When and why do Peggy and Maddie notice Wanda’s absence?
Wanda didn’t come to school on Monday and Tuesday but none of her classmates noticed her absence as she didn't have friends in the classroom. When Peggy and Maddie waited for Wanda to make fun of her after the school was off, then they noticed that she was absent, otherwise nobody bothered about her there.
Why is Maddie embarrassed by the questions Peggy asks Wanda? Is she also like Wanda, or is she different?
Where in the classroom does Wanda sit and why?
Where does Wanda live? What kind of a place do you think it is?
How does Wanda feel about the dresses game? Why does she say that she has a hundred dresses?
Who did Maddie think would win the drawing contest? Why?
How is Wanda seen as different by the other girls? How do they treat her? you know?
Who won the drawing contest? What had the winner drawn?
Did Wanda have a hundred dresses? Why do you think she said she did?
Why didn’t Maddie ask Peggie to stop teasing Wanda? What was she afraid of?
1. This is the bus (what kind of bus?). It goes to Agra. (use which or that)
2. I would like to buy (a) shirt (which shirt?). (The) shirt is in the shop window. (use which or that)
3. You must break your fast at a particular time (when?). You see the moon in the sky. (use when)
4. Find a word (what kind of word?). It begins with the letter Z. (use which or that)
5. Now find a person (what kind of person). His or her name begins with the letter Z. (use whose)
6. Then go to a place (what place?). There are no people whose name begins with Z in that place. (use where)
What was Valli’s favourite pastime?
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
What was a source of unending joy for Valli? What was her strongest desire?
Why does he go to Basra? How long does he wait there, and why?
Here are some more examples of ‘the’ used with proper names. Try to say what these sentences mean. (You may consult a dictionary if you wish. Look at the entry for ‘the’)
(i) Mr Singh regularly invites the Amitabh Bachchans and the Shah Rukh Khans to his parties.
(ii) Many people think that Madhuri Dixit is the Madhubala of our times.
(iii) History is not only the story of the Alexanders, the Napoleons and the Hitlers, but of ordinary people as well.
Where did the ceremonies take place ? Can you name any public buildings in India that are made of sandstones?
How do you usually understand the idea of ‘selfishness’? Do you agree with Kisa Gotami that she was being ‘selfish in her grief ’?
What did the military generals do ? How did their attitude change and why?
Does Mandela think the oppressor is free? Why/why not?
What does Anne write in her first essay?
What does Valli mean when she says, “I was just agreeing with what you said about things happening without our knowledge.”
Why didn’t Valli want to make friends with the elderly woman?
Are there people like Lencho in the real world? What kind of a person would you say he is? You may select appropriate words from the box to answer the question.
greedy naive stupid ungrateful
selfish comical unquestioning
(i) Find all the words and expressions in the play that the characters use to speak about each other, and the accusations and insults they hurl at each other. (For example, Lomov in the end calls Chubukov an intriguer; but earlier, Chubukov has himself called Lomov a “malicious, doublefaced intriguer.” Again, Lomov begins by describing Natalya as “an excellent housekeeper, not bad-looking, well-educated.”)
(ii) Then think of five adjectives or adjectival expressions of your own to describe each character in the play.
(iii) Can you now imagine what these characters will quarrel about next?