Sunday, November 29, 2009

UNSEEN COMPREHENSION

Comprehension 1

Following is an extract from the autobiography of Gandhiji ‘My Experiments with Truth’. In Tolstoy Farm, South Africa, he trained young minds in manners and morals and appreciating dignity of labour. Read this passage and answer the questions that follow.

My Experiments with Truth

But I had always given the first preference to the culture of the heart or the building of the character, and as I felt confident the moral training could be given to all alike, no matter how different their ages and their upbringing, I decided to live amongst them all the twenty-four hours of the day as their father. I regarded character building as the proper foundation for their education and, if the foundation was firmly laid, I was sure that the children could learn all the other things themselves or with the assistance of friends.
But as I fully appreciated the necessity of a literary training in addition, I started some classes with the help of Mr. Kallenbach and Pragji Desai. Nor did I underrate the building up of the body. This they got in the course of their daily routine. For there were no servants on the Farm, and all the work, from cooking down to scavenging, was done by the inmates. There were many fruit trees to be looked after, and enough gardening to be done as well. Mr. Kallenbach was fond of gardening and had gained some experience of this work in one of the Governmental model gardens. It was obligatory on all, young and old, who were not engaged in the kitchen, to give some time to gardening. The children had the lion’s share of this work, which included digging pits, felling timber and lifting loads. This gave them ample exercise. They took delight in the work, and so they did not generally need any other exercise or games. Of course some of them and sometimes all of them shirked. Sometimes I connived at their pranks, but often I was strict with them. All the same we got along, and at any rate they built up fine physiques, There was scarcely any illness on the Farm, though it must be said that good air and water and regular hours of food were not a little responsible for this.
A word, about vocational training. It was my intention to teach every one of the youngsters some useful manual vocation. For this purpose Mr. Kallenbach went to a Trappist monastery and returned having learnt shoe-making. I learnt it from him and taught the art to such as were ready to take it up. Mr. Kallenbach had some experience of carpentry, and there were another inmate who knew it; so we had a small class in carpentry. Cooking almost all the youngsters knew.
All this was new to them. They had never even dreamt they would have to learn these things some day. For generally the only training that Indian children received in South Africa was in the three R’s, reading, writing and arithmetic.
On Tolstoy Farm we made it a rule that the youngsters should not be asked to do what the teachers did not do and therefore, when they were asked to do any work, there was always a teacher co-operating and actually working with them. Hence, whatever the youngsters learnt, they learnt cheerfully.

1. What did Gandhiji think is the foundation of education?
2. How were the daily chores taken care of at the Farm?
3. How was vocational training taken care of at the Farm?
4. How did Gandhiji ensure a cheerful atmosphere within the
Farm?
5. Find words from the passage which mean the same as following:
a. to help (para1 )
b. to undervalue (para2 )
c. enough (para2 )
d. to allow something wrong to happen (para2 )

CLASS VII - REPORTED SPEECH

REPORTED SPEECH

I. Change the following into reported speech:
1. Amrita said, “It is awesome to visit Jaipur during the winters.”
2. Nikhil said, “Why don’t we take the evening train instead of the morning one.”
3. Nithya’s mother said, “I am planning to go to the temple in the evening.”
4. “Let’s not forget to pick up milk on our way back.” said Sudha
5. Rita said, “It is a cold day, better to wear warm clothes.”
6. Rajiv said to Sachin, “Why don’t you buy a new mobile before this old one completely stops working?”
7. The accountant said, “ I will show you how to open a bank account.”
8. The officer told the soldiers, “Camp here for the night.”
9. “Let’s go and have a look at the new swimming pool,” Mihir suggested.
10. Balbir smiled and asked, “Are you Mrs Robinson’s granddaughter?”
11. “I hope you don’t mind,” she said. (There is no need to write She said she hoped. She hoped will do)
12. “Where have you been?” the man asked her.
13. Prakash asked the boy, “If you never try a new thing, how can you know what it’s like?”
14. “Father, have you any idea at all of what’s going on?” Jasbir asked in a hushed voice.
15. “I don’t know what’s happening, Jasbir, but we are trying to find out,” replied his father.

II. A. Read this dialogue. Then write it in reported speech
Teacher : We are going to hold an exhibition next week. Student 1 : What’s the exhibition on, Madam? Teacher : It’s a science exhibition. I want all of you to help me. Students : We will, madam. Tell us what we have to do. B. “I am a doctor,” explained the young lady on her arrival at the house, “and I have come here in answer to a call I received this morning. Is this the right house?”

III Given below is a passage. Write it in direct speech.
Smita told her mother that she would be going to the market the next day as she needs to pick up lot of things. Smita told her that she could also come with her if she had some shopping to do as well. Smita’s mother replied that she would leave by 3p.m so she should be ready by then. Smita remarked that she planned to return from college by then so that was o.k. with her.

IV. Turn the following sentences into direct speech
1. The scientist commented that an aeroplane with a speed of 10,000 miles an hour had been built.
2. The people asked what the minister has to say about this.
3. The minister’s son asked why he should join any party.
4. The loudspeakers blared forth that people must be disciplined.
5. The doctors gave their unanimous verdict that the minister was out of danger.

CLASS VI AND VII - NOTICE WRITING

Notice Writing

A. Your school is planning to hold a ‘Tree Planting’ day where the Municipal Commissioner of your area will be the Chief Guest. As part of the ‘Environment Club’ you have been asked to put up a notice informing students about the event. Write the notice in about 50 words.

B. Imagine you are a student of St. Theresa School Pune. Your school is planning a ‘Charity Show’ for the benefit of the students of Blind School located in your area. Famous Cine actors will perform at the function. As the Cultural Secretary of your school write a notice asking students to volunteer for Prefect duties on the day of the show. The notice should be in not more than 50 words.

C. Your school is planning to organize a ‘School Sprucing Up’ day where all students would be taking up jobs related to cleaning up the school premises. This is being organized to create a feeling of belongingness as well as appreciating dignity of labour. Write a notice informing students about this activity. You are Rashmi/Rohit the Secretary of the Social Work committee in your school. Write the notice in about 50 words.

D. An NGO by the name SEWA plans to hold classes for children living in hutments outside the city. They need student volunteers for this project. Your Principal has asked you to put up a notice inviting students to join the initiative. Write the notice in not more than 50 words.

E. Your school is organizing a trek to the famous Valley of Flowers in the Himalayas. As the Secretary of the Outstation trip committee you have been asked to put up a notice informing students of classes 7-9 about the trek details in not more than 40 words.

Class X - Literature

Q.1 Choose one of the following extracts given below and answer the question.
Write the answer in your answer sheet in one or two lines only. Remember to number the answer correctly.
My mother only said
Thank God the Scorpion picked on me
And spared my children
(a) Name the poem and poet 1
(b) What do you mean by ‘picked on me’ 1
(c) Give two words that would best describe the mother 1
(d) Why did the mother thank God even after suffering such a great pain for
long twenty hours. 1
OR
The wedding-guest sat on a stone
He cannot choose but hear
And thus spake on that ancient man
The bright-eyed Mariner
(a) What does the wedding ‘guest’s sitting on a stone’ 1
(b) Explain ‘He cannot choose but hear’ 1
(c) What does ‘bright eyed’ mean? 1
Q.2 Read the extract below and answer the following questions. Write the
answer in your answer sheet in one or two lines only. Remember to number
the answers correctly.
‘That’s not much to boast about’
Said the heartless frog ‘Without
proper training such as I
-And few others-can supply
You’ll remain a mere beginner
But with me you’ll be a winner’
(a) What do the word ‘beginner’ and ‘winner’ suggest here? 1
(b) What should the nightingale not be boasting about? 1
(c) What tall claim did the boastful frog make? 1
Q.3 West Wind as presented by the poem ‘Ode to the West Wind’ by P.B. Shelley is the epitome of power, strength and vitality. Give evidence from the poem to show the omnipresence of the West Wind over the land, sky and water bodies. (Word limit 50-75 words)
OR
How has the mirror described itself in the poem, ‘The Mirror’. Bring out the
physical features and qualities.
Q.4 (a) Pen down scrooge’s attitude towards Christmas as portrayed in the initial part of the play ‘The Christmas Carol’.
(b) Why did Marley’s ghost visit Scrooge?

Q.5 Brutus was indeed motivated by a passionate urge of patriotism when he joined in the conspiracy to kill Julius Caesar. Attempt a charater sketch of Brutus as you can comprehend from his speech to the people of Rome
‘Romans, countrymen and lovers! hear me for my cause’ (50 words)
OR
Antony was indeed an excellent orator who would ignite the spirit of revenge in the minds of the Roman people. Describe how would he mould the mind of the Roman people and turn them against the conspirators. (50-75)
Q.6 ‘I shivered with the cold and my own ingratitude’ says Babuli who was immensely touched to see the process of division of the family property and the past flashed in front of his eyes. In what recollections of the past did he get engrossed? (50-75 words)
OR
How did Cutie Pie happer to be present in the planet Qutapi (50-75 words)
Q.7 In the story The Letter, Laksmi Das is touched when Ali gave five golden guineas to him to ensure that his daughter’s letter reaches his grave. He writes a letter to his wife describing Ali’s regular visit to the post office, the humiliation he had to encounter, also relating Ali’s handing over the five gold guineas to him. (150-175 words)
OR
Imagine yourself to be the narrator of The Ultimate Safari. You felt greatly
moved when grandmother spoke to the white woman. ‘There is nothing. No
home’ Write down your feelings in your diary, how are you spending your life in the refugee camp and what are your hopes and aspirations. (150-175)