seems to be full of admiration and respect for the snake. He almost regards him like a majestic God. Pick out at least four expressions from the poem that reflect these emotions.
   Answer: The calmness and confidence with which the snake drinks water, the royal style with which the snake lifts its head; convey that the author was full of admiration and respect for the snake.
10. What is the difference between the snake’s movement at the beginning of the poem and later when the poet strikes it with a log of wood? You may use relevant vocabulary from the poem to highlight the difference.
    Answer: When the snake came to drink water, it was moving slowly. It appeared from a dark fissure in the earth-wall and slowly descended over the edge of the stone trough. When the snake was leaving, it was doing so in undignified haste. It writhed like lightning and disappeared into the black-hole.
11. The poet experiences a feeling of self-derision, guilt and regret after hitting the snake. Pick out expressions that suggest this. Why does he feel like this?
    Answer: The poet thought that his act was a paltry, vulgar and mean act. He despises himself and accuses his human education for hitting the snake.
12. You may have already read Coleridge’s poem The Ancient Mariner in which an albatross is killed by the mariner. Why does the poet make an allusion to the albatross?
    Answer: The way the Ancient Mariner felt a deep sense of guilt after killing the albatross, the poet also feels the guilt after trying to hit the snake. Hence, the poet has made an allusion to the albatross.
13. ‘I have something to expiate’ – Explain.
    Answer: The poet is repenting at his act of hitting the snake. He was enjoying the sight of the majestic creature; when the snake began to disappear into the dark innards of the earth. The poet probably wanted to enjoy the dignified manner in which the snake would have disappeared.

CH-01          -  Two Gentlemen Of Verona                                                                           BY- A. J. Cronin

 (a) "We do many things, sir.”Nicola answered seriously. He glanced at us hopefully.

Answer: The above statement means that both Nicola and Jacopo were trying very hard to earn their living. At the same time they were expecting that the narrator also would ask for their services, so that they could earn some money.

(b) He coloured deeply under his sunburn then grew pale.

Answer: The statement shows that the boys were shy. Nicola felt embarrassed when the narrator enquired about their earnings and what they do with the money. He was not used to such questions. Therefore, he grew pale.

(c) He smiled uncomfortably."Just plans,sir," he answered in a low voice.

Answer: Nicola felt uneasy when the narrator asked whether they had plans to emigrate to the States. He was evasive and do not want to share their sufferings with anyone.

(d) Yet in both these boyish faces there was a seriousness which was far beyond their years.

Answer: Although the boys were very small, but they possess maturity in their understanding and work. They were extremely hard-working, sincere and committed to work. These qualities are very uncommon in children.

Q1: Why didn't Luigi, the driver, approve of the two boys?

Answer: Luigi found both the boys shabby and uncouth. They had tangled hair, dark earnest eyes, brown skin and looked quiet ill-clad. They appeared to be pathetic. Moreover he thought that they might sell fruits that are not fresh.

Q2: Why were the narrator and his companion impressed by the two boys?

Answer: They were very impressed by the boys because they were highly committed and devoted towards work at such a tender age. They were ready to do all sorts of odd jobs to earn money. They exhibited dedication, determination and sincerity while working.

Q3: Why was the author surprised to see Nicola and Jacopo working as shoeshine boys?

Answer: During his first meeting with Nicola and Jacopo, the boys were selling fruits. Next time, they were polishing shoes to earn money. So,it was a surprise for him to see that at this tender age, they were ready to do any type of work.

Q4: How were the boys useful to the author?

Answer: Nicola and Jacopo proved themselves useful. If they want a pack of American cigarettes, seats for the opera or the name of a good restaurant, Nicola and Jacopo could be relied upon to satisfy their needs.

Q5: Why were the boys in the deserted square at night? What character traits do they exhibit?

Answer: The boys were in the deserted square at night because the last bus from Padua was expected to come there at that time and they hoped to sell the bundle of unsold newspapers to the passengers in the bus. They exhibited extreme hardwork, dedication, sincerity, determination, devotion towards work, tolerance,tremendous self respect  and dignity.

Q6: The narrator asks the boys," Must you work so hard? You both look rather tired." The boys reply,"We are not complaining,sir." What do you learn about the boys from their reply?

Answer: From their reply we can make out that the boys were highly commited and devoted towards work at such a tender age.They had extreme patience, endurance and tolerence. They were also extremely hard-working.They were  non-complaining, rough and tough children who wanted to maintain their dignity and self-respect.

Q7: When the narrator asks the boys about their plans, they were evasive.Why don't they disclose their problems?

Answer: The boys don't disclose their problems to the narrator when the latter ask them about their plans because they do not want to loose their dignity and self-respect by not asking anyone for sympathy or financial help.

Q8: ‘When the resistance movement began secretly to form they were among the first to join. When the war was over and we had peace at last, they came back to their beloved sister.’

(a) Who are the “they” referred to here?

(b) Why did they join the resistance movement?

(c) What had happened to their sister?

Answer :  (a) Here ‘they’ refers to the two brothers, Nicola and Jacopo.

(b) They joined the resistance movement because the war waged by Germany had destroyed their family. It had killed their father. Their house had been destroyed and the war had separated them from their sister.

(c) Their sister, Lucia, who wanted to be a singer, had tuberculosis of the spine due to cold and starvation.

Q9: Why didn’t the two boys disclose their problems to the author?

Answer: Despite leading a destitute life, the boys didn't disclose their problems to the author because they did not want their private suffering be made public. They would like to live with self-respect and had strong will power to accept responsibility for their own lives.

CH-02          -    MRS PACKLETIDE’S TIGER                                                                 BY- SAKI

1. How does the writer create humour in this story?

Ans: The writer uses various techniques to create loads of humour and laughter throughout the story. The plot, situations, characters and versatile use of language has packed bundles of laughs, one after another. The bare idea of tiger hunting on the part of a rich socialite, just to outshine another, is quite funny. Mrs Packletide’s strategy to humiliate Loona, at the luncheon party with the tiger in the background is full of humour. The selection of tiger that has a royal past and the steps akin by the villagers are quite entertaining. The behaviour of the tiger when he sights the goat, or the killing of goat instead of tiger, adds to the reader’s interest. Miss Mebbin, the paid companion, exploits the entire situation to her credit and proves to be the smartest. Miss Mebbin’s money-mindedness, greed and the way she safeguards money at all costs is very interesting. All the three female characters are epitomes of vanity and pretension. Even the villagers, in their innocence, connive to keep the funny secret. Mebbin, who manages to extract a weakened cottage with ‘tiger lilies’ and ironically calls it ‘The Wild Beast’. The climax of humour erupts in the situation when the goat is seen in the death-throes and no evidence of the rifle’s work is seen on the tiger. So this is Saki’s excellent rendition of a humorous piece of the first order.

2. What was precisely the motive for Mrs Packletide to shoot a tiger?

Ans: Mrs. Packletide was not compelled by any adventurous feelings and she was least inclined towards any such kind of dangerous activities. Her sole aim was to counter Loona Bimberton’s fame, who had flown in an aircraft. So Mrs. Packletide wanted to hunt a tiger and get her photos in magazines, to make Loona jealous.

3. Why is Mrs Packletide compared to ‘Nimrod’?

Ans: Nimrod was a legendary hunter. Mrs. Packletide was not at all adventurous and had no inclination towards such a sport. The writer has used this comparison to create mockery and lash at such vain females.

4.          Miss Mebbin, after acquiring the cottage at Dorking, writes to her sister how she managed to get the cottage, taking advantage of the vanity of two women. Draft a letter on her behalf.

Ans:         Smith Street

ABC city

25 July, 20……

Dear Molly,

I am floating on Cloud Nine these days. Can you believe that I have fulfilled my lifelong ambition of acquiring a weekend cottage, near Dorking? It is so beautiful and scenic. All my friends were wonderstruck at my fortune and even you would feel that it is a ‘marvel’ and a great asset. Can you believe that your sister is so smart that she benefitted the most from the tug-of-war between two jealous social butterflies, who could go to any length to hurt each other. One of them tried to hunt a tiger and shot the goat instead. I grabbed this opportunity and got lot of hush-money to keep her secret. These women really deserve this treatment. One of them has already learnt a lesson and decided no more to indulge in game-shooting.

Rest of the details, I’ll give later.

Your sister,

Louisa.

CH-03 -  The Letter                                                                                                      BY- Dhumketu

 (a) Who was Ali? Where did he go daily?

Ans. Ali had been a skilled & clever shikari. He had given up that profession and now he was old and sick. Daily he made his trek to the post office to enquire for a letter, which he was expecting from his daughter Miriam, who had got married and gone away.

(b) Ali displays qualities of love and patience. “Give evidence from the story to support the statement.”

Ans. Ali’s love for his daughter is unparalleled. He gave up hunting when he became a father and amidst bitter weather and sickness went to post-office daily to enquire about his daughter. He displays great patience for the touching taunts of the employees there, and even when he is on the verge of death, he instructs one clerk to keep Miriam’s letter on his grave. His patience is limitless, so is his love for his daughter.

(c) How do you know Ali was a familiar face at the post office?

Ans. Ali had become a fixture at the post-office. All the clerks and the postmaster got used to him and called him a mad man. For the last five years he had been coming daily to the post office without fail.

(d) Why did Ali give up hunting?

Ans. His only daughter Miriam got married and left him. Ali then understood the real meaning of love and separation. So he gave up hunting.

(e) What impression do you form of the postmaster after reading the story ‘The Letter’?

Ans. The postmaster was also emotional and compassionate. He truly needed some situation to bring out his human qualities. When he was worried for his daughter, he realised Ali’s misery. Basically he was charitable and kind, he regretted his behaviour and went with Laxmi Das to lay Miriam’s letter on Ali’s grave. He understood the human worth of letters.

(f) The postmaster says to Ali, “What a pest you are brother.” Do you agree? Give reason.

Ans. The postmaster got irritated with Ali’s perservance and tenacity. Mindlessly he called Ali a pest. He was unjustified because till then he had not been exposed to any separation of a child from his parents. He appeared to be cruel and inhuman. As he hadn’t undergone the emotional pangs of a grieving father so he failed to gauge Ali’s misery.

(g) Ali came out very slowly … eyes filled with helplessness. Why were Ali’s eyes filled with helplessness? What had exhausted was patience but not his worth?

Ans. Ali had waited endlessly for his daughter’s letter, he felt helpless. The employees at the post-office made fun of him but he couldn’t resist the temptation of seeing Miriam’s letter. When he was insulted by the post master, who called him a ‘pest’, Ali’s patience was exhausted but his unflagging hope told him that a letter would surely arrive.

(h) ‘Tortured by doubt and remorse, he sat down in the glow of the charcoal sigri to wait.’ Who is tortured by doubt and remorse? Why? What is he waiting for?

Ans. The postmaster’s heart is beating with anxiety to hear from his own daughter. The newly-awakened father’s heart was blaming him for having failed to understand Ali’s anxiety. He was tortured by doubt and remorse. For the first time he had understood what a father feels without hearing any news from his daughter. His heart was brimming with sympathy for Ali because his emotional condition was similar to that of Ali.

5. What is the theme of the lesson ‘The letter’ written by Dhumaketu?

Ans: Love is the foundation of the entire universe and the desire to love and be loved is intrinsic in the nature of Man. The relationship of a parent and child forms the core-centre of the universe and no other relationship can equal it in intensity. Grief and separation from a child becomes very poignant and unbearable for a father and eternal wait for a child’s letter can prove to be real torture. Coachman Ali is a symbol of endless patience, perseverance and his unshaken faith in Miriam’s letter doesn’t end with his death. Moreover, a grieving father can only understand the trauma and suffering of another father. Pain and suffering bring people together even. In the last five years he never received any letter. So the post office people regarded him to be a mad man. Moreover, Ali appeared to be lost in his own world, without being bothered by any sarcastic remark or being deterred by unfavourable weather.

Question-Answers from extracts:

(a) Name the building, with the wooden arch?

Ans. The building was the post office.

(b) Why was the old man filled with joy at its sight?

Ans. The building gave him hope that Miriam’s letter may have arrived.

(c) Why is the old man compared to a “pilgrim”?

Ans. The post office had become a holy place for him and he was like a pilgrim on a holy journey.

Ø  But when the evening of his life was drawing in, he left his old ways and suddenly took a new turn.

(a) Explain — ‘evening of life was drawing in”?

Ans. He was old, sick and on the verge of dying.

(b) What were the man’s old ways?

Ans. He had been a famous shikari and had killed many animals.

(c) What new turn did his life take? Why?

Ans. He gave up hunting due to separation from his only daughter Miriam.

Ø  “I know! I know! But do you think we’ve got your Miriam’s house registered.”

(a) Identify the speaker.

Ans. The speaker is the postmaster.

(b) Discuss the context of the above remark.

Ans. The postmaster is irritated because of Ali’s daily insistence for his daughter’s letter.

(c) What was the result of the above remark on the listener?

Ans. Ali felt very disheartened, miserable but did not lose hope.

Ø  “Allah is there, and in his presence I am giving you this money. When it comes, you must forward my Miriam’s letter to me”.

a) Whom is the speaker addressing?

Ans. The old man is Ali and he is talking to Laxmi Das, a clerk.

(b) What is the reason for giving the money?

Ans. He wants him to deliver Miriam’s letter even when he is dead.

(c) What is the speaker expecting from the listeners?

Ans. He expects Laxmi Das to put Miriam’s letter on his grave.

Ø  The haughty temper of the official had left him in his sorrow and anxiety and had laid bare his human heart.

(a) Who had a haughty temper?

Ans. The postmaster.

(b) How had this person become more human?

Ans. His own daughter’s separation made him realise Ali’s misery and desperation.

(c) How did he try to compensate for his misbehaviour?

Ans. He decided to collect Miriam’s letter and went with Laxmi Das to lay it on Ali’s grave.

Ø  “For several days Ali had not come to the post office. There was no one with enough sympathy or understanding to guess the reason, but all were curious to know what had stopped the old man.”

 (a) Why did Ali come to the post office?

Ans. Ali came to the post office to enquire about a letter from his daughter.

(b) Why had Ali stopped coming to the post office?

Ans. He had stopped coming to the post office because he was unwell.

(c) What were they curious to know?

Ans. They were curious to know why Ali had stopped coming to the post office.

1. What were the qualities that made Ali a good shikari?

Ans : Ali was not only a famous shikari but also a crack shot. He could smell and locate animals and birds from a great distance and kill them without any reason or compassion.

 2. Ali was a familiar figure at the post office, yet no one noticed his absence. What do you think could have been the reason?

Ans : All the staff at the post office were busy in their routine work and they had never really bothered or cared about Ali. They were indifferent to him and treated him as a mad man. So his absence was not noticed by them.

3. Do you think the postmaster was justified in calling Ali ‘a pest’? What was Ali’s reaction to this accusation?

Ans : The postmaster out of irritation had called Ali ‘a pest’. He had been fed up because of Ali’s persistence for his daughter’s letter. The postmaster was justified since he had never felt the pangs of separation from a child. Ali was totally depressed, crestfallen, humiliated but still optimistic about receiving a letter from his daughter

4. Why did the postmaster want to deliver the letter personally to Ali?

Ans : The postmaster realised the pangs of separation from one’s child, when his own daughter did not respond. He feels guilty maltreating and humiliating Ali. So to compensate for his behaviour, he wished to handover Miriam’s letter personally to Ali.

5. Draw a comparison between Ali and the postmaster as fathers.

Ans : Both the postmaster and Ali were fathers devoted to their daughters. Both of them felt the pangs of separation but the postmaster took lot of time to understand this. Ali’s life had taken a turn due to his daughter, so had the postmaster’s. Eventually they ended up feeling the same kind of emotions.

6. How did the postmaster and Laxmi Das compensate for their ill-treatment of Ali?

Ans : Both the postmaster and Laxmi Das went to Ali’s grave and laid Miriam’s letter on his grave. The postmaster had felt guilty of humiliating and maltreating Ali, so this was his only way of compensation.

7. “The newly-wakened father’s heart in him was reproaching him for having failed to understand Ali’s anxiety.” What was the reason of this ‘awakening’?

Ans : The cause of this “awakening” was his own anxiety about his daughter who was ill. His daughter was ill in another town and he had no information about her health. This made him understand Ali’s feelings, his pain and his anguish.

8. Why did Cochman Ali give up his favourite sport?

Ans : Coachman Ali had been a famous Shikari and a crack shot in his yester-years. After his daughter, Miriam, got married and left him, Ali understood the real meaning of love and separation. So he gave up hunting, his favourite sport.

9. How did post master’s attitude towards Ali eventually change?

Ans : Ali had become fixture at the post office. All the clerks as well as the Post-master were irritated with Ali’s perseverance and tenacity. The post master even insulted him and called him a pest. But now when he himself was worried for his daughter, he realised Ali’s misery. He regretted his behaviour and went to lay Miriam’s letter on Ali’s grave.

10.         The postmaster feels guilty when he finds that Ali is no longer alive. He writes a letter to Miriam explaining to her about Ali’s wait for her letter and his death. Write the letter in 100-125 words.

Ans : Minto Road,

ABC City

10 August, 2010

Dear Miriam,

This letter is going to surprise you immensely but it was very much needed. Your father, Ali, kept waiting desperately for your letter. Every day he would come to the post office, in sickness or in bad weather, face the taunts of all the staff, just for your letter. When your letter came, he was dead, so we kept your letter on his grave. We offer you our heartfelt condolences.

Postmaster

CH-04-  A Shady Plot                                                                                            BY- Elsie Brown

1.  Why was the writer getting over confident about his ability of writing ghost   stories?

Ans : Mr Hallock, the writer had always managed to write good ghost stories, though he was not a specialist in these kind of stories. Such stories were greatly in public demand. He was confident that somehow or the other, a good plot always appeared from somewhere and he was able to write a good   story.

2.  Watching the ghost taking shape was ‘Like watching of the moving picture cartoons put together.’ how?

Ans : Helen, the ghost, appeared in parts. First, a hand took shape, then some other body part, so on and so forth. The process in which the final apparition appeared in the end, was a matter of surprise. The ghost always took shape in bits and pieces like a cartoon in a moving picture.

3.  What surprising revelation is made by the ghost? Why did the writer not  believe   her?

Ans : The writer was greatly surprised to discover that all the good plots of ghost stories had been supplied to him by the ghost Helen. The writer disbelieved her because he had never really seen her before. But the ghost said that she had sat on his shoulders and suggested the plots for his stories.

4.  Why is the ghost fed up of the Ouija Board fanatics?

Ans : The ghosts are now fed up of being called again and again for answers and queries. They were pulled out  of beds at odd times, so they were very tired. The Ouija Board crazy fans would keep asking questions, so this irritated the ghosts and proved to be tiresome and troublesome.

5.  What reasons are given by Lavinia for not getting rid of the Ouija   Board?

Ans : Lavinia felt that the Ouija board was procured at bargain price. Moreover, she felt that it would help her husband in writing ghost stories. It would also provide an interesting activity for her book-club   meetings.

6.  Why was the narrator shocked to see the activities of his wife’s Book   Club?

Ans : The narrator was in for a great shock to see that  all the ladies of his wife’s book-club were sitting near a Ouija Board. Helen, the ghost, had threatened the narrator that he must exert all his force to dissuade people from using the Ouija Board and keep calling ghosts now and then for their problems. So to see so many ladies using the board was a painful sight for    him.

7.  What controversy or furor was caused in the parlour by the name of   ‘Helen’?

Ans : The narrator was forced to be a partner in the Ouija board game and to his horror he discovered that he was called a ‘traitor’ by the ghost. When Miss Hinkle wished to know the details, it was revealed on the Ouija Board that the person, who had called the narrator, a trai- tor, was someone with the name ‘Helen.’ This name cre- ated controversy since the narrator’s wife did not know anyone with that  name.

8.  Helen the ghost says, ‘‘I’m too tired to materialise.’’ What does she imply by the above statement?

Ans : Helen was too tired because she had to work overtime the earlier night answering all the questions of Lavinia’s friends. She took longer than before to appear  in her full shape because she couldn’t be expected to retain  all her faculties after answering all the Ouija Board fanat- ics of Lavinia’s  book-club, all the  night.

9.  Why did Helen pay a visit to the narrator again?

Ans :  Helen paid a visit to the narrator because she   had been sent to ensure that the narrator’s wife should get rid of the Ouija Board. She had come to threaten the writer and if he did not pay any heed then she would not help the narrator and suggest new plots for his    stories.

10.   Lavinia entered the narrator’s room with a solid finality. What was her   purpose?

Ans : Lavinia had become suspicious of the narrator  that he was involved with some woman called ‘Helen’. So she had come to tell her husband that she was leaving him and moving out. She could not tolerate the infidelity of her husband.

11.   Why was the narrator unable to conceal Helen behind his back before  his  wife?

Ans : Lavinia refused to stand on one side, she jumped quickly to see who was standing behind her husband. She was already suspicious and noticed that her husband was trying to conceal someone behind his back. Even Helen  did not disappear so both the women confronted  each  other for first  time.

12.   How did  Lavinia  react  after facing Helen?

Ans : The writer had always thought that Lavinia was weak-hearted and she might faint at the sight of the ghost. But nothing like this happened. The interaction proved positive and Lavinia stood boldly and confidently before the ghost.

13.   Why did the narrator have a strong urge to pen down his new  story?

Ans :  The narrator had undergone a great experience.  It was scary, interesting, revealing and an excellent plot for any ghost story. A ghost story based on this kind of story was going to be a sure    hit.

14.   How did narrator react to the appearance of  the ghost? 

Ans : One day the narrator was asked by his employer  to write a horrifying ghost story with supernatural ele- ments because the public liked such stories. As he  sat down to pen down the story, he started muttering questions to himself and surprisingly someone in the room answered them. The writer was greatly surprised to see a figure tak- ing shape gradually. It was a woman, tall and angular, with

fishy eyes, wearing spectacles. The writer was dumbstruck on seeing a ghost standing before his    eyes.

15.   Why did Lavinia decide to leave her husband and what made her change her   mind?

Ans  :  The  narrator  had  become  suspicious  of  her husband, and believed he was involved with some woman, called Helen. Unable to tolerate the infidelity of her husband, she decided to leave him. But when she confronted Helen and came to know that she was only a ghost, Lavinia felt miserable to have created such a ruckus accusing her husband of infidelity. All this made Lavinia change her mind.

CH-05-   Patol  Babu                                                                                             BY- Satyajit Ray

1.            Name of the Writer of the Fiction.-                                                       Satyajit  Ray

2.          Where did Nishikanto Ghosh live?-                                                        Nepal Bhattacharji Lane

3.          Who was the brother in law of Nishikanto Ghosh? -                                Naresh Dutta.

4.          What is the real name of Patol Babu?-                                                  Sitalakanto Ray

5.          What did Patol Babu buy instead of onion seeds?-                                  Red chilies

6.          In 1934 where did Patol Babu start working? -                                        Hudson and Kimberley, in Calcutta.

7.           The reason due to which he left the job-                                               sudden retrenchment in the office 

8.          For ten long years what work did Patol Babu do?-                                  Insurance salesman              

9.          The time when Naresh Dutt arrived to Patol Babu’s house.-                    half past twelve      

10.        The address where Patol Babu had to reach.-                                       Faraday House       

11.           What was the role of Patol Babu? -                                                       absent -minded, short-tempered pedestrian.

12.         What was the colour of woolen jacket?-                                                nut-brown

13.         What was the first role played by Patol Babu? -                                     dead soldier.

14.         Who gave silver medal to Patol Babu?-                                                  chairman of municipality

15.         The clock in the Metropolitan building showed the time.-                        seven minutes past eight

16.         Which wrong name was called to Patol Babu by Naresh? -                      Atul Babu.

17.         What was the name of the Director?-                                                   Barren Mullick

18.         What was the name of the hero?                                                          Chanchal Kumar

19.         Whose house did Patol Babu go on every Sunday?-                                Karali Babu's

20.      Why did Patol Babu go there?-                                                              songs in praise of the Goddess Kali

21.         Who was the mentor of Patol Babu?-                                                    Gogon Pakrashi

22.       What did Mr. Pakrashi used to say to Patol Babu? -                 .              'Each word spoken in a play is like a fruit in a tree. Not everyone in the audience has access to it. But you, the actor, must know how to pluck it, get at its essence, and serve it up to the audience for their edification.'

23.       What was the dialogue for Patol Babu?-                                                oh

24.       What did Patol Babu say  to add in his role?-                                         Reading newspaper

25.       Whom did Barren Mullick call?                                                              Kesto.

26.       Why did he call that man ?-                                                                  for using a moustache

27.       How many steps Patol Babu had to take?-                                                            5

28.       What happened to Chanchal Kumar after collision?-                               he massaged his head

29.       Why did Patol Babu did not take money for the role? -                            For him: satisfaction is more important.

30.      What is the moral of the story?                                                            Self-satisfaction is more important than any worldly pleasure

31.         Why does Patol Babu walk away before he can be paid for his role? For him: Self-satisfaction is more important than any worldly pleasure

32.        What does this reveal about his character? -                       Hard worker, talented, dedicated & a man of self respect

3. Answer the following questions briefly.

(a) What was the news that Nishikanto Ghosh gave Patol Babu?

Ans. Nishikanto Ghosh informed Patol Babu that his brother-in-law Naresh Dutt was in film business and he was     looking for someone like Patol Babu, to play a role in his film.

(b) How did Patol Babu react? Why?

Ans. Patol Babu had always nurtured a passion for acting and theatre. So he was extremely thrilled to play a role in a film, after 52 years of deep longing.

(c) Why had Patol Babu lost his first job in Calcutta?

Ans. Patol Babu was doing well in his job and he was also in the good books of his boss. But due to sudden retrenchment in his office because of war, he lost his nine-year-old job.

(d) How does Patol Babu reconcile to the dialogue given to him?

Ans. Initially Patol Babu was very dejected to know that he was required to speak just one word ‘Oh!’, but later he accepted it because he remembered the thought of his mentor Pakrashi who had advised him that each word spoken in a play is like a fruit in a tree, so full justice must be done to each part.

(e) Who was Pakrashi? How do his words help Patol Babu in enacting his role?

Ans. Mr. Pakrashi had been Patol Babu’s mentor. He had advised him that each word spoken in a play is like a fruit in a tree, so full justice must be done to each part. So Patol Babu not only got over his disappointment but also practised speaking ‘‘Oh!’’ in many different ways.

 (f) How do we know that Patol Babu was a meticulous man?

Ans. Patol Babu practiced each step of his tiny role thoroughly. He enunciated ‘‘Oh!’’ in various ways, he practiced how his features would be twisted in pain after collision and how he would fling his arms, how he would crouch his body to express pain and surprise. He requested the director for a rehearsal also, which was declined.

 (g) Why did Mr Mullick turn down Patol Babu’s request for a rehearsal?

Ans. Mr Mullick was a very busy and preoccupied director. He had no patience to grant rehearsal for an insignificant role. Moreover, the scene had to be shot in sunlight and as the clouds were seen approaching, he had to take the shot quickly. So he declined Patol Babu’s request for a rehearsal.

(h) What were the special touches that Patol Babu gave to his role to make it more authentic?

Ans. Patol Babu suggested that he should be reading a newspaper when he collided with the lead actor. Later the director added a butterfly kind of moustache to make his character look more authentic

 (i) ‘Were these people pulling his legs? Was the whole thing a gigantic hoax? A meek, harmless man like him and they had to drag him into the middle of the city to make a laughing stock out of him. How could anyone be so cruel? Why does Patol Babu have these thoughts?

Ans. Patol Babu had gone to the Faraday House with lot of aspirations and desires. After 52 years old waiting, a role had come his way and he had already confirmed from Naresh Dutt, the director that he had a speaking role. He had not come all the way to be a part other crowd scene. When he told that he just has to speak one syllable ‘Oh!’ his hopes are shattered and he feels humiliated and insulted. He was modest, ordinary, but why did the film people choose to make a fool of him. He is disappointed and frustrated and wishes to go back home.

3. Give a character sketch of Patol Babu giving evidence from the text.

Ans: Patol Babu was a modest, talented and timid man. He was an artist at heart — emotional, talented but too prone to being hurt. He was full of dramatic skills and could deliver powerful dialogues. He had been a great hit, doing theatre for ‘jatras’ and people specially flocked to see him. He was a perfectionist and packed in a very powerful

Performance for his minuscule role. His role of saying Oh! had modulation of voice, body language and great dramatic skills. He was the most emotional and felt really hurt to see the neglect in the eyes of the director. Patol Babu is an ideal artist who is not wordly wise and a dreamer who is not practical.

CH-06- Virtually True                                                                                                   BY- ………

1. (a) According to the newspaper, what had happened to Sebastian Shultz?

Ans: Sebastian Shultz, a 14-year-old boy, was badly injured in a motorway accident. He had gone into coma and he was taking a lot of time to regain consciousness.

(b) ‘Dad’s nutty about computers.’ What evidence is there to support this statement?

Ans: The narrator’s father was most crazy for computer for he bought a lot of such things at the Computer Fair. He bought a Pentium Processor, a Ram, 1.2 GB hard disk and 16 speed CD ROMs, with speakers, printer, modem and a scanner.

(c) In what way did the second game seem very real?

Ans: The second game was more thrilling called DRAGON QUEST. The narrator felt that he was really walking in the Dragon’s castle which they were being pursued by the dragon; the narrator felt it was like a real chase and even felt the dragon’s hot breath on his face.

(d) What was Michael’s theory about how Sebastian had entered the games?

Ans: Michael believed that Sebastian had been plugged into the computer when he banged his head in the accident; the computer had saved his memory in its own. These games were stolen from the hospital and Michael had purchased them in the Computer Fair.

(e) Why did the news of the ‘miracle recovery’ shook Michael?

Ans: Michael was surprised to read in the newspaper that Sebastian Shultz had awakened from a coma that the doctors feared might last forever. He was shocked to see Sebastian’s photo also. If Sebastian had been in coma throughout, then how it was possible for him to play computer games with Michael.

(f) Michael’s meeting with Sebastian had been a chance meeting where had it taken place and how?

Ans: Michael was playing a game called Wild West, and he was playing the Sheriff. There was an altercation with Black-eyed Jed and he was going to meet him out of the saloon. Before he could go, he saw another Sheriff, very different from the other computer images. Later he discovered it had been Sebastian Shultz.

(g) What kind of computers fascinated Michael and his dad? Why?

Ans: Both Michael and his father were obsessed about the latest type of computers, complete with speakers and everything. They liked the latest gizmos that came in the market, specially the latest interactive psycho-drive games.

(h) Describe the first place where Michael was virtually transported?

Ans: While playing Wild West, Michael felt that he was not standing in the powerbase but was transported down the dusty track to the centre of town. A Sheriff’s badge was pinned to his shirt and he entered a saloon where everyone glared at the narrator. There he had a fizzy drink and he was challenged by Black-Eyed Jed, the fastest gun in the world.

(i) What help did Sebastian Shultz ask Michael for? How did he convey the message?

Ans: Sebastian Shultz had sent a message through the printer saying that he is stuck and Michael should try to retrieve him. And that could be done through the game DRAGON QUEST.

(j) Why did Michael fail in rescuing Sebastian Shultz in the first time?

Ans: Michael had followed Sebastian through the chase and they ended up in the saloon. Then Sebastian dived out and both were sitting on the horseback, chased by men on horseback. Sebastian told Michael to keep his head down but he himself was shot by a bullet and slumped back near him. Before Michael could do anything the game got over.

(k) The second attempt to rescue Sebastian Shultz too was disastrous. Why?

Ans: The second time Michael was playing DRAGON QUEST and both he and Sebastian were knight, trying to save a princess from the dragon’s castle. They both had barely got away when they were chased by the dragon himself. They passed secret passages, dungeons but the dragon obstructed their path and attacked Sebastian. Michael swung his sword but Sebastian was the target of the dragon’s fury, so before he could mediate further, the game was over.

(l) Narrate the incident that injured Sebastian.

Ans: It happened in WARZONE, where both Sebastian and Michael were trying to escape a city which was exploding with machine-guns and bombs. They jumped into a jeep and Michael managed to get into a helicopter but Sebastian couldn’t get out of the jeep. The jeep had clashed with a tank and Sebastian landed on the ground injured.

 (m) How was Sebastian Shultz’s memory stored on Michael’s disk? How did Michael discover it?

Ans: When Sebastian had met with an accident, the computer had saved his memory as its own. Michael discovered later that the games disk had got stolen in the hospital and he had ended up buying those computer games.

1. Sebastian Shultz writes his diary on his miraculous escape from going into oblivion—as doctors call it coma. Write this for him.

Ans: Dear Diary,

Sometimes life takes a strange turn and things that you had heard or read about become true. Virtual lives and realities take concrete shape. I just remember that I was crazy for those psycho-drive games and loved playing WARZONE, DRAGON QUEST etc. My last memory is when my head banged in the accident. After that I have no memory but a very distinct feeling of playing some games. I have read my report in the newspaper, how I had gone into a coma. It can only be called a miracle that I was playing games with another boy called Michael, which I discovered later range! So very strange.                                                Sebastian.

2. Write a brief character sketch of Michael, giving his outstanding qualities that led him to save Sebastian’s life.

Ans: Michael was of Sebastian’s age and he loved adventure, war, pursuits, fights, confrontation and violent games. Like other children of his age he was a computer freak and was really fascinated by psycho-drive games that make one forget the reality and one plays character like a Sheriff, a prisoner, knight etc. Michael is also very kind-hearted and tried his best to rescue Sebastian. He was intelligent enough to understand the objective of each game. By strange luck he got connected to Sebastian, whom he had never seen but proved his perseverance and determination in rescuing him from his coma. Michael is a young child but mature beyond his years.

Drama-01-    The Dear   Departed                                                                BY- Stanley Houghton

 (a) How does Mrs Slater plan to outshine the Jordans? What does it reveal about her character?

Ans. Mrs Slater has managed to procure a black dress for mourning, though it is not complete. She believes that her mourning outfit would still be better than Mrs Jordan’s, who might not have managed to arrange it also. Her obsession for a mourning dress reveals that she is a frivolous and pretentious woman who is not distressed at the death of her father and is bothered more about worldly pretensions.

(b) Why does Mrs Slater decide to shift the bureau from grandfather’s room before the arrival of the Jordans? How does Henry react to the situation?

Ans. Mrs Slater wishes to steal the bureau and shift it in her room and replace it by her old chest of drawers. The bureau was new so now with her father’s death, she wishes to possess it before her sister comes and Henry is not that greedy and suggests that his wife must-discuss it with her sister before taking it away. Later he gets persuaded by his dominating wife.

(c) What is the reason for the Jordans taking a long time to get to the house of the Slater’s? What does it show about the attitude of the two sisters towards each other?

Ans. Mrs Jordan took a lot of time to reach the home of the Slater’s because she wanted to get a complete new mourning dress before coming. Both the sisters are not grief-stricken at the death of their father but are trying to out shine each other in wearing their best mourning dresses. For the sisters grief is to be depicted through mourning dress and not through the feelings in one’s heart.

(d) What does Mrs Jordan describe as ‘a fatal mistake’? What is the irony on the comment she makes on Mrs Slater’s defence?

Ans. Mrs. Jordan believes that not sending for the doctor at her father’s death was a ‘fatal mistake’. Mrs Slater clarifies immediately that since it was Mr Pringle who had always attended on her father, it would be against professional etiquette to call someone else. Mr Pringle was out of town so they didn’t call anyone else.

(e) Ben appreciates grandfather saying “it’s a good thing he did”. Later he calls him a ‘drunken old beggar’. Why does he change his opinion about grandfather?

Ans. Ben appreciates the grandfather for paying the premium of his insurance policy. When he hears that grandfather had not gone that day to pay the premium, he changes his stand and calls him a ‘drunken old beggar’ since the grandfather had gone to ‘Ring-O-Bells.’

(f) What change does the grandfather make in his new will? What effect will it have on his daughters?

Ans. The grandfather decides that he will change his will. He decides to leave all the things to whomsoever he’s living with when he dies. The daughters get agitated and consider it unfair. Both of them compete with each other to keep grandfather with them. None of them wanted to be deprived of their share.

(g) What are the three things that grandfather plans to do on Monday next?

Ans. The grandfather plans to alter his will, pay his premium of the insurance policy and get married to John Shorrock’s widow.

 (a) How does the spat between the two daughters leads to the grandfather discovering the truth?

Ans. Abel Merryweather recognises his bureau and wants to know the reason for its shifting. Mrs Slater had already told her sister that the bureau belonged to them. This lie is enough to set tongues wagging and tempers escalating. Mrs Jordan accuses her sister of stealing her father’s things, thinking him to be dead. That is when Abel discovers that they had gathered there for the official mourning of his death.

(b) Compare and contrast Henry’s character with his wife:

Ans. Henry is timid and honest by nature. Soft at heart, he tends to get bullied by his dominating wife. Initially he protests against stealing the grandfather’s slippers and bureau but when Mrs Slater forces him, he gets carried away. He is a worried looking man who believed what his wife says and ends up supporting her. Mrs Slater by contrast is vain, pretentious and greedy. She makes the plans and he executes them with his wife’s help of course.

Ø  Discuss the significance of the title of the play. Bring out the irony inherent in it?

OR

In what way is the play satirical? Comment on the nature of its characters.

Ans. The title is very appropriate and packed with great irony and wit that makes a farce of all relationships that are most intense and pious. Children like the Slaters and the Jordans are a blot on humanity and on the bonds of love and affection. Both Amelia and her sister consider their father Abel Merry weather a burden and his death is no loss to them. The father is taken lightly. Immediately after Abel’s supposed death, the elder daughter pinches his slippers, clock and his bureau. For both the daughters’ father’s death is a kind of competition to outshine each other. There is no mourning in their hearts, but both the daughters vie with each other to wear the best mourning dress. Mrs Jordan wants to have her tea and snacks rather than looking at her dead father. Accusations are hurled at each other, death announcement is planned but no one spares a thought for the father. An obituary should reflect their feelings that are non-existent. It is only the granddaughter Victoria, who is a sole witness to this game of pinching things and benefits. In a lighter tone, Abel Merry weather had sensed the mercenary nature of his daughter so he outwits them in their planning. He finds a widow to marry who would look after him better. The lesson ends on a humorous note but outlines a very tragic and pathetic concern – care of the elderly that is a glaring and ugly reality of today’s world.

1. Why does Mrs Slater instruct Victoria to change her dress?

Ans : Mrs. Slater is very particular about mourning dresses. Since her father has expired, she instructs her daughter Victoria to quickly change her colourful dress into something sober, before the guests and relatives arrive.

2. Why were Mr and Mrs Jordan visiting the Slaters after so many years?

Ans: Since Mr Abel Merry weather had expired, Mrs. Jordan, the daughter, was visiting her sister’s family, to look after the arrangements to be made for the father’s death.

3. Henry says, “I suppose it’s in the family.” Why does Henry make this comment and what does it reflect about the two sisters?

Ans: Henry is well aware that both the sisters Mrs Slater and Mrs. Jordan are very mean and calculative, so they will not lose any chance to pinch things belonging to their family. When his wife brings the new slippers of her father and gives to Henry, he makes this humorous comment.

4. “Mother and me is going to bring grandfather’s bureau down here.” Who makes this remark and in what context? What does this reflect about the speaker?

Ans: Henry Slater tells his daughter Victoria that they were shifting grandfather’s bureau down because he had gifted it to them. Victoria cannot believe it. This remark depicts that Henry is not only a hen-pecked husband but also a hypocrite, who just does what his wife tells him. He has no individuality of his own.

5. “For myself it’s such a relief to get into the black.” Who makes the above remark and what is the context?

Ans: Mrs Jordan makes the above remark because she got delayed due to a new mourning dress for herself. She was not bothered about her father but worried about appearing in a new mourning dress. This indicates her pretentious nature without any thought for her father.

6. Mrs Slater says, “he must have gone round to the ‘Ring-O-Bells’ afterwards, for he came in as merry as a sand boy” regarding Abel Merry weather. Do you think this remark is a prediction of the things to come?

Ans: Yes, this remark is a death-knell on the plans forged by the two sisters to grab their father’s money. The fact that Abel is going there too often and is looking extremely pleased is a prediction of the future course of things.

7. Mrs Jordan, “we want a verse that says how much we loved him and refers to all his good qualities and says what a heavy loss we’re had.” Point out the irony in this remark.

Ans: Mrs. Jordan, the daughter, wishes to show to the world how much they all loved their father, by choosing such words for his obituary. But the irony is that in reality, they do not love him nor do they care for any of his good qualities.

8. “After all I’ve done for him, having to put up with him in the house these three years. It’s nothing short of swindling” who makes this remark and what does this reflect about the speaker’s attitude?

Ans: Mrs. Slater makes the above remark in great agitation when Abel states that his entire property will go to the person with whom he would be staying, at the time of his death, Mrs. Slater feels cheated. She believes that looking after her father for these years has not benefitted her at all.

9. Describe the reaction of all Slaters and the Jordans when Abel Merry weather walks in the parlour?

Ans: Both the Jordans and the Slaters are too shocked. There are no gasps of relief, none of them heaves a sigh of happiness. Both the sisters are displeased to see their father alive. They had spent quite some money on their mourning dresses. Mrs. Jordan had made this visit only because of her father’s death.

10. Why are Amelia and Elizabeth reluctant to tell the truth to their father regarding their mourning dresses? What stories do they cook up to convince their father?

Ans: Abel Merry weather is shocked to see his daughters in mourning dresses and when he wishes to know the reason, he is told that Ben’s brother has expired. They further tell lies that the brother was in Australia and he was older by five years.

11. Why does Mr Abel Merry weather decide to make another will? What is the reaction of the others?

Ans: Abel notices how his things are pinched away and his daughters are wearing mourning dresses, without even going and looking him up. Mrs Slater is shocked and even after keeping father for three years; Abel has decided to gift his money to the daughter, who will be with him at the time of his death. Both the daughters fight with each other to keep him.

12. What is the most surprising announcement made by Mr Abel in the end? How does it affect the other characters?

Ans: Abel makes a very dramatic announcement in the end that he is going to marry Mrs. Shorrock who keeps the ‘Ring-O-Bells’. Moreover he is going to take away his things and leave nothing for his daughters.

13.    Victoria is the only one who loves her grandfather. She is also a witness to the manipulations and the mercenary behaviour of her parents and her aunt and uncle. She writes a diary expressing shock at their attitude and the emotional loss she would undergo after her grandfather’s departure.

Ans: Dear Diary,

Today is the worst day of my life, when Grandpa was supposed to have passed away. I am deeply shocked at the behaviour of my mother and father, who are pinching the belongings of my Grandpa. Imagine none even went to look up Grandpa. I know Grandpa was not happy living with us, I tried my best but mummy never listens. Even papa supports her. I am so ashamed to see their hypocrisy. I don’t know how they will expect respect from me, when they have behaved so abominably. I pity Grandpa for this treatment. Oh! how I wish I was grown up enough to look after him.

Victoria

5. You are Abel Merry weather. Express your ideas/ feelings after you wake up and come to know about your daughter’s feelings/greed and intentions.

OR

       Abel in “The Dear Departed” is very upset at the behaviour of his family. He expresses his feelings to a close friend in a letter. As       Abel, write this letter.

Ans: Dear Anthony,

You must be surprised to get my letter after such a long time. But frankly speaking I did not find anyone in this whole world to become a witness to my marriage with Mrs. Shorrock, a widow, running a school in our neighborhood. Don’t get shocked to hear about my marriage at this ripe age when I have a full fledged family of two children and grand children. I myself never thought of taking such a drastic step had I not got over drunk one night and slept till late in the morning. That was a blessing in disguise; I could see the hypocrisy of my daughters. My supposed death was no loss to them since they considered me a burden. My death became a kind of competition for both of them. They outshone each other in wearing the best mourning dresses and took away the things from my room in the presence of my supposed dead body and started accusing each other. It is only my granddaughter who has some feelings for me. Sensing the mercenary nature of my daughters, I have taken a stern decision, to spend the fag end of my life in good care. I have outwitted all of them and have planned to Marry Mrs Shorrock who would look after me better. Moreover, I am going to take away all my things and leave nothing for them. I hope you will appreciate my decision. Do come to St. Wilson church on Monday, the day I am getting married, at 11 a.m.

Yours very own

Abel Merry weather.

Drama-02-    Julius Caesar                                                                      BY- William Shakespeare

1.            Name the writer of Julius Caesar:                                        William  Shakespeare

2.          What is the Meaning of assassination:                                   Killing someone due to religion or political reason

3.          What was the name of Julius Caesar's wife?                          Calpurnia

4.          Who said this to whom:

v  I never stood on ceremonies1-                                                            CALPURNIA to Caesar

v  Besides the things that we have heard and seen, Recounts most horrid sights seen by the watch.

A lioness hath whelped in the streets; And graves have yawn'd, and yielded up their dead; Fierce fiery warriors fought upon the clouds, In ranks and squadrons and right form of war, Which drizzled blood upon the Capitol; The noise of battle hurtled in the air, Horses did neigh, and dying men did groan, And ghosts did shriek and squeal about the streets. O Caesar! these things are beyond all use, And I do fear them. CALPURNIA to Caesar

v  What can be avoided

Whose end is purposed by the mighty gods?                          CAESAR TO CALPURNIA

v  Are to the world in general as to Caesar.                                             CAESAR TO CALPURNIA

v  When beggars die, there are no comets seen; The heavens themselves blaze forth the death of princes.- CALPURNIA to Caesar

v  Cowards die many times before their deaths;-

The valiant never taste of death but once.                             CAESAR TO CALPURNIA

v  Your wisdom is consumed in confidence. =                           CALPURNIA to Caesar

v These couchings and these lowly courtesies, Might fire the blood of ordinary men, And turn pre-ordinance and first    decree Into the law of children.  Thy brother by decree is banished:                      CAESAR TO METALUS CIMBER

v If thou dost bend and pray and fawn for him, I spurn thee like a cur out of my way. CAESAR TO METALUS CIMBER

v I kiss thy hand, but not in flattery, Caesar; Desiring thee that Publius Cimber may-    BRU TUS TO CAESAR

v But I am constant as the northern star,

Of whose true-fix'd and resting quality.                                  CAESAR TO CASSIUS

v mighty Caesar! dost thou lie so low? Are all thy conquests, glories, and triumphs, spoils, shrunk to this little measure? Fare thee well.   ANTONY

v I know not, gentlemen, what you intend,=======                   ANTONY TO DEAD CAESAR

v With the most noble blood of all this world. I do beseech ye, if you bear me hard,

Now, whilst your purpled hands do reek and smoke, ---------- ANTONY TO DEAD CAESAR

v  I will myself into the pulpit first,

And show the reason of our Caesar's death: What Antony shall speak, I will protest

He speaks by leave and by permission. ----                            BRUTUS TO CASSIUS

v  As Caesar loved me, I weep for him; as he was fortunate, I rejoice at it; as he was valiant, I honour him: but, as he was ambitious, I slew him. There is tears for his love; joy for his fortune; honour for his valour; and death for his ambition. ---BRUTUS TO ROMAN CITIZENS

v  I loved Caesar but loved Rome more.--                                   BRUTUS TO ROMAN CITIZENS

v  as I slew my best lover for the good of Rome,                         BRUTUS TO ROMAN CITIZENS

v  I have the same dagger for myself, when it shall please my country to need my death.  BRUTUS TO ROMAN CITIZENS

v  Brutus is an honourable man;

So are they all, all honourable men                                        ANTONY TO ROMAN CITIZENS

v  Whose ransoms did the general coffers fill: 

When that the poor have cried, Caesar hath wept: Ambition should be made of sterner stuff: ANTONY TO ROMAN CITIZENS

Yet Brutus says he was ambitious; And Brutus is an honorable man. You all did see that on the Lupercal.

ANTONY TO ROMAN CITIZENS

It will inflame you, it will make you mad: for what Antony said so  ANTONY TO ROMAN CITIZENS

v   Now let it work. Mischief, thou art afoot, Take thou what course thou wilt!=======ANTONY TO HIMSELF

5.          CAESAR And this way have you well expounded it.                   CAESAR TO DECIUS BRUTUS

6.          List of Conspirators:

CASSIUS, PUBLIUS CIMBER, MARCUS BRUTUS, LIGARIUS, METELLUS CIMBER, CASCA, DECIUS BRUTUS, TREBONIUS, CINNA, MARK ANTONY, LEPIDUS, POPILIUS.

7.          Who stabbed first----                                                           CASCA

8.         What did Caesar say al last?-                                                Et tu Brute

9.          Who proclaimed (announced) Liberty! Freedom! Tyranny is dead! Run hence, proclaim, cry it about the streets.- CINNA

10.        How many times Antony presented crown to Caesar and where-----Thrice, Lupercal- the feast of the god Lupercus.  Lupercus was the protector of flocks and herds, the god of fertility

11.           how many drachmas Caesar gave to all citizen-----                seventy-five drachmas

12.         what are the other things he gave in the will--- all his walks, His private arbours  and new-planted orchards,On this side Tiber;

13.         who was Octavius Caesar?=== Julius Caesar's nephew,

Question 1: Why does Calpurnia tell Caesar not to stir out of the house? OR What does Calpurnia try to convince Caesar of?

Answer:    Calpurnia has seen a horrible dream in which she sees Caesar's statue which like a fountain had a hundred spouts through them the pure blood is showering and lusty Romans are smiling & dipping their hands into it. Calpurnia saw this dream and regarded it as inauspicious and ominous and requested Caesar not to go out of the house.

Question 2:    What horrible things did the watchman see in his dream?

Answer:    The watchman had seen a lioness whelping in the sheets, graves are opening and dead bodies are coming out, fiery warriors had been seen fighting in the clouds and blood is drizzling upon the capitol. Ghosts are shrieking and squealing in the streets.

Question 3:    How does Caesar react to Calpurnias’ fears in the beginning?

Answer:    Caesar remains unruffled at what Calpurnia states about the unnatural things. He says that anything whose end is purposed by the mighty Gods can't be avoided.

Question 4: How do the heavens 'blaze forth' the death of Julius Caesar?

Answer:   Calpurnia believes in omens & superstitions. She had a very bloody dream on night. She was very much worried about the safety of Julius Caesar. So she pleads with him to keep in mind those supernatural signs. She said when beggars die; their fortune is never foretold by the appearance of stars in the sky. But when Princes and Kings are about to die the heavens announces and foretell the coming of disasters. She also added about of fierce warrior drizzling upon the capitol from the sky.

Question 5:    What are Caesars’ views about men and death?

Answer:    Caesar says that cowards die many times before their death. The brave tastes death only once. It is a very strange thing that men fear death when they know that it is a necessary end and shall come when it comes.

Question 6:    What interpretation did Decius Brutus give of Calpurnia dream about Caesar?

OR

What are the arguments put forward by Decius Brutus to convince Caesar to go to the Capitol?

        OR

Why is Decius Brutus more successful than Calpurnia in persuading Caesar to go to the senate house?

Answer:    Decius Brutus gives a positive interpretation to Calpurnia's dream of Caesar. He said that Caesar's statue spouting blood in which many Romans bathed their hands signifies that Rome will be so great that all will seek him in great honour. Metaphorically, it stands for Caesar's "spirit" and signifies that it will be an object of reverence; mementoes and a bridge of service. He also says if Caesar does not go to the senate that day, the senators may change their mind about offering the crown to him.

Question 7:    Why does Calpurnia say Caesar's "wisdom" is consumed in confidence? What does she mean by it?

Answer:    Calpurnia says that Caesar's wisdom is corrupted by over-confidence. He is wise no doubt, but he should not be over-confident about that whatever he sees to be always right and auspicious for him.

Question 8: Why does Metallus Cimber crouch so low before Caesar and how does Caesar react to it?

OR

What is the petition put before Caesar by the conspirators? How does Caesar respond to it?

                                                                                          OR

Describe the murder scene of Julius Caesar.

Answer: As per the plans of the Conspirators, Metallus Cimber crouches (bends down) very low before Caesar to repeal the order of banishing his brother, Pubilius Cimber from Rome. But Caesar looks at it as “flattering” and he threats him if Cimber continues to do so, he will treat him like a mad dog by kicking him out of his way. Caesar says that he is like the Northern star which is fixed, permanent and constant. When Caesar did not change his decision then the Cinna shouted for joining his hands to kill Caesar. Firstly he stabbed Caesar then other conspirators & at last Brutus stabbed Caesar. Caesar says, “Et tu Brute” and falls down.

Question 09: Who says "Et tu Brute”? When are these words spoken? Why? 

Answer: Brutus is a very close and a sincere friend of Caesar who along with some of the others conspires to kill Caesar. When Brutus stabs Caesar, Caesar is shocked out and says "Et tu Brute" meaning “You too Brutus”. Caesar cannot face the shock that Brutus has also joined hands with the others to conspire to kill him.

Question 10: In the moments following Caesar's death, what do the conspirators proclaim to justify Caesar's death?

Answer: The conspirators proclaim "liberty, freedom and enfranchisement" in the moments following Caesar's murder for the sake of democracy; freedom and glory of the country. They all justify Brutus reason for killing Caesar - that he had grown too "ambitious" and it was not good for Rome or its people.

Question 11: How does Antony react on seeing Caesar's dead body?

                                          OR

      Seeing the body of Caesar, Antony is overcome by grief. What does he say about Caesar?

Answer:  Antony is overwhelmed with grief on seeing Caesar's dead body. He exclaims that in spite of Caesars' conquests, glories, triumphs and spoils; he lies so "low". He offers to be killed by the same dagger and lie by the side of Caesar's body because this is the most apt time to die. He calls Caesar “the choice and master spirits of this age” and "most noble".

Question 12:   How do Brutus and Cassius respond to Antony's speech when he sees Caesar's body and speaks?

Answer: Brutus asks Antony not to beg for his own death because they had killed Caesar with a purpose. They are not Antony's enemies. He offers his arms of friendship to Antony and proclaims him to be their friend. Cassius says that with Antony by their side he shall be strong like the others and Antony's words shall carry as much weight as anybody else is in the distribution of the new offices and honours.

 Question 13:    On what condition does Antony offer his "friendship" to Brutus and Cassius?

Answer:    Antony tells Cassius that he is willing to go along with them and be their friend. But he needs to know the reason why they killed Caesar and how he was, as they say, dangerous to the country. He also wants to be allowed to speak about Caesar at his funeral.

Question 14: Why does Cassius object to allowing Antony to speak at Caesar's funeral? How does Brutus overcome this objection?

Answer:  Cassius fears that in speaking at Caesar's funeral Antony may move the people against them. Brutus over rules this objection stating that he himself would speak first and give the reasons for Caesar's death. Antony could speak after him and shall not blame them for Caesar's death. Also he will tell the people that he has been allowed to speak about Caesar with their permission.

Question 15: What are the conditions imposed upon Antony by the conspirators before allowing him to speak at Caesar's funeral?

Answer: The conspirators agree to allow Antony to speak, but Brutus would speak first, giving reasons for killing Caesar. Antony could speak only after Brutus had finished speaking and he must tell the people that he had been given permission to speak by them. He would speak in the same pulpit where (from) Brutus will speak from. Finally, Antony must not blame them for Caesar's death in his funeral speech.

Question 16: When Antony is left alone with Caesar's body, how does he address it and what does he call the conspirators?

Answer: Antony begs pardon that he is meek and gentle with the butchers (the killers of Caesar). He calls Caesar "bleeding piece of earth”, and “the ruins of the noblest man that ever lived in the tide of times”. He curses the hands that shed the costly blood of Caesar. He calls the conspirators "butchers".

Question 17: What predictions does Antony make regarding the future events in Rome?

Answer: Antony predicts that "domestic fury" and "fierce civil strife" shall spread in Italy. Blood and destruction shall rage the country. Mothers shall go mad and smile when they see their children slaughtered. The earth shall be covered with dead bodies lying for burial. Caesar's spirit shall roam about for revenge and his spirit will be accompanied by Ate, the God of war, who would come in haste from hell.

Question 18: What reasons does Brutus give for murdering Caesar?

OR

In the moments following Caesar’s death what do the conspirators proclaim to justify Caesar’s death?

OR

Who says, "Let him be Caesar"? What light does this throw on the speaker?

Answer:   After the murder of Caesar Brutus decided to address the Romans. He went to the pulpit and made a powerful speech. Brutus told the Romans that Caesar was a brave warrior but he became ambitious. He said that he loved Caesar but he loved Rome more. He also said that Caesar wanted to be crowned king and if he had been allowed to live, all of them would have been his slaves. He also put a question before the mob if anyone wanted to be slave. After getting answer in favour of Brutus finally he announced that now they had got rid of such an ambitious and a tyrant. Thus the Romans were by the Brutus and Romans declared, “Let him be Caesar” it means that now Brutus should be respected as they respected Caesar.

Question 19: At the end of the scene what is the fate of Brutus and Cassius?

Answer:   At the end of the Scene both Brutus and Cassius’ armies were defeated by the armies of Octavious Caesar and Antony and both of them committed suicide.

Question 20: Why is Antony's speech more effective?

OR

Merits of Antony's Speech

OR

Speech Analysis of Mark Antony in Julius Caesar

OR

Character sketch of Antony.

Answer:   Antony was the most clever and greatest orator of Rome. His funeral speech is a masterpiece of oratory. It contains all the rhetorical tricks that can be employed to win people’s heart and to persuade to go against the conspirators and support him and Caesar’s goals. Antony states in his speech that "Brutus has told you Caesar was ambitious", and then Antony retorts with "I thrice presented him [Caesar] a kingly crown which he did thrice refuse." By doing that, Antony carefully rebuts Brutus' statement that Caesar was ambitious.  He also says that if he was ambitious why he wept with the Romans while ambitious man’s heart should be made of sterner stuff. And why Caesar filled the public treasure with ransom. Even though in his speech Antony never directly calls the conspirators traitors, he calls them "honourable men" in a sarcastic manner and so the crowd feels a sense of sarcasm each time he calls them that. He then says "You [the crowd] all did love him once, not without cause. What cause withholds you then to mourn for him?" This rhetorical question goes against Brutus. Now the crowd is starting to turn against the conspirators and follow Antony. 
Antony then teases the crowd with Caesar's will, which they beg him to read, but he refuses. Antony tells the crowd to "have patience" and expresses his feeling that if he is reads the will, he would make the Romans inflame against “the honourable men whose daggers have stabbed Caesar". He showed the wound on Caesar’s body made by conspirators & especially by the Brutus which is “the most unkindest cut of all” The crowd getting mad with fury yells out "they were traitors”. And at last Antony reads Casers’ will, in which "To every Roman citizen he gives 75 drachmas" as well as his private walks, arbours & orchards to use. He then asks the crowd, "Here was a Caesar, when comes such another?” Finally, Antony releases the crowd and utters, "Now let it work. Mischief, thou art afoot. Take thou course thou wilt." After this the crowd riots and searches out the traitors in an attempt to kill them.
Thus truly his speech was truly one of the most renowned and premium example of articulation and delivery.

Question 21:  Compare and contrast the characters of Brutus and Mark Antony.

Answer: Brutus is a powerful public figure, a dignified military leader and a loving friend. The conflicting value systems that battle with each other, in the play, are enacted on a micro level in Brutus’ mind. Even after the murder of Caesar has been committed, questions remain whether it was a noble, selfless act or failure of a great nobleman and friend.

Brutus’ rigid idealism is both his greatest virtue and his most deadly flaw. He lives up to Antony’s elegiac description as ‘the noblest of Romans’. His commitment to principles leads him to miscalculations: wanting to curtail violence, he ignores Cassius’ advice and does not kill Antony as well. In another moment of naive idealism, he allows Antony to give his funeral oration over Caesar’s body. So he forfeits the authority of having the last word on the murder and allows Antony to incite the plebeians to riot against him. He later endangers his good relationship with Cassius by self-righteously condemning the fundraising tactics. So Brutus acts out of a desire to limit the self-serving aspects of his actions, ironically in each incident he dooms the very cause; he seeks to promote, thus serving no one.

Question 22:  Discuss the character of Caesar in the light of the following:

                     (a) As a husband        (b) As a statesman                      (c) As a friend

Answer: (a) Caesar is a concerned husband and gives due regard to Calpurnia’s fears by refusing to go t o t he senate.  He is thought full of her considerations and does believe that she has only his true interests at heart.

(b) Caesar is an able general, very valiant and bent upon the welfare of Rome. He has waged wars, brought many captives and filled the coffers of Rome. He is conceited but not unmindful of the liberty of local people. He had refused to become the Emperor of Rome, three times.

(c) Caesar was a true friend of Antony and Brutus. He was very loyal and was most hurt to see that even his dear friend Brutus had stabbed him. Antony respects Caesar and his love is proved by his tribute offered to Caesar on his funeral.

Long Reading Novel-    The Story of My Life                                                             BY- Helen Keller

Question. 1. What were the qualities that attracted everyone towards Helen before she fell victim to her mysterious ill¬ness ? Give your views. (Board Term-I 2014, Set PRE2N18)
Answer: Helen was a very bright and happy child. She attracted everyone’s attention towards her with her mischief. In her childhood, she was an eager and self-asserting child. She imitated everyone and leant walking as well as talking at an early age. She was the first baby in her family so she received the love and affection of her family members to the maximum. Helen herself wrote 1 came, I saw, I conquered’ as the first baby in the family
does. She started walking when she was a year old. Her mother had just taken her out of the bath-tub and was holding her in her lap when she started walking towards the leaves that danced in the sunlight. Even her naming ceremony was a big event. She was not to be lightly named being the first baby in the family. She initiated every one and learnt talking at an early age. Everyone got attracted towards her due to these qualities.

Question. 2. Why did Helen call her pony ‘Black Beauty’ ? (Board 2014, Set QUD9VQW)
Answer: Helen had her pony at Fern Quarry. She called him Black Beauty as she had read the book in which there was a black horse. Helen’s horse resembled his name-sake. He had a black glossy coat and a white star on his forehead. Helen spent many of her happiest hours on Black Beauty’s back. Sometimes, her teacher Miss Sullivan would let go of the horses’ rein and the pony used to stop at his sweet will to eat grass or nibble the leaves of the trees. Helen loved her pony very much.

Question. 3. Helen Keller says, “Happy days did not last long.” Why does she say this ? What had happened to her ? (Board Term-12013, Set 8SRR)
Answer: Helen was an eager and assertive child during her childhood. The beginning of her life was simple and much like every other little life. She received all the privileges as the first baby in the family does. She was having a wonderful time as a baby but ‘happy days did not last long’. In the month of February, she fell ill. The doctors called it ‘acute congestion of the stomach and brain’. They thought she would not live. However, one day the fever left her as suddenly and mysteriously as it had come. Everyone rejoiced on her being well. After getting well, she could feel her eyes turning dry and hot. Gradually, the light became dimmer by the day. It was like a nightmare as she turned blind and deaf for life. Not even the doctors realised that she would never see or hear again. It was terrible but with the passage of time she got used to the silence and darkness that surrounded her and forgot that life had, at some stage, been different and wonderful.

Question. 4. Describe Helen’s relationship with her sister Mildred. (Board Term-12013, Set 5007)
Answer: . Helen had a younger sister called Mildred. Before her birth, Helen was the darling daughter of her parents. But with the arrival of Mildred, she had ceased to be so. With the result she started treating Mildred as an intruder. The thought of Mildred receiving more love from her mother filled Helen with jealousy. Mildred took her place in her mother’s lap and took all the care and time of her mother which was not acceptable to Helen. Her jealousy reached its height when Helen saw Mildred sleeping peacefully in her doll’s cradle. She got angry and showed her anger by overturning the cradle. It was only her mother’s timely intervention that saved her from falling. With the passage of time, this jealousy turned into an affectionate relationship. The signs of bonding could be seen very clearly. Mildred could not understand her sign language yet an understanding and love grew between both of them. The affection grew into their hearts and they went hand in hand wherever they went.

Question. 5. ‘The best and most beautiful things in the world can’t be seen or even touched. They must be felt with the heart.’ Justify the famous quote of Helen Keller.
Ans. This quote is very relevant and truly signifies the life of Helen Keller herself. This quote holds true for everything that we experience in life. It is the feeling towards what we experience in life that is more important than what we actually see or touch.

Hellen Keller had lost her sight and hearing at a very tender age to an illness. She did not give up on life.
With all the adversities surrounding her, she still fought back with the courage and the love of the people who surrounded her and supported her throughout. It is these feelings of love, courage, hope, satisfaction, happiness, desire, pain, ambition, etc., which makes a person what they are. In fact. Hellen learns the beauty of love not by seeing or touching but by feeling it. Her life itself stands testimony to this statement ‘The best and most beautiful , things in the world can’t be seen or even touched. They must be felt with the heart.’

Question. 6. “Helen had a great strength and courage which helped her come out of her dark and silent world.” Justify.
Ans. Helen was a great woman who lost her sight and hearing when she was a child. The beautiful bright world became dark and dull. It took her some time to realize that she was different from others as she felt that others did not communicate like her. There was movement of their lips when they communicated. At first she became impatient. She threw tantrums at times but gradually realized that there was another way to come out of the dark and silent world. It was to be done with the help of her feelings of the heart and touch. Miss Anne Sullivan, her teacher, helped her a lot in adjusting to the new dark world. She taught her everything-right from words to sentences. Miss Sullivan, sometimes, had to face problems while teaching the abstract nouns like ‘love’ but with her patience, she handled Helen and made her learn such words. Once Helen had gone swimming when she was at Brewstar. She was enjoying the feel of water when suddenly her foot struck against a rock and she felt hereself drowning. All her efforts to save herself went in vain. But somehow, the water threw her back on the shore and she was saved. She took some time to recover and then again went to sit on a big rock and feel the ocean water.
This incident didn’t deter her. In another instance, she had almost jumped down a big tree when there was heavy , rain and she got terrified. She took some time to gather her courage and she climbed another tree. Thus, we can say that she had a great strength and courage which helped her come out of her dark and silent world. 1

Question. 7. What type of relationship did Miss Anne Sullivan and Helen share ? ,
Ans. After the illness which left Helen deaf and blind, her parents went to meet Dr. Chisholen, an eye, ear, nose, throat
specialist in Baltimore. He put them in touch with Alexander Graham Bell who worked with deaf children.
Bell advised them to contact Perkins Institute for the Blind. This institution sent Miss Anne Sullivan as Helen’s instructor. The eventful day, on which Miss Sullivan was to arrive, Helen felt that something unusual was going to happen. She had no idea that the future had a surprise for her. Miss Sullivan arrived and filled Helen’s life with brightness. Both of them shared a wonderful relationship. Miss Sullivan was like a mother to her. She taught her the spellings of words by writing them on her hand like doll. Later she taught her abstract words like love, water, think etc. Once she improved her vocabulary, Miss Sullivan taught Helen how to use the words in sentences, thus gradually increasing her knowledge. She accompanied Helen everywhere and Helen also looked towards her whenever she wanted to know about something, their relationship lasted for 49 years and eventually Miss Sullivan became a companion to Helen from a mere governess.

Question. 8. Helen had a great love for animals and birds. Elucidate with the help of examples.
Ans. Helen was a great lover of nature. She was surprised at what mother earth had in store for everyone. Birds and animals were always a source of interest for her. She used to hunt for guinea-fowl’s eggs in the long grass when she was a child but never allowed her friend Martha to carry the eggs home, for the fear that she might break them. In another incident, she was gifted little Tim, a canary as a Christmas gift by Tuscumbia School children.

Miss Sullivan taught her how to take care of her new pet. She prepared his bath, made his cage clean and sweet, filled his cups with fresh seed and water from the well house and hung a spray of duckweed in his swing. She used to feed him candied cherries out of her hand but felt very sad when the bird fell prey to a cat after its cage was left on a window sill. During her stay at Brewstar, Miss Sullivan attracted her attention towards a great horseshoe crab. She felt it and thought it strange that he carried his house on his back. Suddenly, she wanted to have him as her pet. She seized him by the tail with both hands and carried him home. His body was very heavy but somehow she dragged him and with the help of Miss Sullivan, put him in a trough near the well to keep him secure. But the next morning she found him missing. At first she felt disappointed but later felt happy that perhaps he had returned to the sea to which he belonged.

Question. 9. How did Helen learn subjects like Geography, History and Science ?
Ans. Helen had a different way of learning subjects like Geography, History, etc. She went with Miss Sullivan to an old tumble-down lumber wharf on the Tennessee River which was used during the Civil War to land soldiers.
She built dams of pebbles, made islands and lakes, dug river-beds all for fun, never realising that she was learning a lesson. She listened to Miss Sullivan’s descriptions of burning mountains, buried cities, moving rivers of ice, etc. She made raised maps on clay so that she could feel the mountain ridges and valley and follow the course of river with her fingers.

She learnt Arithmetic by stringing beads in groups and by arranging kindgarten straws, she learned to add and subtract. She did not have much patience to arrange more than five or six groups at a time.

She studied Zoology and Botany also in a leisurely manner. She listened carefully to the description of terrible beasts which tramped the forests and died in the swamps of an unknown age.

The growth of a plant itself taught her a lesson in science. She bought a lily and set it in a sunny window. Very soon she noticed the signs of opening in the pointed buds. This process was reluctant in the beginning but later on used to go on rapidiy-in order and systematically. There was always one bud larger and more beautiful than the rest which pushed her outer covering with more pomp. In a way she learned from life itself.

Question. 10. Helen was very close to nature. She could understand nature through touch and smell. Discuss the role of nature in Helen’s life. (Board 2014, Set QUD9VQW, 8L1922Q)
Answer: Helen’s father was very affectionate towards her, It was he who developed her interest in nature. He used to take her out in the gardens where he read stories to her. Her house was covered with vines, climbing roses and honeysuckles and it was the favourite haunt of honeybees and humming birds. Helen considered it as the paradise of her childhood. Miss Sullivan also played an important role in Helen’s love towards nature. She always taught her outdoor in the lap of nature. She leamt all the subjects like zoology, botany, geography, etc. outdoors. Miss Sullivan took her to rivers, built dams of pebbles, dug river-beds to teach her. She learnt the growth of a plant by actually feeling its growth day-by-day in order and systematically. Once Miss Sullivan took her outdoors. While returning back, she was caught in a storm. She was terrified as Miss Sullivan had gone home to bring food. At that moment, she realized that nature could be benevolent as well as dangerous. Despite her disability, she leamt swimming. She had a bad experience in the ocean as well but that did not deter her from learning to swim. Her experiences with nature made her come out as a woman who could move ahead on the path of life with full confidence.

Question. 11. Write a character sketch of Anne Sullivan. (NCT 2014) (Board Term-I 2013, Set 101)
Ans. Miss Anne Sullivan was Helen’s instructor as well as a teacher. She was sent by the Perkins Institution in Boston to teach Helen. They foupd her competent enough to begin Helen’s education and Anne arrived at Helen’s place in March.

After her arrival, Helen’s life changed. Apart from being a guide and instructor she was like a mother to Helen. She accompanied her wherever she went.

Miss Sullivan had great patience. Sometimes Helen used to throw tantrums but Miss Sullivan always handled her very well. She taught her to communicate by writing the spellings of the words on her hand with her fingers. Helen leamt this art and was able to communicate with others in an effective way when she leamt to write sentences also.
Miss Sullivan was a perfect teacher who enjoyed spending her time with Helen. She taught her subjects like Arithmetic, History, Geography, Zoology, Botany, etc., through a playful method. Helen never realised that she was being educated during the process of learning. She enjoyed all the lessons with Miss Sullivan.
Both Helen and Miss Sullivan had a good time with each other throughout their lives.

Question. 11. Write a character sketch of Mildred Keller. (Board Term-I 2013, Set 101)                OR
“Mildred was an alert and observant child.” Comment with reference to the train incident at Fern Quarry. (Board Term-I 2007, Set 5007)
Answer: Mildred Keller was Helen’s younger sister. Before she was born Helen used to get all the attention of her parents but with Mildred’s birth, things changed a bit and Helen became jealous of her but at later stages both of them
became very close to each other. Mildred was an alert and observant child. Once they were at fern Quarry. They went out to gather persimmons and got lost in woods. It started getting dark but they were unable to find their way back home. On the way, Mildred observed a trestle and realised that it was a short cut to their home. So, ’ they all started walking on that path. Suddenly, she saw a train moving towards them. She alerted Helen and both of them were lucky enough to climb down in time. The train zoomed past time. It was only Mildred’s alertness which averted something horrible.

Question. 12. Draw up a character sketch of Martha Washington. (Board Term-12013, Set 8SRR)
Answer: Martha Washington was the daughter of the cook who helped Helen Keller’s mother. She was a coloured girl. Since both of them were of the same age group, they could always be seen together. In other words she was Helen’s constant companion. Though she was a child, yet she could very well understand Helen’s sign language whenever Helen went out to play, Martha was always by her side. But Helen always dominated her. Martha had a great love for mischief. She used to go egg-hunting for the guinea- fowl eggs in the long grass with Helen. Martha used to spend a lot of time with Helen in the kitchen kneading dough balls, helping make ice-cream, grinding coffee, quarrelling over the cake-bowl and not to forget, feeding the hens and turkeys that swarmed about the kitchen steps. The sheds for storing com and stables were sources of interest to Martha. In fact she was a mischievous girl who submitted to Helen’s mischiefs most of the time.

Question. 13. Write a pen-portrait of Helen Keller.
Ans. Helen Keller was a great woman who was bom on June 27, 1880 in Tuscumbia, a little town of northern Alabama. When she was still a child, she fell ill and lost her sight as well as hearing. The world outside became dark and silent. Initially, she used to have fits of temper when she realized she was different from others but gradually adjusted herself in a positive way to the life which fate had chosen for her. Her teacher, Miss Anne Sullivan helped her a lot in this. Her relationship with Miss Sullivan was long-lasting and she never moved out without her. She taught Helen to communicate with others through words and later sentences.

Helen had a great respect for physical bravery. She had a sportsman spirit and never felt defeated. She loved nature and wanted to be with the trees, animals, birds, flower, bushes, etc. Despite her physical disabilities, she learnt how to climb trees, swimming, etc. She enjoyed the snowfall at Boston.

Helen was a girl who liked the company of others. She never felt shy. She used to greet the guests when they visited her parents. She went to celebrate Christmas with Tuscumbia school children and exchanged gifts with them.
She loved fragrances. Whenever she was free, she used to go out into the orchards and gardens to enjoy the fragrances of persimmons, lilies, jasmines, ripe peaches, etc. Her description of her various experiences were very vivid and clear.

In short, we can say that Helen was an optimistic lady who never let her disabilities come in the path of her progressing life. Life to her was a teacher and she learnt many things from it.

Question. 13. Write about the sufferings of Hellen keller’s  life sufferings.

“Although the world is full of suffering, it is also full of the overcoming of it.”

-Helen Keller

Helen Keller was born on 27th June 1880 in Tuscumbia in Alabama. Her father, Arthur H. Keller, was a descendant of Caspar Keller who was a native of Switzerland. He was a captain in the confederate army. Helen’s mother was Kate Adams who was Arthur’s second wife and was many years younger. At the age of nineteen months, Helen became very ill with brain fever. When the fever subsided, Helen was left blind and deaf forever. Helen was quite eager to learn. Despite her handicap she had learnt some crude signs of communication and also how to fold the clothes etc. later, she showed exceptional capabilities for learning and very soon could learn to read, write or even speak. She had voracious passion for learning, knowledge and exploration.

Like Wordsworth, she learnt to find solace in nature and its peaceful serenity. Her power of observation was commendable. How beautifully she has described the details of her observations! Even those with eyes and ears cannot describe as beautifully as she has done. Natural beauty was abundant around her house. The Keller homestead was quite near a rose- bower. Its old fashioned garden was the paradise of her childhood. Before Miss Sullivan's arrival, this garden was the place where Helen went to find comfort and hide her hot face in the cool leaves and grass. Helen felt extremely happy in that garden of flowers, wandering happily from spot to spot. She could recognize each vine and plant by touching them.  

Helen was a prodigy child since her early childhood! However, the challenges she faced were quite arduous---as if Nature had planned a special obstacle course for her to help her bring her best out! After being rendered blind and disabled in hearing and speaking, Helen's frustration to learn more and more about life mounted very high. Her hearing disability combined with visual disability made the teaching and learning more challenging. Helen was a very industrious girl; she always did her best to learn. She had such a natural, innate passion for learning which always motivated her. Manual alphabet, reading, arithmetic, etc., all were formidable challenges for her initially, but Helen overcame them. The most arduous of all of them was learning to speak. Learning to speak is almost an impossible task for those who have hearing disability. So Helen had to work very hard. She had to repeat each word and sentence many times for the right tone and pronunciation. She practiced untiringly. At times she became discouraged and weary too, but she never gave up. She faced all the difficulties courageously. Her courage and perseverance are source of inspiration for all mankind!

All The Best