Plus One

Kerala State Board New Syllabus Plus One English Textbook Answers Unit 1 Chapter 1 His First Flight Text Book Questions and Answers, Summary, Notes.

Kerala Plus One English Textbook His First Flight Questions and Answers Unit 1 Chapter 1 (Story)

His First Flight (Story) Textual Questions and Answers

Question 1.
Why was the seagull afraid to fly?
Answer:
The seagull was afraid to fly because below him was the vast sea and he thought his wings would never support him and he would fall into the sea and die.

Question 2.
What did the parents do to motivate the young bird when it failed to muster up enough courage to fly?
Answer:
They came around calling to him loudly. They scolded him and even threatened to starve him.

Question 3.
How did the parents support and encourage the young seagull’s brothers and sister?
Answer:
They flew about wilfi them, trying to perfect them in the art of fiight. They taught them how to skim the waves and how to dive for fish.

Question 4.
Cite an instance which shows the pathetic condition of the young bird.
Answer:
When the sun was shining hot, the young bird felt the heat all the more because he had not eaten anything since yesterday night. He searched everywhere but not a scrap of food was found. He even gnawed at the dried pieces of eggshell, from which he and his brothers and sister were hatched. It was like eating a part of himself.

Question 5.
How did the bird try to reach its parents without having to fly?
Answer:
He trotted back and forth from one end of the ledge to the other, trying to find some means of reaching his parents without flying. But on each side of him the ledge ended in a sheer fall of a precipice with the sea under. There was a deep, wide crack between hi.m and his parents.

Question 6.
Why could the seagull not succeed in its attempt?
Answer:
The seagull could not succeed in its attempt because there was nothing to walk on that would bring him to his parents. A deep, wide crack separated him from his parents and there was no way for him to reach them except by flying to them.

Question 7.
Do you think that the young seagull’s parents were cruel?
Answer:
No, I don’t think so. They were not cruel, but they were wise.

Question 8.
Can you justify the attitude of the parents?
Answer:
The parents were right in what they did. They wanted to teach him the importance of confidence and self¬reliance. One can’t depend on his parents all his life for his livelihood. He should learn to find food for himself once he reaches a certain stage of his life. We see the mother hen pecking and driving away her chicks once they are grown.

Question 9.
Your parents sometimes behave in the same manner. They may seem cruel and unrelenting. Does it mean that they do not love you?
Answer:
The parents sometimes behave in this cruel and unrelenting manner to make you self-reliant. It doesn’t mean they do not love you. It means they love you and that is why they train you to be independent and self-reliant. If they treat you as a helpless baby all the time, you will remain a helpless baby. So it is their love that forces them to be seemingly cruel and unrelenting at times.

Question 10.
What prompted the young seagull to fly finally?
Answer:
It was his hunger that prompted the young seagull to fly finally. He was very hungry and the mother would not give him the fish she had brought with her. She wanted him to fly to her to get it.

Question 11.
Why was the young bird terrified? How did it overcome its fear?
Answer:
The young bird dived at the fish his mother was carrying. When he dived he fell outwards and downwards into space. The wind rushed against his breast feathers and his stomach and wings. He could feel the tips of his wings cutting through the air. He was not falling how. He was soaring. He thus overcame his fear.

Question 12.
How did the family support the seagull?
Answer:
The mother flew past him, making joyful sounds. His father flew over him, screaming with joy. His two brothers and sister were flying around him, soaring and diving. In this way the family supported him.

Question 13.
Why could not the young seagull stand on the green sea?
Answer:
The young seagull could not stand on the green sea because the legs would go down the water. But when his belly touched the water, he did not sink further.

Question 14.
Do you think the bird’s parents loved him? Why?
Answer:
Of course, the bird’s parents loved him. They wanted to teach him howto be courageous and self-confident. The mother even came with a piece of fish to tempt him to attempt the flight. And when finally he flew, all the family members showed their joy by flying with him-and making happy noises.

Activity -I (Read and Respond)

Question 1.
What is the theme of the story?
Answer:
The theme of the story is building confidence and self-reliance in youngsters.

Question 2.
What do you think is the real crisis faced by the young bird?
Answer:
The real crisis faced by the young bird is his lack of confidence and his fear of going out of the protective shelter of his home.

Question 3.
What is your impression of the reaction of the parents in the story?
Answer:
The parents are wise and clever. They want the young bird to be independent and self reliant. The mother brings a piece of fish very close to the young bird and forces him to leap forward to get it. That leap forces him to use his wings and fly. Initially he is terrified but soon he enjoys flying. The reaction of the parents was quite appropriate. They too are happy to see their child confident and self-reliant. That is why they fly with him cackling joyously.

Question 4.
Identify the words and expressions used in the story to express the thoughts, attitudes, movements, sounds, emotions, appearances, descriptions of the birds/places etc.
Answer:
Places :

• The great expanse of the sea stretched down beneath.
• The rough, dirt-caked straw nest.
• The ledge ended in a sheer fall of a precipice, with the sea beneath.
• A deep wide crack.
• A little high hump on the plateau.
• He saw a vast green sea beneath him, with little ridges moving over it.

Birds :

• He had taken a little run to the brink of the ledge and attempted to flap his wings.
• He failed to muster up the courage.
• His father and mother had come around calling to him shrilly, scolding him, threatening to let him starve.
• He had watched his parents flying about with his brothers and sister, perfecting them in the art of flight, teaching them how to skim the waves and how to dive for fish.
• He had seen his older brother catch his first herring and devour it.
• He then trotted back…, his long gray legs stepping daintily.
• Standing on one leg with the other leg hidden under his wing.
• He saw his two brothers and his sister lying on the plateau dozing, with their heads sunk into their necks.
• His father was preening the feathers on his white back.
• He uttered a low cackle.
• She halted, her legs hanging limp, her wings motionless.
• Then maddened by hunger, he dived for the fish.
• Then a monstrous terror seized him and his heart stood still.
• He uttered a joyous scream and flapped his wings again.
• They were beckoning to him, calling him shrilly.
• He was floating on it.

Question 5.
Do you think such expressions make the narrative more effective and engage your interest and attention?
Answer:
Yes, I do. Such expressions make the narrative more effective and engage our interest and attention.

Question 6.
What is the message of the story?
Answer:
The message of the story is that we have to be courageous, confident and self-reliant if we are to succeed in life.

Activity – II (review)

Question 7.
Based on the discussion, prepare a review of the story.
Answer:
Review:
Liam O’Flaherty’s story ‘His First Flight’ is about a young seagull taking his first flight. The young seagull has two brothers and a sister. The parents of the seagull are very loving and caring and they train their children diligently to develop confidence and self-reliance in them. While the two older brothers and the sister fly away, the young seagull is reluctant to fly. His parents shout at him, scold him and even threaten him with starvation. But the young seagull prefers to stay in his rough, dirt-caked nest. But the excessive heat on the following day and hunger have troubled him.

He begs his mother who is on another cliff to give him some food. She comes with a piece of fish and forces her son to leave the ledge. Maddened by hunger, he dives at the fish which is close to him and he leaves the safety of the rock behind him. He is terrified. He then flaps his wings and finds they can carry him. He then lands on the sea. His feet sink and once again he is afraid. But when his belly touches the water he does not sink any further. He has now gained confidence. His parents and his brothers and sister join him in congratulating him on his successful first flight.

O’Flaherty has shown how good and sensible parents should behave. They train their children. When one of them is showing weakness, they shout at him, scold him and even threaten him with starvation. They do that with the welfare of the child in their mind. Then they help him to embark on his first flight. When he succeeds they are also happy.

O’Flaherty has used very simple and clear language to tell his story. There are many dramatic situations in the story. The descriptions of the places and the birds are excellent and the images we get are lively. He has used the figure of speech of personification extensively and powerfully injjis story. He has given a good message to all – To be successful we have to be courageous, confident and self-reliant. No pain, no gain. We can’t achieve anything without taking risks.

Activity – III (Tree Diagram)

Answer:

Activity – IV (Think and Respond)

Question 8.
Do you believe that you also can fly high in your life?
Answer:
Yes, I do believe that I also can fly high in my life. With determination and hard work I can do it.

Question 9.
What sort of support do you expect from your family?
Answer:
I expect moral, financial and psychological support from my family. They should have faith in me.

Question 10.
Can their support alone help you in fulfilling your ambition?
Answer:
No, their support alone will not help. I need to work hard and I should be courageous and self-confident. I will also need support from my teachers and my well-wishers.

Question 11.
What do you think are the requirements to attain success in life? Write them below:
Answer:
a) Determination
b) Hard work and perseverance
c) Support of different kinds
d) Motivation
e) Faith in self
f) Adequate material and intellectual resources

II. Read and Reflect

Question 1.
Let’s examine what Dr. APJ Abdul Kalam has to tell us about being successful and unique.

His First Flight (Story) About the Author

– Liam O’Flaherty

Liam O’Flaherty (1896-1984) was an Irish novelist and short-story writer. His books are famous for their psychological vision into the problems of life and the ways of overcoming them. ‘His First Flight’ shows the importance of independence and self-confidence. It also shows the need to remain involved in family life. Throughout the story, the writer stresses the importance of self-esteem and self-reliance.

His First Flight (Story) Summary in English

– Liam O’Flaherty (1896-1984)

The young seagull was alone on his ledge. His two brothers and his sister had already flown away the day before. He had been afraid to fly with them. He had taken a little run forward to the edge of the ledge and tried to flap his wings. But he was afraid when he saw the vast sea under him. The sea was miles down. He thought his wings would not support him. So he ran back to the little hole under the ledge and he slept there at night.

His brothers and sister had shorter wings than him. Even when he saw them running to the end of the ledge, flapping their wings and flying away, he did not have the courage to fly. His father and mother shouted at him, scolded him and threatened to starve him. But he did not move.

This was yesterday. Since then nobody had come to him. The day before, all day long, he had watched his parents flying about with his brothers and sister. They were teaching them the art of flight. They taught them to skim the waves and to dive for fish. He saw his older brother catching his first herring and eating it, standing on a rock. His parents were happy to see their son catching his first fish. They circled around making a proud cackle. All the morning the whole family had walked about on the big plateau on the opposite cliff, laughing at the cowardice of one of their members.

The sun was now climbing the sky and it became very hot on the ledge. He felt the heat more because he had not eaten anything since yesterday night. He found a dried piece of mackerel’s tail at the far end of the ledge. There was no food left. He had searched everywhere, even in the rough, dirt-caked, straw nest where he and his brothers and sister were hatched. He even tried to get something from the dried pieces of eggshell. It was like eating a part of himself.

He then ran back and forth from one end of the ledge to the other. He wanted to reach his parents without having to fly. But at each side of him, the ledge ended in a sheer fall of precipice, with the sea under it. Between him and his parents there was the deep, wide crack.

He wanted to reach his parents by walking towards them. But there was no ledge to walk on. The only way to reach them was by flying to them.

He stepped slowly out to the very end of the ledge. He stood on one leg, hiding the other leg under his wing. He closed one eye. Then he closed the other eye. He pretended to be falling asleep. But his parents took no notice of him. He saw his brothers and sisters lying on the plateau dozing. His father was preening the feathers on his white back. Only his mother was looking at him.

She was standing on a high hump on the plateau. Her white breast was thrust forward. Now and again, she tore at a piece of fish at her feet, and then scraped each side of her beak on the rock. The sight of the food maddened him. He loved to tear food that way, scraping the beak to sharpen it. He made a low sound. His mother also made a similar sound and looked at him.

He cried ‘ga, ga, ga’, begging her to bring some food to him. She screamed back mockingly at him. He kept on making his sorrowful sounds and then suddenly uttered a joyful scream. His mother had picked up a piece of fish and was flying towards him. He leaned out eagerly, tapping the rock with his feet, trying to get nearer her. But when she was just opposite to him, she halted, her legs hanging limp, her wings motionless. The piece of fish was almost within the reach of his beak.

He waited a moment wondering why she is not coming nearer. Then, maddened by hunger, he dived at the fish. With a loud scream, he fell outwards and downwards into space. His mother had swooped upwards. As he passed under her, he heard the sound her wings were making.

He was terrified for a moment and his heart froze. He could hear nothing. It lasted only a moment. The next moment he felt his wings spreading outwards. He felt the wind under his stomach and against his wings. He could feel the tips of his wings cutting through the air. He was not falling now. He was now flying. He was no longer afraid. He just felt a little dizzy. Then he flapped his wings and soared upwards.

He made a joyful sound and flapped his wings again. He climbed higher. He raised his breast and banked against the wind. ‘Ga, ga, ga. Ga, ga, ga,’ he cackled. His mother also made a sound and flew past him, her wings making a loud noise. He answered her with another shout of joy. Then his father flew over him screaming. Then he saw his brothers and sister flying around him, soaring and diving.

He forgot he had not been able to fly. He started diving and soaring, making loud noises of joy.

He was near the sea now, flying right over it. He saw the vast green sea under him and little waves moving on it. He turned his beak sideways and crowded in a funny way. His parents and his brothers and sister had landed on this green floor in front of him. They were signaling to him, calling him. He dropped his legs to stand on the green sea. His legs sank into it. He screamed with fear and tried to rise again, flapping his wings. He was tired and weak with hunger and he could not rise, exhausted with the exercise. His feet sank into the green sea, and then his belly touched it and he sank no more.

He was floating on it. Around him his family was screaming with joy, praising him and they were offering him scraps of dog-fish.

He had made his first flight.

His First Flight (Story) Vocabulary

Kerala State Board New Syllabus Plus One English Textbook Answers Unit 3 Chapter 2 The Trip of Le Horla Text Book Questions and Answers, Summary, Notes.

Kerala Plus One English Textbook The Trip of Le Horla Questions and Answers Unit 3 Chapter 2 (Short Story)

The Trip of Le Horla (Short Story) Textual Questions and Answers

Travel Essay Plus One English Chapter 2 Question 1.
What is special about the sentences in the telegram?
Answer:
The sentences are not grammatical. The message is conveyed through short phrases.

Travel Essay In English For Students Plus One Chapter 2 Question 2.
What does the author compare the balloon to?
Answer:
The balloon is compared to a cake made of yellow cloth.

The Trip Of Le Horla Hss Live Chapter 2 Question 3.
What is the other thought that occurs to every mind?
Answer:
The other thought that occurs to every mind is a baby in the womb that is nourished through the umbilical cord until its birth.

Plus One English Unit 3 Notes Chapter 2 Question 4.
Express the attitude of the spectators and passengers towards the sport of ballooning.
Answer:
Some spectators think that the balloon will come down before reaching its destination. They also criticise several other things about the balloon. But the passengers are happy and excited about what they are going to do and they are optimistic about their success.

Sacred Turtles Of Kadavu Live Tv Report Chapter 2 Question 5.
What is the established custom mentioned here?
Answer:
Dining in the canteen of the gas-works by the passengers is the established custom mentioned here.

The Trip Of Le Horla Summary In Malayalam Chapter 2 Question 6.
When travellers come out, what do they see?
Answer:
When the travelers come out they see that the balloon is moving from side to side, enormous and transparent, a big golden fruit, a wonderful pear which is still ripening with the last rays of the setting sun. The basket is attached. The barometers and the siren are brought. Two trumpets, the eatables, overcoats, and raincoats were also there.

The Trip Of Le Horla Malayalam Summary Chapter 2 Question 7.
Name the passengers in the balloon.
Answer:
Jovis is the Captain. Then there are Lieutenant Mallet, M. Etierine Beer, M. Paul Bessand and the narrator, Guy de Maupassant.

The Trip Of Le Horla Question Answers Chapter 2 Question 8.
Who is posted as the officer on watch?
Answer:
Lieutenant Mallet is posted as the officer on watch.

Trip Of Le Horla Question Answers Chapter 2 Question 9.
Why does M. Eyries get out of the balloon? Is he regretful? Why?
Answer:
M. Eyries gets out of the balloon because the basket carrying the passengers has become too heavy for the balloon. He is regretful. He had planned for this flight and since he had to abandon it at the last minute he was unhappy. He would miss all the adventure and fun.

Plus One English The Trip Of Le Horla Question And Answer Chapter 2 Question 10.
What does M. Joliet’s deeds and words tell us about him?
Answer:
His words and deeds tell that M, Joliet is a chivalrous gentleman. He gallantly asks the ladies to stand aside a little because the rising balloon might throw sand on their hats. It shows how considerate he is to the ladies.

Plus One English The Trip Of Le Horla Chapter 2 Question 11.
Comment on the use of the word ‘liberty’.
Answer:
Maupassant has used the word ‘liberty’ in the most appropriate fashion. By cutting the rope that holds Le Horla to the ground, Le Horla is given the liberty to fly freely in the infinite skies like a bird.

Hsslive Guru Plus One English Notes Chapter 2 Question 12.
Describe the aerial view of Paris.
Answer:
Paris is like a dark bluish patch, cut by its streets. Domes, towers, and steeples of Paris are visible in the sky. Around it there is the plain, traversed by long roads amidst green fields and forests.

Hss Live Guru Plus One English Notes Chapter 2 Question 13.
Have you ever had an aerial view of a place?
Answer:
Yes, I had. Once I flew from Cochin to Mumbai and I had an aerial view of Mumbai.

Plus One English Chapter The Trip Of Le Horla Question Answer Question 14.
Can a view from an aeroplane be as picturesque as this balloon view? Why?
Answer:
No, it can’t be. Because an aeroplane flies at a much greater height and at a greater speed and so your view can’t be as picturesque as from a balloon which flies at a lower height and with less speed.

Hss Guru Plus One English Notes Chapter 2 Question 15.
How do the travellers know whether they are rising or sinking?
Answer:
Travellers know whether they are rising or sinking by throwing a cigarette paper out of the basket. If the paper falls down like a stone, it means the balloon is rising. If it appears to shoot skyward, the balloon is sinking.

The Trip Of Le Horla Questions And Answers Chapter 2 Question 16.
All the noises are easily recognisable. Mention the diverse sounds that reach the travellers’ ears.
Answer:
The noises that reach the travellers ears are the sound of wheels rolling on the streets, the snap of a whip, the shouts of drivers, the rolling and whistling of trains and the laughter of the boys running after one another. When they pass over a village, the noise of children’s voices is heard above the rest with much clarity.

Plus One English Textbook Activity Answers Unit 3 Chapter 2 Question 17.
How do the animals receive the balloon? How does the balloon appear before them?
Answer:
The dog’s bark. The cows low. To all the animals the balloon appears as a monster moving through the air. They are scared of it.

Plus One English Notes The Trip Of Le Horla Chapter 2 Question 18.
The delicious odours of the soil rise toward us, the smell of hay, of flowers, of the moist, verdant earth, perfuming the air … Identify the type of imagery used here.
Answer:
The imagery is that of a wedding – the bride eagerly and happily welcoming the groom.

Question 19.
What do you think would be the fate of the balloon?
Answer:
I think the balloon would get out of control.

Question 20.
Why does the Mallet ask the Captain to throw down half a handful of sand?
Answer:
Mallet asks the Captain to throw down half a handful of sand because by doing that the weight of the balloon would be reduced helping it to rise.

Question 21.
The balloon is both a free toy and a slave of the wind. Express your views on this statement.
Answer:
The balloon is both a free toy and a slave of the wind. The travellers raise and sink the balloon as they wish making use of the bag of ballast (sand, stones etc.) with them. This way it is a toy for them. But they can do nothing if it is caught by a storm and then the balloon becomes a slave and the travellers lose their control over it.

Question 22.
Can you observe odour? Why does the author say so?
Answer:
Normally we can’t observe odour. We can only smell it. The author says that it could be observed because he can see the balloon expanding because of the current of warm air and the gas going out by the escape-valve.

Question 23.
Comment on the expression: ‘losing its invisible blood by the escape-valve.’
Answer:
Blood keeps the body alive. In the case of the balloon, it is the gas that keeps it ‘alive’ – flying in the air. Gas is thus the invisible blood.

Question 24.
What do the mist-covered earth and star-studded sky indicate?
Answer:
The mist-covered earth and star-studded sky indicate that it is night and the balloon and its passengers are at a great height.

Question 25.
How is the rising of the moon described?
Answer:
A silvery light appears and makes the sky turn pale. It is rising from unknown depths, behind the horizon, on the edge of a cloud.

Question 26.
Look at the expression ‘delicious inertia. ’ Can you identify the figure of speech used here?
Answer:
The figure of speech used here is a Metaphor.

Question 27.
Why is space travel considered as ‘delicious inertia by the narrator?
Answer:
Inertia means apathy, unwillingness to move or . act. The narrator feels that space travel is wonderful and compares it to having delicious food. There is a great sensation of satisfaction and happiness while travelling in space in a state of inertia. They feel like birds that don’t even have to flap their wings.

Question 28.
Coin expressions to describe the balloon just like the author who calls the balloon’ a world wandering in the sky’ and ‘a wandering, travelling world.’
Answer:
‘Soaring, fleeting world’ and ‘a fleeting world in the sky’.

Question 29.
When does the balloon stop? Why?
Answer:
The balloon stops when it reaches a height of two thousand three hundred and fifty metres. The air pressure must have come down so the balloon stops rising and then it starts to descend.

Question 30.
How does the author describe the rapid descent of the balloon?
Answer:
The author says that they are going down very rapidly. M. Mallet asks the passengers to throw out more ballast. They are throwing out sand and stones to lighten the balloon so that it can fly upwards but their descent is so fast that the sand they throw flies back into their eyes.

Question 31.
How does the shadow of the balloon appear to the travellers?
Answer:
The travellers look down and see something running on the ground with great speed , jumping over ditches, roads and trees so easily but they cannot guess what it is until the captain tells them that it is the shadow of the balloon.

Question 32.
How far does the polar star guide the travellers?
Answer:
The polar star guides the travellers to Belgium which borders France on the south.

Question 33.
Do you think it is a scientific way to travel?
Answer:
Yes. The polar star is also called the North Star. It has been used by travellers for centuries to help them to know the direction as it remains constant in its position.

Question 34.
Who is the bewildered man? Why is he bewildered?
Answer:
Lieutenant Mallet who was watching the course of the balloon is the bewildered man. He is bewildered or confused because the balloon is moving so fast that he does not even know where they are. Comment on the reaction of the captain to the roaring wind.

Question 35.
Can you justify the Captain’s behaviour?
Answer:
The Captain knows that the sound they hear is the sound of a storm coming. He does not want to frighten his passengers so he says it is the sound of the waterfalls and nudges the narrator to keep silent. I can justify the Captain’s behaviour. If the passengers are frightened they may do something foolish and this would be very dangerous as they are in a small basket of a flying balloon.

Question 36.
Identify the sights and sounds that welcome the dawn.
Answer:

Question 37.
‘The world fleeing under our feet’ —what experience does the author try to convey?
Answer:
The world is running under our feet. The author uses a personification to convey the experience of rapid movement of the earth while he was travelling in the balloon.

Question 38.
If you were ¡n such a situation how would you react?
Answer:
If I were in a flying balloon and a storm was coming and we had to descend fast, I would do as the passengers in the balloon did. I would certainly be scared but would help out to ensure that we land as safely as possible.

Question 39.
‘Religiously enclosed’- what ¡s your opinion about the adverb used here? How ¡s the adverb connected with the verb ‘enclosed’?
Answer:
It shows how seriously and carefully things have to be dohe while travelling in a balloon. The phrase ‘religiously enclosed’ is a personification. The adverb ‘religiously’ denotes seriousness and care and it is used to describe the verb ‘enclosed’. The narrator means that the escape valve had been very carefully enclosed in a white bag so that all the passengers would be careful and treat it with respect and not meddle with it or touch it.

Question 40.
Why do you think the birds are hesitant to follow the balloon?
Answer:
The thunder is rumbling and so the birds are hesitant to follow the balloon which looks like a monster. They don’t want to be caught in the storm and by the monster.

Question 41.
List out the words and expressions that indicate the mad flight of the balloon.
Answer:
The mad flight of the balloon is described:

• The basket trembles and tips over.
• The guy-rope touches the tall trees.
• The balloon passes with frightful rapidity.
• Bewildered chickens, pigeons, and ducks fly away
• Cows, cats and dogs run, terrified, toward the house.

Question 42.
What action does Mallet perform?
Answer:
Mallet reaches for the rope to the escape valve and hangs on to it. Then the cord to the anchor is cut with a knife.

Question 43.
Comment on the visual effect of ‘the balloon landing’.
Answer:
The balloon landing is visualized like the fall of a wounded beast during a hunt. It is very effectively pictured as a wounded beast trying to escape. But then it falls down and struggles, finally breathing its last.

Question 44.
Describe the reception of the balloon by the peasants.
Answer:
The peasants ran towards the landing balloon and as they waited for the balloon to deflate, a few of the peasants were jumping and gesturing like savages. The peasants were accommodating and hospitable and helped the travellers to pack all their material and carry it to the nearest station.

The Trip of Le Horla (Short Story) Textual Activities Questions and Answers

Activity -1 (Think and respond)

Question 1.
Imagine that you get a chance to be the captain of a tour programme. What type of a captain would you like to become?
Answer:
I would like to be a smart and efficient tour programme captain. Everyone in the programme should enjoy and have fun.

List the qualities of an ideal Captain.

• Helpful
• Efficient
• Smart
• Resourceful
• Courageous
• Humorous

Activity – II (Live TV report)

Question 2.
Draft a live TV report of Le Horla’s take off.
Answer:
Next on our infotainment section we have Rahul Binoy reporting live on the story “Le Horla Conquers the Skies’ from the Gas works at La Villette.

Good afternoon, ladies and gentlemen. Today is the day, 8th July, forLe Horla is taking off from La Villette. We are right in front of Le Horla, the hot air balloon. It is getting filled up and is swelling and wriggling like a huge worm. It is surrounded by some 300 enthusiastic people. Now the passengers are getting in. The Captain is Jovis. The others in the basket attached to the balloon are Lieutenant Mallet, M. Etierine Beer, M. Paul Bessand, and M. Patrice Eyries.

I see them talking animatedly. Now Patrice Eyries is coming down. It seems he can’t go because the balloon can’t take the weight of all of them. He walks away dejectedly. Poor guy! All his dream of an adventure is gone!

M. Joliet tells the ladies to keep off. When the balloon lifts sand will be thrown into their hats. He cuts the ropes that hold the balloon to the ground. Look! Le Horla is lifting upward like a bird lifts off. Up, up and up goes the balloon! People scream with joy! Le Horla climbs above the city of Paris and it is slowly disappearing! The sight of the earth from the balloon will be fantastic. We wish the passengers a lot of luck!

Activity – III (Dos and Don’ts)

Question 3.
While planning a trip, we have to consider many things. What are the dos and the don’ts while doing so?
Answer:
DOs

• Take a first aid kit.
• Wear appropriate clothes.
• Wear proper shoes.
• Ensure you have some drinking water.
• Keep enough money.
• If you are going abroad, ensure you have your . passport and visa with you.
• Have your camera.

DON’Ts

• Don’t carry expensive things
• Don’t overeat before you start a trip.
• Don’t carry too much luggage. Less luggage more comfort.
• Don’t try to show off by doing very risky things.
• Don’t get upset with small irritants.

Activity – IV (Comparison)

Question 4.
Nothing is more amusing, more delicate, more interesting than the manoeuvring of a balloon. What degree of comparison is used here?
Comparative Degree Read the passage on p. 88. Rewrite it comparing it with the life on earth.
Answer:
Now our minds and thoughts are more independent than they were when we were on earth. We are happier here because we have no regrets. We look and feel better here. Our journey here is wilder and more fantastic than any journey on earth because here the only thing we an see is the moon. We are a wandering, travelling world, like our sisters, the planets. The five of us have almost forgotten that we belong to the earth as we move in the space like birds. No crowds, no noise, no dust, no smoke! Beautiful blue sky and the right moon! We feel we are in heaven, floating through a stream of joy!

Activity – V (Narration)

Question 5.
Read the notes on the mode of narration given below:
Narrate the landing of the balloon from the point of view of one of the peasants there.

Answer:
I see a huge balloon from which a basket is hanging over the canal at a distance. The basket trembles and tips over slightly. I can see a rope trailing behind touching the tall trees on both banks. Now it is passing with frightful speed over a large farm. The bewildered chickens, pigeons and ducks fly away. The terrified cows, cats and dogs run towards the house. I don’t know what is happening. Now the balloon is passing over the trees. I see the balloon and the basket shaking. Something falls down and suddenly the balloon stops. Soon it touches the ground. The basket touches the earth. Then it goes up again. Once more, it falls and bounds upward again and at last, it settles on the ground. The balloon is struggling madly like a wounded beast. Now it comes to a standstill. I see five men climbing out of the basket. There is the joy of success on their faces. My companions and I help them. They say they want to go to Heyst, a railway station nearby. They want to take the 20:20 train to Paris. We help them to carry their luggage to the station.

Activity – VI (Travel Essay)

Question 6.
Read the notes on Travel Writing on below:

Now, write a travel essay, describing a ravel experience you had recently.
Answer:
My parents had promised me a foreign trip if I passed my SSLC with very high scores. I worked very hard and I passed with distinction. So my parents allowed me to go on a trip to Europe. Since travelling alone would be difficult, I decided to join a tour group organized by the company called Intersight, Kochi. The first problem was getting a European visa. The company said it would get it for me. I was planning to go in April. April is hot in Kerala, but in Europe it is still cold. So I had to get warm clothes for the trip. I also needed a good camera.

We started ourtravel from Kochi. The representative from the Intersight was there to organize things. I reported to the airport 3 hours before the take off time. After completing the check-in, I went for the immigration formalities. After a thorough body check, I was allowed to go into the comfortable waiting lounge.

We were flying by Qatar Airways to Zurich. The flight was announced and we got into the aircraft. It was a huge aircraft. The smiling airhostesses showed us to our seats. Soon we took off. We were served refreshments. Afterthat I watched an in-flight movie. After 3 hours, we landed at Qatar airport. It is a huge airport. We had to spend some time at the airport lounge to get our flight to Zurich.

The flight to Zurich was also by Qatar airways. We were served meals in the flight. After the meals I went off to sleep. Eight hours later, we landed at Zurich. We were taken to our hotel in a coach. It was then I came to know who the people in the group tour were. There was another boy of my age and soon we became friends.

Our first visit was to the Titlis Mountains, in the Alps. On our way, we saw the life of the people. How disciplined people were. How nicely they behaved on the roads. No animals and birds crossed the roads. We hardly saw anyone walking on the roads. On both sides there were fields. We could see cattle grazing. Switzerland is a beautiful country.

Soon we reached Titlis. We would be taken to the top by rope ways and lifts. We reached the top. The scene was breathtaking. The whole area was covered with snow and ice. People were skating. We went for an ice-tunnel walk. They have built a tunnel in the ice and I walked for nearly a kilometre inside the tunnel. Ice on top, ice at the bottom and ice on both sides. It was a wonderful experience. I was exhilarated. Tomorrow we would go to Paris by coach to see the Eiffel Tower and other wonderful sights of that great city.

Activity – VII (Progressive Tenses)

Question 7.
a. Read the notes and explanations given on page 89 of the Text.

But the clouds are gathering behind us…
Crows are crowing…

In the above segments, the action continues to take place even at the moment of speaking. The present continuous tense form of a verb is used in such a context. The verbs in the above segments of sentences (‘gather’ and ‘crow’) are in the present continuous tense form. Continuous tenses are also called progressive tenses.

We use the present continuous tense to denote

• something that is happening at the moment of speaking.
• something which is happening before and after a given time.
• something which we think is temporary.
• something which is new and contrasts with a previous state.
• something which happens again and again.
• for talking about the future; for something which has been arranged or planned.

Pick out the instances in the story where the present continuous tense form the verb is used.

Answer:

b. Form a sentence on your own:

Answer:

To use the Simple Present and the Present continuous tenses correctly.

The simple present tense is usually used to

• refer to regular actions, current situations, or facts in general.
• refer to more long-lasting or permanent situations.
• refer to actions which are going to happen very soon.
• refer to short actions happening at the time of speaking; generally, in reviews of films or books.
• ……………………………………………………………………………….
• ……………………………………………………………………………….

Read and Reflect

Question 1.
Travel is more than a mere exploration of the physical features of a landscape. It takes us beyond the features of the landscape into its customs, traditions and rituals. This travel experience tells us about a strange ritual on a Fijian island.

The Trip of Le Horla (Short Story) About the Author:

– Guy de Maupassant

Guy de Maupassant (1850-1893) was a popular French writer. He is considered to be one of the masters of the modern short story. The Trip of Le Horla is about his ride in a hot air balloon.

The Trip Of Le Horla Summary

Page 78 :
I got a telegram on the morning of July 8th. It read: “Fine day. Always my predictions, Belgian frontier. Baggage and servants leave at noon at the social session. Beginning of maneuvers at three. So I will wait for you at the works from five o’clock on, Jovis.’

At five o’clock sharp, I entered the gas works of La Villette.

The balloon is lying in the courtyard and appears like a cake made of yellow cloth. It is lying flat on the ground under a rope.

Page 79 :
Two or three hundred people are looking at it. Some are sitting and some are standing. Some are examining the basket. It is a nice little square basket for a human cargo. On its side in golden letters was written ‘Le Horia’ on a mahogany plate.

Suddenly the people begin to stand back as gas is entering into the balloon through a long tube of yellow cloth. The cloth is on the oil. It swells and moves about like a big worm. But another thought occurs to every mind. It is thus nature itself nourishes being until their birth. The creature that will rise soon begins to move. The attendants of Captain Jovis spread and put in place the net which covers it as Le Horia grows larger. The net will help the pressure to be regular and equally distributed at very point.

The crowd has begun to talk. Some men who look to be specialists ask us to come down. Many things have been criticised in this new type of balloon. We are about to experiment with it with so much pleasure and success. The balloon is growing slowly but surely.

Captain Jovis and his assistants are busy with the last details. The travellers go to dine in the canteen on the gas-works according to the established custom.

When we come out the balloon is swaying. It is big and transparent. It looked like a big fruit, a wonderful pear which is still ripening, covered by the last rays of the setting sun. The basket is now attached and the barometers are brought. The siren is also brought. There were also two trumpets, the eatables, the overcoats and raincoats – that the men can take in the flying basket. Captain Jovis is ready and he calls all the passengers.

Page 80 :
Lieutenant Mallet jumps aboard, climbing first on the aerial net between the basket and the balloon. From it he will watch, during the night, the movements of Le Horia across the skies. M.Etierine Beer gets in after him. Then comes M. Paul Bessand. Then comes M. Patrice Eyries. I am the last. (Note: In French M before a name means Mr. M. is the abbreviation for Monsieur which means Mr.) But the basket is too heavy for the balloon and M. Eyries has to get out. He was very sorry to do that.

M. Joliet stood erect on the edge of the basket. He begs the ladies very courteously to stand aside a little. He thinks he might throw sand on their hats in rising. Then he commands: ‘Let is loose’. He cuts with one stroke of his knife the ropes that keep the balloon to the ground. Le Horla gets it liberty!

In one second we fly skyward. Nothing can be heard. We float, we rise, we fly, we glide! Our friends shout with joy. They applaud but we can hardly hear them or see

them. We are already so far, so high! We are surprised. Are we really leaving these people down there? Is it possible? Paris spreads out under us. It looks like a dark bluish patch, cut by its streets. From there rise here and there domes, towers, steeples (church towers). Then there is the plain, traversed by long roads amidst green fields and black forest. The sun which could not be seen from below now appears.

We can see whether we are rising or sinking only by throwing a cigarette paper out of the basket now and then. If the paper falls down like a stone, it means the balloon is rising. If it appears to shoot skyward, the balloon is descending.

Page 81 :
The two barometers mark about 500 metres. We look with admiration the earth we are leaving. We are not attached to it in any way. It looks like a coloured map. But all its noises rise to our ears very distinctly. We hear the sound of wheels rolling on the streets, the snap of a whip, the shouts of drivers, the rolling and whistling of trains and the laughter of the boys running after one another. When we pass over a village, the noise of children’s voices is heard above the rest with much clarity.

The view is superb. It is dark on the earth. But we are still in the light. It is now past ten o’clock. Now we begin to hear slight country noises, especially the double cry of the quail. We can hearthe mewing of cats and the barking of dogs. The dogs have caught the smell of the balloon. They have seen it and they are giving the warning. We can hear them barking all over the plain. The cows also wake up in their barns. We can hear them lowing. All the beasts are scared of the monster moving through the air.

The delicious odours of the soil rise towards us. The smell of hay, of flowers, of the wet, green earth is scenting the air.

At times we rise, and then descend. Every few minutes Lieutenant Mallet says to Captain Jovis: ‘We are descending; throw down half a handful.’ And the captain takes a handful of sand from a bag kept between his legs and throws it overboard.

Page 82 :
Nothing is more amusing, more delicate and more interesting than the manoeuvring of a balloon. It is a big toy, free and Qjcile, but obedient. It is the slave of the wind which we can’t control. Any small thing that we throw overboard will make the balloon go up quickly. It can be a pinch of sand, half a sheet of paper, one or two drops of water or the bones of a chicken we have eaten.

The earth is sleeping. The beasts are awakened by our approach and they announce it everywhere. We now ‘observe’a strong and continuous odor of gas. We must have met with a current of warm air. The balloon expands, losing its invisible blood by the escape-valve.

We are rising. The earth no longer gives back the echo of our trumpets. We have risen almost 2000 feet. There is no light to consult our instruments. We know we are always rising. We can no longer see the earth. A light mist separates us from it. Above our heads twinkle innumerable starts.

A silvery light appears before-us and makes the sky turn pale. Suddenly the moon rises on the edge of a cloud. It seems to be coming from below and we are looking down at it from a great height. Clear and round it comes out of the clouds and slowly rises in the sky.

The earth now does not seem to exist. It is buried in milky vapours that resemble a sea. We are now in space with the moon which looks like another balloon. Our balloon looks like a larger moon, wandering amid the stars. We no longer speak, think nor live; we float along through space in delicious inertia. We have become something indescribable. We are now like birds that don’t even have to flap their wings.

Page 83 :
All memory has disappeared from our minds, all troubles from our thoughts. We have no more regrets, plans or hopes. We wildly enjoy the fantastic journey. We are a wandering travelling world. The planets are our sisters. This world has five men and they have forgotten the earth. The barometers mark twelve hundred metres, then thirteen, fourteen, fifteen hundred. The little rice papers fall about us.

We are now at two thousand metres. Then we go to 2350 and the balloon stops. We blow the siren but no one answers us. Now we go down rapidly, M. Mallet goes on screaming: Throw out more sand!’ The sand and stones we throw come back into our faces as if they are going up, thrown from below. Our descent is rapid.

Here is the earth! Where are we? It is now past midnight and we are crossing a broad, dry well-cultivated country. To the right is a large city. Suddenly from the earth rises a bright fairy light. It disappears and reappears. But one has no time to see clearly as the balloon passes quickly in the wind.

We are now quite near the earth. Beer exclaims: “See, what is that running over there in the fields? Isn’t it a dog? Something was running along the ground with great speed but we could not understand what it was. The captain says it is the shadow of our balloon and it will grow as we descend.

I hear a great noise of foundries in the distance. According to the polar star, we are heading straight for Belgium.

Page 84:
Our siren and our two horns are continually calling. We ask, “Where are we?” But the balloon is going so rapidly that the startled man has not even time to answer us. The growing shadow of Le Horla is fleeing before us over the field, roads and woods. It goes along steadily, going before us by about a quarter of a mile. I am leaning out of the basket, listening the roaring of the wind in the trees and across the harvest fields. I say to Captain Jovis that the wind is fast.

Jovis says they may be waterfalls. I insist it is the wind. Then Jovis nudges me. He does not want to frighten his happy, quiet passengers because he knows that a storm is pursuing us. Suddenly the lights of a town appear. There is such a wonderful flow of light that I feel I am in a fairyland. The clouds are gathering behind us, hiding the moon. But towards the east the sky is becoming clear blue, tinged with red. It is dawn. It grows rapidly and shows us all the little details of the earth – the trains, the brooks, the cows, the goats. All these pass beneath us with surprising speed. Cocks are crowing, but the voice of ducks drowns everything.

The early rising peasants are waving their arms telling us to drop. But we go along steadily watching the world fleeing under our feet. Ahead of us lies a bright highway. It looks like a big river full of islands.

Page 85 :
The captain asks us to get ready for the descent. He makes M. Mallet leave his net and return to the basket. We then pack the barometers and everything that could be damaged by possible shock. M. Bessand asks us to look at the masts to the left. He says we are at the sea. Fogs have hidden it from us until then. The sea is everywhere.

It is necessary to descend within a minute or two. The rope to the escape-valve was religiously enclosed in a little white bag. It was kept in sight of all so that no one would touch it. It is now unrolled and M. Mallet holds it in his hand. Captain Jovis looks for a favourable landing. Behind us the thunder is rumbling and not a single bird follows our mad flight.

We are passing over a canal. The basket trembles and tips over slightly. The guy-rope (the rope that keeps something fixed to the ground) touches the tall trees on both banks. We pass with frightful speed over a large farm. The bewildered chickens, pigeons and ducks fly away. The terrified cows, cats and dogs run towards the house. Only one-half bag of sand (stones) is left. Jovis throws it overboard. Le Horla flies lightly across the roof. The captain shouts The escape valve!’

M. Mallet reaches for the rope and hangs to it and we drop like an arrow. With the slash of a knife the cord which retains the anchqjais cut, and we drag this behind us through a field of beets. Here are the trees. He shouts: “Take care! Hold fast! Look out for your heads!” We pass over the trees. Then a strong shock shakes us. The anchor has taken hold. We are told that we are going to touch the ground. The basket touches the earth. Then it flies up again. Once more, it falls and bounds upward again and at last, it settles on the ground, while the balloon struggles madly like a wounded beast.

Page 86 : Peasants run toward us. They don’t dare to come near. One can’t set foot on the ground until the bag is nearly completely deflated. Some surprised men jump with the wild gestures of savages. All the cows that are grazing along the coast come towards us. They surround our balloon with a strange comical circle of horns, big eyes, and blowing nostrils.

With the help of the Belgian peasants, we pack up all our materials and carry them to t(ie station at Heyst. At 8.20, we take the train to Paris. The descent occurred at 3.15 in the morning.

Thanks to Captain Jovis, we were able to see in a single night, from far up in the sky, the setting of the sun, he rising of the moon and dawn of day, and to go from Paris to the mouth of the Scheldt (a river that flows through Belgium and empties into the North Sea).

The Trip Of Le Horla Glossary

Kerala State Board New Syllabus Plus One English Textbook Answers Unit 1 Glimpses of Greatness Text Book Questions and Answers, Summary, Notes.

Kerala Plus One English Textbook Glimpses of Greatness Questions and Answers Unit 1

Let’s begin

Hsslive Plus One English Textbook Answers Question 1.
“Some are born great; some achieve greatness; some have greatness thrust upon them. ”-William Shakespeare (Twelfth Night).
Is greatness an innate trait? Is it acquired by the successful or thrust upon them? Discuss.
Answer:
I don’t think greatness is an innate trait. It is acquired by successful people. Look at the examples of Abraham Lincoln, Mahatma Gandhi, Nelson Mandela, Mother Theresa and Dr. APJ Abdul Kalam. They all acquired their success by hard work, perseverance, courage and determination. Success is not thrust upon them. They worked for it and they got it.

Plus One English Unit 1 Question 2.
What qualities make people great? Discuss with your friends and write them in the boxes below:

English Plus 1 Unit 1 Question 3.
We strive to reach heights, achieve greatness and be successful ¡n life. But at times, it seems difficult. Now, look at the picture below:

What thoughts and feelings does it evoke in you?
Answer:
The boy has stage-fright and he is not confident to perform before the judges and the audience. He is trying to get away but he is being forced by his teacher to say something or sing.

Glimpses Of Greatness Questions And Answers Question 4.
Give a suitable caption to the picture.
Answer:
“The Reluctant Performer”.

Plus One English Textbook Answers Pdf Question 5.
Have you had any similar experience? If so, share it with your friends.
Answer:
Yes, J had. I was in the 10th Standard and I was asked to make a Welcome Speech on the School Day. I was not keen on doing it. But my Principal insisted that I should do it. I prepared a speech and studied it by heart. When I got on the stage on the School Day, I started shivering and shaking and my mind went blank. I could not say a word. The Principal had to prompt me to speak some words. I somehow stammered something and fled from the stage. It was the worst day of my life as my classmates teased me about my ‘Speech’.

Think And Respond

Hss Guru Plus One English Notes Question 1.
What made little Abe stand on the dry goods box and deliver the speech?
Answer:
Little Abe stood on the dry goods box and delivered the speech because he was replying to a stump speaker, who made the speech standing on the stump of a tree.

Plus One English Textbook Questions And Answers Question 2.
Do you think good dress, appearance, position in society, etc., are needed to present yourself before the public for a speech?
Answer:
I think in normal circumstances good dress, appearance, position in society, etc., are needed to present ourselves before the public for a speech. But in the case of some famous people like Abraham Lincoln and Mahatma Gandhi, good dress, appearance, etc., did not seem to matter. But these are exceptions and not the rule.

Hsslive Plus One English Notes Question 3.
What is the role of Dennis in bringing out the best in young Abe?
Answer:
Dennis was like a catalyst in bringing out the best in young Abe. Dennis recognised the capabilities of Abe and encouraged him to show them to the public. Dennis was a good friend of Abe and he wanted Abe to shine.

Plus One English Chapter Wise Questions And Answers Pdf Hsslive Question 4.
Do you think that everybody has some potential in them? Some people take the initiative, while others do not dare to showcase their talents. What do you think are the reasons for this? Write down your views.
Answer:
I think that everybody has some potential in them. Some people do not dare to showcase their talents because of many reasons:

• Lack of opportunity
• Lack of confidence
• Lack of encouragement
• Fear of failure

I. Read and Reflect

Scert Plus One English Textbook Solutions Question 1.
We are going to read the story of a young seagull. He was afraid to make his first flight. His parents helped him into action and thus made him ready to face the challenges of life.

Glimpses Of Greatness About This Unit

“Success is not final, failure is not fatal: it is the courage to continue that counts.” Sir Winston Churchill.

Success is surely the fruit of perseverance. The great achievement of others can inspire us. Similarly, we can be an inspiration to many others. This Unit highlights the personality traits of some great people. It emphasises the qualities that are to be developed to become successful in life.

This Unit has the following:
a) An anecdote from the life of Abraham Lincoln – ‘Abe’s First Speech’.
b) A Story by Liam O’Flaherty – ‘His First Flight’.
c) A Speech by Dr. APJ Abdul Kalam – 7 will Fly’.
d) A Short Biographical Sketch of Stephen Hawking – ‘Quest for a Theory of Everything’.
e) A Poem by Rudyard Kipling – ‘If’.

The Unit aims at equipping the students to face the challenges of life with courage, confidence and perseverance and to become unique in their own ways, upholding the values of life. The Unit also aims at building confidence in the students to use English effectively in different situations of their lives.

Glimpses Of Greatness About This Author

Abraham Lincoln (Abe) is one of the greatest American statesmen. He is known for his famous speeches. Here is the story of his first speech as a small boy.

Abe’S First Speech

Abe made his first speech when he was a boy. He was without shoes. One suspender held up his trousers. He wore a cheap straw hat. Through a hole in it, some of his hair stuck out.

Abe attended a political meeting with his friend Dennis Hanks. Dennis was Abe’s companion in splitting logs to make rail fences. The meeting was addressed by one stump speaker. Stump speakers were those trained political speakers who addressed the audience standing upon tree stumps. The speaker was shouting at the top of his voice and he was making wild signs with his hands.

At the end of the speech, Abe and Dennis did not agree with the views of the speaker. Dennis thought Abe could make a better speech than what the speaker had made. He got a dry goods box and asked Abe to reply to the earlier speaker.

Abe threw his straw hat to the ground. He got on to the dry goods box and delivered a speech. The crowd listened to the speech attentively and applauded him. Even the first speaker admitted that Abe’s was a fine speech and it answered every point in the speech made by him.

Dennis Hanks was very happy. He thought that Abe was the greatest man that ever lived. He went on saying how Abe was a better speaker than the trained campaign speaker.

(From ‘Abe Lincoln’s Anecdotes and Stories’ by R.D. Wordsworth)

Glimpses Of Greatness Glossary

Kerala State Board New Syllabus Plus One English Textbook Answers Unit 2 Chapter 2 The Price of Flowers Text Book Questions and Answers, Summary, Notes.

Kerala Plus One English Textbook The Price of Flowers Questions and Answers Unit 2 Chapter 2 (Short Story)

The Price of Flowers Textual Questions and Answers

Plus One English Unit 2 Questions And Answers Question 1.
Why was the narrator’s attention drawn to the English girl?
Answer:
The narrator’s attention was drawn to the English girl because she had been watching him with interested surprise. But she turned her eyes away as soon as he looked at her. She was 13 or 14 years old. From her clothes one could guess she was a poor girl. She had large eyes which had a sad expression.

Plus One English Textbook Activity Answers Unit 2 Question 2.
What is your impression of the girl?
Answer:
She is a teenager from a poor family. She had large eyes with a sorrowful expression. When she saw the narrator, some ideas came to her mind and that is why she watches him so closely. Then she tries to find out if he is an Indian and if he comes to that particular restaurant all the time. Something about Indians has got into her mind and she is trying to clarify her doubts. She is a polite girl who thanks people even when some small service is given to her.

Plus One English Chapter 2 Question Answer Question 3.
How do you know that the girl was interested in knowing the identity of the narrator?
Answer:
I know that the girl was interested in knowing the identity of the narrator from the fact that she watched him with interested surprise. Later she asks the cashier whether the narrator was an Indian and whether he comes to the restaurant every day.

Hss Guru Plus One English Notes Question 4.
What do you understand about the probable financial condition of the girl?
Answer:
The girl is from a poor family and that we can guess from the dress she is wearing. She has large eyes which have a sad expression. The waitress says that she comes to the restaurant only on Saturdays for her lunch because Saturday is the pay day. On the other days she does not take lunch because she has no money. She is working in a nearby shop, maybe for a very small pay. As she is a teenager nobody would hire her for a big salary.

Plus One English The Price Of Flowers Question Answer Question 5.
Why was the narrator curious about the girl? What did he do to meet her?
Answer:
The narrator was curious about the girl because he found she was curious about him. She asked the cashier if he was an Indian and if he came to the restaurant every day. From the waitress he had come to know that the girl works in a nearby shop. So to meet her he looked into the shops on the streets near St. Martin’s Lane and the shops on the Strand. But he could not trace her. Then he met her in the restaurant again on the next Saturday during lunch time.

Hsslive Guru Plus One English Notes Question 6.
Why did the narrator go to the restaurant again ?
Answer:
The narrator went to the restaurant again in the hope of meeting the young English girl. He was told by the waitress that the girl came to the restaurant on Saturdays for lunch.

Plus One English Chapter The Price Of Flowers Question 7.
What impression did the girl have about India?
Answer:
The girl thought that India was a dangerous country full of tigers, snake and fevers. This is the impression she got from people.

Plus One English Price Of Flowers Question 8.
Was Maggie satisfied with her job? If not why?
Answer:
Maggie was not satisfied with her job. It was a mechanical job. She wanted to have job to make use of her head, her brain. She would like to be a secretary.

Hsslive Plus Two English Character Sketch Question 9.
What do you understand by brain work’?
Answer:
By ‘brain work’ I understand those types of work which need some thinking. We in India often call ‘brain work’ as white collar jobs.

Plus One English Unit 2 Chapter 1 Question 10.
Why did Maggie ask the narrator whether he was a vegetarian?
Answer:
Maggie asked the jjarrator whether the narrator was a vegetarian to fifid out if he was a yogi. She had heard that yogis do not eat meat and they have occult (magical) powers.

Hss Live Guru Plus One English Notes Question 11.
Why did Mr Gupta go to Maggie’s house?
Answer:
Mr Gupta went to Maggie’s house because she invited him. She wanted to introduce him to her mother, who wanted to meet an Indian to find out the truth about the stories she had heard about India. Moreover, Mr. Gupta had developed some liking and sympathy towards Maggie and was willing to help her in any way possible.

The Price Of Flowers Activities Answers Question 12.
What do you understand about the living conditions of Maggie and her mother?
Answer:
The living conditions of Maggie and her mother were very poor. They lived in a small house in the Lambeth area where poor peopled lived. Here the streets are above the ground. Kitchens are often below street level. They had very cheap furniture and that too was very little. The carpet was very old and torn in many places. Maggie’s mother baked cakes and sold them for a living.

Class 11 English Unit 2 Notes Question 13.
Why is Saturday special to Maggie and her mother?
Answer:
Saturday is special to Maggie and her mother for two reasons. It is Maggie’s pay day, on which she can enjoy a meal in a restaurant. Saturday night is a time of festivity in poor neighbourhoods like Lambeth. It is a day when the poor are able to spend a little as they receive their wages. Maggie’s mother bakes cakes and sells them on Saturdays and that is how they make a living. So Saturday is special to both of them.

The Price Of Flowers Maggie Character Sketch Question 14.
How did Mr. Gupta describe India to Mrs. Clifford?
Answer:
Mr. Gupta said that India was a beautiful country. It is not cold like England, but is somewhat hot. Of course there are tigers and snakes in India but they live in the jungles. If they came into the places where people live they get killed. There are fevers in some places in India. But they differ with the places and seasons.

Plus One English Price Of Flowers Question And Answer Question 15.
Who is Francis? What do you know about him?
Answer:
Francis or Frank is the brother of Maggie and son of Mrs. Clifford. They both love him dearly. He is in the Punjab, in the regiment fighting on the Northwest Frontier. He loves his mother and sister. He has sent her sister a book of pictures of Simla and the surrounding mountain country. He is superstitious. He also sent her a crystal ring saying that it was given to him by a yogi. The yogi had told him it was a magical ring. If somebody looked into the crystal, thinking of a person who is far away, he can see the person and what he is doing. Maggie and Mrs. Clifford often looked into the crystal ring but they never saw Francis. Finally we come to know that Francis was killed in war and was buried at Fort Monroe, near Dera- Ghazi-Khan. Maggie wants the narratorto place some flowers on her brother’s grave when he goes to India and she pays him a shilling for that. It is from this sacrificial act of hers that the story gets its title.

Question 16.
What is your opinion about superstitions? Do you believe in any?
Answer:
Superstitions are bad. But they are rampant in the society. Superstitions are often connected with religious beliefs and some unscrupulous people exploit the believers by feeding them with superstitions. Some people believe that if a black cat crosses your way, the work for which you are going will not be done. It is stupid to believe in superstitions. I don’t believe in any. I believe in God but not in the superstitions traded in his name.

Question 17.
Describe the incident that touched the narrator deeply.
Answer:
Maggie had a violin and she learned to play some songs with her own efforts. She could not go to any teacher to learn violin because of the lack of money. Her mother knows that Maggie has talent for playing violin. She tells the narrator that if ever their circumstances improved she would send Maggie to have violin lessons. This incident deeply touched the narrator’s heart.

Question 18.
Why was Maggie unable to go to work?
Answer:
Maggie was unable to go to work because her mother was seriously sick. Since there was nobody in the house to look after her sick mother, she could not go for work.

Question 19.
Why did Mr. Gupta take some money with him when he went to see Mrs. Clifford?
Answer:
Mr Gupta took some money with him when he went to see Mrs. Clifford because his hostess told him that since Maggie had not gone for work for a week and had not received any pay, it was possible they were in financial trouble. In the letter Maggie wrote to him she had mentioned that her mother was very ill and she was not able to go to work for a week. She had not asked for any financial help but the hostess to whom the gprrator spoke about the letter thought that Maggie1 and her mother might need financial assistance.

Question 20.
Why did Mr. Gupta and Maggie tiptoe into the sitting room?
Answer:
Mr Gupta and Maggie tiptoed into the sitting room because Maggie wanted to talk to him in private. They did not want to disturb the sick woman with their talk.

Question 21.
What request did Maggie make to Mr. Gupta?
Answer:
Maggie wanted Mr. Gupta to gaze into the crystal and tell her mother that Franks was alive and well even if he did not see anything in the crystal. Her mother was seriously sick and her sickness is aggravated by her worries about Frank from whom she hasn’t heard for long. If Mr.’ Gupta tells her that Frank is alive and well, it will help her to recover.

Question 22.
Why was the crystal ring so special to Mrs. Clifford?
Answer:
The crystal ring was so special to Mrs. Clifford becaqse it was sent by her son Frank from India. Frank had written that the crystal ring was given to him by a yogi. The yogi had told him that the crystal ring was a magical one. If somebody looked into the crystal thinking of a person who was even far away, he could see the person and what he was doing. Mrs Clifford believed her son’s words.

Question 23.
What made Mrs. Clifford recover?
Answer:
Mrs. Clifford’s illness was aggravated because of her worries about her son Frank from whom she had not heard for long. She did not know if he was alive and well. Maggie requested Mr. Gupta to look into the crystal ring and tell her mother that Frank was alive and well even if he saw nothing in the crystal ring. Gupta did accordingly and this made Mrs. Clifford recover from her illness.

Question 24.
Why was Mr Gupta ashamed to face Mrs. Clifford?
Answer:
Mr. Gupta was ashamed to face Mrs. Clifford because Frank had been dead some days when he told her that he was alive and well. Since he had told her a lie, he was ashamed to face her.

Question 25.
What was the promise given to Maggie?
Answer:
The promise given to Maggie was that the narrator (Mr. Gupta) would visit the grave of her brother at Mort Monroe, near Dera-Ghazi-Khan when he goes to India.

Question 26.
Why did Maggie give a shilling to Mr.Gupta?
Answer:
Maggie gave a shilling to Mr. Gupta to buy flowers and place them on her brother’s grave at Mort Monroe, near Dera-Ghazi-Khan when he goes to India.

Question 27.
Explain the reason why Mr. Gupta accepted the shilling?
Answer:
Initially Mr. Gupta wanted to give back the Shilling to Maggie telling her that there were plenty of flowers in India and he could get some flowers free to place them on her brother’s grave. But this would deprive the girl of the joy of sacrifice she was making for her dead brother. So Mr. Gupta accepted the shilling. The grief in her heart would lessen with the sacrifice she was making. To earn a shilling she had to do a lot of work.

Activity -1 (Read and respond)

Question 1.
’It is neither the same everywhere nor the same all the year round in India. ’ Why?
Answer:
India is a vast country with different climate zones and it is not the same everywhere nor is it the same all the year-round.

Question 2.
Why did the narrator decide to take the shilling given by Maggie?
Answer:
The narrator decided to take the shilling from Maggie just to make her happy. She has sacrificed a lot to give him the shilling to buy flowers for her brother’s grave. She will feel consoled when she has done something nice for her brother.

Question 3
What is the role of faith in the story?
Answer:
Faith plays an important role in the story. Mrs Clifford believes that Indians can see things in a crystal. When the narrator tells her that he can see her son alive and well in the crystal she recovers from her illness.

Activity – II (Discussion)

Question 4.
Discuss the significance of the title ‘The Price of Flowers’.
Answer:
The story has aptly titled the price of flowers. A young girl impoverished and miserable sacrifices a shilling for flowers to place on her brother’s grave. The narrator does not want to destroy the kind gesture that the girl makes for he knows it brings her a lot of consolation.

Activity – III (Character Sketch)

Question 5.
Pick out the words used by the author to describe the character of Maggie.
Full name Alice Margaret Clifford, a young English girl, 13 or 14 years old, poor clothes, hair bung in a heavy stream down her back. Large eyes with a sad expression, works in nearby shop, comes onl^on Saturday for lunch, believes India is full ofligers, snakes and fevers; her knowledge about yogis, her believes in the stories of magic, lives in a small house, loves her mother and brother dearly, her sacrifice. Establish the above points with the help of related evidence from the text and sketch the character of Maggie.
Answer:
Maggie’s full name is Full name Alice Margaret Clifford. She is a young English girl. She is 13 or 14 years of age. When we see her first she is wearing poor clothes showing she is very poor. Her hair hung in a heavy stream down her back. She had large eyes with a sad expression. She works in a shop close the restaurant where she met the writer. She goes to the restaurant only on Saturdays because Saturday is pay day. Maggie is a hardworking girl. She lives with her old mother in a small house. Her only brother Francis is in the army and he is in India. She loves her brother very much and he too loves her.

She loves her mother. She nurses her when she is sick. She is superstitious. That is why she believes in the story told by her brother that by looking into the crystal ring one could see people who are far and what they are doing, if one thinks of them and looks into the ring carefully. She is very disciplined. She has polite manners and this is clearly shown in her behaviour.

Maggie is ambitious and she is not happy with her work in the shop. She says it is a mechanical job. She wants to do a job where her brain can be used. When she gets a better job she will rent o a better house and take her motherthere. It shows much she cares for her mother. When her mother is in a critical condition she even asks Mr. Gupta to tell her mother a lie about her brother so that the mother feels better by hearing that her son is alive and well in India. Maggie is a very fine girl.

She wants Mr. Gupta to go to the grave of her brother who is buried in India and gives one shilling to him. A shilling is a lot of money for a poor girl like her. To get that, she has to work hard for many days. Her action shows how much she loved her brother. Her sacrifice brings tears to the eyes of Mr. Gupta and we too are moved to tears when we see such selfless love of a teenage girl for her dead brother. I can easily say that Maggie is a model for girls of her age.

Activity – IV (Web diagram)

Question 6.
See the diagram on below:

There are two empty place in it. The words that can go in can be: LORE and PARABLE.

Question Now match the following:
Answer:
1. Story – c – an imaginative story, especially one that is full of action and adventure.
2. Anecdote – g – an interesting or amusing story about a real person or event.
3. Tale – b – a story from ancient times ….
4. Folk tale – a – a very old traditional story from a particular place
5. Fable – f – a traditional short story that teaches a moral lesson ….
6. Fairy tale – e – a story about magic or fairy tales ….
7. Fiction – h – a type of literature ….
8. Myth – d – a description of events and people ….

Question 7.
Which category does the story ‘The Price of Flowers’ belong to? Discuss.
Answer:
The story The Price of Flowers’ belongs to the category of ‘Anecdote’. It is an interesting story about a real event.

Activity – V (Write-up)

Question 8.
‘I won’t work that will make me use my head, brain work.’
How far can you relate this statement to your life? What kind of profession do you like? Why? Prepare a write-up.
Answer:
I also want work that will make me use my head. I want to do work that needs my brain, my thinking powers.

I like to be a teacher as teaching is supposed to be the noblest profession. A teacher always makes impressions on the minds of hundreds of students. He/ She has to be intelligent and understanding so as to help the students learn. As students have different abilities the teacher uses a variety of skills to constantly invent and make the classroom an interesting place so as to encourage learning. Teachers are role models and many of them make a lasting impression on the lives of students.

Teachers have to be smart as well as intuitive so as to understand the needs of their students. Teachers mould the minds of the students. Therefore nation-building is ultimately in the hands of the teachers. Dr. Abdul Kalam said that no nation can rise above its teachers. The quality of a nation depends on the quality of its teachers. So I want to be a teacher and use my brain to develop the brains of my students.

Activity – VI (Letter)

Question 9.
“When I go to that part of the country, I shall visit your brother’s grave and write to you. ’ A few weeks after the narrator’s departure, Maggie receives a letter from him. What might be the content of the letter? Draft the letter, assuming that you are the narrator?
Answer:
Fort Monroe
Dera-Ghazi-Khan
Noth-west Frontier
India, PIN 600-002
2 January 1946

Dear Maggie,
I’m sorry that I could not write to you earlier because I was busy with the £Anl Service training and the formalities connected with it. I hope you and your mother are fine. I am okay here. I am trying to cope with my new responsibilities.

I went to Fort Monroe, near Dera-Ghazi-Khan to visit your brother’s grave. As desired by you, I placed some beautiful rose flowers on his grave. When I was standing there I thought of you and your mother and imagined how you must have felt when you heard about Franks’ untimely death. I met two soldiers from the Regiment to which Frank belonged and they told me what a fine lad Frank was. They also told me that he often talked to them about you and your mother. In fact he had bought some Indian clothes to give both of you when he returned home.

But destiny sometimes plays cruel jokes. I feel extremely sorry that you lost such a fine brother and your mother such a marvelous son. I pray for his soul. May his soul rest in peace!

Please greet your mother on my behalf. The cake she gave me was delicious.

I keep remembering you and I speak about you to my friends. When I visit England next time, I will definitely come and see you people.

With lots of love,
Yours lovingly, (Gupta Narain)

Activity – VII (Role Play)

Question 10.
Maggie reads the letter. She cannot sleep for many days. Imagine that one day Mr. Gupta receives a call from her. What would she say? Discuss with your friend, and prepare a likely conversation between them. Enact the scene by taking up different roles.
Answer:
Maggie: Hello! Is that Mr. Gupta there? This is Maggie from England.
Mr. Gupta: Hello Maggie! How nice to hear from you!
Maggie: I got your letter, Mr. Gupta. Thank you very much for taking the trouble of placing flowers on my brother’s grave. My mother also wants to thank you. She said it was so good of you to do such a thing.
Mr. Gupta: It was nothing. I realized how much you loved Frank. Sorry, Maggie that you lost such a fine brother.
Maggie: What can we do? Fate has been very cruel to us. My father dies and now my brother, leaving my poor mother and me to fend for ourselves.
Mr. Gupta: Maggie, don’t grieve. Life is like that. Remember, there are more miserable people than you in this world.
Maggie: I understand that. That is how I console myself. Mother has become better and I am now regularly going to work.
Mr. Gupta: Good to hear that. Be cheerful and optimistic. By the way, do you play the violin often?
Maggie: Yes, I do. I am practicing a new number. When you come next time, I will play it for you.
Mr. Gupta: Very happy to hear that. Say Hi to your mother. And take care!
Maggie: You too Mr. Gupta. Bye for now!

Activity – VIII (Review)

Question 11.
Read the story again and discuss the following with your friends: the theme, style of narration, language, the impact of words and expression, location, characterization, dialogue, the opening and the ending of the story.
Now, attempt a critical review of the story.
Answer:
The Price of Flowers’ is an excellent story by Prabhat Kumar Mukhopadhyay. The main theme of the story is the love of a girl for her dead brother. There are also other themes like the hardships of the poor people, the dangers of war, unfulfilled desires and dreams of ordinary people and superstitions.

The style of narration has been very simple. The story is moved forward through the dialogues among the three main characters of the story – Maggie, her mother and Mr. Gupta. The language used is lucid and easy to understand. The words and expressions used make a fine impact on our minds. The story takes place in London but in the end we see the narrator placing some flowers at the grave of Frank, the brother of Maggie, at Fort Monroe. Characterization has been superb.

The character of Maggie is drawn in an exemplary manner, The poor girl of 13 or 14 with her large, sad eyes, her hair streaming .down her neck, wearing shabby clothes, living in an uncomfortable house with her old mother and working in a shop for small wages is portrayed exquisitely. She is so poor that she eats her lunch only on Saturday, the payday.

Her inquisitive nature, her ideas about India, her superstition, her love for her brother and mother, etc. are powerfully pictured. The dialogues are short and sweet. There are no lengthy and boring dialogues. The story is moved forward through apt dialogues. There s fine imagery in the story. No person with a compassionate heart can end reading the story without shedding a tear. Mukhopadhyay through his ‘Price of Flowers’ has proved that he is a fine storyteller.

Activity – IX : (Reporting)

Question 12.
Read the material given on
The following sentences are from the story ‘The Price of Flowers’. Read them.

She asked, ‘Are you an Indian?’
‘Yes.’
‘Excuse me, are you a vegetarian?’
‘Why do you ask that? ‘
‘I have heard that most Indians are vegetarians.’
‘How is it that you know anything about India?’
‘My elder brother is in India. He is a soldier.’

The very next day the narrator told his friend about the girl and their conversation.
Read and find out how he presented it.

The girl asked me whether I was an Indian.
I answered in the affirmative.
Then she asked me politely if I was a vegetarian.
I enquired why she asked that.
She said (that) she had heard that most Indians were vegetarians.
I further asked her how it was that she knew anything about India.
She replied that her elder brother was in India and added that he was a soldier.

see the difference between direct speech and reported speech. Study the notes given there. Rewrite the following sentences in reported speech: “Shall I call you work of a secretary.”
Answer:
The narrator asked the girl if he should call her Miss Clifford or Alice. She replied saying that she was not grown up and he might call her what he liked. She laughingly added that she was usually called Maggie. The narrator then wanted to know if she was anx¬ious to grow up. Her answer was yes. He then wanted to know why she wanted to grow up. He said that when she would be grown she would be paid more for her work and her mother was old. The narrator wanted to know if the work she was doing was to her liking. She said she did not like the work as it was very mechanical. She wanted some work that needed the use of her brain. She wanted to be a secretary.

Read and Enjoy
Question 1.
Deeds speak louder than words. Good deeds will be remembered forever. The following poem tells us about the glory of deeds.

The Price of Flowers (Short Story) About the Author:

– Prabhat Kumar Mukhopadhyay

Prabhat Kumar Mukhopadhyay (1873-1932) was one of the best short-story writers in Bengali literature. He was also a novelist. His short stories are mainly based on real-life situations and his characters belong to middle-class families. Their hopes and aspirations, their joys and sorrows are nicely woven into his tales.

The Price of Flowers (Short Story) Summary

It was nearly 1 o’clock and I was feeling very hungry.

I went to a nearby vegetarian restaurant, in St. Martin’s Lane. Lunch hours in London were not so crowded those days. I found 3 or 4 people sitting in the room. I sat at a table, and opened the newspaper.

A waitress came and waited for my order. I looked up from the paper, glanced at the menu and told her what I wanted. She said, Thank you’ and went quickly away without making any noise.

At that time my attention turned to a table not far from mine. A young English girl was sitting there. She had been watching me with interested surprise. But when I looked at her, she turned her eyes away. The girl was 13 or 14. From her clothes, I could see that she was poor. Her hair hung in a heavy stream down her neck. She had large eyes. They had a sad expression. I watched her when she was not looking and so she did not notice my watching her. My lunch was brought as she was finishing hers. The waitress brought the bill. Bills are paid at the desk as one goes out. The desk is near the door.

The girl stood up. I again watched her. As she paid the bill, she asked the cashier in a low voice whether I was an Indian. The cashier said she thought so. Then the girl wanted to know if I went there all the time. The cashier said she did not remember me going there before. The girl thanked the cashier, looked at me once more with some kind of surprise and went out.

I was also surprised. Here interest in me aroused my interest in her. When I finished my lunch I asked the waitress if she knew the girl who just finished her lunch and went away. The waitress said she did not know her. But she came to take her lunch there on Saturdays. I wanted to know if she did not come on other days. The waitress said she had never seen her on other days. I wanted to know who she was. The waitress said that she might be a worker in a nearby shop. I wanted to know how she knew that. The waitress then said that Saturday is payday. It is then the girl comes. On other days she couldn’t afford lunch. She does not earn much.

I felt sorry for the poor girl.

My curiosity about the girl persisted. Who was she? Why had she asked about me? Was some mystery the cause of her interest? I continued thinking of her. On Sundays, all London shops are closed. So I would go out to look for her after breakfast on Monday morning.

S I looked into the shops on the streets near St. Martin’s Lane and the shops on the Strand. But I did not see her.

The week passed. Saturday came again. I went to the vegetarian restaurant once more. As I entered I saw her sitting at the same table as before. She was eating.

I took a chair opposite hers and said ‘Good afternoon!’ She greeted me back. Slowly I started a conversation. Finally, she asked me if I was an Indian. I said ‘Yes’. Then she wanted to know if I was a vegetarian. I asked her why she wanted to know that. She said she had heard that most Indians are vegetarians. I wanted to know how she knew things about India. She said her elder brother, a soldier, was in India. I told her that I was not a vegetarian but I enjoyed a vegetarian meal now and then. The girl seemed disappointed by my reply.

I came to know that her only guardian was her elder brother. She lived with her old widowed mother. I asked her if she often heard from her brother. She said they did not have a letter from her brother for a long time. Her mother was worried. People have told her that India was full of tigers, snakes, and fevers. She thinks something has happened to him. The girl wanted to know from me if India was full of tigers, snakes, and fevers.

I told her ‘No’. How^ould people live there if it were full of these things? the girl was happy. She said her mother wanted to ask an Indian to know the truth. From her look, I knew she wanted me to talk with her mother. But she did not have the courage to ask me to go with her to her home. I wanted to see this mother. I had no opportunity to visit a poor English home. I wanted to know how the poor lived there and what they thought.

I told her of my plan to visit her home someday. She was thankful to me. She asked me if I could go with her right there and then. I readily agreed. She wanted to know if such a visit would interfere with my work. I told her I was free, The girl was happy. We finished our lunch and got up together.

On our way to her home I asked her name. She gave her full name: Alice Margaret Clifford. She asked me if it would be difficult for me to walk. I said ‘No’. She said she walked home every day. I wanted to know if she came that way often. She said she did as she works as typist in the Civil Service stores. Every afternoon she goes home that way. Today being Saturday she is going home early.

I asked her if I should call her Miss Clifford or Alice. She said she was not grown up and so I could call her whatever I liked. She laughingly said she was usually called Maggie. I asked her if she was eager to grow up. She said ‘Yes’. I wanted to know why she wanted to grow up fast. She said if she was grown up she would be paid more and her mother was getting old. I wanted to know if she liked her work. She said ‘No’. It is mechanical work. She wanted to have some work that needed her brain. She wanted to be a secretary.

We arrived at Lambeth, an area where poor people lived. She told me that if she became a secretary she would take her mother away from that place. I asked her if her father called her Maggie or Mugsy. She said that when he was very affectionate he called her Magsy. She wanted to know how I knew that. I jokingly told her that Indians know about the future and all kinds of magic. She said she had heard such things said about Indians.

I wanted to know what she had heard. She said she has heard that many Indians have occult (magic) powers and they are called yogis. She thought I was not a yogi.

I asked her the reason for thinking like that. She said yogis don’t eat meat. Then I asked her whether that was the reason for her asking me if I was a vegetarian or not. She did not answer but just smiled.

We reached a narrow doorway. Maggie opened the door with a small key. She invited me in. When I entered, she closed the door. Then she called her mother asking her where she was. The mother said she was in the kitchen below. She asked her to go down into the kitchen. London streets are above ground. Kitchens are often below street level. Maggie asked me if I could go with her. I agreed, and together we went down to the kitchen. She told her mother that an Indian gentleman was there to see her. Maggie introduced me to her mother telling her, “This is Mr. Gupta, mother” and her mother to me.

I said ‘How do you do?’ and held out my hand. The mother said, “Excuse me” and held out her hands for me to see. They were covered with flour. She said that it being Saturday she was making cakes. People would come in the evening to buy them and sell them on the streets. That was the way they made their living. It was a hard life.

Saturday night is the celebration time in the areas where poor people lived. All kinds of things are sold from pushcarts. The streets are more crowded then than on any other day. It is on Saturday the workers receive their pay and so they can spend a little.

All the ingredients for making the cake – flour, sugar, fat, raisins, eggs – were ready on the kitchen table. There were several freshly baked cakes in tins. Mrs. Clifford told me that sitting in such a poor kitchen won’t be pleasant for me. She has almost finished her work. She asked Maggie to take me to the sitting room. She would come soon. I said it was okay with me sitting there. I congratulated her for making such excellent cakes. Mrs. Clifford thanked me.

She asked me what kind of a country India was. I told her it was a beautiful country. She wanted to know if was safe to live there. I said it was. India was not cold like England, but hot. She asked me if India had too many snakes and tigers that killed people. I told her not to believe such things. Snakes and tigers are in the jungles. They get killed if they come to places where people live. Then she wanted to know about fevers. I told her that in some places in India there were more fevers than in other places. It is not the same everywhere and in every season.

She said her son was in Punjab. He is a soldier. She wanted to know what kind of place Punjab was. I told her Punjab was a fine place. There is no fever there. It is a healthy place. Mrs. Clifford was happy. When she finished her baking, she asked Maggie to take me upstairs. She would join me after washing her hands. She also would bring some tea.

Maggie showed me to their sitting room. The furniture was cheap and it was not much. The carpet was torn in places. But everything was clean. Maggie drew the curtains back and opened the windows. There was a glass bookcase and I stood in front of it.

Mrs. Clifford came bringing the tea tray. All traces of the kitchen had gone from her person. As we drank tea, we spoke about India. Mrs. Clifford showed me a photograph of her son. It was taken before he left. His name was Francis or Frank. Maggie brought out a book of pictures that he had sent her on her birthday. There were many pictures of Simla and the mountainous places around it. Mrs. Clifford asked Maggie to show me the ring. I wanted her to shgIN me the ring to find out what kind of a ring it was. itfaggie said it was a magic ring which a yogi had given to Frank. She wanted to know if I could see the past and the future in it. I had heard about crystal gazing. A crystal was set on the ring. I examined it.

Mrs. Clifford said that when he sent the ring Frank wrote that if you concentrated on a distant person when you look into the crystal, you could see him and what he was doing. This is what the yogi had told Frank. Maggie and she had been looking at it, again and again, but they have not been able to see anything. She wanted me to try. Since I was a Hindu I could see something, she thought!

I realized that superstition was not limited to India. I did not want to tell them that the ring was nothing much, a piece of brass with an ordinary piece of glass stuck into it. They believed that Frank had sent them a magical thing from dream India. I did not want to shatter their faith. Urged by them I took the ring and looked into it for a long time. I told them I could not see anything. They were disappointed. There was a violin there. To change the subject I asked her if it was Maggie’s. Mrs. Clifford said it was Maggie’s and Maggie played it well. She asked her daughter to play something for me. Maggie was shy and she protested. Then I pleaded with Maggie saying that I liked the violin very much. I told her that my sister who has of her age used to play for me at home. Maggie said she was not a good player.

Finally, she agreed to play and asked me what I wanted to hear. I told her she could play what she chose. She brought out an old music book bound in black leather. I opened it. It contained many simple songs. Some were good but old-fashioned. There were several Scotch songs. I selected The Blue Bells of Scotland’ and returned the book to her. Maggie played it and I hummed the tune. When she finished playing I thanked her very much. Mrs. Clifford said that Maggie did not have the opportunity to learn the violin. She learned to play the violin herself. She added that if their circumstances improved she would arrange for some music lessons for Maggie. As I was returning home, the incident touched my heart deeply.

Three months passed. I visited Maggie and her mother many times and once I took Maggie to see the Zoo. She rode the elephant and she was very happy.

No news came from her brother. Urged by Mrs. Clifford I went to India House and made enquiries. I was told the regiment to which Frank belonged was fighting in the Northwest Frontier. Mrs. Clifford was very worried. One day I got a postcard from Maggie saying that her mother was very ill. She has not been able to go to work for a week. She wanted me to go and see them. I had spoken to the family with whom I lived about Maggie and her mother. At breakfast, I spoke of the letter. My hostess told me that when I went to see Maggie I should take some money with me. Since the girl has not gone to work, they will be in problems. I took some money and went to their house. Maggie opened the door.

She was looking weak. Her eyes were hollow and ringed. She thanked me. I asked about her mother. Maggie said that her condition was serious. She was sleeping. The doctor said that her condition was aggravated because of her worry about Frank. There was no news from him. She may not live. I tried to console Maggie. Maggie controlled herself with an effort and told me she had a request to make. I asked her to tell me what she wanted. She asked me to go into the sitting room where she would tell me about her request.

We went into the sitting room quietly. I asked Maggie what she wanted. She looked into my eyes. Then as I was waiting for her answer, she covered her face and started crying. I was in a fix. What could I say to comfort her? Her brother was on the war front. Nobody knew if he was dead or alive. Her mother was her only support on earth. If she lost her, where would this young girl of 13 or 14, go?

I pulled her hands away from her face. I asked her what she wanted me to do for her. She was hesitant to come out with her request and asked me to forgive her if the request was wrong. I asked her to tell me what she wanted. She then said that the whole day yesterday her mother was telling her that if I went to her house and looked into the crystal, I might be able to know something about her son, as I am a Hindu. But she thought I may not go to their house. That is why she wrote to me. I told her if she wanted me to try once more she should fetch me the ring. She then was worried what would happen if I did not see anything. I could not give her any proper answer.

She further told me that she had read in books that Hindus are extremely truth loving. After looking into the crystal, she wanted me to tell her mother that Frank was alright and he was alive. Would that be too much of a lie? Would that be wrong? As she spoke she was crying.

I thought it over. I am not a saint. I decided to do it. It would not be a big offence. I told Maggie to get the ring.

I told her I would look very carefully this time. Even if I didn’t see anything I would tell the mother as she had told me. God would forgive if it was wrong. Maggie brought the ring. I asked her to check if her mother was awake. She came back after 15 minutes and told me she was awake. She had told her mother that I was there.

Maggie took me to her mother’s bedside. The ring was in my hand. I told Mrs. Clifford that her son was alive and well. She wanted to know if I saw him in the crystal. Without hesitation, I told her I did see him there. Tears of happiness filled her eyes. She wished me God’s blessings.

Mrs. Clifford recovered.
It was time for me to return to India. I wanted to go to Lambeth to say goodb^ to Maggie and her mother. But the family was in mourning. Frank had been killed in the fighting. A month ago, Maggie had sent me a card with a black border. I calculated from the date and found that Frank had been dead some days when I told him he was alive and well. I felt ashamed to face Maggie’s mother. So I wrote them a letter, informing them of my going away and bidding them good-bye.

It was the morning of my last day in London. I was to leave before night. I was breakfasting with the host family. There was a knock at the door. The maid came and said that Miss Clifford has come to see me. I had not finished my breakfast. Maggie had come to say good¬bye. I got up from the table. Maggie was standing in the hall. She was wearing black. I took her to the library and made her sit down.

She asked me if I was leaving that day. I said ‘Yes.’ She wanted to know how long I would take to reach my country. I said a little more than 2 weeks. She asked me where I lived. I then told her that I had entered the Punjab Civil Service. I would not know when exactly I would reach there after my posting. She wanted to know if the Frontier was far from there. I told her it was not far. She told me that Frank was buried at Fort Monroe, near Dera-Ghazi- Khan. Her eyes were filled with tears. I told her that I would visit her brother’s grave and write to her. When I assured her that I would visit the place, her face filled with gratitude. She took a shilling out of her pocket and put it down on the table in front of me. With that money I was to buy flowers and place them on her brother’s grave.

In my emotion, I lowered my eyes. She had earned that shilling with so much hard work. I wanted to return the money to her saying that in India a lot of wildflowers grew and one does not have to pay money to get some. But I thought again. I would deprive her of the joy of sacrifice if I did not take the money. The grief of her heart would lessen by the sacrifice she was making. I took the shilling. I assured her that I would buy flowers with it and put them on her brother’s grave.

She said she did not know how to thank me. She would be late for work and so she wanted to go. She reminded me to write to her. I took her hand and pressed it to my lips. Maggie left. I wiped a tear or two from my eyes. I went upstairs to pack my bags.

– (Translated from Bengali by Lila Ray)

The Price of Flowers (Short Story) Glossary

Kerala State Board New Syllabus Plus One English Textbook Answers Unit 1 Chapter 3 Quest for a Theory of Everything Text Book Questions and Answers, Summary, Notes.

Kerala Plus One English Textbook Quest for a Theory of Everything Questions and Answers Unit 1 Chapter 3 (Profile)

Quest for a Theory of Everything (Profile) Textual Questions

Plus One English Chapter 3 Notes Question 1.
How did Hawking startle the audience?
Answer:
He startled his audience by telling them that there was an end in sight for Theoretical Physics. He invited them to join him in a sensational escape through time and space.

Hss Guru Plus One English Notes Question 2.
Stephen Hawking did not appear to be a promising choice to lead any adventure. Why?
Answer:
He was sitting in a wheelchair while one of his students was reading his lecture to the audience. His appearance was not healthy and naturally he did not appearto be a promising choice to lead any adventure.

Hss Live Guru Plus One English Notes Question 3.
Can a person be judged by appearance alone? Justify your response.
Answer:
A person cannot be judged by appearance alone. Many great men in history did not have a great appearance. Napoleon Bonaparte was a very short person. Franklin Roosevelt, one of the greatest American Presidents, spent most of his working hours in a wheelchair, and he walked with leg braces and canes, usually with help. Mother Theresa did not appear a robust person but she was really great.

Hsslive Guru Plus One English Notes Question 4.
What do you learn about Stephen Hawking’s childhood?
Answer:
He was born on 8 January 1942 in Oxford, England. His parents were Frank and Isobel Hawking. They were not wealthy. Hawking attended the local St. Alban’s school. By the time he was 8, he was seriously thinking of becoming a scientist. His father wanted him to study medicine. But Stephen thought biology was too imprecise. He wanted a subject in which he could look for exact answers. He was just an ordinary school boy. He was slow in learning to read and his handwriting was horrible.

At 14, Stephen knew he would study maths and physics. But his father discouraged him from studying maths because he thought it offered no jobs, except as a teacher. Stephen’s father wanted him to attend Oxford where he had studied. Oxford had no mathematics. So Stephen studied chemistry and physics and only a little mathematics. At the age of 17, Hawking went to Oxford to study natural science and to specialise in physics.

Plus One English Quest For A Theory Of Everything Summary Question 5.
Comment on Hawking’s life at 03(ford.
Answer:
For about one year and a half, Hawking was lonely and bored at Oxford. He also did not try hard at his academics. But halfway through the second year, he began to enjoy Oxford.

Profile Of Stephen Hawking In English Plus One Question 6.
What opinion did Hawking’s peers at Oxford have about him?
Answer:
Hawking became popular and was well-accepted among his peers. They remember him as lively, buoyant and adaptable. He wore his hair long. He was famous for his wit. He liked classical music and science fiction. He took part in sports.

Plus One English Chapter Quest For A Theory Of Everything Summary Question 7.
Cite an example to prove that Stephen Hawking was sharp-witted. Did his wit help him in any way?
Answer:
Stephen Hawking had applied to do a Ph.D. at Cambridge while he was a student at Oxford . He was accepted on condition that he got a ‘First’ from Oxford. Hawking thought he could get through successfully. But as the examination came, his confidence failed. Hawking got only borderline marks between a first and a second. As he had only a borderline result, his examiners called him for an interview and asked him about his plans. He told the examiners boldly, “If I get a first, I shall go to Cambridge. If I receive a second,

I will remain at Oxford. So I expect that you will give me a first.’ He got his ‘First’ and he went to Cambridge. His wit helped him here to get what he wanted.

Plus One English Textbook Activity Answers Unit 1 Question 8.
Stephen’s first year at Cambridge was worse than that at 03dord. Why?
Answer:
His first year at Cambridge was worse than that at Oxford. His poor mathematical background troubled him. He found general relativity extremely tough. There was even a bigger problem. During his 3rd year, he had started getting a bit careless. He had fallen once or twice for no apparent reason. Soon he had trouble tying his shoes and sometimes he had difficulty in talking.

Plus One English Notes Quest For A Theory Of Everything Question 9.
How did tragedy strike Hawking after his 21st birthday?
Answer:
Shortly after his 21st birthday, in 1963, tragedy struck him. He contracted a rare disease, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, for which there was no known cure. It caused a gradual disintegration of the nerve cells in the spinal cord and the brain. He went into a deep depression. He did not know what to do and what his future would be.

Plus One English Chapter Quest For A Theory Of Everything Question Answers Question 10.
What drastic change came over Hawking after the diagnosis of the disease?
Answer:
A drastic change came over Hawking after the diagnosis of the disease. He had many dreams. He said that his dreams were at that time very confused. Before his condition was diagnosed he was bored with life. But after he came out of hospital, he dreamt that he was going to be executed. He realized then that there were a lot of important things to do if he was given a reprieve – time to live for some more time. Hawking was getting some more time to live and life was precious.

Quest For A Theory Of Everything Summary Pdf Question 11.
What was Jane’s impression ofHawking?
Answer:
Just before Hawking entered the hospital for tests, he met Jane Wilde at a New Year’s Party at St. Alban’s. She thought Hawking was very intelligent, eccentric and rather arrogant. But he was interesting and she liked his wit. She fell in love with him.

Quest For A Theory Of Everything Plus One Notes Question 12.
Write a note on the character of Jane.
Answer:
Jane was a shy teenager with a strong faith in God. This faith was ingrained in her by her mother. She believed that good can come out of any adversity. When she met Hawking after his discharge from the hospital, he was in a sad state. She felt that he had lost his will to live and he was very confused. She was not put off by his physical or mental condition. Hawking liked her optimism and their friendship grew. They thought that together they could make something good.

For Stephen, it made a big difference. He applied for a research fellowship at Caius, one of the colleges of Cambridge University. In 1965, when he was 23, he received his fellowship at Caius. In July 1965, he married Jane. They had 3 children. In fact, it was Jane who gave moral support to Hawking to overcome his adversities and do something great for mankind.

Quest For A Theory Of Everything Questions And Answers Question 13.
Is Stephen Hawking really a great mind on par with the likes of Einstein and Newton? Justify your answer.
Answer:
It is not yet time to make a verdict on the work of Stephen Hawking. Newton and Einstein are giants who rule the world of science. It is true that Hawking has said some significant things about the universe. He has asked significant questions but he has not provided adequate answers. Anybody can ask questions. Asking questions does not make a person a genius.

Hawking used to ask daring, unexpected and penetrating questions during the sessions involving some of the most famous and distinguished scientists in the world. That is how he earned his name as ‘a genius’ and as ‘another Einstein’. I don’t think his mind is on par with the likes of Newton and Einstein. Time may prove me wrong. But for the moment I stick to my answer.

Ferguson Higher Physics Ebook Download Question 14.
List the interesting facts dealt with Hawking’s book.
Answer:
Where did the universe come from? Is it infinite? Does it have any boundaries? Will it come to an end? If so, how? Is there a complete theory of the universe and everything in it? Is there a beginning of time? Could time run back? The book begins by recounting the great theories of the cosmos from Newton to Einstein. His purpose in writing the book was to make science understandable to non-scientists.

Plus One Quest For A Theory Of Everything Notes Question 15.
What could have been the misgivings of Jane?
Answer:
While on a trip to Switzerland, Hawking contracted pneumonia and was left on a life-support system. The doctors treating him suggested a tracheotomy operation which would remove his windpipe. It might save his life but he would never again be able to speak or make a vocal sound. Jane thought her husband might die with this operation. That is why she said, The future looks very bleak.’ Hawking would no longer breathe through his mouth and nose, but through a permanent hole made in his throat.

Question 16.
How could he overcome his difficulties after the tracheotomy operation?
Answer:
Since Hawking could not speak, Walt Woltosz, a computer expert in California, sent him a programme he had developed. It was called the Equalizer. It would allow Hawking to select words from the screen and this way he could continue to do his work, although very slowly.

Question 17.
Mention some of the unique ideas and paradoxes put forward by Stephen Hawking.
Answer:
Some of the unique ideas and paradoxes put forward by Stephen Hawking are :

• In science and with people, things are often not what they seem.
• Pieces that ought to fit together refuse to do so.
• You will learn that beginnings may be endings.
• Cruel circumstances can lead to happiness, although fame and success may not.
• Two great scientific theories taken together seem to give us nonsense.
• Empty space is not empty.
• Black holes are not black.

Question 18.
What was Hawking’s attitude to his disability? How do you estimate it in a wider social context?
Answer:
He chose to ignore his difficulty. He expected others to adopt the same attitude. In the modern days, we call ‘disabled’ people ‘Differently Abled People’. A physical disability does not have to make you desperate and a victim of sympathy. People with physical disabilities have achieved marvels. Franklin D. Roosevelt, one of the most famous American Presidents spent most of his working hours in a wheelchair and walked with leg braces and a cane, supported by others.

Now we have a blind play-back singer Bhagyalaksmi. There is also a blind music director named Afsal. Handicaps need not be looked upon as excuses to be lazy. With hard work, one can overcome his handicaps. Helen Keller – blind, deaf, and dumb – became world-famous because of her determination to succeed. And she did.

Activity – I (Writing)

Question 1.
Attempt an assessment of the personality of Hawking in a short paragraph.
Answer:
Hawking was a man of determination and perseverance. When he was at Oxford, in his late teens, he was lively, buoyant, and adaptable. He wore his hair long. He was famous for his wit. He liked classical musical and was interested in sports. When he was in the 3rd year at Oxford he applied to do a Ph.D. at Cambridge. He was accepted on condition that he got a ‘First’ from Oxford. But during the examination he had only borderline marks between a first and a second.

The examiners summoned him and asked him about his plans. He told them bluntly, “If I get a first, I shall go to Cambridge. If I receive a second, I will remain at Oxford. So I expect that you will give me a first.” They gave him a First and he went to Cambridge. This shows how frank and open he was. When he was 21, he contracted a rare disease which caused disintegration of the nerve cells of his spinal cord and brain. He walked around with a cane, supporting himself against a wall.

His speech was impaired. But nothing stopped him from achieving what he wanted. It was this determination that attracted Jane Wilde whom he married. He lost his voice after a tracheotomy operation. But he continued working with an Equalizer, which helped him to choose words from a computer screen. He asked fundamental questions like where did the universe come from and whether it has boundaries. Is there a beginning of time? Could time run back? His book ‘A Brief History of Time’ contains a lot of paradoxes that will surprise us. He is often called another Einstein.

Activity – II (Timeline)

Question 2.
List the facts you have earned about Stephen Hawking, in chronological order, in the timeline given below:
Answer:

2005 Release of a Book ‘A brief History of time
1988 Published a Brief History of Time
1984 Completing the Draft of the Book
1980 Inaugural lecture at Cockcroft Lecture Room
1980 Started writing a book about universe
1965 Received research fellowship at Caius
1965 Married Jane Wilde
1963 Gets the rare disease amyotrophic lateral sclerosis
1959 Goes to Oxford
1950 Decides to become a scientist
1942 Birth

Question 3.
Now, look at the list you have made. What facts do the readers expect in a profile?

• Date of birth
• ……………………..
• ……………………..
• ……………………..
• ……………………..
• ……………………..
• …………………….. etc

Answer:

• Date of birth
• Parents and schooling
• Higher Education
• Turning Points in life
• Marriage
• Rare activities
• Achievements
• Things that make a person stand out
• The message he/she gives

Activity – III (Interview)

Question 4.
Read the excerpt from the interview of Stephen Hawking by Kitty Gail Ferguson. She interviews him to collect details for his biography. Find out Stephen’s responses from the profile and complete the interview.
Answer:
Interviewer: Shortly after your 21st birthday, your doctors diagnosed that you had amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, a rare disease for which there is no known cure. How did you react to the diagnosis? How did you manage to cope with the situation?

Interviewee: My initial reaction was shock and disbelief. I went into a depression. I did not know what to do and what my future would be. But then I told myself that there was no point in spending time worrying about something that we can’t change. In English, there is a saying “What can’t be cured must be endured.” So I decided to live with my disease and continue working as best as I could.

Interviewer: What made you think that life was precious? Can you recollect any particular instance in your life that has become crucial?

Interviewee: I dreamt that I was going to be executed. Suddenly I realized that there were a lot of worthwhile things to do, if I were given some more time to live.

I wanted to do some good things before I died so that people would remember me even after my death.

I started thinking that life was precious. My meeting with Jane Wilde was crucial. She liked me in spite of my eccentricity and disease. Her optimism helped me a lot.

Interviewer: It is said that you wrote a book to make science understandable to non-scientists. Is that so?

Interviewee: Yes, that was my plan, I wanted even non-scientists know something about cosmology and the quantum theory. Everybody has heard about Einstein’s theory of relativity and his famous equation E = me2. But how many people know what it means? So I decided to write about science in a language understandable by the common man. But of course, you will find a lot of seeming paradoxes in my writings. But then life is full of paradoxes, isn’t it?

Question 5.
Now, prepare a set of questions, and conduct an interview with a person who has become successful in any field in your locality. You can identify people who became successful in any walk of life such as farming/entrepreneurship/ the civil services/competitive examinations, etc.
Answer:
Mehboob Saithu, who is my neighbor, is a successful rice farmer. He produces around 50 tons of rice each year. Through his initiative, some uncultivated farms have been brought under cultivation. Here is an excerpt from an interview I had with him.

Interviewer: Mr. Mehboob, please tell us something about yourself.

Interviewee: You already know my name. My parents are Mr. Saithu and Mrs. Khadeeja. I am married and I have two children, a boy and a girl. My wife Kunjumol is a homemaker and she supports me in all my farming activities. My son is a student in Singapore, doing a degree in sound engineering and my daughter is studying for her MBA.

Interviewer: What are your educational qualifications?

Interviewee: I have only completed my Pre Degree Course. I was very reluctant to join college, although my father wanted m%Jo study further. But I refused to go to college. Instead, I started helping him in his electrical shop. The shop was running reasonably well at that time. I had a nice time in the shop as I could make some money for my needs.

Interviewer: Then how did you become a farmer?

Interviewee: I had an inborn desire to be a farmer. I love watching plants grow and produce. We had some fields which were not cultivated because my father thought agriculture was a loss because of high labour cost and low returns. Soon my father became very sick and a lot of money had to be spent on him. He was treated in different hospitals. As I was going round taking care of him, there was no proper supervision in the shop and slowly the business was running at a loss and those who bought things on credit did not pay up. The shop had to be closed down in due course. It was then that I turned my attention to farming.

Interviewer: Are you happy with farming?

Interviewee: It is a difficult question to answer. Indian agriculture, as you know, is a gamble on monsoons. A good harvest depends on many factors. Once we sow the seeds till the harvest is marketed we are worried. Questions like ‘Will there be enough rain?’, ‘Will there be too much rain?’ etc. keep worrying us. But once the harvest is in the barn, we are happy. On the whole, I would say I am happy. I am able to produce food for others. I am able to give jobs to many people and this way I am doing my part for the development of the nation.

Interviewer? What are your future plans?

Interviewee: I am not a very ambitious man. Soon my daughter will complete her MBA. I have to get her married. My son will have his engineering degree and he will have, hopefully, a good job. Then he too should get married. Then it would be time for me to rest a little and spend my time with my grandchildren. I hope, Insha Allah, to succeed in my plans.

Interviewer: Thank you Mr. Mehboob for talking to me.

Interviewee: Thank you, too!

Activity – IV : (Profile)

Question 6.
Using the responses you received from the person you interviewed, prepare his/her profile.
Answer:
Mehboob Saithu was born on 10 May 1963. His parents were Mrs. Saithu and Mrs. Khadeeja. When he was 5, he was sent to Little Flower Convent School Irinjakaluda. There he studied until class IV. Then he was sent to Don Bosco School, Irinjalakuda. From there he completed his SSLC in 1982. Later he went to Christ College, Irinjalakuda. He completed his Pre Degree Course there.

After his education, he joined his father in the Electrical Shop to assist him in the business. The shop did well for some years. When he was 27, he married Kunjumol, who comes from a wealthy family from Ernakulam. Their first child was born in 1990 and their daughter in 1992.

By the time Mehboob was 40, the shop ran into problems because of the grave illness of his father. His father had to be shuttled from hospital to hospital for better treatment. It took away a lot of time and also money. In the absence of proper supervision, the shop went into problems as those who got things on credit refused to pay up. Finally the shop had to be closed down.

It was then Mehboob turned his attention to farming. He had some agricultural fields which were lying uncultivated. He started cultivating them and now he is fully into farming. He derives satisfaction in two ways. He is producing food for many people and at the same time he is able to give jobs to some people. This way he is doing his bit in the development of the nation.

Mehboob is not a very ambitious man. Soon his daughter will complete her MBA. He wants to get her married. His son will have his engineering degree and he will have, hopefully, a good job. Then he also should marry. Then it would be time for Mr. Mehboob to rest a little and spend his time with grandchildren.

Activity – V: Speech

Question 7.
Read the following statements from the profile of Stephen Hawking:
Answer:
‘Shortly after I came out of hospital, I dreamt that I was going to be executed. I suddenly realized that there were a lot of worthwhile things I could do.’ Can you find out similar incidents that happened in the lives of other great people (such as Helen Keller, Wilma Rudolf, Valentina Tereshkova, etc.). Prepare a short speech on any one of them so as to deliver it before the school assembly.

My dear teachers and students,
Sometimes people lose their faith because they have some handicaps and they feel they can’t become famous because of their handicaps. But we have so many examples in history which prove that handicaps need not make people desperate. They can excel in some fields and become more famous than even normal people. Today I will talk to you about Helen Keller, who achieved international fame although she was deaf and blind. But she served as an inspiration for other people with disabilities.

Helen Keller (1880-1968) was born on June 27, 1880, in Tuscumbia, Alabama, the daughter of well-to-do parents. When 19 months old, Helen was stricken with an acute illness that left her deaf and blind. In a short time she forgot the few words she knew and became silent. She made use of signs to get what she wanted. On the advice of Alexander Graham Bell, the inventor, who was also a teacher of deaf people, Keller’s paints got a teacher named Anne Mansfield Sullivan (later Macy). Helen and Anne worked together until Anne’s death in 1936.

Anne taught Helen to read and write using the Braille system. When Keller was ten, she began to relearn how to speak. At first this seemed impossible, but Anne discovered that Keller could learn sounds by placing her fingers on her teacher’s larynx and sensing the vibrations. The moving account of how Anne taught her to speak is told in Helen Keller’s The Story of My Life (1902).

In 1900, Keller entered Radcliffe College. Four years later Keller graduated with honors to worldwide acclaim and decided to devote her life to helping blind and deaf people. Through her essays and articles in major magazines and newspapers, Keller explained the problems encountered by people who are deaf and blind and the responsibilities of society. In addition to The Story of My Life, she published Optimism, or My Key to Life (1903), The World I Live In (1908), and Out of the Dark (1913). Helen Keller achieved fame in spite of severe handicaps and she should be an inspiration to all of us.

Activity – VI: (Group Discussion)

The Group Discussion (GD) is an important tool for assessing a candidate’s personality. The GD has become a part of the selection process for admission to any reputed institution.

Skills judged in GDs :

• Your communication abilities
• Your behavior and interaction with others
• How open-minded you are
• Your listening skills
• The way you present your ideas.
• Your leadership and decision-making capacity
• Your knowledge of the subject and your analytical skills
• Problem-solving and critical thinking skills
• Your attitude and confidence

Here is a model for a Group Discussion:
Topic: “Commercialization of violence and sex in the media increases the crime rate.”

A : Hello friends, we are going to talk about the issue of commercialization of violence and sex and how the media increases the crime rate in the society by sensationalizing things. You may have different views about it.

B : Friends, I do say that the media is helping in the increase of crime rates by making sensational reports of violence and sex. The front pages of many newspapers and magazines are full of gory details of violence and sex. Looking at the newspapers, someone may be forced to think that only two things happen in the country – violence and sex.

A : I agree with B. Look at some of the newspaper headlines. You see a headline: WAR BREAKS OUT. You are anxious to know where and why. And then you see it is just an ODI (One Day International) between India and Pakistan. Look at some of our cinemas. Most of them are a mixture of songs, dances, sex and violence. Even to sell a particular brand of the umbrella, they will show Sania Mirza in her tennis shorts! Money has become God.

C : The problem with the media is that they have a great effect on the youth. What they see in films and on TV influences them. Didn’t we hear the case of a boy who imitated Superman and jumped from the top of a building and died?

D : I’m afraid the media often misleads people. Biased reporting makes people take sides. Look at the Marad incident that happened in Kerala. One group of media supported one community and the other group supported the other. Truths are distorted. Media should be used to promote fellow-feeling, love and tolerance.

E : I’m afraid there is too much negative criticism against the media. In the media also we see the villain getting punished in the end. So actually there is no encouragement in the media to be villainous. In fact, it warns people not to do bad things. It reinforces our culture.

F : I believe that the media culture has a positive impact on society. The number of media users has increased greatly and the media make people aware of the things happening around them and also in the world. Thus it serves a good purpose.

G : We can’t think of a life without the media. The only thing is that we should use it positively. There is no point in criticizing the media for all the ills rampant in the society.

Activity – VII (Cohesive devices)

In the profile, we see the use of words like ‘n7oreover’, ‘never there ‘however etc. These words show the relationship between sentences. They hold the text together. Such words are known as ‘cohesive devices Identify a few such expressions/words and complete the following:

Here is a list of cohesive devices used for different functions.

Let’s Practise:

Choose the correct cohesive device from the box given to complete the sentences. Each one is to be used only once.

Question 8.
1. I had a terrible day at work and lost my umbrella too. _________ I spoke to that nice guy who works in the coffee shop at last!
2. Television turns people into lazy couch potatoes. _________, there are some educational programmes on.
3. _________, 1 would like to welcome you all to the conference today.
4. _________ the film was a little boring, we still had a nice evening out.
5. I’ve always known Caroline as a miser. _________, she lent me 1000 yesterday without my having to ask twice!
6. I got up at 9 o’clock yesterday and had a cold shower _________, I had breakfast and left for work.
7. My brother works ¡n a large office _________ I work on my own at home.
8. Why do you think I don’t want to go out tonight? _________ I would be delighted to get out of the house.
9. You should participate in the school youth festival as it gives you a chance to meet many people _________, It gives you an opportunity to showcase your talents.
10. I don’t want to go to the football game. Football bores me and don’t want to pay 40 fora ticket. _________, look at the weather! All that rain!
Answers
1. At least
2. On the other hand
3. Firstly
4. Though
5. However
6. Then
7. Whereas
8. Actually
9. Moreover
10. Besides

Activity – VIII:

Collocation “Stephen Hawking has overcome his crippling disease to become the supernova of world physics.” In this sentence the underlined words go together. In other words crippling collocates with the disease. In other words, we can say that words that are used together and have a special meaning are called collocations. For example ‘strong tea’.

Given below are a set of collocations that can be used to describe success.

Let’s practice:

Arun’s teacher is talking about his merit and achievement to his parents while giving the end-of-term report. Imagine what the teacher would say, and complete the sentences using suitable collocations from those given in the box above. Arun has made a breakthrough in Maths this year, doing excellent work compared to last year. It is, of course, a remarkable achievement on his part. This year has seen a dramatic improvement in Arun’s English. His crowning achievement is his performance in the school’s staging of ‘Othello’. He has found some effective ways of working with natural materials this year, and his self-portrait is a brilliant success. He is now able to enjoy the fruits of hard work. Playing for the school team has certainly brought out the best in him and he rightly won the respect of all his teammates.

Read and Enjoy

Question 1.
We have read aboyt a few great personalities and identified some off the qualities of greatness. “If is a poem with a message. It suggests the idea of conditional fulfillment. Here the poet describes the qualities of the perfect man.

Quest for a Theory of Everything (Profile) About the Author:

Kitty Gail Ferguson is a science writer, lecturer and professional musician. She was written many science books and biographies. Her works are known for their details and accuracy. She is known for her simple explanation of complicated scientific principles.

Quest For A Theory Of Everything Summary

– Kitty Gail Ferguson

On 29 April 1980, in the Cockcroft Lecture Room, many scientists and university dignitaries were seated. The occasion was the inaugural lecture by a new Lucasian Professor of Mathematics, Stephen Hawking, who was a mathematician and physicist. He was 38 years old.

The title of the lecture was “Is the End in Sight for Theoretical Physics?’ His listeners were surprised when Hawkins said it was. He invited them to join him in a sensational escape through time and space to find the Holy Grail of science – the theory that explains the universe and everything that happens in it. (The Holy Grail is the cup used by Jesus Christ at the Last Supper.)

Stephen Hawking sat silently in a wheelchair as one of his students read his lecture to the audience. Judging by his appearance, Hawking did not look the kind of person to lead any adventure. Hawking was bom on 8 January 1942, in Oxford, England. It was exactly 300 years after the death of Galileo, the father of modern science. Frank and Isobel Hawking, Stephen’s parents, were not wealthy. But they believed in the value of education. So they wanted to send Stephen to Westminster Public School, which is in the heart of London. Unfortunately, Stephen was ill at the time of the scholarship examination for Westminster. So, he attended the local St. Alban’s school.

By the time he was 8, he was thinking of becoming a scientist. His father encouraged him to study medicine, but Stephen found biology too imprecise. He wanted a subject that gave exact answers and so he could get into the root of things.

Stephen was not a miracle boy. He was just an ordinary English boy. He was slow in learning to read and his handwriting was bad. He was ranked somewhere in the middle of the class. In his defence Stephen Hawking now says, ‘It was a very bright class’, meaning he was not among the top students because all the students in the class were very bright!

At 14, Stephen decided to study mathematics and physics. His father was not happy because he said there were no jobs in mathematics except teaching. Moreover he wanted his son to attend Oxford where he himself had studied, but Oxford offered no mathematics. So Stephen followed his father’s advice and studied chemistry, physics and only a little mathematics in preparation for the entrance to Oxford. He did well in physics and was accepted there. In 1959, at 17, Hawking went to Oxford to study natural science and to specialize in physics. He joined University College, the oldest at Oxford, founded in 1249 AD. His father had studied there.

For about one year, Hawking was lonely and bored. He did not feel any inspiration to do well in his academics. But by the middle of 2nd year, he began enjoying Oxford. He became popular and was well accepted by his peers. He was lively, buoyant and adaptable. He had long hair. He was famous for his wit. He liked classical music and science fiction. He took part in sports.

By the end of the 3rd year, however, things were bad for Hawking. He selected theoretical physics as his specialty. He had then applied to do a Ph.D. at Cambridge. He was accepted on the condition that he got a ‘First’ from Oxford. Hawking thought he could get through successfully. But as the examination came, his confidence failed. Hawking got only borderline marks between a first and a second.

As he had only a borderline result, his examiners called him for an interview and asked him about his plans. He told the examiners boldly, “If I get a first, I shall go to Cambridge. If I receive a second, I will remain at Oxford. So I expect that you will give me a first.’ He got his ‘First’ and he went to Cambridge.

His first year at Cambridge was worse than that at Oxford. His poor mathematical background troubled him. He found general relativity extremely tough. There was even a bigger problem. During his 3rd year, he had started getting a bit careless. He had fallen once or twice for no apparent reason. Soon he had trouble tying his shoes and sometimes he had difficulty in talking.

In 1963, shortly after his 21st birthday, he got a rare disease, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, for which there was no known cure. It caused a gradual disintegration of the nerve cells in the spinal cord and the brain. He went into a deep depression. He did not know what to do and what his future would be.

He said that his dreams at that time were very confused. Before his condition was diagnosed he was bored with life. But after he came out of hospital, he dreamt that he was going to be executed. He realized then that there were a lot of important things to do if he was given a reprieve – more time to live.

Another recurring dream he used to have was sacrificing his life to save others. If he was going to die, he thought, he should do some good things. The doctors thought his condition would stabilize but it went from bad to worse. They told him that he had only 2 years to live.

Two years passed. The disease slowed down. He did not die. He said that although a cloud was hanging over his future, he was enjoying the present more than before. Hawking was getting some more time to live and life was precious.

Just before Hawking entered the hospital for tests, he met Jane Wilde at a New Year’s Party at St. Alban’s. She thought Hawking was very intelligent, eccentric and rather arrogant. But he was interesting and she liked his wit. When Jane met him after his discharge from the hospital, he was in a sad state. She felt that he had lost his will to live and he was very confused. She was not put off by his physical or mental condition. She was a shy teenager with a strong faith in God. This faith was ingrained in her by her mother. Jane believed that good can come out of any adversity.

Hawking liked her optimism and their friendship grew. They thought that together they could make something good. For Stephen it made a big difference. He applied for a research fellowship at Caius, once of the colleges of Cambridge University. In 1965, when he was 23, he received his fellowship at Caius. In July, 1965, he married Jane.

People remember Hawking moving about in the University with a cane, supporting himself against the wall. He spoke with a slight speech impediment. People remember his brashness in sessions in which some of the most distinguished scientist spoke. While other young researchers kept silent, Hawking daringly asked unexpected questions. He knew what he was talking about. His reputation as ‘a genius’ and ‘another Einstein’ began then.

In 1980, a practical need for funds made him start a new enterprise. It was to have a far-reaching impact on the Hawkings and others in the world. He thought of writing a book about the universe. He wanted to write about the most interesting questions that had made him study cosmology and quantum theory. Where did the universe come from? Is it infinite? Does it have any boundaries? Will it come to an end? If so, how? Is there a complete theory of the universe and everything in it? Is there a beginning of time? Could time run back? The book begins by recounting the great theories of the cosmos from Newton to Einstein. His purpose in writing the book was to make science understandable to non-scientists.

He completed the first draft in 1984. As he was revising it, he went to Switzerland. There he caught pneumonia and was on a life-supporting system. Doctors suggested a tracheotomy operation.’This would result in the removal of his windpipe. It might save his life, but he would never again speak or even make a vocal sound. Jane, with reluctance, consented to the surgery.

Hawking could no longer breathe through his mouth and nose. So, a permanent opening was made in his throat. After many weeks of intensive care, he went home to join Jane and their three children. He was too weak and ill to continue his research. Walt Woltosz, a computer expert in California, sent him a programme he had developed. It was called the Equalizer. It would allow Hawking to select words from the screen.

Hawking thought he would not be able to complete his book. With the support of his student Brian Whitt, ‘A Brief History of Time was published in 1988. In September 2005, an abridged version of the original book was published. This version was updated to include the new issues that had arisen due to further scientific developments.

In the book we can see a number of paradoxes:
a) In science and with people, things are often not what they seem.
b) Pieces that ought to fit together refuse to do so.
c) You will learn that beginnings may be endings.
d) Cruel circumstances can lead to happiness, although fame and success may not.
e) Two great scientific theories taken together seem to give us nonsense.
f) Empty space is not empty.
g) Black holes are not black.

It is a miracle that Hawking was able to achieve everything he has and he is still alive. When we experience his intelligence and humor, we tend to take his unusual mode of communication and his terrible physical problems very lightly. That is exactly what he wants. He chooses to ignore the difficulty and he expects others to have the same attitude. Hawking has overcome his crippling disease to become a shining star of world physics.

Quest For A Theory Of Everything Glossary

Kerala State Board New Syllabus Plus One English Textbook Answers Unit 3 Chapter 1 Sunrise on the Hills Text Book Questions and Answers, Summary, Notes.

Kerala Plus One English Textbook Sunrise on the Hills Questions and Answers Unit 3 Chapter 1 (Poem)

Sunrise on the Hills (Poem) Textual Activities Questions and Answers

Activity -1 (Read and Respond)

Plus One English Unit 3 Chapter 1 Question 1.
Look at the expressions ‘heaven’s wide arch and ‘returning march’. What does the poet describe here? What else does it remind you of?
Answer:
The poet describes here the sky and the return of the sun in the morning. It reminds me of a king returning after a long absence or even my own returning to life in the morning after the night’s sleep.

Sunrise On The Hills Notes Hsslive Chapter 1 Question 2.
Comment on the expression of ‘soft gales’.
Answer:
This is the poetic way of describing the early morning breeze.

Plus One English Textbook Answers Chapter 1 Question 2.
What makes the glory of the clouds fade?
Answer:
The rising sun makes the glory of the clouds fade. The mist melts away and the glory fades.

Plus One English Hsslive Chapter 1 Question 3.
What are the clouds compared to?
Answer:
They are compared to the army defeated in battle, ready to flee from the conqueror.

Plus One English Notes Chapter 1 Question 4.
What picture of the valley is unveiled?
Answer:
The valley is rich. The water that flows in the river gets darkened at times by the shade of the forest, but in the cascade it glistens. The bittern is flying upward spirally making noise as the dawn is softly and smoothly turning into morning.

Hsslive Guru Plus One English Notes Chapter 1 Question 5.
How does the valley respond to the rising sun?
Answer:
The valley responds to the rising sun in a lively manner. The water in the river is dashing down and currents whirl and flash. The trees of the forest are bending as if to touch the water and the silver sands of the beach of the lake. The valley is filled with the echoing noise of the wild horn, the screeching owl. Thin smoke is rising from the huts of the valley-dwellers through the thick-leaved branches as they are preparing their morning meals.

Hsslive Guru English Plus One Chapter 1 Question 6.
What message does the poet convey?
Answer:
The poet says that if you are tired and are troubled with problems and sorrows that you want to forget, if you want read a book that will prevent your heart from losing hope and wake your soul up with optimism, you should go to the forest and hills. The sweet look that Nature has is not dimmed by tears of any kind.

Plus One English Textbook Activity Answers Unit 3 Chapter 1 Question 7.
Are all the three stanzas of equal length? Why do you think the last stanza is short when compared to the previous stanzas?
Answer:
No, the three stanzas are not of equal length. The first stanza has 18 lines, the second 12 and the third only 6-. The last stanza is short when compared to the previous stanzas because in it the poet is giving us a piece of advice. In the other two stanzas he is describing the hills, the valley, the river, the lake and the beautiful sights and sounds there. Naturally they have to be longer. Descriptions take many lines, but a piece of advice does not have to be so long.

Activity – II (Read and reflect)

Hsslive Plus One English Notes Chapter 1 Question 8.
You may listen to the recital of the poem.
Now, discuss and answer the following questions:
Comment on the musical quality of the poem.
Answer:
The poem is highly musical. The rhyming couplets (arch¬march, gales-vales, light-height, etc.) give a highly’ melodious quality to the poem. The poem has fine rhythm as the stressed and unstressed syllables alternate regularly. There is alliteration that adds to The musical quality. Examples of alliteration are ‘blasted, bare’, ‘faint and far’, ‘sudden shot’, ‘from fainting’. There are also many instances of assonance which make the poem sound sweet: The poem gives a smoothing effect as it sounds so soft and sweet to the ear.

Hss Live Guru Plus One English Notes Chapter 1 Question 9.
Identify the symbols used in the poem.
Answer:
There are many symbols in the poem. Examples are: ‘Heaven’s wide arch’, ‘returning march’, ‘soft gales kissing the sun-clad vales’, ‘hosts in battle overthrown’, ‘shattered lance’, ‘pine, blasted, bare and cleft’, ‘the veil of cloud’, ‘woods bending with silent reach’.

Plus One English Notes Hss Live Chapter 1 Question 10.
How does figurative language, like the simile, make the poem effective?
Answer:
Longfellow has used many figures of speech in his poem to make it effective. His figurative language includes simile, metaphor, personification and onomatopoeia, among others. He speaks of the clouds losing their glory “like hosts in battle overthrown”. This is a fine smile. There are excellent personifications in “the sun’s returning march” and “soft gales Went forth to kiss the sun-clad vales”. Metaphors can be seen in ‘Pinnacles thrusting up shattered lances’ and The dark pine blasted, bare and cleft’. There is a superb onomatopoeia in ‘the whirl and flash of currents’.

Activity – III (Appreciation)

Pick out the descriptions of sights, sounds and movements in the poem.

Hsslive Plus One English Textbook Answers Chapter 1 Question 11.
Does any image stand out as the most important? Why do you think so?
Answer:
The image of the current whirling and flashing stands out as the most important. I think so because it represents man’s desire to explore and reach further and further.

Hss Live English Notes Plus One Chapter 1 Question 12.
What is your overall assessment of the poem?
Answer:
I think the poem is superb as it depicts some of the most alluring sights, sounds and movements of nature. Here Longfellow can stand comparison to William Wordsworth, the high priest of Nature.

English Plus One Notes Hsslive Chapter 1 Question 13.
Based on the above discussions, prepare an appreciation of the poem.
Answer:
The poem ‘Sunrise on the Hills’ by the American poet Henry Wadsworth Longfellow is a lyric that extols the beauty of Nature and how Nature can soothe you when you are in trouble or difficulty. The poet stands upon the hills when the sky is glorious with the rays of the rising sun. The forests are brightened. Mild breezes are kissing the valleys brightened by the dawn. The clouds are under him and they are bathed in light. As the mist clears away in the rising sun, many peaks with their sharp spear-like projections appear. Soon he will see the rich valley. The river is flowing.

As the dawn breaks into the morning, birds fly away chirping noisily. The poet hears the distant waters rush. He sees the current whirl and shines in the light. The lake is blue with a beach of silver sand and near it the thick forest is bending as if to reach and kiss the lake. Over the valley, the gentle and melodious sound of the village bell is echoing on the hills. The thin smoke starts coming out from the wooded valley through the thick-leaved branches, from the huts of the people living in the valley.

The poet says that if you are tired and are troubled with problems and sorrows that you want to forget, if you want to read a book that will prevent your heart from losing hope and wake up your soul with optimism, you should go to the forest and hills. The sweet look that Nature has is not dimmed by tears of any kind.

The poet has used exquisite phrases to depict the sights, sounds, and movements of Nature. He has used many figures of speech to drive his points home. The message is clear. Go to nature to forget your sorrows and troubles. A glorious sunrise can life even the gloomiest person with hope and optimism.

The poem is full of visual, auditory, and kinaesthetic imagery. In this poem, Longfellow stands comparison to the greatest Nature Poet, William Wordsworth. Wordsworth is called the High Priest of Nature. The world today is full of problems and one reason for them is our contempt and disregard for nature. We destroy the beauty of nature. Now we have concrete jungles instead of jungles full of trees, wild animals, and birds. Longfellow wants us to return to Nature and enjoy its superb sights, melodious sounds, and exquisite movements.

Read and discuss :

Hss Live Plus One English Chapter 1 Question 14.
The modes of travel differ. Some may result in more intense and interesting experience.
Answer:
Christ Foster is a 48-year teacher from Southern California. He has completed the first part of a solo motorcycle journey around the world, travelling 13,343 miles. He has gone across 3 continents, and eleven countries. By travelling on his motorcycle he wants to get close to everything – the weather, the smells, the sights, and the people. His main motivation is to get to know the various countries and the customs there.

Hss Live Plus One English Notes Chapter 1 Question 15.
What does the travel experience of this teacher tell us?
Answer:
It tells us that he is a very adventurous person. He wants to have a first-hand experience of everything – the weather, the smells, the sights, and the people of different countries. He wants to learn about the different customs people have in the countries he visits.

Plus One English Chapters Chapter 1 Question 16.
What do you think interests him more: where to travel dr how to travel?
Answer:
I think where to travel interests him more as one of his main motivations is to get first-hand knowledge of various countries and their customs.

Read and Reflect

How interesting does the earth look when viewed from a different angle from+1&r away, from out there? Let’s read ‘The Trip ofLe Horia’. It chronicles Maupassant’s ride in a hot air balloon called ‘Le Horia’.

Sunrise on the Hills (Poem) About the Author:

– Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

Henry Wadsworth Longfellow (1807-1882) was a popular American poet and translator. He was a Professor at Harvard University. During his lifetime, Longfellow was considered the best American poet. His work was translated and published in many other languages. The poem ‘Sunrise on the Hills’ presents the experience of the poet as he watches the sun rise among the hills.

Sunrise On The Hills Summary

Stanza 1 : I stood upon the hills when the sky was glorious with the rays of the rising sun. The forests were brightened. Mild breezes were kissing the valleys brightened by the dawn. The clouds were under me. They were bathed in light and they gathered midway round the height covered with trees. Their glory was fading and they looked like armies defeated in battle. As the mist cleared away in the rising sun, many peaks with their sharp spear-like projections could be seen.

On the cliff there was a dark pine moving in the wind. It was withered, without any leaves and was split here and there. Soon the veil of the clouds was lifted and below I could see the rich valley. The river was flowing and its water was sometimes darkened by the shade cast by the forest. But sometimes the water glistened in its downward flow. As the dawn broke into morning, a bittern (a bird belonging to the heron family) flew upward in a spiral way making a lot noise.

Stanza 2 : I heard the distant waters rush. I saw the current whirl and shine in the light. The lake was blue with a beach of sliver sand and near it the thick forest was bending as if to reach and touch the lake. Over the valley the gentle and melodious sound of the village bell was echoing on the hills. The sound of the screeching owl filled the forest. li?A/as as if the owl was replying to the merry, but faint shout sent out by the valley. Then thin smoke started coming out from the wooded valley through the thick leaved branches, probably from the huts of the people living in the valley.

Stanza 3 : If you are tired and are troubled with problems and sorrows that you want to forget, if you want to read a book that will prevent your heart from losing hope and wake up your soul with optimism, you should go to the forest and hills. The sweet look that Nature has is not dimmed by tears of any kind.

Sunrise On The Hills Glossary

Kerala State Board New Syllabus Plus One English Textbook Answers Unit 4 Braving The Hazards Text Book Questions and Answers, Summary, Notes.

Kerala Plus One English Textbook Braving The Hazards Questions and Answers Unit 4

Let’S Begin

1. Examine the picture given below:

Let’s Discuss

Disaster And Disaster Management In India Plus One Notes Question 1.
What do these pictures tell us about?
Answer:
They tell us about disasters.

Disaster And Disaster Management In India Plus One Questions And Answers Question 2.
Note down all the ideas that come to your mind about them.
Answer:
Upper Row:
Picture 1 : aWhirlwindorablastofanuclearbomb.
Picture 2 : a Tsunami
Picture 3 : High tide or Storm in the sea

The row beneath :
Picture 1 : An earthquake
Picture 2 : A forest fire

Read and Reflect

Disaster And Disaster Management In India Plus One Summary Question 1.
Share your thoughts with your friends. Collect ideas from them, and enrich your understanding of the subject.

Plus One English Chapter Disasters And Disaster Management In India Summary Question 2.
Disasters – both natural and man-made cause widespread damage and destruction. It is high time that we became aware of and equipped ourselves to face impending disasters. Here is an essay about disasters and their management in the Indian context.

Braving The Hazards About the Unit:

Disasters, both natural and man¬made, have become very common today. Thousands die each year in disasters. They also cause a lot of destruction and damage. It is necessary to be informed and equipped to face impending disasters. The idea of disaster management is taken up seriously throughout the world.

This unit has 3 texts. One is an essay by Anjana Majumdar about disaster management in India. The 2nd is a short story by A.J. Cronin. The 3rd is a poem by Benjamin Peck Keith about the wreck of the Titanic. In addition, there is a newspaper report and an excerpt from the essay ‘On Courage’ by A.G. Gardiner. The texts and activities aim to make the learners aware of different disasters and to equip them to act promptly in moments of crisis.

Kerala State Board New Syllabus Plus One English Textbook Answers Unit 2 Words and Deeds Text Book Questions and Answers, Summary, Notes.

Kerala Plus One English Textbook Words and Deeds Questions and Answers Unit 2

Let’s Begin

And Then Gandhi Came Questions And Answers Question 1.
“Deeds must be an execution of words. Mahatma Gandhi was true to his words in his deeds. His life was a message.” This is what Albert Einstein wrote about Gandhi on his 70th birthday, in 1939:
Answer:
Mahatma Gandhi: He was a leader of his people, unsupported by any outward authority. He was a politician whose success did not rest upon craft or the mastery of technical devices but simply on the convincing power of his personality. He was a victorious fighter who always refused to use force. He was a man of wisdom and humility. He was armed with resolve and inflexible consistency. He devoted all his strength to the uplifting of his people and the betterment of their condition. He faced the brutality of Europe with the dignity of a simple human being.

Generations to come, it may be, will scarce believe that such a one as this, ever in flesh and blood, walked upon this earth.

Let’s discuss :

Plus One English And Then Gandhi Came Notes Question 2.
What impression of Gandhiji do you get from the brief description given above? Discuss.
Answer:
The impression I get is that Gandhiji was one of the greatest men the world has ever seen. He did not have any political authority but he was a true leader of the people. He was not a shrewd politician who was a master of all latest technologies, but he impressed people with his powerful personality. He always advocated non-violence. Even the might of England could not defeat this ‘Naked Fakirfrom India’ as Winston Churchill once called him. He was a man of wisdom and humility.

He would never run away from any risk and he was determined to succeed. His ambition in life was giving the people of his country freedom and good life which they could enjoy in peace and brotherhood. He advocated tolerance and he believed that God is one known by different names – Ishwar, Allah, God. All human beings are the sons and daughters of the same Father. Gandhi was not only a nationalist but a great internationalist who believed in the fraternity of the humankind all over the world. Gandhiji is the greatest son of India.

Plus One English And Then Gandhi Came Question Answer Question 3.
What kind of a ‘fighter’ is Gandhi?
Answer:
Gandhi is a fighter who believed in non-violence. He would never give up, fearing defeat. He was even willing to sacrifice his life to attain his goals which he believed to be just and right.

And Then Gandhi Came Text Question Answers Question 4.
‘One must practise what one preaches.’ How far is the statement true of Mahatma Gandhi?
Answer:
Mahatma Gandhi always practised what he preached. He strongly believed that “Deeds must be an execution of words.” Empty words never came out of his mouth. If he said something people could be sure that he would do it. He even gave up his life to practise what he preached.

Read and Reflect

And Then Gandhi Came Notes Hss Live Question 1.
Jawaharlal Nehru writes about the timely arrival of Gandhiji to Indian politics. India was in great need of such a leader. Gandhiji was like a beam of light that removed the darkness. Nehru makes a right assessment of Gandhiji in his book ‘Discovery of India’. Here is an excerpt.

“Keep your thoughts positive
because your thoughts become your words
Keep your words positive
because your words become your behaviour.”

Words and Deeds About this Unit:

– Mahatma Gandhi

The theme of this unit is the need for the symbiotic relationship between words and deeds. The unit aims at inculcating the right values through a few examples. It has an essay by Nehru titled “And Then Gandhi Came”, a story written by Prabhat Kumar Mukhopadhyay with the title The Price of Flowers’, translated by Lila Ray, and a poem ‘Death the Leveller’ by James Shirley.

The texts and the activities are designed to help the students to imbibe the values of good citizenship. They also enable them to acquire a strong linguistic foundation.

Kerala State Board New Syllabus Plus One English Textbook Answers Unit 1 Chapter 4 If Text Book Questions and Answers, Summary, Notes.

Kerala Plus One English Textbook If Questions and Answers Unit 1 Chapter 4 (Poem)

If (Poem) Textual Activities Questions and Answers

Activity -1 (Read and Respond)

Plus One English Textbook Answers Chapter 4  Question 1.
The first stanza of ‘If’ speaks about the need for self-confidence. Do you agree? Why?
Answer:
Yes, I agree. Without self-confidence, nothing worthwhile can be achieved.

If Poem Appreciation Hsslive Chapter 4 Question 2.
What does the poet say about patience?
Answer:
Successful people exercise patience. Without patience, nothing can be got. In English they say, “Slow and steady wins the race’ and ‘Haste makes waste’.

Plus One English Questions And Answers Chapter 4 Question 3.
Explain the poet’s views on honesty and fortitude of character.
Answer:
The poet says that even if people tell lies to you, never follow their examples and start telling lies. A liar is not respected in the society. A liar may succeed temporarily but in the long run he is bound to fail and will be put to shame.

Plus One English If Notes Chapter 4 Question 4.
Lines 5-7 speak about the need for righteous behavior in the face of unrighteousness. How far do you agree?
Answer:
I fully agree with the view that in the face of unrighteous behavior, we should face it with righteous behavior. If somebody is bad, we don’t have to become bad and follow his ways. We should learn to conquer hatred with love.

Plus One English Text Book Answers Chapter 4 Question 5.
What is the poet’s approach to dreams and longings?
Answer:
It is good to dream but we should not let dreams become our master. We can have longings, but we should never take crooked paths achieve them. We can think — but thinking is not ouraim. Our aim is to act and achieve.

Plus One English If Questions Answers Chapter 4 Question 6.
The poet believes that success comes from self control and a true sense of the value of things. Express your views on this.
Answer:
I fully agree with the poet’s views on these aspects. Success comes from self-control and a true sense of the value of things. We should know that all that glitters is not gold. Without self-control we will go astray. Unless we know the true value of things, we may spend our time and energy trying to get things that have no true value. Appearances can be deceptive.

Plus One English Textbook Activity Answers Chapter 4 Question 7.
‘Never breathe a word about your loss. ’ What impression do you get about the poet when you read this?
Answer:
I feel that the poet is a strong-willed person. He can keep his secrets. He does not want people’s sympathies. He has fortitude and courage to suffer his adversities without sharing them with others.

Plus One English Textbook Solutions Chapter 4 Question 8.
What is the message conveyed in the last stanza of the poem?
Answer:
You can talk with the .crowds, but you should not become one of.them and lose your virtue. Even when you walk with kings, you should not lose sight of the ordinary people. You should be beyond getting hurt by your enemies or friends. All kinds of people should be able to count upon you for help. You should forgive and never rush to punish the offender. If you can do all these things you can enjoy on this earth as if you are its master.

Activity – II (Read and Reflect)

If Poem Appreciation 11th English Hsslive Chapter 4 Question 9.
What is the central theme of the poem?
Answer:
The central theme of the poem is the qualities of greatness or the traits of a perfect man.

Plus One Scert English Textbook Solutions Chapter 4 Question 10.
What, according to the poem, are the two impostors of life?
Answer:
According to the poem the two impostors of life are Triumph and Disaster.

Plus One English Chapter If Questions And Answers Chapter 4 Question 11.
What, according to the poet, should be one’s attitude to unexpected loss?
Answer:
According to the poet one’s attitude to unexpected loss should be one of indifference. Triumphs and Tragedies are part of life. Don’t be overjoyed at the successes and don’t be dejected at the failures. If you happen to have a loss, don’t tell anyone. Accept it with fortitude.

Plus One English Unit 1 Questions And Answers Chapter 4 Question 12.
What is the poem about? (Consider the speaker, theme, symbols, comparisons, contrasts and conflicts.)
Answer:
The speaker here is a father. He is speaking to his son about the qualities that are needed to become a successful man, a perfect man. The theme is the attainment of perfection. To make his ideas clear, the speaker has used many symbols. There are symbols like ‘pitch-and-toss’ (suggesting gambling), ‘force heart, nerve and sinew’ (suggesting gathering of strength) and ‘sixty seconds worth of distance run’ (suggesting delayed reaction). There are fine contrasts in ‘triumph and disaster’, ‘kings and common people’ and ‘friends and foes’. There are conflicts in ‘risking it on one turn of pitch-and-loss’ and ‘loving friends hurting you’.

Question 13.
Identify the poetic form, figurative language and poetic structure.
Answer:
It is a lyrical poem with four stanzas consisting of four octaves (a group of eight lines). The poem is in rhyme although the rhyming scheme is different in various stanzas. In the first stanza it is aaaa, bcbc. The poet has figurative language with a lot of metaphors, personification, parallelisms, climaxes, etc. It is a didactic poem telling us what to do and what not to do to enjoy life and to be a perfect man.

Question 14.
When the poet says, ‘If you can dream – and not make dreams your master, he is personifying dreams, i.e. dreams are spoken of as masters who can control our lives. In this case, dreams assume a human role/qualjfy.
Answer:
Pick out other expressions where the poet uses personification.
a) Triumph and disaster treated as impostors.
b) Will which says ‘Hold on’.

‘Unforgiving minutes’ is a metaphoric expression as it refers to time that waits for no man; it is like a race where every second is important.

Now, identify other metaphoric expressions used in the poem.

Deal in lies, twisted by knaves, one heap of all your winnings, breathe a word, unforgiving minute, sixty second’s worth of distance

Question 15.
What do knaves represent?
Answer:
Knaves represent dishonest people.

Question 16.
What other symbols are used in the poem ‘If’?
Answer:
a) Deal in lies
b) Making one heap of all your winnings
c) Risk it on one turn of pitch-and-toss
d) Breathe a word
e) Force your heart, nerve and sinew

Notes:

1. Personification : Speaking of things and animals as if they are persons with human traits and qualities. Example: Death steals our life; he is very cruel.
2. Metaphor: A metaphor is a figure of speech in which one thing or person is spoken as another. Example: K.S. Chitra is a nightingale.
3. Symbol : A symbol is an object that represents an idea, image or an action. We see different symbols on our roads to warn us. Example: Red Light is the symbol of danger.

Activity – III (Appreciation)

Question 17.
Based on the responses you have got, prepare an appreciation of the poem ‘If ’ (Consider theme, language, style, figures, symbols, relevance)
Answer:

The poem ‘If is written by Rudyard Kipling. Kipling is an English short-story writer, poet and novelist. He is chiefly known for his stories and poems about the British soldiers in India. He also wrote stories for children.

In the poem a father tells his son how to be happy and how to be a perfect man. So many conditions have to be fulfilled if one is become perfect man. He should not lose his head, even when others around him have lost theirs. He has to trust himself when all people doubt him. He should wait and shouldn’t be tired of waiting. When people tell him lies, he should not follow their example. People may hate him but he should not hate them. He should not try to look too good and try to talk too wise.

He should dream, but should not make dreams his master. He should think but shouldn’t make thoughts his aim. He should view Success and Failure equally. Even when the results of his hard work are destroyed, he should get ready to build them. He should not tell others about his losses. He should persevere, always being optimistic. He should keep talking with the crowds but maintain his virtue. He can walk with kings but shouldn’t lose the common touch. Neither his friends nor his enemies should be able to hurt him. All men should be able to count on his help. He should forgive people who have offended him. If he can do all these things the Earth and everything in it is his and he will then be a man.

The poem is in rhyme and it has good sound effects. It has fine imagery, The mood is one of joy and optimism. The language used is simple. There are a lot of symbols and figures of speech in the language, especially personification.

The message of the poem is to be happy and successful in life. The poem talks of conditional fulfilment. If certain conditions, as specified in the poem, are fulfilled, one can be a perfect man, enjoying his life. ‘If is the most famous poem of Kipling. It attracted nation-wide attention. It soon became a very popular qnthem.

Activity – IV (Conditionals/lf Clause)

In the poem ‘If we find so many ‘If clauses. ‘If clauses are called conditional clauses.

Answer:
Here is the list of ‘If Clauses in the poem:
If you can keep your head when all about you are losing theirs and blaming it on you, ….
if you can trust yourself when all men doubt you
If you can wait and not be tired of waiting,
If you can dream,…
If you can think, …
If you can meet with triumph and disaster, ….
If you can bear to hear the truth, …”
If you can make one heap of all your winnings, …
If you can force your heart and nerve and sinew,…
If you can talk with crowds and keep your virtue, ….
If neither foes nor loving friends can hurt you, ….
If all men count with you, ….
If you can fill the unforgiving minute

Usually, there are three common patterns with ‘If which are often called first, second, and third conditionals.

Answer:
The first type is called Probable or Likely or Open condition.
The second type is called Improbable or Unlikely or Imaginary condition.
The third type is called Impossible or Unreal Past condition.
We make these conditions by changing the tenses in the clauses.

→ Let us take one example:
a) If you call, I will come. (Probable) (If clause Present tense, Main Clause Future)
b) If you called, I would come. (Improbable) If clause Past, Main Clause Conditional).
c) If you had called would have come (Impossible) If Clause – Past Perfect, Main clause Conditional Perfect.

→ Here is the formula:
If – present, Main Clause Future (Probable)
If – past, MC Conditional (Improbable)
If- past perfect, MC Conditional Perfect (Impossible)
Now Look at the examples given in the Text on p. 33.

Let’s Practise

Question 18.
Complete the conditional sentences to get the full story.

Once upon a time, a cat bit a mouse’s tail off. ‘Give me back my tail,’ said the mouse. And the cat said, ‘Well, I would give (give) your tail back, if you fetched me some milk. But that’s impossible for a little mouse like you.’

The mouse, however, went to a cow. ‘The cat will only give (give/ only) me back my tail if I fetch her some milk.’

And the cow said, ‘Well, I would give you some milk, if you ______________ (get) me some hay. But that’s impossible for a little mouse like you.’

The mouse, however, went to a farmer. ‘The cat will only give my tail back if the cow ______________ (give) me some milk. And the cow ______________ (only/ give) me some milk if I get her some hay.’ And the farmer said, ‘Well, I would give you some hay if you ______________ (bring) me some meat. But that’s impossible for a little mouse like you.’

The mouse, however, went to a butcher. ‘The cat will only give my tail back if the cow ______________ (give) me some milk. And the cow will only give me some milk if she ______________ (get) some hay. And the farmer ______________ (only/ give) me some hay if I get him some meat.’ And the butcher said, ‘Well, I would give you some meat if you ______________ (make) the baker bake me a loaf of bread. But that’s impossible for a little mouse like you.’

The mouse, however, went to a baker. ‘The cat ______________ (give/ only) my tail back if I fetch her some milk. And the cow ______________ (give/ not) me some milk if I don’t get her some hay. And the farmer will only give me some hay if the butcher ______________ (have) some meat for him. And the butcher will not give me some meat if you ______________ (bake/ not) him a loaf of bread.’

And the baker said, ‘Well, I ______________ (give) you a loaf of bread if you promise never to steal my corn or meal.’

The mouse promised not to steal, and so the baker gave the mouse a loaf of bread; the mouse gave the butcher the bread. The butcher gave the mouse some meat; the mouse gave the farmer the meat. The farmer gave the mouse some hay; the mouse gave the cow the hay. The cow gave the mouse some milk; the mouse gave the cat the milk. And the cat gave the mouse her tail back. But imagine what would have happened otherwise: If the mouse had not promised (promise/ not) never to steal the corn or meal, the baker would not have given (not/give) the mouse the bread.

If the baker ______________ (not/ give) the mouse the bread, the butcher ______________ (refuse) to give her the meat for the farmer.

If the butcher ________________ (refuse) her any meat, the farmer ________________ (not be) willing to give the mouse the hay. If the farmer ________________ (not/ be) willing to give the mouse the hay, the mouse ______________ (not/ receive) the milk from the cow. If the mouse ______________ (not/ receive) the milk from the cow, she ______________ (not/ get) back her tail.
Answer:
got, gives, will only give, brought, gives, gets, will only give, made, will only give, will not give, has, don’t bake, will give.
had not given, would have refused, had refused, would not have been willing had not been, would not have received, had not received, wouldn’t have got

Extended Activities

Activity -1 (Read and Respond)

Question 19.
Read the extract from the newspaper article:

Teacher’s Pride

Many of the old teachers of the University College in the city would have felt a thrill of pride and joy, on reading in the newspapers the news that their old student Arun M. Kumar has been selected by President Obama to a very important post in his government. Arun is now Assistant Secretary and Director-General of the United States and Foreign Commercial Service, International Trade Administration, in the Department of Commerce. The President has spoken appreciatively of the new team he has chosen.

A rare honour, indeed, and well-deserved recognition of merit. Arun did his three-year undergraduate course in Physics in the University College. I taught that class their English prose. It was a very bright class, with some of the students brilliant without any self-consciousness of their brilliance. And Arun was among the most brilliant. Well-read in many subjects, keen in understanding, quick, sensitive, and cultured beyond his years in his responses, it was a privilege and a pleasure to have him in my class, and sometimes, to discuss things with him outside the class. Over the years, as his mind matured, his sense of language had become fine – a sure pointer to deeper changes. Confined to my academic pursuits, I know little about the wider world of Arun’s enterprises. To see him trusted with the intricate problems of international finance is enough to make me feel that his choices and decisions were right.

Arun and his friends were responsible for starting the Science Society of Trivandrum for the benefit of school children. It has done a lot of good to school students, both in terms of financial help and academic training.

List out the special qualities you have noticed in one of your classmates:
Answer:
Brilliant, cheerful, sociable, hardworking, well read, sensitive, generous, sociable, humble, cultured, has initiative, humorous, optimistic My friend John is liked by all the students in the class. He is brilliant and he always gets the top marks and the teacher is never tired of praising him.

John comes from a wealthy family. His father is a magistrate and his mother is a lecturer in a college. But he is very humble and he never shows off to others. He is always cheerful and has a smiling face. He is well-read and hardworking. His general knowledge is great. He is a voracious reader and he seems to know about all things underthe sun, and even beyond! He is very generous and is always willing to help the weak.

He is very sociable. He is polite and respectful to teachers and elders. He always greets them when he meets them. He is cultured in his behaviour. He is very humorous and he has the knack of telling very amusing stories. He is optimistic and a strong believer in God. He has many leadership qualities and he takes initiatives in many things. John is an ideal student.

Activity – II (Cohesive Devices – Practice)

Question 20.
Fill in the blanks using the appropriate cohesive device from the ones given in brackets.
1. All the assignments should be submitted on time, …………………, they wilt not be evaluated.
2. The price of petrol has gone up considerably in the last few years …………………, the sale of cars has not seen any decrease.
3. Cycling is a good exercise …………………, it helps you to save money, (however, moreover, consequently)
4. Desktop computers are cheaper and more reliable than laptops; …………………, they last longer. (whereas, furthermore, alternatively)
5. There is a stiff competition between mobile phone companies to win customers …………………, they are slashing prices to attract customers, (as a result, in contrast, in conclusion)
Answer:
1. Otherwise
2. However
3. Moreover
4. Furthermore
5. As a result

Activity – III (Documentary):

Question 21.
Prepare a presentation on the life and works of an eminent person who has overcome many obstacles/difficulties and become successful in life.
Answer:
Helen Keller : She was an American lecturer and writer who overcame severe physical disabilities, inspiring many other people to similar accomplishments. Deaf and blind from the age of 19 months, Keller learned to communicate with the help of her teacher, Anne Sullivan. Sullivan taught Keller to read Braille and to “listen” by feeling a speaker’s face. Keller graduated from Radcliffe College in 1904 and authored a number of books about her experiences.

Helen Keller (1880-1968 was born on June 27, 1880, in Tuscumbia, Alabama, the daughter of well-to-do parents: Arthur Keller, a former officer in the Confederate army, and Kate Adams. When 19 months old, Helen was stricken with an acute illness that left her deaf and blind. In a short time, she forgot the few words she knew and became silent. She made use of signs to get what she wanted, but when her parents or the family servants did not understand her, her frustration found an outlet in screaming and tantrums. In the 1880s people who were both deaf and blind were classified in law as idiots.

A doctor who examined Keller, however, thought that her intelligence could be developed. On the advice of Alexander Graham Bell, the inventor, who was also a teacher of deaf people, Keller’s parents got a teacher for the Blind. The teacher’s name was Anne Mansfield Sullivan (later Macy). Thus began an association that lasted until Sullivan’s death in 1936.

Sullivan’s first task was to break through the barrier of darkness and silence that surrounded the child.

She succeeded in that. Two years later she was reading and writing fluently using the Braille system. When Keller was tert, she begged to relearn how to speak. At first this seemed impossible, but Sullivan discovered that Keller could learn sounds by placing her fingers on her teacher’s larynx and sensing the vibrations. The moving account of how Sullivan taught her to speak is told in Helen Keller’s The Story of My Life (1902).

In 1900, Keller entered Radcliffe College. Four years later she graduated with honors to worldwide acclaim and decided to devote her life to helping blind and deaf people. Through her essays and articles in major magazines and newspapers, Keller explained the problems encountered by people who are deaf and blind and the responsibilities of society. In addition to The Story of My Life, she published Optimism, or My Key to Life (1903), The World I Live In (1908), and Out of the Dark (1913).

In her desire to help people like her, Keller also began to travel and lecture throughout the world, enlisting the aid of many famous people she met. Philanthropist Andrew Carnegie gave her an annual income, writers Mark Twain and Robert Louis Stevenson sang her praises, and nearly every U.S. president of her time invited her to the White House. She received many honors. Helen Keller is one of the best examples of people who have overcome severe handicaps and become world-famous.

Activity – IV (Collection):

Question 22.
Collect inspiring speeches of great persons like Martin Luther King, Swami Vivekanda, Winston Churchill, Jawaharlal Nehru, etc. Make a presentation based on the common factors in the speeches.
Answer:
Standing on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial in Washington, D.C., on August 28, 1963, Martin Luther King, Jr., delivered what is regarded today as one of the greatest speeches in American history. Here is an excerpt from his speech: “I Have a Dream”.

I have a dream that one day this nation will rise up and live out the true meaning of its creed: ‘We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal.’

I have a dream that one day on the red hills of Georgia, the sons of former slaves and the sons of former slave owners will be able to sit down together at the table of brotherhood.

I have a dream that one day even the state of Mississippi, a state sweltering with the heat of injustice, sweltering with the heat of oppression, will be transformed into an oasis of freedom and justice.

I have a dream that my four little children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin but by the content of their character. I have a dream today!

I have a dream that one day, down in Alabama, with its vicious racists, with its governor having his lips dripping with the words of ‘interposition’ and ‘nullification—one day right there in Alabama little black boys and black girls will be able to join hands with little white boys and white girls as sisters and brothers. I have a dream today!

I have a dream that one day every valley shall be exalted, and every hill and mountain shall be made low, the rough places will be made plain, and the crooked places will be made straight; ‘and the glory of the Lord shall be revealed and all flesh shall see it together.’

In all the speeches of the above great people, we can find some common factors. One is patriotism. Patriotism is the love of one’s motherland. The country of one’s birth is his mother and he should love her and work for her progress. In case of a need, he should be even ready to sacrifice his life for this motherland.

Another common factor is the love for liberty, freedom. Man is born free and he should have his freedom to enjoy his life. Political freedom, economic freedom, and religious freedom are essential for the proper growth of a person. No country should be ruled by other countries.

Another factor that is common among the speeches of these great men is a fraternity and universal brotherhood. In the pledge, we assert, “All Indians are my brothers and sisters”. This pledge should not be limited to words. In deeds, we must show that we are true to our words.

All great men preach internationalism and universal brotherhood Even as we preach nationalism, we must be internationalists. We all know that we may have different colors. The Europeans may be white, the Africans may be black, the Asians might be brown or yellowish, but all of them have red blood! Whether you are Christian, Muslim, Hindu, Sikh, or Jew, your emotions are the same. That is why we say, “Tickled we laugh; pricked we cry”. So we must love humanity. Gandhi is the Father of our nation, but he was also a great internationalist.

If (Poem) About the Author:

– Rudyard Kipling

Rudyard Kipling (1865-1936) is an English short-story writer, poet, and novelist. He is chiefly known for his stories and poems about the British soldiers in India. He also wrote stories for children. “If” is the most famous poem of Kipling. It attracted nationwide attention. It soon became a very popular anthem.

IF (Poem) Summary

Here a father is advising his son:
Stanza 1: Maintain your coolness when people around you have lost it and blame you for the situation. Trust yourself when all people doubt you, but give allowance for their doubting. Wait and don’t be tired of waiting. When people tell you lies, don’t follow their example. People may hate you but don’t hate them. Don’t try to look too good and don’t try to talk too wise.

Stanza 2: You should dream, but do not make dreams your master. You should think but don’t make your thoughts your aim. You should view Success and Failure equally. You may say truths but dishonest people may twist them and use them to trap fools. You worked hard to get certain things done, but you find them broken. Then you get ready to build them up using old tools.

Stanza 3: Collect all your winnings and risk them on one turn of the dice. You may lose the entire thing. But start again without telling anybody about your loss. Continue doing your work even when others have abandoned theirs. Continue to hold on even you have nothing left except your will.

Stanza 4: Keep talking with the crowds but maintain your virtue. Walk with kings but don’t lose the common touch. Neither your friends nor your enemies should be able to hurt you. All men should be able to count on your help. But nobody should expect too much from you. You should forgive people who have offended you. If you can do all the above things the Earth and everything in it is yours and you will then be a man.

Kerala State Board New Syllabus Plus One English Textbook Answers Unit 2 Chapter 3 Death the Leveller Text Book Questions and Answers, Summary, Notes.

Kerala Plus One English Textbook Death the Leveller Questions and Answers Unit 2 Chapter 3 (Poem)

Death the Leveller (Poem) Textual Questions and Answer

Activity -1 (Read and respond)

Death The Leveller Appreciation Hsslive Chapter 3 Question 1.
Why does the poet think that the glories of our blood and state are shadows?
Answer:
The poet thinks that the glories of our blood and state are shadows because they are not substantial or concrete things. They don’t last.

Hss Guru Plus One English Notes Chapter 3 Question 2.
What do ‘sceptre and crown’ and ‘scythe and spade’ stand for and what do they symbolize?
Answer:
Sceptre and crown stand forthe royal glory, splendour and power of rulers. Scythe and spade stand forthe tools of workers. Sceptre and crown symbolizes kings (authority) whereas scythe and spade symbolize ordinary people (the masses).

Death The Leveller Summary In Malayalam Chapter 3 Question 3.
Why does the poet say that ‘there is no armour against fate’?
Answer:
The poet says that ‘there is no armour against fate’ because death comes to everyone. Nobody can resist it. No armour will protect you against death.

Death The Leveller Textual Questions And Answers Chapter 3 Question 4.
‘Some men with swords may reap the field’- What does this mean?
Answer:
It means some powerful conquerors might attack other lands and occupy them. Alexander the Great, Napoleon and Hitler are good examples of such mighty men.

Death The Leveller Poem Chapter 3  Question 5.
What is the fate of the men with swords who hope to reap the field?
Answer:
They also die, as they have to bend before fate. All are captives of the mighty Death.

Hsslive Guru English Plus One Chapter 3 Question 6.
What does ‘Death’s purple altar’ refer to?
Answer:
It refers to the inevitable death. It also refers to the battle grounds where blood flows and the ground are made purple with the colour of blood. Thus it means bloodshed.

Death’s Purple Altar Chapter 3 Question 7.
What does the phrase ‘victor-victim’ mean?
Answer:
It is means the conqueror and the conquered, the triumphant and the defeated, the master and the slave.

Death The Leveller Appreciation In Malayalam Chapter 3 Question 8.
What can survive death ? What are the things that blossom in the dust? Why?
Answer:
The actions of the just, the good deeds of the righteous people, can survive death. The good actions blossom in the dust because people will remember them and the aroma of the good actions will continue to waft in the air.

Death The Leveller Poem Meaning In Malayalam Chapter 3  Question 9.
Why death is called the Leveller?
Answer:
Death is called the Leveller because Death shows no distinction and he carries off everybody alike – high and low, rich and poor, strong and weak – reducing them all to dust. He is an equalizer in whose eyes everybody is equal. He levels everybody to one size!

Activity – II (Read the reflect)

Plus One English Chapter Chapter 3 Question 10.
Elaborate the ideas in the following lines:
Answer:
i) Only the actions of the just Smell sweet and blossom in the dust.
All people have to die. Kings and clowns, scholars and illiterates, rich and poor, high and low – all will die and become dust. But the actions of the good people will be remembered as they continue to waft their aroma even from the dust.

ii) The glories of our blood and state
Are shadows, not substantial things;
There is no armour against Fate.
The glory or our birth and our condition are simply like shadows, not substantial, not concrete, not things that will last for long. There is no way we can escape from death. Whether we are born high or low, whether we are powerful or not death will come to us and no shield of any kind will protect us from death.

Plus One English Poem Of Appreciation Chapter 3 Question 11.
The following words are taken from the poem. Parse (Describe the grammatical function) them.
Answer:

• Armour – noun
• wither – verb
• But – Conjunction
• tame – verb
• Murmuring – adjective
• stoop – verb
• Boast – verb
• tumble – verb
• Where – adverb
• reap – verb
• Cold – adjective
• boast – verb
• Sweet – adverb
• bleeds – verb

Activity – III (Analysis)

Malayalam Poem About Death Chapter 3 Question 12.
Examine the rhyme scheme of the poem. What effect does it produce?
Answer:
The rhyme scheme of the poem is: ababccdd It give the poem a highly musical quality.

Couplet: A couplet consists of two lines of poetry that rhyme with each other and are of the same length: e.g. “Sceptre and crown Must tumble down,”

Question 13.
Can you identify more couplets from the poem?
a) “Early or late ,
They stoop to fate”
b) “ murmuring breath
creep to death”
c) “actions of the just
blossom on their dust”

Figures Of Speech : Study the notes given on page 69.
Identify the figure of speech in ‘Death lays icy hands on kings’ – Personification Pick out example of metaphor, metonymy and oxymoron in the poem.
Answer:
Metaphor:
i) glories are shadows. It shows the transient and insubstantial nature of glory.
ii) Actions of the just smell sweet: The actions of the just are flowers.

Metonymy :
i) sceptre and crown means kings, rulers or people with high authority.
ii) scythe and spade = ordinary people

Oxymoron : victor-victim bleeds. Normally it is only the victims that bleed.

Activity – IV (Appreciation)

Question 14.
Men are mortal. Triumph and failures are part and parcel of life. However, we have to think of the consequences of our action before we do something. The effect of our mistaken deeds cannot often be rectified.

Think and add your views : Life is a mixture of pleasure and pain. There are ups and downs in everybody’s life. We should not be overjoyed in our success. In the same way we must feel too dejected in our failures. We have opportunities to do good and bad. If we do good things, posterity will remember us as good people. But if we do bad things, people will curse us even after our death. So our aim should be to live exemplary lives and help others to live their lives in a good way.
Answer:
Now attempt and appreciation of the poem : The poem ‘Death the Leveller’ by James Shirley is a fine poem that teaches us a god lesson. It says that our earthly glories are mere shadows. There is no shield against Fate. Death comes to all. Even the mightiest will be levelled with the poorest by Death, who is a leveller. Some men may make big conquests but their strong nerves finally become weak. Finally they also die as poor, pale prisoners of fate. So do not boast about your great actions. On the altar of death victor and the vanquished bleed alike. However great you are, your head must come to the cold tomb. Only the good actions of the just people will be remembered by posterity.

The poem has fine imagery. The poet has used many figures of speech like simile, metaphor, metonymy and oxymoron. These figures make the poem very interesting. The poem is in rhyme with the scheme ababccdd. It has a fine rhythm and it is very melodious.

The poem has a fine message: Death levels everyone. He treats all alike. All, kings and clowns, scholars and the illiterate, the rich and the poor, end up in dust. So we should not boast about our capabilities and achievements. We should remember that all of us are children of God and we all go back to the same dust. Death is a great leveller.

Activity – V

Question 15.
Preparing a Class Magazine (To be done by the students).

Death the Leveller (Poem) About the Author

– James Shirley

James Shirley (1596-1666) is known as the last of Elizabethans. He wrote a lot for the stage. He published four small volumes of poems and plays.

‘Death the Leveller’ is a funeral song. It asks the readerto think about human actions. The subject-matter of the poem is vanity and the impermanence of earthly glory and power. Death shows no distinction and he carries off everybody alike – high and low, rich and poor, strong and weak – reducing them all to dust. It is only the memories of the good deeds during our lifetime that will last forever.

Death The Leveller Summary

Stanza 1 : The glories of our blood and state are shadows. They are not concrete things. There is no armour against Fate. Death lays his cold hands even on kings. Sceptre and Crown, the symbols of a king, will fall down and they will be made equal with the sickle and spade, the tools and symbol of poor people.

Stanza 2: Some men may reap the fields with sword and plant fresh victories where they kill. But their strong nerves finally become weak. Early or late they have bend low before their fate and must give up their breath. Finally they also die, as poor, pale prisoners of fate.

Stanza 3 : The garlands on your brow dry up. So do not boast about your great actions. Upon the purple altar of death the victor and the vanquished bleed alike. However great you are, your head must come to the cold tomb. Only the good actions of the just people will flower in the dust and smell sweet.

Message: Death levels everyone. He treats all alike. All, kings and clowns, scholars and the illiterate, the rich and the poor, end up in dust.

Death The Leveller Glossary

Kerala State Board New Syllabus Plus One English Textbook Answers Unit 6 Chapter 3 Conceptual Fruit Text Book Questions and Answers, Summary, Notes.

Kerala Plus One English Textbook Conceptual Fruit Questions and Answers Unit 6 Chapter 3 (Short Story)

Conceptual Fruit (Short Story) Textual Questions and Answers

Question 1.
How does the wife, and the son, react to the man’s excitement? What does this tell us about their character?
Answer:
The wife and the son react to the man’s excitement in a negative way. They are uninterested in the whole thing. This tells that they are not much concerned with the happiness of Greta who is a differently-abled child.

Question 2.
Why are the son and the wife uninterested? Do you approve of their attitude?
Answer:
The son is not interested because he wants to devote all his life to karate. The wife says she has been sitting in front of the computer and she wants to spend her evenings in the garden. Both of them are not bothered in the welfare or happiness of Greta. I don’t approve of their attitude.

Question 3.
Greta is a special child. How do you know that? Have you ever visited a special school?
Answer:
I know that Greta is a special child because she had worked hard to tie her shoes by age ten. Although she was 16, she is in the 5th grade-level. Her younger brother who is 11 is in a higher grade. She went to a special school.
I have visited a special school and I have seen how differently-abled children are taught various skills.

Question 4.
What is the father’s expectation of his daughter’s future prospects?
Answer:
Greta could type very slowly. Her father expected that by the time she left her school, she might be able to type fast enough to get a job at some word processing centre. But he was not sure about it as Greta was a differently-abled child.

Question 5.
Who is Sam? Why he is mentioned here? Do yo have any friend who has done interesting things in the field of computers?
Answer:
Sam is the person who set up the whole library of classics on the Internet. He is mentioned here to show that people can do wonderful things if they worked with the computer diligently. I have a friend who has done interesting things in the field of computers. He works on cryptology – a secret language.

Question 6.
How is Greta described in these lines? What does this convey about the character of Greta?
Answer:
Greta is a young girl of 16. She is a differently-abled child. She is doing 5th grade-level. Her younger brother is in a higher level. She goes to a special school. She has blonde hair and blue eyes and she wears a sweater. She has the habit of repeating things * she hears. She picks at the sweater when she knows she has got something right. She makes a furtive smile when she pretends that she understood something that made no sense to her. She likes a big house with 11 windows. She wants sheer white curtains for all of them. She wants bowls of different fruits everywhere.

She loves peaches very much. She wants her bowls to be blue. She can type a bit. People hope when she leaves school she can work at word processing job. She is a helpful girl. When her mother is cutting blackberries she goes to help her.

Question 7.
What made Greta disappointed? How did her father try to console her? Was his explanation convincing?
Answer:
When she clicked bowl, the word peaches appeared. She thought she would get real peaches to eat and when they did not come she was disappointed. Her father says to get real peaches one has to go to the store. Her father further adds that when people see words like peaches or apples on the screen they are reminded of them and people like it. His explanation was convincing.

Question 8.
Why doesn’t Greta intend to have a bathroom in her house?
Answer:
Greta does not intend to have a bathroom in her house because it is not a real house and so people would not use it.

Question 9.
Why does she give a furtive smile when she saw the word ‘peaches’ on the computer screen? What does it indicate?
Answer:
Greta clicked and the word peaches appeared on the computer screen and then she smiled. It was a furtive smile -the smile she got when she pretended to have understood something which made no sense to her. It indicates the appearance of the word without the actual thing has no meaning for her.

Question 10.
Can you identify the words that tell you that she is disinterested?
Answer:
When her father says there could be other fruit – apples, pears and there could be flowers, she responds by saying, “Sure, there could be anything.” These words of hers tell us that she is disinterested.

Question 11.
What are the thoughts of the father? Do you think that they are touching? Why?
Answer:
The father knows that Greta would never have a house of her own. She would live in a group house with other people like her. He only hopes the house would be large and have sheer white curtains in all the rooms. He hopes it would have an orchard with fruit in real blue bowls: apples, pears, peaches – whatever Greta wanted.

His thoughts are touching as they are the sincere wishes of a loving father who knows her daughter is differently-abled and can’t have what she wants. He represents all fathers with differently-abled children.

Activity – I (Read and respond)

Question 1.
A story can be analysed based on its characters, setting, plot, mood, structure and its language. In the light of your reading of the story discuss these elements in groups and complete the table. The table gives you a few details about these elements.

Answer:
Characters: Greta, her father, her brother, her mother and Sam
Settings: The dining room in the home of Greta.
Plot: Greta’s father trying to make her, a differently abled girl, happy by making her a house of her choice in the cyberspace.
Mood: It is one of hope and joy. Greta gets what he wanted and she is happy.
Structure & Language: The writer has used simple, everyday language. The story is taken forward through dialogues. It has good characterization. It shows a loving father taking pains to make his differently-abled child happy.

Question 2.
Read the notes on characters on page 178. Classify the characters as primary secondary and tertiary.

Answer:

Question 3.
Can we call this a technology story?
Answer:
Yes, we can call this a technology story.

Question 4.
Why do you think so?
Answer:
I think so because here technology is used to make a differently-abled girl happy. Technology fulfils her dream.

Question 5.
Do you have any evidence to cite?
Answer:
Yes, I have. “Greta clicked and this time smiled.”

Question 6.
Write a short paragraph about this.
Answer:
Greta is a differently-abled girl. Differently-abled people have some physical or mental handicaps. Because of that they are not able to enjoy the normal charms of daily life. In such cases technology plays a big role. It gives the differently-abled people also to enjoy certain things. In the story, Greta wants to have a house of her own. She can’t get a real house of her choice. But technology comes to her rescue and gives an imaginary house.

She wants a blue bowl in every room. She wants peaches in the kitchen and living room and all the bedrooms. She wanted
11 windows covered with sheer white curtains. She wanted a kitchen, a dining room, a living room, a bedroom for a cat. She gets all that in the cyberspace and she is happy.

Activity – II (Think and respond)

Read the excerpt given on p. 178 and answer the following questions.

‘When he told his family about the site on the Internet where you could create whole streets, his wife and son went on eating their pasta and artichokes. Only his daughter Greta looked up.’

Question 1.
What is interesting about this family?
Answer:
It is a small family and they eat their meals together.

Question 2.
Is it a middle class or upper class family?
Answer:
It is a middle class family.

Question 3.
How do you understand the characters of this story?
Answer:
Greta is differently-abled girl. She goes to a special school. She is 16, but is at a much lower class than her younger brother. She could tie her shoes only by the age of 10. Still she has some desires. She wants to have a big house. She loves peaches. She also loves cats and that is why she specifies that she needs a bedroom for her cat. Her father is quite a loving father. He tries hard to make his daughter happy by trying to give her what she wants on the cyberspace. Greta’s mother and her brother are not so affectionate or considerate. We see them making eyes when Greta asks her father to show her the place on the cyberspace.

Activity – III (Analysis)

Note down the words, phrases or passage that create a picture of the character in your mind in the column to left of the table. Now note your analysis of the characters on the column to the right.

Answer:

Activity – IV (Writing)

Question 1.
Read the last paragraph. If you were the author of the story, how would you end the story? Write an alternative ending of the story.
Answer:
Greta and her father continued the conversation. Her father told her that she was doing well with her typing. If she practiced a little more she could soon become art adept at it. Once she has the necessary speed, she could easily get a word processing job.

He further told her that the government has schemes to employ differently abled people in good positions with high salaries. The government also will give housing loans for such people on very easy terms. Once she has a job, she can buy a house of her choice and fulfil her dreams.

“Please bring my laptop, Dad,” Greta said. “I’m going to practice for more time from today.”
“I wish you all the luck in the world, beautiful girl,” her father said. As he was bringing her laptop to her his eyes were brimmed with tears.

Activity – V

Read the notes on page 179.

Question 1.
An email to a relative (telling him about the story)
Answer:
[email protected]
Today I want to tell you about a story I read. There is this girl named Greta. She is a differently-abled girl. She goes to a special school. She is 16, but is at a much lower class than her younger brother. She could tie her shoes only by the age of 10. Still she has some desires. She wants to have a big house. She loves peaches. She also loves cats. Her father is quite a loving father. He tries hard to make his daughter happy. He can’t buy her a real house. Instead he makes her a house on the cyberspace.

Greta wants a blue bowl in every room. She wants peaches in the kitchen and living room and all the bedrooms. She wants 11 windows covered with sheer white curtains. She has a kitchen, a dining room, a living room, a bedroom for a cat. Her mother and brother are not so understanding and compassionate liker her father. As the girl and the father make their plans for the house they make eyes to mean that he is just wasting his time. Greta is happy with her imaginary house. The father hopes and prays that one day Greta may live in a house of her dreams! I felt moved by the emotions of the loving father.

Hope you are keeping well. Write back to me at your earliest.

Lovingly,
job

Activity – VI (Word Power)

Read the notes on page 180.

Question 1.
Write down as many Internet related words as possible.
Answer:
Web, world wide web, cyberspace, cyber crime, cyber law, digital, on-line, download, upload, email, post, chat, access, tag, software, blocking, data stream, spam, virus, anti-virus, info superhighway, networking.

Extended Activities

Activity – I : (Application Letter and CV)

Read the advertisement given on page 180 of the Text.

Question 1.
Type an application Letter and a CV on your desktop or laptop.
Answer:

Application Letter

Jobhaven
Azad Road
Irinjalakuda
Kerala, India
PIN-680 125
17 October 2014

The Manager
Lee Shipping Co. Ltd.
4545 Changi Boulevard
Singapore

Dear Sir,

Application for the post Receptionist/Booking Clerk

This is in response to your advertisement appearing in the “Malaysia Manorama” dated 15 October 2014. I am a B.Com Graduate with 80% marks in the aggregate. I speak and write three languages fluently – English, Hindi and Malayalam. I have completed a course in Microsoft Word and Excel for which I hold a certificate. I have some experience in office work as I worked as a clerk in the KSE Ltd. Irinjalakuda, Kerala, for 2 months during the summer vacation. My detailed C.V. and my recent photograph are enclosed.

I am prepared to come for the interview on any day in the month of October at any place of your choice in India, preferably Kochi. You are assured of full satisfaction if you give me a chance to work under you. Hoping to hear from you soon,

Yours faithfully,
Shweta Raj

Encl: 2

Curriculum Vitate Of Shweta Raj

Name: SHWETA RAJ
Address: Jobhaven, Azad Road, Irinjalakuda,
Kerala, India, PIN 680125
Phone No.: 8547028805
E-mail : [email protected]
Career Objective: To associate myself with a prestigious organization that provides a challenging job and an opportunity to prove innovative and diligent work.
Education

Achievements
Member – College Handball Team
Secretary – Commerce Club
Stood second in an Inter-Collegiate Debate
Experience – Worked for2 months as a clerk in KSE Irinjalakuda.
Languages known – English, Hindi and Malayalam (fluent in all of them.)
computer training- Microsoft Word, Excel, Tally, Unix

Personal Details
Date of birth – 20 August 1994
Sex – Female
Nationality-Indian
Marital status – single
References-Available on demand

(Shweta Raj)

Activity – II (Telephone Interview)

Question 1.
Imagine that the company accepted your application and asked you to give a telephone interview. Prepare the script of the telephone interview.
Answer:
Shweta: Good morning! May I know whom I am speaking to?
Manager: Good morning! I am Lee, the Manager of Lee Shipping Co. We got your application and we want to have an interview with you over the phone.
Shweta: That’s great. You may go ahead.
Manager: Shweta, you said in your application that you can speak and write 3 languages fluently. How good are you in English?
Shweta: I feel I am quite good. Ours was an English medium school and so I can speak English quite fluently. I can also write it well.
Manager: You said you have some certificates in computer courses. How good are you with Microsoft Word and Excel?
Shweta: I can’t say that I’m a great expert. But I am quite okay in them and I can do all the normal tasks.
Manager: What salary do you expect, Ms Shweta?
Shweta: I understand that you have offices in India and Singapore. If I have to work in Singapore, I expect a salary of US $ 4000 p.m. If I am posted in India, I can accept a lesser salary, the equivalent of US $2000.
Manager: You will be working in our Indian office. But we can’t pay you US$2000. Will you accept the job if we pay the equivalent of US $ 1500 p.m.?
Shweta: I will accept the offer for the time being.
Manager: When can you join us?
Shweta: Currently I am working with a local firm. So I will need one month’s time.
Manager: Agreed. We expect you to join us on the 1st of October.
Shweta: It’s fine.
Manager: Is there anything you would like to ask?
Shweta: Will I get a chance to come to Singapore anytime?
Manager: Yes, we usually have get-together of all the employees during X-mas time. Then you can come and we will pay you all the expenses of coming, provided you have proved yourself an asset to the company.
Shweta: I assure you I will prove that.
Manager: Okay then! I will send you the necessary papers to sign. Goodbye for now.
Shweta: Goodbye, and have a nice day!

Activity – III (Write-up)

Question 1.
The interview board asked you to prepare a write-up on ‘Why you want this job.’ Prepare a write-up on this in about one-and-a half pages.
Answer:
I want this job because of different reasons. First of all, I am an ambitious person who wants to make use of the talents God has given me. I don’t believe in doing the minimum and getting the maximum. I believe in doing the maximum and getting the maximum. This way I will benefit myself and also my employer.

I want this job because I know that Lee shipping Co. is one of the most prestigious in the world. I have heard that the company appreciates talented people and does its best to promote them to do their best. I understand that the Company gives incentives to those who prove themselves to be competitive and sincere in their work.

I want this job for another reason. I learnt that all the employees of the Company are called for a get- together in Singapore at the time of Christmas. I have heard a lot about Singapore and its achievements. I have heard that Singapore is the cleanest city in the world. I want to visit Singapore and experience myself some the marvels Singapore has.

I want this job for yet another reason. I am told that Lee Shipping Company encourages hardworking and intelligent people by giving them special training to do more responsible jobs where they will have a lot of benefits. I feel that I am intelligent and hardworking and I will also be noticed by the authorities and they give me a chance to grow to the greatest potential I am capable of.

Last but not the least I want this job because of the good salary I am offered. With my qualification and experience I feel this is the best I can get. With encouragement and assistance from the authorities I am sure I will be able to go higher in my life and achieve my aims. I have dreams of a good life and I am sure this job will help me to realize my dreams.

Conceptual Fruit (Short Story) About the Author

Thaisa Frank is a famous short- story writer. She worked as a psychotherapist before becoming a full time writer. She also teaches at the University of San Francisco. This short story is about the Internet.

Conceptual Fruit (Short Story) Summary in English

Page 174: When he told his family about the site on the Internet where you could create whole streets, his wife and son went on eating pasta and artichokes (edible flower buds). Only his daughter Greta looked up. He said he could buy a house on Pomanger Street. He could put as many rooms in it as he wanted and fill them with fruit. He could also make his own library.

His son, who was eleven, agreed with him. His son knew how to programme computers. But he was not interested. He wanted to give away his books and devote his life to karate.

His wife ate the heart of the artichoke carefully. He wanted to know her opinion. She said that she was in front of the computer the whole day and she wanted to spend the evenings in the garden. He knew that she was not interested.

Greta looked up from her artichoke leaves. She was arranging them in a circular pattern in her bowl. She said: “You said that there were streets. You said there could be fruit.” Greta often repeated what she heard. She had worked hard to tie her shoes by age ten and could read at fifth grade level, five grades below Joel, even though she was sixteen. She went to a special school. She said she wanted to see the place. Her father said he would show her. His wife and his son made eyes indicating their displeasure. They thought: “He is at it again. He’s getting Greta into it, too.”

Page 175: He said he would show her where she can make up streets and bowls of fruit. Greta sat in his chair and he sat next to her. Greta could type very slowly. By the time she left her school, she might be able to type fast enough to get a word processing job. But nobody was certain.

The man said that there was this guy named Sam who set up that whole library of classics. He lived in Illinois, but he made this wonderful place. He wanted her to watch. He clicked into the programme and was about to show Greta the collection of books when he saw her staring into space. He asked her if she wanted something of her own.

She said she wanted peaches and pears and artichokes. He asked her if she wanted them with bowls in a kitchen of a house or in a garden. He was typing, creating a street called Greta’s Street, a house called Greta’s house. Greta wanted to know why he was writing all that down. He said he was writing them down because they all were hers. Greta looked at the screen. Her blond hair blended with her sweater. Her blue eyes were the only colour in her face.

She said she wanted a bowl in every room. She wanted peaches in the kitchen and living room and all the bedrooms. He asked her if she did not want artichokes. Greta picked at her sweater. This is something she did when she knew she had got it right. She had forgotten about the artichokes and he was sorry that he had reminded her. He said he would put peaches everywhere. He wanted to know if the bowls should be of the same colour. She said they all should be blue colour. He then asked her how many windows she wanted and whether there should be a fireplace and if there should be curtains. Greta wanted 11 windows covered with sheer white curtains as the ones she had in her bedroom.

Page 176: He said he would start with the fruit in the kitchen. He wrote Greta’s kitchen and asked her to walk around and take fruits from the bowl and eat them. She asked where the peaches were. He said they would come in a minute. She should click under bowl and see what happens. He covered the screen for a moment and wrote peaches. He asked to try it by clicking bowl. Greta clicked bowl and the word peaches appeared. She told him that it was just a word. He said that was the idea and she can see a picture of the fruit.

She said she thought she would make real peaches. He said she had to go to the store to get them. She said here she just saw only words and wanted to know why people liked them. He said that they reminded people of the things the words stand for as she saw in her books.

He created other rooms as wanted by Greta: a kitchen, a dining room, a living room, a bedroom, a room fora cat and one bathroom. Then she said there was no need for a bathroom as it is not a real house and so people would not use it. He agreed. He programmed bowls of peaches in every room. He asked Greta to click.

Greta clicked and smiled when the word peaches appeared. It was a shifty smile – the smile she got when she pretended to have understood something which made no sense to her. He said there could be other fruit like apples, and pears and there could be flowers. Greta agreed and said there could be anything.

His wife was cutting blackberries in the garden. Greta was getting up from her chair to help her. Greta would never have a house of her own. She would live in a group house with other people like her. He hoped the house would be large and have sheer white curtains in all the rooms. He hoped it would have an orchard with fruit in real blue bowls: apples, pears, peaches-whatever Greta wanted.

Conceptual Fruit (Short Story) Vocabulary

Kerala State Board New Syllabus Plus One English Textbook Answers Unit 6 Chapter 2 Is Society Dead? Text Book Questions and Answers, Summary, Notes.

Kerala Plus One English Textbook Is Society Dead? Questions and Answers Unit 6 Chapter 2 (Article)

Is Society Dead? Textual Questions and Answers

Question 1.
What aspect of New York did the author notice?
Answer:
The aspect of New York that the author noticed was that its nightlife was very much dead.

Question 2.
The day life in New York is powerfully presented in these lines. Suppose you describe the same in your own city, what points will you note?
Answer:
I will note the noise of people talking and rushing, the vehicles hooting, the haste and hurry both by people and vehicles, the vendors of various fancy items trying to make a buck, and the worried faces of people.

Question 3.
Have you noticed i-Pod people in your town too? Is there any difference between toe i-Pod generation in New York and those in your own town?
Answer:
Yes, I have noticed them in my town also. There is some difference between the i-Pod generation in New York and those in my town. Here the i-Pod people do not emit strange tuneless squawks and snap their fingers. Their arms don’t twitch here, as in New York.

Question 4.
What, according to the author, are the markers to identify the i-Pod generation?
Answer:
According to the author, they walk down the street in their own MP3 cocoon, bumping into others, deaf to small social cues, shutting out anyone not in their bubble. Every now and then, some start emitting some strange tuneless sounds and their fingers snap or their twitch some soundless rhythm. When people tell them, ‘Excuse me’ or ‘Hello’, there is no response. They hear so little.

Question 5.
This article is replete with powerful anti-technology words for presenting the arguments of the author. Try to list down those expressions, e.g., anesthetized technology.
Answer:
In their own MP3 cocoon, i-Pod generation emitting strange tuneless squawks, their fingers snap and their arms twitch, glazed pupils, white box worshipers, compulsive obsession, atomization by little white boxes and cell phones, hermit crabs, addictive cults, white wires hanging from their ears, i-Pod generation.

Question 6.
Why does the author say that technology has given us a universe entirely for ourselves?
Answer:
The people today are cut off from the affairs of the world by their technological devices. They do not see or hear anything as they are immersed in a world of their own choice where nothing happens by chance. All technological devices like the satellite radio, cable TV and Cell phone support this world of exclusion so the author says that technology has given us a universe entirely for ourselves.

Question 7.
The author has described the experiences of music in the past and the present to drive home his point. Compare the experience of music in the past with the experience of music in the present.
Answer:
In the past music was a communal experience, shared by people. You had it in the living room or concert hall so that it was a shared experience. It brought people with the same interest together. In the present, music is a secret and each person listens to it individually and we never know what the other person is listening to and so we will never get to know him.

Question 8.
What were the nicer aspects of life that the author noticed when he forgot to take his i-pod on a trip?
Answer:
The author noticed many of the nicer aspects of life when he forgot to take his iPod. He noticed the rhythms of others, the sound of the airplane, the opinions of the taxi driver, and small social cues that he would not notice if he had his iPod.

Question 9.
How did the author enjoy the new experience?
Answer:
He enjoyed the new experience as he felt connected to others as he became more aware of the world around him.

Question 10.
Do you notice anything special about the ending of the essay?
Answer:
Yes. The author has enjoyed the experience of not being a slave to devices the like i-Pod and he seems to be surprised and happy. He realises that the world has a special and interesting rhythm or sound-track of its own and he encourages everyone to listen to it and experience it.

Activity – I (writing)

When you read any article you will realize that some of the statements made are facts and some others are mere opinions. A good reader must be able to distinguish between the facts and opinions presented in any article.
Now, sit in pairs and identify examples of facts and opinions from the article ‘Is Society Dead’? You may write them in two columns:

Answer:

Activity – II (Short essay)

Question 1.
This article you have read discusses how technology, especially the MP3, kills social interaction, in the lives of people. Being a member of technology-friendly generation, you intend to argue for the benefits of technology in enhancing social interaction.
What are the points that you will bring in, other than the ones listed below? Sit in groups and find a few more points.
Answer:
Technology makes communication faster. Technology affords diverse formats of interaction. Technology brings people of different places closer. We have such a variety now. Now the whole world is a global village. Face Book and WhatsApp connect people in much a bigger way than before. Technology brings relaxation and a relaxed mind is a more competent mind.

Question 2.
Prepare a short essay on the topic: Technology: Making Society Alive to be published in TECH-WATCH, the school magazine tracking the latest developments in the technology field.
Answer:
Technology: Making Society Alive
In the modern world, technology has made society very much alive. The extensive use of computers, mobiles phones, i-Pods and i-Pads, MP3 and a host of other gadgets has transformed the world into a tiny village. What happens in one part of the world is beamed instantly so that people everywhere in the world come to know about it even as it is happening. Technology has unified the world, at least in the world of sports and entertainment. Programmes of one country are enjoyed by others also.

The world has become a richer place because we have so much to choose from. At the click of a button things far away will be transported to you for your enjoyment. You can see your friends and relatives who are and chat with them when you like. Even if they are in another country, we feel they are next door and ready to meet us when we want them.

Face Book and What’s App have revolutionized the society. You can send out all the news and photographs of yourselves, your friends and family to all those who are interested in your affair. You can also get news and pictures of those you love. This way society has become much alive.

Because of this boredom has been taken away from the lives of people. In the past people sitting at home, especially women and children, did not know how to spend their leisure time, especially when the weather was bad. But now they have their Face Book and What’s App to keep them busy all the time. A society that is alive is a healthy society. Thanks to technology, we now live livelier and fuller lives.

III. Read And Reflect

Differently-abled children are an important part of our society. The daily charms of a regular life are denied to them. Technology extends a helping hand and acts as a leveller in such cases. This story reveals the human face of technology in helping a young girl shape the world around her.

Is Society Dead? (Article) About the Author

Andrew Michael Sullivan is a British author, editor and blogger. He is an influential commentator and a renowned lecturer. His writings are well-known for their imagery.

Is Society Dead? Summary in English

I was visiting New York last week and noticed something that I could not believe about the city. Nightlife was very much dead and I’m not the first one to notice it. Today life, that mad mixture of yells, chatter, hustle and rudeness, was quieter.

Lower Manhattan is now a Disney-like string of malls, riverside parks and pretty upper middle class villages. There was something else. When I looked at the throngs on the pavements, I saw the reason.

There were little white wires hanging down from their ears or tucked into their pockets, purses or jackets. The eyes were a little vacant. Each was in his or her musical world, almost oblivious to the world around them. These are the i-Pod people.

Even without the white wires you can tell who they are. They walk down the street in their own MP3 cocoon, bumping into others, deaf to small social cues, shutting out anyone not in their bubble.

Every now and then, some start emitting some strange tuneless sounds and their fingers snap or their arms twitch with some soundless rhythm. When people tell them, ‘Excuse me’ or ‘Hello’, there is no response. You are among so many people and hear so little. But each one is hearing so much.

Page 170: I am one of them. I also have white wires peeping out of my ears. I joined the group a few years ago, the group of the little white box worshippers.

Others began as I did with a Walkman and then an MP3 player. But this sleekness of the i-Pod won me over. Unlike other models, it gave me my entire music collection to rearrange as I saw it. Once it was a musical diversion. Now it is a compulsive obsession.

Like all addictive cults, it is spreading. Walk through any airport in the US these days and you will see many of them. You will see them on a subway. Don’t ask, don’t tell, don’t overhear, don’t observe. Just tune in and tune out.

The worrying fact is that it is part of something bigger. You get your news from your favourite blogs, the ones that won’t challenge your view of the world. You tune into a satellite radio service for your modern rock or liberal talk. Television is cable. Your mobile phones get email feeds from your favourite bloggers or get sports scores for your team. Technology has given us a universe entirely for ourselves. The chance of meeting a new stranger, hearing a piece of music we would never choose for ourselves, or an opinion that might change our mind about something is removed.

This is atomization by little white boxes and mobile phones. It is a society without the social. We choose what we want and not meet at random. People never lived like this before. Of course we had homes, retreats or places where we went to relax, unwind or shut out the world. But we did not walk around like hermit crabs.

Page 171: Music was limited to the living room or the concert hall. Sometimes it was solitary but primarily it was a shared experience that brought people together. But now it has become a personal affair. It is now a secret. You never know what the other person next to you is listening to. You will never see him. By his white wires he is showing that he doesn’t want to know you.

What do we get from this? We get the chance to slip away from everydayness, to give our lives its own sound tracks, to get away from the monotony of commute and to listen more closely and carefully to music that can lift you and keep you going. We become masters of our own interests. We keep connected to people like us over the Internet. We get in touch with anything we want or think we want.

We miss many things. The funny piece of an overheard conversation that stays with you; the talk of the child on the pavement that will take you back to your childhood; birdsong; weather; accents; the laughter of others. We also miss those thoughts that come to our mind when we allow it to wander aimlessly through the background noise of human and mechanical life.

External stimulation can crowd out the interior mind. Even boredom has its uses. We are forced to find our own methods to overcome it.

Recently, I was on a trip and I realized I had left my i-Pod behind. But then I noticed the rhythms of others again, the sound of the airplane, the opinions of the taxi- driver, the small social cues that had been left out before. I noticed how others related to each other. I felt more connected and more aware.

Try it. There is world out there. It has a soundtrack of its own.

Is Society Dead? Vocabulary

Kerala State Board New Syllabus Plus One English Textbook Answers Unit 6 Chapter 1 The Cyber Space Text Book Questions and Answers, Summary, Notes.

Kerala Plus One English Textbook The Cyber Space Questions and Answers Unit 6 Chapter 1 (Essay)

The Cyber Space (Essay) Textual Questions and Answers

Question 1.
What is special about the ‘modern psyche’?
Answer:
The modern psyche loves new frontiers. We love wide-open spaces; we like to explore; we like to make rules instead of following them.

Question 2.
What is cyberspace? How has it evolved over the years?
Answer:
Cyberspace is the community of networked computers. It is the imagined place where electronic data goes. Before J#was a playground for computer nerds and techies. But now it embraces all kinds of people, including children.

Question 3.
What type of metaphor is used by the author to describe cyberspace?
Answer:
To describe cyberspace the author has used the metaphor of real estate. Real estate is an intellectual, legal, artificial environment constructed on top of land. It recognizes the difference between parkland and shopping mall, between red-light zone and school district, between church, state and drug store. In the same way we can think of cyberspace as a giant and unlimited world of virtual real estate.

Question 4.
Mention some of the traditional metaphors used to denote cyberspace.
Answer:
Some of the traditional metaphors used to denote cyberspace are highways and frontiers.

Question 5.
Why does the author maintain that censorship will not work in the case of cyberspace?
Answer:
The author maintains that censorship will not work in the case of cyberspace because it is not a frontier where bad people can grab unsuspecting children. It is also not a giant television that telecast offensive messages at unwilling viewers. In cyberspace users choose where they visit, what they see and what they do. It is optional.

Question 6.
Why is cyberspace described as a voluntary destination? Do you agree with the author here?
Answer:
Cyberspace is a voluntary destination because you have to go someplace in particular. People can choose where to go and what to see. I fully agree with the author.

Question 7.
Who, according to the author, are the right people to set the standards?
Answer:
According to the author, the right people to set the standards are the cyberspace communities themselves.

Question 8.
What are the three major areas of services available in cyberspace?
Answer:
The three major areas of services available in cyberspace are: First, the private email conversations similar to the talks you have on the telephone or voice mail. Second, information and entertainment services. Here people can download anything. These places are like book stores, malls, and movie-houses. Third, there are ‘real communities’- groups of people who communicate among themselves. They are like shops or restaurants or playgrounds. Each participant contributes to a general conversation, generally through posted messages. Other participants may simply listen or watch.

Question 9.
What is in store for cyber communities in the future?
Answer:
Cyber communities will have to have a moderator because anyone is free to post anything. Because of that there will be unwanted advertising, discussions that are. not healthy and rude participants. Then the cyberspace will become too noisy. To keep these negative elements in check a moderator would be needed.

Question 10.
What are the comparisons made by the author between cyberspace and terrestrial communities?
Answer:
What is special about cyberspace is that it frees us from the tyranny of power structures of the terrestrial communities. Cyberspace allows communities of any size and kind to flourish. In cyberspace communities are chosen by the users, not forced on them by accidents of geography. This freedom gives the rules in cyberspace a moral authority that rules in terrestrial environments don’t have. Most people are forced to stay in the country of their birth. But if you don’t like the rules of the cyberspace community, you can quit. It loves it or leave it, which is not possible in terrestrial communities.

Activity -1 (Writing)

Question 1.
A group of students are asked to prepare a list of Dos and Dont’s of using cyberspace. They list the points as given on p. 167 of the Text. Classify the ideas generated under the following heads. Write the corresponding number.
Parents: …………
Teachers: …………
Students: …………
Counselor: …………
Answer:
Parents : 2, 4,7
Teachers: 5, 8
Students: 1
Counsellor: 3, 6, 9

Question 2.
Now, write an article on the use and misuse of cyberspace for your School Magazine using the hints given in the text.
Answer:
Use of computers has become widespread and accordingly the uses and misuses of cyberspace have also multiplied. Cyberspace is an excellent way of getting information, giving information, and also for entertainment. But it has potential dangers. These days we hear a lot about cybercrimes. The culprits are mostly young people, including students. Even as we acknowledge the importance of cyberspace in the modem world, should be aware of its potential dangers and how to avoid them.

Cyberspace is full of sites that give vulgar and explicit sex material. Young children are naturally curious about these things. So to prevent them from watching these things privately in their own rooms, computers should be kept in open view in a common hall. This way, children will be discouraged from visiting bad sites. There should be a specific time schedule for browsing the net. Late-night browsing should b discouraged. When students are given assignments and projects they rush to cyberspace for the material. The download material from it and copy it in their assignments. Teachers should check the authenticity of the sources used in the papers given by the students. Many schools and colleges now have computers and the Internet, including Wi-Fi. Teachers must ensure that students do not misuse these facilities.

Counsellors have also a big role to play in the right use of cyberspace. They should conduct awareness programmes on the various cybersecurity measures. The net addicted children should be given counselling in the school.

Students should be aware of the risks involved in the use of cyberspace. It is easy to fall into the mire of bad habits. It would be difficult to get out. Ultimately they are responsible for their acts and they are the masters of their destiny. They should not reveal their e-mail address to everyone and should use cyberspace sensibly. Cyberspace is a double-edged tool. It is like a knife and it can be used to cure (like a surgeon) or to kill.

Activity – II (email)

Read the email given on page 168.

Question 1.
What is this mail about?
Answer:
It is an application for a job.

Question 2.
How is it different from surface mails?
Answer:
It is different from surface mails in different ways:

• It has no address of the receiver (except the email address),
• It has no date
• It has no signature of the sender
• The sender’s name and address are given at the bottom with the mobile number and email address.

In the surface mail these appear on the top part of the letter.

Question 3.
Analyze the language structure, style and format of the email.
Answer:
The language is simple and straight. Block style is used with all the paragraphs aligned to the left.

Question 4.
Imagine that you organize a seminar on Technology and English language Teaching in your school. In order to ensure the presence of the distinguished scholars invited, you draft a detailed email about the seminar.
Draft the email to be sent to the visiting dignitaries.
Answer:
To: [email protected]
Subject: Seminar on Technology and English language Teaching

Dear Prof. Job
Our school is organizing a seminar on Technology and English language Teaching. As a person renowned in this realm, we would very much like to have your presence during the Seminar. The seminar will begin at 9.00 in the morning and it will end by 1.00 p.m. Please make it a point to come. Your expertise and experience will be of great use to our students as well as staff.
We look forward to meeting you.

Sincerely,
Simi Hyder

Simi Hyder
Secretary, Students’ Welfare Association
AlAzharHSS
Mala
PIN – 679342
Mobile: 8547028805
Email – simihyder@gmail. Com

II. Read And Reflect

Are you familiar with the i-pod generation? You see them everywhere, at railway stations, busy places in the city, or even in remote villages. You may be one of them. What is so special about them and how do you distinguish them? Read on to know about the ultramodern representatives of today’s youth.

The Cyber Space (Essay) About the Author

Esther Dyson is an American technology analyst. She is a leading commentator on digital technology, biotechnology and space. The present article is a discussion on the possibilities and challenges involved in the use of cyberspace.

The Cyber Space (Essay) Summary in English

Page 164: Something in the modern psyche loves new frontiers. We love wide-open spaces; we like to explore; we like to make rules instead of following them. Is there a place you can go and be yourself without worrying about the neighbours?

Yes, there is such a place: cyberspace. Before, it was a playground for computer nerds and techies. But now it embraces all kinds of people, including children. Can they all get along in a friendly way in the cyber world? Or will our fear of kids misusing cyberspace provoke a crackdown?

First of all, we ought to know what cyberspace is. For this, we have to leave behind metaphors of highways and frontiers and think instead of real estate. Real estate is an intellectual, legal, artificial environment constructed on top of the land. It recognizes the difference between parkland and shopping mall, between red-light zone and school district, between church, state and drug store.

You can think of cyberspace as a giant and unlimited world of virtual real estate. Some property is privately owned and rented out; another property is common land; some places are suitable for children; others should be avoided by all but the strangest citizens. Unfortunately, it is those places that are now capturing the popular imagination. They make cyberspace sound like a bad place. Good citizens, therefore, say: Regulate it.

Page 165: Using censorship to silence cyberspace misinterprets the nature of cyberspace. It is not a frontier where bad people can grab unsuspecting children. It is also not a giant television that telecast offensive messages at unwilling viewers. In this kind of real estate, users choose where they visit, what they see and what they do. It is optional. It is easier to bypass a place on the net than it is to avoid a block of bad stores on the way home.

Cyberspace is a voluntary destination or many destinations. You choose a site. That means you can where to go and what to see. Community Course Book standards should be enforced but those standards must be set by cyberspace communities themselves. We don’t want control from outside; we need self-rule.

Cyberspace is so interesting because it is different from shopping malls, television, highways, and other terrestrial jurisdiction. So, let us define its territory:

First, there are private email conversations similar to the talks you have on the telephone or voice mail. These are private and done with the consent of both parties. So they require no regulation.

Second, there are information and entertainment services. Here people can download anything. These places are like book stores, malls, and movie-houses. The customer needs to request an item. Some of these services are free, for some you have to pay.

Third, there are ‘real communities’-groups of people who communicate among themselves. They are like shops or restaurants or playgrounds. Each participant contributes to a general conversation, generally through posted messages. Other participants may simply listen or watch. Many of these services started out un¬moderated. But now some rules are imposed because of unwanted advertising, outside discussions, and increasingly rude participants. Without a moderator, the decibel level often gets too high.

Page 166: What is special about cyberspace is that it frees us from the tyranny of power structures. In a democracy, minority groups and minority preferences get squeezed out. Cyberspace allows communities of any size and kind to flourish. In cyberspace communities are chosen by the users, not forced on them by accidents of geography. This freedom gives the rules in cyberspace a moral authority that rules in terrestrial environments don’t have. Most people are forced to stay in the country of their birth. But if you don’t like the rules of the cyberspace community, you can quit. Love it or leave it.

What is likely to happen in cyberspace is the formation of new communities. Instead of a global village, we will have another world of self-contained communities that will cater to the wishes of their members without interfering with anyone else’s. We will be able to test and evolve rules regarding what should be governed. These may include content and access control, rules about privacy, and free speech.

Our society needs to grow up. It means understanding that there are no perfect answers and solutions. We don’t have a perfect society on earth and so we won’t have perfect cyberspace. What we can have is an individual choice and individual responsibility.

The Cyber Space (Essay) Vocabulary

Kerala State Board New Syllabus Plus One English Textbook Answers Unit 1 Chapter 2 I Will Fly Text Book Questions and Answers, Summary, Notes.

Kerala Plus One English Textbook I Will Fly Questions and Answers Unit 1 Chapter 2 (Speech)

I Will Fly (Speech) Textual Questions and Answers

I Will Fly Summary In Malayalam Chapter 2 Question 1.
Why does Dr Kalam say that ‘No youth needs to fear about the future’?
Answer:
Dr Kalam says that ‘No youth needs to fear about the future’ because the ignited mind of the youth is the most powerful resource on the earth, under the earth and above the earth.

Plus One English Second Chapter Notes  Question 2.
What was the mission of Sashtrayaan?
Answer:
The mission of Sashtrayaan was the preparation of about 2000 students from different schools to be engineers, doctors, scientists, qualified managers and civil servants. This would, in turn, empower 2000 families of the village.

I Will Fly Chapter Summary In Malayalam Question 3.
Dr. Kalam’s talk was on the topic ‘Science Empowers the Nation’. How does science empower the nation?
Answer:
Science empowers the nation by making continuous progress in the fields of agriculture, medicine, nutrition, mining, industries of various kinds, architecture, space exploration, defense, transportation, communication and all such related matters that bring progress to the nation.

Hss Guru Plus One English Notes Chapter 2 Question 4.
Why couldn’t the boy gather confîdence?
Answer:
The boy couldn’t gather confidence because he did not get it through his education all those years. One of the primary things education should do is to instill confidence in the students. The failure of the boy to gain confidence can be seen as the failure of the educational system and the teachers.

Hsslive Guru Plus One English Notes Chapter 2 Question 5.
If yo u were there, would you dare to ask Dr. Kalam a question?
Answer:
Yes, I would. I would ask him to tell me ways to eradicate poverty from our country.

I Will Fly Meaning In Malayalam Chapter 2 Question 6.
What was the boy’s concern?
Answer:
The boy wanted to be a marine engineer. He wanted to travel in a ship. He wanted to be the captain of the ship. He wanted to build the engine of the ship. He wanted to know if he would be able to do all this and how to achieve his mission and what he should do to achieve it.

Hss Live Guru Plus One English Notes Chapter 2 Question 7.
Why did the audience look at Dr Kalam when the boy completed the question?
Answer:
The audience looked at Dr Kalam when the boy completed the question because it was a very tough question to answer. The boy was from a remote village and he himself admitted that he was nervous. He wanted to be a marine engineer, the captain of the ship and he wanted to build the engine of the ship. The audience was curious to know what reply Kalam was going to give to this young boy.

Hsslive Guru English Plus One Chapter 2 Question 8.
Why did Kalam value the boy’s question?
Answer:
Kalam valued the boy’s question because it was the most difficult question among the many questions he had reœived from millions and millions of students he had met. The boy was echoing the fear of many.

Plus One English Chapter 2 Notes Question 9.
How can you unique?
Answer:
You can be unique by being yourself. The world around you wants you to be like others. At home, you parents will tell you to be like the children of the neighbors. At school, the teacher will tell you to be like the first 5 rankers of the class. All the people tell you to be somebody else. But Kalam tells you to be ‘YOU’. You should not try to be somebody else. You should not be a copycat. Be you and thus you can be unique.

Activity – I (Think and respond)

Hss Reporter Victers Notes Plus One Chapter 2 Question 1.
Are you confident enough to ask questions or express your views in public?
Answer:
Yes, I am confident enough to ask questions and express my views in public.

Plus One English 2nd Chapter Notes Question 2.
Have you ever felt inferior to others in any way?
Answer:
Yes, I have sometimes felt inferior to others in some ways.

Travel Info Format Plus One English Chapter 2 Question 3.
How can you overcome your fear or inhibition?
Answer:
I will try to build self-confidence, telling me I learned to walk after falling many times. If you are afraid, you will not be able to do anything good and people will despise you.

Abdul Kalam Speech To School Students Pdf Chapter 2 Question 4.
What is your ambition in your life?
Answer:
My ambition in life is to become a good teacher and help the students to become competent persons and lovers of humanity.

Plus One English Chapter I Will Fly Malayalam Meaning Question 5.
Are you confident that you can fulfill your dream?
Answer:
Yes, I am confident that I can fulfill my dream.

Abdul Kalam Speech On Youth Pdf Chapter 2 Question 6.
How do you think you can attain your goal?
Answer:
I can attain my goal through hard work, selfconfidence and perseverance. I will also need the support of my family and well-wishers.

Activity – II (Speech)

Question 7.
Imagine that you get the opportunity to address Class X students before their public examination. On the basis of Dr Kalam’s message, prepare a speech to motivate and prepare them for the examination.
Answer:
My dear students,
You are soon going to appear for the SSLC Examination which is considered to be a big turning point in your life. Some students get panicky before the examination and spoil their chances to do well. There is no need to fear. The examinations are simply to test your understanding of the things that you have been taught in the class. Millions of students before you have taken this kind of examination. So this is nothing new or terrifying.

Be confident. Don’t be nervous. Be optimistic. Be cool, calm and composed. Fear will not help you. It will only make you forget what you already know. You have been reading your lessons regularly and doing the assignments. The teachers have been testing your knowledge every now and then. You already know what types of questions are coming in the examination and the time you have to answer them. So read the instructions and questions carefully and make a plan to answer them in the most appropriate manner.

You have read the story ‘His First Flight’ by Liam O’Flaherty. The seagull was reluctant to take his first flight. But goaded by his mother, he takes his flight and then he finds it is smooth and he experiences no problem. In a similar fashion, you go courageously and confidently to take your examination and everything is going to be fine. Keep your mind happy with encouraging thoughts. Be optimistic. You are not the first or the only one going to write this examination.

Life is full of examinations. The people who face them with confidence and courage will succeed in life. You don’t have to compare yourself with others. Kalam has told you to be unique, to be you. You know you have done your best during the preparation time. Now you simply have to do your best as you write the examination without being unduly worried about the result. Do your best and leave the rest to God.

I wish you all the resounding success in the forthcoming examinations!

Activity – III (E-mail)

Question 8.
You get inspired by Dr. A. P. J. Abdul Kalam’s message and decide to communicate your thoughts and ideas to your friend who is studying abroad. Draft an e-mail to your friend.
Answer:
Dearest Raj, I was greatly inspired by a speech of Dr. APJ Abdul Kalam in one of the English text books. In that speech, Kalam tells students to be unique. He says that the world around you wants you to be like others. At home, you parents will tell you to be like the children of the neighbors. At school the teacher will tell you to be like the first 5 rankers of the class. All the people tell you to be somebody else. But Kalam tells you to be ‘YOU’. You should not try to be somebody else. You should not be a copycat. He says “Be you and thus you can be unique”. I think this is a wonderful idea. This will release everybody from his inferiority complex. It is when you compare yourself with others you feel inferior. Kalam wants people to be confident, self-reliant and hardworking. He wants everyone to believe he was born with some potential, ideas and dreams. Everybody is born with wings and so nobody needs to crawl because he can fly. And as he has confidence he will fly. I really enjoyed this speech and it has given me a new insight.

Read And Reflect

Question 1.
Dr. Kalam exhorts everybody to be unique in his/her own way There are any people who have proved their uniqueness even while fighting adversities and limitations. Stephen Hawking’s profile shows how he overcame his disabilities to become a shining star in physics.

I Will Fly (Speech) About the Author:

– DR. APJ Abdul Kalam

DR. APJ Abdul Kalam was a former President of India. He is a distinguished scientist. He is famous for his contribution to the field of space research. His vision is to make India a developed nation by 2020.

He was born on 15 October 1931 at Rameswaram in Tamil Nadu. He specialized in Aeronautical Engineering from the Madras Institute of Technology. He became a Professor of Technology and Societal Transformation at Anna University. He is actively involved in teaching and research.

I Will Fly (Speech) Summary in English

Dear friends,

The youth of the past have continuously contributed to the world of today in many fields. Today the youth does not have to fear about the future. The flamed mind of the youth is the most powerful resource on earth. The topic I will talk to you today is “I am born with wings’.

Last year I went to a village to inaugurate a programme called ‘Sashtrayaan’ which means the propagation of Science’. It was to ensure the preparation of about 2000 students from different schools to be engineers, doctors, scientists, qualified managers and civil servants. This would, in turn, empower 2000 families of the village. My inaugural address to the audience of about 5000 people was on ‘Science Empowers the Nation’.

After my talk, hundreds of hands were raised for asking questions. Because of the lack of time, I chose 12 students at random from the last row to the first to ask questions. One question impressed me greatly and I want to share it with you.

The question was from a teenager who came from a remote village. He was nervous and a typical representative of the youth of India. He began like this, “Sir, I don’t know what I should ask. I am nervous. I have not asked any question in class. I need to have confidence, but I have not gained any confidence through my education all these years. I am afraid to talk to my teachers, and even to my friends. Whenever I talk I compare myself with other students and their elegant dress. I want to become a marine engineer. I want to travel in a ship. I want to be the captain of the ship. I want to build the engine of the ship. Shall I be able to do all this, Sir? How can I achieve this mission? What should I do?” The entire audience and the dignitaries on the dais, including the Chief Minister, looked at me wondering how I would answer this sincere question from a village boy.

I replied, “You have put the most difficult question I have received from millions and millions of students I have met. I know you are echoing the fear of many. Let me recite a beautiful ancient poem named ‘I will fly’.

I am born with potential.
I am born with goodness and trust
l am born with ideas and dreams.
I am born with greatness.
I am born with confidence.
I am born with wings.
So, I am not meant for crawling,
I have wings, I will fly
I will fly and fly.

Let me tell you how you can be unique. I have met some 15 million youth in a decade’s time. Every youth wants to be unique, that is YOU! But the world all around you is doing its best to make you just ‘everybody else’. In your home, you are asked by your parents to be like the neighbors’ children for scoring good marks. At school, your teacher asks you to be like the first 5 rankers in the class. Wherever you go people tell you to be somebody else or everybody else. But you should be unique – yourself.

The challenge is that you have to fight the hardest battle which any human being can ever imagine, and never stop fighting until you arrive at your destined place, that is a UNIQUE YOU.

I Will Fly (Speech) Glossary

Kerala State Board New Syllabus Plus One English Textbook Answers Unit 6 Leaps and Bounds Text Book Questions and Answers, Summary, Notes.

Kerala Plus One English Textbook Leaps and Bounds Questions and Answers Unit 6

“That’s one small step for a man one giant leap for mankind.”

– Neil Armstrong

Let’s begin

Look at the pictures on page 163 carefully:

Question 1.
Can you identify the actor in these visuals?
Answer:
It is Charlie Chaplain.

Question 2.
What do these pictures communicate to you?
Answer:
They communicate to me the wonder-world of technology and machines.

Question 3.
Do you think that technology and its various aspects must be studied in detail to get a serious understanding of society?
Answer:
No, I don’t think so. Technology is just one aspect of the society and not everybody understands it.

Question 4.
Write a short paragraph on the role of technology in modern society and share the ideas with your friend.
Answer:
In modern society, technology is an inevitable part of our everyday life. It has a role in everything we do even though we sometimes do not realize it. Thanks to development in technology there have been many breakthroughs in different fields such as communication, transportation, education, medicine, entertainment and agriculture. Our life has become simpler and more enjoyable than before. We have mobile phones and so we can talk with anybody, anytime, anywhere in the world. The planes, trains, buses and trucks transport people and goods fast from one place to another.

In medicine, X-ray, Scanning etc. help doctors to diagnose the disease. Laser treatment and surgery is common. We have video, audio and TV to keep us entertained all the time. Even in religion, technology is playing a role. Using powerful sound system, cassettes and CDs, religious leaders propagate their beliefs. Agriculture is revolutionized by the use of technology.

About the Unit

Science and technology have brought about big changes in every walk of life. Technology has transformed every corner of the world. It caters to the demands of everyone including the differently abled. This progress is, however, not without some hazards.

This Unit starts with an article ‘The Cyber Space’ by Esther Dyson on the use and abuse of cyberspace. ‘Is Society Dead?’ by Andrew Sullivan is a humorous but strong write-up on the i-Pod generation which is in a way disconnected from societal interactions. The short story titled ‘Conceptual Fruit’ by Thaisa Fank, presents the efforts of a loving father to enable his differently abled daughter to make sense of the world around her, with the help of technology.

Read And Reflect

The advent of the www (world wide web) has brought a revolutionary change in the spread of information. A cultural transformation from the printed space to the cyber space took place. It redefined the spatial dimensions of our universe.