a turning-point – It refers to the point where the author’s relationship with his grandmother changes drastically after they move to the city-house.
accepted her seclusion with resignation – This shows the author’s grandmother’s passive submission to her secluded life after she gradually loses touch with her grandson.
a veritable bedlam of chirruping – It refers to the noise, confusion and chaos caused by the chirruping of the sparrows that scattered and perched around the author’s grandmother.
frivolous rebukes – It refers to the casual and light-hearted rebukes of the grandmother to the sparrows.
the sagging skins of the dilapidated drum – It points to the shabby and deteriorated condition of the drum.
1. Mention the three phases of the author’s relationship with his grandmother before he left the country to study abroad.
Answer
The three phases of the author’s relationship with his grandmother before he left the country to study abroad are given below.
The first phase was the period of the author’s early childhood. During this phase, he used to live with his grandmother in the village. The grandmother used to take care of him from waking him up and getting him ready to accompanying him to the school. Both shared a good friendship with each other.
The second phase was the time when the author and the grandmother moved to the city to live with author’s parents. This was a turning-point in their friendship because now they ‘saw less of each other’.
The third phase was the time the author joined University. He was given a room of his own and the common link of their friendship was snapped. The grandmother turns to wheel-spinning and reciting prayers all day long. She accepts her seclusion with silence.
4. Mention the odd way in which the author’s grandmother behaved just before she died.
Answer
The grandmother told the family that her end was near. She had omitted to pray, she was not going to waste any more time talking to us. She lay peacefully in bed praying and telling her beads.
5. Mention the way in which the sparrows expressed their sorrow when the author’s grandmother died.
Answer
The sparrows and the grandmother developed an intimate relationship in this manner. When the grandmother died thousands of sparrows expressed their sorrow by sitting scattered in the verandah in mourning while grandmother’s dead-body lay there. They did not chirrup. Author’s mother threw some pieces of bread but they did not eat them. When they carried grandmother’s corpse they flew away quietly. Thus, the sparrows mourned her death and paid their silent tribute to the grand old lady in a very unique manner.
Talking about the Text
1. The author’s grandmother was a religious person. What are the different ways in which we come to know this?
Answer
The author’s grandmother was a religious lady with a kind heart. Her one hand was always busy in telling the beads of her rosary. Her lips constantly moved in an inaudible prayer. She used to get up early in the morning. She did her morning prayer in “a monotonous sing-song”. Everyday, she went along with the author to his school and while narrator studied she sat in a temple and read scriptures Later, in the city she was unhappy that there was no religious teaching at school. Before dying, she stopped talking to her family members and turned to prayers, and counting the beads.
2. Describe the changing relationship between the author and his grandmother. Did their feelings for each other change?
Answer
The changing circumstances did have a bearing on the relationship between the author and his grandmother. Author and his grandmother lived as intimate friends in the village. A turning point came in their relationship when they came to the city to live with author’s parents. The author joined an English school in the city. She remained confined to home as here she could not accompany him to the school. In the new English school she could not help him in studies. She could not like the kind of education being given to the author at the English school. The grandmother became disturbed as there was no teaching about God and scriptures in the new school. She reconciled herself with spinning and taking to feed the sparrows. When the narrator grew up, he went up to university and then went abroad. The common link of friendship between the author and his grandmother was snapped. His grandmother accepted her seclusion with resignation.
No, their feelings for each other did not change though distances grew between them.
3. Would you agree that the author’s grandmother was a person strong in character? If yes, give instances that show this.
Answer
Yes, the author’s grandmother was a person strong in character. The instances to prove this are given below.
► The author’s grandmother was a person strong in character. She was a picture of contentment.
4. Have you known someone like the author’s grandmother? Do you feel the same sense of loss with regard to someone whom you have loved and lost?
Answer
Yes, I knew someone like the author’s grandmother. It was my own grandmother who passed away recently. The intense sense of loss is very heart-wrenching as I spent almost fifteen years of my life with her.
No, I have never known someone the way the author knew his grandmother. Thus, I have never felt the sense of grief presented in the story.
Thinking about the Language
1. Which language do you think the author and his grandmother used while talking to each other?
Answer
The author and his grandmother might have used their mother-tongue to converse with each other. As the author, Khushwant Singh, belongs to Punjab, the language used by them might be Punjabi.
2. Which language do you use to talk to elderly relatives in your family?
Answer
Your Mothertoungue (Could be English, Hindi, Telgu, Bhojpuri etc.)
3. How would you say ‘a dilapidated drum’ in your language?
Answer
Know your meaning in mother-tongue (In Hindi it is ‘phata-hua dholak’.)
Working with Words
1. Notice the following uses of the word ‘tell’ in the text.
Answer
1. Make something known to someone in spoken or written words: I would tell her English words and little things of western science and learning.
2. Count while reciting: Her fingers were busy telling the beads of her rosary.
3. Be sure: At her age, one could never tell.
4. Give information to somebody: She told us that her end was near.
2. Notice the different senses of the word ‘take’.
1. to take something: to begin to do something as a habit
2. to take ill: to suddenly become ill
Locate these phrases in the text and notice the way they are used.
Answer
The instances where these phrases have been used in the story are given below.
1. “… she took to feeding sparrows in the courtyard of our city house”.
This phrase refers to the daily activity that the author’s grandmother took up when they shifted to the city.
2. “The next morning she was taken ill.”
This phrase refers to the author’s grandmother’s sudden illness.
3. The word ‘hobble’ means to walk with difficulty because the legs and feet are in bad condition. Tick the words in the box below that also refer to a manner of walking.
haggle
|
shuffle
|
stride
|
ride
|
waddle
|
wriggle
|
paddle
|
swagger
|
trudge
|
slog
|
Answer
shuffle
stride
waddle
paddle
swagger
trudge
slog
2. What has the camera captured?
Answer
The camera has captured some happy moments from the childhood of the poet’s mother. It was a scene taken from a beach where she had gone with her cousins and her uncle for a sea holiday. The girls were paddling in the water.
3. What has not changed over the years? Does this suggest something to you?
Answer
The sea has not changed over the years. It is still the same. The sea symbolizes eternity.
4. The poet’s mother laughed at the snapshot. What did this laugh indicate?
Answer
This laugh indicates her remembering her past. She looked back to her childhood with nostalgia and remembered the innocent joys of her childhood days.
5. What is the meaning of the line “Both wry with the laboured ease of loss”.
Answer
The line refers to the sea holiday as remembered by her mother and the poet remembering her mother’s laughing face. Both these now belong to the past. Her mother is no more now.
6. What does “this circumstance” refer to?
Answer
‘This circumstance’ refers to the present situation of the poet wherein the poet is absorbed in the painful memory of her dead mother. Looking at the photograph and thinking of her mother’s laughter, the poet also realizes that it has been the same number of years since her mother died as her mother’s age in the photograph.
1. Notice these expressions in the text. Infer their meaning from the context.
honing our seafaring skills
ominous silence
Mayday calls
pinpricks in the vast ocean
a tousled head
Answer
honing our seafaring skills: this refers to the efforts made by the author and his wife, to perfect or sharpen their seafaring skills.
ominous silence: the silence here refers to an impending danger.
Mayday calls: Mayday calls are radio-telephonic words which signal aircrafts or ships stuck in a disastrous situation.
pinpricks in the vast ocean: this phrase expresses the search for two small islands in the vast ocean.
a tousled head: this refers to hair in disarray or the disarranged hair of the author’s son, Jonathan
Understanding the Text
1. List the steps taken by the captain
(i) to protect the ship when rough weather began.
(ii) to check the flooding of the water in the ship.
Answer
(ii) To check the flooding of water in the ship, he put waterproof hatch covers across the gaping holes which diverted the water to the side. When the two hands pump blocked and electric pump short circuited, he found another electric pump, connected it to an outpipe and started it.
2. Describe the mental condition of the voyagers on 4 and 5 January.
Answer
On January 4 and 5, the voyagers felt relieved after rigorous practice of continuous pumping. They had their first meal in almost two days. Their respite was short-lived. They faced dangerous situation on January 5. Fear of deah loomed large. They were under great mental stress.
3. Describe the shifts in the narration of the events as indicated in the three sections of the text. Give a subtitle to each section.
Answer
The first section: The first section opens on a cheerful note. The narrator and his family are all set for their ultimate dream- to take up an around-the-world voyage like Captain James Cook did. They have perfected their seafaring skills. They begin the voyage and despite of the bad weather, they celebrate Christmas on the ‘Wavewalker’.
The second section: This part of narration covers the hazards faced by the voyagers. There is a shift in the narration from cheerful to intense. They find themselves in an extremely fatal and disastrous situation. A huge wave hits their boat and the narrator is thrown overboard. Despite getting injured, he maintains his composure and applies every possible way to tackle the critical situation. They manage to pump out maximum amount of water out of the boat in about 36 hours. But as they continue to face bad weather conditions the narrator loses hope. The children remain fearless, courageous and optimistic throughout.
The third section: The children provide moral support to the narrator and he continues with his efforts. Under the captaincy of the narrator, they manage to reach Ile Amsterdam. The narrator proves his seamanship and receives the title of “the best daddy” and “the best captain” from his children.
The above three sections can be subtitled as follows:
a) The first section: Round-the-world voyage begins
b) The second section: The attack of the big wave
c) The third section: Ultimate victory
Talking about the Text
1. What difference did you notice between the reaction of the adults and the children when faced with danger?
Answer
There was lot of difference between the way in which the adults and children reacted when faced danger. The adults lose hope and wait for their end with a heavy heart. At this point, they are motivated by the children. The children offer moral support to the adults. They display maturity and tolerance. Jonathan expresses his fearlessness and courage when he says that they are not afraid of dying if they all can be together. Sue expresses her love and gratitude for her parents by making a greeting card. She is strong enough to not let her parents know about her serious injuries. She did not want to bother her parents in the times of crisis.
2. How does the story suggest that optimism helps to endure “the direst stress”?
Answer
Optimism is a determination to overcome difficulties. It raises one’s spirits and helps one overcome stress and difficulty with ease. The story displays courage and optimism throughout. Survival happens only because of the optimistic struggle that the family carries on with.
The level of perseverance in the author rises when Jonathan says, “we’re not afraid of dying if we can all be together. Besides, the caricatures of him and Mary, drawn by Sue, helps his determination and optimism to grow many folds. The positive outlook of the children infuses positivity in the narrator. He rigorously calculates their position and finally asks Larry to steer a course of 185 degrees. Though he had lost all hope by then, he did not show it and optimistically told Larry that they would spot the island by about 5 P.M. Fortunately, their struggle and optimism pays off and they manage to find Ile Amsterdam by evening.
4. Why do you think people undertake such adventurous expeditions in spite of the risk involved?
Answer
The spirit to experience unique elements of nature, undaunted passion and willingness to accept challenges drive people to take up adventurous expeditions. The people who involve themselves in such activities are very well aware of the risk involved in them. But due to their passion and enthusiasm to do something unique and great, they willingly accept such challenges. Also, their desire to be in the lap of nature and experience its beauty pushes them to such expeditions.
Thinking about Language
1. We have come across words like `gale’ and `storm’ in the account. Here are two more words for `storm’: typhoon, cyclone. How many words does your language have for `storm’?
Answer
In Hindi, ‘storm’ is known as ‘aandhi’, ‘toofan’ ‘andhad’, etc.
2. Here are the terms of different kinds of vessels: yacht, boat, canoe, ship, steamer, schooner. Think of similar terms in your language.
Answer
‘Naav’, ‘Nauka’, ‘Jahaaz’ and ‘Kishti’ are some of the various words used in Hindi for the word ‘boat’.
3. ‘Catamaran’ is a kind of a boat. Do you know which Indian language this word is derived from? Check the dictionary.
Answer
The word ‘Catamaran’ is derived from Tamil word ‘Kattumaram’.
4. Have you heard any boatmen’s songs? What kind of emotions do these songs usually express?
Answer
Yes, Boatmen’s songs usually express love and nostalgia. It revolves around the longing to meet a loved one. It may also express their love for the sea.
Working with Words
1. The following words used in the text as ship terminology are also commonly used in another sense. In what contexts would you use the other meaning?
b) a group of persons.
Stern: firm, strict, uncompromising, harsh, hard etc.
Boom: a) deep, prolonged, resonant sound
b) to progress or flourish
c) to hit hard
Hatch: a) to bring forth, produce.
b) derive, concoct
c) to draw, cut, or engrave lines
Anchor: a) a person or thing that can be relied upon for support
b) host of an event.
2. The following three compound words end in-ship. What does each of them mean?
Answer
Airship:It is a self-propelled lighter-than-air aircraft with the means of controlling the direction of the flight.
Flagship: It is a ship carrying the flag officer or the commander of a fleet, squadron. It displays the officer’s flag.
Lightship: It refers to a ship anchored in a specific location flashing a very bright light for the guidance of ships, as in avoiding dangerous areas.
3. The following are the meaning listed in the dictionary against the phrase `take on’. In which meaning is it used in the third paragraph of the account:
Take on sth:
|
to begin to have a particular quality or appearance; to assume sth
|
take sb on:
|
to employ sb; to engage sb
to accept sb as one’s opponent in a game,contest or conflict |
Take sb/sth on:
|
to decide to do sth; to allow sth/sb to enter e.g. a bus, plane or ship; to take sth/sb on board
|
Answer
In the third paragraph, in lines: “… we took on two crewman to help us tackle … roughest seas…”, the word “took on” suggests to take somebody on i.e., to employ or engage somebody
Resurrection- It refers to a new beginning for something which is old and long forgotten. Here, it refers to the new life after death.
Funerary treasures- The valuable things with which the king was buried were no less than treasures as most of the items were made of pure gold. They are, thus, referred to as ‘funerary treasures’.
Circumvented- The thieves would easily bypass the guards with artfulness and rip the mummy apart to remove the gold.
Computed tomography- Also known as CT scan, it provides X-ray image of a body in cross section. It is used for diagnostic purposes.Eerie detail- Uncanny description of the resulting image of the head of Tut visible through the CT scan.
Understanding the Text
1. Give reasons for the following.
(i) King Tut’s body has been subjected to repeated scrutiny.
Answer
King tut’s body has been subjected to to repeated scrutiny for the riches it was buried with. There has also been a lot of speculation about the manner of his death and the time of his death.
(ii) Howard Carter’s investigation was resented.
Answer
Howard Carter’s investigation was resented because he used unscientific methods to cut the body away from the wooden base. He also focused more on the discovery of gold than on thefascinating details of Tut’s life and the mysteries of his death.
(iii) Carter had to chisel away the solidified resins to raise the king’s remains.
Answer
Carter found that the ritual resin that was used as a polish has hardened. The result was that the mummy was cemented to the bottom of the solid gold coffin.Neither the strongest force could move the mummy nor the burning sun could loosen the remains of the king.
(iv) Tut’s body was buried along with gilded treasures.
Answer
The ancient royals of Egypt were fabulously wealthy. They believed in after life. They also believed that they could take their wealth with them. Sogilded treasures were buried with them.
(v) The boy king changed his name from Tutankhaten to Tutankhamun.
Answer
Tutankhamun means ‘Living image of Amun’. He was a majorgod in ancient Egypt. King Amennotep smashed the images of Amun and closed his temples. Tut oversaw a restoration of the old ways. He also changed his name to express his belief on Amun.
2.
(i) List the deeds that led Ray Johnson to describe Akhenaten as “wacky”.
Answer
According to Ray Johnson Akhenten was wacky because:
(ii) List the advances in technology that have improved forensic analysis.
Answer
Today C.T. technology helps us to take hundreds of X-ray images in cross-sections. They can be put together likeslices of bread tp create three dimensional virtual body.This provides precise data for an accurate forensicreconstruction.
The above statement refers that there are hundreds of mummies in Egypt. ButTut’s is the first to be scanned. He remains the first evening death, as he was the first among his countrymen when he lived. He was a ruler, an emperor.
Talking about the Text
1. Scientific intervention is necessary to unearth buried mysteries.
Answer
For
If you think history has any relevance in our life, we must get at the truth. There are so many mysteries which remain unsolved. For example, we know very little about the Indus civilization. The seals remain un-deciphered. This needs scientific investigation. Without scientific intervention they will remain in the dark.
No doubt we need to know the past. History has relevance in our life. But sometimes we take it too far. King Tut’s mummy has been repeatedly investigated. In spite of spending millions of dollars, nothing new has been revealed. We must utilize our resources to help the living rather than investigating the dead.
2. Advanced technology gives us conclusive evidence of past events.
Answer
For
Today technology is so advanced that we can reconstruct the past. For example, we know how Pompeii was destroyed. But now we have reconstructed the whole city. We know precisely how the people lived.
Answer
A language becomes extinct when its use is restricted to specific classes or categories of people. Secondly, the harshness of rules and lack of flexibility in usage also contribute in extinction of languages.
3. Do you think it is important to preserve languages?
Answer
Yes, it is important to preserve languages as they are responsible for the development of culture of the community. It helps in preservation of one’s heritage and traditions. Language preservation ensures contact with one’s history and literature.
4. In what ways do you think we could help prevent the extinction of languages and dialects?
Answer
Extinction of languages and dialects can be prevented through the following reasons.
► Transferring the vocabulary and dialects of the language to the next generation.
► Teaching the languages in colleges and universities and encouraging students to specialise in the same.
► Teaching children to use mother-tongue.
► Remaining connected to one’s cultural roots.
► Respecting one’s language which will help in taking it forward to the coming generations.
Working with Words
1. Given below are some interesting combinations of words. Explain why they have been used together.
(i) ghostly dust devils
(ii) desert sky
(iii) stunning artefacts
(iv) funerary treasures
(v) scientific detachment
(vi) dark-bellied clouds
(vii) casket grey
(viii) eternal brilliance
(ix) ritual resins
(x) virtual body
Answer
(i) ghostly dust devils- it points out to the devilish or frightful movement of the dusty winds. It reflects the anger of the winds for disturbing the king from his resting place.
(ii) desert sky- it refers to the dusty sky of the desert. The barren sky spread over the vast desert region portrays a sad and dry picture.
(iii) stunning artefacts- items found in the tomb were extremely beautiful. Usage of both the words together explains the ‘eternal brilliance’ of the objects.
(iv) funerary treasures- reference is to the fact that king was buried with numerous things which were no less than treasures as most of the items were made of pure gold.
(v) scientific detachment- it refers to an indifference towards science.
(vi) dark-bellied clouds- it refers to the dark clouds containing rain.
(vii) casket grey- the words point out to the stars being covered by the ‘dark-bellied clouds’, the way jewels are kept in a casket (a jewel box).
(viii) eternal brilliance- eternal refers to something that is timeless. Thus, eternal brilliance refers to timeless luster and shine of the jewels and valuables of the king.
(ix) ritual resins- resins are used as a customary duty in the process of burying a body.
(x) virtual body- a body created through electronic images or CT scan. It resembles a real body and provides a very clear view.
2. Here are some commonly used medical terms. Find out their meanings.
CT scan
|
MRI
|
tomography
|
Autopsy
|
dialysis
|
ECG
|
Post mortem
|
angiography
|
biopsy
|
CT scan- It refers to Computed Tomography. It provides X-ray image of a body in cross section. It is used for diagnostic purposes.MRI- MRI is the short form of magnetic resonance imaging. It is a diagnostic tool.
Tomography- It refers to taking pictures of various sections of a human body in a three-dimensional view.
Autopsy- It refers to the post-mortem examination.
Dialysis- It is the process of filtration of bloodstream usually during kidney failure.
ECG- The electrocardiogram is a diagnostic tool that measures and records the electrical activity of the heart in exquisite detail.
Post mortem- It refers to the medical examination and dissection of a dead body to determine the cause of death
Angiography- Angiography is the examination of the blood vessels using x-rays and injecting of a radiopaque substance.
Biopsy- The removal and examination of a sample of tissue from a living body for diagnostic purposes is known as biopsy.
1. What laburnum is called in your language.
Answer
In hindi, it is called ‘Amaltaas’.
2. Which local bird is like the goldfinch.
Answer
‘Indian Lutino Ringneck’ is local bird like the goldfinch.
Think It Out
1. What do you notice about the beginning and the ending of the poem?
Answer
In the beginning of the poem the tree is calm & silent & in the ending it ends with motionless & empty level.
2. To what is the bird’s movement compared? What is the basis for the comparison?
Answer
The goldfinch’s movement is compared to that of a lizard. The basis of the comparison is the sleek, abrupt and alert movements of a lizard. The same kinds of movements are observed when the goldfinch arrives on the laburnum tree.
3. Why is the image of the engine evoked by the poet?
Answer
The engine is the source of energy to run machine. It is compared to bird as she is too a source of energy for her family. As without engine a machine can’t work in the same without a bird her family can’t survive.
4. What do you like most about the poem?
Answer
I like the simpilicity and pictorial presentation of the poem. The comparison between bird’s movement with machine and Lizrad made in nice way. Also chirruping & trilling of goldfinch.
anecdote
illusionistic likeness
delicate realism
conceptual space
figurative painting
Answer
anecdote : From the text, the meaning of anecdote can be inferred as a short account of a particular incident or event, especially of an interesting or exciting nature.
delicate realism : It refers to the alluring quality of the art which makes it seem real. It is an interest in or concern for the actual or real as opposed to abstract.
illusionistic likeness : It refers to an adjective of the technique of using pictorial methods in order to deceive the eye. The reference is to an illusion created by the semblance of something.
conceptual space : It refers to relation with the abstract than the factual representation. This is the incalculable dimension of the understanding of concepts.
Understanding the Text
1.
(i) Contrast the Chinese view of art with the European view with examples.
(ii) Explain the concept of shanshui.
Answer
(i) The Chinese paintings are based on imaginative, inner or spiritual approach whereas the European paintings reproduce an actual view, of an external or real object. The paintings of Wu daozi and mater painters of Europe illustrate the difference.
(ii) Shanshui, meaning “mountain-water”, refers to a style of Chinese painting that involves natural landscapes, the landscape which is an inner one, a spiritual and conceptual space. It represents the two complementary poles (`yin’ and `young’) reflecting the Daoist view of the universe.
2.
(ii) Who was the “untutored genius who created a paradise” and what is the nature of his contribution to art?
Answer
‘Outsiders art’ refers to those art who have no right to be artists as they have recieved no formal training yet show talent and artistic insight. ‘Art brut’ or ‘raw art’ are the works of art in their raw state as regards cultural and artistic influences.
(ii) The “untutored genius” who created “paradise” was Nek Chand, an 80- year old creator-director who made the world famous rock garden at Chandigarh. His was an ‘outsider art’ in which he sculpted with stone and recycled materials. He used anything and everything from a tin to a sink to a broken down car to form an artistic piece. One of his famous creations are ‘Women by the Waterfall’.
Talking about the Text
Discuss the following statements in groups of four.
2. “The landscape is an inner one, a spiritual and conceptual space.”
Answer
This phrase explains The Chinese art from where a Chinese painter wants you to enter his mind rather than borrow his eyes. This is a physical as well as a mental participation. It is a landscape created by the artist to travel up and down, and back again, through the viewer’s eyes. The landscape is not `real’ and can be reached from any point.
Thinking about the Language
1. Find out the correlates of Yin and Yang in other cultures.
2. What is the language spoken in Flanders?
Answer
‘French ‘language spoken in Flanders which is a region in Belgium.
Working with Words
I. The following common words are used in more than one sense.
(ii) Judge H. Hobart Grooms told the jury panel he had heard the reports.(iii) The panel is laying the groundwork for an international treaty.
(ii) Part of the answer is in the proposition; but the essence is in the meaning.(iii) The implications of these schools of thought are of practical essence for the teacher.
(iv) They had added vanilla essence to the pudding.
Answer
(i) the most important quality of something that makes it what it is.
(ii) the main part.
(iii) practical importance.
(iv) liquid taken from vanilla that contains its smell and taste in very strong form.
2. What does the phrase “strange to tell” mean?
3. There is a parallel drawn between rain and music. Which words indicate this? Explain the similarity between the two.4. How is the cyclic movement of rain brought out in the poem? Compare it with what you have learnt in science.
5. Why are the last two lines put within brackets?
6. List the pair of opposites found in the poem.
Answer
1. The two voices in the poem are the voice of the rain and the voice of the poet. The poem begins in a conversational tone. The lines are “And who art thou? Said I ……..” and ‘I am the poem of Earth’.
2. The phrase ‘strange to tell’ means that it is an unusual and extraordinary answer given by the rain drops to the poet who asked who ‘it was’.
3. ‘I am the poem of Earth’
‘For song, issuing from its birth place
After fulfillment, wandering, reck’d orUnreck’d, duly with love returns. They both return to the place of their origin after fulfilling their tasks.
4. The poet explains that the rain drops in the form of water vapour rise up from land and sea and then descend again on the earth and dry land in order to wash it down and hence comes back to its origin. This is the cyclic movement explained by the poet.
Answer
2. The voice of the rain introduced itself as the Poem of Earth.
3. The voice of the rain explained its upward movement towards the sky as eternal.
4. The poet says that, similar to the natural cycle of the rain, a song originates from the heart of the poet, travels to reach others and after fulfilling its purpose (whether acknowledged or not), it returns to the poet with all due love.
a holistic and ecological view
inter alia
sustainable development
decimated
Answer
a holistic and ecological view – It refers to the view that calls for the preservation of the planet. The holistic and ecological view refers to understanding the importance of earth’s resources and environment for the future generations.
sustainable development – A balanced development that meets the needs of the present while taking care of the needs of the future generations.
languish – lot of species are neglected or go unnoticed
ignominious darkness – disgraced or dishonoured as nobody has knowledge about them or is enlightened about them
inter alia – among other things
decimated – to reduce drastically in number
catastrophic depletion – a disastrous and harmful reduction in the number of something
transcending concern – a concern that surpasses generation, boundaries. It is not only about the present but also about future; not only about people but also about the planet.
Understanding the Text
1. Locate the lines in text that support the title. ‘The Ailing Planet’.
Answer
The lines that support the title of the chapter are given below.
Answer
There are four principal biological systems of the earth. These systems are fisheries, forests, grasslands and croplands. However, due to the increasing demand of human beings to such an ‘unsustainable’ extent, the productivity of these systems is being hampered. The excessive demand results in deterioration and depletion of these resources. A country where protein is consumed on a large scale, over-fishing is common, which leads to the collapse of fisheries in that area. Grasslands have been turned into deserts and production of crops is decreasing. The forests are destroyed in large proportions to obtain firewood. Depletion of tropical forests has also led to the extinction of several species.
4. Why does the author aver that the growth of world population is one of the strongest factors distorting the future of human society?
Answer
Over-population is one of the strongest factors responsible for a nation’s poverty and unemployment. It disturbs the earth’s principal biological systems leading to degradation of environment.
The author highlights the problem of over-population by pointing out the mental set-up of the poor who feel more children means more workers to earn money. They do not realize that more children only means more unemployed people. He argues that development is the best contraceptive, which includes spread of education, improvement of health and rise in income.
Spread of education leads to awareness among people, which in turn results in a fall in the ‘fertility’ rate. The author makes a comment which emphasize the never ending circle of population and poverty by asserting that “The choice is really between control of population and the perpetuation of poverty.”
2. “Are we to leave our successors a scorched planet of advancing deserts, impoverished landscapes and an ailing environment?”
Answer
As we learn in the text, the first Brandt Report raised the above mentioned question about the deteriorating condition of the planet. Earth is like a “patient in declining health”. The depletion of forests, grasslands, fisheries and croplands are the result of excessive demand for resources. Over-population has led to a severe strain on the health of our planet.
We must realise soon that in this “Era of Responsibility” it is solely our duty to preserve our planet. We must realise that the earth belongs as much to the future generation as much to us. Rather making it our property, we should do our best to preserve it for the generations we have “borrowed it from”.
3. “We have not inherited this earth from our forefathers; we have borrowed it from our children”.
Answer
Over the decades, a change has come in the perception of the people in respect to the planet. The human perception has shifted to a “holistic and ecological view of the world”. Earth is a living organism that has limited resources. These resources will not last forever. The earth has its metabolic needs that require to be preserved. The need of the hour is “sustainable development” which propounds the need of meeting the needs of the present generation without compromising with those of future generations.
The present problems are not necessarily fatal for us but they are a ‘passport for future’. This is the “Era of Responsibility” that calls for a responsible action from us. We must realise that the earth belongs as much to the future generation as much it belongs to us.
4. The problems of over population that directly affect our everyday life.
Answer
Over-population leads to the issues of poverty and unemployment. The vicious circle of population and poverty will continue unless the root cause i.e. population is taken care of. It hampers the development of a country. It leads to the consumption of the natural resources at a much faster rate. The fossils consumed, the resources depleted, the forests cleared, the heat produced, the global warming caused are all the repercussions of the fast-growing population.
Thinking about the Language
The phrase ‘inter alia’ meaning ‘among other things’ is one of the many Latin expression commonly used in English.
Find out what these Latin phrases mean.
1.Prima face
2. ad hoc
3. in camera
4. ad infinitum
5.mutatis multanis
6.tabula rasa
Answer
prima facie means ‘at first sight, before closer inspection’
necessary changes having been made
Caveat means ‘a warning or caution’
tabula rasa means ‘blank slate’, ‘without any prior experience or knowledge’
Working with Words Locate the following words in the text and study their connotation.
1. gripped the imagination of
2. dawned upon
3. ushered in
4. passed into current coin
5. passport of the future
Answer
1. gripped the imagination of: received much attention
2. dawned upon: realised it for the first time
3. ushered in: began the new idea
4. passed into current coin: have been brought into use
5. passport of the future: a thing that makes something possible or enables one to achieve it
2. The words ‘grip’, ‘dawn’. ‘usher’, ‘coin’, ‘passport’ have a literal as well as a figurative meaning. Write pairs of sentences using each word in the literal as well as figurative sense.
Answer
1) grip:
a) She was excellent during the rock-climbing session. She has a good grip.
b) The movement of ‘India Against corruption’ has gripped the minds of Indians.
2) dawn:
a) The day dawned with a clear sky.
b) Suddenly, the idea dawned on him.
3) usher:
a) The waiter ushered them to their seats.
b) The Green Movement ushered in a new era of awareness.
4) Coin:
a) I have ten coins of Rs. 5.
b) The term was coined by a famous philosopher.
5) passport:
a) He has just got his passport made to visit his uncle in the USA.
b) Education is the passport to a bright future
Remove
slackers
muck
kept in
got carried away
cut
Answer:
Remove: a division in a school
slackers: unmotivated and lazy students
muck: useless, of no practical good
kept in: grounded, detained, work after the official school hours
got carried away: to get very excited or lose control of your feelings due to strong emotions.
cut: escape, go away without permission.
sadist: a person who gets pleasure out of inflicting pain to others
shrivelled up: having no feelings
Comment on the attitude shown by Taplow towards Crocker-Harris.
Crocker Harris is Taplow’s teacher. According to Taplow and me also; Mr. Crocker Harris is a strict disciplinarian. He was a hard working teacher and fully devoted to his duty as he called Taplow even on the last day of school to make up for his missed class. No student in his entire career has a courage to ‘cut’ Mr. Crocker Harris. He is neither partial nor biased; he will give Taplow whatever he deserves. He tries to maintain an appropriate distance from his students. He never responds the feelings shown by his students and remains shrivel. He is a man of principals and keeps the rules of the school. His students like him even after his strict behavior. His colleagues, even Frank, envy him for the effect he has on the students. He is strict but not a sadist that he seems to be.
2. Does Frank seem to encourage Taplow’s comments on Crocker-Harris?
Answer
Frank encourages Taplow to comment on Mr. Crocker Harris by cleverly askingTaplow several questions. He appreciated Taplow’s imitation of Mr. Crocker Harrisand also asks him to repeat it.
3. What do you gather about Crocker-Harris from the play?
Answer
Mr Harris is a teacher who would not compromise on the rules and regulations to suffice the sentiments of students. He believes in fair assesment of his students and is not swayed by emotions, as the man is hardly human. He is not a sadist, but strict in performance of his sduties. Even on his last day at school, when he is over busy in own affairs he does not neglect his duty towards students.
Talking about the Text
3. Reading plays is more interesting than studying science.
Answer
There is no doubt that reading plays is more interesting than studying science because reading plays makes us imaginative and provides us ideas about human life and behavior. It has good language that is helpful in building our linguistic skills. It is a source of entertainment and enjoyment. Reading science has its own merits. It provides us knowledge and fill us with modern approach. Practical that we do in laboratories are also useful in daily life. Science makes us our future growth possible.
Working with Words
1. A sadist is a person who gets pleasure out of giving pain to others.
Given below are some dictionary definitions of certain kinds of persons.
Find out the words that fit these descriptions.
1. A person who considers it very important that things should be correct or genuine e.g. in the use of language or in the arts: P…
2. A person who believes that war and violence are wrong and will not fight in a war: P…
3.A person who believes that nothing really exists: N…
4. A person who is always hopeful and expects the best in all things: O…
5. A person who follows generally accepted norms of behaviour: C…
6. A person who believes that material possessions are all that matter in life: M…
Answer
1. Perfectionist
2. Pacifist
3. Nihilist
4. Optimist
5. Conventionaliste
6. Materialist
2. What according to the poem is involved in the process of growing up?
Answer
According to the poem, the process of growing up involves the attainment of mental maturity. A person is said to be grown up when he has become logical, rational and is able to build his own thoughts. A grown up has the power to distinguish between reality and fantasy.
A grown up individual understands the actions of others just as the poet recognizes the hiatus between the preaching and the practice of the adults. He realizes the hypocrisy and the double standards maintained by the adults. A mature individual also asserts his thoughts and opinions.
Answer
The poet does not appear to feel sad or upset at the loss of his childhood. He only seems to be puzzled at the disappearance of childhood and the arrival of adulthood. He expresses his confusion when he asks the questions ‘When’ and ‘Where did my childhood go’?
Answer
The lines that seem to be the most poetic are:
‘It went to some forgotten place,
That’s hidden in an infant’s face;
That’s all I know.’
These lines sum up beautifully the process of growth and the disappearance of a particular stage of life. These lines express metaphorically that an infant’s innocent face hides many things behind its smiles. Perhaps the childhood also lies hidden somewhere in the child’s consciousness.
The helplessness of the father is highlighted through the depiction of the emotional struggle that he undergoes. He is aware of the problem and is willing to resolve it, but is unable to do so. He regrets the lack of a strong emotional bond and proper communication with his son who is also physically distanced from him.
3. Identify the phrases and lines that indicate distance between father and son.
Answer
Phrases/lines that indicate distance between the father and the son are:
1. ‘I do not understand this child’
2. ‘I know / Nothing of him’
3. ‘We speak like strangers’
4. ‘there’s no sign/ Of understanding in the air’
4. Does the poem have a consistent rhyme scheme?
Answer
No, the poem does not follow a consistent rhyme scheme.
Infer their meaning from the context.
blow-by-blow account
de facto
morale booster
astute
Answer
blow-by-blow account : detailed account. In the text “The Adventure” this expression occurs in the context of Gangadharpant trying to understand the outcome of the Battle of Panipat by reading a book on the topic.
morale booster : anything that serves to increase morale or confidence. The expression occurs in the text ‘Adventure’ where it is told that the Marathas emerged victorious in the Battle of Panipat which increased their morale or confidence in establishing their supremacy all over the country.
Relegated to : assigned to a lower rank or position. In the text it is said how Dadasaheb, a maratha Chieftain was assigned to a lower rank after the Battle of Panipat.
political acumen : political shrewedness with keen insight. In the text ‘The Adventure’ the expression is used to convey how Madhavrao and Vishwasrao because of their shrewedness could expand their influence all over India.
de facto : existing in fact whether with lawful authority or not. In the text ‘Adventure’ the Peshwas are regarded as de facto rulers as they kept the Mughal regime alive in Delhi.
doctored accounts : manipulation of accounts. This expression conveys that the Bakhars were not providing historical facts but manipulated account of history.
give vent to : to express one’s feelings and ideas. Professor Gaitonde expressed his ideas in the public lecture on the Battle of Panipat.
Understanding the Text
I.Tick the statements that are true.
1. The story is an account of real events.
2. The story hinges on a particular historical event.
3. Rajendra Deshpande was a historian.
4. The places mentioned in the story are all imaginary.
5. The story tries to relate history to science.
Answer
1. False
2. True
3. False
4. False
5. True
II. Briefly explain the following statements from the text.
1.“You neither travelled to the past nor the future. You were in the present experiencing a different world.”
2. “You have passed through a fantastic experience: or more correctly, a catastrophic experience.”
3. Gangadharpant could not help comparing the country he knew with what he was witnessing around him.
4. “The lack of determinism in quantum theory!”
5. “You need some interaction to cause a transition.”
Answer
1. This statement was said by Rajendra to Professor Gaitonde. He made a transistion from one world to another and back again. By making a transistion, he was able to experience two worlds although one at a time. He neither travelled to the pas nor to the future. He was in the present but experiencing a different world.
2. This statement was made by Rajendra to Prof. Gaitonde in the text The Adventure by Jayant Vishnu Narlikar. Gangadhar had passed through a strange experience. He had the experience of living in two world, one he lived in now and other where he had spent two days.
3. Gangadharpant knew India which had seen the decline of Peshwas and experienced the slavery of the British. But the India he had seen in two days was completely different. It had not been subjected to slavery for the whiteman. It was self dependent and enjoyed self respect. He compared the two countries the one that he knew already and other that he was witnessing around him. Both had different histories.
4. Professor Gaitonde had decided to go to a big library at Bombay and browse through history books. Then he would find out how the present state of affairs was reached. On his return to Pune, he would have a lonk talk with Rajendra Deshpande. He hoped that Rajendra would help him undertand what had happened.
5. This bombay was under the British Raj. An Anglo-Indian in unform checked permits. Each of the blue carriages of GBMR had the tiny Union Jack painted on it. The Victoria Terminus station looked very neat and clean. The staff was mostly of Anglo-Indians and Parsee alongwith a handful fo british Officers.
Talking about the Text
1. Discuss the following statements in groups of two pairs, each pair in a group taking opposite points of view.
(i) A single event may change the course of the history of a nation.
(ii) Reality is what is directly experienced through the senses.
(iii) The methods of inquiry of history, science and philosophy are similar.
billowed
Answer
ducking back : quickly going inside and then coming out
manoeuvres : military exercises involving a large number of soldiers, ships, etc.
billowed : filled with the air and swelled out
swathe : literally: a long strip of land of something; contextually: a land stretched with snow
cairn of rocks : a pile of stones that mark a special place such as the top of a mountain or a place where somebody is buried
careered down : descending the slope
salt flats : thatched roofed houses covered with snow
Answer
The title of the article has been named on the historic silk road or routes. The network connected the Afro-Eurasian landmass. It established trade of Chinese silk, spices, teas and porcelain; Indian textiles, precious stones and pepper; and the Roman Empire’s gold, silver, fine glassware, wine, carpets and jewels. The road was named Silk Road largely because of the silk trade with China. In the chapter the author travels to Mount Kailash, exploring the Himalayan belt in Tibet. Since the author explored this region, the chapter is titled as Silk Road.
2. Tibetan mastiffs were popular in China’s imperial courts.
Answer
Tibetan mastiffs were popular in China’s imperial courts as hunting dogs. They were brought along the Silk Road in ancient times as tribute from Tibet. They were huge black dogs used as watchdogs. They explode into action like bullets. They are furious and fearless.
3. The author’s experience at Hor was in stark contrast to earlier accounts of the place.
Answer
Hor was a grim, miserable place. The dust and rocks were scattered everywhere in abundance; there was little vegetation. The place seemed unfortunate and dejected, though it sat on the shore of the Lake Manasarovar. The author was flabbergasted to realise the contrast in his experience to that of the earlier read accounts. A Japanese monk, Ekai Kawaguchi, who had arrived there in 1990, was so moved by the sanctity of the lake t hat he burst into tears. The hallowed waters had a similar effect on Sven Hedin, a Swede who was not prone to sentimental outbursts. However, for the author, when he reached Hor, first he had to get two punctures mended. The only relaxation was the tea served by a Chinese youth in the only café in the town, which was constructed from badly painted concrete and had three broken windows. The good view of the lake through one of them helped to compensate however.
4. The author was disappointed with Darchen.
Answer
The author was disappointed with Darchen. The high altitude was giving him health problems. He had a bad cold and was not able to sleep at night. Since he was one of the early arrivals there weren’t any pilgrims coming to the place. The place was dusty, partially derelict and punctuated by heaps of rubble and refuse.
5. The author thought that his positive thinking strategy worked well after all.
Answer
The author was disappointed with Darchen. He also complained of bad health. Tsetan had left for Lhasa. He was feeling rather lonely with no pilgrims around. It was then he met Norbu, a Tibetan who too wanted to visit Kailash. They would be a good team as both of them were academicians who had escaped from the library. The author started thinking positively and it gave him some delight and a new enthusiasm.
II. Briefly comment on
1. The purpose of the author’s journey to Mount Kailash.
Answer
Nick Middleton is an Oxford Professor as well as an adventurer. He follows the most difficult terrain through the Silk Road and reaches mount Kailash. He visits the holy place to complete the kora- going around the place.
2. The author’s physical condition in Darchen.
Answer
The author was not physically well when he reached Darchen. His sinuses were blocked due to the cold wind at Hor and he was not able to sleep well at night. The next day Tsetan took him to the Darchen Medical College and the doctor there gave him some medicine that gave him some relief.
3. The author’s meeting with Norbu.
Answer
The author was feeling rather lonely without Tsetan who had left for Lhasa. There weren’t any pilgrims at Darchen as he had reached the place much early in the season. It was then he Norbu who was a Tibetan and also an academician. He too was there to visit Kailash and they decided to go there together.
4. Tsetan’s support to the author during the journey.
Answer
Tsetan was a good and efficient driver. He drove the car very carefully. During the journey, he spoke to the author giving information about the places they were visiting. He was very caring. At Darchen when he found that the author was not well, he took him to the medical college and got medicine for him. He was a good Buddhist.
5. “As a Buddhist, he told me, he knew that it didn’t really matter if I passed away, but he thought it would be bad for business.”
Answer
Tsetan was a good Buddhist and believed that death was not the end of life. Kailash being a holy place it would be better for him as it would take him to heaven. Then if the author would die there, it would be bad for his business as his credibility will be at stake in looking after the tourists and later he may not get any customers.
Talking about Text
Discuss in groups of four
1.The sensitive behaviour of hill-folk.
Answer
The hill-folk are quite unsophisticated and innocent. People like Tsetan very religious and God-fearing. They are very much hospitable and take care of the visitors from out side.
Answer
The author was an academician, hence, he undertook the journey for the purpose of education. For him it was a learning experience. Secondly, people undertake such journeys because of the spirit of adventure. The areas covered by the author are some of the most difficult terrains in the world. The third can be a religious reason. People visit places like Mount Kailash as part of their pilgrimage.
3. The accounts of exotic places in legends and the reality.
Answer
There are many accounts of exotic places in legends and the reality. Places like Mount Kailash, Manasarovar occupy a prominent place in legends. There are many articles written about these places.
Thinking about Language