Have you ever planned something entirely on your own, without taking grown- ups into your confidence? What did you plan, and how? Did you carry out your plan?
During my summer vacations, I wanted to plan a surprise birthday party for my mother. I involved my younger sister in the plan to celebrate her birthday. We saved pocket money by not going for our weekly outings. We have saved five hundred rupees through this for the birthday party. The arrangement of everything should be done without our mother’s knowledge. On her birthday we acted as we have forgot her birthday at all. On our request, mother was taken to the market by our father. In a very little time, arrangement like cake, decorations, flowers and their two best friends were invited. When she came back from the market she got surprised and it became her best birthday ever had in her life.
Why didn’t Valli want to make friends with the elderly woman?
Have you made a journey that was unforgettable in some way? What made it memorable?
Are you concerned about traffic and road safety? What are your concerns? How would you make road travel safer and more enjoyable?
The author describes the things that Valli sees from an eight-year-old’s point of view. Can you find evidence from the text for this statement?
Why does the conductor call Valli ‘madam’?
Why does Valli stand up on the seat? What does she see now?
How did Valli save up money for her first journey? Was it easy for her?
What kind of a person is Valli? To answer this question, pick out the following sentences from the text and fill in the blanks. The words you fill in are the clues to your answer.
What was a source of unending joy for Valli? What was her strongest desire?
Why does the conductor refer to Valli as ‘madam’?
Where in the classroom does Wanda sit and why?
What ‘experiment’ did Maxwell think Camusfearna would be suitable for?
What did Lencho hope for?
When her son dies, Kisa Gotami goes from house to house. What does she ask for? Does she get it? Why not?
Where did the ceremonies take place ? Can you name any public buildings in India that are made of sandstones?
What does Chubukov at first suspect that Lomov has come for? Is he sincere when he later says “And I’ve always loved you, my angel, as if you were my own son”? Find reasons for your answer from the play.
Why was the young seagull afraid to fly? Do you think all young birds are afraid to make their first flight, or are some birds more timid than others? Do you think a human baby also finds it a challenge to take its first steps?
Do you keep a diary? Given below under ‘A’ are some terms we use to describe a written record of personal experience. Can you match them with their descriptions under ‘B’? (You may
look up the terms in a dictionary if you wish.)
A B
(i) Journal – A book with a separate space or page for each day, in which you write down your and feelings or what has happened on that day
(ii) Diary – A full record of a journey, a period of time, or an event, written every day
(iii) Log – A record of a person’s own life and experiences (usually, a famous person)
(iv) Memoir(s) – A written record of events with times and dates, usually official
Where does Wanda live? What kind of a place do you think it is?
Why does he go to Basra? How long does he wait there, and why?
What ‘experiment’ did Maxwell think Camusfearna would be suitable for?
How was Mij to be transported to England?
How does Wanda feel about the dresses game? Why does she say that she has a hundred dresses?
Anne says teachers are most unpredictable. Is Mr Keesing unpredictable? How?
Why does the postmaster send money to Lencho? Why does he sign the letter ‘God’?
Match the words on the left with a word on the right. Some words on the left can go with more than one word on the right.
(i) a portion of – blood
(ii) a pool of – cotton
(iii) flakes of – stones
(iv) a huge heap of – gold
(v) a gust of – fried fish
(vi) little drops of – snow
(vii) a piece of – water
(viii) a pot of – wind
Why did Lencho say the raindrops were like ‘new coins’?
What are ‘compulsive habits’? What does Maxwell say are the compulsive habits of
(i) school children
(ii) Mij?
Where does Wanda live? What kind of a place do you think it is?
What guesses did the Londoners make about what Mij was?