II PUC English Classwork By RAVI GS.

01 - Romeo Juliet
William Shakespeare

I Comprehension.

1 Ans : C

2 Ans : A

3 Ans : B

4 Ans : C

5 Ans : B

6 Ans : The phrase "face of heaven" signifies moonlit night.

II Comprehension
1 Ans : William Shakespeare is known to use the language deftly in his works. In ' Romeo Juliet ' through the character of Romeo we come to know how effectively similes are used to convey the message. Romeo in his speech uses more similes to describe the beauty of Juliet. In the beginning, he exaggerates that Juliet's beauty surpasses the brightness of light. His first simile compares her beauty to a rich jewel worn by an Ethiopian woman. The comparison here is so effective that the jewel shines brighter against the dark skin of the cheek. Such a beauty is very expensive and rare to be seen on the earth. Further he says her beauty is to be worshipped and her beauty is a kind of divine hence her beauty could be seen conspicuously in amidst others. The second simile is used to compare Juliet's beauty to a snowy dove which stands out as it troops with crows referring to her companions. They are outshone by her heavenly beauty as if love and beauty personified her. At the end of his speech being fascinated by her beauty he says his heart has never loved anyone truly till then. This is how he conveys his passionate feelings of love towards Juliet.

2 Ans : William Shakespeare's characters are timeless and his works are universal in appeal. English language and literature continue to grow mightier in his legacy. This element is manifested in 'Romeo Juliet '. Juliet is fascinated by the charming personality of Romeo. In her expressions we can understand that her love is more immense and intense. She expresses her intentional love through figure of speech. She beseeches night to arrive so that she can meet her Romeo. She refers him to day in night hence she calls night ' gentle and sweet ' for it brings charming him to her. She expects Romeo to be cut into little star in the bright sky after her death. Because she wants to make her Love immoral after his death. She assures that Romeo, as little star makes the face of heaven more beautiful through his charm. Thus Romeo would be immortalized and people would fall in love with starlit heaven of the night. Consequently, people pay no worship to the garish sun. Thus she expects him to be immortalized to the whole world.

III Comprehension
1 Ans : William Shakespeare is known for his rich imageries laced with powerful emotions. The characters Romeo and Juliet use vivid contrasting imageries to express their passionate intentional love for each other such as night and day, black and white, bright jewel and dark surface, snowy dove and crow, and starlit night and garish sun.
Romeo in his soliloquy he exclaims that juliet is much radiant than the flare of the torches which were lit up in the party hall. It implies that her brightened beauty outshines the torches' brightness. Later he extols her beauty saying that she can outshines the other women like a white dove in the middle of gathered crows. It suggests that Juliet is conspicuously seen amidst others like a gleamed Angel. Further he compares her to a jewel ring hanging against the cheek of an Ethiopian lady and compares to a snowy dove which is known for love and beauty. Here we can understand that other women were appeared ugly to him. It presents his emotional intensity that he shows towards her.
Similarly, Juliet uses the phrases day in night , whiter than new snow, and star in the night sky. She invokes both night and Romeo and addresses him as day in night. Further she says his presence with charm can vanish the darkness in the night, believing that he would come gliding on the wings of night like new snow on raven's back. Juliet implores the night to bring him to her and requests the night to cut him into little star when she dies. And the starlit night makes the heaven even more beautiful. She wants her love to be immortalized to the world so that people will be in love with night and pay no worship to the garish sun. Thus all the contrasting imageries serve to highlight the intensity of their love.

2 Ans : Juliet's love is more passionate and intense than Romeo's love. It is very obvious from their expressions. Her risks so much more for Romeo than he risks for her in return. Romeo after he had touched her hand and kissed her she comes to understand what is mean to be in true love and from then onwards starts feeling the pangs of love for him. After she falls in love with Romeo she defies her parents to marry him. She expresses her love firmly asking Romeo to marry her. Her love for him goes on increasing in intensity and finally marries him. In the invocation to night we find someone yearning to be possessed in love by her husband, it tells how she is obsessed about him. She has a premonition of their tragic death which finds expression in her request to night to set up Romeo amidst the star in the sky after her death so that their love gets immortalized.

On the other hand , it is with the intension of seeing Rosaline and not Juliet. Hence Juliet is not Romeo's first love , so that ' first love and first time's feeling of amazingness does not apply to Romeo. When he sees her for the first time his exclamations are of one who is overwhelmed by the sight of someone who is mesmerizingly beautiful and are not yearning of someone deeply in true love. He loves her because she is beautiful and it suggests his conditional love towards her. That is why , Juliet love is more passionate and intense.


2. Too Dear!
Leo Tolstoy

Comprehension I

1. Where is the kingdom of Monaco?
The kingdom of Monaco lies on the shore of the Mediterranean Sea near the borders of France and Italy

2] On the shores of which sea is the kingdom of Monaco is located -
Mediterranean sea

3] What is the population of Monaco?
Seven thousand inhabitants

4] If the kingdom of Monaco were divided among its inhabitants how much land would each inhabitant get?
Each inhabitant would get less than an acre.

5] How many men are there in the army of Monaco?
Sixty men

6] What are the items on which tax is levied in Monaco?
Tobacco, wine and spirits, and poll-tax

7] Why was it hard for the Prince to feed his courtiers and officials and to keep himself?
As very few people in the kingdom drank and smoked the revenue from the taxes on tobacco and on wine and spirits was insufficient for the Prince to feed his courtiers and officials and to keep himself.

8] What was the new and special source of revenue found by the king?
Gaming house.

9] What did people play in the gaming house?
Roulette

10] How did the king of Monaco supplement the kingdom's revenue?
He supplemented the kingdoms revenue by keeping to himself the monopoly of the gaming business.

11] What did the king of Monaco consider dirty business?
Gambling

12] Why were the German sovereigns forbidden from keeping gaming houses? Why?
Gaming houses run by German sovereigns did a great deal of harm to the people. Many a time gamblers who lost their money in the German gaming houses, out of despair they drowned or shot themselves.

13] What proverb does the writer mention to justify the dirty business of gambling?
“You can't earn stone palaces by honest labor'

14] In what way does the Prince of Monaco hold his court with all the ceremony of a real king?
The Prince of Monaco had his coronation, and his levees. He also gave rewards, and awarded sentences and pardons. He also held reviews, councils, laws and courts of justice.

15] What unusual crime was committed in the kingdom of Monaco?
A murder

16] In what manner was the criminal condemned to be executed?
The criminal was condemned to be executed by an executioner using a guillotine machine.
17] What was the hitch in the execution of the criminal?
The kingdom of Monaco did not have either a guillotine machine or a professional executioner.
18] How much did the French government expect from machine and an expert?
The French Government offered to lend a machine and an expert for a price of 16000 francs (16 thousand)
19] Who according to the council was a brother monarch?
The council of Monaco considered the king of Italy as a brother monarch. (Monarchic type of government)
20] How much did the Italian government demand for the execution?
It demanded 12000 francs(12 thousand) for lending the machine and the services of an executioner. It also included the travelling expenses.

21] Why was the prince of Monaco unwilling to put an additional tax of two francs of the people?
Prince of Monaco was unwilling because the people wouldn't stand it and it may also cause a riot

22] What reason did the soldiers give for not accepting to execute the criminal?
The council of ministers wanted one of the soldiers to cut off the criminals head in a rough and homely fashion. But the soldiers said that they did not know how to do it and that was onething that they had not been taught.
23] What were the duties expected of the guard?
The guard was expected to watch the criminal and also to fetch his food from the palace kitchen.
24] The present plan is too expensive what is the present plan referred to by the prince?
The plan of keeping the murderer in prison and a guard to keep watch over him which was about 600 francs a year.
25] On what condition did the criminal agree to leave the prison?
The criminal agreed to leave the prison on a condition that the king undertakes to pay his pension regularly and received one-third of his annuity as advance from the prince .
26] What work did the prisoner do after being released from prison?
The prisoner bought a bit of land and started market –gardening.

Comprehension II
01] Though gambling is a dirty business why does the king of Monaco resort to it?
Count Leo Tolstoy (1828-1910) is a Russian prolific writer, who started his career with short stories and novels, later he turned to write essays and plays. Tolstoy's best known novels are war and Peace, Anna Karenina, Master and man etc. He was one of the prominent social reformers. After 1880 his deep concern for morals in the human life led him to spirituality that radically changed his life. Too dear was written after 1890. So naturally his angle was humanitarian, where he reflects on the well being of mankind.
Monaco is a tiny little kingdom of seven thousand inhabitants, which lies on the shore of the Mediterranean Sea near the borders of France and Italy. Many a small country town has more inhabitants than this kingdom. In spite of this, Monaco has a Kinglet, a palace, courtiers, Ministers, a bishop, generals and an army, consisting of sixty men. The kingdom also levies taxes on its subjects on the use of tobacco, wine and spirits and a poll-tax. Since this kingdom has very few subjects, the revenue drawn from them was not sufficient.
Therefore the prince of Monaco had no other option other than resorting to keep gaming houses for extra revenue. This is the reason why the prince of Monaco resorts to gambling even though it's a dirty business.

2. Why did the king of Monaco keep changing his mind in dealing with the criminal?
Count Leo Tolstoy (1828-1910) is a Russian prolific writer, who started his career with short stories and novels, later he turned to write essays and plays. Tolstoy's best known novels are war and Peace, Anna Karenina, Master and man etc. He was one of the prominent social reformers. After 1880 his deep concern for morals in the human life led him to spirituality that radically changed his life. Too dear was written after 1890. So naturally his angle was humanitarian, where he reflects on the well being of mankind.
The kingdom of Monaco had never encountered a crime like Murder in its domains. When this happened the king and the law keepers did not know how to handle this crisis. Though the judges sentenced the murderer to be beheaded, this was not possible, as the kingdom of Monaco had no means to execute the murderer and they had to rely on their neighboring country France to supply them a guillotine, a machine to cut the heads off. But, this cost them 16,000 Francs which was a heavy sum.
So the king decided to enquire the cost of machine from Italy. Italy offered guillotine machine for a lesser sum of 12,000 Francs. Even this was too much for countries economy, therefore king decided to alter the death sentence to one of imprisonment for life, which was cheaper than the earlier death sentence.
After one year king noticed that life imprisonment cost came up to more than 600 Francs which was heavy and at last king resorted to paying a pension of 600 Francs annually to the prisoner and ordered him to leave the domains of Monaco forever.

03] Why was the criminal reluctant to go out of the prison?
Count Leo Tolstoy (1828-1910) is a Russian prolific writer, who started his career with short stories and novels, later he turned to write essays and plays. Tolstoy's best known novels are war and Peace, Anna Karenina, Master and man etc. He was one of the prominent social reformers. After 1880 his deep concern for morals in the human life led him to spirituality that radically changed his life. Too dear was written after 1890. So naturally his angle was humanitarian, where he reflects on the well being of mankind.
According to the advice given by the ministers to bring down the expenses incurred on the prisoner, the Prince decided to dismiss the special guard who was kept to watch over the prisoner. This would indirectly give an opportunity for the prisoner to escape and the prince waited to see whether the prisoner escaped but this never happened. The criminal was reluctant to go out of prison for two reasons. One because he was timely fed by the royal kitchen and second he had no other place to go, as nobody would offer him a job as he was a murderer. Therefore he decided to stay in the prison instead of running away.

04] How did the criminal lead his life after his release?
Count Leo Tolstoy (1828-1910) is a Russian prolific writer, who started his career with short stories and novels, later he turned to write essays and plays. Tolstoy's best known novels are war and Peace, Anna Karenina, Master and man etc. He was one of the prominent social reformers. After 1880 his deep concern for morals in the human life led him to spirituality that radically changed his life. Too dear was written after 1890. So naturally his angle was humanitarian, where he reflects on the well being of mankind.
It was agreed that the criminal would leave Monaco and its domain forever and for doing this he would be paid 600 Francs annually. This somehow appeased the criminal and he readily agreed to do so. It was only a quarter of an hour by rail and he emigrated, and settled just across the frontier, where he bought a bit of land, started market-gardening and lived comfortably. He always went at the proper time to draw his pension and having received it, he spent two or three francs at the gaming table, winning sometimes and losing sometimes and now lived peaceably well.

Comprehension III
01] You can't earn stone palaces by honest labour in what context is this statement made?
Count Leo Tolstoy (1828-1910) is a Russian prolific writer, who started his career with short stories and novels, later he turned to write essays and plays. Tolstoy's best known novels are war and Peace, Anna Karenina, Master and man etc. He was one of the prominent social reformers. After 1880 his deep concern for morals in the human life led him to spirituality that radically changed his life. Too dear was written after 1890. So naturally his angle was humanitarian, where he reflects on the well being of mankind.
Monaco is a tiny little kingdom of seven thousand inhabitants, which lies on the shore of the Mediterranean Sea near the borders of France and Italy. Many a small country town has more inhabitants than this kingdom. In spite of this, Monaco has a Kinglet, a palace, courtiers, Ministers, a bishop, generals and an army, consisting of sixty men. The kingdom also levies taxes on its subjects on the use of tobacco, wine and spirits and a poll-tax. Since this kingdom has very few subjects, the revenue drawn from them is not sufficient. Therefore the prince of Monaco has no other option other than resorting to keep gaming houses for extra revenue. Though kinglet of Monaco knows it is a dirty business, but what is he to do? He has to live. He was much interested in all his ceremonies. He has his coronation, his levees, his rewards, sentences and pardons. He also had his reviews, councils, laws and courts of justice, just like any other kings, only on a smaller scale. King was more interested in leading a luxurious life and also more concerned with all his financial gains and less concerned with his duties. So he drew revenue from all evil sources like gambling houses, tax on tobacco, wines and spirits which represents the negative aspects of life. Income collected from the evil side of life may not lead us to good future. Ill-gotten gain was spent in the ill mannered way in the end.
Though the trial and imprisonment of the criminal is depicted in comic mode in this story, it does give rise to serious question. What are they?
Or
Where there other ways of dealing with crime and the criminal? Discuss in the light of the story?
Count Leo Tolstoy (1828-1910) is a Russian prolific writer, who started his career with short stories and novels, later he turned to write essays and plays. Tolstoy's best known novels are war and Peace, Anna Karenina, Master and man etc. He was one of the prominent social reformers. After 1880 his deep concern for morals in the human life led him to spirituality that radically changed his life. Too dear was written after 1890. So naturally his angle was humanitarian, where he reflects on the well being of mankind.
All is well in the kingdom of Monaco until a man commits a murder. The king had never had to deal with a murderer before, and after the judicial process, the convict had been sentenced to death.
But there was only one hitch in the matter and that was they had neither a guillotine for cutting heads, off, nor an executioner. So they had to rely on their neighboring country France. But this cost them 16,000 Francs, which was a very heavy sum. The prince later enquired it with Italy, Italy offered it for a lesser sum of 12,000 Francs, and even this was too much burden. The decision was (reversed) revoked and the murderer was imprisoned for life. Life imprisonment, however presented its own set of problems. There need to be a guard at all times and the man had to be fed. The yearly costs were calculated to be more than 600 Francs, which would still necessitate an increase of taxes. It was decided that the guard should be dismissed, even at the risk of losing the prisoner. But the prisoner however does not try to escape and when it was enquired, the criminal responds that he has nowhere to go in Monaco and that his reputation was ruined. King finally decides to pay 600 Francs to the murderer as an annual pension by the government to remain in exile.
Leo Tolstoy’s angle was humanitarian, where he reflects on the wellbeing of mankind. He presents this story in a most humorous way and concludes that king who was less concerned with his responsibilities and was earning profit from evil sources also tries to save the expenses (from death sentences to life imprisonment) but it turns to be too expensive for the kinglet. So the title ‘Too dear’ is apt and the funny side is if the criminal was found guilty then he must be convicted. But this particular criminal was treated in an innovative fashion, where he was pensioned that is - a regular income by the government. It not only sets him free but also pensions him.
But unfortunately in other parts of the world criminals are very badly treated. Once a criminal then he is convicted for life. Real problem of each and every country is that they strive their level best to get rid of such social evils. Criminals are also humans. But they are always ill-treated and executed in the most barbaric manner. Guillotine, France origin where the device is used to behead the culprit or Spanish origin Garrote where iron collar is tightened around the prisoner's neck, or Lynch mob, where a group of people kills someone by hanging them without a legal trial or electrocution killing the prisoner by passing electricity through their body. The way the criminals are killed is nothing short of barbaric. Criminals are also humans, and they should also be treated with basic human rights. It is every government's legal responsibility to provide such offenders a second chance to improve.


3.ON CHILDREN
-Kahlil Gibran

COMPREHENSION I

1.       And a woman who held a babe against her bosom said, “Speak to us of Children.” And he said: Here ‘he’ refers to
Ans: (b) the Prophet
2.       ‘Your children are not your children’ means
Ans: (c) parents should not be possessive of their children.
3.       ‘They come through you, but are not from you’ means
Ans: (a) though parents give birth to their children they do not own them.
4.       According to the prophet, what may be given to the children?
Ans: Love
5.  ‘Their souls dwell in the house of tomorrow’ means
Ans: (a) children belong to the future.
(c) They have their different vision of life

6.       ‘The bows’ and ‘living arrows’ refer to parents and children.

COMPREHENSION II

Why does the prophet categorically state 'Your Children are not your children'?
The prophet says that parents should not think that child is a thing to be possessed by parents as they have not created ‘life’. He states that a child's parents should not be controlling towards their child: rather they should give their children the opportunity to succeed on their own. Parents may have brought them to the earth but this has happened because they have been choosen to be vehicle and nothing else. Some parents fail to realize this. They have come through us for a purpose of their own and some of them are very different from their parents, in thoughts, attitudes, wishes etc. Prophet says that they stay with you, but they do not belong to you. Each one of us has to chart out our own paths and not one of us resembles the other. Prophet's perspective on the issue of children is that a child's parents can only give them love so as to make them confident to face all the challenges of life. But they cannot impose their thoughts. Parents can offer opinions as choices but freewill or ultimate decision should be given to children. Parents should allow them to grow and transcend what personality they aspire. Parents should think that children are our future and the future cannot be stagnant with the past. The future can only be better and brighter because all beings (everybody) strive for perfection and that is not possible with reference to the past because by focusing on the past, the present gets distorted. 

What does the metaphor, bows and arrows signify with regard to parent children relationship?

In this metaphor, the prophet compares parents as bows, children as arrows and Archer as almighty. Bow has to stretch to shoot the arrows. In the same manner parents have to stretch the limits of their thinking and living. The respect that any adult gets, it should not be because of his age, but it should be because the next generation feels they deserve it due to their thoughts which has become a foundation for their character and one day parents should look at them and wonder, these were my thoughts but our child has surpassed (excelled) them and parents should hope to become like their children.
Each is beloved to God who is their creator. The archer “God” who cast the arrows wants it to go to a certain place; he really cannot make it go unless he holds the bow stable. So that the arrow will go the way he wants. God decides where the arrows should halt. In other words, parents need to be good stable role models for their children if they want them to stick to the path of infinite. Prophet insists that is the day when any parent should be proud that the parenting has been good. No person truly belongs to another, each person is unique.

What attitudes should parents have towards their children?

The prophet says that parents must know that 'children 'are born to fulfill the longing' of life itself. They are the gift from the abundance of existence. God is the Supreme creator so parents do not own the children. They are just a caretaker. 'You may house their bodies but not their souls' Children have their own souls and are not non-living things. So parents cannot possess them as puppets. 'They are the sons and daughters of Life's longing for itself'. Life's longing for itself brings forth children in the form of sons and daughters. Hence, our sons and daughters do not belong to us though we have borne them. Parents can only give love to their children, so as to make them confident to face all the challenges of life. But they cannot impose their thoughts. Parents can offer opinions as choices but freewill or ultimate decision should be given to children. Parents should allow them to grow and transcend what personality they aspire. Parents should think that children are our future and the future cannot be stagnant with the past.
The prophet wants parents not to look upon their children as their puppets and not to impose their religion, politics and ideas on their innocent children. Parents must act as ‘guiding light' for their children. The children have their own future, parents belong to the yesterday, but children belong to the tomorrow.
The prophet says that they stay with you, but they do not belong to you. Each one of us has to chart out our own paths and not one of us resembles the other. We (Parents) should resist the temptation of making our child a carbon copy of ourselves. God and nature are so brilliant that we cannot find even one fingerprint resembling another. Parents should love their children without binding them with their own thoughts. Love is always divine and selfless and free like bird.

COMPREHENSION III
1.       In this poem, ‘parents’ could stand as a metaphor for
a.       the older generation.
b.      leaders.
c.       religious heads.
d.      teachers.
Having considered the above options, offer different readings of the poem.
a.       Parents as the older generation--The older generation generally think that they are more experienced and expect the younger generation to follow their ideas. They even think that their times were very ideal and are very apprehensive about the impressionable youngsters. As model individuals they try to mould their following generation.
b.      Parents as leaders--Leaders want to lead people. They force their views on the youth. They feel that in order to achieve their goals, they should control the youth. So, they do not allow the young minds to think independently. In a bid to prove their power and influence, leaders often snub the tender minds.
c.       Parents as religious heads--Religious heads use faith and belief as strong weapons to control the innocent minds. They rather want the devotees to accept the practices unquestionably. Here, thinking takes the back seat and believing occupies the mind overall. These heads capitalize on this laid-out principle. They continue to conquer the young minds in a society dominated by beliefs.
d.      Parents as teachers--Teachers command more respect than any one in every society as they nourish young minds with love and help students acquire knowledge. Though they facilitate to develop independent thinking, students are largely controlled. Instead, they should be appreciated for their innovative and independent ideas. They need to be encouraged to make their own path.
2.       In the light of the poem, think of different levels of freedom children must have shaping their lives.
Ans: A child is creative by birth. It learns by exploring the world around; it experiments with everything it meets in the process of its physical and mental growth. Children need support and encouragement at all levels: from parents at home; from people outside and from teachers at school. They ought to enjoy greater degree of freedom so that their creativity flourishes. Parents are always concerned about their children’s future. They influence children with their ideas and forget to understand that children have their own ideas. Some are too protective that they don’t give children needed freedom. Teachers need to give children more space to learn on their own instead of strict adherence to the curriculum. Society plays a key role in shaping the lives of children. There should not be too many restrictions for the young minds. Thus, children need more freedom to excel in their individual lives. They should help in creating an environment conducive to their growth and see that they grow and remain physically, emotionally, intellectually and spiritually healthy. As they grow into adults, the parents must exercise the more patience and give them freedom to take their own decision and let them do what they like for living.
3.       The poem does not focus merely on the lives of children, but also talks about the responsibility of parents. Discuss.
Ans: The poet surprises the parents through his words, “Your children are not your children.” He then continues to explain what should be the attitude of parents towards their children. He says that parents are only the means in the life of children. They don’t belong to the parents. They are rather the most beautiful creation of Life itself. The responsibilities of parents lie in giving unconditional love to children and not changing their thoughts. Since the souls of the children belong to the future, parents cannot control them. Like bows in the hands of the Archer, they should take the pain happily to bend and send the children into the future. God loves those responsible parents who take all the pain to remain stable. Thus, this poem is not just about children and their independent ideas; it is also about a much better attitude of parents towards their children and a new perspective about the responsibility of parents. Therefore, as parents, it is our responsibility to be flexible enough to allow our children to live their own lives. Parents may have a wealth of experience from which to guide them but the future id theirs and so should not be hindered by projecting our past failures , nor by promoting our expectations for their future endeavors.


4. Everything I Need to Know I Learned in the Forest
- Vandana Shiva
COMPREHENSION: 1

1] From where did Vandana Shiva's Ecological journey start?
Vandana Shiva's ecological journey started in the forests of the Himalaya.
2] What were Vandana Shiva's parents?
Vandana Shiva's father was a conservator of forests and her mother was a farmer.
3] From where did Vandana gain her knowledge about ecology?
Vandana  Shiva  gained  her  knowledge  about  ecology  from  the ecosystems and forests of the Himalaya.
4] What was the Chipko movement?
It was a non-violent response led by peasant women to the large-scale deforestation that was taking place in the Himalayan region.
5] To which region did Vandana belong?
Vandana belonged to the Garhwal Himalayan region.
6. What are the consequences of logging?
            Logging leads to landslides and floods and scarcity of fodder, water and fuel.
7. What was the real value of forest, according to the women of Garhwal?
          According to the women of Garhwal, the real value of forests was not the timber from a dead tree, but the springs and streams, food for their cattle, and fuel for their hearths.

8. How did the women of Garhwal try to save the trees?
             The women of Garhwal came out in defence of the forests. They declared that they would hug the trees, and the loggers would have to kill them before killing the trees.
 9. Who led the resistance against cutting down of trees in the Himalayan village of Adwani?
           Bachni Devi
10. What did Vandana learn from the chipko movement?
            Vandana learned about bio-diversity and bio-diversity based living economies, from the chipko movement.
11. What is Navdanya movement?
      Navdanya is a movement for bio-diversity conservation and organic farming.
12. By whom and when was Navdanya movement started?
      The Navdanya movement was started by Vandana Shiva in 1987.
13.When and where was the Navdanya farm started?
            The Navdanya farm was started in 1994 in the Doon Valley.
14. Where is the Doon Valley located?
        The Doon Valley is located in the lower elevation Himalayan region of Uttarakhand province.
15. Name the country that has recognized the 'Rights of Nature' in its constitution.
         Ecuador

16. Name the country that has initiated the universal declaration of the rights of Mother Earth-
           Bolivia
17. Name the prominent South African environmentalist mentioned in the essay.
          Cormac Cullinan
18. Who is called the father of modern science?
         Francis Bacon
19. Where is Earth University located?
        The Earth University is located at Navdanya, a bio-diversity farm located in the Doon Valley of the Himalaya.
20. Name two of the most popular courses at the Earth University.
           The 'A-Z of organic farming and Agro-ecology' and 'Gandhi and Globalisation' are two of the most popular courses at the Earth University.
21.Who is the inspiration behind the Earth University?
           The inspiration behind the Earth University is Rabindranath Tagore
22. What does 'Tapovan' mean?
       It means 'Forest of Purity'.
23. In Tagore's writings what do the forests symbolize?
      The universe
24. What is the beginning of the joy of living?
 The end of consumerism and accumulation is the beginning of the joy of living

COMPREHENSION: II

How did the women led by Bachni Devi put up resistance to felling of trees? Do you think it was effective?
The wave of the Chipko movement, a nonviolent response to the large-scale deforestation was persistent since 1970 in the Himalayan region. Since women were aware of the real value of forests and they were the ones to provide the basic needs of water, fodder and fuel, they started revolting in mass against the felling of trees. The women declared that they would hug the trees and the loggers would have to kill them before killing the trees.

One such dramatic Chipko actions took place in the Himalayan village of Adwani in 1977. A village woman named Bachni Devi led resistance against her own husband who obtained a contract to cut trees. When officials arrived at the forest, the women held up lighted lanterns although it was broad daylight. When the forester asked them to explain, the women replied that they had come to teach them forestry. To this, the forester got angry and called them foolish women and asked how they could prevent tree felling by those who knew the real value of the forest. He concluded that the forest produce profit, resin and timber. The women folk protested and sang in Chorus that the forest bear soil, water and pure air and pleaded to sustain the Earth and all she bears. The protest was effective because Bachni Devi was supported by all women folk of that village. The people who thought that women were innocent and ignorant, had to give up logging the trees.

Why is it important to promote biodiversity intensive farming? How did the author achieve it?
Bio-diversity refers to the existence of a large number of different kinds of animals and plants which make a balanced environment. It promotes democratic pluralism where every species gets opportunities to sustain itself in co-operation with others and no species in a forest appropriates the share of another species. The failure to understand bio-diversity has led to the impoverishment of nature and culture; therefore it is necessary to practice bio-diversity intensive farming. By practicing and promoting bio-diversity intensive form of farming, the yield is more and thus helps in solving the food and nutrition crisis.

The movement for biodiversity conservation and organic farming was started in 1987 at Navdanya farm. This farm was started in 1994 in the Doon valley in the lower elevation of the Himalayan region of Uttarakhand province, by Vandana Shiva. She claims to have conserved 630 varieties of rice, 150 varieties of wheat and hundreds of other species. More than 100 community seed banks are set up across India, saving 3,000 rice varieties. The farmers under this project are trained to give up the use of fossil fuels and chemical based monocultures and adopt bio-diverse ecological systems nourished by the sun and the soil. Vandana Shiva concludes that biodiversity is her teacher of abundance, freedom, co-operation and mutual giving.

What does the idea of Earth University Convey? How is it different from other Universities?

University is an Institution at the highest level of education, where one can study for a degree or do research. All universities are anthropocentric and theirs focus is on the human beings. It deals with protecting and sustaining the life of human beings only.

The Earth University teaches Earth Democracy. It means freedom for all species to evolve within the web of life. It also deals with the freedom and responsibility of humans to recognize, protect and respect the rights of other species. It translates the human rights to food and water and freedom from hunger and thirst. It is Eco-centric in nature which focuses on conserving the existing eco-system in order to protect and sustain the web of life on earth. This university trains and teaches the agro-ecology where learners know the significance and methods of having biodiversity and diversity based living economy. In the Earth University there are two popular courses they teach viz. A-Z of organic Farming and Agro-ecology, Gandhi and Globalization.

COMPREHENSION: III

“Tagore saw unity with nature as the highest stage of human evolution” Do you think consumerism and accumulation of wealth comes in the way of realizing Tagore's vision of human evolution?

Rabindranath Tagore, the National Poet and a Nobel Laureate was inspired by nature. He started 'Shantiniketan' a forest School to create an Indian cultural renaissance and deduce inspiration from nature. Tagore owes many things to Forest in his essay 'Tapovan' – Forest of purity.
Tagore firmly believed that Indian civilization found its source of regeneration both material and intellectual in the forest. He states India's best ideas have come from the place where man was in communion with trees and rivers and lakes much away from the crowd. The peace of the forest has helped the intellectual evolution of man. The culture of the forest has fueled the culture of Indian society. The culture that has arisen from the forest has been influenced by the diverse processes of renewal of life that varies from species to species, from season to season in sight, sound and smell. The unifying principle of life in diversity became the principle of Indian civilization. The forest is a unity in its diversity and we are united with nature through our relationship with the forest.

The greed and self-centered nature of human beings has led to dominance and exploitation of nature. Though forest teaches us the principle of equity and enoughness, man is giving priority to consumerism and accumulation of wealth. This is against the idea of unity in diversity and ecological sustainability that ultimately lead to impoverishment of nature and culture.

“The conservation of bio-diversity is the answer to the food and nutrition crisis” – Discuss

Bio-diversity refers to the existence of a large number of different kinds of animals and plants which make a balanced environment to overcome food and nutrition crisis. It promotes democratic pluralism where every species gets opportunities to sustain itself in co-operation with others and no species in a forest appropriates the share of another species. It the right and responsibility of each human of this earth to recognize, protect and respect the rights of other species. This way we bring into play the principle of equity. But we have been failure to understand bio-diversity and it has led to the impoverishment of nature and culture; therefore it is necessary to practice bio-diversity intensive farming. By practicing and promoting bio-diversity intensive form of farming, the yield is more and thus helps in solving the food and nutrition crisis. All the species must live in harmony.

“Conservation of diversity is crucial for the sustenance of both nature and human society” Discuss.

The unifying principle of life in diversity is the principle of Indian civilization. It is this unity in diversity that is the basis of both ecological sustainability and democracy. Diversity without unity becomes the source of conflict and contest while unity without diversity becomes the ground for external control. The forest is a unity in its diversity and we are united with the forest. Biodiversity ensures abundance, freedom co-operation and mutual giving.

Human beings are an inseparable part of nature and separatism is indeed the root of disharmony with nature. The eco-apartheid, illusion of separateness of humans from nature is to be overcome. Monocultures have replaced diversity and this has lead to impoverishment of nature and culture. To conserve diversity, organic farming, harnessing the solar energy is to be adopted by reducing exploitation and overuse of natural resources.

Man is associated with nature through the relationship with the forest. The forest teaches us union, compassion and enoughness. No species in the forest (appropriates the share of another species) and every species sustains itself in co-operation with others. Man can overcome his greed, Conflict and exploitation if he considers the unity in diversity seen in a forest as a role model. If not it will finally lead to the impoverishment of our culture. Therefore, conservation of diversity is crucial for the sustenance of both nature and human society.

 In the light of this essay how does one synthesize the wisdom of the past with the modern knowledge systems?

The essayist, environmentalist Vandana Shiva highlights the problems which have been created in this globalization era. Here, she never dismisses the science inventions intact but finds as useless. She tells that in the name of science they are not killing the mother earth but harassing her to death. Today’s polluted world is gifted by the people who invented some disaster items. Some of the invention of modern world have resulted in damaging our eco systems and are threatening to wipe out life on this living earth.  Hence, with these situations we need to synthesize the wisdom of the past with modern knowledge systems. Traditional knowledge has always been vital for the sustenance of natural resources. In the past, nature was rich in everything, they were with nature and they grew in absolute purified nature. But now the life on earth is endangered soon it is going to be extinct. So, one must realize the adverse consequences of the modern knowledge. It’s a time to revisit and adopt the traditional way of living with nature in harmony. So that, this earth would go long way in feeding every species.


A Sunny Morning.
- Serafin and Joaquin Alvarez Quintero

I. Comprehension.
1. Do you think Laura was a regular visitor to the park? What make you think so ?                      Ans :- Yes. Laura was a regular visitor to the park. This is clear from her statement that her seat was not occupied by anybody. And she used to come every day to the park to feed on the breadcrumbs.

2. Why are Don Gonzalo and Laura annoyed with each other?                                                          Ans :- Don Gonzalo and Dona Laura annoyed with each other because he scares the birds which were feeding on her breadcrumbs in the park and she takes liberty to criticize his action.

3 . Dona laura reads without her glasses as                                                                                             Ans :- C. She knows every word by heart.

4. Gonzalo and Laura keep up humorous conversation because they:                                                   Ans :- C. have the same temperament.

5. Laura and Gonzalo’s friendly conversation begins with                                                                         Ans :- C. a pinch of snuff.

6 . Do you think Laura is an effective narrator?                                                                                      Ans :- Dona Laura is an effective narrator because despite her age her mental faculties are unimpaired and she seems to be more patient than Don Gonzalo.

7. Gonzalo does not reveal his identity because:                                                                                                  Ans :- he looks grotesque and old.

II. Comprehension

1 . Precisely at what point of time, do you think, Laura and Gonzalo begin to recognize each other?
Ans :- Dona Laura and Don Ganzalo become friends soon after enjoying a pinch of snuff offered by Don Ganzalo. While Don Ganzalo is reading a book aloud, he comes across a few lines of spain poet. Incidentally, he tells Laura that it is from Campoamar's works. Then Dona Laura expresses her sympathy for him as he finds difficult to read the book with his big glasses. At this moment, Don Ganzalo tells her that he is a great friend of many known poets especially Campoamar and he has met him in Valencia. Then he adds that he is a native of Valencia. Dona Laura tells him that she also has spent several seasons in her youth at the villa called Maricela, which is not far from the city Valencia. The name Maricela surprises Don Ganzalo and he goes on to tell her that he has seen the most beautiful woman there. The moment he tells her name Laura, both look at each other intently. Precisely at this point they begin to recognize each other.

2. What were the circumstances that led Gonzalo to flee Valenica?
 Ans :- The protagonists Dona Laura and Don Ganzalo loved each other in their young. Every day in the morning, he used to pass by on horseback down the rose path under the Laura's window. While passing, Ganzalo used to toss up her balcony a bouquet of flowers, later in the afternoon while he was returning by the same path, he would catch the flowers she would toss him. As days pass by, Laura's parents thought of marrying her to well known merchant in their locality. One unfortunate night, while Gonzalo was waiting under her window to hear her songs, the merchant came there unexpectedly and insulted him. This led to a quarrel and later turned into a duel. At the sunrise, the rich merchant was severely wounded by him. The merchant was highly regarded in the locality as he was rich man in the city. Ganzalo became apprehensive of consequence and he decided to conceal for a few days. Therefore he left the place as well his love.

3. Did laura and Gonzalo pine for each other after they were separated by circumstances? Who is more passionate? How do they react to each other now?
 Ans :- The young lovers, Laura and Ganzalo pine after they separated. Soon after Ganzalo flees to Valencia, then he joins the army in Africa and meets a glorious death on the warfield. At this, Laura mutters about the story which is concocted cleverly by him and she pretends to sympathise with him, saying that he must have been distressed by the calamity. Taking it as a strong pinot, Gonzalo pretends saying that it is indeed a calamity, but also tries to express his resentment and presumes that on the contrary Laura might have forgotten him and she must have spent days in chasing butterflies in the garden without any regret. Dona Laura protests saying no on his comment that it is a woman's way. She narrates a story of her version that the silver maiden awaited the news of Ganzalo for a year. As she did not receive any letters from him and one day she went to sea after sunset, wrote his name on the sand, sat on a rock. Knowing the threnody of her the waves took her into the sea. He mutters himself that it is a worse lie than his. They mutter themselves that they got married after breakup. From their conversation and reaction to each other, we can conclude that Laura is more passionate as understood by the way she narrates the end of her friend. Now they are very friendly and sweet to each other without unveil their true identity.

4 . What makes Dona Laura assume that Don Gonzalo is an ill-natured man?
Ans :- Don Gonzalo is an old gentleman of seventy years old, gouty and impatient. He is found to be in an ill natured state at his first appearance itself. When he enters the park, he finds that the bench on which he used to sit is being occupied by the three priests. So he gets irritation and expresses his annoyance by remarking that the priests are idling their time away instead of sitting in the church. Juanito suggests that he could sit on the bench on which Dona Laura is seated. But he tells him that he wants a bench to himself. This instance shows that he is an ill tempered man. After having no alternatives, he decides to share the bench. While, he comes towards the bench he scares the birds away. To this, Laura gets annoy with him and criticize his actions but Don Ganzalo replied her with impolite manner. He seems to be quite rude when he replies to her. The way he justifies his action shows her that he is indeed an ill natured person. Therefore she assumes and questions that why must people get so fussy and when they reach a certain age.

5. Laura and Gozalo build up stories about themselves so that they can                                                           Ans :- C. Conceal their emotions.

III.
1. Trace how irony is built in the play. Did you guess the characters past even before they did so? Ans :- In the play A Sunny Morning, irony has been built throughout the play. There are several instances of irony. The protagonists in the play seem to be very old but their mentality serves like young in humorous way. After settling on her bench, Dona Laura sends Petra to chat with the guard and makes fun of her. Later when he cleans his shoe from his handkerchief, she mocks at him. Gonzalo starts reading lines aloud from Campoamar's work, she again teases his sight. These three instances make readers to laugh. We could guess the characters that they are the old lovers before they recognize each other. Gonzalo reads aloud the lines that " all love is sad, but sad as it is" and " twenty years pass. He returns. And each beholding the other exclaims can it be that this is he? Heavens, is it she?. These lines are much relevant to this play and taken as dramatic irony and also give a hint that they got separated and their love ended with sad. After long years, they are meeting and unveiling their identity as Campoamar’s lines. When they unveil their identity, both start to conceal the emotions by narrating concocted story of their end. Thus, a careful reading of the play reveals that there is a relationship between the old lady and the old gentleman.

3. Bring out the feelings of Laura and Gonzalo as they leave the park. Is it different from what they felt about each other in the beginning of the play?
 Ans :- In the beginning of the play, the protagonists enter the park with their servants. The conversation between these two seventy years old gets begun sarcastically with each other accusing the other of encroaching on their private space. Later they start to criticize their actions each other as haters. However, their feelings towards each other in the beginning of the play become more evident only when Don Gonzalo walks towards her bench, he scares away all the birds. So she warns him in rash, in return he arrogantly replies which provokes her to make a personal comment later as he does so. After a few heated exchanges between them they take a pinch of snuff which makes them relief. Soon after taking snuff they start conversation friendly. By the end of the play, we find a total change in their attitudes towards each other. In the course of their conversation they discover that they were lovers once in their youthful days. But neither of them is ready to disclose their identity. However, the animosity that we witness in the beginning of the play is no longer there when they are ready to depart. Before taking leave of each other, they formally thank each other for having met. Both think that it's been great pleasure to meet and ensure that they are coming to the park the next day. Both of them wave farewell and leave the place as friends.

4. What do you think would have happened if they had revealed their identity? Do you think they know each other towards the end of the play?
 Ans :- Once Don Gonzalo and Dona Laura realize that they are the same old young lovers of Maricela who were separated in life by the fate, they make up fictitious stories and conceal their identity. If they are revealed their identity both of them would have been utterly shocked and would have accused each other of deceiving the other. They know that both of them had held the other in high esteem and both of them had fallen deeply in love in their past. They wonder when both realise that they are the lovers of Maricela. They have changed a lot in their appearance. Don Ganzalo has become seventy year old and uses parasol and big glasses to read books. So called beauty, The silver Maiden has also become old and her appearance has changed too. That is why, Dona Laura after listening to Don Gonzalo's praise of her beauty as The silver Maiden now feels ashamed to confess that she is the old silver maiden of Maricela. Similarly, Don Gonzalo knows that he is grotesque and so wishes to keep his image as a gallant horseman who everyday passed under her window by on horseback. Thus they think that it would be better to conceal their identity rather than complaining each other.

5. How is the title ‘A sunny Morning’ justifiable? Discuss.
 Ans :- A Sunny Morning is a short play, written by Quintero brothers. It is a refreshingly new romantic comedy. It tells the story of Don Gonzalo and Dona Laura, who are ardent lovers at their young age. But their love is not a successful one as they had to part from each other in life. They meet each other in a park at Madrid during their old age. The story is presented in a new pattern unlike the conventional romantic stories.
The play begins in a sunny morning at a park, the entire play occurs in an autumn sunny morning. Here the title, sunny morning refers to the youthful of the day and weather seems to be very pleasant and fresh. The main characters are old age, in spite of this, the way they think is very much similar to the young minds. In the beginning of the play she mocks at Petra and tells to chat with her lover. Generally old age people don't support and talk about love unlike them. When Gonzalo enters to the park, they sarcastically accuse each other like young people. This youthfulness metaphorically refers to the title of the play.


When You Are Old
W B Yeats

01. What does the speaker want his beloved to do sitting by the fire?
              The speaker wants his beloved to sit by the fire and read the book what he is writing.
02. Where, according to the speaker, had love hidden his face?
        According to the speaker, 'love' has hidden his face amid a crowd of star.
03. What does the phrase 'full of sleep' mean?
The phrase 'full of sleep' means that she is old, tired and is going to die in the near future. It suggests lack of vitality and youthfulness.
04. Who does the speaker picture as 'nodding by the fire'?
The speaker depicts his lady love as an old woman sitting beside the fire, nodding her head.
05. What are 'your moments of glad grace'?
The phrase 'your moments of glad grace' refers to her physical beauty and happiness of a young woman. Here it refers to the occasions when many suitors were mesmerized by her beauty and elegant youth.
06. What does ' the sorrows of your changing face' refer to?
'The sorrows of your changing face' refer to the changes seen in her face as she grows older. Her face will have shrunk and wrinkles which appeared on her forehead and face depict the difficulties and sorrows faced by her over the years.
07. The poet is addressing
The woman the poet has loved.
08. In line two, “book” refers to
Memories
09. “Pilgrim soul” refers to
Which is in quest of true love
10. “ Love Fled” connotes
The fleeing of her lover to the mountains


Comprehension: II
How is the one man different from the many others who loved the lady?

'When you are old' is an exquisite love lyric of 12 lines, where the poet uses a time frame in which he addresses his lady love in the present, takes her to an unreal condition in the future and asks her to recall her past memories. It is written to express his true and unforgettable love. The lady is beautiful in her youth and admired by many. The one man refers to the poet who loved her for her unique soul. He considers him to be different because he realizes all the others loved her external beauty while he alone has loved her for her inner beauty. He further continues that he has loved her even as she grew less beautiful and fragile. While many suitors have loved her beauty, he alone has loved her pilgrim soul as well as the sorrows of her changing face. He claims his love to be unconditional.

Does the poem bring out the transient nature of beauty as against permanence of love?

Yes, the poem brings out the transient nature of beauty as against the fact that true love remains permanent. The poet tries to describe the lady's beauty when she was young; all her suitors were merely attracted to the beauty while he alone loved her pilgrim soul. He claims that their love might change as she grows old but his love would remain constant and unconditional. He loved her pilgrim soul as well as the changes in her face as she grows older. Therefore his love would remain constant though her beauty gets waned.

Comprehension: III

Comment on the usage of time frame by the poet.

William Butler Yeats (1865-1939) is an Irish poet and one of the foremost figures of the 20th century literature. He was awarded the Nobel Prize for literature in 1923. He is among the great love poets of the world. 'When you are old' is an exquisite love lyric of 12 lines, where the poet uses a time frame in which he addresses his lady love in the present, takes her to an unreal condition in the future and asks her to recall her past memories. It is written to express his true and unforgettable love.
The poet blends the trinity of time, the past, present and future to show how 'time' and 'beauty' are transient against 'love' which can be permanent. He does so, in order to persuade her or warn her not to ignore him and make a wrong decision. He tries to make her realize that the present 'beauty' will not last forever and is transient like time. As years roll by, she will grow old and lose her elegance. Consequently, all her suitors who loved her external beauty would flee away from her. The poet’s intention is to make her realize that when she grows old, she will remember the days when she was young with happiness but will grow regretful that she did not take advantage of his love. The poet fears that she would not act upon his love for her and that she will only remember him in the book of memories. This serves to persuade the young lady not to ignore him now and regret later.

When you are old' is a poem of contrasts. What contrasts do you find in the poem? What purpose do they serve?
The poem brings out many contrasts. There are contrasts between a) physical beauty and inner beauty b) youth and old age c) happiness and sadness.
The first stanza highlights the contrast between her elegant youth and her depressing old age.
The second stanza mentions about the many suitors who had fallen for her physical beauty, while the speaker alone appreciates her inner beauty. The third stanza speaks of the transient love represented by many suitors and the permanence of his love. There is a contrast between the 'moments of glad grace' and ' the sorrows of changing face' that represent the youth and the old age. The poet wants her to recollect the happiness of her youth, while she is sad and regretful in her old age. By bringing in all these contrasts the speaker wants to persuade the young lady not to ignore him now and regret later. He wants to prove and convinces that his love is unconditional and others is conditional.


The Gardener

P.Lankesh

 Comprehension I

What qualities of the old man impressed the narrator?
The owner was impressed with the old man's physique. He was tall with greyish hair, a long beak like nose and strong muscular arms. His eyes were suffused with strange memories and native intelligence.

Is it a significant factor that the old man came to the garden after walking hundreds of miles?
Yes, while narrating the story to the owner's wife he reveals that in order to punish Basavaiah, he declared himself dead and renounced all his wealth and entity. When he reached the coconut grove and the place probably convinced him that he could live there comfortably.

03.The owner of the garden became lethargic because
 c. There was nothing much left for the owner to do.,

Why did the owner's wife start worrying about the strange ways of her husband?
Gardener helped his owner in every way and solved his financial crises. Once his worries disappeared, he indulged himself in all possible vices among which adultery was one. This made the owner's wife to worry about her husband's strange behaviour.

05.When did the old man decide to narrate his story?
    When the owner's wife started worrying about her husband's strange behaviour. Old man guessed that her husband's misconduct had given her the worries. Therefore he decided to narrate his own story and tried to caution her about human behaviour.

06. Tammanna considers his rival, Sangoji /Basavaiah , an important possession because
c) Rivalry offers new possibilities of life for him.

07.  No , his name was not Sangoji , but Basavaiah “told the old man because
 C. He was fictionalizing his past.

08.  What unique strategy was evolved by Tammanna to annihilate Basavaiah completely?
Tammanna was asked by his suportors to get back his invaded land either by legal or illigal. But he continued his rivelry in an invisible manner. Hence, he hit upon the idea of composing all his experiences and Basavaiah's cruelty in the form of ballads and singing them.

09. Tammanna decides to give up everything and leave the place because
       B.  He wants to create an impression that he is dead

09.Why does Basavaiah start inviting scholars and musicians to his place?
  He was told that his house looked dull and Tammanna’s books were not there. Therefor he invisted scholars and musicians.

10. Tammanna forgets his songs and ballads because
     B.  to avenge himself and to become a non-entity.

11. When, according to the narrator, does man lose his name?
     According to the narrator, man loses his name after a particular age.

12. When did Tammanna forget all his songs and ballads?
    Tammanna forgot all his songs and ballads after the death of Basavaiah.

13. Where was the coconut grove located?
      The coconut grove was located near Chennarayapatna.

14. How far had the old man walked to come to the coconut grove?
       The old man had walked hundreds of miles to come to the coconut grove.

15. How much land did Tammanna possess in the beginning?
     Tammanna possessed ten acres of wet land.

16. Who was Tammanna's rival ?
      Basavaiah.

17. When did the rivalry between Tammanna and Basavaiah move from the visible to the abstract level?
              When Tammanna composed ballads mentioning Basavaiah's cruelty and his meanness and sang them, the rivalry between Tammanna and Basavaiah moved from the visible to the abstract level.

18. What was Basavaiah’s ray of hope in his attempt to outwit Tammanna?
       Tammanna fell ill, Basavaiah was hale and healthy. This gave Basavaiah a ray of hope that by keeping himself healthy he could outwit Tammanna who was ill.

19. Which was the most important possession of Tammanna?
       The most important possession of Tammanna was his rival Sangoji or Basavaiah.

20. How much of Tammanna's land did Basavaiah acquire forcibly?
        Initially Basavaiah acquired Two hundred acres (200).


COMPREHENSION II

How did the owner's life change after the arrival of the old man?
The owner of the coconut plantation was quite normal. He was working very hard to improve his financial crisis. Therefore, he was looking for someone who could help him. After recruiting the old man as his farmhand, there was drastic change in his plantation. Old man proved himself really useful. He was well versed in agriculture and could understand the problems of workers. The plantation expanded. All the worries disappeared and the owner had hardly any work to engage himself in, his attention went towards acquiring property and social prestige. This caused a perceptible change in the lifestyle of the owner. However he became lethargic and shied away from hard work. His wealth and social status also increased. He acquired a number of friends in the next town as well as in his own village. Even though he had precious little to do, his life became crowded with colourful events. Adultery was one among them. His wife became apprehensive about his adultery and umpteen other vices, he cultivated lately.

What advice did the supporters of Tammanna give for getting his land back?
Tammanna gained the more land and  he had one thousand acres but  Basavaiah could own eight hundred only. So Basavaiah could not tolerate this. He sent word to Tammanna asking him to sell two hundred acres. Tammanna did not agree. He was prepared to buy all the land that belonged to Basavaiah. Basavaiah was mad with rage. He went along with his people and acquired two hundred acres of Tammanna's land forcibly. A fence was built around that land. Tammanna could not tolerate this invasion. By now, the quarrel between these two had sucked in all their supporters. Tammanna was advised by his supporters about the various means to get back his land. There was the court of law. One could also take recourse to the police. If he did not want that, there were many numbers of persons ready to attack Basavaiah. Such a war had become virtually inevitable. But Tammanna was in search of a method that could annihilate Basavaiah completely. He hit upon the idea of composing all his experiences in the form of ballads and singing them. Now the rivalry between Tammanna and Basavaiah started moving away from things that were visible, towards an invisible, abstract domain.

04.How did Basavaiah try to overcome his humiliation?
    Tammanna was in search of a method that could annihilate Basavaiah completely. He hit upon the idea of composing all his experiences in the form of ballads and singing them. It brought him immense name and fame which humiliated Basavaiah tremendously. This was not tolerated by Basavaiah. He shrunk in humiliation. Nevertheless he started filling his life with all kinds of material wealth. He got a palatial mansion built for himself. He appointed a number of persons just to praise him. He bedecked himself with gold, diamonds and other precious stones and started living in a palatial mansion. But the visitors to his house insisted him to buy Tammanna's books. Therefore he started inviting scholar's poet and musicians to his place to investing his home with meaning.

Comprehension III

The rivalry between Tammanna and Basavaiah keeps moving from the visible domain to the invisible Comment

Tammanna did not perceive Basavaiah as his rival he had one thousand acres and Basavaiah owned eight hundred. But Basavaiah could not tolerate this. He sent word to Tammanna asking him to sell two hundred acres. Tammanna did not agree. He was prepared to buy all the land that belonged to Basavaiah. Basavaiah was mad with rage. He went along with his people and acquired two hundred acres of Tammanna's land forcibly. A fence was built around that land. Tammanna could not tolerate this invasion by now; the quarrel between these two had sucked in all their supporters. Tammanna was advised by his supporters about the various means available for getting back his land. There was the court of law. One could also take recourse to the police. If one did not want that, there were many numbers of persons ready to attack Basavaiah. Such a war had become virtually inevitable. But Tammanna was in search of a method that could annihilate Basavaiah completely. He hit upon the idea of composing all his experiences in the form of ballads and singing them. Thus, the rivalry between Tammanna and Basavaiah started moving away from things that were visible, towards an invisible, abstract domain.

02. A manipulator like Tammanna turns reflective towards the end of his life what does this tell us about human nature?

When Tammanna fell ill, Tammanna heard this and felt happy. He found the means of surpassing him. He considered health as wealth and his disease was Basavaiah’s health. On contrary Tammanna decides to out beat his enemy so he renounces everything and settled in Chennarayapatana and contemplated his death. As long as Tammanna was alive Basavaiah had a reason to live. Basavaiah died because he had no reason to live. Until then both Basavaiah and Tammanna indulged in rivalry to satisfy their ego. Tammanna lost his identity and he became a non entity. This made Tammanna to reflect over human nature and gave a reference to Russia's declaration to America that America was not their enemy and would not wage a war against America; it was only a strategy by the writer to suggest that Tammanna and Basavaiah belong to a post modern society. A nation could withstand the strains. But a human being could not.
 Tammanna lost all his enthusiasm for life. Basavaiah's death that was pricking his conscience transformed him to be a virtuous person and motivated him to relate his own story to the owner's wife and tried to caution her about her husband.


To The Foot From Its Child
-Pablo Neruda

COMPREHENSION I

What would the foot like to be?
Ans: The foot would like to be a butterfly or an apple.
The child's foot is not yet aware it's a foot' (line 1 of the poem) conveys.
Ans: The unrestricted nature of a child's imagination
The child’s ignorance of harsh realities.
What does time teach the child?
Ans: Time teaches the foot that it cannot fly and also cannot be a fruit bulging on the branch of a tree.
The line 'stones and bits of glass, streets, ladders and the paths in the rough earth'. Refers
Ans: Hardships one has to face in life.
Why does the child's foot feel defeated?
Ans: The child's foot feels defeated because the outside world does not allow the child's foot to fulfill its dreams.
Which words convey the real experiences of the foot?
Ans: The words 'stones and bits of glass, streets, ladders, and the paths in the rough earth' convey the real experiences of the child's foot.
“…. Condemned to live in a shoe” suggests that the foot is
Ans: a Prisoner
b. forced to give up its dreams
8. Identify some examples of the mundane activities of the adult.
Ans: The adult foot walks as the foot of either a man or woman working in the field as a farmer or agricultural labour, a worker digging in the mines, or a grocer selling vegetables, fruit and groceries in the market or as a government or church worker.
What does the line 'until the whole man chooses to stop' mean?
Ans: The line, 'until the whole man chooses to stop' means until the person dies.
What did the foot find when it descended underground?
Ans: When the foot descended underground it knows that it did not know that it had ceased to be a foot.
 Why does the foot grow coarse and hard?
Ans: The foot, having been condemned to live in a shoe, starts walking like an adult facing the harsh realities of life. Its relentless walking makes its foot grows coarse and hard.
What immediate effect did life in a shoe have on the foot?
Ans: As a prisoner in a shoe, it lost its touch with its counterpart and being enclosed in a shoe, felt out life like a blind man groping in the dark.
What long-term effects did life in a shoe have on the foot?
Ans: The soft nails of quartz grew hard and changed themselves into opaque substance, hard as horn. Its tiny petal-like toes grew bunched and out of trim, gradually took the form of eyeless reptiles, and later grew callused.
What does the 'shoe' represent in the poem?
Ans: The shoe represents societal norms and traditions by which one is bound or the framework given by society.

COMPREHENSION: II

We think of a foot as belonging to a person, but Neruda says 'To the Foot from its child’ why?
Ans: The poet uses 'foot' as a metaphor for life and focuses on the changes seen in the transition of an infant's foot into adulthood and finally death. Usually we consider 'foot' as physically belonging to a person but Neruda sees in a philosophical way. The foot is the infant's foot which suggests man's childhood. The child's foot does not know that it is a foot, indicating the innocence of childhood, with many dreams and aspirations. The poem focuses on the journey from childhood through adulthood and finally death. He believes that our most intense experience of impermanence is not death, but our own isolation among the living. It is probably this idea that gets reflected in the poem.

What contrasting descriptions of the foot does the poem offer? Why?
Ans: The contrasting description of the foot is given by referring it as a child's foot and an adult's foot. This is to show the changes that takes place in a person's life during the transition of an infant to an adult and until his death.
The child's foot is described to be having tiny toes that are soft with rounded tips like the petals of a flower with soft nails of quartz. Later during the transition period, when the child learns to walk on stones, bits of glass, streets, ladders and the rough surface on the earth, the foot becomes rough. It realizes that it is a foot and cannot become a butterfly or a bulging fruit on trees. Once it becomes aware that it is a foot it gets imprisoned in a shoe, like a blind man groping in the dark. The soft nails of quartz become opaque and bunched together to appear like an eyeless reptile with triangular head with hardened skin which makes it realize that it cannot remain young forever.

The poem begins with the idea that child's foot is not yet aware that it is a foot', at the end the foot is unaware that it had ceased to be a foot. What is the poet trying to convey through these statements?
Ans: The poet uses 'foot' as a metaphor for the child and describes the dreams and realities of life. The child in the beginning is unaware that it is a foot and aspires to become a butterfly or an apple. As it grows and starts walking, facing the difficulties of life-walking on stones and the paths on the rough earth' it realizes it cannot become a butterfly or an apple, which signifies freedom. The child when it walks on rough surface wears shoe to protect the foot. The foot feels defeated and imprisoned inside the shoe. It feels like a blind person in darkness. It wishes to communicate with the other foot but unable to do so. As change is natural, the 'foot' also grows young, then old and feeble. After death, it is buried underground and it is ignorant that there is darkness even in underground as it gains the child-like innocence. It again dreams of becoming an apple or a butterfly. The poet says that confronting the hardships in life is inevitable to everyone and life takes rebirth as it is an eternal one.

How can the foot fly or become and apple after it is buried?
Ans: The foot' is a metaphor for 'life'. The poem focuses on the journey of a foot from childhood through adulthood and finally death. In the initial stanzas, it is very clear that the poet emphasizes on a child's foot which is innocent and aspires to become an apple or a butterfly. Once the transition takes place, it grows up and is exposed to the harsh realities of life. Over a period of time, it realizes that it is only a foot and serves throughout the life, until it dies; It also realized that it cannot become a fruit or a butterfly. Later when it dies and loses its human awareness, it gets back its child- like innocence and starts dreaming of becoming an apple or a butterfly.

How does Neruda describe the busy life of the individual as represented by the foot?
Ans: The poet uses 'foot' as a metaphor for his view of life. Life begins in infancy and in the poem, life begins as an infant foot. The child's foot does not know that it is a foot. It starts walking over stones bits of glass, streets, ladders and the rough surface of the earth. It realizes it is only a “foot” and cannot become a fruit or a butterfly. Since it has to serve the role of a foot, it is imprisoned in a shoe. The child's foot as it grows old, serves as the foot of a man or a woman working in the fields or market or mines or ministries and work hard day and night until it dies. They get busy with discharging their respective duties. They find no time to rest or love. Thus, the freedom of the childhood is lost when a person becomes an adult facing a life of constant work and struggle.

What does the last stanza of the poem mean can you think of parallels in nature?
Ans: Pablo Neruda gives his views of 'life' and 'death' in the poem. The poem speaks of infancy to death and beyond. In the last stanza, the poet tries to wind up with the journey of the 'adult foot' that is the individuals after death. Usually a person’s body is buried or burnt after death. Once he dies his spirit loses human awareness and becomes free as the child. So, in its spirit it is like the child's foot and dreams of becoming a butterfly or an apple. There is a cyclic view of life from birth, infancy, maturity, adulthood, old age, death and rebirth.
There are several parallels in nature. Germination of seeds into a seedling and then into an adult plant which bears fruit and seeds and thus the cycle flow with similar plants coming up. Similarly, the animal life starts from an egg to the young one, which matters into adult and lay eggs. The eggs bring back the similar animals to life again.

Comprehension: III

Examine how Neruda's poem works out the contrast between colorful dreams and humdrum reality of life.
Ans: The poet uses 'foot' as a metaphor for the child and describes the dreams and realities of life. The child in the beginning is unaware that it is a foot and aspires to become a butterfly or an apple. As it grows and starts walking, facing the difficulties of life-walking on stones and the paths on the rough earth' it realizes it cannot become a butterfly or an apple, which signifies freedom. The child when it walks on rough surface wears shoe to protect the foot. The foot feels defeated and imprisoned inside the shoe. It feels like a blind person in darkness. It wish to communicate with the other foot but unable to do so. As change is natural, the 'foot' also grows young, then old and feeble. After death, it is buried underground and it is ignorant that there is darkness even in underground as it gains the child-like innocence. It again dreams of becoming an apple or a butterfly.
Man's spirit, dreams of enjoying unlimited freedom in this world, but it has to pass through several obstacles before it matures into an adult. He learns to face the humdrum realities of life, remains a prisoner and keeps on working until he dies. After death he loses all human awareness and again dream of becoming a butterfly or an apple.

Neruda's poem is a salute to the ordinary human being, who continues with life braving all odds? Do you agree? Give reasons.

Ans: Yes, Neruda's poem is a salute to the ordinary human being as he is the symbol of hard work. He is seen working continuously to achieve his goal in life, and lead a meaningful and complete life. The poet uses 'foot' as a metaphor for his view of life. Life begins in infancy and in the poem, life begins as an infant foot. The child's foot does not know that it is a foot. It starts walking over stones bits of glass. Streets, ladders and the rough surface of the earth. It realizes it is only a “foot” and cannot become a fruit or a butterfly. Since it has to serve the role of a foot it is imprisoned in a shoe. The child's foot as it grows old, serves as the foot of a man or a woman, working in the fields or a woman working in the fields, market , mines, ministries and work hard day and night until it dies. Thus, the freedom of the childhood is lost when a person become an adult facing a life of constant work and struggle.

5. Is Neruda criticizing how society crushes childhood dreams and forces people into rigid moulds?
Ans: Yes, Neruda tries to criticize the society that is crushing childhood dreams making them aware of their limitations and thus transforming people into rigid moulds.
The poet uses 'foot' as a metaphor for his view of life. Life begins in infancy and in the poem, life begins as an infant foot. The child's foot does not know that it is a foot. It starts walking over stones bits of glass on streets, ladders and the rough surface of the earth. It realizes it is only a “foot” and cannot become a fruit or a butterfly. Since it has to serve the role of a foot it is imprisoned in a shoe.
The child's foot as it grows old, serves as the foot of a man or a woman, working in the fields, a woman working in the fields, market, mines, ministries and work hard day and night until it dies. Thus, the freedom of the childhood is lost when a person become an adult facing a life of constant work and struggle. As a child one can think of infinite possibilities, while as an adult, one becomes aware of their limitations, The child's foot had more freedom than the adult's The shoe' represents the framework given by the society in the form of society norms and traditions, a man has to abide by , thus enforcing people into rigid moulds.



I believe that books will never disappear


Comprehension I
B.
 He feels guilty as had not given her mother happiness and understood her when his mother was alive.
C
He understands the blindness has become his way of life and one has to accept it and enjoy it.
True
A book goes beyond its author intention that in every book there is a need for more and a book can either be accepted or rejected by a reader.
The poetic act happens when poet writes a poem and when reader reads it.
Poetry can’t be defined without oversimplifying it.
Book is the most astounding invention of man.


Comprehension II
Borges feels that his mother was an extraordinary person who influenced him very much and she was extremely kind to him. He feels guilty for not having been a happy man in order to have given her a deserved happiness. He feels he should have shown a deeper understanding of her. He says she was an intelligent and a gracious woman who had no enemies according to him.  He generalizes his opinion that when children’s mothers are alive they take them for granted as they have taken moon, season, and sun. But they won’t know immediately that mother does not return.  Borges at age of eighty three feels guilty that he too did same and he shouldn’t have done to her. He says it has not dawn on him early. Thus he is very remorseful about his mother after her death.

Jorge Luis Borges recalls an idea he had expressed in one of his poems about 'blindness'. He says that humiliation, misfortune and discord are given to us so that we may transmute them, so that we may make some eternal works or works that aspire to be so from the miserable conditions of our life. He recalls Goethe's statement “Alles Nahe Werd fern” (All that is near becomes far) where he refers not only to the sunset but also to life. All things leave us. In his case, the visible world has moved away from his eyes forever but fortunately substituted by other things. He feels that it is his duty to accept and enjoy those things. He has learnt how to accept blindness in an optimistic way.

He says that he is blind and it has become a way of his life. He is optimistic that life is not entirely unhappy. Being a writer he believes that all persons must think that whatever happens to him or her is resource. He strongly believes that all things have been given to us for a purpose, and an artist must feel this more intensely. All that happens to us, including humiliations, our misfortune, our embarrassments, all is given to us raw material as clay, so that we may shape our art. Thus he thinks of humiliations.

He believes that poetry is something so intimate, so essential, that it cannot be defined without oversimplifying it. Poetry would be like attempting to define the color yellow, love and the fall of leaves in the autumn. He says that poetry is the aesthetic act and poetry is not the poem, for the poem may be nothing more than a series of symbols. He opines that poetry is the poetic act that takes place when the poet writes it, when the reader reads it and it always happens in a slightly different manner. He says that when the poetic act takes place while reading poem, readers become aware of it. Hence he calls, poetry is magical, mysterious and unexplainable but not incomprehensible-event. He feels that if one doesn’t feel the poetic act event upon reading it, poet would be failed.

He says that poetry must be written with precise words which can elicit the emotion. He believes that adding the precise words would make the poem rhetoric one. So he remembers that wonderful line of Emily Dickinson’s poem which can exemplify this “ This quiet dust was gentlemen and ladies”. He says the idea is banal. Here the line connotes the idea of dust, the dust of death that we all will be dust one day. In the line the phrase ‘gentlemen and ladies’ surprises, gives the magic and poetic quality. He says that if the poetess had written ‘men and women’ it would have failed as poetry, it would have been trivial. So she must have used precise words.

According to Borges, Book is the extension of our imagination and memory. Since there can be no substitute for our imagination and memory by the influence of modern developments in communications, books will never disappear says Borges. He mentions that the invention of books is astounding while all others are the extensions of our body. He says the Telephone is the extension of our voice, the telescope and microscope are extensions of our sight, and the sword and the plough are extensions of our arms. Books are the great memory of all centuries. Their function is irreplaceable. If Books disappear, then history would disappear and surely man would also disappear.

Extra question: A Book goes beyond its author's intention.' Do you agree?


“Every book worth being re-read has been written by the spirit” said Bernard Shaw. Borges claimed that he would fully agree with this notion since a book goes beyond its author's intention. The author's intention is a meagre thing,  a fallible thing. In every book there is a need for something more, which is always mysterious. When we read an ancient book, it is as though we were reading all time that has passed from the day it was written to the present. A book can be full of errors, one can reject its author's opinions, disagree with  him  or  her,  but  the  book  always  retain  something  sacred, something mortal, something magical which brings happiness.'


Comprehension III


Poetry is magical, mysterious and unexplainable'. How does Borges explain the strange aspect of poetry?

He believes that poetry is something so intimate, so essential, that it cannot be defined without oversimplifying it. Poetry would be like attempting to define the color yellow, love and the fall of leaves in the autumn. He says that poetry is the aesthetic act and poetry is not the poem, for the poem may be nothing more than a series of symbols. He opines that poetry is the poetic act that takes place when the poet writes it, when the reader reads it and it always happens in a slightly different manner. He says that when the poetic act takes place while reading poem, readers become aware of it. Hence he calls, poetry is magical, mysterious and unexplainable but not incomprehensible-event. He feels that if one doesn’t feel the poetic act event upon reading it, poet would be failed.
He says that poetry must be written with precise words which can elicit the emotion. He believes that adding the precise words would make the poem rhetoric one. So he remembers that wonderful line of Emily Dickinson’s poem which can exemplify this “ This quiet dust was gentlemen and ladies”. He says the idea is banal. Here the line connotes the idea of dust, the dust of death that we all will be dust one day. In the line the phrase ‘gentlemen and ladies’ surprises, gives the magic and poetic quality. He says that if the poetess had written ‘men and women’ it would have failed as poetry, it would have been trivial. So she must have used precise words.
Precise words which can elicit emotions add to the beauty of the poem along with the usage of Metaphors like, 'time and river', 'life and dreams' , 'death and sleep' , 'stars and eyes' and 'flowers and women'. Poetry gives pleasure to the readers. It gives peace and happiness to those who are sad. It is an inspiration to those who are discouraged. Poetry looks at the brighter side of the things and describes the beauty of nature.

2. What value does Borges see in literature? Why is it important for the future of mankind?

According to Borges, Literature is a dream, a controlled dream. He feels we owe almost everything to literature, what we are and what we have been and also what we will be. That’s why we say literature is a mirror of life. Our past is nothing but a sequence of dreams. He believes that there is no difference between dreaming and remembering the past. It is books that serve as the repositories of great memories of all centuries and nothing else can replace the books. Literature is forever because its function is irreplaceable. If books disappear then there would be no world to be interpreted or preserved. Thus the life has been being preserved in the form of written books.

HEAVEN IF YOU ARE NOT HERE ON EARTH
- KUVEMPU

I
1Ans :- a. On earth
2Ans :- a. Nature
3Ans :- The poet suggests that the beauty of heaven lies in the splendor of nature,in the harvest and moonlight.
4Ans :- The poet creates heaven on earth

II
1 Ans:- The poet brings out his rationalistic outlook of heaven. He suggests that one should perceive divinity and enjoy heavenly bliss in the company of nature itself. Hence the poet argues that we need not to seek heaven after death. We can enjoy heavenly bliss in look at nature on this earth itself. The poet tries to introduce us to the different forms of heaven that exists on earth. The poet emphatically states that the bliss that one experiences while looking at the streams that are leaping down, roaring from the top of the hills,the waves that come rolling across the sea carrying surf at their edges, the tender rays of sunlight falling on the the sprawling green garden and the gentle sun warming up the earth make this earth a heavenly place.

2 Ans:- According to the poet there is no heaven in reality, and strongly believes that Heaven and earth are not separate entities. The poet refers to our beliefs about 'God' and 'heavenly nymphs'. He expresses his conviction, that there is no God and it is man himself who is God. He firmly believes that we ourselves are the nymphs, and the nymphs are to be nowhere else but on this earth only. Heaven and God are merely of man's imaginations. He tries to tell us, the different forms of heaven that exists on earth like the green forests ,the stream that leap down the hills, the waves that roll across the sea, the moonlight and splendor of harvest appears more beautiful than imaginary descriptions of man. Hence he suggests that one must enjoy the pleasures of heaven looking at nature.

III
1 Ans :- In this poem, Kuvempu urges us to understand the power and beauty of nature which we see through our eyes. The poet considers concepts like 'God', 'nymphs' and 'heaven' as myths are created by humans. In the poem, the poet is quite radical in his approach that he is denying the existence of gods which we adore. He strongly feels that God resides in everybody and we ourselves are gods. He believes that only humans as gods live on this heavenly earth. For him heaven is not something beyond the boundaries of this world, since earth itself possesses all that the so called heaven promises. In order to break the illusion of heaven in man's mind, he presents before us charming sights of nature and argues that nothing can be more heavenly than forms of nature which lie all over. In the first two lines, he makes a direct address to nature and declares that if heaven does not exist on the earth where else can it be. He justifies his statement referring to the streams that leap down roaring from the top of the hills, the rolling surf at the edge of waves, the tender rays of sunlight falling on the green garden, thus sun makes earth a heaven.

2 Ans:-   The poet tells the reader that the poets who enjoy such heavenly sights imbibe the beauty of nature and spill the nectar of heaven on earth and celebrates the joys of heaven through his poetry. The poet tells that if at all there exists an entity called heaven, it exists only on this earth. The poet presents before the readers beautiful imageries of nature. In the last stanza, the poet states that one visualizes scenes of heaven lying all over in the splendour of harvest and of moonlight. He concludes the poem celebrating poetic talent.  Poetry is the rhetoric act. Poet brings beauty by using right poetic devices which surely hypnotize the readers. Thus we have been enjoying reading poems. There is a famous saying that poet sees what can’t be seen by sun, it means poet has such a vision that he can go beyond the capacity of sun. The poet can only bring the heavenly world in front of the readers. Thus poet tells that poet imbibes and spills the song of nectar over the readers. The nectar itself makes the works eternal and those works pleases the minds who read. Therefore, the poet says that poet creates heaven on earth.

Japan and Brazil through a traveler' eye

            George mikes


Comprehension I
1. Exquistely well-mannered people' refers to
 Japanese
2. What behaviour substitutes privacy in Japan?
Courtesy substitutes privacy in Japan.
3. The reference to public telephone suggest.
 a. How the Japanese respect privacy
4. Why is bowing called 'quaint'?
 The word 'quaint' means attractive in an old fashioned way. He calls
bowing 'quaint' because the Japanese bow to each other with the ceremonious solemnity of a courtier yet with a great deal of natural and
inimitable grace.
5. Hierarchy in bowing demands
 a. Youngsters bow to their elders
 b. Wife bow to her husband
 c. Sisters bow to their brothers
 Ans,. (b) and (c)
6. What is the sign of appreciation in eating soup?
 When a person is eating soup offered by a host or hostess, he must make
a fearful noise so as to show his sign of appreciation; the host or hostess
will think that the guest is ill-mannered.
7. How are pavements in Brazil decorated? What does it tell us
about the people there?
 The grey pavements in the streets of Copacabana are often decorated
with beautiful black mosaics-unique type of decoration. We can infer
that the people are alive to the beauty in their surroundings and who
have plenty of time for contemplation during their meditative and
ambulatory exercises.
8. What happens when leisurely people in Brazil get a steering
wheel in their hands?
 When leisurely people in Brazil get a steering wheel in their hands ,
they drive with great speed which would then be inclined to believe that
gaining a tenth of a second is a matter of grave importance for all of
them all the time.
9. Who do the drivers look out for when they are driving? Why?
 The drivers look out for pedestrians. They notice a pedestrian step off
the pavement, he regards him as fair game, he takes aim and
accelerates the vehicles. The pedestrian has to jump, leap and run for
their lifes.
10. What distinguishes the war between drivers?
 The war between the drivers is murderous but good tempered. They cut
in, overtake on both sides and force the other person to brake violently
and commit all the most heinous crimes. But they smile at the other
person without any anger, hostility or mad hooting.
11. What does Mikes call, 'A man's castle', in Japan?
 George Mikes calls a man's telephone receiver his castle.
12. How long will it take for you to Japan to be convinced that you
are among exquisitely well- mannered people.?
 It will take only a quarter of an hour in Japan for one to be convinced
that one is among exquisitely well-mannered people.
13. What should people on an overcrowded island do?
 People who live on a hopelessly overcrowded island have to respect one
another's privacy.
14. What are the twin functions of courtesy?
 The twin functions of courtesy are being courteous to one another in
speech and behavior and respecting one another's privacy.
15. Why does the writer say that a man's telephone receiver is his
castle?
 The author says that a man's telephone receiver is his castle because
one can conduct one's most confidential business transactions,
their intimate love-quarrels in public in perfect privacy without the
least fear of being overheard by anyone else.
16. Where do the bowing girls stand in Japanese stores?
 stand at the top of escalators.
17. Which places does the Tokaido line connect?
 Tokyo and Osaka.
18. What do the conductors in the Tokaido line do before checking
the tickets?
 Before the departure of the train, two conductors enter the carriage in a
slightly theatrical scene. They march to the middle of the coach, bow
ceremoniously in both directions and then start checking the tickets.
19. Where did the writer meet a deer?
 The writer met a deer in one of the parts of Nara, which is a wild deer
park in Japan.
ceremonious solemnity of a courtier yet with a great deal of natural and
inimitable grace.
5. Hierarchy in bowing demands
 a. Youngsters bow to their elders
 b. Wife bow to her husband
 c. Sisters bow to their brothers
 Ans,. (b) and (c)
6. What is the sign of appreciation in eating soup?
 When a person is eating soup offered by a host or hostess, he must make
a fearful noise so as to show his sign of appreciation; the host or hostess
will think that the guest is ill-mannered.
7. How are pavements in Brazil decorated? What does it tell us
about the people there?
 The grey pavements in the streets of Copacabana are often decorated
with beautiful black mosaics-unique type of decoration. We can infer
that the people are alive to the beauty in their surroundings and who
have plenty of time for contemplation during their meditative and
ambulatory exercises.
8. What happens when leisurely people in Brazil get a steering
wheel in their hands?
 When leisurely people in Brazil get a steering wheel in their hands ,
they drive with great speed which would then be inclined to believe that
gaining a tenth of a second is a matter of grave importance for all of
them all the time.
9. Who do the drivers look out for when they are driving? Why?
 The drivers look out for pedestrians. They notice a pedestrian step off
the pavement, he regards him as fair game, he takes aim and
accelerates the vehicles. The pedestrian has to jump, leap and run for
their lifes.
10. What distinguishes the war between drivers?
 The war between the drivers is murderous but good tempered. They cut
in, overtake on both sides and force the other person to brake violently
and commit all the most heinous crimes. But they smile at the other
person without any anger, hostility or mad hooting.
20. What are the pavements in the streets of Copacabana decorated
with?
Black Mosaic


3. Do you think the author is finding fault with/making fun of the
culture of bowing in Japanese and speeding cars in Brazil?

 George Mikes is an artist, author publisher illustrator and journalist
from Hungary. His books include 'The Hungarian Revolution' 'Uber
Alles' Shakespeare and myself, Italy for Beginners, How to be an artist
etc. These excerpts are chosen from 'The Rising of the Yen' and 'How to
Tango.'
 No. This article is a piece of travel writing. This narrative should be
read as the author's perspective on Japanese culture and speeding cars
in Brazil. The author is not trying to find fault but expressing his
surprise when he looks at their cultural habits as an outsider.
 Where he wants to convey his readers that the society and culture into
which the individual is born play most significant role in the
development of personality. That is why the individual who is brought
up in Japanese or Brazilian culture will develop his own food habits,
language, dress, emotional expression, motivational satisfaction,
perception, thinking etc.
 Author shows his at most compliment for Japanese manners and deeply
appreciates people of Brazil for their sweet and sensible temperament
and their aesthetic sense. That is a unique type of decorating the grey
pavements in the streets of Copacabana with beautiful black mosaics.
So this travel writing is purely a narrative piece of creative writing. In
some places language appears to be humorous.

Comprehension III
1. Bowing in Japan is quainter more formal, more oriental. Do
you agree?

 George Mikes is an artist, author publisher illustrator and journalist
from Hungary. His books include 'The Hungarian Revolution' 'Uber Alles' Shakespeare and myself, Italy for Beginners, How to be an artist
etc. These excerpts are chosen from 'The Rising of the Yen' and 'How to have accepted modern means of living, improved our lifestyle, our
values and beliefs still remain unchanged. A person can change his way
of clothing way of eating and living but the rich values in a person
always remain uncharged because they are deeply rooted within our
hearts, mind, body and soul which we receive from our culture. Western
culture can be referred to an advanced culture because its ideas and
values promote the development and sustainment of advanced
civilization.
 Foreign tourists who visit India admire and appreciate certain aspects
of our Indian Culture and traditions. They visit many tourist places and
monuments. Our rituals like lighting lamps, tying buntings of mango
leaves and plantain trees during special occasions etc appears quaint to
them.
 Whereas they also condemn several habits such as urinating in public,
spitting chewed betel nut, residues on the walls and roads, unnecessary
honking, disobeying signal lights, interfering in others conversation etc
are some of the ill aspects of Indian which appears strange and odd to
foreigners.





12. The Voter

                                                    Chinua Achebe

Comprehension I

1.  Roof was a popular young man because he
       A. had not abandoned his village.

2. Why was Marcus considered rich and powerful?
        After becoming the Minister of Culture, Marcus bought two long cars and had just built himself the biggest house anyone had seen. He christened his new house “Umuofia Mansion. He had entertained his people slaughtering five bulls and countless goats to feed the people. He had installed a private plant to supply electricity to his new home. Having seen all this, people considered him a rich and powerful man.

3. Marcus Ibe had earlier been a
school teacher

4. The fact that Marcus Ibe left the good things of the capital and returned to his village whenever he could, shows.
     B.  He enjoyed all the comforts of the city in his village.

05. After the feasting was over, the villagers
      B. Intended to demand more for their votes.

06.The 'whispering campaign ' is
      C. clandestine distribution of money

07. The village elder Ezenwa tilted the lamp a little because
           C. he wanted to confirm the amount paid to each.

08. Firewood refers to
      C. the benefits the elders received

09. Roof and the leader of the POP campaign team were
C. known to each other

10. Roof was mesmerized by
the red notes on the floor

11. Roof's act of inserting the torn ballot papers in two boxes signifies
absolving himself of his guilt

Comprehension. II

Trace the change in the attitude of the villagers before the second election. Give reasons?

Author pointed out that election system had lost its sanctity, where whole system was misused by greedy politicians. The villagers had five years in which to see how quickly and plentifully politics brought wealth, chieftaincy titles, doctorate degrees and other honours. Anyhow, these honours and benefits had come so readily to the man to whom they had given their votes free of charge five years ago that they were now ready to try it in a different way.
Their point was that only the other day Marcus Ibe was not too successful mission school teacher. Then politics had come to their village and he had wisely joined up, some said just in time to avoid imminent dismissal arising from a female teacher's complaint. Today he was Chief the Honorable; he had two long cars and just built himself the biggest house anyone had seen in these parts. But let it be said that none of these successes had gone to Marcus's head as well they might. He remained devoted to his people. Whenever he could he left the good things of the capital and returned to his village which had neither running water nor electricity, although he had lately installed a private plant to supply electricity to his new house. He knew the source of his good fortune, unlike the little bird that ate and drank and went out to challenge his personal spirit. Marcus had christened to his new house “Umuofia Mansions” in honor of his village, and he had slaughtered five bulls and countless goats to entertain the people on the day. When the feasting was over, the villagers told themselves that they had underrated the power of the ballot paper before and should not do so again. Thus they said “We did not ask him for money yesterday; we shall not ask him tomorrow. But today is our day”.

 What was the justification for the formation of the POP?
  POP stands for Progressive Organization Party. This party was formed by the tribes down the cast to save themselves as the founders of the party proclaimed, from “total, political, cultural, social and religious annihilation. The POP was a complete non entity in the first election. When tribal people understood that there was no opposition to the ruling party they decided to come to power.  In the story, there was no hint about the objectives of the PAP, but the organizers of POP claimed that they wanted to save the people from all aspects.

Roof is an intelligent manipulator. Justify with reference to the story.

Rufus Okeke - Roof for short - was a very popular man in his village. Although the villagers did not explain it in so many words, Roof's popularity was a measure of their gratitude to an energetic young man. As was to be expected Roof was in the service of the Honorable Minister for the coming elections. He had become a real expert in election campaigning at all levels - village, local government or national. He could tell the mood and temper of the electorate at any given time. For instance he had warned the Minister months ago about the radical change that had come into the thinking of Umuofia since the last national election.

He had lately been taking down a lot of firewood himself. Only yesterday he had asked Marcus for one of his many rich robes - and had got it. Last Sunday Marcus's wife had objected when Roof pulled out his fifth bottle of beer from the refrigerator; she was roundly and publicly rebuked by her husband. To cap it all Roof had won a land case recently because, among other things, he had been chauffeur-driven to the disputed site.

Roof's greed for money took away all his moral values. Roof mediated between Marcus and the people of Umuofia and earned a considerable share of the black money earned by Marcus. Roof as Marcus's election campaign manager, he casted his spell brutally by deceiving the innocent villager in his whispering campaigns and convinced them and settled the affair by paying 4 shillings in return of their vote. He hood winked not only the villagers or his employer, but also his opponent Maduka by taking 5 Pounds bribe. Ultimately by casting invalid vote he tried to cheat 'Iyi' a native deity. In this way he manipulated everyone and degraded his own moral values.

Comprehension: III

The POP campaign leader's meeting with Roof shows the misuse of transparency in a democratic set up. Discuss.

In a democratic set up people have the freedom to elect a person to work as their representatives in the government and work for the upliftment. A person is free to vote for a person of his choice from among the candidates. When preparations are going on in full swing for the coming election, Roof receives a strange visit from the leader of the POP’s campaign team. People around are all aware that Roof is the most trusted campaigner of Marcus Ibe. He accordingly maintains transparency in his dealings. In a democratic set up, no candidate can strike a deal nor purchase the votes of the Public.
But here, the POP leader, in spite of knowing that Roof is working for Marcus, tries to buy his vote by paying him 5 Pounds. By doing this they want to send across a message to the public that POP leaders would pay in pounds and not in shillings. Further a day may come when Roof starts demanding pounds instead of shillings from Marcus. His refusal may compel him to join POP and since people have more respect for Roof, they may follow his footsteps. If everybody does as same as Roof no right candidates would be elected by electorates. If the corrupted candidates are made as rulers there won’t be no developments in a country which is its democratic set up.  Thus the POP campaign managers’ meeting with Roof is daring misuse of transparency in democracy.

To every human comes a time of reckoning. How does Roof's dilemma on the day of election reflect this?

'Time of reckoning' refers to a time, when somebody's action will be judged as right or wrong. Rufus okeke, the protagonist in 'The voter' is an energetic young man, who has not abandoned the village in order to seek work in town. People in the village are of the opinion that he has sacrificed a bright future on his own free will just to guide them in difficult times. He is in service of the honorable minister, Marcus Ibe for the coming elections. He has become a real expert in election campaigning at all levels. He could tell the mood and the temper of the electorate at any given time. He equally knows how the politicians make money and he too starts to enjoy benefits working for Marcus. He tries to warn Marcus about the radical change in the thinking of the villager's decision to vote for a price.
Marcus Ibe, is well prepared and draws five, month's salary in advance, converts a few hundred pounds into shillings and hands it over to the campaigners. Roof, being the most trusted of these campaigners tries to strike a deal with the voters for four shillings per vote. He is happy that the things are going according to his plan. One evening, one of the leaders of the POP campaign team gives a strange visit to Roof's house. Without wasting much time and words he places five pounds on the floor, before Roof and asks him to cast his vote for Maduka. Though he is a loyal supporter of Marcus, he gets tempted by the offer and decides to accept it. He is made to swear on 'Iyi', a native deity, and being a man of quick decision, assures to vote for Maduka. On the day of the elections Roof and other organizers are prancing up and down, giving last minutes advice to the voters. Marcus does not wish to lose a single vote. As soon as the first rush of voters is over, he asks his campaign boys to cast their vote, without fail. Roof being the most trusted campaigner, is sent first. Throughout, he has been a loyal worker of Marcus and now his conscience does not permit him to betray Marcus. For a moment, he decides to cast his vote to Marcus and return the money he has received from the POP leader. Suddenly he remembers that he has sworn on 'Iyi' and the picture of five pounds, which remind him of the rich farmer harvesting his cocoa farm.

Roof folds the ballot paper and tears it into two halves at the crease. He drops the first half into the box meant for Maduka first and confirm the action verbally by saying that he votes for Maduka. He drops the other half into the box meant for Marcus. Thus, by casting an invalid vote he overcomes the moral dilemma on the day of election.

What comment on electoral system does the story offer? Is it relevant?

Or

Democracy is more than holding elections regularly.' Do you think the story supports this statement?
This short story describes the advantages and disadvantages of Democracy in the newly independent African State of Nigeria. In this story he has picturized how the Igbo people are cheated with a small amount of money for their votes by the political leaders. They use the village youngsters to attract the other villagers to vote for them. Rufus Okeke is popularly known as Roof in his village Umuofia. Even though he has spent two years in Port Harcourt as a bicycle apprentice, he has given up his bright future in town and has returned to his village to guide the people. Roof is in the service of the Honorable Minister Marcus Ibe, (Minister of culture) from PAP (People's Alliance Party). He has become a real expert in election campaigning at all levels – village, local government or national. He could tell the mood and temper of the electorate at any given time. For instance he has warned the Minister months ago about the radical change that has come into the thinking of Umuofia since the last national election and their decision to vote for a price. He equally knows how the politicians make money and he too started to enjoy benefits working for Marcus. Marcus Ibe, is not unprepared and draws five, month's salary in advance, converts a few hundred pounds into shillings and hands it over to the campaigners. Roof, being the most trusted of these campaigners tries to strike a deal with the voters for four shillings per vote. He is happy that the things are going according to his plan. One evening, one of the leaders of the POP (Progressive Organization Party) campaign team gives a strange visit to Roof's house. Without wasting much time and words he places five pounds on the floor, before Roof and asks him to cast his vote for Maduka. Though he is a loyal supporter of Marcus, he gets tempted by the offer and decides to accept it. He is made to swear on 'iyi', a native deity, from Mbanta and being a man of quick decision, assures to vote for Maduka.
 On the day of the elections Roof and other organizers were prancing up and down, giving last minutes advice to the voters. Marcus does not wish to lose a single vote. As soon as the first rush of voters is over, he asks his campaign boys to cast their vote, without fail. Roof being the most trusted campaigner, is sent first. Throughout, he has been a loyal worker of Marcus and now his conscience does not permit him to betray Marcus. For a moment, he decides to cast his vote to Marcus and return the money he had received from the POP leader. Suddenly he remembers that he has sworn on 'Iyi' and the picture of five pounds, which remind him of the rich farmer harvesting his cocoa farm. Roof folds the ballot paper and tears it into two halves at the crease. He drops the first half into the box meant for Maduka first and confirm the action verbally by saying that he votes for Maduka. He drops the other half into the box meant for Marcus. Thus, by casting an invalid vote he overcomes the moral dilemma on the day of election.
In this lesson people are miserably poor, illiterate and ignorant regarding their rights and duties. Also those who get elected are self centered and exploited the people to their benefit. Even after seven decades of independence, we have not been able to ensure free and fair elections, the main reason being lack of education, poverty and moral values. This lesson reveals that merely naming our government as democracy and holding election is not sufficient. People must be well educated and well informed about their rights, duties and responsibilities in any election. So that they elect competent members as their leaders who will strive hard for the upliftment of the people socially, educationally and economically.




Where there is a Wheel
P. Sainath

Comprehension I

Cycling as a symbol of social mobility means freedom, independence and mobility for rural women.
a. asserting her right to move freely.
For the rural women bicycle represents freedom.
Cycling as a social movement was first popularized by the neo-literates. These neo-literates are the ones who became neo-cyclists.
c. status of women in patriarchal society.
Women had to put up with vicious attacks on their character. Some of the men made filthy remarks. Social sanction from the Arivoli organization, made some menfolk less hostile and some of them even encouraged the women to learn cycling.
The phrases 'flags on the handle bar' and 'bells ringing' refer to the women's cycle rally organized on the international Women's Day in 1992 in which 1500 female cyclists took Pudukkottai by storm.
The UNICEF sanctioned fifty mopeds to Arivoli women activists in appreciation of their work of initiating more than 70,000 women from Pudukkotai who have taken part to display their cycling skills at the public 'exhibition-cum-contests' in a single week in 1992.
The word 'humble' means 'poor', the lowest in rank. The writer calls it a humble vehicle because it is the most common and it is seen even in the most remote places, a common man's vehicle.

Comprehension II

What is the role of Arivoli in liberating women?
Arivoli Iyakkam 'Light of knowledge Movement' liberated a vast majority of the rural women in Pudukottai District by teaching them to read and write along with cycling. N Kannammal who was the Arivoli Central Coordinator is one of the pioneers of the cycling movement. Through her organization, literacy campaigns for rural women were conducted and thus created a good number of neo-literates. These neo-literates became neo-cyclists along with other enthusiastic women folk at Kilakuruchi village. Within a span of few months most of the neo-literates had taken to bicycling as a symbol of independence, freedom and mobility. Over one-fourth of all rural women there had learnt cycling. Over 70,000 of these women took part in public exhibition cum contests proudly displaying their new skills. Those who learnt cycling trained new learners and became 'Master Trainers'.
The district authority decided to give literacy to rural women of Pudukottai. They firstly taught them writing and reading along with cycling Bicycle, which was thought to be a humble vehicle, was a 'Metaphor for Freedom'. According to N. Kannammal, Arivoli Central Co-coordinator, it gave them confidence. It reduced their dependence on men. A woman could fetch water along with her children, cart provisions from other places. It offered a way out of enforced routines around male imposed barriers. Lack of mobility among women played a big role in undermining their confidence. Cycling had definite economic implications. It boosted income. Women those who would sell agricultural produce within a group of villages could cut down the time wasted by waiting for the bus. Bicycle was crucial in poorly connected routes. It gave the women folk to focus on selling their produce and enlarge the area they hope to cover. Bicycle increased one's leisure time also. With the art of cycling one could combine different tasks like making the child sit on the bar, produce on the carrier and 2-3 pots of water hung across the back. It brought in a sense of respect and thus empowered women.



The Arivoli cycling training camp was conducted in Kilakuruchi village. All the prospective learners turned out in their best on a Sunday. People who witnessed this camp were struck by the sheer passion of the pro-cycling movement. The neo-cyclists were aware that cycling is going to offer them a way out of enforced routines around male imposed barriers. They sang songs together to encourage bicycling. One of these had lines like ‘O sister come learn cycling, move with the wheel of time’. Very large numbers of those trained had come back to help new learners. They worked free of charge for Arivoli as ‘masters trainers’. In this way the Arivoli Training camp was described to be an unusual experience by the author.


Yes, Women taking up cycling are as significant as the literacy movement because their experience has enriched the literacy movement. The neo-cyclists were bound even more passionately much before to Arivoli, the Districts vigorous literacy drive. The whole phenomenon was the brainchild of the popular former district collector, Sheela Rani Chunkath. Her idea was in 1991 was to train female activists so that literacy would reach women in the interior. Every neo-literate popularized cycling and saw a direct link between cycling and her personal independence. It reduced their dependence on men. It offered a way out of enforced routines around male imposed barriers. It gave them independence, freedom and mobility. The main thing it gave women was the confidence and the sense of self-respect by becoming financially independent and by sharing the family responsibilities.


Sheela Rani Chunkath, the former District Collector promoted the empowerment of women by including mobility as a part of the literacy drive. In 1991, her idea was to train female activists so that literacy would reach women in the interior. She was aware that lack of mobility among women, played a big role in undermining their confidence. She pushed the banks to give loans for women to buy cycles. She also got each block to accept specific duties in promoting the drive. She gave it a great personal attention as the whole phenomenon was her brainchild.


Every neo-literate became a neo-cyclist after realizing a direct link between cycling and her personal independence. Cycling seems to be the chosen medium for rural women and every woman wanted to learn and thus the desire to learn continued. S. Kannakarajan owner of Ram Cycle and sole dealer and increase in demand led to a shortage of ladies cycle, so the women preferred gent's cycle. The gent's cycle has an additional bar from the seat to the handle, where a child could be seated comfortably. Even to this day, thousands of women ride 'gent's cycle'

Comprehension III


Palagummi Sainath is the Rural Affairs Editor of The Hindu , who focus on social problems, rural affairs and globalization in India. This essay is taken from his book 'Everybody loves a good drought'. Arivoli Iyakkam 'Light of knowledge Movement' liberated a vast majority of the rural women in Pudukottai District by teaching them to read and write along with cycling

Cycling brings about changes beyond economic gains. Bicycle, which is thought to be a humble vehicle, is a 'Metaphor for Freedom'. According to N. Kannammal, Arivoli Central Co-coordinator, it gives them confidence. It reduces their dependence on men. A woman can fetch water along with her children, cart provisions from other places. It offers a way out of enforced routines around male imposed barriers. Lack of mobility among women played a big role in undermining their confidence. Cycling has definite economic implications. It boosts income. Women those who sell agricultural produce within a group of villages can cut down the time wasted by waiting for the bus. Bicycle is crucial in poorly connected routes. It gives the women folk to focus on selling their produce and enlarge the area they hope to cover. Bicycle can increase one's leisure time also. With the art of cycling one can combine different tasks like making the child sit on the bar, produce on the carrier and 2-3 pots of water hung across the back and thus share the family responsibilities.



Palagummi Sainath is the Rural Affairs Editor of The Hindu , who focus on social problems, rural affairs and globalization in India. This essay is taken from his book 'Everybody loves a good drought'. Arivoli Iyakkam 'Light of knowledge Movement' liberated a vast majority of the rural women in Pudukottai District by teaching them to read and write along with cycling

Muthu Bhaskaran a male Arivoli activist wrote this famous cycling song that has become their anthem. The song invites the woman to learn cycling and set in motion, the wheel of her life. The wheel refers to 'progress and not 'to stagnate'. Arivoli Iyakkam means 'Light of knowledge Movement' liberated a vast majority of the rural women in Pudukottai District by teaching them to read and write along with cycling. N Kannammal who is the Arivoli Central Coordinator is one of the pioneers of the cycling movement. Through her organization, literacy campaigns for rural women were conducted and thus created a good number of neo-literates. These neo-literates became neo-cyclists along with other enthusiastic women folk at Kilakuruchi village. Within a span of few months most of the neo-literates had taken to bicycling as a symbol of independence, freedom and mobility. Over one-fourth of all rural women there had learnt cycling. Over 70,000 of these women took part in public exhibition cum contests proudly displaying their new skills. Those who learnt cycling trained new learners and became 'Master Trainers'.
  Bicycle, which is thought to be a humble vehicle, is a 'Metaphor for Freedom'. According to N. Kannammal, Arivoli Central Co-coordinator, it gives them confidence. It reduces their dependence on men. A woman can fetch water along with her children, cart provisions from other places. It offers a way out of enforced routines around male imposed barriers. Lack of mobility among women played a big role in undermining their confidence. Cycling has definite economic implications. It boosts income. Women those who sell agricultural produce within a group of villages can cut down the time wasted by waiting for the bus. Bicycle is crucial in poorly connected routes. It gives the women folk to focus on selling their produce and enlarge the area they hope to cover. Bicycle can increase one's leisure time also. With the art of cycling one can combine different tasks like making the child sit on the bar, produce on the carrier and 2-3 pots of water hung across the back and thus prove to be an instrument of social change and progress.



Water
Challapalli Swaroopa Rani
I COMPREHENSION
1 Ans :- A. The bane of caste system.
2 Ans :- C. Cobbler and weaver.
3 Ans :- Water is witness to the humiliation caused to the dalits whenever a wada girl or a dalit comes to collect water from well.
4 Ans :- When the speaker sees waters she remembers how her wada people would thirst all day. Secondly how they would welcome their weekly bath as if it was wondrous festival. She also recalls her childhood that how they carried heavy pots and how thatched roofs were burnt to ashes for want of a pot of water.
5 Ans :- A. Hardship to fetch water.
6 Ans :- D. Life giver and destroyer.

II COMPREHENSION
1 Ans :- The poem ' Water ' attempts to depict the struggle,the anguish,the suffering and the humiliation suffered by the dalits to get water. The speaker cites 'Water' as the witnesses to the practice of untouchability. The speaker highlights the cruelty and inhuman attitude shown by the upper caste people. Whenever the dalits needed water they had to wait near the tank until a shudra came there and gave them some water. It was also very humiliating when the upper caste men poured water for a dalit woman from a distance and how some water would fall on her body making her humiliated. The speaker narrates a heinous incihapp of Karamchedu Suvarthamma that a dalit boy tried to prevent two upper caste (Kamma) youths from washing their dirty buckets at pond. The youths tried to attack the boy but a dalit woman (Suvarthamma)came to the boy's defense lifting her vessel to ward off them. This led to attack on dalits. She recalls how her wada people would thirst all day for a glass of water. She also tells that how they would welcome their weekly bath as if it was wondrous festival. The speaker reminisces how in her childhood she used to carry heavy pots and to walk miles to collect water from the big canal. She remembers how thatched roofs burnt into ashes for want of a pot of water. Thus the speaker narrates sufferings of low caste people which she experienced and witnessed.
2 Ans :- C. It is a symbol of struggle against discrimination.
3 Ans :- In the poem the speaker attempted to depict the caste system which was so harsh, cruel and meaningless that the people in a village were denied from essential thing, water. The speaker says that when she sees water she recalls geographically how they used to eagerly look forward to the day on which they were going to be given a bath. 'Some taking bath once a week and others twice a day' connotes that the dalits were able to take a bath only once in week because they had no free access to public water. Consequently,the water they used to bring from the village pond or tank would hardly serve their drinking needs. On the other hand, the village people had free access to water and so they would take bath twice a day.Thus their weekly bath becomes a luxury to them and that is why the speaker calls it was a wondrous festival.
4 Ans :- In the poem, the poet cites different roles of water that how it is played. The two communities fought each other in the name of water. Water became a matter of dispute when the upper caste people differently and intentionally polluted the drinking water of the dalits in Karamachedu. She recalls the incident that a dalit woman Munnangi Suvarthamma, who goes to rescue of the dalit two boys who object to the Kamma youths washing their dirty buckets in their drinking water pond. This led to attack on Dalits. The speaker states that for then water is a mighty movement itself and cites the instance of the Mahad struggle at chadar tank. The Mahad municipality had passed a resolution to allow untouchables to access water but upper caste people did not allow to access and the resolution remained only paper. Then Dr. B.R. Ambedkar led a rally to the water, drank water and asserted the rights of water. Thus water became a matter of dispute to the Dalits.
5 Ans :- The speaker attempts to trace the journey of water at her end of the poem. The phrase 'many a circus feat' refers to the wada women who were walking miles with heavy pots of water on their heads. This indicates the hardship, the anguish,and the humiliation suffered by dalits to fetch water for their daily needs.In contrast, the phrase 'dances its way into the Pepsi man's bottle ' to being sold as a multinational market commodity and it's sold for price secretly with new name 'mineral water'. For the dalits, water is a necessity and Pepsi is an item of luxury. This reflects how the poor become victims of discrimination.

III comprehension

1 Ans :- In this poem, the speaker recalls several instances taken from the life of the dalits to highlight the disparity seen in the life style between the dalits and the upper caste people.Incidentally, the speaker also highlights how the dalits are discriminated against while using water from a pond or a tank. The speaker states that water is witness to the Panchama's plight when he goes to the pond or tank to collect water. Since he doesn't have the right to draw a pot of water directly from a well,he waits all day near the well until a shudra comes and fills his pot. The speaker expresses the humiliation of wada girl when she receives water poured from a distance. Some water falls on her body and she feels humiliated. Later she cites three incidents which she witnessed . She agrees the righteous angry shown by Karamachedu Suvarthamma, when she raises her vessel to ward off an attack by the Kamma youths against the dalit boys who ask them not to pollute their drinking water. She also recalls how people in the wada would thirst all day for a glass of water while the villagers had a lot water to drink and bath as and when they wanted. The speaker narrates how in her childhood they walked carrying heavy pots of water on their heads. She also adds how they would look forward to the day when they would take bath as though it was festival. At last,the speaker recalls how several thatched huts in Malapalle were reduced to ashes for want of a pot of water. Thus the water is used as a symbol of discrimination against dalits in the poem.
2 Ans :- A. lack of water :- Since the dalits do not have free access to water, they cannot take bath as and when they like. they can take a bath only after they have store up enough water for all the members of the family. Normally, this used to happen once a week in those days.
B. denial of water :- The dalits were prohibited from fetching water from a pond or tank in a village. Naturally,when they needed water they had to go to the pond with their pot and wait until a shudra arrived and gave them water. Secondly, when the village people gave them water, they used to pour water from a distance into the pots carried by the dalits and some water would fall on their body. This caused a lot of anguish and humiliation to the women dalits.
C. the fury of nature :- Water is essential for life, it can give life but also can devour life. The water that refused to quench parched throats became the killer tsunami wave and swallowed village after village. This way 'Water' worked as symbol of nature and showed its fury against people who ddiscriminated against dalits.

3 Ans :- In the poem 'Water', the speaker attempts to depict the journey of water that how it's played various roles. The dalits' age old struggle for water has its origin in the people's perception of 'water' as a source of purity and the dalits as untouchables. Though all living creatures have a right to share it, the upper caste society denies it to the dalits for the only reason that they are dalits.Incidentally, the poem begins as a symbol of purity in the life of the people. Eventually ends up becoming a multinational market commodity. She calls water is omniscient and it knows the difference of race and subcaste. She presents the instance of the Panchama, who is forced to wait with his pot all day near the well until a shudra comes to serve him.She then tells the case of the dalit girl,who gets humiliated by receiving water poured from above and getting her clothes drenched in water. She expresses the rage of the dalit woman Suvarthamma, who goes to the rescue of the dalit boy who objects to the Kamma youths washing their buckets in their drinking water in Madigapalle.In addition, She says about movement which is led by Ambedkar at Mahad to get free access for the dalits to fetch water. We learn how the dalits crave for a glass of water to quench thirst. She also narrates that the dalits used to have a bath only once a week whereas the other people in the village enjoyed bathing luxuriously twice a day. She then says that how the dalits had to walk miles and miles to fetch water water from big canal and carried back home heavy pots balanced on their heads with the muscles and veins in their neck straining and bursting. Further she says that quite a few thatched huts caught fire in Malapalle and burnt to ashes. All these instances are given to trace the journey of water from that of symbol to that of getting asserted as a fundamental right. At last, she agrees that water can save lives, can also devour lives in the form of a tsunami. In the last part of the poem, the speaker attempts to trace the journey of water into bisleri bottles as mineral water becoming a multinational market commodity. The speaker seems to challenge the oppressors that they can no longer deprive the untouchables of their share of water.

Ravi GS
English lecturer