If I Were You

 Answer these questions.
1. At last a sympathetic audience.”
(i) Who says this?
(ii) Why does he say it?
(iii) Is he sarcastic or serious?

Ans: (i) The speaker of the given line is Gerrard.
(ii) He says it as he is asked by the intruder to speak about himself.
(iii) He speaks the given dialogue sarcastically.

2. Why does the intruder choose Gerrard as the man whose identity he wants to take on?

Ans: Gerrard looks much like the intruder. The intruder is a murderer. The police is after him. He hopes he can easily impersonate Gerrard escape being caught.

3. I said it with bullets.”
(i) Who says this?
(ii) What does it mean?
(iii) Is it the truth? What is the speaker’s reason for saying this?

Ans: (i) Gerrard says this.
(ii) It means that when things went wrong, he had used his gun to shoot someone for his escape.
(iii) No, it is not the truth. The speaker says this to save himself from getting shot by the intruder.

4. What is Gerrard’s profession? Quote the parts of the play that support your answer.

Ans: Gerrard is a playwright by profession. Several parts of the play that reflect this. Some of these are:
• This is all very melodramatic, not very original, perhaps, but…”
• At last a sympathetic audience!”
• In most melodramas the villain is foolish enough to delay his killing long enough to be frustrated”.
• I said, you were luckier than most melodramatic villains.”
• That’s a disguise outfit; false moustaches and what not”.
• Sorry I can’t let you have the props in time for rehearsal, I’ve had a spot of bother – quite amusing. I think I’ll put it in my next play.”

5. You’ll soon stop being smart.”
(i) Who says this?
(ii) Why does the speaker say it?
(iii) What according to the speaker will stop Gerrard from being smart?

Ans: (i) The intruder says the line.
(ii) The speaker says it to frighten Gerrard.
(iii) According to the intruder, Gerrard would stop being smart once he knew what was going to happen to him. The intruder’s plan was to kill Gerard and take over his identity. He felt that when Gerrard would know this, he would stop being smart and start getting scared.

6. They can’t hang me twice.”
(i) Who says this?
(ii) Why does the speaker say it?

Ans: (i) The intruder says the line.
(ii) The intruder had been telling Gerrard that he had murdered one man, and that he would not shy away from murdering him too. This is because the police could not hang him twice for two murders.

7. A mystery I propose to explain.” What is the mystery the speaker proposes to explain?

Ans: The mystery that Gerrard proposed to explain was the story he made up to dodge the intruder and save his own life.The story was that Gerrard himself was a criminal like the intruder. He asked the intruder why else would he not meet any trades people and be a bit of a mystery man here today and gone tomorrow. The game was up as things had suddenly gone wrong for him. He had committed a murder and got away. Unfortunately, one of his men had been arrested and certain things were found which his men should have burnt. He said that he was expecting some trouble that night and therefore, his bag was packed and he was ready to escape.

8. This is your big surprise.”
(i) Where has this been said in the play?
(ii) What is the surprise?

Ans: (i) This has  been said twice in the play. On the first occasion, it is spoken by the intruder  while revealing his plan to kill Gerrard. Secondly, it  is spoken by Gerrard before he reveals his fictitious identity to the intruder.
(ii) The intruder’s surprise is his plan to kill Gerrard and take on his identity to lead a secure and hassle-free life. Whereas, Gerrard’s surprise is his fictitious identity, his way of refraining the intruder from killing him.

Slumber Did My Spirit Seal

1. “A slumber did my spirit seal,” says the poet. That is, a deep sleep ‘closed off’ his soul (or mind). How does the poet react to his loved one’s death? Does he feel bitter grief? Or does he feel a great peace?

Ans: The poet’s reaction to his loved one’s death is not of bitter grief that he could shed out in the form of tears. On her death, he did not experience any human fears. He just looked at her and wondered how she looked and what she would experience later. He did not feel any fear. Therefore, it is difficult to say whether he is experiencing bitter grief or is in a peaceful state of mind.

2. The passing of time will no longer affect her, says the poet. Which lines of the poem say this?

Ans: The lines of the poem that show that the passing of time will no longer affect her are as follows:
“She seemed a thing that could not feel The touch of earthy years.”

3. How does the poet imagine her to be, after death? Does he think of her as a person living in a very happy state (a ‘heaven’)? Or does he see her now as a part of nature? In which lines of the poem do you find your answer?

Ans: The poet thinks that she is now a part of nature. After her death, he imagines her buried inside the earth with other rocks, stones, and trees and rolling around with the earth in its daily rotation. The following lines express this idea-Rolled round in earth’s diurnal course With rocks and stones and trees.

Kathmandu

Page No: 132

I.             Answer these questions in one or two words or in short phrases.

1. Name the two temples the author visited in Kathmandu.
2. The writer says, “All this I wash down with Coca Cola.” What does ‘all this’ refer to?
3. What does Vikram Seth compare to the quills of a porcupine?
4. Name five kinds of flutes.

Ans: 1. The two temples the author visited in Kathmandu were the Pashupatinath temple and the Baudhnath stupa.

2. ‘All this’ refers to eating a bar of marzipan, a corn-on-the-cob roasted in a charcoal stove (rubbed with salt, chilli powder and lemon), and reading a couple of love story comics and a Reader’s Digest.

3. Vikram Seth compares the fifty or sixty bansuris protruding in all directions from the pole of a flute seller to the quills of a porcupine.

4. The reed neh, the Japanese shakuhachi, the deep bansuri of Hindustani classical music, the clear or breathy flutes of South America, and the high-pitched Chinese flutes.

II. Answer each question in a short paragraph.
1. What difference does the author note between the flute seller and the other hawkers?
2. What is the belief at Pashupatinath about the end of Kaliyug?
3. The author has drawn powerful images and pictures. Pick out three examples each of
(i) the atmosphere of ‘febrile confusion’ outside the temple of Pashupatinath (for example: some people trying to get the priest’s attention are elbowed aside…)
(ii) the things he sees
(iii) the sounds he hears

Ans: 1. The author notes that while the other hawkers shouted out their wares, the flute seller did not. He simply played a flute, slowly and meditatively, without excessive display.

2. At Pashupatinath, there is a small shrine that protrudes from the stone platform on the river bank of Bagmati. It is believed that when the shrine will emerge fully, the goddess inside it will escape. The evil period of Kaliyug on earth will then end.

3. (i) The author has drawn powerful images and pictures of the atmosphere of ‘febrile confusion’ outside the temple of Pashupatinath. These include the following: a group of saffron-clad Westerners struggling to enter the main gate as only Hindus were allowed to enter the temple; a fight that breaks out between two monkeys; and a royal Nepalese princess for whom everyone makes way.

(ii) He saw that the Baudhnath Stupa had an immense white dome, which was ringed by a road. Small shops were there on the outer edge where felt bags, Tibetan prints and silver jewellerycould be bought. There were no crowds there. On the busiest streets of Kathmandu, he saw fruit sellers, flute sellers, hawkers of postcards, shops selling Western cosmetics, film rolls, chocolate, copper utensils and Nepalese antiques.
(iii) The sounds he heard were film songs that were blaring out from the radios, car horns, bicycle bells, vendors shouting out their wares. He also listened to flute music, calling it the most universal and most particular of sounds.

III. Answer the following questions in not more than 100 − 150 words each.

1. Compare and contrast the atmosphere in and around the Baudhnath shrine with the Pashupathinath temple.

Ans: The atmosphere at the Pashupatinath temple was noisy, and full of chaos and confusion. Worshippers were trying to get the priest’s attention; others were pushing their way to the front; saffron-clad Westerners were trying to enter the temple; monkeys were fighting and adding to the general noise; a corpse was being cremated on the banks of the river Bagmati; washerwomen were at their work, while children were bathing. In contrast, the Baudhnath stupa was “a haven of quietness in the busy streets around”. There was no crowd, which helped build the stillness and serenity at the Buddhist shrine.

2. How does the author describe Kathmandu’s busiest streets?

Ans: Along Kathmandu’s narrowest and busiest streets, there are small shrines and flower-adorned deities. Apart from these, there are fruit sellers, flute sellers, hawkers of postcards, shops selling Western cosmetics, film rolls, chocolate, those selling copper utensils and Nepalese antiques. The author hears film songs that were blaring out from the radios, sounds of car horns and bicycle bells, vendors shouting out their wares. He says that stray cows roam about on the roads. He also draws a vivid picture of a flute seller with many bansuris protruding from his pole. He describes how the serene music produced by the flute seller is heard clearly above all the other noise.

3. “To hear any flute is to be drawn into the commonality of all mankind.” Why does the author say this?

Ans: The author considers flute music to be “the most universal and most particular” of all music. This is a musical instrument that is common to all cultures. We have the reed neh, the recorder, the Japanese shakuhachi, the deep bansuri of Hindustani classical music, the clear or breathy flutes of South America, the high-pitched Chinese flutes, etc. Even though each of these has its specific fingering and compass yet, for the author, to hear any flute is “to be drawn into the commonality of all mankind”. This is because in spite of their differences, every flute produces music with the help of the human breath. Similarly, despite the differences in caste, culture, religion, region, all human beings are the same, with the same living breath running through all of them.

The Beggar

Page No: 67 Think About It
1. Has Lushkoff become a beggar by circumstance or by choice?

Ans: Lushkoff became a beggar by circumstance. Formerly, he sang in a Russian choir, but was sent away for drunkenness. This led him to beg.

2. What reasons does he give to Sergei for his telling lies?

Ans: Lushkoff said that since he was fired for being an alcoholic, he had to tell lies. And, if he told the truth no one would give him anything.

3. Is Lushkoff a willing worker? Why, then, does he agree to chop wood for Sergei?

Ans: No, Lushkoff is not a willing worker. He agrees to chop wood for Sergei not because he was hungry and wanted work but because of his pride and shame and since he had been trapped by his own words. His strength had  been undermined by drinking too much vodka and he was unhealthy and did not feel the slightest inclination to do any work.

4. Sergei says, “I am happy that my words have taken effect.” Why does he say so? Is he right in saying this?

Ans: When Sergei got Lushkoff to work for him the first time, he wasn’t a willing worker. But after chopping wood for Sergei and helping him move houses, Sergei noticed that Lushkoff had developed a willingness to work. On seeing this, Sergei felt content that his advice had brought Lushkoff on the right path and that he wouldn’t have to beg again for a living. If Sergei had not helped Lushkoff, he’s have lied on the streets begging.

5. Lushkoff is earning thirty five roubles a month. How is he obliged to Sergei for this?

Ans: Lushkoff was obliged to Sergei because if he had not come to Sergei, then he might still have been calling himself a teacher or a student. He would have been begging. By listening to Sergei, he had changed his ways. He was a notary and earned thirty  five roubles a month.

The Accidental Tourist

Question 1: Bill Bryson says, “I am, in short, easily confused.” What examples has he given to justify this?

Answer: Bill Bryson cannot do a simple day to day activity without creating a mess. He often forgets the way to lavatory. He finds it difficult to remember his hotel room number. He can forget almost everything which is required to carry out our routine activity. Most of us never ponder how effortlessly we carry out our routine activity. It is all wired up in our brains. But some people, like Bill Bryson find it difficult and almost impossible.

Question 2: What happens when the zip on his carry-on bag gives way?

Answer: His fingers get hurt by the zip. He is bleeding profusely. All belongings in his bag are flying across the floor of the waiting hall of the airport. He seems to be making a mockery of himself and of civilized way of behaving at a particular place.

Question 3: Why is his finger bleeding? What is his wife’s reaction?

Answer: His finger is hurt by getting stuck in the zip of his bag. His wife is astonished by the way he has created a mess all around himself.

Question 4: How does Bill Bryson end up in a “crash position” in the aircraft?

Answer: Bill Bryson leans down to tie his shoelaces. In the meantime the person on the seat ahead of him pushes back his seat. As a result he gets stuck in the kneel down position. Certain people have this strange affinity of always getting stuck in an awkward position.

Question 5: Why are his teeth and gums navy blue?

Answer: While pondering over his writing he was chewing on his pen. He was so careless that he did not notice the ink getting into his mouth. It took longer for him to impress the lady sitting next to him. For ink also it was enough time to show the bizarre effect in his mouth.

Question 6: Bill Bryson “ached to be suave”. Is he successful in his mission? List his ‘unsuave’ ways.

Answer: Certain unwritten rules dictate the way we should behave in public places. For example you should know proper manners while at dining table. It is considered uncivilized if you burp publicly. You should not make chomping noise while eating. The list is endless.

Bill Bryson always met with some sort of accidents while following these rules. He would always make chicken pieces fly after his fork’s stroke. If he would open the lid of some edible chances are he would splatter it all over his clothes.

Question 7: Why do you think Bill Bryson’s wife says to the children, “Take the lids off the food for Daddy”?

Answer: His wife knew his knack of creating misery for himself. As a precautionary measure she asked her children to do normal chores for their father.

Question 8: What is the significance of the title?

Answer: The main character here is prone to create small mishaps. Especially during tour this can lead to discomfort of fellow passengers. Think for a while, you are sitting on a window seat in the train enjoying the beautiful scenery outside. Then somebody sitting on the upper birth spills his favourite curry and spoils your new shirt and your mood too. Those sort of persons are better at their homes. The way he creates accidents justifies the title, “The Accidental Tourist”.

A House is Not a Home

Page No:54

1. What does the author notice one Sunday afternoon? What is his mother’s reaction? What does she do?

Ans: One Sunday afternoon, the author noticed a strange smell. Then he saw smoke pouring in through the seams of the ceiling and filling the room very quickly. They could barely see anything. By the time they ran out into the front yard, the roof was already  engulfed in flames and was spreading very quickly.
His mother ran back into the house. She had brought out a small metal box full of important documents. She wanted to bring out important things from the house one by one. She was in a ‘crazed state’.

2. Why does he break down in tears after the fire?

Ans: After the fire, he broke down into tears because it suddenly struck him that he was suffering a big loss. He realized that his cat could not be seen anywhere. Then, everything hit him at once − the new school, the fire, and his cat. That was when he broke down and cried.

3. Why is the author deeply embarrassed the next day in school? Which words show his fear and insecurity?

Ans: The author is deeply embarrassed the next day in school because when the fire broke out, he was still wearing the dress he had worn to church that morning but he had no shoes as he had lost them in the fire. So he had to borrow some tennis shoes from his aunt. He was totally embarrassed by everything. The clothes he was wearing looked weird, he had no books or homework, and his backpack was gone.

Words used in the lesson that show his fear and insecurity are “…outcast and geek…” , “…like a zombie.”, “…wanted to curl up and die.” , “Everything felt surreal”, “All the security…had all been ripped away”.

4. The cat and the author are very fond of each other. How has  this been shown in the story? Where was the cat after the fire? Who brings it back and how?

Ans: The author had great affection towards his cat. He cried inconsolably when he couldn’t  find his cat after the fire. He would regularly go to the site of his house in the hope of finding the cat. He remembered how the cat would crawl into his pocket and fall asleep and missed her terribly.
The cat  was so  freaked by the fire and ran a mile away from the house. One woman found her and took her in. She located the author’s number on the cat’s collar. However, she  couldn’t reach them as the phone had been disconnected because of the fire. The woman then made personal efforts to find the author and returned back the cat.

Page No: 56
5. What actions of the schoolmates change the author’s understanding of life and people, and comfort him emotionally? How does his loneliness vanish and how does he start participating in life?

Ans: The schoolmates showed genuine concern for the author in spite of not knowing him well. They helped him by collecting supplies, books and clothes for him. People whom he had never spoken to before started coming to him and befriending him. They also called him to their houses. The author made new friends. He was overwhelmed  by their love and cooperation. He realized that his new school and new people around him were good. He stopped focusing on his feeling of fear and insecurity and became confident that everything will be alright.

The Last Leaf

PageNo: 48 Think About It

1. What is Johnsy’s illness? What can cure her, the medicine or the willingness to live?

Ans: Johnsy was suffering from pneumonia. Only the willingness to live could cure her. She had made up her mind that she was not going to get well. The doctor said that if she did not want to live, then medicines would not help her.

2. Do you think the feeling of depression Johnsy has is common among teenagers?

Ans: Yes, I think the feeling of depression Johnsy is very common among teenagers. Because of the present lifestyle, teenagers are under constant pressure to outperform in every field. They are burdened with studies and the anxiety of future. They are also subjected to a lot of parental and peer pressure. Along with all this, they are also expected to behave in a certain manner as believed appropriate by the society. Most of the times, they are unable to bear so much of stress and end up being depressed.

3. Behrman has a dream. What is it? Does it come true?

Ans: Behrman was a sixty year old painter. His lifelong dream was to paint a masterpiece. It does come true when he paints a leaf such that it looks extremely natural. He painted the last leaf left on a creeper.

4. What is Behrman’s masterpiece? What makes Sue say so?

Ans: Berhman’s masterpiece was the last leaf on the ivy creeper. Sue calls it masterpiece because this painting rekindled the willingness to survive in Johnsy’s heart and she was able to recover from her illness. Johnsy thought that she would die when the last leaf fell from the ivy creeper. But Berhman spent an entire night in a heavy storm to paint a fresh green leaf. Berhman suffered from pneumonia because of getting drenched while painting and eventually died. However, on seeing that leaf Johnsy thought it was real and got a feeling of self-belief. She realized she could get well if she wanted to and came out of her illness.

Weathering the Storm in Ersama

Page No: 42

1. What havoc has the super cyclone wreaked in the life of the people of Orissa?

Ans: The cyclone brought heavy rains and strong winds. As a result, majority of the houses had blown away and only the strong cement houses were  spared. Dirty water covered the land as far as the eye could see. Many people lost their lives. There were floating human bodies and bloated animal carcasses all around. Even the strongest of the trees had  been uprooted. The scenes were gruesome. Many people lost their relatives and many children had become orphans. There was shortage of food. People were sad and helpless and a pall of gloom had descended on the people all around.

2. How has Prashant, a teenager, been able to help the people of his village?

Ans: Prashant helped the people of his village by first getting a grip over himself because he was initially shocked on witnessing the after effects of the cyclone. He decided to step in as the leader of his village. He organized a group of youths and elders to  jointly pressurize the merchant to given rice for the people living in the shelter. He was successful in this task. His next task was to organize a team of youth volunteers to clean the shelter and to tend to the wounds of the people who had been injured because of the cyclone.
Prashant also brought a number of orphaned children together and constructed a polythene shelter for them. While women were  mobilized to look after them, the men secured food and other essentials for the shelter. When he realised that the women were becoming too grief-stricken, he persuaded them to start working in the food-for-work programme, which was  initiated by an NGO. He also organized sports events for children.

3. How have the people of the community helped one another? What role do the women of Kalikuda play during these days?

Ans: The people of the community got together and began to help one another under the leadership of young Prashant. Together they pressurised the merchant to part with his rice for the people in the shelter. They gathered branches from fallen trees and lit a fire, on which they cooked rice for all to eat.
When the military helicopter dropped some food parcels but did not return, the youth task force gathered empty utensils from the shelter and made the children lie in the sand with the utensils on their stomachs to communicate to the passing helicopters that they were hungry. The message went through and the helicopter made regular rounds of the shelter, airdropping food and other basic needs.
Women were  mobilized to look after the orphans, while the men secured food and materials for the shelter. Inspite of being grief stricken the women started working in the food-for-work programme started by an NGO.

4. What  do Prashant and other volunteers resist the plan to set up institutions for orphans and widows? Why alternatives do they consider?

Ans: : The plan to set up institutions for orphans and widows was resisted because it was believed that in such institutions children will grow up without love and affection and widows would suffer from stigma and loneliness. Instead, Prashant and his group suggested that the children and widows should  be resettled in their own community where they can get a homely environment. They suggested setting up of foster families made up of childless widows and children without adult care.

5. Do you think Prashant is good leader? Do you think young people can get together to help people during natural calamities?

Ans: Yes, Prashant is a very good leader. Though he himself was too grief-stricken, he got a hold of himself and decided to step in as the leader of the village. He carried out his role effectively and helped the people of his village in every possible manner.
Yes. Young people can definitely get together to help people during natural calamities and otherwise. They can use their strength and vigour to help people.