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.

The Snake Trying

I. 1. What is the snake trying to escape from?
Ans: The snake is trying to escape from the stick.

2. Is it a harmful snake? What is its colour?

Ans: No, it is not a harmful snake. Its small size renders it harmless even to the children. The snake is green in colour.

3. The poet finds the snake beautiful. Find the words he uses to convey its beauty.

Ans: The words the poet uses to convey the snake’s beauty are “beautiful” and “graceful”.

4. What does the poet wish for the snake?

Ans: The poet wishes that the snake be left unharmed. He wants it to go over the water into the reeds to hide.

5. Where was the snake before anyone saw it and chased it away? Where does the snake disappear?

Ans: The snake was lying on the sand till someone saw it and again chased it away. The snake disappeared in the ripples of the water among the green reeds.

II. 1. Find out as much as you can about different kinds of snakes (from books in the library, or from the Internet). Are they all poisonous? Find out the names of some poisonous snakes.

Ans: No, all snakes are not poisonous. Some of the poisonous snakes are Indian Cobra, Common Krait, Russell’s Viper and Saw-scaled Viper.

On Killing a Tree

I. 1. Can a “simple jab of the knife” kill a tree? Why not?

Ans: No, a simple jab of a knife cannot kill a tree because it takes many years for a tree to grow and rise out of the earth. Moreover, only a chop cannot kill it because it will slowly rise again and grow to its original size.

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2. How has the tree grow to its full size? List the words suggestive of its life and activity.

Ans: The tree grows to its full size by absorbing years of sunlight, water, and air. It slowly grows out of the earth and sprouts leaves. The words suggestive of its life and activity are ‘grown slowly consuming the earth’, ‘rising out of it’, ‘feeding upon its crust’, ‘absorbing years of sunlight, air, water’, and ‘sprouting leaves’.

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3. What is the meaning of “bleeding bark”? What makes it bleed?

Ans: “Bleeding bark” refers to the area on the tree trunk where it has been hit with the axe. It bleeds because the wood cutter has wounded the tree by cutting and chopping it.

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4. The poet says “No” in the beginning of the third stanza. What does he mean by this?

Ans: In the beginning of the third stanza, the poet has said “No” to lay emphasis on the fact that mere chopping of the tree would not kill it. The tree would grow again and retain its original size.

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5. What is the meaning of “anchoring earth” and “earth cave”?

Ans: “Anchoring earth” refers to the roots of the tree that lie inside the earth and play the role of an anchor for the tree to grow. They ensure the security of the tree as they nourish it with water and nutrients. “Earth cave” refers to the ground on which the foundation of the tree is laid as it holds the roots and keeps the tree standing tall and protects it from adversities such as heavy rainfall or storm.

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6. What does he mean by “the strength of the tree exposed”?

Ans: The strength of the tree lies in its roots, which the poet asks to snap out in order to kill the tree. Thus, the phrase “the strength of the tree exposed” refers to the roots of the tree being exposed to sunlight and air.

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7. What finally kills the tree?

Ans: The tree is finally killed by the uprooting of its roots. When the roots, which had anchored it lying hidden in the earth for years, were dug out, the tree’s strength was exposed and this led to the death of the tree. It dried up after it had been uprooted.

The Bond of Love

Page No:119 Thinking about the Text  (do in book)
Given in the box are some headings. Find the relevant paragraphs in the text to match the headings.

Ans: An Orphaned Cub – para 3
Bruno’s Food-chart – para 6
An Accidental Case of Poisoning – para 8
Playful Baba – para 12
Pain of Separation – para 14
Joy of Reunion – para 16
A Request to the Zoo – para 18
An Island in the Courtyard – para 21

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(do in notebook)

II. Answer the following questions.

1.   “I got him for her by accident.”

(i) Who says this?
(ii) Who do ‘him’ and ‘her’ refer to?
(iii) What is the incident referred to here?

Ans: (i) Narrator said this.

(ii) Here, ‘him’ refers to the sloth bear and ‘her’ refers to the narrator’s wife.

(iii)  About two  years ago the narrator and his companions were passing through the sugarcane fields near Mysore. Suddenly, they saw a black sloth bear. One of the narrator’s companions shot it on the spot. As they saw the fallen animal, they were surprised to see that the black fur on its back moved. Then they saw that it was a baby bear that had been riding on its mother’s back. The narrator ran up to it and attempted to capture it. He finally succeeded in grabbing it and gifted it to his wife. This incident is referred to in the above statement

2. “He stood on his head in delight.”
(i) Who does ‘he’ refer to?
(ii) Why was he delighted?

Ans: (i) ‘He’ refers to the bear, Bruno.
(ii) Bruno was delighted to see the narrator’s wife after three months of separation.

 

3. “We all missed him greatly: but in a sense we were relieved.”
(i) Who does ‘we all’ stand for?
(ii) Who did they miss?
(iii) Why did they nevertheless feel relieved?

Ans: (i) ‘We all’ stands for the narrator, his wife and his son.
(ii) They missed Bruno (Baba).
(iii) They felt relieved because Baba was getting too big to be kept at home. That is why they had sent him off to a zoo.

 

III. Answer the following questions in 30 to 40 words each.

1. On two occasions Bruno ate/drank something that should not be eaten /drunk. What happened to him on these occasions?

Ans: Bruno ate some poison-barium carbonate He also vomited and breathed heavily, but was later cured. In another incident, he drank nearly a gallon of old engine oil. Fortunately, he remained unaffected.meant for the rats, which paralysed and weakened him.

2. Was Bruno a loving and playful pet? Why, then, did he have to be sent away?

Ans: Yes, Bruno was a loving and playful pet. Everybody in the family was attached to it ,especially the narrator’s wife. It had to be sent  away to a zoo because it was getting too big to be kept at home.

3. How was the problem of what to do with  Bruno finally solved?

Ans: Bruno was not happy at the zoo. Seeing its condition and its happiness at seeing the narrator’s wife, Bruno was allowed to go back to Bangalore. There, an island was made for the bear, keeping all its needs in mind.

I. 1. Find these words in the lesson. They all have ie or ei in them.(do in book)

f___ld	ingred ___nts	h ___ght	misch ___vous
fr ___nds	___ghty-seven	rel ___ved	p ___ce

Ans:

field	ingredients	height	mischievous
friends	eighty-seven	relieved	piece

2. Now here are some more words. Complete them with ei or ie. Consult a dictionary if necessary.

bel___ ve	rec ___ve	w ___rd	l ___sure	s ___ze
w ___ght	r ___gn	f ___gn	gr ___f	p ___rce

(There is a popular rule of spelling: ‘i’ before ‘e’ except after ‘c’. Check if this rule is true by looking at the words above.)
Ans:

believe	receive	weird	leisure	seize
weight	reign	feign	grief	pierce

 

II. Here are some words with silent letters. Learn their spelling. Your teacher will dictate these words to you. Write them down and underline the silent letters.

knock	wrestle	walk	wrong
knee	half	honest	daughter
hours	return	hornet	calm
could	sign	island	button

Ans:

Knock	Wrestle	Walk	Wrong
Knee	Half	Honest	Daughter
Hours	Return	Hornet	Calm
Could	Sign	Island	Button

2. Adverbs

(i) Complete the following sentences, using a suitable adverb ending in –ly.
  (in book)

(i) (a) Rana does her homework timely.
(b) It rains heavily in Mumbai in June.
(c) He does his work properly.
(d) The dog serves his master faithfully.
(ii) (a) We should never get down from a moving train.
(b) I was badly in need of support after my poor performance.
(c) Rita met with an accident. The doctor examined her immediately.

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