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Balbharti Yuvakbharati English 11th Digest Chapter 2.6 The Planners Notes, Textbook Exercise Important Questions and Answers.

Maharashtra State Board Class 11 English Yuvakbharati Solutions Chapter 2.6 The Planners

11th English Digest Chapter 2.6 The Planners Textbook Questions and Answers

Question (i)
You have heard the proverb, ‘Plan your work, work your plan.’ It means –
(a) Planning of the work is important.
(b) Without planning work cannot be accomplished.
(c) Make planning and work according to that plan.
(d) Planning and work are two sides of the same coin.
Answer:
(c) Make planning and work according to that plan.

Question (ii)
Choose the proper alternatives from the statements given below which would explain why town planning is essential-
(a) To develop the city according to the guidelines.
(b) To get the ‘Best City Award’.
(c) To attract the tourists.
(d) To use and develop the land available in the city for the interest of the citizens.
Answer:
(a) To develop the city according to the guidelines.
(d) To use and develop the land available in the city for the interest of the citizens.

Question (iii)
Given below are various professions in column ‘A’ and in column ‘B’ the nature of work in respective professions. Match the columns.

Column ‘A’	Column ‘B’
1. Anaesthetist	(a) Specialist in the treatment of problems concerning the position of teeth and jaws.
2. Pharmacist	(b) A person who designs buildings and supervises the process of constructing them.
3. Orthodentist	(c) A person who is in charge of a newspaper or of a part of a newspaper.
4. Dermitologist	(d) The medical study of the skin and its diseases.
5. Architect	(e) A person who has been trained to prepare medicines and sell them to public.
6. Chartered Accountant	(f) A person whose job is to give drugs which make the person not to feel pain especially in preparation for a medical operation.
7. Editor	(g) A person who is engaged in the profession of accounting and examining the statements and records of accounts.

Answer:

Column ‘A’	Column ‘B’
1. Anaesthetist	(f) A person whose job is to give drugs which make the person not to feel pain especially in preparation for a medical operation.
2. Pharmacist	(e) A person who has been trained to prepare medicines and sell them to public.
3. Orthodentist	(a) Specialist in the treatment of problems concerning the position of teeth and jaws.
4. Dermitologist	(d) The medical study of the skin and its diseases.
5. Architect	(b) A person who designs buildings and supervises the process of constructing them.
6. Chartered Accountant	(g) A person who is engaged in the profession of accounting and examining the statements and records of accounts.
7. Editor	(c) A person who is in charge of a newspaper or of a part of a newspaper.

(A1)

Question 1.
Complete the web about the activities the planners do.

Answer:

(A2)

State whether the following statements are true or false.

Question (a)
Planners plan to construct buildings wherever they find place.
Answer:
True

Question (b)
Planners take public consent for the alterations they make in the old structures of the city.
Answer:
False. The planners do not take consent of the public but hypnotise them to agree by the show of wealth and prosperity.

Question (c)
Planners are concerned about the environment of the area.
Answer:
False. The planners are not at all concerned about the environmental degradation problem as beauty of the nature is replaced by mathematical precision of constructing buildings.

Question (d)
Planners make their plans mathematically perfect, at the same time they calculate their profit.
Answer:
True

Question (e)
Planners deliberately find drawbacks in the old city planning.
Answer:
True

Question (f)
The newly planned city looks modern and amazingly beautiful.
Answer:
True

Question (g)
Planners paint beautiful pictures of the upcoming changes in the city which charm the citizens.
Answer:
True

Question (h)
Planners make tactful changes so that citizens do not recognise the familiar landmarks.
Answer:
True

(A3)

Question 1.
Read the expression:
‘the blueprint of our past’s tomorrow’. Consider in a group why the poet has not mentioned ‘the present’. It is because of the planners who have possessed our ‘present’ in order to change ‘our past’ into the ‘future’ they desire. Go through the poem and write the lines which support this thought.
Answer:

1. They erase the flaws, the blemishes of the past.
2. Knock off useless blocks with dental dexterity.
3. All gaps are plugged with gleaming gold.
4. The country wears perfect rows of shining teeth.
5. So history is new again.
6. The blueprint of our past’s tomorrow.

(A4)

Question 1.
The term ‘Anaesthesia’ in the poem means – ‘The planner gives beautiful pictures of the new modern city’. Now find out what is Amnesia and Hypnosis in the given context.
Answer:
1. Amnesia: partial or total loss of memory . The planners make people forget even their glorious past by showcasing the glamour of new constructions.
2. Hypnosis: A trance like state of mind when a person’s thoughts can be influenced by someone else. The planners may be controlling the society by hypnosis so that they easily agree to the planner’s ideas of change.

(A5)

Question 1.
Pick up the statement which aptly depict the theme of the poem.
Answer:

• In the poem the speaker memorises the past.
• In ‘The Planners’, the poet describes the unstoppable force of modernisation.
• The poet talks about the replacement of natural environment by the concrete jungle.

(A6)

Question 1.
The tone of the poet is sarcastic. When he writes ‘All spaces are gridded filled with permutations of possibilities’ he intends to indicate the efforts made by the planner to exploit every available piece of land without any consideration of harming nature or violating attachments of people to places. Make pairs/groups and find out some more sarcastic lines having the same effect.
Answer:
1. All hang in the grace of mathematics.
– The planners’ precision is sarcastically referred to as “the grace of mathematics”.
2. “They erase the flaws / the blemishes of the past, knock off/useless blocks with dental dexterity/All gaps are plugged/with gleaming gold/The country wears perfect rows/of shining teeth.
– The entire second stanza is full of sarcasm where the planner is compared to a dentist who acts with precision to extract a damaged teeth as the planners are destroying ancient structures because of their faulty constructions. According to them, three old constructions are useless and should be replaced by shining buildings as a rotten teeth is extracted and the gap is filled with a shining tooth.
3. Anaesthesia, amnesia, hypnosis.
– The poet is convinced that the common people have lost their ability to protest as they are suffering from forgetfulness, have the anaesthetic effect of numbness and hypnotised by the glamour. The sarcasm is very apparent.

(A7)

Question (i)
Write the appreciation of the poem.
Answer:
The poet, Boey Kim Chang, a Singapore – born Australian poet, is pained to see the developments all around him, which in the name of modernization, is encroaching into nature and destroying the heritage with a lot of precision.

The planners have not been given any specific identity. They are mentioned in the poem as “They” but their work is very minutely scrutinized to present them as powerful people who can easily fulfill their purpose because they have the financial strength to manipulate all voices against them. But, according to the poet, they do their job with a lot of planning and their work is also logically designed. They are not bothered to save the nature as their only concern is the maximum utilization of space.

The accuracy of the planners has been sarcastically compared to a dentist who can identify the rotten tooth easily, extracts it and fills up the gap with the shining tooth. The person concerned is happy to get a new set of teeth and comfortably forgets the past. The same process is applied by the planners to rewrite history by destroying the past, and replacing it with the glamorous new construction.

The people are so mesmerized by the new-found charm that they are in a state of trance to have the amnesia of forgetting what has been replaced. The replaced beauty is tactfully presented by the planners to have an anaesthetic effect on them. Like the archaeologists, the planners also drill but their purpose is not to search glory or history, but destroy the soul of the past.

The poet refuses to resort to any creativity such a situation since he does not consciously want to stain the present by messing up with the blue print of the so – called advancement. He may be suggesting that the change is in the hands of the people and they need to act the way they want to see the future.

The poem has no particular rhyme-scheme as the poet’s thoughts flow freely to express his emotions on the depletion of nature and burying of the past. The short lines in the beginning, “They Plan”. “They build”, without directly referring who “They” are, the poet sets the planners apart from the readers. But the poem is full of sarcasm against the planners to express the poet’s displeasure. He has used a number of figures of speech to create an awareness among the readers.

The poem brings out a strong nostalgic emotion of the poet and his thoughts are moving around to search for the existence of natural beauty or glorious past. That is why, the lines of the poem are irregularly arranged – some lines run into the next, not like the precision of the planners. These irregularities have got an appeal to the readers because sometimes imperfections also appear perfect.

Question (ii)
Write the summary of the poem.
Answer:
Refer the synopsis.

(A8)

Question 1.
Read the first and second stanza of the poem. We understand that the poet wants to suggest the powerful dominance of the planners who shape the town according to their selfish desires. Make a list of such expressions. You may begin with –
Answer:

1. All the spaces are gridded, filled with permutations of possibilities.
2. They have the means.
3. They have it all so it will not hurt.
4. Anaesthesia, amnesia, hypnosis.
5. They build and will not stop.
6. The piling will not stop.

(A9)

Question 1.
Explain the extended metaphor related with dentistry in the poem. Give suggestions to protect our national heritage monuments.
Answer:
The planners are indirectly compared to the dentists. The past is having flaws like rotten teeth and it has to be removed with precision as a dentist does with perfection. The planners get rid of the ancient structure and fill up the gap with glamorous building. The dentist also removes the damaged tooth and replaces it with a shining one so that the person is happy with a row of shining teeth. The planners satisfy the people with modern constructions so that they do not complain of heritage structures.

Extension of ‘dentistry’ metaphor is the medical term used ‘Anesthesia, amnesia, hypnosis’. Anaesthesia is ‘ a medical procedure that nums to give relief from pain as it leads to loss of consciousness like it happens in operation, sleeper hypnosis giving a trance like state. The planners have these effects on the people and it is indirectly mentioned by the poet.

My suggestions to protect our national heritage movements are:

1. Regularly take part in the cleanliness drive organised by government or private institutions.
2. Be a part of the NSS unit of the college and create an awareness among the people not to scribble anything on the monuments and not to litter the monument premises.
3. Celebrities can campaign through TV or Cinema to safeguard our national monuments.
4. The Puja Pandals can be modelled on national monuments so that people can see their beauty, the hard work for their construction and be motivated not to spoil it.
5. Pollution spoils our national monuments as it has happened with the Tajmahal. So, industrial growth has to be completely stopped in the vicinity of the monument and care should be taken that they are at safe distance.

(A10)

Question 1.
Complete the following table.
Answer:

Figures of Speech	Line of the Poem	Explanation
1. Personification	(a) the sky surrenders	1. The sky is imagined to act like human beings.
2. Alliteration	(b) with gleaming gold	2. the sound of ‘g’ is repeated for sonorous effect.
3. Oxymoron	(c) Past’s tomorrow (d) The history is new again	3. two words of opposite meaning for the same thing/person are placed side by side to enhance the effect.
4. (1) Metaphor	(e) The country wears perfect rows of shining teeth	4. Indirect comparison of shining buildings of the country with rows of shining teeth.
(2) Extended Metaphor	(f) Anesthesia, Amnesia, Hypnosis	5. the numbness, the forgetfulness, the trance of the people is indirectly compared to the doctor or dentist’s process of treatment.
5. Paradox	(g) The history is new again	6. apparently absurd sentence but may be really true.
6. Personification	(h) The country wears perfect rows of shining teeth	7. the country is personified.
	(i) the sea draws back/and the skies surrender	8. Sea and Sky are personified.
7. Hyperbole	(j) The country means perfect rows of shining teeth	9. an exaggerated statement.
8. Irony	(k) But my heart would not bleed poetry	10. Apparent determination not to mourn is ironic the natural meaning of the expression is the opposite of what is intended to express.
9. Litotes	(l) Not a single drop to stain the blueprint of our past’s tomorrow	11. Apparently a negative sentence beginning with ‘Not’ is used as a strong positive feeling of the poet’s non­interference in the ongoing process.

(A11)

Question 1.
Compose four lines expressing the grief of having lost nature due to modernisation.
Answer:
Where is the blue sky, where is the green garden?
Skyscrapers have eaten them all.
Everything is modern, comfort scattered everywhere,
But alas! are we happier in the absence of nature?

(A12)

Question 1.
Imagine that a person who has returned to his native place after long time is talking to his old friend about the changes that have taken place in the village. Write a dialogue between two friends who have become nostalgic about their old village.
Answer:
Santosh: Hi Suman! I haven’t seen you for quite sometime.
Suman: Yes, Santosh, I was not there in Mumbai. I had been to our village to spend time with my grandparents.
Santosh: Oh! how nice! You have spent your vacation by giving company to your grandparents.
Suman: Yes, I really had good times with them. Not only that I remembered all those days when you and I used to live in the village. I visited the places we used to spend time together-the football ground, the bank of the river, the fields where we used to climb trees. What a pleasant time we had!
Santosh: Really ! I miss all those days. Here, we hardly get vacant places. All are filled with high rise buildings. How sad!
Suman: But Santosh, if you go to our village now, you’ll be surprised to see the changes that have taken place. There are lots of developments. You will not see anybody collecting water from the wells. Lots of tube wells have been installed and there is provision for water through pipes in some areas, thanks to the development scheme of the Panchayat. The village is shining with electric lights you’ll hardly see any house with oil lamps.

The best thing I found was the cleanliness drive taken by the authorities. Not only do most of the houses have their own toilets, but the public toilets are also very clean. I am really very impressed. But in spite of all these, I missed our old village where we, friends, had spent our innocent childhood.
Santosh: Yes, I have read about are these developments and I am happy for my village which is my root. I am so attached to our native place that even the glamour of the city life cannot impress me so much.
Suman: I feel, we have spent the best part of our lives there. As a well wishes of my village, I welcome all the changes. But at any cost, I do not want anything to replace the naturalness. Thankfully, our village still has the freshness of air. I could breathe comfortably which I experience rarely in a city. Why don’t we plan to visit our native place together?
Santosh: That’s a brilliant idea. I am feeling so nostalgic after hearing everything from you that I’m tempted to go in our next vacation.
Suman: We’ll sit together and plan it nicely. I’ve to leave now. Bye !
Santosh: Bye !

(A13)

Question (i)
Write in short about at least five cities in India that are considered to be the most developed cities.

Question (ii)
Your examinations are only two months ahead. Plan your schedule of studies and write in your notebook.

Question (iii)
Read ‘The City Planners’ by Margaret Atwood.

Yuvakbharati English 11th Digest Chapter 2.6 The Planners Additional Important Questions and Answers

Question 1.
The space has been gridded by –
Answer:
The space has been gridded by all possible plans so that it is tightly packed to its full potentiality.

Question 2.
Many times the word ‘they’ is used in the poem. Explain the use of‘they’ in this context.
Answer:
“They” are the planners who have not been given any specific identity in the poem but there are all informations to prove that they are powerful people who cannot be stopped. They plan urbanization policy very meticulously and can easily convince people to accept the changes. This may be poet’s way of distancing himself to show how he is protesting the fact that the people are blindly supporting.

Comprehension:

Global Understanding:

State whether the following statements are true or false. Correct the false statement.

Question (i)
The dentist removes all the teeth to set a new row of teeth.
Answer:
False. The dentist only removes the rotting, useless teeth.

Question (ii)
Mathematics spoil the connection between the buildings and roads.
Answer:
False. Mathematics help in the alignment of buildings and roads, with precision.

Question (iii)
Planners take care of the nature before constructing.
Answer:
False. Planners have no concern for the nature and treat it mercilessly while constructing.

Question (iv)
With the help of ‘Anaesthesia, amnesia, hypnosis,’ the planners can easily convince the people.
Answer:
True

Interference / Interpretative / Analysis

Question 1.
Why did the poet mention about the job of the dentist?
Answer:
The poet sarcastically compares the job of the dentist with the town-planners. The precision with which the dentist extracts the rotten teeth and replaces them with the shining ones to make his patient happy, the planners are also removing all ancient constructions with rows of new structures so that people do not complain. In this process, the planners are tactfully erasing the tradition to promote modernization.

Personal Response:

Question 1.
Mention two evils of modernisation that bother you.
Answer:
1. Indiscriminate cutting of trees bother me a lot since it creates ecological imbalance, inadequate rainfall, global warming etc.
2. Increase of the number of vehicles is a matter of deep concern for me. The roads are becoming unbelievably bad, pollutions creating smog, health hazards worry me a lot.

Poetic Device:

Question 1.
Name and explain the figure of speech in the following line.
“The country wears perfect rows / of shining teeth”.
Answer:
Personification: The country is given the human quality of having teeth.

Creativity:

Question 1.
Fill in the blanks with lines of your own along with the lines from the poem.
1. They have the means
2. So history is new again.
Answer:
1. They have the means.
They can easily showcase prosperity.
2. So history is new again
Charmed by glamour, nobody missed the past.

Appreciation:

Question 1.
Write an appreciation of the extract with the help of the following points (100-150 words).

• About the extract
• Theme and significance
• Poetic style, language, poetic devices
• Inspirational message
• Your opinion and critical evaluation of the extract

Answer:
The poet Boey Kim Chang, a Singapore – born Australian poet is pained to see the destruction of nature in the name of modernization. He points finger at the city-planners by referring them as “they” and in the process distances himself from them. He hints that these are powerful people who bring the changes with mathematical precision and the public is hypnotised to accept the charges without any protest. The public is happy with the glamour of modernization like a dental patient feels happy to get a new set of teeth replacing the rotten ones by an expert dentist.

The extract is written in free verse to give vent to the flow of the thought of the poet smoothly. The extract is sarcastically presented with the help of a number of figures of speech like personification, alliteration, metaphor. The poet laments the destruction of the ancient and the nature. The lines are irregular but these imperfections appear perfect to me because of the emotional appeal of the poet.

Poetic Devices:

Question 1.
Read the expression ‘permutation of possibility’. The consonant sound ‘P’ at beginning of the successive words creates sonorous effect. This is an example of Alliteration. Find out more examples of Alliteration from the poem.
Answer:
Examples of Alliteration
1. “Permutations of possibilities”
– the sound of ‘p’ at the beginning of the successive words creates sonorous effect.
2.“the skies surrender”
– sound of ‘s’ is repeated
3. – “dental dexterity
– sound of ‘d’ is repeated
4. – “gleaming gold”
– sound of ‘g’ is repeated
5. -“Anaesthesia, amnesia….”
– sound of ‘a’ is repeated.

Balbharti Yuvakbharati English 11th Digest Chapter 2.5 Nose Versus Eyes Notes, Textbook Exercise Important Questions and Answers.

Maharashtra State Board Class 11 English Yuvakbharati Solutions Chapter 2.5 Nose Versus Eyes

11th English Digest Chapter 2.5 Nose Versus Eyes Textbook Questions and Answers

Question (i)
Complete the web with the help of adjectives used to describe eyes and nose in all respects.

Answer:

Question (ii)
Given below are some words from legal terminology used in court affairs. Discuss and complete the table accordingly.
Answer:

Legal Terminology	Description
Affidavit	A written document confirmed by oath or affirmation for use as evidence in court.
Argument	A series of reasons given for or against a matter under discussion intended to convince the listener.
Consent	Voluntarily agree to the proposal.
Counsel	A person who gives advice on legal matters.
Judgement	Decision of the court to solve a controversy and determination of the rights and obligations of the parties concerned.
Trial	A judicial examination and determination of facts and legal issues arising between the parties to a civil or criminal action.
Verdict	The formal decision issued by a jury on matters submitted to the jury by the judge.
Contempt of Court	Offense of being disobedient or disrespectful to a court of law.
Notice	Information, usually in writing in all legal proceedings.
Stay Order	The act of temporarily stopping a judicial proceeding through the order of court.

Question (iii)
Name the five sensory organs and provide phrases / idioms / proverbs related to them.
Answer:
The five sensory organs are: eyes, ears, nose, skin and tongue.
The five senses are: sight, hearing, smell, touch, taste.

Phrases / Idioms / Proverbs:
(a) To turn a deaf ear (refuse to listen) / Lend an ear (to listen to)
(b) Beauty lies in the eyes of a beholder, (different people have different opinion)
(c) Pay through your nose (pay a lot of money) / Under the nose (directly in front of someone)
(d) Tongue in cheek (not serious) / Bite your tongue (to take back something that you have said.)
(e) Hand in glove (working together, often to do something dishonest) / Put your finger on something (to find out something correctly) / A thick skin (ability to ignore criticism)

(A1)

(i) State whether the following statements are true or false. Correct the false statements.

Question (a)
Nose can use spectacles.
Answer:
False. Nose cannot use the spectacles, the spectacles uses the Nose to hold them in place.

Question (b)
Eyes have to be shut when the Nose wears/puts on spectacles.
Answer:
False. Though this is the verdict of the judge, but this defeats the basic purpose of the existence of the Eyes.

Question (c)
The Ear was appointed as a judge.
Answer:
True

Question (d)
Eyes cannot use spectacles.
Answer:
False. Spectacles are meant for the Eyes for providing ability to see since it is a sensory organ.

Question (ii)
Match the following expressions given in Column ‘A’ with their interpretations in Column ‘B’

Column ‘A’	Column ‘B’
1. While Chief Baron Ear sat to balance the law.	(a) Eyes are refrained from using the spectacles.
2. They are made with straddle as wide as the ridge of the Nose is	(b) The responsibility of giving verdict rested on the shoulders of the hearing organ.
3. That whenever the Nose put his spectacles on, by daylight or candlelight – Eyes shoul*d be shut	(c) Spectacles are meant for none other than the Nose.
4. So his lordship decreed with a grave solemn tone, decisive and clear, without one if or but	(d) The judge delivered a firm verdict without any doubt.

Answer:

Column ‘A’	Column ‘B’
1. While Chief Baron Ear sat to balance the law.	(b) The responsibility of giving verdict rested on the shoulders of the hearing organ.
2. They are made with straddle as wide as the ridge of the Nose is	(c) Spectacles are meant for none other than the Nose.
3. That whenever the Nose put his spectacles on, by daylight or candlelight – Eyes shoul*d be shut	(a) Eyes are refrained from using the spectacles.
4. So his lordship decreed with a grave solemn tone, decisive and clear, without one if or but	(d) The judge delivered a firm verdict without any doubt.

(A2)

Question (i)
The tongue justifies the possession of the spectacles on behalf of the nose. Pick up the expressions from the poem that argue in favour of the Nose and complete the following web diagram.
Answer:

Question (ii)
Comment on the following characters depicted in the poem, in a sentence or phrase.
Answer:

On the Nose	On the Eyes
(a) Nose strongly put his point to be the owner of the spectacles.	(a) Eyes could not convince the lawyer to present his case and make him the winner.
(b) He could present his case to the lawyer convincingly so that the lawyer can confidently fight his case.	(b) Eyes accepted the verdict against him Meekly.

Question (iii)
‘Lend thy ears to all but few thy tongue …’ is a famous quote by William Shakespeare. Justify.
Answer:
If one wants to appear intelligent, one should develop the habit of listening carefully without speaking much. One should listen attentively to all but needs to decide who should one talk to and where to stop. It is better to receive all the information before expressing an opinion. Then the decision will be considerate and thoughtful and not a hasty one.

(A3)

Question 1.
Pick out examples of Inversion from the poem.
Answer:
1. Inversion:

1. ‘Between Nose and Eyes a strange contest arose’.
The order of words are changed for poetic effect.
The proper order is ‘A strange contest arose between Nose and Eyes’.
2. ‘But what were his arguments few people know’
The proper order is : ‘Few people know what were his arguments’.
3. That the visage or countenance had not a Nose, Pray who would, or who could, wear spectacles then?’
The proper order is: Tray that then?’

2. Simile

1. ‘Designed to sit close to it, just like a saddle’.
Direct comparison between the spectacles and the saddle.
2. ‘For the court did not think they were equally wise’.
Direct comparison between the two argument of the lawyer.

3. Alliteration

1. To which the said spectacles ought to belong-’ sound of ‘s’ is repeated.
2. ‘Eyes should be shut’. – sound of ‘s’ is repeated.

4. Metonymy

1. ‘and a wig full of learning’

Change of name, ‘wig full of learning’ is actually ‘head full of learning’. The two things are separable and their connection is external.

5. Interrogation

‘Pray who would, or who could, wear spectacles then?’
It is a question where no answer is expected by the speaker.

6. Metaphor
‘While Chief Baron Eat sat to balance the laws’.
Indirect comparison between a powerful person like Baron with Ear.

7. Anticlimax
That the visage or countenance had not a Nose pray who would, or who could, wear spectacles then?’
Ideas are arranged in the descending order of importance.

8. Oxymoron
‘By daylight or candlelight’ – two opposite words are placed side by side to enhance the effect.

(A4)

Question (i)
Justify the verdict delivered in the poem.
Answer:
I can support my answer with the help of the following suitable arguments:
1. It is a well-known fact for years that the Nose holds the spectacles.
2. The spectacles are designed in such a way that it can sit on the Nose perfectly. The sections of the Nose and
the parts of the spectacles to fit on them, are in absolute harmony.
3. A face without a nose will never be able to wear the spectacles.

Question (ii)
Compose a poem of two lines of your own on any sensory organ.
Answer:
Eyes that see everything and ears that hear,
Need to have the patience and strength to bear.

Question (iii)
Imagine that you are a lawyer defending the case of the Eyes in court. Present your counter statement in support of your client.
Answer:
My Lord, my points in support of my client Eyes are:

1. Eyes are given by the God Almighty for seeing and the basic purpose of the spectacles is to give a clear vision.
2. Nose is serving the secondary purpose of holding the spectacles, but the primary purpose of seeing is served by the presence of the Eyes, one of the sensory organs.
3. I agree that without Nose, the spectacles would not have been worn or placed properly. But, without eyes, the spectacles would not have been needed.
4. If for the sake of putting on the spectacles on the Nose, the eyes are shut, the world will be absolutely dark for the spectacle wearer.

(A5)

Question (i)
Write the appreciation of the poem.
Answer:
William Cowper, the English poet, well-known for composing hymns, deviated from his usual topic and presented Nose versus Eyes, an interesting and uncommon subject on a courtroom drama of a dispute between the Nose and the Eyes about the ownership of the spectacles.

The title makes no bones about the disagreement between the Nose and the Eyes by using the word ‘versus’ and directly involves the readers in the context of the poem. The poet sarcastically refers to the contest as ‘strange’ but makes it sound very obvious about the position of the spectacles.

All the formalities of the courtroom were fulfilled with quite precision. The Tongue, which is used for speaking, was assigned the job of the lawyer so that he could defend his client wisely with valid arguments. The Tongue did his job perfectly with the help of intelligent reasoning in favour of the Nose for being the legitimate owner of the spectacles. He went to the extent of saying that in absence of a Nose, there was no way one could wear the spectacles.

Here, the poet brought the surprise element of the poem by making the same lawyer change side and represent the other disputant, the Eyes. But the learned judge, the all-powerful Ear, even after being very attentive and prudent, could not make head or tail of the arguments in favour of the Eyes. So, he had to come to a decision to give the official order in favour of the Nose, in a serious tone without having any hesitation in mind.

He also pronounced a verdict for the Eyes to keep themselves shut whenever the spectacles are worn. The poem is a satire on the judicial system and the poet made his comments very obvious by using expressions like ‘a wig full of learning’. He has personified various sensory organs, which are very essential in a courtroom, to bring out how the futility of the judiciary can lead to major harm. For creating humour, he has used the language and the background of a courtroom which also has made the poem an interesting read.

Like an allegory, where a story or poem is used to reveal a hidden meaning, this poem also can be interpreted to have a moral. All the imaginary characters point out to the moral values needed for the judiciary. The same lawyer speaks in favour of both the rivals and the deliberate attempt to present vague arguments for the second client add to the element of humour but it also hints at the justice that is denied. The deliberate use of words to protect the dignity of the judge, who actually does not do justice, is the poet’s way of pointing finger at misuse of such an important service.

The first reaction of the reader will be having a good laugh while reading the poem. But the deeper meaning of the need for morality in the judicial system definitely makes the poem thought-provoking.

Question (ii)
Write the summary of the poem.
Answer:
Refer Synopsis.

(A6) Project:

Read different stories about intelligent ministers of kings, whose judgements helped to bring about law and order in society. For example, Birbal, Tenalirama etc. Write 5 such stories in your notebook.

Yuvakbharati English 11th Digest Chapter 2.5 Nose Versus Eyes Additional Important Questions and Answers

Question 1.
Give reasons for the dispute between the Nose and the Eyes.
Answer:
The dispute arose because both the Nose and the Eyes have important roles to play for the spectacles. The eyes use the spectacles to see the things and the Nose holds the spectacles to keep them in place. But unfortunately, both of them were not ready to accept the usefulness of each other for the spectacles and each was supposed to serve its own purpose. So, the dispute arose.

Question 2.
The poem gives close resemblance to human life. The images used in the poem describe human tendencies. Find such examples/tendencies.
Answer:
The human tendencies are:

1. to create unnecessary dispute without accepting the obvious fact – ‘To which the said spectacles ought to belong.’
2. To be unreasonable, just to prove one’s point and be a winner. One does not even need to know the validity of the argument – ‘That the Nose had spectacles always in war’.
3. Quickly shift the side even after knowing that it can cause a big damage – ‘He pleaded again in behalf of the Eyes’.
4. To pass a judgement without considering the adverse effect it can lead to – ‘By daylight or candlelight – Eyes should be shut’.

Comprehension

Global Understanding:

Question 1.
Complete the web.

Answer:

Inference/ Interpretative / Analysis

Question 1.
How does the lawyer Tongue defend the case of Nose?
Answer:
The lawyer Tongue feels that the Nose deserves the sole right over the ownership of the spectacles as it has been used to wear the spectacles from time immemorial. He also argues that the spectacles are made in such a way that they perfectly fit on the nose. He tries to make his argument stronger by saying that in the absence of the nose on the face, it will be impossible to wear the spectacles.

Personal Response:

Question 1.
Do you support the poet’s satire presentation of the judicial system? Explain.
Answer:
To a large extent, I support the poet since the courtroom drama is a common sight in our country as well. People do not hesitate to resort to lies just to win a case and many a times the judiciary turns blind eyes and a deaf ear to all those untruths. But this cannot be generalized. There is always two sides of a coin and an honest verdict may be rare, but possible to achieve.

Poetic Device:

Question 1.
Name and explain the figure of speech in the following line.
While Chief Baron Ear sat to balance the laws’.
Answer:
Metaphor: Indirect comparison between a powerful person like Baron with Ear.

Creativity:

Question 1.
Compose the funny poem of two lines with or without a rhyme scheme, on ‘The Spectacles’.
Answer:
Oh spectacles! when will you leave me?
Don’t fit on my flat nose, however useful you can be.

Appreciation:

Question 1.
Write an appreciation of the extract with the help of the following points. (100 – 150 words)

• About the extract
• Theme and significance
• Poetic style, language, poetic devices
• Inspirational message
• Your opinion and critical evaluation of the extract

Answer:
This extract sarcastically prevents the defense of the lawyer Tongue, for his client Nose as the lawful owner of the spectacles. All the formalities of the courtroom are fulfilled carefully. The lawyer presents his arguments in favour of his client Nose with precision. He places his points in front of the judge Ear judiciously saying that the Nose has been designed to hold the spectacles properly and without the existence of the nose, wearing the spectacles will be impossible.

The poem is a satire on the judicial system and the sensory organs are personified to bring out the theme i.e., fertility of the judiciary can lead to major harm. This extract is also like an allegory where all the imaginary characters hint at the moral values needed in the judiciary system. The humorous presentation of the drama in the courtroom in order to point out an important issue like honesty in the judiciary system makes the extract interesting to me.

Glossary:

1. straddle – extension on both sides
2. ridge – a long, narrow or projected part of a body: the ridge of the nose
3. intended – expected to be
4. dispute – disagreement, clash
5. spectacles – glasses used for clear vision
6. wig – a special covering for the head made of artificial hair worn by the judges,
7. Baron – a powerful person,
8. discerning – showing good judgement,
9. amounts to – becomes,
10. straddle – extend across both sides,
11. ridge – an edge,
12. saddle – a low part of ridge between two high points, sit with a raised ridge,
13. visage or countenance – face,
14. condemn – express disapproval of,
15. decreed – an official order that has the force of law,
16. Solemn – formal and dignified.

Balbharti Yuvakbharati English 11th Digest Chapter 2.4 Upon Westminster Bridge Notes, Textbook Exercise Important Questions and Answers.

Maharashtra State Board Class 11 English Yuvakbharati Solutions Chapter 2.4 Upon Westminster Bridge

11th English Digest Chapter 2.4 Upon Westminster Bridge Textbook Questions and Answers

Question (i)
A bridge connects people on either side of a river or valleys in cities or villages. Discuss the importance of a bridge to both the cities and the villages.
Answer:

Cities	Villages
1. Transportation	1. Transportation
2. Medical and educational facilities can be used effectively by the people from both sides.	2. Availability of more lands will be possible if two villages are connected.
3. Employment opportunities will increase by locating industries away from the residents to safeguard people’s health.	3. Water can be shared and used judiciously by the farmers on both sides of the bridge.

Question (ii)
Building a bridge needs careful planning. Think about what goes on before the actual construction begins.
Answer:

1. 1. Proper planning
   2. Get the plan approved by the authority
   3. Draw design
   4. Selection of a capable and qualified builder
   5. Availability of funds

Question (iii)
You might have visited a bridge. Complete the web describing the sights you could see from the bridge.

Answer:

(A1)

Question 1.
For preparing questions based on the poem, overall understanding of the poem is a must. Prepare a set of five questions.
Answer:
(a) What is the name of the bridge?
(b) Who is a ‘dull’ soul?
(c) What is the time of the day?
(d) How does London look form Westminster Bridge?
(e) What are the man-made constructions?
(f) Why does the sky look bright and glittering?
(g) How is the river flowing?
(h) How do the houses appear?
(i) Why does the poet feel so amazed?
(j) Why does the poet address God?

(A2)

(i) Choose the correct alternative for the given lines. Focus on the inference of the poet.

Question (a)
‘Earth has not anything to show more fair’:
The line means –
1. The poet thinks that the place was not so good.
2. The poet thinks that there is another place which is more beautiful than this.
3. The poet thinks that there is no place on the earth which is as beautiful as this one.
Answer:
The poet thinks that there is no place on the earth which is as beautiful as this one.

Question (b)
‘Dull would he be of soul who could pass by’
The line means –
1. One can walk over the bridge and ignore the surrounding beauty.
2. One can halt at the place to enjoy the beauty.
3. Anyone with an appreciative mind would not be able to ignore the beauty.
Answer:
Anyone with an appreciative mind would not be able to ignore the beauty.

Question (ii)
‘Earth has not anything to show more fair.’
This line expresses the poet’s feelings. The sight he saw from the bridge is beautiful. There are a few more lines similar to the above. Find them and discuss what they express.
Answer:
(a) ‘Earth has not anything to show more fair:
Dull would he be of soul who could pass by
A sight so touching in its majesty:’
The poet appreciates the fairness and majestic appearance of the sight he sees in front of him.

(b) ‘Dull would he be of soul who could pass by’
The poet is so confident of the beauty of the sight that he feels only a ‘dull soul’ is capable of missing the splendour of the sight.

(c) ‘This city now doth, like a garment, wear.’
This line vividly shows how the poet sees the city as a lady who is constantly changing the attire.

(d) ‘All bright and glittering in the smokeless air’
The beauty of the morning, according to the poet, is so breathtaking because pollution has not yet spread its ugly wing over the city.

(e) ‘The river glideth at his own sweet will’
The poet personifies the river by giving it its own will to move smoothly to co-operate with the calm nature.

(f) ‘Never did sun more beautifully steep
In his first splendour, valley, rock, or hill;’
The poet feels that the beauty of London early in the morning even surpasses the beauty he has experienced in valley, rock or hill.

Question (iii)
The poem creates a delightful picture of the city, rich in its natural beauty. Pick out the lines from the poem which give the pictorial effect to the poem. Write it in your own words,
Answer:
(a) A sight so touching in its majesty
The grandness of the scene touches the nature lover poet.
(b) ‘This city now doth, like a garment, wear’.
The beauty of the city in the morning is so unexpected to the poet that he picturises the city wearing a different attire.
(c) ‘The beauty of the morning; silent, bare’
The reader can feel the calmness of the city along with the poet.
(d) ‘All bright and glittering in the smokeless air’
The beauty of the morning is so apparent because of the pollution-free air which makes the sun look brighter.
(e) ‘The river glideth at his own sweet will’
The smooth flow of the river can be visualized.
(f) ‘And all that mighty heart is lying still’
The busy city is lying silent early in the morning.

(A3)

Question 1.
Find out words and phrases which describe the following.
Answer:

sight	touching in it’s majesty
air	smokeless
river	glideth at his own sweet will
house	seems asleep
morning	silent, bare
sun	bright, glittering

(A4)

Question 1.
Read the line.
Answer:
1. Simile – ‘This city now doth, like a garment wear’.
Direct comparison between the manner in which the beauty of the city in the morning settles over the city to a garment on a body.

2. Metaphor – ‘all that mighty heart is lying still’
The city is represented by metaphor of the heart.
‘the very houses seem asleep’
Indirect comparison of houses to a creature that sleeps.
‘Dull would he be of soul who could pass by’
Indirect reference to a person whose soul has been worn out by time and experience.

3. Inversion – ‘Dull would he be of soul who could pass by.’
The order of words are changed for poetic effect.
Ne’er saw I, never felt, a calm, so deep!
The order of words are changed for poetic effect.

4. Personification – ‘This city now doth, like a garment, wear’
The city is personified.
‘Never did sun more beautifully steep / In his first splendour, valley, rock, or hill”
The sun is personified
‘The river glideth at his own sweet will’
The river is personified
. ‘the very houses seem asleep’
The houses are personified.
‘all that mighty heart is lying still’
The city is personified by giving it a heart.

5. Hyperbole – “Earth has not anything to show more fair’
No sight is more beautiful than the view from the Westminster bridge — An exaggerated statement ‘Dull would he be of soul who could pass by’
The sentence has been exaggerated for poetic effect ‘Never did sun more beautifully steep’
The sentence has been exaggerated for poetic effect.

6. Paradox – ‘A sight so touching in it’s majesty’
A contradictory statement because a touching sight is intimate and personal but a majestic sight is grand and public.
‘The beauty of the morning; silent, bare’
A confusing statement since the city is soaked in beauty, but is ‘bare’
‘all that mighty heart is lying still’
A paradoxical statement of the ‘mighty hearts’ lying inactive – the poet presents the final image of tranquility and silence.

7. Transferred epithet –
‘And all that mighty heart is lying still’
The epithet ‘mighty’ is transferred from the people to the city.

8. Apostrophe – ‘Dear God!…’ The poet addresses God, the creator of all beauty upon earth to express his sincere gratitude.

Question (iii)
The poem is a Petrarchan Sonnet. Complete the given table by giving examples from the poem.
Answer:

Features	Examples / Lines
Objects used	sky, sun, fields, river, air, houses
Praise / blames	bright, glittering, smokeless, calm ‘The river glideth at his own sweet will’, ‘the very houses seem asleep’.
Metaphor	Refer the Poetic Device Section
Simile	Refer the Poetic Device Section
Personification	Refer the Poetic Device Section
Number of Lines	Fourteen
Rhyme-Scheme	abbaabba cdcdcd

Question (iv)
Write 5 lines about the place where you reside and what makes you feel proud about it.
Answer:
I stay in Mumbai, the maximum city. My city is always buzzing with activities and that makes it one of the liveliest cities in the world as it is very often said, ‘Mumbai never sleeps’. I love everything about Mumbai, but what I enjoy the most is to sit at Marine Drive, watching the majestic Arabian sea. Mumbai street foods like vada pav, pav bhaji, etc., are mouth-watering. Who can ignore Mumbai’s Film Industry popularly known as ‘Bollywood’. Critics may take about Mumbai traffic, pollution etc., but I am in awe of ‘Aamchi Mumbai’.

(A5)

Question (i)
There is a common belief that cities have always flourished only after human intrusion over nature. Write a speech expressing your opinion about it.
Answer:
Respected dignitaries on the dias, the judges and my dear friends, A very good afternoon to all of you. Today, I am going to talk about ‘Flourishing of cities because of human intrusion over nature.’

The other day’ I read a news report about a leopard entering the IIT Campus at Powai and was sitting at the door of an apartment. It is scary indeed! But have we ever thought why this animal has to come out of his natural habitat to enter into human territory? Yes, you have guessed right. We have intruded in the animal’s territory. We have built beautiful houses for ourselves amidst a natural surrounding but with all modern amenities. In the process, we have snatched from the wild animals their places for survival.

Friends, I do agree, modern cities have lost to offer. We are making bigger cities but are aware of the fact that we are getting disconnected from nature. And this reduced access to nature is causing enormous amount of problems, the major among them are diseases, mental strain, etc. The kids, who do not have enough time and space to lead a natural life are the worst victims.

Cities are flourishing but friends, how many megacities have been formed without disturbing the nature? This is due to absolute irresponsible in action to environmental problems. You and I are totally unconcerned about the intrusion in the world of nature. But, still there is no reason to lose hope.

Of course there are remedies, but we need to learn to appreciate nature first. Buildings need to have sufficient number of windows to allow fresh air and light, rooftop gardens, creation of spaces within and around the building to touch, smell and nurture plants. But all these require thoughtful planning of the cities where peaceful co-existence with nature is possible. For this we need to be sensitive towards the ecosystem, public health and sympathetic towards animal population.

I hope, in a short span of time, I have been able to make you all think about a serious problem of the modern world. I thank all the authorities for giving me a chance to talk on a topic so close to my heart and I am also grateful to all of you for your patient hearing.

Question (ii)
Compose a poem on an imaginary village. Try to maintain the rhyme-scheme of the first four lines of the poem given to you,
Answer:
Settled on the bank of river,
Like a queen,
Is my beautiful village,
Full of bushes green.
The river flows,
In zig zag course.
The village belles carry water,
From their only source.
Their giggle and chat,
Fill the open air.
Mix with children chanting numbers,
In schools, loud and clear.

Question (iii)
Write an appreciation of the sonnet.
Answer:
William Wordsworth, one of the most famous romantic poet, a great lover of nature, wrote the poem ‘Upon Westminster Bridge’ while crossing over the famous bridge on the Thames river, with his sister, to go out of town.

The title of the poem is significant as it directly takes the readers to the place where the poet is inspired by the beauty of London city early in the morning. It immediately connects the readers with the content of the poem.

The theme of the poem is basically to admire the peace and calmness all around the city of London at dawn before the busy city wakes up to its daily routine activities. The skyline of the city is clearly visible and is glittering in bright sunlight as the morning is absolutely pollution free. To make the impression of the city at that moment clearer to the readers, the poet compares it to a lady who has currently changed her attire. There is a remarkable balance between nature and man-made structures like ships, domes, theatres, temples and co-existence has made the London landscape to be at its best.

The poet is awe-struck as he is not familiar with the scene. So he is confident to make a comment about a dull person who only can think of missing this chance of enjoyment and leave it for some other time. For Wordsworth, he is enjoying to his heart’s content the breathtaking beauty which is even more attractive than valley, rock or hill, the natural landscape which he has enjoyed so far. The sleeping city appears majestic as he is not used to seeing London this way. Even the river is flowing on its own will as if there is no one to disturb it’s moment.

The poem is a petrarchan sonnet, having fourteen lines which are divided in two sections. Octave, which is first eight lines and sestet, the last six lines. The octave presents in detail the city of London at dawn, its specialty seen by the poet at that time of the day and the co-existence of nature with man-made constructions so beautifully lit up by the bright and glittering sunlight. In sestet, the overflowing emotion of disbelief for the calmness of the sleeping city is expressed with so much of praise that it goes to the extent of exaggeration.

The 9th Line, ‘Never did sun more beautifully steep…’ is called ‘Volta’ where the poet gives reason for his – awe and wonder. The poet uses the traditional rhyme-scheme of a petrarchan sonnet — abbaabba, cdcdcd.

The poem is a descriptive one where the poet uses his sense of sight and flair for expression to present a panoramic view of London. The simplicity and frankness of the language that is devoid of any lofty idea, make the poem pleasant.

The poem is a momentary expression of the poet’s description of the finer details of what he sees, feels, thinks at particular time of the day. It appears more beautiful because of the clarity in nature. Perhaps, on a gloomy day with overcast sky, this beauty would not have worked wonders for the poet. Fair weather brings out the inspirational awakening to the poet and he could easily pass it on the readers.

Question (iv)
Write a summary of the sonnet. Refer to the earlier poems for the points
to be covered for writing the summary.
Answer:
Refer Synopis.

Question (v)
While building a bridge, a group of people come together. They are architects, designers, engineers, officers, masons, politicians, building material suppliers, carpenters, etc. Write about the qualifications of these people. Choose any career from the list above and complete the table.
Answer:

Your choice of career/careers	Skill / Qualification
1. Architect	(a) 1. Master’s degree in Architecture
	2. Drawing design ideas
	3. Imaginative and creative thinking
	4. Ability to assess problems critically.
2. Civil Engineer	(b) 1. Bachelor’s degree in civil engineering
	2. Skilled in maths and physics
	3. Map – reading
	4. Reviewing blue print
	5. Design techniques
	6. Computer-aided design software

(A6) Project:

Question 1.
Given below are a few famous bridges in India. Find out more information about them and write in your notebook.
(a) The Howrah Bridge
(b) Laxman Zhula
(c) Pamban Bridge
(d) Worli Sea Link

Yuvakbharati English 11th Digest Chapter 2.4 Upon Westminster Bridge Additional Important Questions and Answers

Question 1.
The garment is compared with –
Answer:
The garment is compared with the beauty of the city of London early in the morning.

Question 2.
The morning looks beautiful because –
Answer:
The morning looks beautiful because of the calmness and peaceful atmosphere of the dawn in London city which is so soothing to the eye. Even the man-made structures along with the green fields, valleys and rocks and hills look very bright and glittering with the sunlight that falls directly on them in the absence of fog and smoke in the air. The river also flows smoothly on its own will.

Question 3.
Guess the meaning of ‘glideth’.
Answer:
‘Glideth’ is an archaic word meaning ‘moves smoothly’.

Question 4.
Guess what is referred to as ‘Mighty Heart.’
Answer:
‘Mighty Heart’ is a direct reference to the significance of the city of London which is big, powerful and man-made. The city is ‘Mighty’ when the citizens are active. But, to the poet, it appears to be asleep as it is calm and quiet at dawn. Now it is inactive and the serenity of nature has dominated its busy activities.

Comprehension:

Global Understanding:

Question 1.
Prepare a set of eight questions needed for the overall understanding of the poem.
Answer:

1. Who is a ‘dull’ soul?
2. What is the time of the day?
3. How does London look from Westminster Bridge?
4. What are the man-made constructions?
5. Why does the sky look bright and glittering?
6. How is the river flowing?
7. How do the houses appear?
8. Why does the poet address God?

Inference / Interpretative / Analysis

Question 1.
Explain ‘smokeless air’.
Answer:
The city of London is a busy city with lots of activities going on throughout the day. The poet could not believe the existence of clear sky which is hardly seen in London because of pollution. But he was standing on the Westmi

Personal Response:

Question 1.
How does your city/village look early in the morning?
Answer:
I am an early riser and that is why I am familiar with the early morning scenes in my city. Dawn is the only time I can enjoy pollution-free air, breathe deeply and can have a good look at the magnificent skyline with the rising sun peeping out. But the experience is short-lived.

Poetic Device:

Question 1.
Pick an example of Inversion from the extract and explain it.
Answer:
1. Example: ‘Dull would he be of soul who could pass by.’
Explanation: The order of words are changed for poetic effect.
2. Example: Ne’er saw I, never felt, a calm, so deep!
Explanation: The order of words are changed for poetic effect.

Creativity:

Question 1.
Compose poem of lines on ‘Nature’ using a rhyme scheme abba.
Answer:
Nature is our well-wisher, our friend.
Love it, enjoy it, protect it,
Be responsible not to pollute it a bit,
Nurture thy nature, all problems will end.”

Balbharti Yuvakbharati English 11th Digest Chapter 2.3 There is Another Sky Notes, Textbook Exercise Important Questions and Answers.

Maharashtra State Board Class 11 English Yuvakbharati Solutions Chapter 2.3 There is Another Sky

11th English Digest Chapter 2.3 There is Another Sky Textbook Questions and Answers

Question (i)
Life is an amalgam of happy and sad moments. Think of such moments in your life, pair with your classmate, and share both aspects of life.
Answer:

Happy moments	Sad moments
1. Winning the first prize in a competition	(a) Losing your mobile, bicycle or wallet
2. from sickness	(b) Falling sick
3. for a picnic	(c) Fight / Misunderstanding with best friend

Question (ii)
Find proverbs, idioms or phrases of similar meaning to the one given and fill them in the circles given below:

Answer:

Question (iii)
When we look at the sky, we find several objects. They stand for something or the other. Complete the following table by finding the significance of the given objects. (Answers are given directly)
Answer:

Celestial Bodies	Association
1. The Sun	(a) Power, heat, energy, commitment, etc.
2. The Moon	(b) Beauty, eclipse, brightness, luminary, crescent, etc.
3. The Rainbow	(c) Colour, arch, rain, dreams, etc.
4. The Stars	(d) Glittering, twinkling, celebrity, ratings, etc.

Question (iv)
Colours mentioned in the hexagons given below, are associated with something or the other. Dissuss and fill in the blanks.

Answer:

(A1)

Question (i)
Imagine your younger sister is not paying attention to her studies and is seen wasting time playing games on her cell-phone. Suggest some ways that will help her to concentrate on her studies and overcome her bad habit.
Answer:
My dear sister, these days I hardly see you studying. Most of the time you are busy with your mobile, either playing games or sending WhatsApp messages. You are lost in the world of your cell-phone. Is it fair ? Ask yourself whether you are doing the right thing. I understand, you are living in an age where the cell-phones are the latest craze. But, I think, you are grown up enough to decide what is good for you. You must learn to draw the line, ‘This far and no further.’

I suggest, you make a timetable for yourself, giving enough time for all your subjects, according to your own level of difficulties. That will definitely give you some time to relax and play games on your cell-phone. Excess of anything is bad.

Your eye-sight need to be protected also. Balancing things in life is an art and you must realise the importance of studies in life. I am always there to help you so that you can comfortably manage your studies along with your time for relaxation.

Question (ii)
You have noticed that many of your classmates are not interested in outdoor games or participating in co-curricular activities. Discuss some ways in which they will be encouraged to participate in activities.
Answer:
Dear friend, as the General Secretary of the Cultural Forum, I have observed that many of you are not interested in taking part in extra curricular activities, both intra-collegiate and inter-collegiate. I am also concerned that even the outdoor sports are being neglected. I think, it is the high time to talk to you.

Friends, I know the importance of studies at this stage of your life. But extra-curricular activities need to go hand in hand with the curriculum since they help in our all-round development. They give us opportunities to showcase our non academic abilities which are equally important in the big competitive world. Not only do they boost our confidence but they also help to enhance our theoretical knowledge.

Unfortunately, we are caught in a rat race to establish ourselves in life. Extra-curricular activities give us a lot of exposure, speech fluency, teach us time management, help us develop sense of responsibility and, according to me, most importantly broadens our horizon by giving us courage to come out of our systems.

About outdoor sports, I think, we all have heard the proverb, ‘A healthy mind in a healthy body’. Co-operation, team work, discipline, fellow-feeling, follow the instructions of the captain, personality development along with the improved health-the list is endless to talk about the benefits of outdoor sports. Moreover, there are practical benefits like opportunities of getting admission in colleges, jobs through sports quota, channel to represent your country in the national and international competitions, earning recognition through awards.

Friends, I can go on talking about the extra-curricular activities and sports because I, myself is a beneficiary of all these advantages. I hope, all of you will take part in large numbers in extra-curricular activities as well as make an attempt to develop an interest in sports. All the best to all of you.

(A2)

Question (i)
Complete the web, highlighting the sad and gloomy aspects of life mentioned in the first part of the poem.

Answer:

Question (ii)
The poet encourages her brother in the second part of the poem by telling him about the brighter
side of life. Make a list of the expressions in the poem that mean encouragement.
(a) Brighter garden
(b) …………………….
(c) …………………….
Answer:
(a) Brighter garden
(b) Unfading flowers
(c) Bright bee hum

Question (iii)
The poet has described two different shades of human feelings by using imagery of various forces of Nature in the poem. Pick out the terms or phrases that describe them. Complete the table given below.
Answer:

Nature	Feelings
Faded forests	Sad/gloomy
Unfading flowers	Excitement
Silent fields	Loneliness
Evergreen leaf	Freshness
Bright bee	Being active
Serene sky	Calmness/peace
frost	pain/suffering

Question (iv)
The poem expresses feelings of serenity. Pick out expressions from the above poem that express the same…..
Answer:
(a) ‘There is another sky/Ever serene and fair,
(b) “And there is another sunshine….”
(c) “a little forest,/whose leaf is ever green,”
(d) “Unfading flowers….”

Question (v)
Compare and contrast the two opposing human feelings as expressed by the poet.
Answer:
It was possible that the poet’s brother who has staying in a different place, must have complained of sadness. The poet’s response to that was to invite him to ‘my garden’ where there was brightness forever. She deliberately used contrasting images of depression and joy from the nature to encourage and inspire her brother who was down with hopelessness. As against, silent, lonely fields, fading flowers and darkness she presented peaceful sky, bright sunshine, unfading flowers, buzzing bees, forests with evergreen leaves.

All these images represented the human feelings in two opposite worlds. The poet’s world might be an imaginary place but they could create positivity in a depressed mind.

(A3)

Question 1.
‘Never mind faded forests, Austin’. The word ‘faded’ means to become dim or faint. The word describes the forests that have become faint or dim in appearance. Now go through the poem again and complete the table.
Answer:

Describing Word	Object	Explanation
1. faded	forests	The forests have become faint or dim in appearance.
2. silent	fields	The fields are lonely.
3. unfading	flowers	The unfading flowers never fade with time as if they are in paradise.
4. bright	Bee	The bee is happy and active expressing its hopefulness.

(A4)

Question 1.
‘I hear the bright bee hum.’ The poet has used the word ‘hum’ that indicates the sound made by the bee. This is an example of Onomatopoeia.
The poet has used different figures of speech like alliteration, inversion and hyperbole in the poem. Identify them and pick out the lines accordingly.
(i) ‘I hear the bright bee hum’- The figure of speech is Onomatopoeia. The poet has used the word “hum” to indicate the sound made by the bee.

(ii) Metaphor:
‘There is another sky’ – Here the poet indirectly compares ‘another sky’ with ‘another place’ indicating ‘there is another place for you.’

(iii) Hyperbole:
In its unfading flowers’ – The poet makes use of an exaggerated statement. Flowers do fade with time.

(iv) Alliteration:
(a) ‘faded forest’ — Here, the sound of the letter ‘t’ is repeated for poetic effect.
(b) ‘bright bee’ – Here, the sound of the letter ‘b’ is repeated for poetic effect.

(v) Inversion:
(a) ‘where not a frost has been’
The word order is changed for poetic effect.
(b) ‘Prithee, my brother/into my garden come!’
The word order is changed for poetic effect.

(vi) Repetition:
(a) ‘There is another sky …./And there is another sunshine’.
– Expressions are repeated to show the possible alternative, arrangement.
(b) ‘Never mind faded forests, Austin,/Never mind silent fields…’
– Expressions are repeated to emphasise the poet’s intention.
(c) ‘Here is a little forest,…./ Here is a brighter garden’.
The expressions are repeated to provide hope.

(vii) Litotes : ‘Where not a frost has been’.
– A negative word ‘not’ is used in the statement to emphasize a strong positive feeling. ‘Not a frost’ is absolutely frost free.

(A5)

Question 1.
Imagine your friend is a table tennis champion who has won the semi-final in the inter-collegiate championship. Due to over confidence, she neither practises nor does she take her opponent seriously. This may result in her losing the final. Suggest some ways to make her aware of the importance of hard work and regular practice.
Answer:
Dear Sushama, congratulations on winning the semi final of the inter collegiate table tennis championship! But I never see you practicing and preparing yourself mentally and physically for the finals. I am really worried. Are you so confident of your success that you don’t even bother to attend your regular practice sessions? You must be knowing, ‘Practice makes a man perfect’. The other day I was watching the final match of Wimbledon Tennis Competition and it was amazing how the finalist Roger Federer, at the age of 37, was doing so much of hard work to win the long rallies.

Some of the strikes were excellent and this must be the result of his rigorous practice. These are legends and you must learn from them. There is no short cut to success and hard work always pays. You must take out enough time for practice to boost your confidence for the final match. Don’t take things easy and look down upon your opponent. Do it now-start regular practices. All the best!

(A6)

Question (i)
Use the following points and write an appreciation of the poem :

• About the poem, poet and title
• Theme
• Poetic style, language, poetic devices used in the poem
• Special features
• Message/values/morals in the poem
• Your opinion about the poem

Answer:
She assured him not to worry since she could suggest another place, most probably their own home where they had shared many lovely moments. This poem is a sonnet comprising of fourteen lines. Like a typical Petrarchan sonnet,the first eight lines called octave, hint at a problem or express an emotional tension. The last six lines called sestet, try to resolve the problem by relieving the tension. The poem also brings out the poet’s love for nature and here the sonnet resembles. Shakespeare’s sonnets which also has glorified nature.

Central Metaphor for the entire poem is the central symbol of sky which can be blue, dark and different for different persons. But ‘There is another sky/Ever serene and fair,’’-for all and that is the sky of paradise which is blissful. Here the poet means the sky and the places around a person’s own home which will always appear comfortable.

It is possible to resort to one’s own home in the moments of weakness, frustrations and confusions. Emily’s call into this ideal world of home makes us believe that such a world really exists. That makes the poem appear so special to the readers.

The message that the poet tried to convey was that one might change home or hometown, but the place called ‘home’ would never change and that was her purpose of using the expression ‘evergreen’ to convince the readers about eternal existence of one’s own comfortable home. Thus, Emily’s undying love for her brother, Austin who was troubled by some problems, came out through her showcasing all the brightness around the place she was recommending where her brother could life under a light that never faded.

The short poem, ‘There is Another Sky’ in just two stanza, has makes us understand the importance of home where are loved ones will be the bright sunlight in every situation of our life. Emily’s way of giving solace to her brother impress me the most, as, I believe, compression and warmth can always help a troubled person by giving strength. Emily’s brother Austin also has admitted that his sister’s words has been very supportive for him by allowing him to enter into her garden of happiness and joy.

Question (ii)
Writs a summary of the poem with the help of the points given below:

• Title
• Introductory paragraph (about the poem/ type/nature/tone)
• Main body (central idea/gist of the poem)
• Conclusion/ opinions/views/appeal.

Answer:
Refer synopsis

Question (iii)
Let’s compose a poem. Two lines are given. Add two of your own. There is another sky,
Ever serene and fair.
Answer:
There is another sky,
Ever serene and fair.
There is no darkness anywhere,
As colourful butterflies dance on flowers everywhere.

Question (iv)
Given below is a poem ‘Blue Sky’ by Mark Hastings. Imagine a poem of a similar kind by replacing the word blue. You can add any colour or object of your choice and write a poem of four lines. For example replace ‘blue’ with
1. Starry sky above me
2. Cloudy sky above me
Answer:
Bright sky above me,
Fills me with happiness and glee,
Seeing the starry sky above me,
No darkness as far as I can see.

(A7)

Question 1.
Write a letter to your younger sibling making her aware of various manmade and natural disasters and encourage her to join all the programmes, campaigns, drives etc. in school or in your locality.
Answer:
ABC Apartments,
Flat No. 4/2/1,
Ghatkopar (East),
Mumbai.
30th July, 2019.

Dear Richa,

How are you? I am writing to you after a long time. I read an article on the flood in Assam and thought of talking to you about such disasters which are natural as well as partially man-made.

Natural disasters like flood, earthquake, etc., happen quite often these days. Televisions and newspapers are flooded with such kind of reports. Sometimes, we really do not have anything to do to control natural disasters and we are puppets in the hands of nature. I still shudder to think of all those frightful pictures of the killer flood of Kerala.

But it is not uncommon that man-made disasters create havoc. In Mumbai, we quite often hear of buildings collapsing, killing so many people. These are dilapidated buildings which have got the warnings from the authority. People ignore those cautions and continue to stay in such buildings. There is no point in repenting later.

Keeping gas cylinders open is a very common example of fire due to human negligence. Who can forget about Mumbai deluge in 2005? We might be very small at that time, but we have heard stories about the disaster and the man-made cause of it. Mithi river got choked because of irresponsible throwing of non-biodegradable plastics? Have we really learnt from our mistakes?

I want to advise you to join the NSS or NCC unit of your college and participate in all their activities to create awareness among people, educate them to handle natural as well as man-made disasters. The authorities will do their job. But, we, as responsible citizens need to contribute our services in our own way. Basic humanity comes above everything and I am sure, you will take part actively in the campaigns and drives oganized by your college. At the same time, please don’t neglect your studies. You have to learn to balance your social work with your studies.

We are all fine here. Do write to me.
Yours lovingly,
Shanta

(A8)

Question 1.
The poem describes the beauty of Nature. Make a list of careers that are related to Nature, environment and forest
Answer:

1. Forest Department – (Forest officer, Ranger etc.)
2. Geologist
3. Wild-life Photographer
4. Environmental Lawyer
5. nvironmental Engineer
6. Botanist
7. Zoologist

(A9)

Project:

Question 1.
‘The Road Not Taken’ (Robert Frost) and ‘O Captain My Captain’ (Walt Whitman) are inspirational poems. Search these poems on the internet and write down your opinion about the poems in your notebook.

Yuvakbharati English 11th Digest Chapter 2.3 There is Another Sky Additional Important Questions and Answers

Question 1.
The poet is addressing the poem to –
Answer:
The poet is addressing the poem to her brother, Austin who has been going through a state of confusion and depression in life at a place away from home. The poet is trying to encourage him by pointing on the existence of another evergreen and always filled with sunshine universe.

Question 2.
The poet says ‘another sky’. Guess the meaning.
Answer:
‘Another sky’ is a metaphorical reference to ‘another place’ where a sky with brighter colour is waiting for her brother to provide him joy and hope. The image of ‘another sky’ is the image of an ideal world, the paradise, which, apparently has been a great support for her depressed brother.

Question 3.
The poet depicts a different ‘garden’. Discuss.
Answer:
The ‘brighter garden’ that the poet depicted was a place where the flowers were always blooming, the playful bees were humming in happiness. The use of comparative degree (brighter) showed the purpose of the poet to present a world that was in total contrast to the gloomy and dark place where her brother was suffering alone. She assured her brother, through this poem, that the ‘brighter garden’ did not have any withered lower, silent fields or frost that represented sadness and pain.

Comprehension:

Global Understanding:

Question 1.
Complete the table by matching human feelings with the things of Nature.
Answer:

Human feelings	Nature
1. Loneliness	silent fields
2. Freshness	evergreen leaf
3. Being active	bright bee
4. Calmness/peace	serene sky

Interference / Interpretative / Analysis:

Question 1.
How did the poet compare and contrast ‘there’ and ‘here’? Why did he do so?
Answer:
The poet wanted her brother to understand the existence of a better place than ‘there’ where he was suffering. She requested him to come ‘here’ where he could have a brighter life. The combination of ‘there’ and ‘here’ is expressed by the poet deliberately to create an assurance in the mind of her troubled brother, of the existence of a heavenly place which might be their home. The poem is an invitation for the brother to come from ‘there’ to ‘here’ to have a peaceful life.

Personal Response:

Question 1.
Do you support the poet’s way of handling the situation? Justify your answer.
Answer:
Yes, I feel, the poet’s assurance of the existence of a better place, will definitely support her brother a lot. A person who is suffering, words of hope are always inspiring and can do wonders. The poet, a loving sister, shows very cleverly the alternative to her brother who has the option to go to a brighter place, that is their home. This types of encouragements can definitely make a person stronger to take a decision.

Poetic devices:

Question 1.
Find out an example of Hyperbole from the poem and explain it.
Answer:
‘In its unfading flowers’ – The poet makes use of an exaggerated statement. Flowers do fade with time.

Creativity:

Question 1.
Compose a poem in appreciation of your ‘home’ using the words,, paradise, warmth, comfort, alone.
Use a rhyme – scheme.
Answer:
My home is the best place, my paradise.
It always welcomes me with warmth and affection.
In my sad moments, my home is my comfort zone,
I don’t feel lonely, never feel alone.

Glossary:

1. hum – make a low; steady continuous sound;
2. prithee – (no longer in everyday use, archaic word)
3. please (used to convey a polite request),
4. serene – peaceful, calm,
5. Austin – Emily’s younger brother,
6. frost – When temperature is below 0°C a thin layer of ice forms on the ground and other surfaces,
7. unfading – bright; colourful.

Balbharti Yuvakbharati English 11th Digest Chapter 2.2 The Sower Notes, Textbook Exercise Important Questions and Answers.

Maharashtra State Board Class 11 English Yuvakbharati Solutions Chapter 2.2 The Sower

11th English Digest Chapter 2.2 The Sower Textbook Questions and Answers

Question (i)
Make a list of words related to agriculture.
Answer:
The words related to agriculture are:
(a) Irrigation
(b) Cultivation
(c) Crop
(d) Sow
(e) Farming
(f) Farmer
(g) Pesticide
(h) Fertilizer
(i) Seeds
(j) Hybrids
(k) Farm
(l) Manure
(m) Dairy
(n) Livestock
(o) Ploughing
(p) Harvest
(q) Plant
(r) Crop rotation
(s) Animal Husbandry

Question (ii)
Discuss the activities carried out by a farmer.
Answer:

Question (iii)
In our country engineering, teaching and medical fields are much sought after. Other professions, occupations though they make a significant contribution to the society, do not get their due.
Answer:

A	B
(a) Farmer	(a) Highly unpredictable Economic Gains
(b) Conservancy workers	(b)  Don’t get the respect for the service they provide
(c) Housemaids	(c) Lack of job security and in some cases respect
(d) Sportsmen	(d) Insecurity due to shorter duration of professional life
(e) Hawkers	(e) Uncertainty in business

Question (iv)
‘Agriculture is the backbone of the Indian economy’. Fill in the boxes supporting this statement. Complete the following web diagram.

Answer:

(A1)

Question 1.
There are a number of challenges a farmer in India faces. Discuss with your friend, how it is possible to improve the condition of farmers.
Answer:

Challenges	Solutions
1. Water scarcity	Rain water harvesting
2. Credit and Indebtedness	Arrangement for micro-loan from government sources/banks and not from the money-lenders.
3. Land Issues	Clear title of lands for the farmers.
4. Climatic Changes	Reduce greenhouse gas emission from farming practices.
5. Social Groups	Sound public policy and support on long-term basis since group approach to farming is the need of the hour as average size of land-holding is going down. But a lot of training is/-030 needed to form a group of like-minded farmers.
6. Lack of advanced technology	Creation of technology based crop advisory.
7. Diversification	Creation of crop-specific technologies, identification development of market and provision of economic incentives.
8. Market Risks	Market regulations provided by the government to ensure that the farmers receive the price they desire to get for the product.

(A2)

Question 1.
The poet has observed the sower closely. Express in your own words the reverence the poet has for the sower.
Answer:
Victor Hugo like a typical romantic poet began the poem with a beautiful scene from nature describing the twilight. In the English translation, the poet Torulata Dutt also did so. But in the poem gradually nature took the backseat and the poet’s attention is occupied by the solitary farmer who was alone in the field well beyond the working hours to scatter the seeds all over the place. Initially, the poet did not think much about the old sower in torn clothes.

Poet after watching carefully, the serenity and devotion of the man could be noticed. His age and experience must have shown him many bad harvests, but he refused to give up. Moreover, he might not live long enough to see the fruit of his hard work but this did not bring down the level of his dedication. His confident steps made the poet feel even his dark shadows more dominating than the deep trenches around the field. Thus, he developed an intense respect for the sower.

(A3)

Question 1.
The poet is prompted to call the sower an ‘august personality” which means one who has reached the highest position in his work place. Explain this using the following points.
1. Hard work
2. Perseverance
3. Dedication
Answer:
In the eyes of the poet the old solitary sower appeared majestic and awe-inspiring because he could see the determination and dedication in his attitude. The working hours were over since it was getting dark in the evening. But he was ready to continue his job of scattering the grains all over the field, walking to and fro, at his age, with a expectation of a good yield of crop.

Like a devoted soldier he was marching on the field and the poet was impressed by his sincerity and confidence. He must have experienced many bad harvests , but his hard work, patience and desire to achieve success were not affected at all. He continued with his job without bothering about the starry skies, to the poet who developed a deep respect for the sower’s tenacity, positive attitude towards life and most importantly his commitment to his work.

(A4)

Question (i)
Pick out the examples of alliteration from the poem
Answer:

1. “a sower lingers still” – sound of “s” is repeated.
2. “Dominates the furrows deep” – sound of “d” is repeated.
3. “Darkness deepens” – sound of “d” is repeated.
4. “Seems to touch the starry skies” – Sound of “s” is repeated.
5. “From his hands ” sound of “h” is repeated.

Question (ii)
‘Seems to touch the starry skies’. The poet has used word imagery. Describe the idea and pick out other similar examples from the poem.
Answer:
Word imageries create a visual representation of ideas or situations in the readers minds and helps the reader to create a mental picture with the help of words.

Word imageries in the poem:
(i) “Twilight hastens on the rule”
This line creates an image of a soft light in the sky just after the sunset. We can imagine the gradual fading of the bright sunlight and can only see the twilight, that is, semi-darkness.

(ii) “His Silhouette / Dominates the furrows deep”.
The image of the sower is created in the readers mind with this imagery. The sower’s black shadow gradually becomes bigger and the deep furrows around the field start appearing smaller. The idea to create such a mental picture is to present the longer than life image of the sower who can even dominate over the nature.

(iii) “Seems to touch the starry skies”

This picture depicts the transition from the twilight sky to the night sky. The poet wants to express his reverence for the majestic quality of the sower. To him the image of the sower gradually grows to reach the top of the sky as if the entire world is glowing wit his reflection and the twinkling stars are the grains he has spread all over the place.

(A5)

Question (i)
Write an appreciation of the poem considering the following points:

• About the poem / poet / title.
• Theme
• Poetic devices, language, style
• Special features / novelties / focussing elements
• Values, message
• Your opinion about the poem

Answer:
The poem ‘The Sower’ is translated by the Bengali poet Torulata Dutt from the French poet Victor Hugo’s French poem ‘Saison des Semailles : Le Soir.’ The French name literally means in English, ‘Sowing Season’: In the evening “where the poet talks about a sower and his attitude towards his job.

The poet was leisurely spending time in a porchway enjoying the beauty of the twilight sky which dominated the day because it was the time between the day and the approaching night. Suddenly a lone sower caught his attention since the working hours were over and there was no one else in the field. The towering black shadow of the man was so majestic that it even appeared bigger than the deep trenches around the field.

The man was absolutely engrossed in spreading the grains all over the ground. His confident steps and dedication towards his work even in fading light impressed the poet. He developed a deep respect for the sower and appreciated his larger than life appearance.

The theme of the poem is to show the powerful human aspects which could even dominate the nature. The attitude and sincerity of the sower made him appear to the poet so impressive that he put him in a high pedestal of searching the ‘starry skies’. The poet Tarulata Dutt has used a simple rhyme scheme “abab” The word imageries, like the domination of the twilight over the sunlight, the majestic shadow of the sower growing bigger than even the deep trenches around the field and the poet’s imagination of putting the sower at a great height of touching the sky with his grains representing the twinkling stars enhance the beauty of the poem.

They bring out the poet’s love for the nature placing it side by side with humanistic features. The focus of the poem is basically on the sower but nature has been included right from the beginning to the end very elegantly b the poet giving a novelty to the poem.

The poem has a strong message of selflessness of the old sower who is doing his job diligently without even bothering to know the result. His age and experience must have given a lot of experience on farming which has taught him not to give up even if it is a bad harvest. He is sincerely doing his job even after the working hours.

We, the readers, get the message from the sower that we need to do our job with dedication and hard work will definitely pay. The poem appeals to me because of the impressive presentation of the sower and the unusual comparison between human features with nature. Both nature and human aspects play dominant roles making the poem interesting.

Question (ii)
Write a summary of the poem using the following points:

• Title
• Introductory paragraph (about the poem, type, nature, tone)
• Main body (central idea, gist of the poem)
• Conclusion (opinion, views, appeal)

Answer:
Refer Synopsis

Question (iii)
Compose a poem on a farmers in 4 to 6 lines in continuation of the following.
Answer:
He sweats throughout the dav.
He does not fret, he believes his hard work will nav.
He sows seeds expecting a good harvest.
To the soil he bows for encouragement to invest.

(A6)

Question 1.
Imagine that you are a farmer from a drought prone area. Write a letter to a newspaper editor, discuss the problems and suggest possible solutions.
Satya Vase,
Aurangabad,
27-07-2019
The Editor,
The Times of India,
Dr. D.N.Marg,
Mumbai – 400001
Subject: Problems of a drought-prone area like Aurangabad

Respected Sir,
I am Satya Vase, a farmer from Aurangabad, a drought-prone area. I want to bring to your notice certain problems which,we the farmers in our area are facing due to drought.

It is a known fact that Aurangabad has been going through severe water crises and it affects the farmers badly. But, today I want to concentrate on two important factors which is bothering the farmers for quite some time. All our appeals have fallen into deaf ears.

In Aurangabad, the obsession with borewell among the farmers is increasing to a dangerous level during every drought and this is very high among the farmers cultivating sugarcane. The sugarcane farming has become so popular because it is a low investment crop which comes with a price guarantee.

Sugarcane farmers are well aware of the fact that sugarcane farming consumes a large quantity of irrigation water. We, the poor farmers cannot afford to install borwells because of high cost and even the result is disastrous for us. A number of representations to the government have not solved our problems. Our sufferings have reached the greatest height. People are migrating to bigger cities and there also are leading a miserable life.

Through your esteemed daily, I want to they draw the attention of the government to take an early action. We request the government to send a crisis management group to come to Aurangabad and set a separate Drought Monitoring Centre report to the Drought Management Authorities to arrange for immediate supply of water. Urgent adaptation of strategies and their quick implementation are what we are requesting for.

Thanking You,
Yours Sincerely,
Shyam Vase.

(A7) Project:

Question 1.
Visit your college library or use the web and collect information on ‘Green Revolution’ and ‘white Revolution’ in our country.

Yuvakbharati English 11th Digest Chapter 2.2 The Sower Additional Important Questions and Answers

Question 1.
Explain in your own words: “Twilight hastens on to rule”
Answer:
The poet is referring to a time when the day is going to be over and night will fall. So,it appears to the poet as if the twilight is quickly overlapping the sunlight. Twilight is the time just before it becomes completely dark in the evening and the poet imagines it to be in a hurry to wipe out the brightness of the sunlight.

Question 2.
The word ‘Marches’ suggests –
Answer:
The poet expresses the appreciation for the sower by using the word ‘marches’ instead of simply referring his movement as ‘walks’. The sower is confident and dedicated to his job. So he marches with determination of a good harvest as a soldier marches with the positive attitude of winning the battle.

Comprehension

Global Understanding:

Question 1.
Complete the web that brings out the qualities of the sower.

Answer:

Inference / Interpretative / Analysis:

Question 1.
Explain the Poet’s feeling as he watches the sower.
Answer:
The poet is thrilled to see the solitary sower continuing with his work sincerely even after the working hours are over. His hard work of spreading the grains all over the ground, in confident steps, impresses the poet. He feels the sower’s presence is majestic and awe-inspiring.

Question 2.
The grains are referred to as ‘precious” – Give reasons.
Answer:
For a farmer, grains are always ‘precious’ as they are symbols of prosperity and bright future. His survival depends on the quality of harvest and good quality of grains is needed for that. He is protective about each and every grain and gives its due respect.

Personal Response:

Question 1.
What do you learn from the sower? Justify your answer.
Answer:
The sower has taught me to have dedication and devotion for my work without bothering about the outcome. His efforts of spreading the seeds even after the working hours have impressed me and I have learned not to grumble about the extended time at workplace, if my work demands it. Last but not the least, the sower has shown that outward appearance does not matter. A person’s attitude can raise his/ her stature to a great height.

Poetic Device:

Question 1.
Find out the rhyme scheme and pick up the rhyming words from the lines quoted to you.
Answer:
The rhyme scheme is abab
The rhyming words are lands- stands, still-thrill, silhouette-set, deep-reap, plain-grain, wide-stride, light- height, eyes-skies.

Creativity:

Question 1.
Compare a poem of four lines to express your appreciation for your mother. Use a proper rhyme scheme.
Answer:

• My mother is my first teacher.
• Never does she try to be a preacher.
• Her words are catalysts, quickly I respond,
• strong and thick is our love bond.

Appreciation:

Question 1.
Write an appreciation of the extract with the help of the following points: (100 -150 words)

1. About the extract
2. Theme and significance
3. Poetic style, language, poetic devices
4. Inspirational message
5. Your opinion and critical evaluation of the extract

Answer:
The extract shows how the impression of the poet about the sower changes as he observes the activity of the solitary sower working on the farm, well-after the working hour gets over. Initially the poet does not give much importance to the sower. But as he pays attention to him, he is able to find out his dedication, sincerity and perseverance of the man who deserves respect.

The poem is a translation from a French poem by Victor Hugo. The Bengali poet, Tarulata Dutt uses simple rhyme-scheme abab but the word imageries like the majestic shadow of the sower growing bigger than even the deep trenches around the field, the poet’s imagination of putting the sower at a great height of touching the sky with his grains representing the twinkling stars are beautiful.

The poem has a strong message which shows how a person’s dedication can draw the attention of others and make them respect him. I love the extract as it teaches me that hard work has its own reward.

Poetic devices:

Question 1.
Other poetic devices
Answer:
Personification

1. “Twilight hastens on to rule”- ‘Twilight’ is personified.
2. “Shadows run across the lands” – ‘Shadows’ are personified.
3. “Sunlight I see, dying fast” – ‘Sunlight’ is personified.

Inversion:

(i) “Old, in rags, he patient stands.”
The order of the words are changed for poetic effect.
(ii) “Now to sow the task is set”
The order of the words are changed for poetic effect.
(iii) “Soon shall come a time to reap”
The order of the words are changed for poetic effect.
(iv) “Marches he along the plain”
The order of the words are changed for poetic effect.
(v) “Scatters wide/From his hands the precious grains.”
The order of the words are changed for poetic effect.
(vi) “Now his gestures to mine eyes/Are august,…”
The order of the words are changed for poetic effect.

Balbharti Yuvakbharati English 11th Digest Chapter 2.1 Cherry Tree Notes, Textbook Exercise Important Questions and Answers.

Maharashtra State Board Class 11 English Yuvakbharati Solutions Chapter 2.1 Cherry Tree

11th English Digest Chapter 2.1 Cherry Tree Textbook Questions and Answers

Question 1.
Trees are revered because –
Answer:

1. They give us joy.
2. They look beautiful with their lush green leaves that soothe our eyes.
3. They clear the air by providing oxygen for us to survive and by taking away carbon dioxide to prevent pollution.
4. They provide us food and many useful things.
5. They provide habitat and food for birds and insects.

Question 2.
Column ‘A’ shows your involvement in growing a tree, as well as the stages in the life of a tree. Column ‘B’ shows the feelings you experience at all the stages. Match them appropriately.

Column ‘A’	Column ‘B’
1. You planted a sapling.	(a) Gave you a feeling of joy to see the promising future.
2. You watered the plant.	(b) The new experience brought excitement to you.
3. You saw the shoot for the first time.	(c) You were happy and satisfied because you experienced what you had often heard, that a small beginning can lead to great achievements.
4. You fenced the plant.	(d) The colour, symbolizing life, gave you a feeling of hope.
5. The plant gradually saw lush green leaves grow on it.	(e) You wanted to make a humble beginning.
6. The tree had buds too.	(f) Your motive was to protect it.
7. Birds made a nest on the tree which was fully grown and laden with flowers.	(g) You cared for it.

Answer:

Column ‘A’	Column ‘B’
1. You planted a sapling.	(e) You wanted to make a humble beginning.
2. You watered the plant.	(f) Your motive was to protect it.
3. You saw the shoot for the first time.	(a) Gave you a feeling of joy to see the promising future.
4. You fenced the plant.	(g) You cared for it.
5. The plant gradually saw lush green leaves grow on it.	(d) The colour, symbolizing life, gave you a feeling of hope.
6. The tree had buds too.	(b) The new experience brought excitement to you.
7. Birds made a nest on the tree which was fully grown and laden with flowers.	(c) You were happy and satisfied because you experienced what you had often heard, that small beginning can lead to great achievements.

(A1)

(i) Find proofs from the poem for the following:

Question (a)
The poet has mentioned different seasons.
Answer:
(a) “And suddenly that summer…”
(b) “Next spring”.

Question (b)
The poet’s minute observations of the steady growth of the cherry tree.
Answer:
(a) “I found a tree had come to stay.
It was very small, five months child,
Lost in the tall grass running wild.”

(b) “Next spring I watched three new shoots grow.
The young tree struggle, upward thrust.
Its arms in a fresh fierce lust For light and air and sun”.

(c) “I could only wait, as one
Who watched, wandering, while Time and the rain
Made a miracle from green growing pain….”

Question (c)
The colour imagery in the poem.
Answer:
(a) ‘Green’ colour used in the poem quite often and it represents ‘life’.
(b) ‘Pink’ colour used to show the tenderness, fragility of the berries.
(c) ‘Blue’ colour used for the sky as it represents the clear sky which the poet could see through the gap of the leaves of the cherry tree.

Question (d)
The struggle of the cherry tree for survival.
Answer:
(a) “It was very small, five months child,
Lost in the small grass, running wild”.

(b) “But cherries have a way of growing,
Though no one’s caring very much or knowing”.

(c) “Goats ate the leaves, the grass cutter scyth0e
Split it apart and a monsoon blight
Shrivelled the slender stem…Even so,”
All these dangers were handled by the plant boldly since it had the urge to live.

(d) “The young tree struggle, upward thrust
Its arms in a fresh fierce lust
For light and air and sun”
The young tree refused to accept defeat and continued its struggle for survival in order to get the basic necessities of light, air and sun needed for its growth.

(ii) State whether the following statements are True or False. Correct the false statements by finding evidence from the poem to support your remark.

Question (a)
The cherry tree did not take long to grow.
Answer:
False. The cherry tree took eight years to grow into a six-feet high full-grown, fruit-bearing tree.

Question (b)
Birds and insects were benefited from the tree.
Answer:
True

Question (c)
The poet was exalted at the sight of the cherry tree.
Answer:
True

Question (d)
The poem has an underlying message about the importance of trees.
Answer:
False. The underlying message in this poem is not about the importance of trees. It mainly stresses on the struggle against adversities of life and how dedication and desire to survive can help any living object to come out of it.

Question (e)
The poet repents planting the cherry tree.
Answer:
False. The poet actually enjoys watching the magnificent cherry tree and takes pride in being the owner who has decided to sow the seed of this cherry tree.

3. Discuss the reasons/consequences/effects.

Question (a)
The life of the cherry tree was threatened.
Answer:
The cherry tree was so small initially that it was lost among the tall, wild grasses all around it. The threats in its life were the goats who ate its leaves, the grass cutter’s scythe that could split it apart and its tender stem had to fight the heavy monsoon. Moreover, no special attention or care was provided for it. But it was a fighter who could face all these threats boldly

Question (b)
The cherry blossomed.
Answer:
In spite of not getting any special care, the cherry tree, just by its urge to survive, could raise its head, fought all the odds in its life, came out successfully to nurture itself with the basic necessities for its growth, the light, the rain and sun. With the passage of time, its hard work bore fruits and it became a six-feet high full-grown tree which happily blossomed with fruits.

Question (iii)
A small thought, put in action, led to a great achievement. Pick out the lines from the beginning and end of the poem and explain their significance.
Answer:
(i) “Must have a tree of my own” I said.
The poet just wanted to be the sole owner of a tree and just with this simple thought in his mind he sowed the cherry seed. It is just a passing idea of his mind which he easily forgot. But the cherry seed had the potential to grow in spite of not having proper care and lots of threats on its onward journey in life. It was a winner all the way to grow into a magnificent fruit-bearing tree as it was dedicated to fight the odds.

(ii) The lines at the end of the poem, “Yes, I! – praised Night and Stars and trees. That small, the cherry, grown by me” express the pride of the poet who takes the credit for creating such a beautiful life. He has, no hesitation to accept that the cherry tree has struggled hard to come to this stage. But, at the same time, he is excited that the process has been started by him and the result is unbelievable.

(A3)

Question (i)
The cherry tree has inspired the poet to compose the poem. Such poems, describing Nature or aspects of Nature are called ‘Nature poems’. Find out some expressions from the poem that bring out the elements of beauty of Nature.
Answer:
1. “I could scarcely believe it – a berry,
Ripened and jeweled in the sun…”
2. “……. there were blossoms small
Pink, fragile, quick to fall…”
3. “Looking up through leaves… each bloom”.
4. “…the sun sank…crickets…”

Question (ii)
Find out an example of climax from the extract and explain it.
Answer:
“Pink, fragile, quick to fall”
They move from healthy to delicate
This figure of speech is called Climax where successive words, phrases, sentences are arranged in ascending order of importance. Here, the cherry blossom turns pink, ripens and is ready to be picked.

Question (a)
Alliteration:
Answer:

1. “Shrivelled the slender stem…” sound of ‘s’ is repeated.
2. “Its arms in a fresh fierce lust…” sound of ‘f is repeated.
3. “Made a miracle from green growing pain…” sounds of‘m’ and ‘g’ are repeated.
4. “… at the finches as they flew/And flitted through…” sound of‘f is repeated.
5. “the sun sank/swiftly…” Sound of ‘s’ is repeated.
6. “who watched, wondering, while time…” sound of‘w’ is repeated.

Question (b)
Antithesis:
Answer:
1. “…. but cherries have a way of growing,
Though no one’s caring very much or knowing”.
– Two opposite ideas of the steady growth of the tree in spite of not having much care and even knowledge of its presence, are placed side by side.

2. “Came back thinner, rather poor,
But richer by a cherry tree at my door”.
– Two opposite ideas of having poor condition of health but feeling rich at the sight of the cherry tree, are placed side by side.

Question (c)
Personification:
Answer:
1. “A tree had come to stay”
– The tree has been personified by giving it the human quality of coming to stay.
2. “The grass cutter scythe split it apart”
– The grass cutter scythe is personified.
3. “a monsoon blight shrivelled…”
– Monsoon is personified.
4. “The young tree struggle”
– The young tree is personified by giving it the human quality of struggling.
5. “the sleepiest breeze”
The breeze is personified.
6. “singing crickets”
– Crickets are personified.
7. “The young tree … thrust/its arms in a fresh fierce lust”
– The young tree is personified as it expresses its ‘lust’ like a human being.

(A5)

Question (i)
Cherry tree is a narrative poem. Features that make it a narrative poem are given below. Justify them with proper examples.

• The poem has a beginning, a middle and an end.
• Different places are mentioned.
• Characters are referred to.
• Incidents are arranged in sequence.
• There is a dialogue between the poet and the reader or the characters of the poem.
• It is a time-bound poem.

Answer:
‘Cherry Tree’, a narrative poem which tells the story of the birth and growth of a cherry tree by the poet, Ruskin Bond. He carefully divides the poem in three distinct division of a proper beginning, a middle and an end as we usually find in a story.

The story begins with the planting of a seed of a cherry which the poet, a young boy sows in order to have a tree of his own. He forgets to take care of the planted seed but the plant, with the help of nature and rain has a natural growth. On its journey to its growth, it faces many odds in life, but by sheer will-power survives all adversities. Meanwhile, the poet has to go to Kashmir. When he comes back he is surprised to see a full-six-feet high fruit-bearing tree at his door. The poet is ecstatic in this middle part of the story.

At the end of the story, the poet spends time in company of his cherry tree from dawn to dusk, enjoying the sights and sounds, birds and insects, the bright sun and the twinkling stars. He concludes the poem expressing his pride for being the creator of such an atmosphere because of his own cherry tree.

The poem shifts to different places at different times as it begins in the poet’s garden where the cherry tree has been sowed, tells the readers about the poet’s visit to Kashmir, comes back to see the cherry tree at his door and finally ends at his garden where the cherry tree stands tall.

The cherry tree is the protagonist, that is, the main character of the story which narrates the different phases of the life of the tree in a span of eight years. The poet, the owner of the cherry tree also represents a character of the story since he is the one who is involved in the life of the tree. Sometimes actively and sometimes by narrating the happening in its life. Apart from these two main characters, there are some small characters like the goats, the grass cutter, the birds and insects who also play small but significant roles in the story.

There is definitely a continuity in the presentation of the story in a sequence. From the planting of the cherry seed in the poet’s garden, its life as a baby with tall grasses hiding it, its struggle for survival without having much care, its aggressive growth to get light, air and sun and finally becoming a six-feet high fruit-bearing tree.

There is no direct conversation among the poet, the readers and the other characters in the poem but the presentation of the happenings in the story makes it appear as if the cherry tree is expressing its desires and determinations to the poet. In the beginning of the poem also the poet tells his readers the reason for his sowing the cherry seed and that is given in direct speech as if he is talking to his readers.

It is a time-bound poem since the sowed cherry seed grows into a full-grown tree in a span of eight years. The poet also intermittently, keeps on mentioning about the change of season during the growth of the tree, his stay in Kashmir for one season and finally after his return his feeling of happiness or seeing the fruit-bearing six feet high tree.

Question (ii)
Compose 8 to 10 lines. Narrate any incident in your life without using any rhyming pattern.
Answer:
Speaking Tree

“Look at me. Don’t like to see me? Green and soothing to the eye?”
Somebody called me as I was walking away.
I stopped, looked around, curious to know the speaker,
Herd the voice again, this time with more emotions.
“Have mercy on us, don’t kill us day in and day out”,
Save trees, save environment – everyone’s demand, I suppose,
But who listens? sky scrappers mushroom, higher and higher,
All are happy, no need to think about our fall.
Yet we love you, want to care and serve,
One earth, one planet, with you let’s share.

Question (iii)
Write an appreciation of the poem.
Answer:
The poem ‘Cherry Tree’ is about the poet Ruskin Bond’s excitement over a cherry tree whose seed he planted eight years ago and the steady growth of the plant to a big tree, bearing tender cherries. The existence of the tree is so important for the poet that he has not thought of any other title but the simple ‘Cherry Tree’ to make the tree appear all important.

The poet planted the seed of the cherry just because he wanted to own a plant. The plant grew on its own without much care from anybody except nature and rain, learnt to fight against all odds and was finally successful in bearing tender berries. The poet, after spending a season in Kashmir, came back to get the surprise of a six feet high cherry tree at his door. He felt so attached to the tree that he started spending long hours, from dawn to dusk, in the company of his cherry tree, watching the flora and fauna around it and taking pride for being responsible for the existence of the tree.

The poet used simple language to narrate the birth and growth of his cherry tree. The process is known to all but the narration made it an interesting story. The figures of speech used are all common ones and easy to understand. The beauty of the nature can be enjoyed and appreciated by one and all because of the informal language.

The poet has stuck to the topic of the cherry tree right from the beginning to the end of the poem. Ruskin Bond basically writes for the children and he has not done anything where a child’s attention can be diverted from the cherry tree. The child can easily identify with the feelings and joys of the poem and this gives the poem its exclusivity.

But the poem also has a food for thought, a deeper meaning of struggle for survival, qualities needed to fight back and be a winner, dedication, growth and pride. The cherry’s fight starts at a very young age when it appears difficult because of it small size. But, as it grows up it learns, through experience, to be stronger.

The similar situation happens in human life also. The learning process continues at every young stage of life and makes a person capable of handling the adversities as tactfully as possible. The poet is proud that he has planted the cherry seed which now gives him so much of satisfaction as the parents of an individual feels seeing the success of their child.

It gives me immense pleasure to read and understand the beauty of the poem, The clarity in the language and the lucidity of presentation help me enjoy each and every stage of the growth of the cherry tree. I am able to connect with its struggle and feel related when it wins the race of life.

Question (iv)
Write a summary of the poem using the following points.
• Title
……………………………..
Introductory paragraph (about the poem, type, Nature, tone)
……………………………………………………………..
……………………………………………………………..
• Main body (central idea, gist of the poem)
……………………………………………………………..
……………………………………………………………..

Conclusion (opinion, views, appeal)
……………………………………………………………..
……………………………………………………………..
Answer:
Refer Synopsis

(A6)

Question (i)
Write the poem ‘Cherry Tree’ in the form of a story.
Answer:
Refer Towards Appreciation (1) question (paragraph 1, 2, 3).

Question (ii)
Write in 100 words what the cherry tree in the poem symbolises.
Answer:
The cherry tree symbolises struggle, patience, devotion, growth and responsibility. Just like an individual who faces problems in life, is able to come out of it if he is ready to face it bravely, the cherry tree resists all hazards in its life to grow into a beautiful six feet high fruit-bearing tree. The poet only helped the tree to grow by planting the seed but it was defenseless after that. However, with growth, stability has come into its life. The poet may be suggesting that it can also happen in human life. So, like a parent he feels responsible for its growth.

Question (iii)
You have studied the lesson ‘The Call of the Soil’ from prose 1.3. Compare ‘Cherry Tree’ with ‘The Call of the Soil’ and find out the element of joy of nurturing for the author and the poet.
Answer:
The author of “The Call of the Soil” Mr. Venkateshwaran Iyer, was unsuccessfully searching for the aromatic rice Kasbai for months and suddenly the old lady from a remote village gave him the good news of of having the rice. This revelation from the old lady was indeed very exciting for him. Ever since, he had heard about the rice, he had cherished the dream of growing it and now he could see the possibility of his dream to be fulfilled.

The poet Raskin Bond told the readers the story of his cherry tree whose seed he had planted but forgot to take care of it. After a gap of eight years, when he saw the full-grown tree with fruits on it, his joy, like Mr. Iyer knew no bound. The similarity in both the stories in the element of fulfillment of desire.

(A7)

Project:

Question 1.
Visit the library and collect at least five poems of any Nature poet. Write the poems along their summary.

Yuvakbharati English 11th Digest Chapter 2.1 Cherry Tree Additional Important Questions and Answers

Question 1.
The thought which prompted the poet to plant the cherry seed.
Answer:
The thought which prompted the poet to plant the cherry tree was to have a tree of his own.

Question 2.
The threats to the cherry sapling were –
Answer:
The threats to the cherry sapling were (i) goats (ii) grass cutter (iii) monsoon

State whether the following statements are True or False and correct the false statements.

Question (i)
They destroyed the cherry tree.
Answer:
False. They damaged the cherry sapling but could not destroy it as it had a violent urge to move ahead.

Question (ii)
The cherry tree had an instinct to survive.
Answer:
True

Question (iii)
The blossoms are fragile.
Answer:
True

Question 4.
The poet felt richer because –
Answer:
The poet felt richer because he had a six feet high cherry tree of his own at his door.

Question 5.
The beneficiaries of the cherry tree are –
Answer:

1. The finches, that is, the seed-eating songbirds.
2. The ecstatic bees who drank nectar from each bloom.
3. The moon-moths who took shelter in the tree.
4. The singing crickets who took shelter in the tree.
5. Of course, the poet himself who claims to be the owner of the tree, provides enjoyment for himself as well as other beneficiaries.

Comprehension

Read the extract and complete the activities given below.

Global Understanding:

Question 1.
Complete the web to show the growth of the cherry tree. (Answers are given directly in bold)

Answer:

Question 2.
Describe the struggle of the cherry tree during its growth.
Answer:
The young cherry tree had to really work hard to grow into a full-grown tree. It had pushed itself strongly and aggressively in order to get the benefit of light, air and sun. It had nobody to take care and so it had to make its own effort to fulfill its desire to survive and develop.

Personal Response:

Question 1.
State in about 50 words your worries about cutting of trees for human habitation. Suggest atleast one solution.
Answer:
I understand the necessity of providing place for human habitation but at the same time I am worried about cutting of trees for that purpose which is one of the main causes of environmental pollution. My suggestion is to make it compulsory for all housing societies to plant trees to get ‘No Objection Certificate’.

Creativity:

Question 1.
Without using any rhyming pattern, write a poem of four lines about your enjoyment in thfe company of your friend.
Answer:
My friends are my assets, my lifeline,
our togetherness, everyone’s envy. We fight, we patch up,
we cherish our love and loyalty.
We’re committed to protect our friendship,
protect we must.

Appreciation:

Question 1.
Write a critical appreciation of the extract with the help of the following points. (100 -150 words).

1. About the extract
2. Theme and significance
3. Poetic style, language, features / poetic devices
4. Inspirational message, moral, reflected
5. Your opinion and critical evaluation of the extract.

Answer:
The extract brings out the struggle for survival of the cherry tree which had nobody to take care of it. It also depicts the excitement of the poet when he sees the full-grown tree with ripened berries hanging from it.

The poet has used simple language and common figures of speech like Alliteration, Antithesis to express the process of growth of the cherry tree and his own excitement of seeing the six-feet high tree.

But the extract also draws attention towards the qualities needed to survive and be a winner. The poet appreciates the cherry tree’s process of growth and is proud to own it. His satisfaction comes out very clearly like the proud parents who glow in the glory of their child. The will-power of the young plant to grow and the appreciation of the poet of the fully-grown cherry tree appeal to me immensely as a reader.

Glossary:

1. scythe – mowing and reaping tool with slightly long curved blade attached to a handle used to cut long grass and grain
2. blight – a plant disease typically one caused by fungi
3. shrivelled – wrinkled or shrunken due to lack of moisture
4. dried slender – thin
5. struggle – making forceful against odds
6. thrust – to push with sudden impulse or force
7. fierce – displaying a violent urge
8. lust – strong desire
9. miracle – a welcoming or happy event developing by chance that cannot be explained with reason or science
10. scarcely – almost not
11. ripened (ripen) – became or made ripe
12. jeweled- adorned with jewels
13. blossoms – bloom
14. fragile – weak
15. finches- a small seed-eating songbird flitted – pass lightly softly or rapidly
16. dappled – marked with rounded patches
17. ecstasy – a feeling of greatest happiness
18. nectar – a sweet fluid secreted by plants
19. moon-moths – a large pale long green moth
20. crickets – an insect, characteristic for it is its musical chirping sound.

Balbharti Yuvakbharati English 11th Digest Chapter 1.6 Tiger Hills Notes, Textbook Exercise Important Questions and Answers.

Maharashtra State Board Class 11 English Yuvakbharati Solutions Chapter 1.6 Tiger Hills

11th English Digest Chapter 1.6 Tiger Hills Textbook Questions and Answers

1. Ajoy and Sujoy went to watch a cricket match. They enjoyed it very much, but they missed their friends Vinay and Sunay. Next day, when the four friends met, Ajoy reported how the game was played, how the players performed and how the game ended. Sujoy told them that they missed Vinay and Sunay very much and they were eager to tell them about the enjoyments.

Question (i)
Complete the following sentences:
Answer:
(a) Ajay reported about the strategy of the game, the performance of the players and the way the game had ended.
(b) Sujoy reported about their feeling of missing their other two friends Vinay and Sunay and also about their eagerness to tell them how much they had enjoyed watching the cricket match.

Question (ii)
The word ‘report’ means –
(a) Give a spoken or written account of something.
(b) Cover an event or subject as a journalist or reporter.
Answer:
(a) Give a spoken or written account of something.

2.

Question (i)
Find out the meaning of the following words:
Answer:
(a) Reportage: The reporting of news by the press and the broadcasting media.
(b) Reporter: A person employed to find out informations about the news events and describe them for a newspaper, magazine, radio or television.
(c) Reported Speech: When a speaker’s words are reported in subordinate clauses governed by a reporting verb and the necessary changes of person and tense.
(d) Reportorial: A writer, investigator or presenter of news stories.

Question (ii)
Make a list of the factors which make war stories or war-movies interesting.
Answer:
(a) They are usually based on historical facts.
(b) They need to have a gripping story line.
(c) They help us to understand the risks and sacrifices of the soilders.
(d) They make us realize the importance of peaceful co-existence and the futility of war.

(A1)

Question (i)
Imagine that you are about to interview the writer. Write 10 to 15 questions regarding the operation.
Answer:
On the 20th Anniversary of Kargil war, we remember an armed conflict between India and Pakistan in the Kargil District of Kashmir and elsewhere along the Line of Control. We are fortunate to have in our studio General Ved Prakash Malik, who was the Chief of the Army Staff of India at that time.

Excerpts from the Interview :

1. Good Morning, General Malik ! We are fortunate to have you in our studio on a day which is considered a zed-letter day in Indian history. What is the first word that comes to your mind when Kargil war is mentioned?
2. How confident were you about Indian Victory?
3. Was our Army prepared for such a difficult operation? Please give one or two examples.
4. Your book on ‘Kargil’ says it all. How did you feel while narrating or rather reporting the events of those days?
5. Kargil was the first war in Indian military history when media covered the entire battle live. How did you feel when you watched the coverage?
6. What was your first reaction when this proposal came from media?
7. You must have spent many sleepless nights when your boys were fighting a tough battle in Kargil. Share with us some of your experiences of those days.
8. We have heard many stories of Kargil war like Vikram Batra, ‘Yeh Dil Mange More’. Tell us one or two of your unforgettable memories associated with ‘Operation Vijay’.
9. There must be some memories of disappointments also. How did you handle them?
10. What is your comment on the humanitarian norms maintained even at a time of emergency?
11. How are the families of the Armymen involved when a war like this goes on?
12. What was your first reaction when you heard about the moment of victory?
13. What were your key words to your boys when you talked to them after they successfully accomplished the tough job?
14. My last question to you is what do you want to say to the civilians about their behaviour during a war or a war-like situation?

Thank You very much General Malik for giving your valuable time to our viewers and all of us to make us know so many facts about the Kargil war.

(A2)

Question (i)
Enlist any four facts which made the capturing of Tiger Hill a national challenge.
Answer:

1. The top of the Tiger Hill appeared almost impossible to capture since the enemy position on this mountaintop dominated parts of Srinagar-Kargil-Leh highway.
2. Bad weather and a poor visibility due to darkness were two major hindrances for the Indian Army.
3. Accurate firing by the well-trained enemy soldiers from the southernmost high ground was stalling the Indian Army for some time.
4. Prevention of enemy reinforcements was an urgent necessity to evict the enemy from the Tiger Hill.

Question (ii)
Different arms and ammunitions are mentioned in the excerpt. Find their names.
Answer:
Some of the arms and ammunitions used in the operation Tiger Hill are :

1. Bofors Guns
2. Individual Guns
3. Multi barrelled Grad rocket launchers
4. Mortars
5. Artillery
6. Grenades
7. Field and medium guns

Question (iii)
“Wars are not fought only on the battlefield’. Comment.
Answer:
This statement is true. Since in every walk of life, people have to fight to get their demands fulfilled and justice to prevail. The military war is, of course, fought in the battlefield but the family of the soldiers and the civilians also get involved since the country goes through a difficult phase.

In our day to day life also, we have to fight a number of battles. War against corruption, diseases, price-rise, natural disasters causing immense suffering and the fight one has to do to combat that, are all the wars that are not fought in the actual battlefield. They also have to be fought on the battlefield of life and they are the struggles for survival.

Question (iv)
Make a list of the preparations made for an assault on Tiger Hill.
Answer:
(a) Throughout the last week of June 1999, 18 Grenadiers probed to establish the extent of the enemy’s defences.
(b) They also explored to find out suitable routes for the assault.
(c) After confirming the multidirectional assault as the best strategy, the commanding officer drew up an elaborate artillery fire plan.
(d) Individual guns were ranged so as to cover each objective.
(e) Bofors guns were used in a direct firing role.

Question (v)
Complete the flow chart showing the events on the day of the assault.

Answer:
Question (vi)
Rewrite the given statements in their order of occurrence.
The most difficult task of maintaining the hold on Tiger Hill was achieved in this way :
(a) 8 Sikh was ordered to attack and capture Helmet and India Gate.
(b) Bodies of the Pakistani soldiers were collected and buried appropriately.
(c)During the ferocious artillery duels the Grenadiers hung on their precarious perch with grit and determination.
(d) 8 Sikh fought back successfully two counterattacks with forty to fifty personnel.
(e) An adhoc column of 8 Sikh climbed the steep rock and captured India Gate.
(f) In spite of heavy casualties, 8 Sikh captured Helmet on 5 July.
Answer:
(a) During the ferocious artillery duels the Grenadiers hung on their precarious perch with grit and determination.
(b) 8 Sikh was ordered to attack and capture Helmet and India Gate.
(c) An adhoc column of 8 Sikh climbed the steep rock and captured India Gate.
(d) In spite of heavy casualties, 8 Sikh captured Helmet on 5th July.
(e) 8 Sikh fought back successfully two counterattacks with forty to fifty personnel.
(f) Bodies of Pakistani soldiers were collected and buried appropriately.

(A3)

Question (i)
Find out the meanings of the following idioms / phrases and use them in your own sentences.
Answer:

1. To hit the bull’s eye – get something exactly right.
   The reporter’s comments on the negligence of the authority hit the bull’s eve.
2. To be taken by surprise – to shock someone by one’s sudden appearance on action.
   The enemy soldiers were taken by surprise when our soldiers attacked them suddenly.
3. To get a toehold – to get an initial, stable position to proceed further.
   My friend is trying to get a toehold in the entertainment industry by doing modelling.
4. Under the cover of – hidden or protected by
   The freedom fighters carried on many of their attacks under the cover of darkness.

Question (ii)
Find words from the text related to the war affairs.
Answer:
Brigadier, commander, capture, evicting, enemy, defense, mission, Mountain Brigade, artillery, combat, Grenadiers, strategy, assault, field, regiment, guns, The Air Force, military, target, company, infantry, captain, firefighting, duels, commando, hand-to-hand fight, bombardment, counterattack, battle, courage, reinforcements, Major, Lieutenant, soldiers, Subedar, casualties, Naib, Subedar, recapture, outcome, valour, victory.

(A4)

Question (i)
Find out the sentence with ‘Though, Although, Even though or But’ from the text and say its purpose.
Answer:
Although 18 Grenadiers held the top now, linking up with them was not so easy. Though/Although are subordinating conjunction which is used to introduce a subordinate clause and it needs a main clause to make it complete.

Question (ii)
Put ‘a/an’ or ‘the’ at proper places. Put a cross (x) where no article is applicable.
Answer:

1. Ravi walked up to the principal’s cabin.
2. Ahmed lives in a small town.
3. Can I use × Cell Phone?
4. Who’s the woman in your office?
5. I need an English-Marathi dictionary.

(A5)

Question (i)
Imagine you are one of the soldiers from 18 Grenadiers on the mission Tiger Hill. Narrate your experience of the war to your friend.
Answer:
Today I get goosebumps when I narrate to you about our mission Tiger Hill. Thankfully, at that time we were mentally alert and were prepared to combat our enemy. Now, I can refer to the incident as a ‘story’ but it is a reality to fight for the honour of our Motherland. I was one of the members or I should say soldiers of 18 Grenadiers who were assigned the mission of capturing the Tiger Hill with 8 Sikh, which was already posted at the base.

Moreover, a crack-team, that is, a highly specialized team of soldiers who could respond quickly and smartly, were with us to assist. We found out the extent of our enemy’s strength and searched for the suitable routes to attack. I still remember, on 3rd July, 1999, at 7pm, we started our multidirectional attack with the support of our fire power of artillery and mortars. You can’t imagine how bad the weather was.

There was darkness all around and it was extremely cold. In spite of all adversities, we were successful in holding the top of the Tiger Hill, but connecting with other companies was very difficult. The enemy camp also came out of their initial surprise and fierce counterattacks started immediately. Casualties were many and the numbers were increasing, but by God’s grace we could hold on the top, facing all dangers.

I must say here that my colleague Grenadier Yogender Singh Yadav and his team showed exceptional courage. 8 Sikh team decided another strategy of stopping the supply route to our enemy and that worked wonders.

To cut a long story short, finally the entire mission was accomplished on 3rd July, 1999 at night. We captured the Tiger Hill Top, though heavy fighting was still going on. But the enemy was unable to dislodge us and we won this fierce battle, thank God !

Today, as I narrated the happenings of those days, my eyes were filled with tears. We have won the Kargil war, our operation Vijay, but I have lost many of my friends. I salute those martyrs. They are the bravehears who sacrificed their lives to safeguard the prestige of our dear Motherland, India.

Question (ii)
Would you like to join Indian Army/Navy/ Air force? If not, suggest other ways in which you could serve your nation.
Answer:
I may not join Indian Army / Navy / Air Force but I want to be a teacher and facilitate all round development , of my students. I believe ‘Examples are better than precept’ .

So, I shall never try to preach, but follow certain principles in my own life to motivate the students to become not only sincere in studies but be good human beings to be assets to the nation. The bravehearts who captured the Tiger Hill Top by sheer grit and determination have taught me the lesson of hard work, perseverance and devotion. I shall try to inspire my students to achieve these qualities to be pillars which will hold the nation strongly.

Question (iii)
Report Writing:

Question (i)
Study the web diagram and write the characteristics of report writing.
Answer:
A report should present factual and unbiased informations in brief and then analyze the facts. The reporter need to convert the comments of a person in indirect speech. He/she should always write a report in past tense and use passive voice.

Question (a)
You are Sharad Mathur, the General Secretary of the Sports Club of your college. Write a brief report of the Annual Sports activities for the college magazine.
Answer:
Annual Sports Activities 2019-20

Sharad Mathur.
(General Secretary, Sports Club)

27 December 2019

The sports club of xyz college, Ghatkopar had planned Annual Sports Activities for the academic session 2019-2020.

A variety of indoor and outdoor games were listed and our principals Dr. Atul Shanbag had approved the entire list. The professor-in-charge for sports, Shri Pankj Malhotra and his team of students had arranged for Inter-Collegiate Sports meet also where many colleges from Mumbai and its suburbs were invited to participate. The response was overwhelming. But, -before that, many intra college competitions were organized for our students to get enough practice.

Sports events were planned for the teachers also where teachers from other colleges in our college campus participated. These activities were interesting and the students enjoyed a lot.

As General Secretary of the Sports Club, I thank our principal, sports teacher and all the teachers of our college as well as teachers of our college campus and my dear fellow students for making the sports activities of their academic year, a grand success.

Question (b)
Your school organised ‘Van Mahotsav Day’ recently. Write in about 100 to 150 words a report to be published in the school magazine.
Answer:
Van Mahotsav Celebration

XYZ
Secretary, Green Earth

6 June 2019

Van Mahotsav was celebrated by Green Earth, the environment club of our college with a lot of interest from the students on 5th June, the World Environment Day. The Mayor of Mumbai, was the Chief Guest and she planted a sapling on the college compound. The principal Ms. Shobha Patil urged the students and the teachers to plant more trees and to launch a campaign to save the environment.

Speaking on the occasion, Mayor Ms. Chande told that God had created environment and human beings to stay in harmony with each other. But unfortunately the imbalance between the two was disturbing. We should join hands to remove this imbalance.

Students of XIth standard presented a street play on saving the environment. A Cultural Programme concentrating on environment-friendly topics, was presented by the students. The programme ended with the vote of thanks offered by the secretary of the Environment Club of the college, who expressed his gratitude to everybody present there for encouraging such awareness drive.

Question (c)
You are the secretary of the NSS unit of your college. Write a brief report of the Blood Donation Camp arranged by your unit.
Answer:
Blood Donation Camp, 2019

Sushant Mehta
Secretary, NSS Unit

27 June 2019

The NSS unit of our college organized a blood donation camp on 24th June,2019 at 9am in the college premises. Dr. Ashok Patel, the eminent surgeon of KEM Hospital. Was the chief guest.

The programme started with the college prayer. NSS Convenor, Shri Ashish Chopra Sir, welcomed the chief guest and introduced him. Our principal, in her speech, thanked the respected chief guest, for sparing his valuable time to motivate the donors, for the noble cause.

Dr. Patel, in his simple but motivating words made the donors aware that blood donation was safe for healthy adult and there was no risk for contracting diseases as new sterile equipments are used for each donor. He also informed that the donor’s body usually replaced the liquid part of blood within 72 hours after giving blood. He advised the donors to take healthy meal, plenty of water and to have a good night’s sleep. One of the members of the NSS Unit offered Vote of thanks. The Blood Donation Camp was grand success because of the overwhelming response from the student donors and some of our teachers.

Yuvakbharati English 11th Digest Chapter 1.6 Tiger Hills Additional Important Questions and Answers

Question 1.
During the war the soldiers need to plan strategies.
1. Find the strategies planned.
2. Find some words related with such strategies.
Answer:
1. The strategies planned were:
(a) A thorough investigation to find out the extent of the enemy’s defenses
(b) To look out for the probable routes of the attac k
(e) Drawing of a detailed fire plan of the heavy weapons by the commanding officers
(d) Individual guns were ranged to cover each target
(e) Bofors guns were used in a direct firing with accuracy
2. Words related with such strategies are: scout, probe, enemy’s defences, suitable route, strategy, fire plan, direct firing, assault, targeted, accuracy.

Question 2.
The enemy was taken aback due to the steps taken by the Indian Army. With the help of the text find out strategies of the Indian Army for such a situation.
Answer:
Captain Sachin Nimbalkar who was leading ‘D’ company, moved ahead with his company in a steep slope at the edge of the plateau ignoring darkness and bad weather. The enemy could never imagine that this could be made possible by the Indian soldiers and naturally they were surprised. There was another surprise waiting for the enemy when Lieutenant Balwan Singh along with ‘C’ Company and Ghatak (Commando) platoon could reach through one of the most difficult north eastern extension of the mountain, just thirty meters away from the top.

Both these approaches caught the enemy unaware and the Indian Army achieved their objective. Media supported and assisted the battle live. Guess the risks of the media people as well as of the army. The live coverage of media has its pros and cons. It is indeed a sign of progress and helps the army to access their strategies at the break of the war or after the war.

But too much of transparency can create confusion and invite criticism from the world around. Of course, there are always the risks of loss of lives as well as severe injuries of the civilian media people who might not have proper military training.

A great humanitarian norm is maintained during the battle. Find out and comment on it. At the time of war, it is important to remember basic humanitarian principles of life and the Indian Army has done exactly that while handling the casualties in the battle of Kargil.

Pakistani Captain Karnal Sher Khan lost his life in the counterattack from Indian Army. His body was handed over to Pakistani authorities with due respect. Other bodies of the deceased Pakistani soldiers, which were lying all over the battleground, were collected and cremated appropriately with the proper honour, a martyr deserved. The narrator uses selective words to express the Victory. They are:

1. Jubilation
2. Relief
3. Replaced gloomy mood of the people
4. Stabilized Situation.

Comprehension

Read the extract and complete the activities given below.

Global Understanding:

Question 1.
Rewrite the given statements in their order of occurance:
(i) 18 Grenadiers probed to scout for suitable routes for the assault.
(ii) A crack team assisted both 18 Grenadiers and 8 Sikh.
(iii) Air Force joined Tiger Hill Mission on 2-3 July.
(iv) Media Projected Mission Tiger Hill as a national challenge.
Answer:
(iv) Media Projected Mission Tiger Hill as a national challenge.
(ii) A crack team assisted both 18 Grenadiers and 8 Sikh.
(i) 18 Grenadiers probed to scout for suitable routes for the assault.
(iii) Air Force joined Tiger Hill Mission on 2-3 July.

Say whether the following statements are true or false and correct the false statements.

Question (i)
The bodies of the Pakistani Soldiers were handed over to the Pakistani authorities.
Answer:
False. The bodies of the Pakistani soldiers were collected and buried appropriately.

Question (ii)
The writer got the news of the captured hill in the early morning.
Answer:
True

Question (iii)
When the Defence Minister landed at the New Delhi airport, the writer gave him the exciting news.
Answer:
False. The Defense Minister landed at the Amritsar airport

Question (iv)
The Indians were in a gloomy mood when the war was going on.
Answer:
True

Complex Factual

Question 1.
Why did the media project Tiger Hill Mission as a national heritage?
Answer:
The clear visibility of the top of the Tiger Hill from the highway posed a big challenge for the Army. Not only was it exposed to everybody but the level of difficulty could also be felt before the beginning of the mission. That made the media come to the conclusion of referring Tiger Hill Mission, a challenge for the nation since all the activities of the soldiers could be seen.

Question 2.
Why was the writer keen to make the announcement on 4th July.
Answer:
The writer was keen to make the announcement of the recapture of the Tiger Hill to the world as a meeting was scheduled on the same day between the Prime Minister of Pakistan and the President of the USA. As Pakistan always denied the existence of such a mountain feature labelling it as a figment of Indian imagination, it was important for the world to know the reality, making Pakistani denial impossible.

Inference / Interpretation / Analysis

Question 1.
Make a list of four strategies that were planned for Mission Tiger Hill.
Answer:
The strategies planned were:

1. A thorough investigation to find out the extent of the enemy’s defenses
2. To look out for the probable routes of the attack
3. Drawing of a detailed fire plan of the heavy weapons by the commanding officers
4. Individual guns were ranged to cover each target

Question 2.
Why did the writer decide to wait for the announcement of the capture of the Tiger Hill? Explain. Answer:
The writer, after consulting to GOC 15 Corps and Nirmal Chander Vij decided to wait for officer’s announcement of the victory since heavy fighting was going on. There was still no confirmation from GOC 8 Mountain Division who was at the forefront. So, the writer decided for the authentic news to come to him from somebody who was at the war front.

Personal Response:

Question 1.
Explain whether you support live media coverage of the war.
Answer:
Yes, I agree with General Malik when he talks about transparency through the live media coverage. It is definitely a sign of progress and must be helpful for the Army for the assessment of their strategies. But, at the same time, live media coverage can create confusion which the reporters need to be careful about.

Question 2.
Express your feeling after reading the passage.
Answer:
I feel proud about Indian soldiers who took risks to save the pride of our Motherland. I am also extremely impressed by the respect showed to the enemy soldiers who also laid their lives for their country. I respect the way the writer has shown his responsibility to make an official announcement.

Language Study:

Question (i)
A simultaneous multidirectional assault emerged as the best strategy.
(Use the word ‘Good’and rewrite)
Answer:
No other strategy emerged as good as a simultaneous multidirectional assault.

Question (ii)
The Air Force targeted Tiger Hill on 2-3 July and hit the bull’s eye several times. (Use ‘Not only But also’and rewrite)
Answer:
Not only did the Air Force target Tiger Hill on 2-3 July but also hit the bull’s eyes several times.

Question (iii)
In India, wave of jubilation and relief replaced the gloomy mood of the people.
(Use ‘not only but also’)
Answer:
In India, not only a wave of jubilation but also relief replaced the gloomy mood of the people.

Question (iv)
The enemy would not be able to dislodge 18 Grenadiers. (Remove Negative)
Answer:
The enemy would be unable to dislodge 18 Grenadiers.

Vocabulary:

Question 1.
Pick up some names of the artillery used for Mission Tiger Hill.
Answer:
Bofors guns, rocket launchers, field and medium guns, mortars.

Question 2.
Give noun forms of the following adding suffixes.

1. confirm
2. bury
3. collect
4. consult

Answer:

1. Confirmation
2. burial
3. collection
4. consultation

Grammar:

Question 1.
Use of a/an/the
a/an – Indefinite articles
‘a’ is used with consonents and ‘an’ is used with vowels, that is, with the letters, ‘a,e,i,o,u’. They are used when we mention something for the first time, e.g., ‘And on the mountain stands a tree’.
But, ‘the’, a definite article, is used with something already mentioned, e.g., ‘And on the tree there is a branch’.

Glossary:

1. majestically – with impressive beauty
2. vicinity – surrounding area
3. features – characteristics
4. projected – predicted
5. episode – incident / event
6. assigned – allotted / given
7. grenadiers – soldiers armed with Grenades
8. crack – team – highly specialized team who can do things quickly and smartly
9. combat – action / battle
10. scout – look out
11. spell – a short period
12. elaborate – detailed
13. assault – strike / hit
14. mortars – short, smooth bore-guns
15. transparency – clarity / openness
16. artillery – heavy weapons
17. intermediate – middle / in-between
18. negotiate – arrange / work out
19. steep – sharp
20. inclement – cold / chilly
21. orchestrated – planned
22. duels – Fight between two people to settle a point
23. bombardment – shelling
24. wore off – lessened / faded
25. gearing up – preparing for an activity
26. casualties – losses / deaths
27. grit – courage
28. evict – oust / remove
29. reinforcements – extra persons sent to increase the strength of the army
30. platoon – squad / unit
31. reverse – backwards
32. scattered – spread over large area
33. dislodge – remove / displace
34. confirmation – support
35. outcome – result
36. a figment of imagination – something made up / created by one’s mind
37. jubilation – joy / great happiness
38. gloomy – depressing / cheerless
39. acquitted – conducted oneself
40. velour – courage
41. battalion – army / contingent / unit
42. adjacent – situated near or close to something,
43. evicting: to remove somebody from a house or land, especially with the support of law
44. well- fortified – to strengthen a place well against attack
45. mission – a particular task done by a person or a group a particular aim or duty that one wants to fulfill more than anything else
46. protrusion – a thing that extends from the place or from the surface something that sticks out,spur- an area of high ground extending from a mountain or hill
47. escarpment – a long,steep slope at the edge of a plateau
48. precarious – not safe,dangerous,
49. perch – a high seat or position
50. adhoc – adv- when necessary or needed
51. tenure – the act or a period of holding an important, especially political position

Balbharti Yuvakbharati English 11th Digest Chapter 1.5 Mrs. Adis Notes, Textbook Exercise Important Questions and Answers.

Maharashtra State Board Class 11 English Yuvakbharati Solutions Chapter 1.5 Mrs. Adis

11th English Digest Chapter 1.5 Mrs. Adis Textbook Questions and Answers

(i) Share your opinions/feelings about a stranger who has a villainous look/ appearance.

Question 1.
The feeling of a person when he commits a mistake are –
Answer:

1. He tries to justify it
2. He tries to hide it
3. He tries to get sympathy
4. He becomes offensive as offence is the best form of defense
5. He pretends to be innocent

Question (ii)
The person who makes a mistake or commits a crime should be punished because –
Answer:

1. He should not repeat his mistake.
2. He can misunderstand forgiveness as weakness.
3. The punishment can reform his character as he may feel ashamed and repentant.
4. The punishment will be an example to others not to commit such crimes.
5. The punishment may save him from being a hardcore anti social.

(A1)

Question (i)
Describe the atmosphere in the woods when Peter Crouch was heading towards Mrs. Adis’s house. It was –
Answer:
(a) A dark moonless night.
(b) A night without even a twilight and the only light seen was the light from the stars far away on the black sky.
(c) A soundless, windless, clear night where only the sound of the dogs barking and a man’s own footsteps could be heard.

Question (ii)
Peter Crouch didn’t knock before entering Mrs. Adis’s house, because –
Answer:

• he was in trouble.
• he did not want anybody to know that he had entered the house.
• he knew he had shot a man.

Question (iii)
Find the reasons that forced Peter to shoot down a person
Answer:
The reasons that forced peter to shoot down a person were:

• The keepers spotted him
• He was scared that the keepers would arrest him for hunting the rabbits
• He knew that it was too dark a night for the keepers to recognize him

Question (iv)
Mrs. Adis didn’t hand over Peter Crouch to the keepers because –
Answer:

1. She knew he was a good friend of her son Tom
2. She believed that Peter would never have harmed Tom knowingly because of their friendship
3. Probably she thought Tom would not have liked his friend to be arrested because of his mother and anyway her dead son would not come back even if Peter was arrested.

(A2)

Question 1.
The writer has used a phrase ‘Thudding Heart’ which means pounding, or beating of heart, Do you know ‘Thud’ is an onomatopoeic word which means a heavy sound made by an object falling to the ground. Discuss with your partner and make a list of Onomatopoeic words that you find in the text.

1. …………..
2. ………….
3. ………….

Answer:

1. Crackling
2. Rustling
3. Dragging

(A3)

Question 1.
‘She went to one of the kitchen drawers’.
Look at the sentence carefully. The underlined word tells us that she went (some time ago) to a particular place (at one of the kitchen drawers). Now write what you did ‘yesterday’ and what your friend did ‘yesterday’. Complete the table.
Answer:

YOU	ABOUT
I saw a Movie	He / She wrote an essay
I went out for dinner with my family in my favourite restaurant	He / She played with friends
I did my home work	He / She watched TV
I went out to play	He / She talked over the phone to one of our friends
I watched a movie in Netflix	He / She played with his/ her sibling
I spent time with my grand parents	He / She studied
I talked to my father about the happenings in my school	He / She had dinner and read a story book lying on the bed

(A4)

Question 1.
Imagine your friend/younger brother or sister has committed a grave mistake that has resulted in a great loss to the college property or to your family. He/she seeks your advice to come out of the situation/problem. Write a dialogue between you and your friend/brother/sister who describes the entire situation and seeks help from you. Take help of the following points.

• Introduction
• Confessing the mistake
• Seeking help
• Your advice/suggestion
• Concluding part

Answer:
Saikat: Hi buddy ! How are you? Didn’t see you yesterday, Kunal. Where were you?
Eunal: I was playing football. In fact, I was also looking out for you after the game, but couldn’t find you.
Saikat: Kunal, in fact I need to talk to you about something serious.
Kunal: Serious? What’s it? You Look worried too! Tell me. Let’s see whether we can solve the problem together.
Saikat: I had borrowed a book from the library and I lost it. Somebody picked it up from my bag. I should have been more careful about a library-book. I can’t even tell my mummy about it, she’ll scold me for being careless. I really don’t know what to do. At present I don’t have enough money to buy the book and return it to the library, confessing my mistake.
Kunal: But you have no choice. You must inform the librarian and let him decide what step should be taken. You also should tell aunty what actually has happened. I’m sure, aunty will help you come out of this problem. Truth has no alternative. The mistake has happened may be unknowingly. But you must not hide it from your mother. If required, I will come to your place to talk to aunty. But first, come with me. Let’s write a letter to our librarian with a copy to the principal.
Saikat: You always come out with reasonable solutions. I will do as you have told me. It sounds quite logical. Why don’t you come home so that I get confidence to talk to mummy.
Kunal: I will have to inform my mother too. Otherwise she will be worried. But, our first job is to write the letter.
Saikat: Ok. Thank you so much.
Kunal: It will be my pleasure if I can help you solve your problem.

(A5)

Question 1.
The best punishment is ‘forgiveness’. Discuss the sentence in the light of the text you have read. You can make use of following points.

1. Forgiveness provides opportunity to change the behaviour.
2. Forgiveness leads to repentance.
3. A person may commit a mistake / crime impulsively or under the force of strong emotions.
4.  ……………………………………………….
5. …………………………………………………

Answer:
Forgiveness

No one is perfect in this world as the saying goes, “To err is human, to forgive divine”. Committing mistake is not a crime. Understanding that the mistake has been committed is more important than moving towards the path of changing behaviour. In fact, identifying the mistake, recognizing it as a mistake is necessary for a person to reform. And if we can be successful in helping a person to reform his / her character by granting forgiveness, it also helps us to come out of a sense of guilt.

He / She has fallen down, we can be the facilitators for him / her to get up and start afresh. Moreover, revenge can never wipe out crime but it can definitely increase hostility. Forgiveness also helps us to come out of a feeling of guilt. But a hardcore criminal who harms innocent people knowingly and intentionally, should not be spared just by forgiveness.

Yuvakbharati English 11th Digest Chapter 1.5 Mrs. Adis Additional Important Questions and Answers

Question 1.
The writer describes Mrs. Adis as –
Answer:

1. A small woman
2. A woman of not more than forty two years
3. A thin woman with a brown hard face
4. Having dried skin on the face that caused wrinkles

Question 2.
Mrs. Adis asks Peter Crouch whether he has had quarrel with the keepers. This shows that –
Answer:

1. She was extremely intelligent
2. She was quite observant
3. She was alert and quick in thinking

Question 3.
“That was the keepers”… make trouble” (Refer textbook page 47)
List some characteristics of Mrs. Adis based on the incident of the passage.
Answer:

1. Helpful
2. Kind
3. Matter-of-Fact
4. Loved her son very dearly
5. Practical

Question 4.
Viider guessed that Crouch has taken refuge in Mrs. Adis’ house because –
Answer:
Vildar must have guessed the nearby places where it was possible for Crouch to hide. Crouch thought that Vilder’s guess was correct since he had come to the right place. Crouch also felt that the keepers had followed him to reach the exact destination.

Question 5.
“There’s been a row”- the row took place because –
Answer:
A man was trying to hunt rabbits and the keepers could hear the noise of it. The man thought they did not see him because of the darkness, the man probably had seen them. So, he ran away as the keepers had scared him.

Question 6.
Mrs. Adis unlocked the door because –
Answer:
She wanted Crouch to leave her place safely as Crouch was a good friend of her son Tom. She wanted to respect the friendship of her dead son. Crouch was the killer of her son but punishing him could not get her son Tom back.

Question 7.
Then silently, each ‘wrung’ the mother by the hand and went away. Guess the meaning, ‘wrung’ here.
Answer:
‘Wrung’ here means holding the mothers hand tightly to give her assurance of their co-operation.

Question 8.
Find the difference between : shivering and trembling
Answer:
Shivering and trembling do have similar meanings but there is difference in their usage sometimes. For Example, we generally do not say that “He was trembling in cold” we use ‘Shivering’ in such a sentence. But we usually use the expression “The leaves tremble (and not ‘shiver’) in the breeze.

Comprehension

Read the extract and complete the activities given below.

Global Understanding:

Question 1.
Arrange the events according to their occurrence in the passage :
(i) Peter did not knock because he did not want anybody to hear.
(ii) Peter could see Mrs. Adis lend over the fire, taking some pot or kettle off it.
(iii) Peter wanted to stay in Mrs. Adis’s house for sometime.
(iv) Mrs. Adis kept the kettle at the side of the fire as it boiled over.
Answer:
(ii) Peter could see Mrs. Adis lend over the fire, taking some pot or kettle off it.
(i) Peter did not knock because he did not want anybody to hear.
(iv) Mrs. Adis kept the kettle at the side of the fire as it boiled over.
(iii) Peter wanted to stay in Mrs. Adis’s house for sometime.

Question 2.
Complete the table.
Answer:

Characters	Characteristics
1. Peter	(a) Extremely Fearful (b) Grateful to Mrs. Adis
2. Mrs. Adis	(a) Matter-of-Fact (b) Helpful

Question 3.
Whatever Mrs. Adis’s justifications in favour of Peter?
Answer:
Mrs. Adis wanted to justify to the keepers that even if Peter had killed Tom, he must have done it unknowingly as they were good friends. But she did not want to face the killer of her son and wanted him to leave silently.

Complex Factual

Question 1.
How did Peter Crouch confess to Mrs. Adis.
Answer:
Peter Crouch accepted to Mrs. Adis that he had shot a man and did not know whether that man was dead. He confessed that he had not knocked at Mrs. Adis’s door as he did not want anybody to know that he was there. The keepers were chasing him.

Question 2.
Why didn’t the man speak for a moment?
Answer:
The man was surprised that Mrs. Adis was helping him so much in spite of knowing very well that he was hiding from the keepers. She figured out the route for him to escape so that, the keepers could not see him. She even paid him the train fare to go to London as he did not have any money. He was speechless for a moment since he was trying to guess the reason for her kindness towards him.

Inference / Interpretation / Analysis

Question 1.
“I didn’t want anybody to hear”
This sentence implied –
Answer:
1. Peter entered Mrs. Adis’s house without knocking because he did not want anybody to hear the knock and find out his whereabouts.
2. Peter was running away from the keepers as he had shot a man. He wanted to take shelter at Mrs, Adis’s place for sometime and would escape at a convenient time.

Question 2.
Point out two instances when the man felt that Mrs. Adis was an intelligent lady.
Answer:
1. Mrs. Adis told the man to leave her house immediately after the keepers had crossed the house and she also instructed him to take the opposite direction so that the keepers would not be able to see him.
2. Mrs. Adis wanted the man to leave her house before Tom came back as she was expecting Tom to bring one of his friends. She wanted to arrow a situation when tom might suspect something wrong after seeing that man at her place.

Question 3.
Explain why Peter went out silently without talking to Mrs. Adis.
Answer:
Peter knew that he had committed a glare crime of killing his friend Tom, he might have done it unknowingly but he could feel the loss of Mrs. Adis. Tom was her only son and Peter, being his friend, knew about their attachment. He was repentant and could understand that he had no word to console Mrs. Adis who, in spite of losing her son, saved him. So he went out silently without disturbing Mrs. Adis.

Personal Response

Question 1.
What characteristics of Mrs. Adis, form the passage, do you admire the most? Justify your answer.
Answer:
I appreciate the calmness of Mrs. Adis the most in a difficult situation when a criminal was standing in front of her, she did not lose her cool and maintained her patience. She was obviously disturbed by Peter’s presence lent did not take any hasty decision.

Question 2.
Explain whether you support Mrs. Adis of saving a criminal from the keepers.
Answer:
Yes, I support Mrs. Adis because she has saved the man from the keeper just for the sake of her love towards her son Tom. She has also felt that the man has not committed a grave crime and can be given a chance to save himself. I respect a mother’s love and sentiment for her child’s friend.

Question 3.
What according to you, Mrs. Adis should have ideally done? Explain your answer.
Answer:
I think Mrs. Adis had taken the right decision of allowing Peter to go. She, being the mother of Tom who had been shot dead by Peter, could have ideally handled over the culprit in the hands of the keepers. But that would not have brought back Tom to her. So, she decided to give Peter a chance to reform as Tom probably would have done and she wanted to respect her son’s sentiment at that moment.

Language Study:

Question (i)
He changed his mind and went to the door. (Remove ‘and’)
Answer:
Changing his mind he went to the door.

Question (ii)
He could see Mrs. Adis stooping over the fire. (Replace the modal auxiliary with ‘be able to)
Answer:
He was able to see Mrs. Adis stooping over the fire.

Question (iii)
That was the keepers. (Use past perfect tense and rewrite)
Answer:
That had been the keepers.

Question (iv)
He was roused by the sound of footsteps on the road. (Begin with ‘The sound…’ and rewrite)
Answer:
The sound of footsteps on the road roused him.

Question (v)
The only thing he could possibly do.
Answer:
He could not possibly do anything else, (or) Nothing else he could possibly do. (Make negative)

Question (vi)
She did not come in.
Answer:
She had not come in. (Use past perfect tense)

Vocabulary

Question 1.
Give adjective forms of the following :

1. silence
2. quarrel
3. trouble
4. moment

Answer:

1. silent
2. quarrelsome
3. troublesome
4. momentary

Question 2.
Give the meaning of the word ‘Fare’ as a noun and as a verb. Make two sentences of your own to show the word having two different meanings.
1. Fare (Noun): Price
We cannot afford the air fare to go abroad.
2. Fare (Verb) : Progress
Sushant fared well in Mathematics.

Question 3.
Give antonyms

1. better
2. heavy
3. dead
4. glad

Answer:

1. worse
2. light
3. alive
4. sad/depressed

Glossary:

1. gleam – shine brightly
2. twilight – soft glowing light from the sky
3. distinct – clear
4. knell – sound of a bell especially for death or funeral
5. sourly – in an unfriendly way
6. sobbing – crying
7. tremble and shiver – tremble in fear/shiver in cold
8. leaden – heavy / weighty
9. thudding – pounding / dull sound
10. have a row (Phr) – to fight with someone
11. sparing – refraining from harming
12. despair – hopelessness
13. bolted – locked
14. reckon – believe
15. wrung – held something tightly
16. doze – sleep tightly
17. roused – awakened
18. on the threshold (Phr) – at the beginning of something / very close to something
19. Sussex – a county in the south of England
20. tongue of land – a long stretch of land branching out from the mainroad
21. hammer-woods – wood (forest)- described as ‘hammer’ because in the past, iron used to be made using timber and water
22. hammerponds – ponds
23. pricks of fire – stars
24. Delmonden – name of a village close at hand: very near
25. cinder Wood – name of wood
26. beseechingly – appealingly
27. huddled down – shrink oneself
28. Cansiron – name of a town where there is a railway station
29. unwilling shrug – to reluctantly raise shoulders slightly
30. momentary – for a brief period of time
31. dulling – not interesting or exciting
32. Scotney Castle – (a fort) name of a castle
33. refuge – shelter
34. tongue tied – speechlessmade off ran away
35. sacked – dismissed

Balbharti Yuvakbharati English 11th Digest Chapter 1.4 Pillars of Democracy Notes, Textbook Exercise Important Questions and Answers.

Maharashtra State Board Class 11 English Yuvakbharati Solutions Chapter 1.4 Pillars of Democracy

11th English Digest Chapter 1.4 Pillars of Democracy Textbook Questions and Answers

1. Discuss with your partner and choose the correct alternative.

Question (i)
‘Government of the people, by the people and for the people, shall not perish from the earth’. This famous statement is made by –
(a) Mahatma Gandhi
(b) Nelson Mandela
(c) Abraham Lincoln
(d) Dalai Lama
Answer:
Abraham Lincoln

Question (ii)
A system where the government is elected and ruled by people is called —
(a) Bureaucracy
(b) Aristocracy
(c) Democracy
(d) Autocracy
Answer:
Democracy

Question (iii)
A democratic country is governed by, its –
(a) Military
(b) Police
(c) Politicians
(d) Constitution
Answer:
Constitution

2.

Question (i)
The trinity of democracy comprises of three principles. Complete the web to show the trinity of democracy.

Answer:

Question (ii)
Match the following.

 

A	B
1. Constitution	(a) It is the freedom to go where you want, do what you want etc.
2. Liberty	(b) It is the state of being equal, especially in status, rights or opportunities.
3. Equality	(c) It is the sense of common brotherhood.
4. Fraternity	(d) It is an aggregate of fundamental principles or established precedents that constitute the legal basis of a polity, organization or other type of entity and commonly determine how that entity is to be governed.

Answer:

A	B
1. Constitution	(d) It is an aggregate of fundamental principles or established precedents that constitute the legal basis of a polity, organization or other type of entity and commonly determine how that entity is to be governed.
2. Liberty	(a) It is the freedom to go where you want, do what you want etc.
3. Equality	(b) It is the state of being equal, especially in status, rights or opportunities.
4. Fraternity	(c) It is the sense of common brotherhood.

Question (iii)
Explain the pillars of a democratic nation. Make list of obstacles that are a threat to the progress of a nation.
Answer:
The pillars of a democratic nation are:
1. Legislative: In a democratic nation, the people of the country elect their representatives that govern a state or a country.
2. Executives: Executives, as the name suggests, are in-charge of putting the laws made by the legislatives in effect.
3. Judiciary: The job of the judiciary is to keep a check on the laws made by the legislative and their execution or fulfillment by the executives without disturbing the fundamental rights of the citizens of the country.
4. Press: All types of media have a responsibility of reaching to the people all over the country, the works of the legislatives and the executive and their basic duty is to be unbiased.

Major obstacles that are threats to the progress of a nation are:

1. Caste and religion-based politics.
2. Disrespect for the constitution values.
3. Absence of universal education which makes people unaware of their basic rights and duties.
4. Huge gap between haves and have-nots- lack of qualitative resources to the poor.
5. Constant threat of the attack of enemy countries.

(A1)

Question (i)
State weather the following statements are true or false. Correct the false statement.

1. There is nothing wrong in being grateful to great men.
2. Hero-worship leads to dictatorship.
3. Liberty cannot be divorced from equality.
4. One man one vote and one vote one value.
5. Fraternity means common sense.

Answer:

1. True
2. True
3. True
4. True
5. False.

Fraternity means a sense of common brotherhood The correct statement is – Fraternity means a sense of common brotherhood.

Question (ii)
Complete the web with information from the speech of Dr. B.R. Ambedkar.

Answer:

(A2)

Question (i)
Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar has cited the quotes by John Stuart Mill and Daniel O’Connell. Write down 4 to 5 lines for each of them.
Answer:
(i) John Stuart Mill was an English philosopher and economist who was considered to be the most powerful British thinker of the 19th Century. Mill’s philosophy concentrates on establishing standards for the relationship between authority and liberty. It also advocates freedom of speech, freedom to pursue taste as long as they do not harm others and the freedom to unite without being forced and harming anybody. Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar agreed with Stuart Mill’s views on social liberty where people should have the right to have a say in the governments decision.

(ii) Daniel O’Connell who was often referred to as ‘The Liberator’ was an Irish political leader in the first half of the 19th Century. His philosophy has inspired leaders all over the world including Mahatma Gandhi and Martin Luther King. He advocated mass political participation and was very much against idealizing somebody at the cost of ones own honour, chastity or liberty. Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar felt that this Principle of Refraining from hero-worship propagated by Daniel O’Connell is badly needed in India and he agreed with Daniel who felt such kind of loyalty was actually slavery.

Question (ii)
Make a list of steps that you feel are essential to unite the people of different caste, religions and languages in India.
Answer:
India is a progressive nation but the directions of dividing India according to caste, religions and languages have still kept her handicapped. The possible remedies, I feel, to cure India from these diseases to make her stable and secure may be:
(i) Education for all irrespective of not only caste, creed, religion but also of gender.
(ii) Creation of job opportunities according to one’s abilities.
(iii) Provision for reservation to depend on the financial condition rather than caste or religion.
(iv) Creation of public welfare policies according to the need of the people of all communities and thus maintaining uniformity as well as equality in all matters.

(iii) Write your views/opinion in brief on the following topics.

Question (a)
We must always cast our vote.
Answer:
Voting is one of the fundamental duties of the citizen of a country. We have no right to criticize the works of the government if we abstain from voting which gives us a chance to choose suitable representative to govern the country. Our constitution has given the common man an important power and responsibility to select the right persons to take the country forward on the right path. We are supposed to discharge this duty judiciously.

Question (b)
Liberty, equality and fraternity lead to an ideal nation.
Answer:
The terms ‘Liberty, Equality, Fraternity’ were the mottos of French revolution. Liberty represents freedom and Indian constitution has specified various kinds of freedom for Indian citizens. Euqality stands for having equal law for all irrespective of caste, creed, gender or religion. Fraternity is associated with brotherhood among all communities of people sharing common interest and purpose. An ideal nation is recognized by the maintenance of an atmosphere of peace in all spheres of life. If the principles of liberty, equality and fraternity are followed responsibly by the people of the country as well as the leaders governing them, the prosperity of the nation is assured.

Question (c)
Steps to be taken to eradicate inequality.
Answer:
Inequality is a curse that can lead any nation to its doom. Inequality creates dissatisfaction and unrest among people who feel deprived. Some possible steps to eradicate inequality can be:
(a) Remove poverty by reducing unequal distribution of resources and equal access to the opportunities as far as possible.

(b) Advocate gender equality by preventing female foeticide and making provision for girls’ education and preventing early marriage.

(c) Investing in employment-oriented education for all, creating employment readiness among youth and institutions for skill development need to be encouraged.

(d) Ensuring that all groups and communities can express their voice without fear. But the groups and communities also need to be responsible to avoid loss of lives, damage of public properties while expressing their grievances.

(e) Strictly eliminate caste discrimination which is still pervasive and is causing a serious threat to the progress of the country. To make the above steps successful is the joint responsibility of the government and the people of the country.

Question (d)
Role of youth in creating awareness.
Answer:
Youths are the backbones of the society and that gives them the responsibility to act as catalysts for creating social awareness. Empowerment of the youth is one of the ways to fulfill the policies of good governance.

The social welfare units in the schools and colleges, NCC, NSS, etc., should be made more active and need to be made a part and parcel of the curriculum so that a large number of young minds are materialized to eradicate social evils like illiteracy, insanitation, superstitions, corruption. They can organize various cultural programmes like street plays, musical programmes with social messages, posters as well as powerpoint presentations.

They can set examples by fighting against various kinds of pollution with steps like quitting smoking, propagating against loud music, cleanliness, saving water. “Charity begins at home” thus, they need to bring about the change in their own habits and behaviour to create social awareness.

(A3)

Question (i)
Complete the following table.
Answer:

Word	Type	Synonym	Antonym
observe	Verb	notice, discern, detect, mark	ignore, overlook
abandoned	Adjective	deserted, dumped, forsaken, dropped	adopted, defended, supported
grateful	Adjective	appreciative, thankful	ungrateful, thankless, inappreciative
initiative	Noun	action, drive, enterprise	apathy, idleness, laziness, in difference
peril	Noun Verb	danger, risk, hazard, threat endanger, risk	protection, certainty, safety protect, save
separation	Noun	division, break-up, split, parting	Connection, association, union

2. Homograph: Homograph is a word spelt and pronounced like another word but with a different meaning.

(A4)

(i) Frame Wh-question to get the underlined parts of the following sentences as answers.

Question (a)
In politics we will be recognizing the principle of ‘one man one vote’ and ‘one vote one value’.
Answer:
Which principles will we be recognizing in politics?

Question (b)
The politically minded Indians preferred the expression ‘the Indian Nation’.
Answer:
Which expression did the politically-minded Indians prefer?

Question (c)
Fraternity means a sense of common brotherhood of all Indians.
Answer:
What does fraternity mean?

(A5)

Write speeches on the following topics.

Question 1.
Duties of an Ideal Citizen.
Answer:
Respected chief guest Dr. Ashok Pillai, our Principal Dr. Pradeep Sanghvi, teachers and my dear friends,

Good Evening ! I am Mayank Gala, a member of the NSS unit of our college. It is indeed a matter of pride for me to share my views on the topic ‘Duties of an Ideal Citizen.’ in front of an august gathering. ‘Duties of an ideal citizen’ according to me, has become a necessity for everyone to be aware of in the present situation of our country.

The first question that comes to my mind at this moment is “Who is an ideal citizen?” Is it a person who is honest, knows his responsibilities and values, respects others needs, is conscious of taking care of the environment and thus contributing to the society in general making it a better place to stay? , Yes, an ideal citizen ideally should have all these qualities.

I personally feel that an ideal citizen should not consider his duties as obligations and fulfill them on his own urge. If all of us make a sincere effort to carry on with our jobs, the society is bound to prosper. Since we all are members of the society, to make it exemplary is our duty. We need to remember this at every step we take in our lives and things will fall into their own places.

Here, I can give some examples which all of us can do easily. I know that there are big words like trustworthiness, honesty, courtesy, respecting the rights of others as well as laws, and these are the personal traits of an ideal citizen. But I want to give you a simple list of things which all of us can follow easily.

My list begins with a simple task of not littering the environment, followed by, conserving water, encouraging greenery in our housing societies, wearing helmets and also encouraging our pillons to wear one, maintaining dignity of all the communities and last but not the least, paying taxes on time.

Of course, the list will be longer than this. But “well begun is half done”. And the most important things, I remind all of us again that the “charity begins at home” So, let’s start!

I thank the organizers to give me an opportunity to talk to all of you. I am also grateful to each and every person in the audience for their patient hearing. I am convinced that we can fullfill our dreams of having an ideal society.

Thank you !

Question 2.
Merits of Democracy
Answer:
Respected judges and my dear friends,
I am Sandeep Agarwal wishing all of you a very good afternoon.

Today, I am going to talk on ‘Merits of Democracy’ I am sure, we all remember the definition Abraham Lincoln gave of democracy that it is “Government of the people, for the people and by the people”. In short, I can say that democracy is rule of the people.

So, what can be the merits of the rule of the people? The first merit that immediately comes to my mind is that recognizes the strength of people’s will which is expressed through their elected representatives sitting in the Parliament.

A true democracy limits the power of these representatives and they have to strictly follow the constitution which again cannot be altered or amended except through right procedural process. This is, I feel, the merit of democracy, where every effort is made to prevent the accumulation of power in the hands of any particular individual.

This leads us to the fact that the foremost demand of democracy is free and fair election. Every voter not only has access to the voting machine but secrecy of his vote has to be strictly maintained. Liberty, equality, fraternity are the three pillars of a good democracy and in a proper democratic situation it must be followed religiously.

Unless these principles are sincerely maintained, how will people who are an integral part of democracy, get assurance of safety, security as well as courage to express their views/ problems freely? Here comes the win of democracy over dictatorship where people do not have freedom of speech.

The role of unbiased press and then freedom of expression are urgent necessities so that they can reach a large number of people’s opinion to the government to judge the pros and cons of their decisions. The Parliament proceedings should be open to the public so that they can see how their elected representatives are behaving. In a true democracy, the people have the power of rejecting their representatives and that is their best safeguard.

But, I am sure you will all agree with me that no electoral system can be fool-proof and perfect democracy can be found in the utopia of poets and dreamers. We have to be satisfied with the nearest maintenance of the sanctity of democracy. Democracy is an evolutionary process. So, it is not wrong on our part to expect the scope for modification and change in the light of experience.

In conclusion, I request all of you to keep your hopes and expectations alive not only to have a true democracy in our country but to maintain its merits also. I thank our Cultural Forum team for giving me the opportunity to speak in front of an august audience. Thank you for your patient hearing !

Question 3.
Advantages of Education
Answer:
Respected judges and my dear friends,

Good afternoon! I am Deepak Shah and my topic for today’s elocution competition is ‘Advantages of Education’.

As I was thinking about the topic, two immediate questions that came to mind are, “How and when does education begin? Does it start when a child goes to school or learn alphabet? Looking around, I get a strong ’NO’ as answer. I believe, education begins with the Mother’s encouraging work, father’s words of praise and approval, sibling’s sympathy, help and sometimes fights even, with the gathering of flowers from the garden, with the chirping of the birds and last but not the least in the company of friends. Thus, the child learns to feel, observe, receive and remember as his mind opens out.

The ultimate aim of education, I know, everyone will agree, is to develop all the faculties of a person- physical, mental or moral. Education needs to help a person to be true to his own self as Shakespeare said, “To thy own self, be true.” Book-bound education limits a person. Rabindranath Tagore showed us the way at Shantiniketan how education would make a complete personality.

The true objective of education is to train the mind , to build confidence, to judge the good and bad of the things. I feel, the least advantage of education is to create the right temperament needed at the right time. I must include here the need for physical education since “A sound mind can only exist in a sound body” The harmony among mental, physical and moral learning can only supply the proper benefits of education.

To talk about the advantages of education, standing in front of so many educators, is not a small task. This has been possible because of my teachers who have been facilitators of giving me confidence to go ahead with my aspirations. This has been the advantage of my education, I believe and I salute my teachers for that.

I thank the judges, the Cultural forum team once again and all my dear friends and teachers sitting in the audience for their patient hearing which gave me the courage to present my views.

Question 4.
Equality : A Blessing
Answer:
Respected dignitaries on the dais, our honourable guests, my teachers and my dear friends,

Good afternoon to you all ! I am Deepali Doshi who is fortunate to be selected as one of the speakers to represent our college for the seminar organized by our college on the topic ‘Equality : A Blessing’.

‘Equality : A Blessing’ – one of the topics which is very close to my heart. From my childhood, I have enjoyed the situation of ‘no discrimination’ at home by my parents. I always thought of this as a natural things to happen.

I grew up and faced the big world. I started understanding the value and necessity of equal opportunity in the society. How a person uses that opportunity depends on his/her capabilities and the situations he/she faces in life. Ideally, equality means that all citizens are equal before the law, allowed to exercise the franchise, are entitled to fulfill equal rights and duties prescribed in the constitution. That leads to a levelling process which is definitely a blessing.

I must admit here, equality needs to be maintained at various levels like having social equality, political equality, economic equality and of course equality of opportunity and education. Social equality is an urgency for peaceful co-existence as it refers to the absence of discrimination of caste, creed, colour, clans, groups and classes.

Who can deny the benefits of this? Political equality gives access to all citizens similar political rights. We the people of India have the benefits of Universal Adult Franchise which gives us the right to elect our representatives to run the government the way we deserve it.

Economic equality is a dream-like situation where each citizen is provided equal opportunity to make economic progress. Practically, that seems difficult but a responsible government definitely makes an attempt to fulfill it to a large extent. Equal right to education is the birthright of every citizen. I know, everybody in this hall will say in unison with me, ‘Education is the great equalizer… opening doors of opportunity for all.’

I have tried to talk about various equalities and the ideal situations to provide them. But the toughest job is to make equality, a blessing in real life, though each one of us wishes for it. To make it a reality is the joint responsibility of the government and we, the people.

I enjoyed talking to such an alert and responsible audience. Thank you for all your patient hearing.

Question 5.
Freedom of Speech
Answer:
Respected judges, my teachers and my dear friends,

Good Evening ! I am Pooja Banerji. I am going to talk on ‘Freedom of Speech’.
‘Freedom of speech’ is an oft-quoted expression these days. Everyday wants to enjoy this freedom but in the process, knowingly or may be unknowingly, disturbs the peace in the society.

If freedom of speech is so powerful that it is capable of disturbing the peace in an otherwise stable society, then let me find out the answers to the questions like, “What is freedom of speech and what is the ideal situation to use this freedom?” I am sure, we all are bothered by these questions often because many times, some utterances in the name of freedom of speech, spread like wild fire, making the situations go out of hand.

We know that the constitution of India provides this fundamental right to the general public as well as the media to express their ideas and opinions freely. Like India, this right is provided by some other countries also but with some limitations.

But can’t freedom of speech be used positively? Constructive criticism is always welcome and is also needed to keep a person or the government under check since all activities are closely monitored.

With freedom comes responsibility. This license should not be misused to excite others and invite unwanted problems. When we get to enjoy the rights we need to respect it so that it does not spoil the peace and harmony of the society. These days, a common practice of spreading half-truths has become rampant just to create sensation. This, in the name of freedom of speech, causes serious harm and self-discipline, according to me, is the only remedy.

All good things have their positives and negatives and one should know how the use of them should not become liabilities. I want to conclude with a request to everyone that basic humanity should not be forgotten in the pretext of using the fundamental rights of freedom of speech. I join Tracy Morgan to tell all of you, “We have freedom of speech but you got to watch what you say”.

Thank you all for allowing my freedom of speech and giving it a patient hearing.

Question 6.
Unity in Diversity
Answer:
Respected judges, my teachers and my dear friends,

Good Morning ! I am Gauri Arora and I am fortunate that I have been assigned the job of talking on a topic, ‘Unity in Diversity’.

For the inter-collegiate elocution competition organized by our college. Here I am standing on the podium of a hall which is self-explanatory of ‘Unity in Diversity’. We can see very clearly that people of different religious beliefs, may be caste and creeds, languages, cultures , dresses, and diverse lifestyles as well as eating habits are harmoniously sitting under one roof.

‘Unity in Diversity’ is an expression which is frequently referred to when one talks of India. We, the Indians, are children of one mother, Mother India and that unites us on the principle of brotherhood. I am sure, my friends sitting over there, have ever bothered about caste, religion, social status of the person sitting next to them. That is, in other words, we can call national integration, in the true sense of the term.

India has won its freedom from the British rule of 200 years and the freedom fighters never bothered about their diversities. They all had one mantra in life and that was to free Mother India from the shackles of British rule.

We carry on that tradition after so many years of our independence. India is the land of festivals irrespective of culture, language, rituals, faiths, we are lost in the celebration forgetting completely the existence of our own origin.

One may ask, “How is it possible in the midst of so many diversities?” My answer to such questions will be “Its possible because we respect our togetherness. How can we forget the benefits of safeguarding this unity? It protects our heritage and in the process attracts tourism. The foreigners feel amased with the existence of so many traditions, cuisines, clothings, languages and of course the diverse gifts of Mother Nature.

I feel, the biggest benefit of ‘Unity in Diversity’ is the protection of human rights of all. This gives the citizens confidence of having safety at workplace and automatically encourages healthy teamwork that ultimately leads to progress.

Every coin has two sides, so has the principle of unity. It is an utopian idea to think that there is no social tension because of these diversities. But they can be tactfully handled by the authorities for getting global recognition and most importantly safety and security of our nation.

We all know the age-old saying, ‘United we stand, Divided we fall’ Today, my dear young friends, I am quoting J.K. Rowling, the creator of Harry Potter, “ we are only as strong as we are united, as weak as we are divided” I am sure you all believe her and take it as a maxim to protect the principle of ‘Unity and Diversity’ which is so unique for our country. I want to express my gratitude to Cultural Forum for selecting me to talk on a topic so close to my heart.

Yuvakbharati English 11th Digest Chapter 1.4 Pillars of Democracy Additional Important Questions and Answers

Question 1.
Discuss hero-worship by citing some examples.
Answer:
Hero-worship is to have exclusive admiration for someone which may lead to bias. The admirer refuses to believe that the hero might have any imperfection. The hero is idolized. It happens with film stars, sportsmen, politicians and sometimes with religious gurus.

Question 2.
‘Fraternity leads to social stability’ – Explain the statement.
Answer:
Fraternity is a common bond or feeling of unity among people. It automatically gives rise to the concept of togetherness of all cast, creed and religion. For a society to be stable, these are the basic necessities. In a vast country like India, it is definitely a tough job to maintain such feelings, but it has to be observed for the progress of the country. India, being a country of diverse communities, social stability is an essential ingredient for keeping the country safe and secure.

Question 3.
Find some words starting with ‘Anti’ like ‘Anti-social’
Answer:

1. Anti-climax
2. Anti-pathy
3. Anti-thesis
4. Anti-dote
5. Anti-virus
6. Anti-hero

Comprehension

Read the extract and complete the activities given below.

Global Understanding:

Question 1.
Supply information from the passage.
Answer:
1. When there was no way left for constitutional methods for achieving economic and social objectives, there was a great deal of justification for unconstitutional methods.
2. There is nothing wrong in being grateful to great men who have rendered lifelong services to the
country.

Question 2.
Choose the correct statements which are the themes of the passage.
(i) This passage talks about the dangers of inequality.
(ii) This passage talks about the importance of equality and fraternity.
(iii) In this passage Dr. Ambedkar supported Bhakti in politics.
(iv) Dr. Ambedkar is pained to see the denial of ‘One Man One Value’.
Answer:
(ii) This passage talks about the importance of equality and fraternity.
(iv) Dr. Ambedkar is pained to see the denial of ‘One Man One Value’.

State whether the following statements are true or false. Correct the false statement.

Question (i)
The people of America did not think that they were a nation.
Answer:
True

Question (ii)
The laity accepted the word ‘nation’ wholeheartedly.
Answer:
False – So many objections were raised by the laity to the word ‘nation’.

Question (iii)
Politically-minded Indian were in favour of the expression ‘the people of India’.
Answer:
False – Politically-minded Indians resented the expression ‘the people of India’.

Question (iv)
According to Dr. Ambedkar, it is necessary to realize the importance of becoming a nation.
Answer:
True

Complex Factual

Question 1.
What are the two things necessary to maintain democracy?
Answer:
The first thing that is needed to maintaihn democracy is to follow constitutional methods of achieving our social and economic objectives. The second thing which is of utmost importance to safeguard our democracy is not to lay our liberties even at the feet of a great man blindly.

Question 2.
What are the contradictions Dr. Ambedkar was worried about ?
Answer:
Dr. Ambedkar was worried about the contradictions of equality and fraternity. He was concerned about equality in politics but the possible inequality in our social and economic life. For him, fraternity might be a good concept but it was difficult to achieve.

Question 3.
What according to Dr. Ambedkar, was the problem of India becoming a ‘nation’? What was his suggestion to overcome the problem?
Answer:
According to Dr. Ambedkar, a nation divided into several thousands of castes, was one of the biggest problems of India becoming a nation. His suggestion was the realization of this fact as early as possible and think of ways and means to realize that goal.

Inference / Interpretation / Analysis

Question 1.
Mention the threats of hero-worship in Indian politics.
Answer:
Hero-worship plays a huge negative role in Indian politics. By excessive admiration for a person, the people of India tend to sacrifice their liberties at the feet of the person whom they admire. This can lead to misuse of power by exercising unconstitutional methods and encroaching upon people’s freedom.

Question 2.
Dr. Ambedkar was worried about inequality because –
(i) It will lead democracy to danger.
(ii) Long-standing inequality may be the cause of rebellion among the people.
OR
Explain.
‘Fraternity is a different thing to achieve’.
Answer:
India is a vast country with diverse cultures. Expecting brotherhood among all is not easy since there might be differences of opinions. But for the greater interest of the well-being of Mother India, this unity is desirable. Dr. Ambedkar also felt that was the right path to travel.

Personal Response:

Question 1.
Give an example of hero worship that you have come across in Indian politics.
Answer:
Electing the popular actors and actresses with landslide majority is a common hero-worship observed in most parts of India. The actors enjoy certain level of admiration which helps them win key portfolios enabling them to subvert key institution.

Question 2.
Explain your views on hero-worship.
Answer:
I am not against hero-worship. In life, one can have an idol/hero whom one tries to follow to reach one’s goal but too much of anything is bad and I am against excessive hero-worship which leads to biased idolizing.

Question 3.
Do you think India as a democracy is a successful nation. Explain.
Answer:
India as a democratic nation is indeed successful though there are certain elements which come in the way obstructing the smooth functioning of the government. Such elements are regionalism, casteism and fanaticism.

Language Study:

Question (i)
We must hold fast to constitutional methods. (Rewrite using a modal auxiliary showing ‘necessity )
Answer:
We need to hold fast to constitutional methods.

Question (ii)
There is nothing wrong in being grateful to great men. (Use infinitive)
Answer:
There is nothing wrong to be grateful to great men.

Question (i)
On the 26th January 1950, we are going to enter into a life of contradictions.
(Frame a Wh-question to get the underlined part of the sentence as answer.)
Answer:
What are we going to enter into on the 26th January, 1950?

Question (ii)
In politics, we will have equality. (Pick up the preposition and say its purpose)
Answer:
In-Inside something

Question (iii)
We are cherishing a great delusion. (Begin the sentence with ‘A great delusion…’and rewrite)
Answer:
A great delusion is being cherished by us.

Question (iv)
We shall realize the necessity of becoming a nation. (Use ‘that’ and rewrite as a complex sentence) Answer:
We shall realize that it is necessary to become a nation.

Vocabulary:

Question 1.
Match the words in column ‘A’ with their synonyms in column ‘B’.

Words (A)	Synonyms (B)
1. Anarchy	(a) Contribute
2. Render	(b) Purity
3. Chastity	(c) Disorder
4. Hero worship	(d) Excessive admiration

Answer:

Words (A)	Synonyms (B)
Anarchy	(c) Disorder
Render	(a) Contribute
Chastity	(b) Purity
Hero worship	(d) Excessive admiration

Question 2.
Make a list of meanings of all the homographs that are found in the text
Answer:

(ii) Example of Homograph
match, might, letter, fly, fine, leaves, left, right, ring, spring, state, well.

Question 3.
Give synonyms of the following.

1. Contradiction
2. Solidarity
3. Salvation
4. Degradation

Answer:

1. Situation in opposition
2. harmony to one another
3. liberation
4. deterioration

Question 4.
Find out the word from the passage which means –
1. rites prescribed for public worship
2. unity or agreement of feeling
Answer:
1. liturgy
2. solidarity

Grammar:

Frame Wh-question to get the underlined parts of the following sentences as answers.

Question 1.
Make sentences of your own with the following prepositions.
Answer:
(i) in, into, inside
I live in Mumbai / the flowers will bloom in spring.
The frog jumped into the well.
The jacket was inside the cupboard.

(ii) on, onto, above, over
The duster was on the teacher’s desk.
The child scattered all his toys onto the floor.
We were driving over the expressway.
My friend lives just above my apartment.

(iii) beside, besides
Ramu sits beside his best friend in the classroom.
Besides being learned, the gentleman is a good human being.

(iv) for, from, since
My grandparents will stay only for three hours.
My grandparents have been waiting since morning.
My grandparents have been waiting from 10 o’ clock.

(v) to, towards
I was going to school. (Definite destination)
I was going towards school. (May be somewhere near the school)

(vi) down, below, under, beneath, underneath,
The mountaineers came down safely.
The temperature never went below 40°C.
The scenes under the sea were very well filmed.
My mother kept my football kit safely beneath the cot. (Usually used in formal language)
You can search your slippers underneath the sofa. (Casually used)

(vii) between, among, amongst
She was sitting between two of us.
I distributed the chocolates among all my friends, (more commonly used)
My sister was the topper amongst the girls, (less common than ‘among’)

Glossary:

1. abandoned – left
2. salvation – saving from sin (Christian belief)
3. eventual – ultimate
4. contradiction – situation / ideas in opposition
5. solidarity – like-mindedness / harmony to one another
6. eminent – distinguished / renowned
7. divine – a cleric / clergyman
8. on the spur of the movement (phr) – without thinking and planning
9. resented – disliked/be displeased
10. antipathy – hostility / opposition
11. Grammar of Anarchy – a state of disorder due to the absence of non-recognition of controlling system
12. rendered – contributed, made available
13. chastity – purity, modesty
14. hero-worship – excessive admiration for somebody
15. degradation – cause something to become worse in quality
16. peril – danger, risk
17. triennial – the 300th anniversary
18. liturgy – rites prescribed for public worship
19. laity – members of a religious community
20. delusion – a mistaken idea or opinion
21. anti-national – the prefix ‘anti’ in anti-national expresses opposition to something.

Balbharti Yuvakbharati English 11th Digest Chapter 1.3 The Call of the Soil Notes, Textbook Exercise Important Questions and Answers.

Maharashtra State Board Class 11 English Yuvakbharati Solutions Chapter 1.3 The Call of the Soil

11th English Digest Chapter 1.3 The Call of the Soil Textbook Questions and Answers

Question 1.
Complete the following sentences.
Answer:

1. Before eating apples brought from the market, I wash and peel them off to stay away from any sort of contamination as far as possible.
2. In a farmer’s market, we find rice, pulses, vegetables, fruits, dairy items, eggs, etc.
3. Food adulteration means an addition of another substance to a food which may result in the loss of actual quality of food and its natural composition.
4. Organic food is grown by using fertilizers made with natural ingredients, renewable resources and conservation of soil and water.
5. Organic fertilizer means a type of fertilizer derived from animal matter, human and animal excreta (manure) and vegetable matter, that is, compost and crop residues.

Question 2.
Complete the following web diagram.

Answer:

Question 3.
Find out from your grandparents or parents the names of vegetables and fruits they had eaten in their childhood and mention how the vegetables and fruits are different from the ones today.
Answer:

Name of the vegetable or fruit	Shape	Colour	Taste
Mango	Oblong	Yellow / Green	earlier (a) naturally ripened	now (i) artificially ripened
Cauliflower	Round	White with green leaves	(b) mostly available in winter and was very tasty	(ii) we get it throughout the year, but the taste is definitely worse than those available in winter
Apple	Round	Red / Green	(c) used to grow in natural environment and was safely given to sick people	(iii) One pays more to buy the organic varieties which are supposed to be pesticides-free and so good for health

Question 4.
Discuss the difference between conventional farming and organic farming.
Answer:

Conventional Farming	Organic Farming
(a) Relies on chemical intervention	(i) Depends on natural principles
(b) Farmers use synthetic and genetically modified organisms to kill pests and maximize output	(ii) No artificial ingredient or preservative is used and they are minimally processed to maintain the integrity of food
(c) Harms health and environment	(iii) Claimed to be healthier farm system

(A1)

(i) Read the extract and state whether the following statements are true or false. Correct the false statements.

Question (a)
Growing in abundance is more important than the quality of the crop.
Answer:
False. The quality of the crop is more important than growing in abundance a lesser variety of crop.

Question (b)
The author wanted to grow the desi variety of rice.
Answer:
True

Question (c)
The author did not succeed in finding Kasbai.
Answer:
False. The author was successful in finding Kasbai from an Adivasi woman at Boripada, a remote village.

Question (d)
The aroma of the ‘desi’ rice would spread around the village.
Answer:
True

Question (e)
Newer hybrid crops have a great appetite for chemicals.
Answer:
True

Question (f)
The author is an example of‘reverse migration’.
Answer:
True (‘Reverse Migration’ is a new trend of shifting from bigger cities to nearby smaller towns or suburbs)

Question (ii)
Complete the flow chart.

Answer:

Question (iii)
Read the text and All in the blanks.
Answer:
(a) The author wanted to grow organic moong.
(b) Moru Dada wanted to spray pesticides on the moong crop.
(c) Baban’s father and some elders mentioned the name of Kasbai.
(d) “Hybrids need more water, fertilizers and pesticides”, said Devu Handa.
(e) The author bought ten kilos of rice from an Adivasi woman who lived in the remote hills.

(A2)

Question (i)
List the reactions of the agricultural officer to the author’s inquiry about Kasbai rice seeds.
Answer:
(a) He had not heard of Kasbai.
(b) He felt that the villagers were fooling the author.
(c) He mentioned the names of the latest hybrids and also offered to give him some, free of cost.

Question (ii)
Note down Devu Handa’s fond memories of Kasbai.
Answer:
Devu Handa’s fond memories of Kasbai are as follows:

• 0It needs no protection from rain
• It has an alluring aroma
• It has no hunger for chemicals like fertilizers and pesticides

(A3)

Question (i)
The writer says he grew “an awful lot of moong”. Explain the word ‘awful’ in this sentence.
Answer:
“An awful lot” is an Idiom meaning ‘a very large amount’. Everyone known to the writer did not expect a good yield of moong since he refused to spray any chemical on the plants. In spite of that, Nature did her job and the writer could get three hundred kilograms of moong which was not only ‘awful’, that means ‘large number’ but also a confidence-builder for a first-timer.

Question (ii)
The word scent is different from its synonyms aroma, fragrance or perfume. Explain how the word ‘scent’ in the subtitle ‘A Scent of Rice’, has a deeper meaning than ‘perfume’ or ‘fragrance’. Pick phrases having a similar meaning from the following:
Answer:
(i) The word ‘Scent’ in the subtitle ‘Scent of Rice’ has a deeper meaning than its usual meaning of‘fragrance’ or ‘perfume’ in the context of the text and for the author because he was trying to revive the tradition of Kasbai rice which everyone agreed had an alluring aroma. The modern farmers are forgetting conventions and have fallen a prey to hybrids. The natural ‘scent’, that is ‘flavour’ of Kasbai had drawn the writer towards real India, unspoilt by progress. The ‘scent’ was largely responsible for his quest.

(ii) Phrases
(a) In pursuit of : a quest in order to achieve something
(b) To smell a rat: to believe something wrong is happening
(c) To be keen : interested in some activity one often does and enjoys
(d) On the trail of: Trying to find someone or something by getting information about it
(e) To feel under the water : feel emotionally overwhelmed The phrases having a similar meaning of ‘A Scent of Rice’ are:
(i) In pursuit of
(ii) On the trail of

(A4)

Question 1.
She muttered in reply and we looked at Jeevan for a quick interpretation.

(A5)

Question (i)
Give reason why the text is against ‘Planting and growing more crop a year seems to be progress by normal standards.’
Answer:
Definitely planting and growing more crops a year need to be the target of the farmers but that should not be done at the cost of health hazards due to spraying of chemicals on the plants, using hybrid seeds and most importantly, forgetting our own tradition. Progress is always welcome but it should go hand in hand with safety of health and environment, importance of tradition and sentiment and last but not the least care for the rich biodiversity of our land.

Question (ii)
Describe in 150 words your experience similar to the writer’s when you pursued something and reached your goal.
Answer:
I believe “A man without an aim is like a ship without a radar”. I have been taught from my childhood to set a goal for myself. The choice of my ambition was left to me only and I was never forced to do anything.

I had multiple interests like playing football, drawing / painting and also writing about my various experiences. I started writing blogs on different social topics of my interest as well as of my own experiences in multiple walks of life. Gradually, after getting positive responses to my blogs, I got the confidence of writing short stories which were quite well accepted too by my friends and relatives. That gave me immense faith to choose writing as my profession.

One day, I saw an advertisement of ‘Crossword’ bookstore asking young writers to take part in a story-writing competition. About forty stories will be published as a book titled “ I want to be an author” without thinking twice, I took part in the competition and the rest is history. Today, I am one of those forty-one young story-tellers.

Question (iii)
The writer goes in search of an invaluable indigenous variety of seeds. List three reasons for the importance of keeping records of our indigenous agricultural practices.
Answer:
The reasons for the importance of keeping records of our indigenous agricultural practices are:
(i) (a) Reducing environmental stress by channelling water from mountain peaks to areas of demand and this practice has been going on for centuries.
(b) Using natural fertilizers made from cow dung, cow urine, evaporated cane juice of raw sugar and water to save sick plants. This practice has been mentioned in the vedas.
(ii) Traditional techniques like crop rotation, erosion prevention, systematic use of composts and manures lead to natural agricultural practices and promise better yields.
(iii) (a) Chemical fertilizers lead to degraded soil condition, deterioration in the health of quality of crops and livestock.
(b) Organic agriculture combined with tradition, innovation and science, benefits the health of the soil, people and the environment.

Question (iv)
Write a blog in about 100 to 150 words on organic farming.
Answer:
Organic Farming – A Blessing or Curse

Early 20th century saw the birth of organic farming which is an alternative to agricultural system in reaction to rapidly changing farming practices. It encourages the use of naturally occurring substances and strictly prohibits synthetic substances. Organic farming allows organically made fertilizers like compost manure, green manure and bone meal manure. Though they do not stop the use of some naturally occurring pesticides but synthetic fertilizers and pesticides are strongly prohibited. They are in favour of techniques like crop rotation, biological pest control, mixed cropping and nurturing insect killers.

Organic farming methods are internationally regulated since it has proved advantageous for health and food safety, food security, soil fertility and most importantly sustainability and biodiversity. That is why, the demand for organic farming has been steadily growing and is being encouraged all over the world. Organic farmers believe that agriculture was practised for thousands of years without the use of chemicals. If it was possible then, nothing should be impossible now.

Question (v)
Write a short paragraph in about 120 words, to be used as Counter-View for the following topic. ‘Buy a bigger cloth for your coat’.
View Section:
(a) We cannot survive by the dictum ‘Cut your cloth according to your coat’ in today’s world.
(b) In the modern world we should ‘Think Big’
(c) Think of increasing your income instead of reducing your needs.
(d) We cannot deny ourselves, what the new world offers us.
Answer:
Counter-view:
Today’s world is full of attractions. But we need to he careful about spending according to our means. We have to be prudent (wise) enough to save for the rainy days so that we don’t have to beg or borrow during emergency. It is, of course, essential to think big but at the same time over-ambition should not lead us to a point of no-return.

We should be well-aware of our capabilities and try to reach our goal judiciously instead of foolishly increasing our demands. We must make “slow but steady wins the race”, the motto of our life. Even if the new world has lots of offer, we must develop the quality of patience to wait for the right thing to come at the right time.

Question (vi)
‘Organic farming is the need of the time’. Write your views in favour and against the statement.
Answer:

Views	Counter-views
1. Reduced exposure to pesticides and chemicals since natural fertilizers are used.	(a) Some organic pesticides can actually have a worse environmental impact, contrary to the popular belief.
2. One pays more for organic food but it is worth for a healthier diet.	(b) Organic products are costlier since production per unit is less than conventional farming.
3. Better effect on the environment by reducing global warming.	(c) Organic farming may reduce global warming but because of more use of land, this practice is not sustainable with a growing world population.
4. Organic food has better taste and more nutrition since they are given more time to develop and are not pumped with artificial things.	(d) Organic food generally gets spoilt faster since no preservatives are used to maintain their freshness and mishanding of products may deprive the market of their availability.

Question (vii)
Appeal your classmate to say ‘No to Junk Food’. Write an appeal to prefer organic food over junk food.
Answer:
Attention! Attention! Attention!

My Dear Friends

Do you know what you’re putting in your mouth? You surely know, you are what you eat.

I’m here to advise you not to use your stomach as a trash can! Please Say ‘No’ To Junk Food.
But, what is a junk food? They’re all your favourites – yes, they are ! French fries, chicken nuggets, nachos, taco burgers, chips, chocolates, pizzas, cakes – Ah! all are mouth-watering, aren’t they? But they are also slow-poisoning us everyday causing obesity, various liver diseases, diabetes, blood pressure at a very young age — the list is long but the choice is yours!

Remember: Healthy organic foods bless us but junk foods mess us. Junk food which is rich in calories, fat, sugar and salt are yummier, I do agree with you. But are you ready to take such a big risk of spoiling your health and youth? Eat fresh, local and seasonal food because ‘health is wealth’, my dear friends!

Friends, you must eat to live and not live to eat. Let’s all have a healthy mind in a healthy body. It is my call, your call – our call!

(A6)

Projects:

Question (i)
Plant the seed of a flower or fruit of your choice in a pot or in your garden. Note its growth every day and maintain a diary recording its progress.

Question (ii)
Find out more career opportunities in the field of agriculture, organic farming, sales, storage, distribution and marketing research.

Yuvakbharati English 11th Digest Chapter 1.3 The Call of the Soil Additional Important Questions and Answers

Question 1.
Find words related to agriculture,
Answer:
The words related to agriculture are:

1. foliage of moong
2. pods
3. crop
4. land
5. farming
6. plant
7. sow
8. season
9. seeds
10. tractor
11. plough
12. leaves
13. bloom
14. field
15. ground
16. pesticide
17. yield
18. chemicals
19. farm
20. harvest
21. fertile
22. hybrids
23. fertilizers
24. farmers
25. rice

Question 2.
The writer disagreed with Moru Dada because –
Answer:
The writer disagreed with Moru Dada because he suggested the use of some pesticides on the plants. The author was absolutely clear in his mind not to use any chemical which will be harmful for the soil, the plants and ultimately for human health. But for Moru Dada and his friends who were used to the conventional farming, this decision of the author was unthinkable.

Question 3.
The writer wanted to grow the traditional variety of rice because –
Answer:
1. It did not need very high variety of fertilizers
2. This variety is quite strong and is able to resist pests.

Question 4.
The write almost gave up hope of finding the desi variety of rice because –
Answer:
1. In spite of his regular visits to the villages around in search of a good desi variety, he was not successful,
2. Most of the farmers, especially the younger generation, in and around the village of Peth had switched over to hybrids and looked down upon the ‘desi’ variety, as they called the local scented variety of rice.

Question 5.
Mention the varieties of rice from the passage, “Most of the farmers…disappeared”
Answer:

1. Kasbai – local long-grained scented variety
2. Basmati – more aromatic than Kasbai
3. Hybrids – the latest craze of the farmers.

Question 6.
List ways in which the Government officer cooperated with the author.
Answer:
1. The agricultural officer felt that the villagers were fooling the author as they had no rice by the name ‘Kasbai’ and offered to give him some latest hybrid seeds free of cost for a trial.
2. The officer-in-charge of Adivasi Mahamandal at Kasa informed the author that he remembered buying Kasbai rice a few years ago.
3. The second gentleman definitely had more knowledge of rice which he shared with the author.

Question 7.
Find synonyms of the word ‘insipid’.
Answer:
The synonyms of ‘insipid’ are:

• tasteless
• flavourless
• bland

Comprehension:

Read the extract and complete the activities given below.

Global Understanding:

Question 1.
Pick out the sentences that are true.
(i) The author thought that he would have some time to get familiar with farming.
(ii) Moru Dada was not at all sure about sowing moong in that season.
(iii) The moong seeds were brought from Gujarat.
(iv) The author did not own the land where he started farming.
Answer:
(i) True
(iii) True

Question 2.
State the advantages of the varieties as you find them in the extract.
Answer:

Variety	Advantages
1. Hybrid varieties	Short duration crop so can have two crops a year
2. Traditional Rice	Good quality rice with alluring aroma

Question 3.
Match the pairs to complete the sentences / phrases in A with the alternatives in B.

‘A’	‘B’
1. Tales of Kasbai	(a) was enlightening
2. Visit to agricultural officer	(b) made us more determined to get it
3. Ex-sarpanch	(c) devu Handa
4. Hybrid	(d) insipid

Answer:

‘A’	‘B’
1. Tales of Kasbai	(b) made us more determined to get it
2. Visit to agricultural officer	(a) was enlightening
3. x-sarpanch	(c) devu Handa
4. Hybrid	(d) insipid

Say whether the following statements are true or false. Correct the false statement.

Question 1.
The old woman weighed 10 kg of rice and gave it to the author.
Answer:
False. The old woman did not have a weighing scale.

Question 2.
The author and his friend did not know the local dialect very well.
Answer:
True

Question 3.
The people at Boripada village were well-aware of the modern way of farming.
Answer:
False. The people at Boripada never heard of hybrids, fertilizers or pesticides.

Question 4.
The old woman was unhappy to get the price of the rice.
Answer:
False. She was very happy and nodded her head with a smile of approval.

Complex Factual:

Question 1.
Supply Information from the passage,
1. I stood in the middle of lush green field of _______ and _______ .
2. Around me were rows of _______ and below a dense _____ .
Answer:
1. Moong (green gram), looked around me
2. Chikoo trees, foliage of moong

Question 2.
Mention any two changes that have occurred in farming of rice.
Answer:
1. Most of the farmers in and around the village of Peth had switched over to hybrids.
2. Kasbai which is a traditional long grained rice variety with distinct aroma being a long duration crop is not preferred by the farmers.

Question 3.
Mention any two difficulties that the author faced in tracing Kasbai.
Answer:
1. The Agricultural officer didn’t know Kasbai existed. So he couldn’t help the author in procuring it.
2. He couldn’t get the seeds as farmers resorted to hybrid varieties which gave quick yield.

Question 4.
The only people who still grew Kasbai rice were –
Answer:
The adivasis in a hamlet at the foothills of the mountains in the village Asarvari.

Question 5.
Each year they had to increase the quantity of urea and pesticides as –
Answer:
The hybrid varieties had insatiable appetite for chemicals and fertilizers.

Question 6.
How was the old lady’s world unspoilt by progress?
Answer:
The old lady, who, according to the write, represents real people of India, holding on to the biodiversity of Indian land. They have been able to do this as they have never heard of hybrids, fertilizers or pesticides.

Inference / Interpretation / Analysis

Question 1.
Explain.
“I was grateful to have taken Moru’s advice”
Answer:
The author was not sure about planting moong in that season as he wanted to get familiar with the process of farming. But Moru Dada insisted that the season was right for planting moong seeds. He was right and the author was thankful for listening to his advice since he had a good harvest of moong.

Complete the following sentence.

Question 1.
The author decided to not plant hybrids because –
Answer:
The hybrid had given him low yield the previous year.

Question 2.
The seeds of Kasbai wasn’t easily available because –
Answer:
It is a long duration crop and farmers could grow two crops in that duration.

Question 3.
A visit to agricultural officer was not useful.
Answer:
The agricultural officer had not heard of the traditional long duration varieties of rice. He was aware of only the hybrid varieties that gave quick yield. So visiting the agricultural office was not useful.

Question 4.
People didn’t grow Kasbai.
Answer:
The market didn’t recognize Kasbai anymore as a variety of rice, it had lost its popularity. If they grew it they wouldn’t be able to sell it. So people didn’t grow it.

Question 5.
Write a small paragraph on the new shift to hybrid plants.
Answer:
With advent of irrigation farmers have resorted to new hybrid varieties of rice. The long duration crops are now replaced by short duration hybrids as they can plant two crops in one year. The traditional varieties have lost its existence as it requires more duration for its harvest and also will attract cattle for its pleasant aroma unlike the hybrid crops.

Question 6.
Interpret the statement: “It was difficult to keep a straight face …”
Answer:
The author was very happy to know that the old lady had Kasbai rice with her. He was unsuccessful in his search for this particular aromatic rice for months and suddenly this revelation from the old lady was very exciting for him. But he had to control his feeling since the lady had not given him the seed till then.

Question 7.
Guess why the old lady nodded her head in approval.
Answer:
The old lady did not have any clue how much to ask for a basketful of seeds which she had given to the writer. She, even did not have a weighing scale to know how much she had given. But the author gave her hundred rupees which probably she did not hope for. She happily accepted the money which might be unexpected but was definitely welcomed by her.

Personal Response

Question 1.
Name any two reasons for destruction of foliage in India today.
Answer:
Reason 1: The trees are cut to clear the land for construction of buildings.
Reason 2: The growing industries also demand deforestation.

Question 2.
Frame any four questions that you would ask a farmer if you interview him.
Answer:

1. What do you usually grow in your farm,
2. What are the challenges you face while pursuing farming as your sole occupation,
3. What do you do on a daily basis?
4. What sprays do you use?

Question 3.
Mention any four rice varieties that you have heard of.
Answer:
There are many varieties of rice in India. The most common types rice and parboiled rice. are white rice, basmati rice, emperor’s.

Question 4.
According to you how can we develop sustainability in Agriculture.
Answer:
The sustainability can be attained by the following practices.

1. Rotating crops
2. Planting cover crops
3. Applying integrated pest management
4. Embracing diversity

Question 5.
Why do you think, the author was grateful to the old lady who was ‘unspoilt by progress’?
Answer:
I think, progress has its pros and cons. It is true that we cannot sit idle when the world is progressing by leaps and bounds. But we need to recognise the adverse (ill) effects of ‘progress’ and keep them away as much as possible. That is why, the author was delighted to see the old lady who had carefully kept the tradition alive by preserving the seeds of Kasbai rice.

Language Study

Question 1.
The author thought that he would have some time for farming.
(Rewrite using the Infinitive of the underlined gerund)
Answer:
The author thought that he would have some time to farm.

Question 2.
I was trying to figure out how we should go about it.
(Place the modal auxiliary with another showing obligation)
Answer:
I was trying to figure out how we must go about it.

Question 3.
The hybrid had given him low yield the previous year.
Answer:
The hybrid had not given him high yield the previous year.

Question 4.
Kasbai is a traditional long grained rice variety.
Answer:
Kasbai is a traditional long grained rice variety, Isn’t it?

Question 5.
The entire area would have this heady aroma. (Rewrite in past perfect tense)
Answer:
The entire area had this heady aroma.

Question 6.
His eyes turned dreamy as he drifted to the past. (Make it compound sentence)
Answer:
His eyes turned dreamy and he drifted to the past.

Question 7.
“If my field alone has Kasbai it will be a treat for the cattle.” He explained
(Rewrite in reported speech)
Answer:
He explained that if his field alone had Kasbai it would be a treat for the cattle.

Question 8.
The only people who still grew it were the adivasis. (Rewrite removing ‘who’)
Answer:
Only the adivasis still grew it.

Question 9.
Her world was unspoilt by ‘Progress’.
Answer:
Progress did not spoil her world.

Question 10.
She nodded her head in approval.
Answer:
She nodded her head as she had approved.

Vocabulary

Question 1.
Match the words in column ‘A’ with their synonyms in column ‘B’.

Words (A)	Synonyms (B)
1. Foliage	(a) Careful
2. Gingerly	(b) Moist
3. lush	(c) Leaves of a tree
4. dump	(d) Thick

Answer:

Words (A)	Synonyms (B)
1. Foliage	(c) Leaves of a tree
2. Gingerly	(a) Careful
3. lush	(d) Thick
4. dump	(b) Moist

Question 2.
Write antonyms of the words from the given extract:

1. Appear
2. Wise
3. Short duration
4. Modern

Answer:

1. Disappear
2. Crazy
3. Long duration
4. Traditional

Question 3.
From one word for:
1. mixed varieties
2. a different type of something
Answer:
1. hybrids
2. aroma
3. variety

Question 4.
From the odd words from each group of words.

1. Reminisce, Remember, Think, Speak.
2. Mourn, Wail, Delight, Lament.
3. Appeasable, Insatiable, Satisfiable, Satiable.
4. City, Hamlet, Town, Village.

Answer:

1. Speak
2. Delight
3. Insatiable
4. City

Question 5.
Match the words in column ‘A’ with their synonyms in column ‘B’.

Column‘A’	Column ‘B’
(a) biodiversity	1. chemical used to kill harmful insects
(b) hybrid	2. plant food
(c) pesticide	3. existence of wide variety of plants and animals on earth
(d) fertilizers	4. mixed-breed

Answer:

Column‘A’	Column ‘B’
(a) biodiversity	3. existence of wide variety of plants and animals on earth
(b) hybrid	4. mixed-breed
(c) pesticide	1. chemical used to kill
(d) fertilizers	2. plant food

Grammar:

Question 1.
Find out some simple, complex and compound sentences from the text.
Answer:
(i) Simple Sentences

• At that point, I could not have asked for anything more.
• Moru Dada rented his tractor to plough the land.
• We started to look for a good variety of traditional rice.
• The officer-in-charge here had more knowledge of rice.

(ii) Complex Sentences

• Kasbai is a traditional long-grained rice variety which has a distinct aroma.
• My bare feet were muddy as I walked around gingerly.
• We were clear that we would not use any chemicals.
• Even when there were flash floods in the sixties, Kasbai had stood its ground.

(iii) Compound Sentences.

• They just grew their rice and ate what they got.
• It was just before sunrise and the sky was turning a bright orange.
• I made a quick trip to Surat and bought around 10 kilograms of moong.
• Nature did her job and she needed no bribes.

Question 2.
List of subordinating conjunctions.
Answer:
All wh-words like, who, what, when, whom, where, why, how though / although unless since, as, that, because, while, whereas before, whichever, whoever, after etc., are subordinating conjunctions.

Glossary:

1. lush – dense / thick
2. damp – wettish / moist
3. dense – thickest
4. pods – shells
5. exhilarated – very happy
6. plough – cultivate
7. thrilled – excited
8. hibiscus – a type of flower
9. yield – amount produced
10. convincing – persuasive
11. fertile – productive / rich
12. morale – confidence
13. booster – uplift / encouragement
14. hybrids – mixed breeds
15. aroma – scent / smell
16. pleasantries – polite talks
17. tremble – shiver / shake
18. alluring – attractive / fascinating
19. fall in line (phr) – agree
20. rued – regretted bitterly
21. hamlet – small village
22. ditches – watercourses / canals /drains
23. scrambling – climbing / moving with difficulty
24. gravels – pebbles / stones
25. wrinkled – covered with lines
26. muttered – whispered/spoke in an undertone
27. scowled – looked angrily
28. nestling – naturally / pleasantly located house
29. hustle and bustle (phr) – excited activities
30. biodiversity – all the varieties of life on earth, their communities
31. habitat fuzz – a soft covering