SSLC English Exam 2021 - Focus Area Lesson 4: 'PROJECT TIGER' - Passage-based Q & A, and Grammar Elements

  Project Tiger

1. Read the following passages and answer the questions that follow:

 No one can beat Hollywood when it comes to making films with animals in them. I remember films in my childhood - and there were quite a few of them – that had an Alsatian called Rin-tin-tin. This dog's acting was more impressive than a human's. Later, we got to see three or four other films with a collie called Lassie. It seemed that the director could make Lassie do just about anything. These trained dogs were famous stars in their own rights, and the money they earned was no less than what a real film star got. Their owners could easily make as much as a hundred thousand rupees from just one film.

 1.  In what matter can no one beat Hollywood?

2.  Who were the heroes of the films which Ray watched in his childhood?

3.  Whose acting was more impressive than a human’s?

4.  What was special about Lassie?

5.  How could Ray say that those trained dogs were famous stars?

2. Read the following passages and answer the questions that follow:

 I realised how reverently these animal-actors were treated when I happened to see the shooting of a film twenty years ago in Disney Studio in Hollywood. The main character in this film was a large dog. I reached the studio to find that the shooting had not yet started; the camera man was getting the lights ready. It is customary for actors to be present when the lights are arranged, for they have to show the cameraman how they'll walk, or where they'll stand, in a particular shot. In the case of very famous stars, this job is done by their stand-ins. A stand-in is usually a person who is physically similar to the real star.

 1.  Where did Ray happen to see a film shooting twenty years ago?

2.  What was customary for actors?

3.  Who is a stand-in?

4.  Pick out from the passage a synonym for ‘respectfully’.

5.  ‘This job is done by their stand-ins.’ Rewrite this sentence beginning with ‘Their

     stand-ins…’

3. Read the following passages and answer the questions that follow:

 Every animal in a Hollywood film is well-trained. It is not difficult to train a horse or a dog. But have you ever heard of trained ravens? Not just one or two, but nearly a hundred of them? Even this was made possible in Hollywood, when the creator of some of the best suspense films in the history of cinema, Alfred Hitchcock, decided to make a film called Birds. In the story, birds from all over the world start attacking humans. Hitchcock needed a variety of birds, but what was required in the largest number  was ravens. Notices were placed in the press all over the United States, asking people to contact the filmmaker if they knew how to get hold of trained ravens.

 1. ‘Even this was made possible in Hollywood’.  What was made possible in Hollywood?

2.  What do you know about Alfred Hitchcock from this passage?

3.  What is the story-thread of the film ‘Birds’.

4.  What did Hitchcock need in large numbers for his film ‘Birds’?

5.  What did Hitchcock do to get hold of trained ravens?

4. Read the following passages and answer the questions that follow:

 Having thought of the scene, I simply had to shoot it. But where were we going to find a tiger? The obvious thing to do was to look in a circus since they were likely to have trained animals.   As a matter of fact, one called Bharat Circus was visiting Calcutta at the time, holding shows in Marcus Square. We sent someone to make an appointment with its Tamil manager and then went to meet him one morning. He greeted us warmly and ordered South Indian coffee for us. The manager heard the reason for our visit, then sent for one Mr Thorat. He turned out to be the ringmaster. He, too, was a South Indian, very well built, with features somewhat like those of a Nepali. He was perhaps no more than forty.

     1.     What was the obvious thing Ray should do to get a trained tiger?

2.     Why did Ray make an appointment with the Manager of Bharat Circus?

3.     Who was Mr. Thorat?

4.     The manager, Mr. Thorat and Ray: of the three, who was not a South Indian?

5.  ‘The manager heard the reason for our visit’. Identify the NP in the subject position.

 5. Read the following passages and answer the questions that follow:

 In a village called Notun Gram we found a suitable bamboo grove to film the first meeting between Goopy and Bagha and the appearance of the tiger. Mr Thorat reached the shooting location with the tiger. There were about twenty five people in the location. A few local people took our permission to go with us to watch how we tackled the tiger. The cage on the lorry was covered. When the cover was removed we were surprised to see not one, but two well-fed and robust tigers.

1.  Where did they find a suitable bamboo grove?

2.  What was the scene they wanted to film in the bamboo grove?

3.  The tiger was brought to the location by..................... .

      (Ray, Mr. Thorat, twenty five people, the local people)

4. Why were they surprised when the cover of the cage was removed?

5.   How were the tigers to look?

 6. Read the following passages and answer the questions that follow:

 Mr Thorat's men had fixed a five foot iron rod to the ground, about thirty feet from the area where the tiger was supposed to take a walk. They took a thin, long wire and fixed one end to the collar made of tiger-skin that the tiger was already wearing. The other end was tied firmly to the visible portion of the iron rod. The door of one of the cages was unfastened and Mr Thorat called out to the tiger. It responded almost at once and sprang out of its cage to land on the open space outside. What followed was totally unexpected. One look at Mr Thorat‘s startled and helpless face told us that he was as taken aback as the rest of us. Instead of walking sedately in a dignified manner, the tiger started prancing around with tremendous enthusiasm.

     1.     What arrangements did Thorat’s men make before opening the tiger’s cage?

2.     How did the tiger respond to the call of Mr. Thorat?

3.     What did Mr. Thorat’s startled and helples face tell them?

4.     What was the tiger expected to do?

5.     ‘The door of one of the cages was unfastened’. Identify the Head Noun in the subject Noun Phrase.

 7. Read the following passages and answer the questions that follow:

 Once the tiger had calmed down, we managed to take the few shots we needed. This should have been the end of the story. But, when we returned to Calcutta and looked at the scenes with the tiger, we realised that the camera had failed to work properly. The shots were too dark, so much so that the tiger was merging almost completely with the background of the trees and leaves. We had to shoot the scenes all over again. We spoke to Mr Thorat and he agreed to give it another go. We found another bamboo grove closer to Calcutta in a village called Boral.

 1. It should have been the end of the story’. Why did the story not end?

2. What was the problem of the shots taken?

3. How did Mr. Thorat respond when they had to shoot all the scenes over gain?

4. Where did they find another bamboo grove for the second attempt?

5. ‘The shots were too dark’. Identify the pattern of the sentence.

 8. Read the following passages and answer the questions that follow:

 He opened the door of the cage. The instant the door opened with a clang, our tiger emerged with a loud roar, and charged straight at the villagers gathered behind the camera. The crowd, consisting of about a hundred and fifty people, melted away as if by magic. After that great burst of energy, the tiger calmed down very quickly. Like an obedient child, it walked over to the spot we had chosen, paced about quietly as it was required to, and then ambled back to its trainer.

     1.     How did the tiger respond when the door was opened?

2.     Where had the crowd gathered?

3.     What did the villagers gathered there do when the tiger charged at them?

4.     What did the tiger do after the great burst of energy?

5.     Identify a word that means ‘walked in a slow, relaxed speed’.

Answers to the passage-based questions:

 Passage 1:

1. No one can beat Hollywood in making films with animals.

2. An Alsatian dog called Rin-tin-tin, and a collie dog called Lassie.

3. The Alsatian dog Rin-tin-tin’s acting was more impressive than a human’s.

4. The director could make Lassie do just about anything.

5. The money those trained dogs  earned was no less than what a real film star got.

 Passage 2:

1.     In Disney studio in Hollywood.

2.     It was customary for actors to be present when the lights are arranged, and show the cameraman how they'll walk, or where they'll stand, in a particular shot.

3.     A stand-in is a person who is physically similar to the real star.

4.     ‘Reverently’ is a synonym for ‘respectfully’.

5.     Their stand-ins do this job.

Passage 3:

1    Using trained ravens in large numbers in films was made possible in Hollywood.

2.     Alfred Hitchcock was the creator of some of the best suspense films in the history of cinema.

3.     The story-thread of the film ‘Birds’ is that birds from all over the world start attacking humans.

4.     Hitchcock needed a large number of trained ravens.

5.     He placed notices in the press all over the United States. (or, He advertised in newspapers all over the United States.)

 Passage 4:

1.     Ray should look in a circus to get a trained tiger.

2.     Ray wanted to know if the manager could give him a trained tiger.

3.     Mr. Thorat was the ringmaster of Bharat Circus.

4.     Ray was not a South Indian.

5.     The NP in the Subject position: the manager.

 Passage 5:

1.     They found a suitable bamboo grove in a village called Notun Gram.

2.     The first meeting between Goopy and Bagha and the appearance of the tiger.

3.     Tiger was brought to the location by Mr. Thorat.

4.     They were surprised because there were two tigers instead of one.

5.     The tigers were well-fed and robust.

Passage 6:

1.     They tied one end of a thin wire to the tiger-skin collar and the other end to an iron rod fixed to the ground.

2.    The tiger responded immediately and sprang out of its cage.

3.     Mr. Thorat was also as frightened  as the others.

4.     The tiger was expected to walk sedately in a dignified manner.

5.     The Head Noun in the subject NP: door.

 Passage 7:

1.  In the first attempt of the shooting, the camera had failed to work properly.

2. The shots taken were too dark.

3.  Mr. Thorat agreed to make another attempt.

4. They found another bamboo grove closer to Calcutta in a village called Boral.

5.  ‘The shots were too dark.’: SVC pattern

 Passage 8:

1.     The tiger emerged with a loud roar and charged at the villagers gathered there.

2.     The crowd had gathered behind the camera.

3.     The villagers melted away (disappeared) as if by magic.

4.     Like an obedient child, the tiger walked over to the spot chosen for it, paced about quietly there, and then ambled back to its trainer .

5.     The word ‘ambled’ means ‘walked in a slow, relaxed speed’.

Completing Conversations

1. Complete the following conversation suitably:

         Manager: How can I help you sir?

        Ray:         I need a trained tiger.

        Manager: I think you’re going to shoot a film with a tiger,....a.....?

        Ray:         Yes, of course.    ..............b.................?

        Manager: Yes, we have trained tigers here.

        Ray:          If you give us a tiger for two hours, ..........c...............

        Manager:  I’m happy to help you. You had better.......d......... .

        Ray:         Ok, thank you. I’ll talk to the ringmaster, Mr. Thorat.

 Answers:

a.     aren’t you?

b.     Do you have trained tigers here?

c.      It will be a great help for us.

d.     talk to the ringmaster, Mr. Thorat.

 2. Complete the following conversation suitably:

       Mr. Thorat: ...................a.................?

      Ray:            The shooting is in Notun Gram village.

      Mr. Thorat: It’s very far from here,...............b........?

      Ray:           Yes. It’ll take two days for the travel to and fro.

      Mr. Thorat: No problem. We can manage it if.............c............ .

      Ray:            Yes, we can take the tiger in a lorry.

      Mr. Thorath: You had better...........d..................

      Ray:             Sure! I’ll make all arrangements in advance.

 Answers:

a.     Where is the shooting?

b.     Isn’t it?

c.      We can manage it if we take the tiger in a lorry.

d.     make all the arrangement in advance.

 3. Complete the following conversation suitably:

       Mr. Thorat: I think all the shots taken are good, ..........a........?

      Ray:            No, Mr. Thorat. The camera failed to work.

      Mr. Thorat: Don’t worry. We can shoot again.

      Ray:            You can bring the tiger again,..............b......?

      Mr. Thorath:  Yes, of course. .............c...................?

      Ray:           No, I have not fixed the location. I am searching for one.

      Mr. Thorat: If it is a nearby place, ............d............ .

      Ray:          Yes, you’re right. A nearby place will be convenient for us.

 Answers: 

a.   aren’t they?

b.     can’t you?

c.      Have you fixed the location?

d.     it will be convenient for us.

4. Complete the following conversation suitably:

        Mr. Thorat: ...........a.....................?

       Ray:        Yes Mr. Thorath, this time the camera worked properly.

       Mr. Thorath: ..................b..............?

       Ray:              It’ll take at least one week for the editing work.

       Mr. Thorat:   You will release the film soon,..........c......?

       Ray:              Yeah!  I hope so.

       Mr. Thorat:  You’ll get more viewers, if .............d.............. .

       Ray:       You’re right. I’ll try to release it in the summer vacation.

 Answers:

a.     Did the camera work this time properly?

b.     How long will it take for the editing work?

c.      won’t you?

d.     if you release the film in the summer vacation.

Constructing Conversations

1.     Ray meets the manager of Bharat Circus to get a tiger for his new film. Prepare the likely conversation between them.

  Ray:         Good morning.

 Manager: Good morning, Mr. Ray. How can I help you sir?

 Ray:         I need a trained tiger.

 Manager: I think you’re going to shoot a film with a tiger, aren’t you?

 Ray:         Yes, of course.    Do you have trained tigers here?

 Manager: Yes, we have trained tigers here.

 Ray:         If you give us a tiger for two hours, it’ll be a great help for us.

 Manager:  I’m happy to help you. You had better talk to the   ringmaster, Mr. Thorat.

 Ray:         Ok, thank you. I’ll talk to Mr. Thorat.

2. Ray got a trained tiger from Bharat Circus. He and the ringmaster Mr. Thorat

    talk about the location and other arrangements for the shooting. Prepare the

    likely conversation.

     Mr. Thorat: Good morning Ray. Manager has agreed to take the tiger for shooting.

    Ray:              Thank you for the good news.

    Mr. Thorat: Bye the way, where is the shooting?

    Ray:            The shooting is in Notun Gram village.

    Mr. Thorat: It’s very far from here, isn’t it?

    Ray:           Yes. It’ll take two days for the travel to and fro.

    Mr. Thorat: No problem. We can manage it if we take the tiger in a lorry.

    Ray:            Yes, we can take the tiger in a lorry.

    Mr. Thorath: You had better make all the arrangements in advance.

    Ray:             Sure! I’ll make all arrangements in advance.

    Mr. Thorat: That’s good.  Bye!

 3. Mr. Thorat meets Ray after the first shooting attempt. He asks Ray about the

    shots taken. Prepare the likely conversation between them.

      Mr. Thorat: Hi Mr. Ray, good morning. How are you?

      Ray:             Good morning Mr. Thorat. I’m fine. Thank you.

      Mr. Thorat: I think all the shots taken are good, aren’t they?

      Ray:             No, Mr. Thorat. The camera failed to work.

      Mr. Thorat: Don’t worry. We can shoot again.

      Ray:             You can bring the tiger again, cant’you?

      Mr. Thorath: Yes, of course. Have you fixed the location?

      Ray:             No, I have not fixed the location. I am searching for one.

      Mr. Thorat: If it is a nearby place, it’ll be convenient for us.

      Ray:            Yes, you’re right. A nearby place will be convenient for us.

      Mr. Thorat: Okay, see you later. Bye!

 4. Mr. Ray and Mr. Thorat meet after the second shooting attempt. They talk about

    the shots taken and the release of the film. Prepare the likely conversation

    between them.

 Ray:              Hi Mr. Thorat, good morning.

Mr. Thorat: Good morning. Did the camera work this time properly? Are all the shots

                      good?

 Ray:             Yes Mr.Thorath, this time the camera worked properly and all the shots are

                      good.

 Mr. Thorat: How long will it take for the editing work?

 Ray:              It’ll take at least one week for the editing work.

 Mr. Thorat:   You will release the film soon, won’t you?

 Ray:              Yeah!  I hope so.

 Mr. Thorat:  You’ll get more viewers, if you release the film in the summer vacation.

 Ray:              You’re right. I’ll try to release it in the summer vacation.

 Mr. Thorat: We’re waiting for it. Thank you...bye!

Editing

1. Edit the marked errors in the following passage.

 It seemed that the director could made (1) Lassie do just about anything. These trained dogs was (2) famous stars in their own rights, and the money they earned was no less then (3) what a real film stars (4) got.

 Answers: 1. make  2. Were  3. Than  4. star

 2. Edit the marked errors in the following passage.

 The cameraman shouted to everyone to took (1) their positions but the dog remained where it is (2). This puzzled me. Could it be that it were (3) not required in the next shot? Before I could asked (4) someone, a strange thing happened.

 Answers: 1. take  2. was  3. Was  4. ask

 3. Edit the marked errors in the following passage.

We wanted to showed (1) a tiger in a thick bamboo grove. All the animal was required to do was come out of the bamboo grove into a (2) open space, pace gentle (3) for a while, look at the camara (4) if possible, and then go back.

 Answers: 1. show  2. an  3. gently  4. camera

 4. Edit the marked errors in the following passage.

Even the camera behaved these (1) time, which we realised two day (2) later, when we returned to calcutta (3)  and saw the scenes we had shoot (4).

 Answers: 1. this  2. days  3. Calcutta  4. shot

 5. Edit the marked errors in the following passage.

 If the wire was enough thin (1), perhaps it would remain invisible to the camera. But it was likely that the hairs (2) on the tigers (3)  neck would be flattened by the wire, whom (4)  would give the hole (5) thing away.

 Answers: 1. thin enough  2. hair  3. tiger’s  4. which    5. whole

Phrasal Verbs

1. Complete the following passage using appropriate Phrasal Verbs given in brackets.

 1. Ray ___a___to see the manager of Bharat Circus. He___b__in his office on time. He____c___to him the reason for his visit.    Finally the manager____d_____to  help Ray.

 (made up his mind, turned up, set out, put across)

 Answers: a. set out  b. turned up  c. put across  d. made up his mind

2. Replace the underlined words with suitable phrasal verb given in brackets.

  Ray and his team travelled (1) to the shooting location. Mr. Thorat arrived (2) there in a lorry with the tiger. He explained (3) to Ray why he brought two tigers. All of them were frightened (4) by the misbehaviour of the tiger.

 (taken aback, set out, turned up, put across)

 Answers: 1. Set out 2. Turned up  3. Put across  4. Taken aback

3. Replace the underlined words with suitable phrasal verb given in brackets.

When the tiger misbehaved, they thought they have to cancel (1) the shooting. But soon the tiger calmed down and they succeeded (2) in taking the required shots. When they examined (3) the shots, they realised that the camera had failed to work. They decided (4) to shoot them all again.

 (made up their mind, went through, call off, came through)

 Answers: 1. Call off  2. Came through  3. Went through  4. Made up their mind

Cloze Test Questions

1. Complete the following passage using suitable words from the brackets:

 From nowhere appeared __1__ little dwarf, followed __2__another  man carrying a hairy dog-skin. Then, to my perfect amazement,   __3___dwarf went down on all the fours on a chalk mark __4__ the floor, just like__5__animal.

    ( the, in, on, an, a, by)

 Answers: 1. a  2. by  3. the   4. on  5. an

 2.  Complete the following passage using suitable words from the brackets:

 In the film Goopy who is banished__1__ the king wanders__2__ the forest, meets Bagha who is also been banished. They see a tiger__3__freeze. But the tiger simply walks about in the forest, without paying them__4__slightest attention.

(but, and, in, the, by) 

 Answers: 1. by  2. in  3. and  4. the

 3.  Complete the following passage using suitable words from the brackets:

 We told the villagers that they should stand at a distance__1__ seventy feet. No one paid any attention__2__what they were told.    The entire crowd moved__3__close to the camera as they could.   We could not afford to waste any more time explaining and

arguing. So we got the camera ready__4__ signalled to Mr Thorat.
(to, of, and, as, on, )

 Answers: 1. of   2. to  3. as  4. and

 4.  Complete the following passage using suitable words from the brackets:

 We stood around foolishly, watching a new___(1) ___strange Kind of circus which we were getting to see__(2)__ free! The camera  was still standing__(3)__ its three legs, staring into the wood, but the  tiger was showing no sign__(4)__making its way there.

(of, and, in, on, for)

 Answers: 1. and  2.for  3. on  4. of

 Reported Speech

1.     Report the following:

Hitchcock: How many raven have you brought?

The man:   I’ve brought one hundred ravens.

a.     What did Hitchcock ask the man?

b.     What did the man reply?

Answers:

       a.  Hitchcock asked the man how many raven he had brought.

       b. The man replied that he had brought one hundred ravens.

2.  Report the following:

 Ray: Do you have trained tigers here?

Manager: Yes, we have trained tigers here.

a.     Ray asked the manager............................

b.     The manager replied...............................

 Answers:

a. Ray asked the manager if they had trained tigers there.

b. The manager replied that they had trained tigers there.

3.  Report the following:

 Ray: Why have you brought two tigers?

Mr. Thorat: I decided to play it safe.

a.     Ray asked Mr. Thorat............................

b.     Mr. Thorat replied...............................

Answers:

a. Ray asked Mr. Thorat why he had brought two tigers.

b. Mr. Thorat replied that he had decided to play it safe.

4.  Report the following:

 Ray: will it be safe to set the tiger free?

Mr. Thorat: I don’t know, I’ve never set it free before.

a.     Ray asked Mr. Thorat............................

b.     Mr. Thorat replied...............................

Answers:

a. Ray asked Mr. Thorat whether it would be safe to set the tiger free.

b. Mr. Thorat replied that he didn’t know and he had never set it free before (earlier).

 ______________________________________________________________________

5.   Report the following:

Ray: Don’t take risk. Let’s tie the tiger with a steel wire.

Mr. Thorat: Ok. I’ll tie it with a wire.

a.     What did Ray tell Mr. Thorat?

b.     How did Mr. Thorat respond?

Answers:

a. Ray told Mr. Thorat not to take risk, and he suggested that they should tie the tiger  

    with a steel wire.

b. Mr. Thorat agreed to the suggestion and said that he would tie it with a wire.

Sentence Analysis

1.     This dog's acting was more impressive than a human's.

 

      a. Identify the Noun Phrase in the Subject position.

b. What is the Head Noun in the Subject NP? 

 Answers:

a. NP in the Subject position:  This dog’s acting

b. Head Noun in the Subject NP: acting

 2. The main character in this film was a large dog.

 a. Identify the Noun Phrase in the Subject position.

 b. What is the Verb Phrase?

Answers:

a.  NP in the Subject position:  The main character in this film

b.  Verb Phrase   : was a large dog

 3. Goopy who is banished by the king wanders in the forest.

 a. Identify a Relative Clause.

 b. Identify a prepositional Phrase.

Answers:

a.   The Relative Clause: who is banished by the king

b.   Prepositional Phrase : in the forest

4. The manager heard the reason for our visit.
 a. Identify the Noun Phrase in the Object position.

 b. Identify a prepositional Phrase.

Answers:

a.   The NP in the Object position: the reason for our visit

b.   Prepositional Phrase   : for our visit

Sentence Patterns

A) Identify the pattern of the following sentences:

1. Mr. Thorath nodded.

Ans: SV

2. This puzzled me.

Ans: SVO

3. Every animal in a Hollywood film is well-trained.

Ans: SVC

4. The manager gave Ray South Indian coffee.

Ans: SVOO

5. Notices were placed in the press.

Ans: SVA

6. He greeted us warmly.

Ans: SVOA

7. The manager’s greetings made Ray happy.

Ans: SVOC

B) Construct sentences of your own in the following patterns.

1.     SV :      (A strange thing happened.)

2.     SVO:    (Hitchcock needed a variety of birds.)

3.     SVC:    (Mr. Thorat appeared startled.)

4.     SVA:    (The shooting completed successfully. )

5.     SVOA: (Mr. Thorat opened the cage carefully.)

6.     SVOO: (Ray told the manager the reason for his visit.)

7.     SVOC: (The camera made Ray disappointed.)

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SSLC English Lesson 3 - "Lines Written in Early Spring" : Lines-based Q & A and Note of Appreciation

 Lesson 3 

Lines Written in Early Spring

1. Read the lines from ‘Lines Written in Early Spring’ and answer the questions.

I heard a thousand blended notes,
While in a grove I sate reclined,
In that sweet mood when pleasant thoughts
Bring sad thoughts to the mind.

To her fair works did Nature link
The human soul that through me ran;
And much it grieved my heart to think
What man has made of man.

1.     When did the poet hear a thousand blended notes?

2.     What does the expression ‘I sate reclined’ indicate about the poet’s state of mind?

3.     What did Nature link to her fair works?

4.     Pick out an example of Alliteration from these lines.

 Answers:

1.     The poet heard a thousand blended notes when he sat in a grove in a sweet and relaxed mood.

2.     The poet was in a sweet, calm and relaxed mood.

3.     Nature linked human souls to her fair works.

4.     ‘What man has made of man’.

2. Read the lines from ‘Lines Written in Early Spring’ and answer the questions.

 

Through primrose tufts, in that green bower,
The periwinkle trailed its wreaths;
And 'tis my faith that every flower
Enjoys the air it breathes.

        The birds around me hopped and played,
        Their thoughts I cannot measure:-
         But the least motion which they made
         It seemed a thrill of pleasure.

1.     Where did the periwinkle trail its wreaths?

2.     What is the faith of the poet?

3.     What did the birds do to express their thrill of pleasure?

4.     Whose thoughts can’t the poet measure?

 Answers:

1.     The periwinkle trailed its wreaths in the green bower.

2.     The poet’s faith is that every flower enjoys the air it breathes.

3.     The birds hopped and played to express their thrill of pleasure.

4.     The thought of the birds around the poet.

3. Read the lines from ‘Lines Written in Early Spring’ and answer the questions.

 

The budding twigs spread out their fan,
To catch the breezy air;
And I must think, do all I can,
That there was pleasure there.

        If this belief from heaven be sent,
        If such be Nature's holy plan,
        Have I not reason to lament
        What man has made of man?

1.     Why did the budding twigs spread out their fan?

2.     What must the poet think, which is all he can do?

3.     What do you understand from the poem Nature’s holy plan is?

4.   What does the poet think he should lament over?

Answers:

1. The budding twigs spread out their fans to catch the breezy air.

2. The poet must think that there was pleasure in the grove.

3. Nature’s holy plan is that everything in nature should coexist in perfect harmony.

4. The poet thinks he should lament over what man has made of man.

4. Read the lines from ‘Lines Written in Early Spring’ and answer the questions.

 I heard a thousand blended notes,

While in a grove I sate reclined,
In that sweet mood when pleasant thoughts
Bring sad thoughts to the mind

1.     What is the Rhyme Scheme of the poem?

2.     The expression ‘a thousand blended notes’ is an exaggerated expression. What is the figure of speech applied in it?

Answers:

1.     ABAB

2.     Hyperbole

5. Read the lines from ‘Lines Written in Early Spring’ and answer the questions.

 

To her fair works did Nature link
The human soul that through me ran;
And much it grieved my heart to think
What man has made of man.

 1. In the line ‘To her fair works did Nature link’ the poet speaks of Nature as a woman.  What figure of speech do you identify in  referring to an inanimate object as a person?

2. What grieved the poet’s heart much?

Answers:

1.     Personification

2.     Man’s cruelties against Nature and among his own kind

 

6. Read the lines from ‘Lines Written in Early Spring’ and answer the questions.

 

The birds around me hopped and played,
Their thoughts I cannot measure:-
But the least motion which they made
It seemed a thrill of pleasure

1. Pick out a Visual Image from the stanza.

2. Identify an example of Alliteration.

Answers:

1.     The birds hopped and played.

2.     ‘motion which they made’.

 7. Read the lines from ‘Lines Written in Early Spring’ and answer the questions.

 Through primrose tufts, in that green bower,

The periwinkle trailed its wreaths;
And 'tis my faith that every flower
Enjoys the air it breathes.

1.  Pick out examples of Visual Images from the stanza. 

2.  What is the Figure of Speech applied in ‘every flower enjoys the air it breathes’?

Answers:

1. Primrose tufts, green bower, wreaths of periwinkle.

2. Personification.

 8. Read the lines from ‘Lines Written in Early Spring’ and answer the questions.

 If this belief from heaven be sent,

If such be Nature's holy plan,
Have I not reason to lament
What man has made of man?

1.     The last two lines are in the form of a question. What are the two figures of speech in these lines?

2.     The poet talks about Nature’s holy plan. What indication do you get about the theme of the poem from the expression?

Answer:

1.     Rhetorical question and Alliteration.

2.     In nature everything is in peace and pleasure. But in the human world, man destroys nature as well as his own kind.

Appreciation Note

Lines Written in Early Spring - Note of appreciation

 

The poem ‘Lines Written in Early Spring’ is a poem by the well-known nature poet William Wordsworth. The poem deals with the theme of coexistence, peace and pleasure in nature and the cruelties in the human world.  The poet once sits in a grove in a relaxed mood enjoying sights and sounds. He sees there various kinds of plants and flowers coexist. Birds hop and play around him to express their thrill of pleasure. The sights and sounds in nature bring pleasant thoughts into his mind. Nature links human souls to her fair works; still humans thoughtlessly destroy nature. When the poet thinks of human activities, he becomes very sad.

He believes every flower enjoys the air it breathes and the twigs spread their fans to catch breezy air. He thinks that there is pleasure everywhere in nature. The poet says that coexistence is Nature’s holy plan. But he laments over the cruelties of man against nature and amongst his own kind.

 The lines ‘To her fair works did Nature link…’ ; ‘every flower enjoys the air it breathes’, and ‘The budding twigs spread out their fan, To catch the breezy air’  are examples of Personification. There is the figure of speech hyperbole in the expression ‘a thousand blended notes’. ‘What man has made of man' is an example Alliteration.  The poem ends with a Rhetorical Question: “Have I not reason to lament / What man has made of man?” An example of the Auditory Image is there in “I heard a thousand  blended notes.” The ‘breezy air’ brings to our mind a ‘Tactile Image’ as well. Some Visual Images are: flowers (primrose, periwinkle), birds, grove, bower, budding twigs, etc. The Rhyme Scheme of the poem is ABAB. 

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SSLC English Lesson 2 - 'The Snake and the Mirror' : Possible Discourses

 Lesson 2: The Snake and the Mirror

Discourses

Narrative

Imagine that you were in place of the homeopath. You narrate the dreadful encounter with the cobra. Prepare the likely narrative.

Face to Face with Death When I started my medical practice, I was staying alone in a rented house far away from my house.  It was a very old house with a tiled roof and with no electricity connection. There were lots of rats staying with me in the house. One summer night around at ten o’clock, while I was sitting on a chair, I heard a dull thud sound. I did not take it serious as I was familiar with such sounds usually made by rats. But it was quite an unusual sound as if a rubber tube fell down. Out of curiosity, I turned round to see what it could be. As soon as I turned, a fat cobra climbed upon the chair and landed on my shoulder. Soon it slithered along my shoulder and coiled around my left arm.  It was a full-blooded cobra! Spreading out its hood, it stayed there only three or four inches away from my face. I was so frightened.  I sat there holding my breath like a stone image in flesh. If I moved, the snake would bite me. I felt ashamed of myself for not having kept any medicine in the room, though I was a doctor.  I was afraid to move or call for help. Desperately I thought of God and in imagination I wrote the words ‘O God’ on the wall of my heart. Suddenly the snake turned its head and looked into the mirror on my table. Seeing its reflection in the mirror it uncoiled from my arm and moved towards the mirror. It seemed as if it was looking into the mirror and enjoying its own beauty. Immediately, I rushed out of the room and ran till I reached my friend’s house. The next morning when we returned to the room, planning to collect all my belongings and move to a new house, we found that all my things had already been stolen by some thieves!

 Diary Entry

Imagine the doctor moved to a new house. He feels safe and happy there. He writes in his diary about the horrible experience he had the previous night. Prepare the likely diary entry.

18 March 2021, Thursday 11:00pm  Thank God! I’m safe and happy now in this new house - neat and comfortable.       I have here good neighbours too.  I should be thankful to my friends for arranging this house for me. Last night I met death face to face! I can’t ever forget those moments in my life. When I heard the sound of something falling down, I never thought it could be a cobra.  What could I have done if it had bitten me? I didn’t have any medicine to use in case of an emergency. Luckily, the snake was a beauty-conscious one.  When it saw its reflection in the mirror, it forgot everything and left me. It was a cobra taken with its own beauty. Really God saved me  in the form of a mirror! I will keep a mirror here too.

The doctor in the story ‘The Snake and the Mirror’ was very much frightened after his encounter with the snake. He writes his feelings in his diary. What would the diary entry be?

Thursday, 18 March 2021 10:30pm Oh God, What a horrible night it was! Strange noise was nothing new in my room. So, I didn’t take it serious when I heard a thud. Who thought it could be a cobra? When it coiled around my arm, I was literally turned to a stone. I knew death lurked three inches away from my face. It was my foolishness that I didn’t keep any medicine in my room. If the snake had struck me, what would I have done? Thank God, what I feared didn’t happen. The snake left me and slithered towards the mirror. What made it turn away from me? Perhaps my desperate call of God? It was a snake taken with its own beauty. I would say God saved me in the form of a mirror. When the cobra saw its own beauty in the mirror, it forgot everything and left me. Thank God!

 Formal Letter

The homeopath’s belongings were stolen in the night when he escaped to his friend’s house. He wrote a letter to the inspector of police to register a complaint on the theft.

Villa No.7 Doctors’ clolony Thrissur 18 March 2018 The Inspector of Police Town Police Station Thrissur   Dear Sir, Subject: Registering complaint on a theft case I am a homoeopathic doctor staying in the Doctors’ Colony of Thrissur town.   Last night I had a terrible experience. A cobra fell on my shoulder and it kept me between death and life horribly for some time. When I got a chance to escape from the snake, I rushed out of my room and took refuge in my friend’s house. But this morning when I returned to my room to take my belongings, I found everything had been stolen. I shall be greatly obliged and thankful to you if you kindly take necessary actions to find the thief and recover my belongings. Thank you. ; Yours faithfully, Sd/ Dr. Mohammed Basheer

 Informal Letter

The doctor escaped from the cobra and too k refuge in his friend's house.  Then he wrote a letter to his mother about his horrible experiences.  Prepare the likely letter.

Villa No. 7 Doctors’ Colony Thrissur. 18 March 2021 Dear Mom, How are you Mom?  Hope you and dad are happy and doing well. I’m writing this letter in an excitement of a second life. You know why? Last night a strange thing happened. A huge cobra fell down from the roof and slithered to the chair on which I was sitting. Then it coiled round my left arm.  There are lots of rats in my room. So I did not take it serious when I heard the sound of something falling down. Spreading its hood, it stayed on my left arm just three or four inches away from my face. It was like death lurked three or four inches away.  Holding my breath I sat like a stone image. If I moved, the snake would bite me. I had no medicine in my room. If it had truck me, it would have been my end. Desperately I thought of God and prayed in silence. Then the snake turned its head and looked into a mirror on my table. Seeing its reflection in the mirror, it left me and moved towards the mirror and stayed in front of it as if it was enjoying its own beauty. I took this chance to escape. I quietly jumped out of the room and ran till I reached my friend’s house.   Mom, don’t worry about me reading this letter. Now I am safe here at my friends house. I’ll soon come to see you. Convey regards to dad and all others. Wishing all the best to both of you, Your loving son, Sd/ Basheer

 Conversation

The doctor reached his friend’s house. His friend was surprised to see the doctor late in the night. Write the possible conversation between them.

Friend: Hi doctor, good evening!
Doctor: Good evening! Please give me some water to drink.
Friend: You look very scared! What happened to you?
Doctor: A cobra coiled on my arm.
Friend: What, a cobra! It didn’t bite you, did it?
Doctor: No, it didn’t. God saved me in the form of a mirror!
Friend: Oh my God, do you really mean a mirror?
Doctor: Yes, my friend. When it saw its reflection in the mirror, it left me and moved    towards the mirror.

Friend: If it had bitten you, what would you have done?
Doctor: I can’t even imagine. I didn’t have any medicines in my room.
Friend: Thank God, it didn’t hurt you! Anyway, don’t’ go there tonight. We can look     for another house later.

Doctor: Yeah, thank you very much.

Profile Writing

Prepare a profile of Vaikom Mohammed Basheer with the help of the hints given.

Hints:

 [Birth: January 19 1908 at Vaikom, a princely state of Travancore

Occupation: a novelist, story writer, freedom fighter; Funny stories in simple and open style 

Major works: Balyakala Sakhi, Pathummayude Aadu, Mathilukal, Ntuppuppakkoru Aanendaarnnu, Janmadinam, Anargha Nimisham, etc.

Awards: Padma Shri award in1982

Popularly Known as: Beypore Sultan

Death:  05 July 1994, aged 86.]

Vaikom Mohammed Basheer Shri Vaikom Mohammed Basheer was born on 19 January 1908 at Vaikom, a princely state of Travancore. He was a noted writer and a freedom fighter. He wrote novels and stories in a very simple and open language and in a funny style. His most famous works are Balyakala Sakhi, Pathummayude Aadu, Mathilukal, Ntuppuppakkoru Aanendaarnnu, Janmadinam, Anargha Nimisham etc. He was awarded the Padma Shri in 1982. He was popularly known as Beypore Sultan. The Sultan passed away on 05 July 1994, at the age of 86.

Write-up

Prepare a write-up on the use of contrasts in the story ‘The Snake and the Mirror’ to bring out humor in the story.

Contrasts and Comedy in a Cobra Story Vaikom Mummaed Basheer was a renowned Malayalam writer with a God-gifted ability of using the language with utmost simplicity in a funny way. His story, The Snake and the Mirror, tells us the pathetic story of a homoeopath in a humorous way. The literary device of Contrast is very aptly used throughout the story to create comic situations. The protagonist homoeopath appears to be a poor person. He has only recently started his medical practice. But he wants to be rich in life using a short-cut way. He plans to marry a rich woman doctor having good medical practice. He also wants his would-be wife should be a fat lady. He humorously expects that his future wife should not be able to run after and catch him, if he made any silly mistakes. But ironically, he marries a reedy thin woman with the gift of a sprinter.  He always thinks of his appearance and takes earth shaking decisions to increase his beauty. He also thinks that he is a smart, young bachelor and he is proud of being a doctor. He sees many beautiful daydreams looking into the mirror.  But his daydreams get only a momentary life. Unexpectedly a cobra falls on him and coils on his left arm. He becomes terribly frightened and sits like a stone image. Now he thinks of himself a foolish and stupid doctor. In the helpless situation, he prays to God silently in his mind. Then the snake leaves him and moves towards the mirror when it sees its reflection in it.  He escapes from the cobra and seeks refuge in his friend’s house. Next morning when the homeopath sees all his belongings have been stolen, he humorously says that the rascal insulted him by leaving behind his dirty vest as a final insult. Thus the tragic story of a poor doctor ends very humorously as a comedy!

News Report 

Imagine that the homeopath was bitten by the cobra and died of the snake bite. Prepare a news report about the death of the doctor.

Doctor dies of snake bite       Wed, 13 Mar 2019, Staff reporter.  Kochi:Mohammed Basheer (28), a young homoeopathic doctor, died of a cobra bite here at the city hospital last night. He was bitten by a cobra at his residence.  Dr. Basheer was a native of Kozhikkode and was working in a private clinic in Kochi. He was unmarried and only just started his practice. He was staying alone in an old rented house. Last night while he was preparing to go to bed, he had heard a sound of something falling down. He didn’t take it serious as he thought it might be created by rats. While he was sitting on a chair, a cobra landed on his shoulder and coiled on his left arm. He was very much frightened and in his frantic efforts to escape from the snake, it bit him. Soon it moved toward the mirror on his table. Immediately he got out and ran to his friends. He explained everything to them, and they took him to the city hospital. But unfortunately, his life could not be saved.  “He was a very friendly, humorous young man having many dreams in life. He was very ambitious of his career and hoped to get married soon. But everything ended unexpectedly like a bubble,” his friends lamented.

 Character Sketch

The Homeopath in the story ‘The Snake and the Mirror’

The homeopathic doctor is the protagonist of the story The Snake and the Mirror by the renowned Malayalam writer Vaikom Mohammed Basheer. The story is a humorous account of the doctor’s encounter with a cobra. He was a young and unmarried doctor recently set up his medical practice, and therefore, his income was very meagre. He  was staying alone in a rented house, and there were lots of rats to share the room with him. He was very beauty-conscious and often lived in the world of dreams.  He was very proud of himself for being a young, handsome bachelor and a doctor by profession.

He wanted to marry a rich, young woman doctor having a good medical practice.     The doctor was really a funny character. He wanted his future wife should be a fat woman. She should not be able to run after him and catch him if he did any mistake and wanted to escape from her.  

 He appeared to be very bold too. Even when a cobra landed on his shoulder he did not tremble or cry out.    He sat still like a stone image thinking about the mercy of God. When the snake left him and moved towards the mirror, he cleverly made use of the opportunity to escape. The doctor was a jovial person having a good circle-of-friends. He liked to spend time with them smoking beedis, discussing various topics, joking and telling stories. The ‘snake story’ is one of such stories.

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