Class 11

Odisha State Board CHSE Odisha Class 11 Approaches to English Book 1 Solutions Unit 3 Text C: New Superstitions for Old Textbook Activity Questions and Answers.

Class 11th Alternative English Chapter 11 New Superstitions for Old Question Answers CHSE Odisha

New Superstitions for Old Class 11 Questions and Answers

Activity-12
Comprehension

Read Text-C (Part-one) once again after getting the meaning (i) Omen (paragraph- 3), (ii) freighted (paragraph 6) and (iii) heathen (paragraph 7) from a dictionary, if you don’t know their meanings. And then answer the following questions as briefly as possible.

Question (a)
In which paragraph does Mead say , that some long standing rituals are nothing but superstitions ? List five long-standing rituals which the writer mentions.
Answer:
Paragraph-1 says that some long standing rituals are nothing but superstitions. The five, long standing rituals which the writer mentions are:
1. lucky and unlucky numbers.
2. future events which cah be read from omens,
3. protective charms.
4. what happens can be influenced by casting spells.
5. magic.

Question (b)
In what way are religion and superstition similar ? And how are they different ?
Answer:
Actually, both religion and superstition are based on belief or faith or practices and ways of thinking that have been given up, because they are inconsistent with scientific knowledge. Moreover, superstition and religion have a slight difference. Superstition is used in a derogatory sense and religion has a high status.

Extra Activity – 12(A)

Question 1.
What is, according to the writer, superstition ?
Answer:
The author explains the meaning of superstition straightforward. According to him, superstition refers to old folk faith of beliefs, practices or ways of thinking. There are lucky and unlucky numbers and days, that future events can be read from omens that there are protective charms or that what happens can be influenced by acting spells magic is another form of superstitions.

Question 2.
There is something which is most likely to happen that evokes the memory of some old fold belief, what is that ?
Answer:
It is the folk belief- spilling salt, a knife falling on floor, nose tickling that evokes its memory.

Question 3.
What are the observances of childhood ?
Answer:
Wishing on the first star, looking at the new moon over the right shoulder, avoiding the cracks in the side walk on the way to school, wishing on while horses on loads of way, on covered bridges on red cars are the observances of childhood.

Extra Activity – 12(B)

‘So’ and ‘Such’ and their uses.
(A) Study these Examples:
Ex.
1. I didn’t enjoy the boolc. The story was so stupid,
2. I didn’t enjoy the book. It was much a stupid story.
we use ‘so’ + adjective/adverb
so stupid; so quick,
so nice, so quickly
we use ‘such’ + noun ,
such a story; such people
we also use such + adjective + noun
such a stupid story; such nice people.

X:B: We use ‘such a’, but not ‘a such’

(B) ‘So’ and ‘such’ make the meaning of adjective/adverb stronger.
Ex.
1. It is a lovely day. It’s so warm (=really warm)
2. He is difficult to understand because he speaks so quickly.
3. We enjoyed our holiday. We had such a good time (- really a good time)

You can use ‘so…..that’……
Ex.
1. The book was so good that I couldn’t put it down.
2. I was so tired that I fell asleep in. the arm chair.
3. It was such lovely weather that we spent the whole day on the beach.

(C) We also use ‘so’ and ‘such’ in the (meaning of ‘like this’:
Ex. 1. I was surprised to find out that the
1. house was built hundred years ago. I didn’t realise it was so old. (as old as it is)
2. I expected the weather to be much wanner. I did not expect it to be so cool.
3. I didn’t realize it was such an old house.
4. The house was so untidy. I’ve never seen such a mess.

(D) We say, ‘so long’ ‘but’ ‘such a long time’
Ex.
1. I haven’t seen her so long.
2. I didn’t know it was such a long way.

We say: ‘so far’ but ‘such a long way’
Ex. I didn’t know it was so far.
We say: ‘so much’ ‘so many’ but such a let (of).
1. Why did you buy so much food ?
2. Why did you buy such a lot of food ?

Enough and too:
A. The position of ‘enough’: Enough goes after adjectives and adverbs:
Ex.
1. He didn’t get the job because he wasn’t experienced enough.
2. You won’t pass , the examination as you don’t work hard enough.

The Opposite is too (too hard, too old etc.)
Ex. You never stop working. You work too hard. ‘Enough’ normally goes before nouns:
Ex. . He didn’t get the job, because he hadn’t . enough experience.

B. We say ‘enough/too for (somebody/something)
Ex.
1. I haven’t got enough money for a holiday.
2. He hasn’t experienced enough for the job.

We also say ‘enough/too to’ to do something:
Ex.
1. Enough money to buy something.
2. Too you to do something.
We say:
The food was so hot that we couldn’t eat it.

Quite and Rather
A. Quite = less than ‘very’ but more than ‘a little’.
Ex
1. I’m surprised you haven’t heard of her. She is quite famous.
2. It’s quite cold. You’.d better wear your coat.

‘Quite’ goes before a/an.
Ex: ‘quite a nice day; quite an old house.
B. Rather Is similar to quite. We usc ‘rather’ with negative words and negative íd cas.
Ex.
1. It’s rather cold. You’d better wear your coat.
2. The examination was rather difficult.

‘Quite’ can be used in such sentences having positive ideas:
Ex. She’s quite intelligent.
When we use ‘rather’ with positive words (nice, it means ‘unusually’ or ‘surprisingLy’. ,
Ex. rathernice/interesting.
‘Rather’ can go before or after a/am. a rather interestiñg book, rather an interesting book.

C. ‘Quite’ also means ‘completely’:
Ex. 1. Are you sure? Yes, quite sure = (compktely sure) quite right, quite obvious, quite different etc. ‘No quite’ means not ‘completely’:
Ex: They haven’t quite finished their dinner yet. We also use ‘quite’ fr completely with)
some verbs:
Ex: I quite agree with you.

Activity-B
Comprehension

Answer the following questions

Question (a)
What is the thesis of Mead’s article? In which paragraph does it appear ?
Answer:
The thesis of Mead’s article is that if we are to make good use of knowledge, we must not only rid our minds of old superseded beliefs and fragments of magical practice but also recognize new superstitions for what they are. This has been explained inparagraph-12.

Question (b)
What is Mead’s attitude towards her subject ? Does she feel that superstitions are silly or useful ? Explain.
Answer:
Mead’s attitude towards her subject is to teach humanity the sense of rationality amidst the superstitions mentioned. Superstitions are both silly and useful. Actually, most of them are silly and some of them are useful when used as transitional object for children.

Question (c)
Which article was originally published in 1966 in a magazine aimed at young mothers. In what way does Mead tailor her subject to fit her readers ? How cduld she has increased the relevance of the article for this audience ?
Answer:
Mothers and first teachers both form the tender minds of little children. They exert a great influence in the formative years of children. It is a mother who can instill superstition in the minds of children or can rid them of these unwarranted things keeping this in View, Mead tries to tailor her subject to fit (First Year) to her’readers. She could have made the audience of the text more explicit and particular.

Question (d)
Mead begins her article by directly addressing her reader and their superstitions; she uses this device later in the article too. What is the effect of fhis technique ?
Answer:
Mead begins her article by directly addressing her readers and their superstitions. .Use of such techniques is to achieve direct response from the readers. This writing needs direct and immediate attention. Indirect approach may not provide a right attitude. Here, direct approach makes the essay more sustainable.

Question (e)
By what methods of development does Mead expand her definition of superstition ? What other methods might she have used ?
Answer:
Mead expands her definition of superstition in a descriptive method. He prefers description to prescription. This method is the right way of treating the subject matter.

Activity-14
Discourse Maker: Link Words

Fill in the blanks with appropriate expressions from the list: (for instance, however, usually, but, fortunately, but, because, if, but then).

When young, we’re naturally a creative _____________ we let our minds run free _____________ as we’re taught to follow the rules our thinking narrows. For much of life this can be a biessing. It wouldn’t do to create a new way horn? from work of it meant driving down the wrong side of the road. _____________ in many areas of our lives creativity can be a matter of survival. Things are changing too fast to get along simply with old ideas. Half of what any technical engineer had learnt ten years ago became obsolete in only three years. And what about our homes lives ? With _____________. more and more women opting, for careers and independence, couples have to be more creative about their relationship to avoid conflicts. _____________ creativity is not all that mysterious. An important creative trait was well-defined by a Noble Prize winning physician _____________ he said, “Discovery consists of seeing what everyday has been and thinking what nobody has thought.” _____________ how we start “thinking what nobody has thought ?” _____________ it takes a week ort the head- like Sir. Isaac Newton supposedly had when an apple striking his skull awakened him to the laws of gravity _____________ we’re more likely to respond creativity which is to day, think of a new idea we _____________ have already been chipping awhy at the mental blocks that close our minds.

Answer:
When young, we’re naturally creative if we let our minds run free but as we’re taught to follow the rules our thinking narrows. For much life, this can be a blessing. It wouldn’t do to create a new way home from work if it meant driving down the wrong side of the road. Fortunately, in many areas of our lives, creativity can be a matter of survival. Things are changing too fast to get along simply with old ideas. Half of what any technical engineer had learned ten years ago became obsolete in only three years. And what about our home lives ? With, however, more and more women opting, for careers and independence, couples have to be more creative about their relationship to avoid conflicts. But creativity is not all that mysterious. An important creative trait was well-defined by a Noble Prize-winning physician because he said, “Discovery consists of seeing what every day has been and thinking what nobody has thought.” But then, how we start ‘thinking what nobody has thought ?” usually it takes a week on the head- like Sir. Isaac Newton supposedly had when an apple striking his skull awakened him to the laws of gravity for instance, we’re more likely to respond to creativity which is today, think of a new idea because we have already been chipping away at the ‘mental blocks’ that close our minds.

Activity-15
Dialogue Writing

While writing a dialogue you may keep in mind the following suggestions: .:
i) The primary focus of a dialogue should be on (a) giving information and (b) moving the conversation forwards.
ii) Avoid stilled (= stiff and unrealistic) dialogue so that it doesn’t sound pedantic, long-winded or too formal (use short words and contracted forms such as n’t, ’l l, ‘m, ‘d as far as practicable.
iii) Avoid repeated information and using the listener’s name is every line of the dialogue.
iv) Each of the characters in the dialogue should take turns and equally participate in the conversation.
v) There are three main parts of a dialogue: (a) greeting, (b) purposive conversation and (c) leave-taking.
vi) Some of the commonly used greeting are: Formal

(A)
X: How do you do?
Y: How do you do?

(B)
Good morning
Good afternoon
Good evening
Good day

(A)
X: How are you (today)?
Y: Fine, thank you/very well, thank you.

(B)
X: Hello, Ramesh (also spelled Hallo or Hello)
Y: Hello, Sultana

(C)
X: Hi!
Y : Hi!

vii) Some of the common expression is used while faking leave are: Good bye, Bye, Bye-bye, Good night, See you, So long.

Here is a dialogue for you to complete:
Sunita wishes to do a part time computer course. She’s making enquiries at a private computer institute. The replies she gives arc given. You have to guess her questions from the clues given against each blank space.
(Remember, she is making requests for information, so she must use polite forms such
as: May I __________ / I can you please __________!/
would you __________? would you mind __________?

Sunita : Good evening, Madam. l am Sunita, __________ I __________ (may what courses)
Receptionist : Gopd evening, dear. We offer Windows, Pascel, C++, Java, Oracle and a few other advance courses as well
Sunita: __________ (which, should)
Receptionist: You can start with Windows and.then move on to others.
Sunita: __________ (can, part time)
Receptionist: Yes you certainly can.
Sunita: __________ (join in morning sessions)
Receptionist: We have both morning and evening sessions you can join either of them.
Sunita: __________ (will, I)
Receptionist: Certainly you will not only be allowed, you will be asked to handle computers from the second week onwards.
Sunita: __________
Receptionist: Two thousand rupees for Windows. For the other Dourses it will be slightly higher.
Sunita: _________ (can, installments)
Receptionist: You can pay it in monthly installments.
Sunita: _________(when, start)
Receptionist: Next week, you can rightly join away.
Sunita: _________(cleave-taking)

Answer:
Sunita: Good evening, Madam. I am Sunita, may I know what courses you offer?
Receptionist: Good evening, dear. We offer Windows, Pascel, C++, Java, Oracle and a few other advance courses as well.
Sunita: Which of these should I stat with?
Receptionist : You can start with Windows and then move on to others.
Sunita : Can 1 take up the course part time?
Receptionist : Yes, you certainly can.
Sunita  : May join the morniftg session ?
Receptionist : We have both morning and evening sessions, you can join either of them.
Sunita : What is trie duration of the course.
Receptionist : It depends, Windows is a three-month course. The advanced courses are a few months longer.
Sunita : Will you please saý if I’ll be allowed to touch the computer?
Receptionist : Certainly you will not only be allowed, you will be asked to handle computers from the second week onwards.
Sunita: What fees do you çhar.gefor the courses?
Receptionist: Two thousand rupees for Windows. For the other courses it will be slightly higher.
Sunita: Can I pay the fees on installments ‘?‘
Receptionist: You can pay it in monthly installments.
Sunita: When do you start the course?
Receptionist: Next week, you can rightly join away.
Sunita: Thank you. Good night Madam, (leave-talking)

Activity- 16
The Dialogue Writing

Write a dialogue on superstition between two friends, one of them very progressive and scientific in outlook and the other very conservative. You may find the expressions, useful while writing the dialogue.
I think that _________ I’m not sure that ____________
In my opinion ___________ May be __________
I would say that __________ Some paople would say that __________
As far as l’m concerned __________ Perhaps it s a, question of ___________

Answer:
Ramesh : Hello, Paresh, how are you?.
Paresh : Fine, thank you, How are you?
Ramesh : Veiy well,-thank you. Did you go to New Delhi last month ?
Paresh : Oh, no Ramesh, I saw an evil omen just when I was leaving home for Delhi.
Ramesh : Evil omen 1 ‘What’s it ?
Paresh : A black cat. It crossed the way before me when I just started my journey. I’d to cancel my tour. My parents also suggested doing that.
Ramesh : Do you really believe that cats an evil omen?
Paresh : Ves; I do. I think that cats spoil a journey.
Ramesh : But, ¡n my opinion, cats are never a sign of evil.
Paresh : Why do you conceive of such a believe?
Ramesh : I’d say that they are normal natural beings. They are neither evil nor auspicious.
Paresh : But some people would say that cats are dangerous creatures. They spoil jourñcy.
Ramesh : As far as I’m concerned I don’t have a negative attitude to these simple creatures. May be old people had a superstitious notion about them. But time has changed, you knowpèople have cats for their pets, they also carty cats with them when they go on journey. Their journeys are not spoiled. Do you know a young màn was 3topped going to Delhi by his mother to appear at the viva voce test of the civil service examination following the appearance of a cat. He left home and topped the list of the LAS. candidates.
Paresh : Thank you, Hope to see ,again Good bye.

Extra Activity – 16(A)]
All, every and whole

A. All, every body/every one.
We do not normally use all to mean every body/every one.
Ex.
Every body enjoyed the party ( not all enjoyed……)
But note that we say all of us/you/them not every body of
Ex.
All of us enjoyed the party.

B. All and every thing.
Ex: I’ll do all I can to help or I’ll do everything

C. ‘Every/everybody/every one/every thing” are singular words which take singular verbs.
Ex:
1. Every seat in the theatre was taken.
2. Every bddy has arrived.
But we often use ‘they/them/their after everybody/everyone.
Ex:
Everybody said they enjoyed themselves.

D. ‘All’ and ‘whole’ ”
Whole = complete/entire
It’s use singular countable nouns.
Ex:
1. Did you read the whole book ?
2. She lived her whole life in Scotland.

E. ‘Every / all / whole’ with time expansion:
We use ‘every’ to say how often something happens.
Ex:
1. We went to the beach everyday.
2. There’s a bus every ten minutes.

Each’ and ‘Every’

A. Each and every are similar in meaning.
Ex:
Each time (-every time) I see you, you look different. But sometimes, there is a difference between the two, we use each, when w.e think of things separately one by one.
Ex:
Study each sentence carefully (= study sentences one by one) But ‘every’ is used with the things in a group.
Ex:
Every sentence must have a verb (= all sentences). ‘Each’ not ‘every’ can be used for two things.
Ex:
1. In a football match, each team has 11 players.
2. There is a bus every ten minutes.

B. ‘Each’ can be used in the middle and at the end of a sentence:
Ex:
1. The students were each given a book.
2. These oranges cost one rupee each.

C. ‘Everyone’and ‘every one’ ‘Everyone’ is used only for people. Every one both people and things.
Ex:
1. Every one enjoyed the party.
2. He’s invited to lots of parties and he goes to every one.

Both/Both of, neither/neither of, either/ either of.

A. We use ‘both/rather/either’! for two things. You canuse these words with a noan (both books, either books etc.)
Ex
1. Both restaûrant are vety good.
2. Neither restaurant is expensive.
3. We can go to either restaurant.

B. Both of …………………………./neither of …………………/either Of …………………

When you use these expressions you need the ………………../these ……………………/ those …………………… / any/your/his/them etc.
1. Both of these restaurants are very good.
2. Neither of the restaurant was expensive.
3. I haven’t been to either of the restaurants. We can use both of/neither off either of- us/you/them.
Ex:
1. Can either of you špeak Spanish.
2. I asked to people the way to the station but neither of them

C. You can ue b to/neither/eIther alone.
I. Which of these shirts do you like? ‘Hike both.
2. Is your friend British or American? ‘Neither’
3. ‘Do you like tea or coffee’? ‘ Either will do.

D. Both.L0…and……..
Ex:
Both Tom and Ann were late. 1%Telther……..no r…….
Ex:
Neither Liza nor Robin came to the party.
Either……..or……..
Ex:
I’m not sure where he’s from
He’s either Spanish or Italian.

E. Compare ‘either/netherfboth’ (two things) and any/none! all’ (more than two).
Ex
1. There are two good hotels in the town. You can stayåt either of them.
2. We tried two hotels. Neither of them had any rooms/Both of them were full.
3. There are many good hotels in the town. You can stay at any of them.
4. We tried a lot of hotels. None of them had any rooms/All of them were full.

New Superstitions for Old Summary in English

Section-C
Pre-reading Activity
In this section you will read an article by Margaret Mead, perhaps the best known American social scientist of the mid-20th century, who’wrote on social and ethical issues. This article bears the title “New Superstitions for Old”. Can you predict from die above title what the main points of the article could be ? and what is your definition of‘Superstition?
Now read the text-C (Part-one) quickly to cheque of your guesses are close to what Mead says.

Text-C
Part-One
By Margaret Mead Summary
Once upon a time, there is a time when everything seems to run smoothly and even , tire riskiest venture conies out exactly right and one demands that it is one’s lucky day. And still as an after thought it is said “knock on wood”. Still boastful, you carry out the little protective ritual. If challenged you would probably say “Oh, that’s nothing just an old superstition.”

Most people now treat old folk beliefs as superstitions, for instance, lucky and unlucky days or numbers that future events can be read from omens, that there are protective charms or that what happens can be influenced by costing spells. Superstitions belonging to the category of beliefs Which have been deserted due to their inconsistency with scientific; knowledge. The salt spills, a knife falls on the floor, your nose tickles, the person who spilled the salt tosses a pinch in his left shoulder are the commonest form of superstitions.

There are many other superstitions for which people had developed a strong sense of attraction. Superstition is used with another meaning on the religious line. In civilised religions, where membership include believers who are educated and urban and others traditions and practices.

Analytical outlines of the Text.

• Once upon a time, every thing seems to run smoothly.
• Even the riskiest venture comes out exactly right.
• According to one’s demand, it is his lucky day.
• As an after thought, it is said, “knock on word.
• We carry out the little protective ritual boastfully.
• We probably say, “Oh, that’s nothing just an old superstition”.
• Most people now treat old folk beliefs as superstitions.
• There are lucky and unlucky days or numbers.
• The future events can be read from omens.
• There are protective charms.
• The happening can be influenced by . costing spells.
• In religion, truth can’t be demonstrated.
• It becomes a matter of faith in religion.
• Superstitions belong to the category of beliefs.
• It also belongs to the category of practices and ways of thinking.
• These have been discarded.
• Because, they are inconsistent with scientific knowledge.
• It is easy to say that other people are superstitious.
• Because they believe what we regard to be untrue.
• In fact, even in most sophisticated home, we find the memory of some old fold belief.
• There are many commonest forms of superstitions.
• The salt spills, a knife falls to the floor are some of them.
• Even tickles of nose, some one recites the old rhyme, gentleman calls etc. are others.
• The person who spills the salt tosses a pinch over his left shoulder as a common form of superstition.
• “As you rub your nose you think” is the commonest one.
• There are many other superstitions for which people had developed a strong sense of attraction. ,
• Superstition can also be used with
• Do they really have a religion or it is all just superstition.
• This happens as we always follow traditions and practices.
• The more sophisticated of them will dismiss off hand as ‘just superstition’.
• But that guides the steps of those who live by older days.
• Actually, these are very ancient beliefs.
• These hand on from one religion to another.
• These carried from country to country around the world.

Meaning of difficult Words:
smoothly – easily, conveniently, uninterruptedly.
after thought – thought following or coming after.
ward off – discard, liberate from, avoid, irrwnune, be free from.
omens – presage, sign or symbol of something unknown.
spell – enchantment, impact, influence cast on somebody.
demonstrate – manifest, to give proof, to exhibit, ShOW with examples or practice.
discard – refuse, reject, throw away set aside.
inconsistent – having no bearing or relevance with anything in the context.
sophisticated – real, polished, civilised,aristocratic.
evoke – call out, inspire, excite awaken in the mind.
Tickle – to amuse, to excite to touch lightly.
toss – to fling, be flung up, moves and passes over the shoulder.
defensible – formidable. protectable, resistible.

Section – C
Part-Two
Pre-reading Activity
You will presently proceed to read the second part of Text-C. But before going to the second part, can you predict which of the following sentences would begin the first paragraph of this part of Text-C ? (Reiad the last sentence of Text-C (part-one) and decide.
a) Over time, more and more of lip has become subject to the control of knowledge.
b) Superstitions have some of the qualities , of those traditional objects.
c) Those old half-beliefs and new half-‘ beliefs reflect the keenness of our wish to have something come true or prevent something bad from happening.
d) Very commonly, people associate superstition with the past with very old ways of thinking that have been supplemented by modem knowledge.
e) Child psychologists recognise the value of the toy a child holds in his hand at bed time.
Your answer: a/b/c/d/e
Discuss with a friend of yours what made you think that your choice among these five sentences would be sight. Now read part- two of the text to check if your prediction regarding the first sentence of Part-Two was right and to answer the following two focusing questions:
a) What are ‘traditional’ objects ? How does Mead relate them to superstitions ?
b) Why , have many superstitions disappeared ?

Text-C
Part-Two
Summary
Superstition is commonly associated with the past and with very old ways of thinking that have been supplanted by modern knowledge. New superstitions are also coming in and making its hold, mothers warn their children of not to run into the sun. Elderly people explain that “it was the virus that, got him down”. The cosmetic industry every year offers new magic cure for baldness, lotions that will give, every women radiant skin, hair colouring that will restore to the middle aged the charm and romance of youth results that are promised of the simple directions are rightly followed.

Private superstitions like leaving house by the back door or one must wear a green dress while taking an examination. These old and new half-beliefs reflect the keenness of our wish to have something come true or to prevent something bad from happening. The old superstitions are more honoured than the new ones because the former the old faiths match our present hopes and fears.’Child psychologists recognize the value of the toy a child hold in his hand at bed time. Psychologists call such toys “transitional objects” which help the child move back and forth between the executions of everyday life and the world of wish and dream.

Superstitions have some of the qualities of those transitional objects. They help people pass between the areas of life where what happens has to be accepted without proof and the areas where sequences of events are explicable in terms of cause and effect based on knowledge. But modern approaches in science and technology have made the superstitions disappear. If we are to make good use of this knowledge, we must not only rid our minds of old,.superseded beliefs and fragments of magical practice, but also recognise new superstitions for what they are.

Analytical outlines of the Text:

• Superstition is commonly associated with the past.
• It is also associated with the very old ways of thinking.
• These have been supplemented by modern knowledge.
• New superstitions are also coming in and making its hold gradually.
• One of a such superstition is that mothers warn their children not to run into the sun.
• Elderly people explain that it was the virus that got him down.
• The cosmetic industry every year offers new magic course for baldness and lotions.
• It will give every woman a radiant skin and hair colouring.
• It will restore to the middle aged the charm and romance of youth.
• It rightly followed to private superstitions like leaving house by the back door.
• Another such superstition is one must wear a green dress while taking an examination.
• These old and new half-beliefs reflect the keenness of our wish to have something come true.
• These also prevent something bad from happening.
• The old superstitions are more honoured than the new ones.
• Because, the old faiths match our present hopes and fears. ,
• Child psychologists recognize the value of the toy a child hold in his hand at bed time.
• Psychologists call such toys ‘transitional objects’.
• This helps the child move back and forth between the exactions of everyday life and the world of wish and dream.
• Superstitions have some of the qualities of these transitional objects.
• They help people pass between the areas of life.
• The happening object one accepted without proof.
• The sequences of events are explicable in terms of cause and effect based on knowledge.
• But modern approaches in science and technology have made the superstitions disappear.
• We can make good use of this knowledge.
• We can an idea old superseded beliefs and fragments of magical practices from our minds.
• This knowledge also helps to recognise : new superstitions.

Meaning of difficult words:
supplanted – replaced, planted, installed, flourished.
continually – continuously, progressing
cosmetics – purporting to improve beauty, cream, powder and other things used on skin to make it radiant.
keenness – intensity, acuteness, eagerness, deep and ardent interest.
psychologists – experts in the working of mind.
furry – furious, violent, dangerous, hannful.
cozy – pleasant, comfortable,
interesting, relishing exactions – demand and compel, payment of.
explicable – expressible, explainable, bacteria and .viruses – living organism that cause diseases in human body
symptoms – Sign, characteristics of something.
malign – definable, slanderous, harmful malevolent, dangerous, corrosive,
antibiotics – medicine used against bacteria and viruses to cure oneself from a disease.
superseded beliefs – beliefs overpowered and neglected.
fragments – parts, piecqs broken off, segments.
generated – created, formed, made originated, produced.
grasped – comprehend, understand caught thoroughly, (meaning)

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• Text A: The Telephone Question Answer
• Text B: Saturday Morning Violence Question Answer
• Text C: New Superstitions for Old Question Answer
• Text D: Burnout Question Answer

Odisha State Board CHSE Odisha Class 11 Approaches to English Book 1 Solutions Unit 3 Text D: Burnout Textbook Activity Questions and Answers.

Class 11th Alternative English Chapter 12 Burnout Question Answers CHSE Odisha

Burnout Class 11 Questions and Answers

Activity – 17
Understanding Text Organization

In column ‘A’the eight paragraphs of the articles are numbered serially. In column B, there’s a list of titles for the paragraphs. Choose the best title for each paragraph from the. list and write the title letter next to the paragraph number. Notice that ‘there are eleven titles in column B, but you will need only eight to the paragraph 1 number. Notice there are eleven titles in column B, but you will need only eight.

A		B
paragraph	1	a) College Students
	2	b) The quick break
	3	c) Despair
	4	d) Phýsical illness
	5	e) Not only At work
	6	f) Stage2
	7	g) ‘Dealing with burnout
	8	h) Lastingand universal
		I) Stage-l
		j) Why does burnout happens
		k) Who suffers from burnout?

Answer:

A		B
paragraph	1	g) ‘Dealing with burnout
	2	a) College Students
	3	d) Phýsical illness
	4	f) Stage2
	5	c) Despair
	6	e) Not only At work
	7	b) The quick break
	8	k) Who suffers from burnout?

Activity-18

Find words or phrases in the text that corresponds to the meaning given below:

Question (a)
In paragraph-2
i) a second-year student.
ii) business that Is not government-run
Answer:
(i) second-year student.

Question (b)
In paragraph-3
i) evidence of a disease
ii) energy
Answer:
ii)energy

Question (c)
In paragraph5& 6
i) child beating
ii) many
Answer:
i) child beating

Question (d)
In the last paragraph
i) make the problem seem unimportant.
ii) things that will soon disappear.
Answer:
make the problem seem unimportant

Activity-19
Inferring

This activity asks you to use your knowledge of the world to infer the facts in the text and answer the following questions:

Question (a)
What expectations do you think human service agency workers have trouble with? (Paragraph-1)
Answer:
Burnout happens to be the trouble with human service agency workers. It comes when expectations of jobs, careers, marriages or lines and the reality experienced is less than expectations.

Question (b)
What is special1 about five? (Paragraph-4)
Answer:
When it is about five, workers seem to be coming like a butterfly out of a cocoon. These voices tilt and they are spontaneous when they walk out of the office.

Question (c)
Why can being the parent of a . teenager lead to burnout? (Paragraph -6)
Answer:
The dissatisfaction of parents with their teenage children leads to burnout.

Question (d)
Why is the quick break called a “low-risk” strategy? (Paragraph-7)
Answer:
“The quick break” is called a Mow-risk’ strategy because of lowering expectations of work or redefining its meaning.

Activity-20
Cohesive Devices: Reference

In Activity 6 and 10 of this unit, you have practiced relating reference words to their referents. Here is another activity on making connections which you can practice by giving the meaning, the meaning of each italicized word or phrase in the text.
a) Accompanying that is “lots of clocks- witching ______________”.
b) They are highly burned out as parents (Paragraph – 5) ”
c) ______________” the syndrome can occur in any of the multiple roles. (Paragraph -6)
d) ______________” make it lose its meaning (Paragraph – 8)
e) ” ______________” many women knew t;o if (Paragraph – 8)
Answer:
a) cocoon phenomenon.
b) parents.
c) syndrome of burnout.
d) burnout.
e) work.

Extra Activity – 20 (A)
Language Work-I

Vocabulary:
A.i) The jumbled up words in column B, bear the meaning of the Words in column A; Find out the words which are synonymous with the words in column A in the text.

Column ‘A’	Column ‘B’
hallo	subject to
holly	destruction on
silently	not deep
indestructible	sacred
lazy	not loudly
worthless	very unhappy
twinkling	be or have enough
discontent	idle
suffice	useless
vessel	dissatisfaction
distressed	shining
created	ship
dwell	looking air in
inhalation	praise
presérved	dive
admiration	made
	conserved

Answer:
sallow – not deep
holy – sacred
silently – not loudly
indestructible – not subject to destruction
lazy – idle
worthless – useless
twinkling – shining
discontent – dissatisfaction
suffice – be or have enough
vessel – ship
distressed – very unhappy
created – made
dwell – live
inhalation – taking air in
preserved – conserved
admiration – praise

ii) Supply antonyms to the following words in the text:
fast – fill
knowledge – arrival
equal – quietly
finished – followed
everywhere – inwardly
raised – secret
precious – invulnerable
pure – abetted
appeared – release
sorrows – firm
believe – forward
doubt – accepted
former – impatiently
incredible – blessing
enemies – beautiful
attractive – clear
hope – reject
pleasure – despise
brief – despair
longer
natural
appearance

Answer:
fast – slow
knowledge – ignorance
equal – unequal
finished – unfinished
everywhere – nowhere
raised – lowered
precious – base
pure – impure
appeared – disappeared
sorrow – pleasure
believe – disbelieve
doubt – faith
former – latter
incredible – credible
enemies – friends
attractive – unattractive, repulsive
hope – hopeless, despair
pleasure – pain, sorrow
brief – detailed, elaborate
fill – empty.
arrival – departure
quietly – loudly
followed – preceded
inwardly – outwardly
secret – open
invulnerable – vulnerable
abated – aggravated
release – hold up, captivate
firm – infirm, loose
forward-backward
accepted – rejected
impatiently – patiently
blessing – curse
beautiful – ugly
clever – foolish, blockhead
reject – accept
despise – love
despair – hope
longer – shorter
natural – artificial, unnatural
appearance – disappearance

iii) Derive noun from the following verbs in the text:
learn – relate
condemn – bath
enlighten – rub
begin – receive
think – include
mean – achieve
strive – strike
modify – rob
pay – give
part – please
obey – live
appear – possess
kneel – incline
invite – separate
recognize – depart
hesitate – annoy
enter – threaten
persuade

Answer:
learn – learning
condemn – condemnation
enlighten – enlightenment
begin – beginning
think – thought
mean – meaning
strive – strife
modify – modification
pay – payment
part – parting
obey – obedience
appear – appearance
kneel – knee
invite – invitation
recognize – recognition
hesitate – hesitation
enter – entrance
relate – relation
bathe – bath
rub – rubber
receive – receipt, reception
include – inclusion
achieve – achievement
strike – stroke
rob – robber
give – gift
please – pleasure
live – life
possess – possession
incline – inclination
separate – separation
depart – departure
annoy – annoyance
threaten – threat
persuade – persuasion

iv) Derive nouns from the following objectives in the text:
cheerful – joyous
childish – conscious
intense – superior
supply – endure
comfortable – sweet
rich – horrified
exceptional – sad
eternal – senseless
tired – mental
forgetful – necessary
watchful – foolish
impatient – hungry
clever – confused
heavy – holy
silent – divine
acquisitive – important
indulgent – individualistic
passionate – dangerous
oppressive – loud
poor – dead
serious – gentle
weary – strong
concealed – severe
grace – good
entire – difficult
near – perplex

Answer:
cheerful – cheer
childish – child
intense. – intensity
supple – suppleness
comfortable – comfort
rich – richness
exceptional – exception’ r
eternal – eternity
tired – tiredness
forgetful – forgetfulness
watchful – watchfulness
impatient – impatience
clever – cleverness
intellectual – intellect
heavy – heaviness
silent – silence
acquisitive – acquisition
indulgent – indulgence
passionate – passion
oppressive – oppression
poor – poverty
serious – seriousness
weary – weariness
concealed – concealment
gracious – grace
entire – entirely
near – nearness
joyless – joy
conscious – consciousness
superior – superiority
endure – endurance
sweet – sweetness
horrified – horror
sad – sadness
senseless – sense
mental – mind
necessary – necessity
foolish – foolishness
hungry – hunger
weak – weakness
confused – confusion
holy – holiness
divine – divinity
important – importance
individualistic – individual
dangerous – danger
loud – loudness
dead – death
gentle – gentleness
strong – strength
severe – severity
good – goodness
difficult – difficulty
perplex – perplexity

Burnout Summary in English

Section- D
Text-D

Here is a short article about a common psychological problem caused by life in the modern world read it carefully stopping to think.
i) What “Burnout” really means.
ii) What its three stages are, and
iii) If you have seen any example (s) of ‘burnout’.

Summary
Michael Lauderdale, Director of the ‘University of Texas School of Social Work’s Research Centre, who started studying burnout 10 years ago says about school teachers and full-time housewives with children at home. He believes that burnout comes when we have expectations of our jobs, careers, marriages, or lives and the reality we are experiencing is less than our expectations. People haven’t greater expectations now than in past. the author divides the symptoms of burnout into three stages.

First is confusion. The worker may have the voice of general complaints, chronic backaches, headaches, or colds. A worker may lose his sense of humor. He may seem inattentive in a discussion because of the list of things to do running through his mind; Moderate burnout is characterized by more illness and absenteeism in which workers seem to have gray faces at 3 p.ni. in the office, but after 5 p.m., it’s like a butterfly coming out of a cocoon which is a result of people compartmentalizing their lives.

Burnout in the third stage is termed despair. A person pulls into a shell and minimizes, work and social contacts as much as possible. There is depression and crying, an increase in drinking, risk-taking, and drugs. People can learn to improve their skills at recognizing burnout and at doing something about it. Lauderdale suggests. It is thought men suffer more than women, but I think men may have, more burnout on the job, while women get burned out on family life.

Analytical outlines of the Text

• Michael Lauderdale is the director of the University of Texas School of Social Work’s Research Centre.
• He started studying burnout ten years ago.
• He started his study about school teachers and full-time house wives with children at home.
• He has marked that school teachers and full-time housewives with children at home are among the highest-risk groups.
• They, usually, suffer from burnout.
• According to him, burnout comes when the reality is less than our expectations.
• It happens in the case of our jobs, careers, marriages, or lives.
• People haven’t greater expectations now than in the past.
• The author divides the symptoms of burnout into three stages.
• The first one is confusion.
• The worker may have the voice of general complaints, chronic backaches, headaches, or colds.
• A worker may lose his sense of humor.
• He may seem inattentive in a discussion.
• It happens because of the list of things to do running through his mind.
• Moderate burnout is characterized by more illness and absenteeism.
• The workers seem to have gray faces. at 3 p.m. in the office.
• But after 5 p.m. it’s like a .butterfly coming out of the cocoon.
• It happens due to people compartmentalizing their lives.
• Burnout in the third stage is termed despair.
• A person pulls into a shell and minimizes. work and social contacts as much as possible.
• There is depression and crying an increase in drinking risk-taking and drugs.
• People can learn to improve their skills at recognizing burnout and at doing something about it.
• Lauderdale suggests that it is thought men suffer more than women.
• Men may have more burnout on the job.
• Actually, women get burned rut in family life.

Meaning of difficult words
burnout – feeling fatigued or tired, being extinguished,
expectations – hopes and aspirations, wishes and desires,
ambiguity – uncertain, doubtful, obscure, strange.
Sophomore – A person in his second year at a four-year college,
vanish – disappears, and goes away immediately.
pep – quickness, activity, interest, a new base of life and spirit.
cocoon – a shell fabricated by oneself.
syndrome – symptoms of an illness appear prominent.
teenager – a boy’s or girl’s age from thirteen to nineteen.
trivialize – reduces to small pieces, decrease the: size, make small and 1šs.
cautions – heedruhlesg warning, security warns of danger.

Read More:

• Text A: The Telephone Question Answer
• Text B: Saturday Morning Violence Question Answer
• Text C: New Superstitions for Old Question Answer
• Text D: Burnout Question Answer

Odisha State Board CHSE Odisha Class 11 Approaches to English Book 1 Solutions Unit 1 Text B: Make me a child again, Just for tonight Textbook Activity Questions and Answers.

Class 11th Alternative English Chapter 2 Make me a child again, Just for tonight Question Answers CHSE Odisha

Make me a child again, Just for tonight Class 11 Questions and Answers

Activity – 5

Getting the Main Idea:
Complete the following sentence in your own words to state the central idea of the above selection :
Adults would learn ________________
if they _________________________
and if they ______________________

Activity – 6

Understanding The Title:
Go back to the text and answer the following questions:
(a) Why does the author want to become a child again?
Answer:
Childhood is the best period of learning. Children learn quicker and better than adults. Adults encounter a large number of problems and difficulties in learning. Hence, the author wants to become a child again.

(b) And why “just for tonight”.
Answer:
The author talks about the learning by the adults in the evening colleges at night. Since it is difficult for adults to learn and children are prone to learn things easily, the author wants to become a child again for tonight.

(c) What, according to Stern, are the points of contrast between the learning of children and that of adults?
Answer:
Children:
(1) Children are fast learners.
(2) Children are fast learners.
(3) They have, less responsibilities in life.
(4) They get delight in the discovery of * new words, ideas etc.
(5) In an unhappy situation, children may quickly acquire the habit of lying.
(6) They provide enthusiastic curiosity to both teachers and parents.
(7) They have not too much demands in study.
Adults:
1) Adults are very slow learners.
2) They are timid or fearful to questions.
3) They have much responsibilities in life.
4) They do not have much delight in the discovery of new words, ideas etc.
5) In an unhappy situation, adults may not quickly acquire the habit of lying.
6) They don’t provide enthusiastic curiosity to both teachers and parents.
7) They have too much demands in study.

Extra Activity – 6(A)

Question 1.
How does the writer justify that childhood is such a difficult time of life?
Answer:
In fact, childhood is held as the difficult time of life, for this reason, there are child-guidance associations, child study clinics, child psychologists, child-centered homes and many other institutions for this purpose.

Question 2.
Why does the author say that adults are handicapped as students?
Answer:
The author is of the view that adults are handicapped as students because they are no longer patient listners. They have also forgotten how to make use of their teachers who can give a ready knowledge of tilings.

Question 3.
What views do the evening college administrators put forth?
Answer:
The evening college administrators are of the opinion that adult experience is a priceless commodity in the classroom for both teacher and students. But experience does not only count. Attitude is equally important.

Question 4.
What is the role of motivation in learning?
Answer:
Motivation is a powerful driving force which propel in learning things. Children easily make use of it. But the adult students do not have that motivation in them.

Activity -7

Usage:
(a) Study how the following expressions have been used in Text-B and guess their meanings. The number of the paragraph in which each of these expressions occur is given against each within square brackets.

(i)	afford to	[2]
(ii)	be wedded to	[5]
(iii)	on the other -hand	[6]
(iv)	by and large	[6]
(v)	be equipped with	[7]
(vi)	take pride in	[11]
(vii)	not only…. but…	[11]

Answer:
(i) afford to – spare or find enough time or money for, run a risk by doing something.
(ii) be wedded to – devoted to, unable to give up.
(iii) on the other hand – on the contrary.
(iv) by and large – on the whole, taking everything into consideration.
(v) be equipped with – supply (a person, oneself, a ship, etc.) (with what is need, for a purpose)
(vi) take pride in – having some pride about somebody or something.
(vii) not only but also – both… and

(b) In the conversation between Meera and Sonali below, fill in the blanks with appropriate forms of the suitable expressions from the above list.

Meera: Hi, Sonali, how are you?
Sonali: Hi, I’m fine, how are you?
Meera: Fine, Sonali, are you coming to the Bollywood concert tonight?
Sonali: I’m sorry, I can’t buy a ticket for the concert. I have not got money enough to pay my mess bills for this month.
Meera: Would you mind sharing my complimentary pass? It will admit me you too.
Sonali: Thank you very much for this, friendly gesture. Do you know who will conduct the opera?
Meera: Oh, yes, Haven’t you heard of Pandit Ravi Shankar? The whole country this great Indian musicians accomplishments.
Sonali: Oh, it would be wonderful then. Will it be a botheration for you to pick me up on your way to the concert?
Meera: Not at all it’ll be a pleasure. See you then.
Sonali: Goodbye, Meera.
Answer:
Meera: Hi, Sonali, how are you?
Sonali: Hi, I’m fine, how are you?
Meera: Fine, Sonali, are you coming to the Bollywood concert tonight?
Sonali: I’m sorry, I can’t afford to buy a ticket for the concert. I haven’t got money enough to pay my mess bills for this month.
Meera: Would you mind sharing my complimentary pass? It will admit not only me but also you too.
Sonali: Thank you very much for this friendly gesture. Do you know who will conduct the opera?
Meera: Oh, yes, Haven’t you heard of Pandit Ravi Shankar? The whole country take pride in this great Indian musician’s accomplishments.
Sonali: Oh, it would be wonderful then. Will it be a botheration for you to pick me up on your way to the concert? Meera: Not at all on the other hand it’ll a pleasure. See you then.
Sonali: Goodbye, Meera.

Extra Activity – 7(A)
(a) Question tags are short questions that are tagged with the statements in order to seek opinion from the listener. However, positive statements take negative tags and negative statements take positive tags.

It is hot now, isn’t it?
He is here, isn’t he?
They reached in time, didn’t they?
We made a plan, didn’t we?
It is not hot now, is it?
You are not my friend, aren’t you?

(b) Negative statements without ‘not’.
None of the boys can do it, can they? He saw no one there, did he?

(c) Negativisers (little, few, hardly, scarcely, rarely, seldom, etc.) Sentences with these items are negative in meaning.
Hence, they take positive tags.
Few boys were present, we aren’t they?
He has little knowledge about the matter, hasn’t he?
He has already any money, has he?
Then scarcely comes here, do they?
My friends rarely make a quarrel, do they?
He seldom speaks English, does he?

(d) Imperatives:
Open the door, will you?
Shut your mouth, will you?
Don’t go there, will you?

(e)’Let’ sentence:
Let’s go, shall we?
Let’s dig a well, shall we?

(f) Subject for nobody, somebody, everybody, we use ‘they’ in tag question.
Nobody phoned, did they?
Somebody helped her, didn’t they?
Everybody can’t do it, can they?

(g) ‘I am’ takes a question tag, aren’t I?
I am innocent, aren’t I?
I am happy, aren’t I?
I am regular, aren’t I?

Discussion of Text-B :
Read the Text-B once again this time slowly and notice the pattern Mr. Stem has followed in presenting his central idea which may be stated as follows :

“Adults would learn faster and more easily if they reacted the way children do, and if they had the same purpose and drive that motivated their own learning when they were children.”

You can use the glossary following activity 6 while reading the text slowly to understand how its parts are related. Before preceding further, you must go through Text- B. If you have finished your second reading of Text-B, you can read the following discussion of its structure.

An Overview of the Structure of Text B:
Paragraph (1-2): Two lines from a poem lead to a discussion of childhood and function as a spring bird to the central idea.

Paragraph (3): One part of the central idea is explicitly stated- “adults in evening classes would learn faster and more easily if they reached’ the way children do.”

Paragraph (4): A transition has been affected through an invitation to the reader to notice the difference between the way children learn and they way adults learn.

Paragraph (5-8): First part of the elaboration of the central theme contrast between children and adults in respect of attitudes and habits. ^

Paragraph (9): The last sentence of paragraph-8, is the form of a question and the answer to that question in paragraph 9 serves as transition to paragraph 10.

Paragraph (10-17): Second part of the. elaboration of the .central idea- “adults, if they wish to learn as effectively as the children do, should have the same purposiveness and drive that motivated learning in childhood.”

Paragraph (18-19): The central idea is restated and then to notice the pattern the author is using in presenting his or her thinking

Learning to grasp the structure of a text as you read is not easy. But with every text you practice on, you will become a little surer, a little better, you can test your ability to grasp the central idea of a text and to understand the relationship between its parts when you come to Text-C in the next section.

Section – C

Pre-reading Activity:
Text-C, which follows, is by Mera Welynski, a freelance writer who attended a small private school in New York City. In confessions of ‘Misspent Youth’ an article published in Newsweek magazine in 1976. She contrasts her progressive education with the basic education of traditional schools.

Add question tags to the following statements :
1. Come my boy.
2. He will be late.
3. He had played well.
4. You aren’t busy now.
5. She was dancing fine.
6. He only can do it.
7. Everybody had it.
8. He cut a tree.
9. Pradeep would do it.
10. I have a pen.
11. Shut the door.
12. Few people can do it.
13. He had a bad experience.
14. A few boys were present.
15. There is a cow.
16. He has a long journey to cover.
17. That is mine.
18. It rains in July.
19. Let’s have picnic.
20. Man is mortal.
21. A cow is a domestic animal.
22. He rarely comes here.
23. Come at once.
24. I am not a poet.
25. Please do it.
26. Stop going there.
27. She made all possible.
28. Read every day.
29. You needn’t do it.
30. The place was isolated.
31. He can’t lift it.
32. She is ten years old.
33. You must do it.
34. Nothing went wrong.
35. He hardly drinks tea.
36. He never drinks coffee.
37. He used to wear a coat.
38. Rana does not play cricket.
39. Sita does the work.
40. You’d like a drink.
Answer:

1. Come my boy, will you?
2. He will be late, won’t he?
3. He had played well, hadn’t he?
4. You aren’t busy now, are you?
5. She was dancing fine, wasn’t she?
6. He only can do it, can he?
7. Everybody had it, hadn’t they?
8. He cut a tree, didn’t he?
9. Pradeep would do it, wouldn’t he?
10. I have a pen, haven’t I.
11. Shut the door, will you?
12. Few people can do it, can they?
13. He had a bad experience, didn’t he?
14. A few boys were present, were they?
15. There is a cow, isn’t there?
16. He has a long journey to cover, doesn’t he?
17. That is mine, isn’t that
18. It rains in July, doesn’t it?
19. Let’s have a picnic, shall we?
20. Man is mortal, isn’t he?
21. A cow is a domestic animal, isn’t it?
22. He rarely comes here, doesn’t he?
23. Come at once, will you?
24. I am not a poet, am I?
25. Please do it, will you?
26. Stop going there, will you?
27. She made all possible, didn’t she?
28. Read every day, will you? ,
29. You needn’t do it, need you?
30. The place was isolated, wasn’t it?
31. He can’t lift it, can he?
32. She is ten years old, isn’t she?
33. You must do it, mustn’t you?
34. Nothing went wrong, did it?
35. He hardly drinks tea, does he?
36. He never drinks coffee, does he?
37. He used to wear a coat, did he?
38. Rana does not play cricket, does he?
39. Sita does the work, doesn’t he?
40. You’d like a drink, wouldn’t you?

Make me a child again, Just for tonight Summary in English

“Backward turn backward,
O Time, in your flight.
Make me a child again just for
tonight.”

The above lines appear in Elizabeth Akers Allen’s poem “Rock Me to Sleep, Mother”. Childhood is held at the high esteem as a pivotal period. We have child guidance associations, child study clinics, child psychologists and child centered homes. These can make childhood endurable for infants. Actually, it is true that children usually learn faster than adults. But on the other hand, adults are very careful learners. Of course, they are more frightful than youngsters about asking questions. Adults are also shrouded with responsibilities. This obstructs him from learning. Adults have also a lot of bad habits unconsciously. Some adults have almost a compulsion to be ‘experts’ on every subject and others accept what that ‘experts’ say. Adults are also handicapped as students by the fact that they do not prove patient listeners.

According to evening college administrators, the adults experience in a priceless commodity in the classroom for both teachers and students. But experience is not all. Attitude is as important as experience. on each subject, Mature people need the enthusiasm and self-consciousness of the child in order to capitalize fully in the classroom on their life experience.

However, motivation is another fundamental and essential thing that takes place in learning with children. Children have a natural and built in motivation. They went to communicate and to be communicated with. They want mastery and power. They also want to understand and to be understood. But purpose does not operate in such an automatic and instinctive way wi the adult students in evening classes. If an adult student does not speak English well and he wants a good job, then he should attend an evening college to improve his standard. This can be the actual way for him to fulfill his aim of life in a better and greater way.

Outlines of the passage :

• Childhood is held at the high esteem as a pivotal period.
• We have child guidance associations, child study clinics, child psychologists and child centered homes.
• These can make childhood endurable for infants.
• Actually, children usually learn faster than adults.
• But, adults are very careful learners.
• Again, they are more fearful than youngsters about asking questions.
• Adults are full of responsibilities.
• This disturbs his learning.
• Of course, adults have some bad habits.
• Some adults are compelled to be expert on each subject,
• Adults are not patient listeners.
• According to evening college administrator, the adults experience in a priced commodity.
• But experience is not all in all.
• Attitude is as important as experience.
• Mature people need the enthusiasm and self-consciousness of their child.
• Motivation is another, fundamental and essential thing in learning with children.
• Children have a natural and built-in motivation.
• They want to communicate and to be communicated.
• They want mastery and power.
• They also want to understand and to be understood.
• The purpose operates differently in case of adult students.
• An adult student who does not speak English well and wants a job should attend evening college.
• It can fulfill his aim of life.

Words meaning :

flight – noun form of fly, here passage of time.
modem standards – something used as a test or measure for qualities or for the required degree of, excellence.
inexcusably – unpardonably, that what can’t be excused.
sentimental – emotional, having to do with feeling.
inaccurate – inexact, improper, inadequate.
carefree – free from, affliction, anxiety, bondage.
solemn – grave, serious-looking,
extreme – highest degree, absolute, entire.
clinics – places were pathological tests and diagnosis of diseases are made.
psychologists – experts in psychology,
people having high proficiency in mental functioning, here of children.
endurable – lasts for a long time, lasting.
infants – children,
soap opera – a television drama serial about the happenings in the lives of a group of people.
scarcely – rarely, hardly, seldom.
Late Victorians – English people living towards the end of Queen Victoria’s reign. That is, in the last quarter of the 19th century, who had strict moral attitudes as well as sentimentality.
faster – quicker, speedier,
adults – grown-ups, mature men and women.
defense mechanism- the way of defending oneself to escape imminent problems.
contemporaries – belonging to the same time.
delight in – taking pleasure in.
curiosity – anxious to learn, inquisitiveness.
enormous – a large number of, plenty of, great deal of.
grasp – understand, comprehend
cautious – needful, careful, meticulous.
timid – coward, afraid, not boold enough
ridiculous – absurd, grotesque, unnatural, mocking.
handicapped – weak and disabled, disadvantaged.
shrugged off – dismiss something as not deserving attention as something trivial.
unconsciously – without awareness or sense.
equipped with – well furnished with, full of.
skeptical – inclined not to believe, in the habit of questioning the truth of claims, statements, etc. opposed to stoic.
oneself – consciousness- not worried about what other people think of oneself.
spontaneity – noun form of ‘spontaneous’, automatic flow.
subtle – delicate, soft, tender.
persuade – to, induce by argument, to convince.
omnipresent – the act of being present everywhere
mockery – jest, joke, ridicule, absurdity, etc.
obvious – clear, terse, succinct.
dissuade – opposed to persuade, distract.
egg-head – a person who is very intelligent and is interested only in theories and books.
cliche – an expression used so often.

Read More:

• Text A: Memories of Crossgates School Question Answer
• Text B: Make me a child again, Just for tonight Question Answer
• Text C: Confessions of a Misspent Youth Question Answer
• Text D: A Time to Think Question Answer

Odisha State Board CHSE Odisha Class 11 Invitation to English 2 Solutions Non-Detailed Chapter 2 After Twenty Years Textbook Exercise Questions and Answers.

Class 11th Invitation English Non-Detailed Chapter 2 After Twenty Years Question Answers CHSE Odisha

After Twenty Years Class 11 Questions and Answers

Unit – I

Gist:
One day, in a locality of New York a smart policeman was on the route doing patrol duty. The time was only 10 o’ clock at night. People in the streets had gone home early because of a drizzle and chilly weather. The majority of the houses in the locality were business places that were also closed early. The entire place was dark but a few lights were coming from a cigar store, an all-night hotel and one or two tailoring shops completing the day’s work. The policeman with his stalwart figure and smart movements was inspecting the closed doors as he went in the street.

Every now and then he was casting his watchful eyes here and there and was searching a man seriously. His boss had said him in the morning while giving the description of the man wanted : “Pale face, square jaws, deep and dark eyes and a little white scar near the right eyebrow.” He was ashamed that the name of the notorious criminal who Was printing counterfeit notes was not known to the Police Department. The criminal had fled away from Chicago and was moving in New York. The policeman had much confidence on himself and he felt pride of being a dutiful officer for the last eighteen years.

He had a feeling of luck with him as a debt. He had kept the reconstructed photograph of the criminal and a five-dollar note in his pocket which he looked at under a lamp-post. The policeman was in the habit of talking to himself when nobody was nearby. He suddenly looked at his watch and it was a quarter past ten. There was another thing in his mind. He hurried up to finish his duty. After a minute he saw a man standing near the doorway of a hardware store. He walked speedily to the man. He could not see the face of the man clearly as it was dark.

He was just going to address the man but suddenly changed his mind and waited the man to begin. The man, on the other hand, who thought to be looked suspicious in the eyes of the police started talking from his side. He said to the policeman that he was waiting for a friend with whom an appointment was made twenty years ago. Though it appears a little funny, he said to the policeman, it was the truth. About twenty years ago there was a restaurant where this store stands. Its name was ‘Brady’s Restaurant’. The policeman agreed to this and said it was changed into a store only in five years ago. The policeman had a chance to see the face of the man when he struck a match and lit a cigar.

ସାରାଂଶ :
ନିଉୟର୍କ ସହରର ଏକ ଗଳିରେ ସବୁଦିନ ଭଳି ଦିନେ ଜଣେ ପୋଲିସ୍ ପହରା ଦେଉଥିଲେ । ସମୟ ରାତ୍ରି ୧୦ଟା ହୋଇଥାଏ । ଲୋକମାନେ ସେଦିନ ଝିପିଝିପି ବର୍ଷା ଓ ଥଣ୍ଡା ଫେରି ଯାଇଥିଲେ । ପାଗ ଯୋଗୁଁ ସନ୍ଧ୍ୟା ସମୟରେ ବେଳାବେଳି ଗୃହକୁ ଦୋକାନ ଗୃହଗୁଡ଼ିକ ବନ୍ଦ ଥିଲା । ସ୍ଥାନଟି ପ୍ରାୟ ସେହ ଗଳିରେ ସେଦିନ ରାସ୍ତାକୁ ଲାଗିଥିବା ଅନ୍ଧକାରମୟ ଦିଶୁଥିଲା; କିନ୍ତୁ ଗୋଟିଏ ସିଗାରେଟ୍ ଷ୍ଟୋର, ଅହୋରାତ୍ର ଖୋଲାଥିବା ଏକ ହୋଟେଲ ଏବଂ ଗୋଟିଏ କିମ୍ବା ଦୁଇଟି ଦରଜି ଦୋକାନରୁ ଆଲୋକ ଆସୁଥୁଲୀ । ପୋଲିସ୍ ବାବୁଜଣକ ତାଙ୍କ ବଳିଷ୍ଠ ଚେହେରା ଓ କ୍ଷିପ୍ର ଗତି ବଳରେ ସେହି ଗଳିର ବନ୍ଦ ଦ୍ଵାରଗୁଡ଼ିକୁ ଅନୁସନ୍ଧାନ କରୁଥିଲେ ।

ବହୁ ସମୟରେ ସେ ତାଙ୍କର ତୀକ୍ଷ୍ଣଣ ଦୃଷ୍ଟିକୁ ଏଠି ସେଠି ନିକ୍ଷେପ କରୁଥିଲେ । ସେ ଜଣେ ଲୋକକୁ ଜରୁରୀ ଭାବରେ ଖୋଜୁଥିଲେ । ତାଙ୍କ ଉଚ୍ଚପଦସ୍ଥ ଅଫିସର ଆଜି ସକାଳେ ସେହି ଲୋକର ବର୍ଣ୍ଣନାରେ କହିଥିଲେ ‘ଲୋକଟିର ଶେତା ମୁଖମଣ୍ଡଳ, ବର୍ଗାକାର ମାଢ଼ି, ଗଭୀର ଓ କଳା ଆଖ୍ ଏବଂ ଡାହାଣ ଆସ୍ପତା ପାଖରେ ଏକ ଛୋଟ ଧଳା ଦାଗ ।’’ ଲୋକଟି ଜଣେ ବଡ଼ଧରଣର ଅପରାଧୀ ଥିଲା ଏବଂ ସେ ଚିକାଗୋରେ ଜାଲନୋଟ୍ ଛାପୁଥୁଲା । କିନ୍ତୁ ତାଙ୍କୁ ଲଜ୍ଜା ଲାଗୁଥିଲା କାରଣ ପୋଲିସ୍ ବିଭାଗକୁ ଏଭଳି ଏକ ଅପରାଧୀର ନାମ ଜଣା ନ ଥିଲା । ଏହି ଅପରାଧୀ ଜଣକ ଚିକାଗୋରୁ ଆସି ନିଉୟର୍କରେ ଥବର ସୂଚନା ମିଳିଥିଲା । ପୋଲିସ୍ ବାବୁଜଣଙ୍କର ନିଜ ଉପରେ ବହୁତ ବିଶ୍ୱାସ ଥିଲା ଏବଂ ସେ ଅଠର ବର୍ଷ ହେଲା ଜଣେ କର୍ତ୍ତବ୍ୟନିଷ୍ଠ ଅଫିସରଭାବେ କାର୍ଯ୍ୟ କରି ଆସିଥ‌ିବାରୁ ବହତୁ ଗର୍ବିତ ଥିଲେ । ତାଙ୍କ ସାଙ୍ଗରେ ଭାଗ୍ୟ ଏକ ଋଣ ଆକାରରେ ଅଛି ବୋଲି ସେ ଅନୁଭବ କରୁଥିଲେ ।

ସେ ତାଙ୍କ ପାଖରେ ଏକ ପାଞ୍ଚ ଡଲାର ନୋଟ୍ ଏବଂ ସେ ଅପରାଧୀର ଅଙ୍କା ଫଟୋ ରଖୁଥିଲେ ଏବଂ ସମୟ ସମୟରେ ତାକୁ ଦେଖୁଥିଲେ । ପୋଲିସ୍ ବାବୁଜଣକ କେହି ନ ଥିଲାବେଳେ ନିଜ ସହିତ କଥା ହେଉଥିଲେ । ହଠାତ୍‌ ହାତଘଣ୍ଟା ଉପରେ ନଜର ହେଉଥିଲେ । ହଠାତ୍ ହାତଘଣ୍ଟା ଉପରେ ନଜର ଗୋଟିଏ କଥା ମଧ୍ୟ ତାଙ୍କ ମନରେ ଥିଲା । ସେ ଶେଷ କରିବାପାଇଁ ତତ୍ପର ହୋଇଉଠିଲେ । କିଛି ସମୟ ପରେ ସେ ଦେଖ‌ିଲେ ଜଣେ ବ୍ୟକ୍ତି hardware ପୋଲିସ୍ ବାବୁଜଣକ କେହି ନ ଥିଲାବେଳେ ନିଜ ସହିତ କଥା ପକାଇ ଦେଖିଲେ ସମୟ ଦଶଟା ବାଜି ୧୫ ମିନିଟ୍ ହେଲାଣି । ଅନ୍ୟ ନିଜର କାର୍ଯ୍ୟକୁ ଶେଷ କରିବାପାଇଁ ତତ୍ପର ହୋଇଉଠିଲେ ।

କିଛି ସମୟ ପରେ ସେ ଦେଖ‌ିଲେ ଜଣେ ବ୍ୟକ୍ତି hardware ଦୋକାନ ଆଗରେ ଠିଆ ହୋଇଛନ୍ତି । ସେ ତାଙ୍କ ପାଖକୁ ଶୀଘ୍ର ଗଲେ, କିନ୍ତୁ ଅନ୍ଧାର ହେତୁ ସେ ତାଙ୍କ ମୁହଁ ଦେଖିପାରୁ ନ ଥିଲେ । ସେ ଲୋକଜଣକୁ କିଛି କହିବାକୁ ଚାହୁଁଥିଲେ; କିନ୍ତୁ ସଙ୍ଗେ ସଙ୍ଗେ ମନ ବଦଳାଇ ରହିଗଲେ । ଲୋକଜଣକ ନିଜକୁ ପୋଲିସ୍ ସନ୍ଦେହରୁ ମୁକ୍ତ କରିବାପାଇଁ ନିଜଆଡ଼ୁ କଥା ଆରମ୍ଭ କଲେ । ସେ ପୋଲିସ୍‌ବାବୁଙ୍କୁ କହିଲେ ସେ ଏଠି ଜଣେ ସାଙ୍ଗକୁ ଅପେକ୍ଷା କରିଛନ୍ତି ଯାହା ସହିତ ଆଜି ଦିନରେ ଭେଟ ହେବାପାଇଁ ୨୦ ବର୍ଷ ତଳେ ସେମାନେ କଥା ହୋଇଥିଲେ । କଥାଟା ବଡ଼ ମଜାଳିଆ ହେଲେ ବି ସତ୍ୟ ଥିଲା । ୨୦ ବର୍ଷ ତଳେ ଏହି ସ୍ଥାନରେ ଏକ ଭୋଜନାଳୟ ଥିଲା ଯାହାର ନାମ ଥିଲା Brady’s Restaurant । ପୋଲିସ୍ ବାବୁଜଣକ ତାଙ୍କ କଥାରେ ସମ୍ମତ ହେଲେ ଓ କହିଲେ ଏହି ପାଞ୍ଚ ବର୍ଷ ତଳେ ଏହାକୁ ଏକ ଷ୍ଟୋରରେ ପରିଣତ କରାଯାଇଛି । ଲୋକଟି ଠିକ୍ ଏହି ସମୟରେ ଦିଆସିଲି କାଠି ମାରି ସିଗାରେଟ୍ ଲଗାଇବାବେଳେ ପୋଲିସ୍ ଜଣଙ୍କ ତାଙ୍କ ମୁହଁ ସାମାନ୍ୟ ଦେଖୁ ପାରିଥିଲେ ।

Glossary:
wit (n): the ability to say or write things that are both clever and amusing She is a women of wit and intelligence.
wordplay: use of words (ଶବ୍ଦର ବ୍ୟବହାର) He makes better wordplay in his writings.
characterization: characters in a book or play seem real (ଖେଳ ବାସ୍ତବ ମନେହୁଏ). The success of the play depends much on its characterization.
surprise: unexpected event or happenings, a feeling of astonishment (ଆଶ୍ଚର୍ଯ୍ୟ) Her position in the top ten was a surprise in the last H.S.C. examination.
value: worth (ମୂଲ୍ୟ) We should better understand the value of life.
relationship: relation among people, friendship (ଲୋକମାନେ, ବନ୍ଧୁତା) He should regard our relationship.
triumph: victory, win (ଜିତନ୍ତୁ) Indians are happy with our World-Cup triumph.
on the beat: on the route doing patrol duty (ପାଟ୍ରୋଲିଂ କରୁଥିବା ମାର୍ଗରେ | କର୍ତ୍ତବ୍ୟ)
quiet road: road free from noise (ଶବ୍ଦରୁ ମୁକ୍ତ ରାସ୍ତା) He was walking freely on a quiet road.
habitual: doing something continuously (କ୍ରମାଗତ ଭାବରେ କିଛି କରିବା)
spectators: unlookers, viewers (ଦର୍ଶକ) Spectators sit in the gallery to watch the match.
kept early hours : went back home early in the night (ଶୀଘ୍ର ଘରକୁ ଫେରିଗଲେ ରାତିରେ)
chilly winds: too cold winds (ଅତ୍ୟଧିକ ଥଣ୍ଡା ପବନ) We could not go out because of chilly winds blowing outside.
drizzle: dribble, raining lightly (ହାଲୁକା ବର୍ଷା) There was a drizzle in the morning.
depeopled: emptied of people (ଲୋକମାନେ) The streets of the city were depeopled by the evening as curfew was declared.
examining : inspecting, searching, checking (ଯାଞ୍ଚ, ଖୋଜିବା, ଯାଞ୍ଚ କରୁଛି )
playful : full of fun (ମଜା ରେ ପରିପୂର୍ଣ୍ଣ ) His activities were mostly playful.
movements: moving (ଗତିଶୀଳ) We cannot feel the movements of earth.
small stick : (here) lathi (ଏଠାରେ) ଲାଥୀThe policeman always moves with a small stick or lathi.
stalwart: sturdy, well-built (ବଳିଷ୍ଠ, ସୁଗଠିତ) He is a man of stalwart figure.
guardian of the law: protector of law (ଆଇନର ରକ୍ଷକ) The policeman is a guardian of the law.
tailoring shop : dressmaker’s shop (ଡ୍ରେସମେକରଙ୍କ ଦୋକାନ)
watchful eyes: vigilant eyes (ସଜାଗ ଆଖି) Nobody can escape from his watchful eye.
pale face : whitish face (ଧଳା ଚେହେରା)
square jaws : jaws having equal sides (ସମାନ ପାର୍ଶ୍ୱ ଥିବା ଜହ୍ନଗୁଡିକ)
white scar: a white mark left on the skin (ଧଳା ଦାଗ)
ashamed: felt shame (ଲଜ୍ଜା ଅନୁଭବ କଲା) He is ashamed of his bad manner.
notorious: famous for bad quality (କୁଖ୍ୟାତ) Terrorists are notorious criminals.
counterfeit: illegal (ନକଲି)
serious affair: grave matter (ଗୁରୁତର ବିଷୟ) Terrorism is a serious affair of our country.
lamp-post: a post giving light (ଆଲୋକ ପ୍ରଦାନ କରୁଥିବା ଏକ ପୋଷ୍ଟ) He was standing under a lamp-post and waiting for a friend.
five-dollar note : ପାଞ୍ଚ ଡଲାରର ନୋଟ୍
reconstructed photograph: picture of a person drawn by experts basing on the reports about his or her face (ଚିତ୍ରିତ ବ୍ୟକ୍ତିଙ୍କ ଚିତ୍ର | ବିଶେଷଜ୍ଞଙ୍କ ଦ୍ ରା)The reconstructed photograph of the leader of the terrorist was broadcasted in T.V
described: saw (from a distance) ଦେଖ (ଦୂରରୁ)
suspicious: doubtful (ସନ୍ଦେହଜନକ) Police can detain suspicious people for investivation.

Think it out:

Question 1.
How does the writer describe the atmosphere of the story?
Answer:
The story begins with a policeman doing the patroling duty in a street of New York. The time was 10 o’ clock at night. The strict was almost calm and quiet and people had gone home in the early hours of the evening because of bad weather. The business houses were mostly closed and darkness has covered the major part of the street. It was all due to chilly winds and light raining. Few lights were coming from a cigar store, an whole-night hotel and one or two tailoring shops completing the day’s work. The area coming under the lamp-posts were little lighted. Thus, the atmosphere was somewhat unsuitable and unfavourable.

Question 2.
How did the policeman perform his duties?
Answer:
The polieman was on the route doing patrol duty. He was moving smartly. His smartness was real and not for the show. It was night and most of the business houses in the street were closed early due to bad weather. There was darkness everywhere except light coming from few shops and lamp-posts. In spite of this, the policeman was inspecting every closed doors. He was holding a lathi and making some funny movements. The policeman, with his well-built figure and smart movements was proving himself as the guardian of law. He was very watchful and cast his eyes on the entire peaceful road. He was seriously searching a notorious criminal from Chicago. This duty was assigned to him by his boss and he was very confident as a dutiful officer for the last eighteen years to do the job perfectly.

Question 3.
What picture of the wanted criminal do you get from the text?
Answer:
The picture of the wanted criminal given to the polcieman in the morning of the said day was as follows. The criminal had a pale face, square jaws, deep and dark eyes, and a little white scar near the right eyebrow. The criminal’s name was not known and he was involved in a serious affair of printing counterfeit notes. The criminal was from Chicago. The policeman had a five dollar note and a reconstructed photograph of the criminal in his pocket.

Question 4.
How did the stranger try to interact with the policeman?
Answer:
The stranger, who was standing in front of a darkened hardware store, saw a policeman coming towards him. He thought that the policeman would suspect him as he did not know his story. So when the policeman walked upto him, he said to him that he was just waiting for a friend. It was an appointment made twenty years ago. It was a truth, though it seemed funny. To remove the doubts of the policeman, he narrated that about twenty years ago there was a restaurant where this store stands. Its name was “Brady’s Restaurant”. Then the policeman said that it was changed into a store just five years ago. In this way the stranger interacted with the policeman.

Question 5.
How did the policeman see the stranger’s face?
Answer:
The stranger standing at the doorway of the hardware store, was interacting with the policeman. As the place was dark the face of the stranger could not be seen. In the meanwhile, he wanted to smoke and thus struck a match and lit his cigar. This provided a chance to the policeman to see the face of the man.

Unit – II

Gist :
The man narrating about his friend said that he had last dined with his friend Jimmy Wells at Brady’s Restaurant twenty years ago tonight. Jimmy was his best friend and the finest man in the world. He said that they were bom and brought up in New York just like two brothers. When they left each other he was eighteen and Jimmy was twenty. He went to Chicago in the West to make my fortune. But Jimmy, as liked to stay at home, was unwilling to go the West with him. For Jimmy New York was the best place to live in on the earth.

Accordingly they took our last parting dinner at Brady’s Restaurant that night and agreed that they would meet here again exactly twenty years from that date and time in spite of their distant living or whatever conditions of life of theirs. They also felt that in twenty years each of them have made his career and met the destiny of life. The policeman listening to it said that it was very interesting. He asked the man about their contacts between this long gap. The man said that they were in touch for a year or two. But after that they lost contact of each other and remained busy in their own affairs. The man said that though Chicago was his headquarter, he kept on moving here and there.

That time he had come to meet his friend after a long interval and he had deep faith to meet his friend there. He said that his friend was very sincere and true to his words. He would never forget it. His coming to that place from a distance of thousand miles would be fruitful if he could meet his old friend there. His friend would come difinitely. Saying so, he looked at his diamond watch and it was ten twenty-five. He remembered the time that was exactly half past ten when they parted here at the restaumt door. Then the policeman wanted to know whether he had earned lots of money in the West.

He admitted of his good earnings and expressed his hope that his friend Jimmy also had earned the half of his income. He said that his friend, though a nice man, was very slow in his earnings. But he had to compete with the most cunning people of the world to earn his dollars. A man in the New York becomes very ordinary but the West makes a man to face much competition. The policeman while leaving asked the man whether he would wait his friend or not, if he would not come at the appointed time. He said that he would give his friend half an hour to come. If he was alive on earth he would be there by that time. After that, the policeman took leave of this man by wishing ‘Good-night’.

ସାରାଂଶ :
ଲୋକଟି ତାଙ୍କ ସାଙ୍ଗ ବିଷୟରେ ବର୍ଣ୍ଣନା କରି କହିଲେ, ସେ ଆଜକୁ କୋଡ଼ିଏ ବର୍ଷତଳେ ଏହି ବ୍ରାଡ଼ି ଭୋଜନାଳୟରେ ଆଜି ରାତିରେ ଶେଷଥର ପାଇଁ ମିଶି ଖାଇଥିଲେ । ଜିମି ତାଙ୍କର ସବୁଠାରୁ ଉତ୍ତମ ବନ୍ଧୁ ଥିଲା ଏବଂ ପୃଥ‌ିବୀରେ ଅତି ଭଲ ଲୋକମାନଙ୍କ ମଧ୍ୟରେ ସେ ଜଣେ । ସେ କହିଲେ, ଆମେ ଦୁଇଜଣ ନିଉୟର୍କରେ ଦୁଇ ଭାଇ ଭଳି ଜନ୍ମ ହୋଇ ବଢ଼ିଥିଲୁ । ଆମେ ଯେତେବେଳେ ପରସ୍ପରଠାରୁ ଅଲଗା ହେଲୁ ମୋତେ ଅଠର ବର୍ଷ ଏବଂ ଜିହ୍ନିକୁ କୋଡ଼ିଏ ବର୍ଷ ହୋଇଥିଲା ।

ମୁଁ ମୋର ଭବିଷ୍ୟତ ଗଢ଼ିବାକୁ ଚିକାଗୋ ଗଲି । ଜିଛି କିନ୍ତୁ ଘର ଛାଡ଼ି କୁଆଡ଼େ ଯିବ ନାହିଁ ବୋଲି କହିଲା । ନିଉୟର୍କ ତା’ପାଇଁ ପୃଥ‌ିବୀର ସବୁଠାରୁ ଭଲ ସ୍ଥାନ ଥିଲା । ସେହି ଅନୁଯାୟୀ ଆମେ ଶେଷଥର ପାଇଁ ବ୍ରାଡ଼ି ଭୋଜନାଳୟରେ ରାତ୍ରିଭୋଜନ ଖାଇଲୁ ଏବଂ ରାଜି ହେଲୁ ଆଜକୁ ୨୦ ବର୍ଷ ପରେ ଏହି ଦିନ ଏହି ତାରିଖ ଏହି ସମୟ ଏବଂ ଏହି ସ୍ଥାନରେ ଆମେ ଯେକୌଣସି ପରିସ୍ଥିତିରେ ଥିଲେ ବି ଆସି ଭେଟ ହେବା । ସେଦିନ ପରସ୍ପରଠାରୁ ଅଲଗା ହେଲାବେଳକୁ ସମୟ ଥିଲା ରାତ୍ର ୧୦ ଟା ୩୦ ମିନିଟ୍ ।

ଆମେ ମଧ୍ୟ ଭାବିଲୁ ୨୦ ବର୍ଷ ପରେ ଆମେ ନିଜର ଭବିଷ୍ୟତ ଗଢ଼ି ସାରି । ଲୋକଟିର କଥାକୁ ପୋଲିସ୍ ବାବୁଜଣକ ଶୁଣୁଥିଲେ ଏବଂ କହିଲେ ଏହା ତ ବଡ଼ କୌତୁହଳପ୍ରଦ କଥା ! ସେ ପଚାରିଲେ, ଆଚ୍ଛା ଏହି କୋଡ଼ିଏ ବର୍ଷ ମଧ୍ୟରେ ଆପଣଙ୍କ ଭିତରେ କୌଣସି ସମ୍ପର୍କ ନ ଥିଲା କି ? ଲୋକଜଣକ କହିଲେ, ହଁ ଥିଲା, ତାହା କେବଳ ପ୍ରଥମ ବର୍ଷେ କିମ୍ବା ୨ ବର୍ଷ ମଧ୍ୟରେ ଏବଂ ପରେ ପରେ ଆମେ ନିଜ ନିଜ କାମରେ ବ୍ୟସ୍ତ ରହିଗଲୁ ।

ଲୋକଟି କହିଲା, ଚିକାଗୋ ମୋର ମୁଖ୍ୟ କାର୍ଯ୍ୟାଳୟ ହେଲେ ବି ମୁଁ ଚାରିଆଡ଼େ ଘୂରି ବୁଲୁଥୁଲି । ଆଜି ସେ ଆସିଛି ତା’ର ସାଙ୍ଗକୁ ଭେଟିବାପାଇଁ ସୁଦୂର ଚିକାଗୋରୁ ହଜାର ମାଇଲ ଅତିକ୍ରମ କରି ଏବଂ ସେ ନିଶ୍ଚୟ ଭେଟିବ । ସେ କହିଲେ ମୋର ସାଙ୍ଗ ଅତ୍ୟନ୍ତ ସତ୍ୟବାନ୍ ଏବଂ ସଚ୍ଚା ଏବଂ ସେ ନିଶ୍ଚୟ ମୋତେ ଭେଟିବାକୁ ଆସିବ । ଏହା କହି ଲୋକଟି ତାଙ୍କ ହାତରେ ଥ‌ିବା ହୀରା ଘଣ୍ଟାଟିକୁ ଚାହିଁଲେ । ସେତେବେଳକୁ ୧୦ଟା ୨୫ ମିନିଟ୍ ହୋଇଥିଲା । ସେ ମନେ ପକାଇଲେ ସେ ସେଦିନ ରାତ୍ର ୧୦ଟା ୩୦ ମିନିଟ୍‌ରେ ସେମାନେ ପରସ୍ପରଠାରୁ ଅଲଗା ହୋଇଥିଲେ । ତା’ପରେ ପୋଲିସ୍ ବାବୁଜଣଙ୍କ ଚିକାଗୋରେ ତାଙ୍କ ରୋଜଗାର ବିଷୟରେ ଜାଣିବାକୁ ଚାହିଁଲେ । ସେ ସେଠାରେ ତାଙ୍କ ଭଲ ରୋଜଗାର କଥା ମାନିଲେ ଏବଂ ଆଶା କଲେ ତାଙ୍କ ସାଙ୍ଗ ମଧ୍ଯ ଅତି କମ୍‌ରେ ତାଙ୍କ ରୋଜଗାରର।

Think it out

Question 1.
What was the appointment made between two friends twenty years before?
Answer:
The two friends in the story are Bob and Jimmy Wells. Both were born and brought up in New York and bred like two brothers. When they come of age, Bob went to the West to make his fortune but Jimmy stayed in New York. On the day of parting, they had dined together in a restaurant and agreed that night that they would meet here again exactly twenty years from that date and time in spite of their distant living and conditions. This appointment was made between two friends twenty years ago.

Question 2.
What information about the friends do you gather from their conversation?
Answer:
After listening to the man about their appointment that was made twenty years ago, the policeman expressed his curiosity to know more about them. He asked the man about their correspondence, if any, during this long gap. The man said that they were in touch for a year or two but after that they lost contact of each other. It was perhaps due to increase of work and personal involvement. He said that though Chicago was his main place of living, he moved extensively in and outside of it. Then shifting his mind to his friend the man said that his friend Jimmy was always very sincere and true to his words.

He would never forget their appointment. He would meet him definitely. He had come from a distance of thousand miles to meet him and it would be worthwhile if his old friend comes back. Saying so he looked at his diamond watch and the time was ten twenty-five. He said that it was exactly half past ten when they parted there at the restaurant door twenty years ago. This Brady’s Restaurant had been changed into a hardware store. The policeman asked about his good income in the West which he admitted. He also expressed that his friend Jimmy would be earning at least half of his income.

Though a good human being, Jimmy was very slow in brain. He had to compete with the cleverest people of the world in Chicago for his livelihood. He said that life in the West was very fast and one had to struggle hard for earning and living. But in New York one became very ordinary. The policeman listened to all these and said him that his friend would be coming around. Before leaving him, he asked him whether he would wait for his friend or not. The man said that he would wait for his friend for an hour only. He would definitely come by that time. In short, two friends naturally exchanged pleasant words and talked old times without recognizing each other.

Unit – III

Introduction:
In this part of the story “After Twenty Years” the readers get surprised by coming across an unexpected situation. It gives a kind of displeasure as well as pleasure to the readers when they read about the arrest of a friend by another friend who has done it for the sake of his duty at the cost of personal relationship. Readers express sympathy on the friend who had come to meet his friend from a long distance after twenty years and got arrested by his friend. They also admire the another friend who out of his devotion to duty got his friend arrested by keeping personal relationship away from duty. Let us read the story to know the interesting happenings.

Gist:
The cold wind was blowing severely with the rain continuing all over the street. The few people who were out had hurried home. The man, who had come from thousand miles to meet an appointment at the doorway of the hardware store, was smoking and waiting his friend Jimmy Wells. About twenty minutes of his waiting a tall man wearing a long overcoat with collar turned upto his ears appeared before the man. “Is that you, Bob ? ” he asked doubtfully. “Is that you, Jimmy Wells ?” asked the man.

They shook their hands. Bob said that he was sure to find him there if he was alive. Jimmy said that they would have dined again if that old restaurant had existed. Then, he asked his friend about his days in the West. He said that the West had given him every thing. The man also enquired about Jimmy. Jimmy said that he was well and working in a departmental store as assitant manager. He was getting good salary and other benefits. Then he told Bob to go round to a place and talk about their old days. The two friends walked on the street holding arm in arm. Bob was talking of his possessions and of his important friend’s in Chicago elsewhere. The other friend wearing a overcoat was listening with deep attention.

They could not see each other’s face in the darkness. They came near a medicine store located in a lighted area. There they could see each other’s face. Bob stopped suddenly and freed his arm from his friend’s arm. He said to tha man that he was not Jimmy. Twenty years is a long time but not long enough to change a man’s sharp nose to a flat one. The tall man said that it sometimes changes a good man into a bad one. Then he arrested Bob and told that the Commissioner of Police, Chicago wanted to talk with Bob in connection with some bundles of five dollar counterfeit notes. He took Bob to the police station.

While going to the police station, the tall man handed over a letter to Bob by saying that it was from Assistant Sub-Inspector Jimmy Wells. The friend from Chicago opened the letter and it was a short note. “Bob: I was at the apointed place on time. When you struck the match to light your cigar I saw it was the face of the man wanted in Chicago. Somehow I could not do it myself, so I went around and got a plain-clothes policeman to do the job.” It was revealed from the story that though Jimmy knew his friend, the wanted criminal he made him arrested. He ignored his personal relationship when it came in the way of his duty. His devotion to duty was so much that it undermined his personal relationship. Only a few people could do it and Jimmy Wells was one of them.

ସାରାଂଶ :
ନିଉୟର୍କ ସହରର ସେହି ଗଳିରେ ସେଦିନ ଥଣ୍ଡା ବଢ଼ି ବଢ଼ି ଯାଉଥିଲା ଏବଂ ତା’ ସାଙ୍ଗକୁ ବର୍ଷା ମଧ୍ଯ । ଯେଉଁ କେତେକ ଅଳ୍ପ ଲୋକ ବାହାରେ ରହିଥିଲେ ସେମାନେ ମଧ୍ୟ ଘରକୁ ଶୀଘ୍ର ଫେରି ଗଲେଣି । କିନ୍ତୁ ହଜାର ମାଇଲ ଅତିକ୍ରମ କରି ସୁଦୂର ଚିକାଗୋରୁ ନିଜ ବନ୍ଧୁଙ୍କୁ ୨୦ ବର୍ଷ ପରେ ଦେଖା କରିବାକୁ ଆସିଥିବା ଲୋକଟି ସେହି hardware ଷ୍ଟୋର ଆଗରେ ଛିଡ଼ା ହୋଇଥିଲା । ସେ ସିଗାରେଟ୍ ଟାଣୁଥିଲେ ଏବଂ ସାଙ୍ଗ ଜିୱି ୱେଲସ୍ ଆସିବା ବାଟକୁ ଅନାଇ ବସିଥିଲେ । ତାଙ୍କ ଅପେକ୍ଷା କରିବାର ପ୍ରାୟ ୨୦ ମିନିଟ୍ ପରେ ଜଣେ ଡେଙ୍ଗା ଲୋକ ସାଧା ପୋଷାକରେ ଏକ ଲମ୍ବାକୋର୍ଟ ପିନ୍ଧି ତାଙ୍କ ସମ୍ମୁଖରେ ପହଞ୍ଚିଲେ।

‘ତୁମେ ବବ୍ କି ?”’ ସେ ସହେନ୍ଦରେ ପଚାରିଲେ । ‘ତୁମେ କ’ଣ ଜିହ୍ନି ୱେଲସ୍ ?”’ ଲୋକଟି ପଚାରିଲା । ପରିଚୟ ମିଳିଥିବାରୁ ସେମାନେ ହାତ ମିଳାଇଲେ । ବବ୍ କହିଲେ, ‘ମୁଁ ନିଶ୍ଚିନ୍ତ ଥୁଲି, ତୁମେ ଯଦି ବଞ୍ଚାଅ ଆସିବ ।’’ ଜିହ୍ନି କହିଲେ, ‘ଆଜି ଯଦି ସେ ପୁରୁଣା ଭୋଜନାଳୟଟି ଥାଆନ୍ତା ଆମେ ପୁଣିଥରେ ସେଠି ଭୋଜନ କରିଥା’ନ୍ତେ । ଆଚ୍ଛା ହେଉ, ତୁମେ ପଶ୍ଚିମରେ କେମିତି ଅଛ କୁହ।’’ ଉତ୍ତରରେ ବବ୍ କହିଲେ, ‘ପଶ୍ଚିମାଞ୍ଚଳ ମତେ ସବୁକିଛି ଦେଇଛି । ତୁମେ ନିଉୟର୍କରେ କେମିତି ଅଛ ?’’ ସେ କହିଲେ ‘ମୁଁ ଭଲରେ ଅଛି ଏବଂ ଏକ ଡିପାର୍ଟମେଣ୍ଟାଲ ଷ୍ଟୋରରେ ଉପମ୍ୟାନେଜର ଭାବରେ କାମ କରୁଛି । ମୁଁ ଭଲ ଦରମା ସହ ଅନ୍ୟାନ୍ୟ ସୁବିଧା ମଧ୍ଯ ପାଉଛି ।’’ ତା’ପରେ ସେ କହିଲେ ‘ବବ୍, ଆସ ଆଗକୁ ଟିକେ ବୁଲିଯିବା ଏବଂ ଆମର ସେହି ପୁରୁଣା ଦିନଗୁଡ଼ିକ ବିଷୟରେ କଥା ହେବା ।’’ ଦୁଇ ଜଣଯାକ ସାଙ୍ଗ ହାତ ଧରାଧରି ହୋଇ ଗଳି ରାସ୍ତାରେ ଆଗେଇ ଚାଲିଲେ ।

ବବ୍ ଚିକାଗୋରେ ଥିବା ତାଙ୍କର ଧନ ସମ୍ପତ୍ତି, କୋଠାବାଡ଼ି ଏବଂ ଧନୀ ଓ ପ୍ରତିପତ୍ତିଶାଳୀ ସାଙ୍ଗମାନଙ୍କ ବିଷୟରେ କହି ଚାଲିଲେ । ଅନ୍ୟ ସାଙ୍ଗଟି ସାଧା ପୋଷାକ ଉପରେ ଏକ ଓଭରକୋର୍ଟ ପିନ୍ଧି ବାଟ ଚାଲୁଥିଲାବେଳେ ତାଙ୍କ କଥା ମନଦେଇ ଶୁଣୁଥା’ନ୍ତି । ସେମାନେ ପରସ୍ପରର ମୁହଁକୁ ଅନ୍ଧାରରେ ଦେଖ୍ ପାରୁନଥିଲେ । ସେମାନେ ଆସ୍ତେ ଆସ୍ତେ ଆଲୋକିତ ସ୍ଥାନରେ ଥ‌ିବା ଏକ ଔଷଧ ଦୋକାନ ପାଖରେ ପହଞ୍ଚିଲେ । ସେଠାରେ ସେମାନେ ପରସ୍ପରର ମୁହଁକୁ ଦେଖିପାରିଲେ । ବବ୍ ହଠାତ୍ ରହିଗଲେ ଏବଂ ସାଙ୍ଗ ହାତରୁ ହାତ କାଢ଼ିନେଲେ ଏବଂ କହିଲେ ‘ଆପଣ ତ ଜିଛି ୱେଲସ୍ ନୁହଁନ୍ତି । କୋଡ଼ିଏ ବର୍ଷ ଏକ ଲମ୍ବା ସମୟ ହୋଇପାରେ, କିନ୍ତୁ ଏତେ ଲମ୍ବା ନୁହେଁ ଯେ ଏକ ବ୍ୟକ୍ତିର ଗୋଜିଆ ନାକକୁ ଚେପ୍‌ଟା ବବ୍ ହଠାତ୍ ରହିଗଲେ ଏବଂ ସାଙ୍ଗ ହାତରୁ ହାତ କାଢ଼ିନେଲେ ଏବଂ କହିଲେ ‘ଆପଣ ତ ଜିଛି ୱେଲସ୍ ନୁହଁନ୍ତି । କୋଡ଼ିଏ ବର୍ଷ ଏକ ଲମ୍ବା ସମୟ ହୋଇପାରେ, କିନ୍ତୁ ଏତେ ଲମ୍ବା ନୁହେଁ ଯେ ଏକ ବ୍ୟକ୍ତିର ଗୋଜିଆ ନାକକୁ ଚେପ୍‌ଟା ନାକରେ ବଦଳାଇ ଦେବ ।’’

ଡେଙ୍ଗା ଲୋକଟି କହିଲେ, ‘ଏହି ଲମ୍ବା ସମୟ ବେଳେବେଳେ ଜଣେ ଭଲ ଲୋକକୁ ଖରାପ ଲୋକ କରିଦିଏ । ବର୍ତ୍ତମାନ ତୁମକୁ ଆରେଷ୍ଟ କରାଗଲା। ଚିକାଗୋର ପୋଲିସ୍ କମିଶନର ତୁମ ସାଙ୍ଗରେ କଥା ହେବାପାଇଁ ଅପେକ୍ଷା କରିଛନ୍ତି । ସେ ତୁମ ସହିତ କିଛି ଜାଲନୋଟ୍ ବିଷୟରେ କଥା ହେବେ । ତୁମେ କୌଣସି ଚାଲବାଜି ନ କରି ମୋ ସାଙ୍ଗରେ ଆସ ।’’ ପୋଲିସ୍ ଷ୍ଟେସନ୍‌କୁ ଗଲାବାଟରେ ସାଧା ପୋଷାକଧାରୀ ପୋଲିସ୍‌ ତାଙ୍କ “‘ବବ୍, ମୁଁ ଠିକ୍ ସମୟରେ ନିର୍ଦ୍ଧାରିତ ସ୍ଥାନରେ ଥୁଲି । ତୁମେ ଯେତେବେଳେ ସିଗାରେଟ୍ ଲଗାଇବା ପାଇଁ ଦିଆସିଲି କାଠି ଲଗାଇଲ ମୁଁ ସେହି ଆଲୋକରେ ତୁମ ମୁହଁକୁ ଦେଖୁଲି ଓ ଜାଣିଲି ଏ ହେଉଛି ସେହି ମୁହଁ ଯାହାକୁ ଚିକାଗୋରେ ମୋଷ୍ଟ ୱାଣ୍ଟେଡ୍ ତାଲିକାରେ ରଖାଯାଇଛି ।ଯାହାହେଉ ମୁଁ ସେ କାମ କରିପାରିଲିନି । ତେଣୁ ମୁଁ ଚାଲିଗଲି ଏବଂ ଏକ ସାଧାପୋଷାକଧାରୀ ପୋଲିସ୍ ଜରିଆରେ ତୁମକୁ ବନ୍ଦୀ କଲି ।’’ ଏହି ଗଳ୍ପରୁ ପ୍ରତୀୟମାନ ହେଉଛି ଯେ ଜିୱି ଏକ ପୋଲିସ୍ ଭାବରେ ନିଜର କର୍ତ୍ତବ୍ୟ ସମ୍ପାଦନ କରିବାକୁ ଯାଇ ତାଙ୍କର ଜଣେ ଅପରାଧୀ ବନ୍ଧୁଙ୍କୁ ବନ୍ଦୀ କଲେ । କର୍ତ୍ତବ୍ୟ ଆଗରେ ବ୍ୟକ୍ତିଗତ ସମ୍ପର୍କ ଆସିଲେ ମଧ୍ୟ ସେ ପ୍ରଥମଟିକୁ ଗୁରୁତ୍ଵ ଦେଲେ । ଏହା କେବଳ ଖୁବ୍ କମ୍ ଲୋକଙ୍କ ପକ୍ଷରେ ସମ୍ଭବ ହୋଇଥାଏ ଏବଂ ଜିମି ୱେଲସ୍ ସେମାନଙ୍କ ମଧ୍ୟରୁ ଥିଲେ ଜଣେ ।

Glossary:
unexpected: not expected An unexpected (ଅପ୍ରତ୍ୟାଶିତ) danger puzzled him.
twist: put into confusion (ଦ୍ୱନ୍ଦ୍ୱରେ ପକାନ୍ତୁ) He is twist and is unable to take a decision about his future.
hardware store: deals with hardware (ହାର୍ଡୱେର୍) He is a manager of a hardware store.
puffed up: feeling proud (ଗର୍ବିତ ଅନୁଭବ କରୁଛି )He was puffed up by the his success in the civil examination.
sure as fate: very certain (ବହୁତ ନିଶ୍ଚିତ) His achievement was sure as fate.
rapt: deep (ଗଭୀର) He listened to the discussion with rapt attention.

Think it out:

Question 1.
How long did the man from the West wait? What was weather then?
Answer:
The man from the West waited about twenty minutes and then a tallman in a long overcoat came from the opposite side of the street to meet him. The weather then was very bad. The wind was too cold and the rain was continuing. People who were out hurried up home.

Question 2.
How did the man from the West and the man in a long overcoat greet each other?
Answer:
When the man from the West was waiting at the doorway of the hardware store, the man in a long overcoat appeared. Looking at the man at the hardware store he doubtfully asked, “Is that you, Bob ?” “Is that you, Jimmy Wells V asked Bob. Then they could know each other and shook hands. “Bless my heart !” exclaimed the new arrival. In this way they greeted each other.

Question 3.
When did Bob realise that the tall man he had met was not Jimmy Wells?
Answer:
When Bob and the tall man reached at the medicine store walking arm in arm, they could see each other’s face in the electric lights. Bob suddenly stopped by leaving his arm. He thought that how this tall man with flat nose would be Jimmy Wells who had a sharp nose. One could be 6 to 8 inch long in twenty years time but it is not long enough to convert a sharp nose to a flat nose. Thus Bob realised that the tall man he had met was not Jimmy Wells.

Question 4.
Why did Jimmy get Bob arrested?
Answer:
Jimmy, who was a policeman, was a man of principle, honest and dutiful. Bob, on the other hand, was a professional criminal who printed counterfeit notes and earned easy money. Once upon a time in twenty years ago they were good friends. Before they got separated, they had promised to meet each other at the Brady’s Restaurant where they had taken their last dinner. But when they meet, Jimmy saw the
face of the man who was wanted in Chicago. The responsibility and devotion of his duty made him to ignore his personal relationship. Therefore he got him arrested.

Question 5.
Did Jimmy keep his appointment with Bob after twenty years? What consideration did he show for his old friend?
Answer:
Yes, Jimmy did so because he was exactly on time at the hardware store where they decided to meet after twenty years. He kept his appointment. At the same time he was assigned the duty to catch a notorious criminal from Chicago. He had the reconstructed photograph of the criminal with him which matched the face of his friend. So he did not disclose his identity. As a policeman he considered his duty more than his friendship. Thus instead of enjoying with his old friend Bob after twenty years, he made him arrested by another policeman’ who played the role of Jimmy Wells. Though he did not arrest his friend directly he did it by another policeman. This could be his only

CHSE Odisha Class 11 English After Twenty Years Important Questions and Answers

Question 1.
Read through the extract and answer the questions that follow.
Examining closed doors as he went, making various interesting and playful movements with his small stick, the officer, with his stalwart figure and smart movements made a fine picture of the guardian of the law. He could see a few lights coming from a cigar store, an all-night hotel, and one or two tailoring shops completing the day’s work. The majority of the houses were business places that had long since been closed. Now and then he would suddenly turn about, and cast his watchful eye along the peaceful road. He was thinking of what his boss had said in the morning: “Pale face, square jaws, deep and dark eyes, and a little white scar near the right eyebrow.” As a part of the police organization, he felt a little ashamed that the name of this notorious criminal was still unknown, and that he was still at large. Printing counterfeit notes was a serious affair, he knew, and the criminal must be caught. He took out his pocket-book under a lamp-post and looked at the five-dollar note and the reconstructed photograph. He became thoughtful: Chicago – a thousand miles away. What chance ?” Then he said to himself aloud, ‘Never mind, my boy, you have been a dutiful one these last eighteen years, and luck owes you a debt.’ He was in the habit of talking to himself, sometimes,- when nobody was by. And he liked to refer to himself as a boy, though he was forty. There was another thing in his mind. He looked at his watch, – a quarter past ten; fifteen minutes more. It was a long road; but there was enough time. After a minute he descried about five hundred metres ahead the outline of a man near the doorway of a darkened hardware store. He quickened his steps. The place was slightly dark, lying exactly midway between two lamp-posts. He was about to address the man, but changed his mind and allowed the man to begin. The man realised that the way he was standing there must look suspicious to one who didn’t know his story. So he said, as the policeman walked up to him: ‘It’s all right, officer; I’am just waiting for a friend. It is an appointment made twenty years ago. It sounds a little funny to you, doesn’t it? Well, I’ll explain so as to remove all suspicion from your mind: About twenty years ago there used to be a restaurant where this store stands, “Brady’s Restaurant.”

Questions :
(i) Describe the policeman’s feelings while doing patrol duty?
(ii) ‘There was another thing in his mind.’ What was that?

Answers :
(i) The policeman was assigned a duty to catch a die-hard criminal. He was in search of that notorious criminal. He was quite sure to be successful in performing his duty. He thought that he had been a sincere and dutiful policeman since last eighteen years and luck always remained with him. At the same time he felt a little ashamed that the name of such a notorious criminal was still unknown to the police department. Thus, the policeman had serious feelings while doing patrol duty.
(ii) Though police man was assigned a duty to catch a notorious criminal, still there was another thing in his mind. Perhaps he had to meet someone or to do something on a particular time. Therefore, he looked at his watch and said that there was more fifteen minutes in his hand.

Question 2.
Read through the extract and answer the questions that follow.
The two men started up the streets, arm in arm. The man from the West, somewhat puffed up by success, was talking of his possessions and of his important friends in Chicago and elsewhere. The other, covered with his overcoat, was listening with rapt attention. They had not yet taken a good look at each other’s face. They neared a medicine store lit brilliantly, with electric lights. There each of them turned simultaneously to gaze at the other’s face. The man from the West stopped suddenly and let go the other’s arm.
‘You’re not Jimmy Wells’, he faltered. ‘Twenty year is a long time, but not long enough to change a man’s sharp nose to a flat one?’
‘It sometimes changes a good man into a bad one’, said the tall man.
‘You’ve been under arrest for ten minutes, Bob, or whatever your name is. The Commissioner of police, Chicago, longs to have a chat with you in connection with some bundles of five-dollar notes, which have come his way. Come quietly, please, and no tricks. Before we gQ to the station, here’s a note I was asked to give you. It’s from Assistant Sub-Inspector Jimmy Wells.’ The man from the West unfolded the little piece of paper handed to him. His hand was steady when he began to read, but it trembled a little by the time he had finished. The note was rather short.
‘Bob: I was at the appointed place on time. When you struck the match to light your cigar I saw it was theface of the man wanted in Chicago. Somehow I couldn ’t do it myself, so I went around and got a plain-clothes policeman to do the job.’

Questions :
(i) Give a picture of Bob and Jimmy when they were in the streets?
(ii) Comment on the ending of the story.

Answers :
(i) We find the two friends, Bob and Jimmy, in the streets walking arm in arm. Bob who had now come from the West was in high spirits. Unprecedented success had made him as if he were over the moon. He kept on talking of his wealth and of his great friends in Chicago. Jimmy, covered with his overcoat, was listening with deep attention. In spite of being with each other for some time, they had not looked distinctly at each other. The inevitable happened. They gazed at each other’s face at the same time.
(ii) The two friends, Bob and Jimmy, have kept their appointment after twenty years, but there is a turning point in the end. Bob is shocked in disbelief when the man tells him that he has been under arrest. The man talking to him is asked to hand over him a note which outlines Jimmy’s arrival at the appointed place on time and recognition of his face wanted in Chicago while lighting his cigar and his inability to arrest his friend and hence through a plain-clothes policeman. This is the consideration Jimmy Wells showed for his old friend Bob. Honest and dutiful as he is, Jimmy Wells has done his job perfectly. The ending is superb for its ‘O’ Henry Twist’ or suprising ending.

Introducing the Author:
William Sydney Porter was an American writer. He was known by his pen name O’ Henry. He lived for a successful period of forty-eight years. Before his death, he had written a good number of short stories. All his short stories are known for their wit, wordplay, warm characterization and surprise.

About the Story: 
Now-a-days people mostly value their personal relationship. They even undermine their duty when it clashes with their personal relationship. But there are still people who prefer duty to their relationship. Duty is god to them. O’ Henry describes this story to show – ‘Devotion to duty triumps over personal relationship’. In the story, there are two friends who gets separated at a point of time and meet again after a period of twenty years. But the duty of a friend compels him to undermine his relationship. A friend in the way of his duty has been forced to arrest his friend. The story is narrated in three units which depicts the irony and pathos of life in a subtle and dramatic manner.

Read More:

• Three Questions Question Answer
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Odisha State Board CHSE Odisha Class 11 Invitation to English 2 Solutions Non-Detailed Chapter 6 Marriage Textbook Exercise Questions and Answers.

Class 11th Invitation English Non-Detailed Chapter 6 Marriage Question Answers CHSE Odisha

Marriage Class 11 Questions and Answers

Unit – I

Gist :
During his stay in his native village, in summer holidays, Rajendra Prasad’s marriage was arranged when he was in the fifth standard. The bride’s father and his younger brother, a lawyer in Ballia, came to his village and asked him some questions. Then he left the place. Their satisfaction indicated their approval of the marriage. This culminated in engagement ceremony. Contrary to the wishes of his father, customridden as they were, the bride’s father gave them clothes, utensils including cash present of Rs. 2,000. At that time the financial condition of Rajendra’s family was not in a good shape, because of unprofitable zamindari, famine condition, escalating expenses and lingering lawsuit. In spite of these adverse circumstances, his father did not lose heart and instead, to keep the image of their family, he decided to make the marriage a fabulous affair. He lavishly spent on ornaments and other items.

Glossary:
Zeradei : native village of the author in Siwan district of Bihar (ଜେରାଡେ)
sent for : order someone to come back (ପାଇଁ ପଠାଯାଇଛି)
put : (here) asked (ଏଠାରେ) ପଚାରିଲା
retired (v) : left the place (ସ୍ଥାନ ଛାଡି)
signified : gave consent (ସମ୍ମତି ଦେଇଛନ୍ତି)
match : marriage (ବିବାହ)
betrothal : engagement ceremony (ଯୋଗଦାନ ସମାରୋହ)
customary : according to custom (କଷ୍ଟମ୍ ଅନୁଯାୟୀ)
keen : much interestd (ବହୁତ ଆଗ୍ରହୀ)
considerable : huge (ବିରାଟ)
pomp and show : glint and glitter (ଚମକ୍ ଓ ଚମକ୍)
strain : difficulty (ଅସୁବିଧା)
gone up : increased (ବର୍ଦ୍ଧିତ)
protracted : longer than usual (ସ୍ୱାଭାବିକ ଠାରୁ ଅଧିକ ସମୟ)
litigation : court case (କୋର୍ଟ କେସ୍)
despite : in spite of (ଏହା ସତ୍ତ୍ୱେ)
grand : dignified or noble (ସମ୍ଭ୍ରାନ୍ତ ବା ସମ୍ମାନିତ)
lavish : profuse (ପ୍ରଚୁର)

Think it out

Question 1.
How was the author’s marriage finalised?
Answer:
When the author was thirteen years old and in the fifth standard the bride’s father and his younger brother visited their house in connection with his marriage proposal. They asked him some questions and after some time, he left the place. The guests were pleased and gave their consent to go ahead in the proposal. After a few days, the Tilak, the symbol of engagement ceremony was over. Contrary to his wishes father received clothes, utensils and a cash present of Rs. 2,000. This is how the author’s marriage was finalised.

Question 2.
What idea of the ritual of Tilak do you get from the passage?
Answer:
The ritual of Tilak is a social custom. It is an integral part of marriage. Once marriage is fixed, the Tilak ritual precedes it. As per this custom, bride’s father sends clothes, utensils and money as gift to bridegroom’s house.

Question 3.
What was the financial condition of the author’s family? Did it affect the pomp and show of the author’s wedding ?
Answer:
According to the author, the financial condition of the author’s family was in a very bad shape. Several factors such as, declining profits in the zamindary due to famine, the deaths in their family, increasing expenditure and lingering court case contributed to their family strain. In spite of these difficulty, it could not dampen the pomp and show of the author’s wedding. Family prestige was very important for his father. He spent lavishly on ornaments and other articles.

Unit – II

Gist :
The author takes us back to his marriage processions. They were symatically planned and organised. The place of marriage was Dalan-Chapra, in Balia District. It was two days’ journey from the author’s village. The avialability of only one elephant and few horses, many palkies were used in the procession. His father and other relatives came in the palkies carried by the bearers. The author came in a palki made of silver and it was naturally a great burden for the bearers. The scorching summer made the procession a difficult affair. Evening set in. They took rest for the night in a village on the bank of the Sarju. The following morning they including the horses and bullock carts crossed the river with the help of boats. The elephant created a problem. The idea of crossing the river made it uncomfortable. They all tried their best by tying it to the boats and ferry it across.

But it proved futile. At last they left the elephant behind. Absence of an elephant in his son’s marriage made author’s father unhappy. He remembered how colourful his marriage procession was with the accompaniment of scores of elephants. It was getting late. They set out for the destination at a fast pace. At last the author’s father was happy at the sight of a few elephants who were coming towards them after the completion of another marriage ceremony. Thanks to the mahouts, elephants became a part of their procession that reached the bride’s place 11 in the night. The delay in their arrival made the bride’s party nervous. In spite of being relieved at their eventual arrival, they were a little upset, because the author’s marriage could not match their expectation of gaiety and colour. In other words, it was not spectacular. But low spirits were enlivened at the sight of the ornaments, dresses, sweets and other presents brought by the author’s family for the bride. Whether the bridegroom was to their expectation is not known to him.

Glossary:
elaborate : carefully prepared and organised (ସୁଚିନ୍ତିତ ଓ ସୁସଙ୍ଗଠିତ ଢଙ୍ଗରେ ପ୍ରସ୍ତୁତି)
auspicious : showing signs of future success (ଭବିଷ୍ୟତର ସଫଳତାର ସଙ୍କେତ ଦେଖାଉଛି)
procure : obtain (ଆହରଣ କରିବା)
sturdy : strong (ବଳିଷ୍ଠ)
canopy (ଛତ୍ରୀ) : a big decorated spreading cloth drawn over the palki
turning : changing (ପରିବର୍ତ୍ତିତ)
encamped : pitched a camp (ଛାଉଣି କରିଦେଲେ)
transported : carried (ଭାରାକ୍ରାନ୍ତ)
hide and seek : a children’s game (ପିଲାଙ୍କ ଖେଳକୁଦ)
reluctantly : unwillingly (ଅନିଚ୍ଛାକୃତ ଭାବେ)
abandon (v) : give up (ତ୍ୟାଗ କରିବା)
wrench : sad parting (ଦୁଃଖଦ ବିୟୋଗ)
scores : sets of twenty (କୋଡ଼ିଏ ସେଟ୍)
dejected : sad, gloomy (ବିଷାଦମୟ, ବିଷାଦମୟ)
tusker : a male elephant (ଏକ ପୁରୁଷ ହାତୀ)

Think it out

Question 1.
How does the author describe his marriage party?
Answer:
The author’s marriage party, a big one, comprised only one elephant, a few horses and many plakies. His brother, father and other relatives accompanied the party riding a horse and sitting in palkies respectively. The author himself came in a special palki made of silver. The wind blew up the canopy and as a result made the bearer’s job dificult. After resting for the night in a village and the crossing the river the following morning, they reached the bride’s place 11 in the night, because it was situated 40 miles away from the bridegroom’s village.

Question 2.
Why was the author’s father unhappy?How was his wish fulfilled?
Answer:
Only one elephant that was a part of the author’s party was made to swim across the river. Despite all efforts, it did not relent. As a result, the party excluded the elephant. To the author’s father, it was a sad parting. But he was especially unhappy not to have even a single male elephant in his son’s procession. He remembered his marriage where the presence of scores of elephants lent a beauty to it. However, his wish was fulfilled to get other elephants in the party. They were coming after taking part in another wedding ceremony. Their mahouts greatly helped his father

Unit – III

Gist :
The author walks down the memory lane. Their marriage party reached the bride’s village late in the night. At that time he was a teenager. He had already slept in the palki. Two days’ strenous journey did not allow him to keep his eyes open smoothly in the course of rituals. He has forgotten what exactly had happened during the ceremonies. The marriage was a child’s play for him. He was unable to understand the significance of the marriage or to feel its responsibility. He performed the ceremonies in accordance with the wishes of the Pandit and the women of the house like an automatic machine. The author describes the ritual of Duragman. This refers to the fact that after the completion of marriage, sometimes the bride is not entitled to come with the groom to his house soon. Some time passes on. Then another small party is given the task of fetching the girl.

This was also applicable to him. They returned to their house after spending two days in the bride’s house. The author’s family strictly adhered to the purdah custom. He vividly remembers when his brother’s wife came to his home. She was allowed to interact only with her two maid-servants who had accompanied her. She was confined to her room and was forbidden to come even into the verandah. None but the cook and tender-aged boy servants and that too with their mothers were allowed to enter the courtyard. His sister-in-law was tightly protected when she was interested to go to her bath-room. At that time, her two maid-servants were instrumental in carrying bedsheets as covers on either side. She would not show her face even to the author’s mother, aunt or sister during their presence in her room. No maid-servant of Zeradei was allowed to go there. The author had seen her face once or twice, when he was a boy. His wife’s advent in Zerdei was no different. She had to abide by the custom of purdah in word and spirit, but the rules were applied less in course of time.

Glossary:
pre-nupital : before wedding ceremony (ବିବାହ ଉତ୍ସବ ପୂର୍ବରୁ)
Herculean : a very difficult (ବହୁତ କଷ୍ଟରେ)
settling : fixing, selecting (ଫିକ୍ସିଂ, ସିଲେକ୍ଟିଂ)
automaton : automatic machine (ସ୍ୱୟଞ୍ଚାଳିତ ଯନ୍ତ୍ର)
took palce : occurred (ଘଟିତ)
had no hand : no say (କହିବନି)
match : marriage (ବିବାହ)
pull : to draw with force (ବଳ ପ୍ରୟୋଗ କରି ଟାଣିବା)
veil : a covering of the face (ମୁହଁର ଆବରଣ)

Think it out

Question 1.
What are the author’s remarks on his marriage?
Answer:
The author got married, when he was a teenager. He does not remember the ceremonies in deails. His marriage was no different from the game of dolls’ marriage. This was a child’s play for him. He was neither able to make out the importance of the marriage nor feel its responsibility. He didn’t have a say on this matter. He performed the ceremonies in accordances with the wishes of the Pandit and the women of his family. He could scarcely understand what had occurred. The only thing he knew that someone would join her family as his wife just as the entry of his sister-in-law.

Question 2.
How does the author describe the ritual of Duragman?
Answer:
The ritual of Duragman, according to the writer, refers to the fact that after the completion of marriage, sometimes the bride is not entitled to come with the groom to his house soon. Some time passes on. Then another small party is given the task of fetching the girl. This was also applicable to him. They returned to their house after spending two days in the bride’s house. The performance of came off took place after a year when the author’s wife came to their house.

Question 3.
How does he narrate the custom of purdah observed by his sister-in-law?
Answer:
The author narrates that his sister-in-law observed the custom of purdah in their house. She was allowed to interact only with her two maid-servants who had accompanied her. She was confined to her room and was forbidden to come even into the verandah. None but the cook and tender-aged boy servants and that too with their mothers were allowed to enter the courtyard. His sister-in-law was tightly protected when she was interested to go to her bath-room. At that time, her two maid-servants were instrumental in carrying bedsheets as covers on either side. She would not show her face even to the author’s mother, aunt or sister during their presence in her room. No maid-servant of Zerdei was allowed to go there.

CHSE Odisha Class 11 English Marriage Important Questions and Answers

Question 1.
Read through the extract and answer the questions that follow.
In the evening, we encamped in a village on the bank of the Sarju. We rested for the night and the next morning we started crossing the river. The luggage, the palkies, the horses, and the bullock carts were transported on boats while the elephant was made to swim across. But the elephant had other ideas on the subject. It seemed to be bent on going back home. The mahout tried his best to set it on its course, the elephant would go forward a little but would turn back. After an hour of hide and seek like this, efforts were made to tie it to the boats and tow it across, but it was of no avail. With the elephant having decided views, we reluctantly abandoned the idea of taking it with us. The mahout returned with his elephant. To my father it was a wrench. His own marriage procession having been distinguished by the presence of scores of elephants, he was naturally dejected that his son’s marriage party should not have been honoured even by a single tusker. But already we were behind time; so we set off at a brisk pace. In the evening, however, my father’s wish was gratified. When we were nearing our destination, we saw a few elephants coming towards us. They had been engaged by another marriage party and were returning after the wedding was over. A few words to the mahouts and the matter was settled, the elephants joined our party. We reached the bride’s place at 11 in the night. The bride’s party were getting nervous because of the delay in our arrival and though relieved when at last we arrived, they were a bit disappointed as our party was not to their expectation in pomp and show. But their spirits revived when they saw the ornaments, dresses, sweets and other presents, which we had brought for the bride. Whether they felt happy to see the bridegroom too, I do not know !

Questions :
(i) Why had the only one elephant that accompanied the author’s marriage come back?
(ii) How does the author depict the concern of the bride’s family?

Answers :
(i) The author’s marriage party comprised only one elephant. After resting for one night in a village on the bank of the Saraju, all the members including the luggage, the horses, the palkies and so on crossed the river with the help of boats. The elephant was made to swim across it. It was determined not to do so. An hour of playing hide and seek with the mahout by going forward a little and turning back led the members of the author’s family to tie it to boats and ferry it across, but in vain. At last they reluctantly decided to abandon it.
(ii) Circumstances made the marriage party reach the bride’s place at 1 1 in the night. The delay in their arrival filled the members of the latter’s family with nervousness. They heaved a sigh of relief to see them reach their place. They were a little upset, because the glint and glitter in the bridegroom’s party could not match their expectation. However, all ended well, when they saw the ornaments, dresses, etc.
brought by the author’s family.

Introducing the Author:
Rajendra Prasad, one of the architects of modem Indian Republic, was the first President of the country. Besides, he was both the President of Constituent Assembly and Congress in 1939 and 1943. He writes in a very simple and lucid manner.

About the Story :
‘Marriage ’, an autobiographical sketch of Dr. Rajendra Prasad, justifiably deals with his marriage experiences. He got married, when he was a teenager. The writer throws light on his marriage party, the bride’s family and the strict observance of purdah.

Summary :
The writer walks down the memory lane. His marriage was arranged, when Rajendra Prasad was 13. The bride’s father and his younger brother, a lawyer, came to their house to see the author; they interviewed the latter. They were satisfied and approved of the marriage. This culminated in engagement ceremony. Contrary to the wishes of his father, custom-ridden as they were, the bride’s father gave them clothes, utensils including cash present of Rs. 2,000. At that time the financial condition of Rajendra’s family was not in a good shape, because of unprofitable zamindari, famine condition, escalating expenses and lingering lawsuit. In spite of these adverse circumstances, his father did not lose heart and instead, to keep the image of their family, he decided to make the marriage a fabulous affair. He lavishly spent on ornaments and other items.

In accordance with the family’s custom, the author’s marriage was marked by a big procession that comprised one elephant, a few horses, many palkies, his brother, his father and other relatives. His brother came riding on a strong horse, his father and other relatives in palkies carried by the bearers, and the bridegroom in a special palki made of silver. The hot winds and the scorching sun made riding in a palki a difficult affair.

It was a two days’ journey to the bride’s place. The marriage party had to rest for one night in a village on the bank of the Sarju. The boats were the means for them to cross the river. But the only one elephant that accompanied them posed a great problem to them. It was determined not to swim across the river. The efforts of the mahout and other members to tie it to the boats and ferry it across proved futile. It played an hour of hide and seek with the mahout going forward a little and turning back. At last they reluctantly gave up the idea of taking it with them. To the author’s father, it was a sad parting. He was unhappy, because his son’s image would suffer disgrace, if the party went ahead without an elephant. In this connection, he recollects his colourful marriage party, thanks to the presence of scores of elephants. He wished for them in his son’s party.

His wish was fulfilled when a few elephants coming from another marriage ceremony joined it after the settlement with their mahouts. It was getting late. The procession started at a fast pace and reached the bride’s place at 1 1 in the night. The bride’s family was naturally nervous. The arrival of the marriage party made them breathe a sigh of relief. They were also a littel upset, because the glint and glitter in the author’s procession did not match their expectation. But it was short-lived. Their drooping spirits were enlivened to see the ornaments, dresses, sweets and other presents brought by the groom’s family. Then the author throws light on the remarks he had made on his marriage. He got married, when he was a teenager. He does not remember the ceremonies in deails. His marriage was no different from the game of dolls’ marriage.

This was a child’s play for him. He was neither able to make out the importance marriage nor feel its responsibility. He didn’t have a say on this matter. He performed the ceremonies in accordances with the wishes of the Pandit and the women of his family. He could scarcely understand what had occurred. The only thing he knew that someone would join her family as his wife just as the entry of his sister-in-law. The author also describes the ritual of Duragman. It refers to the fact that after the completion of marriage, sometimes the bride is not entitled to come with the groom to his home soon. Some time passes on. Then another small party is given the task of fetching the girl. This was also applicable to him.

They returned to their house after spending two days in the bride’s house. Strict observance of the custom ofpurdah was the essence of the author’s family. His sister-in-law was also not an exception. She was allowed to interact only with her two maidservants who had accompanied her. She was confined to her room and was forbidden to come even into the varandah. None but the cook and tender-aged boy servants and that too with their mothers were allowed to enter the courtyard. His sisterin-law was tightly protected when she was interested to go to her bath-room. At that time, her two maid-servants were instrumental in carrying bedsheets as covers on either side. She would not show her face even to the author’s mother, aunt or sister during their presence in her room. No maid-servant of Zeradei was allowed to go there. Author had seen her face once or twice when he was a boy. Same was happened in case of his wife.

ସାରାଂଶ :

ଡ. ପ୍ରସାଦଙ୍କୁ ଯେତେବେଳେ ୧୩ ବର୍ଷ ଓ ସେ ପଞ୍ଚମ ଶ୍ରେଣୀରେ ପଢୁଥିଲେ, ତାଙ୍କ ପିତାମାତା ତାଙ୍କର ବାହାଘର ବନ୍ଦୋବସ୍ତ କଲେ । ସେତେବେଳର ପ୍ରଥା ଅନୁସାରେ ବାହାଘର ବ୍ୟାପାରରେ ତାଙ୍କର ମୁଣ୍ଡ ଖେଳାଇବାର ନଥିଲା । କନ୍ୟାର ଦାଦା ଦିନେ ପ୍ରସାଦଙ୍କୁ ଦେଖ‌ିବାକୁ ଆସି ପହଞ୍ଚିଲେ । ସେ ତାଙ୍କୁ କିଛି ପ୍ରଶ୍ନ ପଚାରିଲେ ଓ ଫେରିଗଲେ । ଅଳ୍ପଦିନ ଭିତରେ ତାଙ୍କ ଘରୁ ‘ତଲକ୍‌’’ ପର୍ବ ପାଇଁ ସାମଗ୍ରୀ ଆସି ପହଞ୍ଚିଲା । ଏହା ବିବାହ ପାଇଁ ‘ସ୍ଵିକୃତି’ କୁ ବୁଝାଏ । ପ୍ରସାଦଙ୍କ ଶ୍ଵଶୁର ଘରୁ ଦାମି ଲୁଗାପଟା, ବାସନକୁସନ ଓ ଦୁଇହଜାର ଟଙ୍କା ଆସିଥିଲା । ସେତେବେଳେ ଦୁଇ ହଜାର ଟଙ୍କା ଖୁବ୍ ବେଶୀ । ସେହି ଅନୁସାରେ ବାହାଘର ପ୍ରସେସନ୍ ଓ ଆନୁସଙ୍ଗିକ ଖର୍ଚ୍ଚ ମଧ୍ୟ କରିବାକୁ ହେବ ।

ତାଙ୍କ ପରିବାରର ଆର୍ଥିକ ଅବସ୍ଥା ଏତେ ସ୍ୱଚ୍ଛଳ ନ ଥିଲା । ଜମିଦାରି ଭଲ ଚାଲିନଥିଲା । ତଥାପି ତାଙ୍କ ବାପା ଯେ କୌଣସି ଉପାୟରେ ବାହାଘରକୁ ଧୁମ୍ଧଡ଼କରେ କରିବାକୁ ଆୟୋଜନ କଲେ । ସେତେବେଳେ ବାହାଘରରେ ହାତୀ, ଘୋଡ଼ା, ପାଲିଙ୍କି ଯାଉଥଲା । ଯେଉଁ ପ୍ରସେସନ୍‌ରେ ଯେତେ ହାତୀ ଅଧ୍ଵ, ତାହା ସେତେ ଆକର୍ଷଣୀୟ । ମାତ୍ର ପ୍ରସାଦଙ୍କ ବାହା ତିଥିରେ ଅନେକ ବାହାଘର ହେଉଥ‌ିବାରୁ ହାତୀ ମିଳିଲେ ନାହିଁ । ମାତ୍ର ଗୋଟିଏ ହାତୀ, କିଛି ଘୋଡା ଓ ପାଲିଙ୍କିରେ ପ୍ରସେସନ୍ ବାହାରିଲା । ଅବଶ୍ୟ ବରର ପାଲିଙ୍କି ଖୁବ୍ ଆକର୍ଷଣୀୟ ହୋଇଥିଲା ।

ବିବାହ ଦଲନ-ଚାପ୍ରାରେ ହେଉଥିଲା । ଏହା ପ୍ରସାଦଙ୍କ ଘର ଜେରାଦେଇଠାରୁ ୪୦ ମାଇଲ ଦୂରରେ ଅବସ୍ଥିତ । ବରଯାତ୍ରୀଦଳ ସେଠି ପହଞ୍ଚିବାକୁ ଦୁଇଦିନ ଲାଗିବ । ପ୍ରଥମଦିନ ଯାତ୍ରା ସାରି ସେମାନେ ସରଯୂନଦୀ କଳରେ ତମ୍ବୁରେ ରହିଲେ । ତା’ପରଦିନ ଡଙ୍ଗାରେ ପାଲିଙ୍କି, ଘୋଡା, ଜିନିଷପତ୍ର, ବଳଦଗାଡି ବୁହା ହୋଇ ଅପର ପାର୍ଶ୍ଵକୁଗଲା । ମାତ୍ର ସମସ୍ୟା ହେଲା ହାତୀକୁ ନେଇ ଯେତେ ଉଦ୍ୟମ କଲେ ବି ହାତୀ ଆଦୌ ଗଲା ନାହିଁ । ଶେଷରେ ମାହୁନ୍ତ ହାତୀକୁ ନେଇ ବାପାଙ୍କର ବଡ଼ ଚିନ୍ତା ହେଲା । ତାଙ୍କ ବାହାଘରକୁ କୋଡ଼ିଏରୁ ଉର୍ଦ୍ଧ୍ଵ ହାତୀ ପ୍ରସେସନ୍‌ରେ ଯାଇଥିଲେ । ତାଙ୍କ ପୁଅ ବାହାଘର ବିନା ହାତୀରେ କେମିତି ହେବ ? ସୌଭାଗ୍ୟବଶତଃ ଗୋଟିଏ ବାହାଘରସାରି ଦଳେ ମାହୁନ୍ତ ତାଙ୍କ ହାତୀ ସହିତ ସେହି ରାସ୍ତା ଦେଇ ଫେରୁଥିଲେ । ବାପା ସେମାନଙ୍କୁ ପ୍ରସାଦଙ୍କ ପଟୁଆରରେ ସାମିଲ କଲେ । ତଥାପି କନ୍ୟାଘର ଲୋକେ ଅଭିଯୋଗ କଲେ, ପ୍ରସେସନ୍ ଭଲ ହେଲାନାହିଁ ।

ବରଯାତ୍ରୀ ଦଳ କନ୍ୟା ଘରେ ପହଞ୍ଚିଲାବେଳକୁ ରାତି ୧୧ଟା । ପ୍ରସାଦ ପାଲିଙ୍କିରେ ଶୋଇ ପଡ଼ିଥିଲେ । ସେଇ ନିଦରେ ନିଦରେ ବାହାଘର କାମ ରାତିକ ଭିତରେ ସରିଗଲା । ସେ ଯନ୍ତ୍ରବତ୍ ପଣ୍ଡିତଙ୍କ କଥାରେ କାମ କରିଯାଉଥ୍ଲେ । ସେ ପିଲାବେଳେ ସାଙ୍ଗସାଥୀଙ୍କ ମେଳରେ କଣ୍ଢେଇ ବାହାଘର କରୁଥିଲେ । ଏ ବାହାଘର ଠିକ୍ ସେମିତି ଥିଲା । ବାହାଘର କ’ଣ ଜାଣିବା ପୂର୍ବରୁ ସେ ବାହା ହୋଇ ସାରିଥିଲେ । ବାହାଘର ପରେ ପ୍ରସାଦ ଓ ଅନ୍ୟମାନେ ଘରକୁ ଫେରିଲେ । କନ୍ୟା ସେଦିନ ତାଙ୍କ ସାଙ୍ଗ ସାଥ୍‌ରେ ଆସିଲା ନାହିଁ ।

ବର୍ଷକ ପରେ ସେ “Duragman” ପର୍ବରେ ପ୍ରସାଦଙ୍କ ଘରକୁ ଆସିଲା । ସେବେଳେ ପରଦା ପ୍ରଥା ପ୍ରସାଦଙ୍କ ଘରେ ବଳବତ୍ତର ଥିଲା । କେହି ନବବଧୂର ମୁହଁ ଦେଖିପାରିବେ ନାହିଁ । ପ୍ରସାଦଙ୍କ ଭାଉଜ ଯେତେବେଳେ ତାଙ୍କ ଘରକୁ ବୋହୂ ହେଇ ଆସିଲା, ତାଙ୍କ ସାଥ୍‌ରେ ଦୁଇଜଣ ଦାସୀ ଆସିଥିଲେ । ସେ କେବଳ ତାଙ୍କରି ସାର୍ଥରେ ଗୋଟିଏ ରୁମ୍‌ରେ ଚୁପ୍‌ଚୁପ୍ କଥା ହେଉଥିଲେ । ବାରଣ୍ଡାକୁ ମଧ୍ୟ ଆସୁନଥିଲେ । ସେ ବାରଣ୍ଡା ଦେଇ ପୁରୁଷ ଲୋକ ଯିବା ମନା । ସେ ଯେତେବେଳେ ଗାଧୋଇ ଯାଉଥିଲେ ତାଙ୍କ ଦୁଇ ପଟେ ଲୁଗାର ଆଢ଼େଣି ଦିଆ ଯାଉଥିଲା । ପ୍ରସାଦଙ୍କ ସ୍ତ୍ରୀ ଯେତେବେଳେ ଆସିଲା, ସେଇ ଏକା କଥାର ପୁନରାବୃଭି ହେଲା ।

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Odisha State Board CHSE Odisha Class 11 Approaches to English Book 2 Solutions Short Stories Chapter 2 The Eyes Have It Textbook Exercise Questions and Answers.

Class 11th Alternative English Short Stories Chapter 2 The Eyes Have It Question Answers CHSE Odisha

The Eyes Have It Class 11 Questions and Answers

Section – I

Questions For Discussion:
Question 1.
Can you visualize the dramatic setting when the story begins?
(Note: Imagine that you are standing on the platform of Rohena station. A, train arrives. A blind young man is travelling all alone, seated in a dark corner of an empty compartment A girl gets into the same compartment. An elderly couple comes to see her off leaves after giving her the usual instructions to be observed during the journey. The train leaves the station).
Answer:
The sudden appearance of the girl, her parents giving usual instructions where she should keep her luggage, not to lean out of windows and to avoid speaking to strangers, etc. was really dramatic. Again, a blind man sitting in the dark corner of the railway .compartment and the setting adds to the setting to be more dramatic.

Question 2.
Which lines in the text show that the man was blind?
Answer:
The lines- “As I was totally blind at the time, my eyes sensitive only to light and darkness. I was unable to test what the girl looked like but I know she wore slippers from the way they slapped against her heals” show that the man was blind.

Question 3.
How did the girl respond to the first question of the blind man?
Answer:
The first question of the blind man to the girl was: “Are you going all the way to Dehra ?” and the respond of the girl to this question was: “I didn’t know anyone else was he”. This seems that the girl hadn’t seen the man sitting alone in the compartment.

Question 4.
What does the narrator observe about the people with good eyesight and the people who can not see?
Answer:
The narrator observes that it often happens that people with good eyesight fail to see what is right in front of them. They have too much to take in whereas people who can’t see have to take in only the essentials.

Question 5.
Is the protagonist afraid that his blindness may be discovered by the girl? If so, why?
Answer:
Yes, the protagonist is afraid to test his blindness should be discovered by the girl travelling in the same compartment. It was because he would be able to prevent her from discovering that he was blind.

Question 6.
“Then I had better not get too familiar”. What is the occasion and intention underlying this statement of the narrator? Does it throw any
light on his character?
Answer:
When the girl travelling in the compartment said that her aunt would be waiting for her at Saharanpur, the narrator said this on this occasion with the intention that “aunts are usually formidable creatures.”

Question 7.
How does the man try to hide his blindness from the girl? Do his efforts create a situation of comical and light heartedness?
Answer:
When the girl asked the man to look outside the window to see what it was outside, he tried to hide his blindness from the girl by moving along the berth feeling for the window ledge. His efforts of doing this creates a situation of comical and lightheartedness.

Question 8.
How does bond add colour and beauty to a world of blindness and suffering? Discuss briefly the world of beauty and romance as noticed in the conversation between the travellers.
Answer:
Bond presents a world of beauty and romance in the conversation between the girl and the narrator, “Oh, how lucky you are. I wish I were going to Mussoorie. I love the hills. Especially in October.” breaths a spirit of romance and love. “You have an interesting face” speaks volumes of love “You are a very gallant young man” tells about reciprocal statement of love

Question 9.
What was the thing that fermented the protagonist about the girl?
Answer:
The girl was standing very close to the man when she was to get off the train, She was so close that the perfume from her hair was tantalizing. He wanted to raise his hand an of touch her hair, but she moved away, This fermented the protagonist about the girl.

Composition:
Question 1.
How does the narrator make guesses about the fellow passenger?
Answer:
The narrator of the story “The Eyes Have It” is a blind man who makes guesswork so as to identify the fellow passenger in the train. The man had the compartment to himself alone up to Rohana. Then a girl go into it. There was a couple who saw her off might be her parents. These elderly people were very anxious about her comfort and the woman gave the girl detailed instructions as to where to keep her things, when not to learn out of windows and how to avoid speaking to strangers. They said them goodbye and the train was set to motion. As he was completely blind, at that time his eyes were sensitive only to light and darkness, he was unable to tell what the girl looked like. But he sensed that she had worn sleepers from the way they slapped against her heels. It would take him some time to discover something about her looks and perhaps he never would. But he liked the sound of her voice and even the sound of her slippers. From this, the man guessed that one who was travelling in the same compartment was a girl.

Question 2.
When does he get a surprise and what is it?
Answer:
However, the blind man wondered if he would be able to prevent her from discovering that he was blind provided he kept his seat, it shouldn’t be difficult. The girl said that she was bound for Shaharanpur where her aunt would be waiting for her. The man replied that he had better not get too familiar. He also added that aunts are usually formidable creatures. She also asked him where he was going. And his reply was that he would go to Dehra and then to Mussoorie. She said that Mussoorie is a wonderful place she loved the hills especially in October. He seconded her opinion. He wondered if his words had touched her or whether she thought him to be a romantic fool. Of course, he then made a mistake asking another question to her. He asked, “What is it like outside”? But found nothing strange in the question.

“Had she noticed already that he could not see ?” He thought to himself. But she advised him to look outside and he confirmed about his quarry as to what it was like outside. He moved easily along the berth and felt for the window lodge. The window was open and he faced it, making a pretence of studying the landscape. He heard the roaring sound of engine, the rumble of the wheels and in his mind’s eye, he could see telegraph posts flashing by. He said whether she had noticed that the trees seemed to be moving while they seemed to be standing still. She replied that it is quite usual. She asked whether there were no animals. He said, it confidently because he knew that there were scarcely any animals left in the forests near Dehra. He then turned from the girl and said to the girl, “You have an interesting face”. He knew that few girls can resist flattery. She laughed pleasantly and said, “It’s nice to be told I have an interesting face.” I’m tired of people telling me I have a pretty face”. He replied, c“well, art interesting face can also be pretty.”

The girl became enchanted by the remarks given by the man and said, “You are a very gallant young man, but why are you so serious ?” Her voice seemed to be a mountain stream. The train came to a halt and the girl gathered her things to leave. The girl to him, so close that the perfume from her hair was tantalizing. He wanted to raise my hand and touch her hair but she moved away. In fact, all the above things gave a surprise to the narrator of the story.

Vocabulary:

A. Use the following words first as nouns and then as verbs in sentences of your own.
couple, pull, remark, look, slap, voice, sound, wonder, wish, call.
Answer:
couple :
(N) This couple is very kind and helpful.
(V) His simplicity is coupled with good manners
pull :
(N) He succeeded a mist pushes and pulls.
(V) He pulled the door to enter into the room.
remark:
(N) He always gives good remarks about others.
(V) He always remarks badly
look:
(N) Let us have a look to the patient in the hospital
(V) She looks very beautiful today.
slap:
(N) The master gave a slap to the servant for his fault.
(V) The man slapped his naughty child as he was not going to school
voice:
(N) I like her sweet voice.
(V) We should voice against injustice.
sound:
(N) I can’t read in high-pitched sound.
(V) Empty vessel sounds much.
wonder:
(N) It is a great wonder that a failed student secures first division after hard labour.
(V) He wondered lest f should not come.
wish:
(N) The man had the only wish that his son would be a doctor.
(V) I wish you all success in your life.
call:
(N) He attended a STD call.
(V) I call him for help call

Grammar:
Supply question tags to the following statements.
1. There is no easy way out.
2. He is a clever boy.
3. He usually visited us during summer.
4. He did not remember to take his umbrella.
5. She hardly goes out these days.
6. I am late today.
7. Neither of your brothers answered it properly.
8. The boys made a lot of noise.
9. We have dinner at 8 p.m.
10. Let us have some fun.
11. None of the boys knew it.
12. Everybody can do it.
13. Please pass on the plate.
14. We must not be late today.
15. Be careful when you cross a busy road.
16. Use your common sense.
17. Remember to attend the meeting.
Answer:
1. There is no easy way out, is there?
2. He is a clever boy, isn’t he?
3. He usually visited us during summer, didn’t he?
4. He did not remember to take his umbrella, did he?
5. She hardly goes out these days, does she?
6. I am late today, aren’t I?
7. Neither of your brothers answered it properly, did they?
8. The boys made a lot of noise, didn’t they?
9. We have dinner at.8 p.m., don’t we?
10. Let us have some fun, shall we?
11. None of the boys knew it, did they?
12. Everybody can do it, can’t they?
13. Please pass on the plate, will you?
14. We must not be late today, must we?
15. Be careful when you cross a busy road, will you?
16. Use your common sense, will you?
17. Remember to attend the meeting, will you?

Section – II

Questions For Discussion:
Question 1.
In which line of this section do you get an idea about the young man’s blindness?
Answer:
The line, “can you tell me- did she keep her hair long or short ?” of this section provides an idea about the young man’s blindness.

Question 2.
What was the young man doing when the new traveller entered the compartment? What was the observation of the new traveller on the situation?
Answer:
There was a disturbance in the doorway. He returned to his berth and sat in front of the window staring into the daylight when the new traveller entered the Compartment. He observed that the young man and the girl had a romantic affair.

Question 3.
When does the narrator discover that the girl was also blind?
Answer:
When the narrator asked the new fellow traveller as to whether the girl had kept her hair long or short, the man replied that nothing about the hair but one thing he was sure that she was completely blind. Then he knew that the girl was blind.

Question 4.
What impression do you form about the young man in the story?
Answer:
The young man in the story was a blind man who possessed a romantic heart. He did not wish to expose that he was blind. He thought that the young girl was a beautiful dame with bright eyes.

Question 5.
Do you find the same romantic spirit in this section of the story as in the first section? Or has the tone become serious?
Answer:
Of course, the romantic spirit of the first section was much more rigorous than the romantic spirit what prevail in this section. The tone and temper of these two sections also changes. Here, in this section, the romantic tone becomes serious when the young man discovers that the girl is also blind.

Question 6.
Does Bond present a painful world of blindness and suffering ? Or is it a word of beauty and romance woven around a short meeting between the two blind travellers? Give reasons for your answers.
Answer:
Bond presents a world of beauty and romance women around a short meeting between the two blind travellers. The young man as the narrator of the story expresses his loving and romantic words for the blind girl when he takes for granted to have eyes. The girl in turn, reciprocates him in feeling. Thus, a romantic world spins around the meeting of the two blind souls.

Questions For Composition:

Question 1.
Give an account of the progress of the story from an interesting meeting to a surprise ending.
Answer:
The present story “The Eyes have It” is undoubtedly, the masterpiece of Ruskin Bond, an eminent and outstanding storyteller. The story extracted from Bond’s collection “Delhi is not far” transports us from a world of painful awareness of the misfortune and suffering due to blindness to a world of blindness and romance is evident in the brief conversation between the two blind travellers. However, Bond presents a progress from an interesting meeting to a surprise ending. The section-I of the story tells that the narrator is blind and the section II ensures that the girl is also blind. This shift in situation marks the specialty of the story.

The story starts with the narrator’s travelling on a train to which a girl gets into. She seems to have come with a couple of elderly person who are thought of to be her parents. They give her a set of instructions to follow while travelling on the train. The girl does not know that the man is blind nor does the man know that the girl is so. There broods over a suspense throughout the fellow travellers exchange loving and romantic words in the compartment. The young man says, “You have an interesting face” and she says to the man, “You are a very gajlant young man.” The man wishes to touch her hair when she stands close to him before she gets ready to get down.

However, this situation takes a different turn with the appearance of another man in the same compartment when the narrator asked whether the girl had long or short hair. He replies that he is not sure of her hair but one thing he is sure that she is blind. This marks a change in mode and tone of the story. Moreover, the story shifts from a romantic to that a serious situation. The ending is marked with surprise. It is unexpected, that the girl is also blind. As a matter of fact, Bond’s presentation of the story from an interesting meeting to a surprise ending as superb and fantastic. The way Bond has coordinated section-I with that of section II is really tremendous inspiring; and elevating. On the whole, Bond is at his best in this presentation.

Question 2.
Would you regard “The Eyes Have ‘ It” as an appropriate title to the story? Give reasons for your answer.
Answer:
In fact, the story “The Eyes Have It”-Is written by Ruskin Bond, a prominent and most popular story teller. The present story is extracted from Bond’s collections of stories “Delhi is not far”. On the whole, Bond is an outstanding master in providing apt and suggestive titles to his stories. It is true that a colourful and attractive signboard automatically drags the attention of the customers to a shop. Similarly, an apt and suggestive title also makes the reader spellbound to read a story, novel and drama. However, Bond realises this naked truth in his heart of hearts. A title should be concise, precise and pinpointed. Just like a good signboard speaks out the contents of a shop at the first sight. Likewise, a title of any work of art should also speak volumes of the ideas contained therein.

However, the whole story and its labyrinth centres round the eyes. The young man’ who happens to be the narrator of the story is designed to be a blind man. A girl enters to the same compartment with whom he exchanges loving and romantic words. They get themselves involved in the talks about nature and natural places. They converse about Mussoorie and other places of natural beauties. The man, however, is not willing to express that he is blind. He maintains this secret until the end of the story. He goes on giving evasive replies to the girl who is not able to get a speak of information as to the former’s blindness. She gets down in her destination where a new fellow traveller gets in and he asked whether the girl has kept long or short hair.

The co-traveller says that he is not aware of her hair, but one thing he has been sure of is her eyes. She is blind. As a matter of fact, the title of the story is apt and suggestive. Because, the story is well concerned with the eyes that the two blind men and the girl did not have. They don’t have eyes and yet they don’t know whether the other possesses any eyes. In this sense the title of the story “The Eyes have It” is exact, appropriate and suitable. On the whole, Bond has well-coordinated the section- I and section-II by making a connection of cemented concrete through this elevating, heart-rendering title.

Question 3.
Write a conversation between the two blind travellers.
Answer:
In fact, Ruskin Bond is a superb and excellent story teller in presenting very practical dialogues in his story, “The Eyes Have It”. The dialogues between the blind travellers are really very realistic, and provocative. They are tinged with a considerable suspense. The blind travellers are not able to know each other to be blind so long as they are in the compartment. Bond has beautifully explicated us from a world of painful awareness of the misfortune and suffering due to blindness to a world of beauty and romance as evident in the brief conversation between the two blind travellers.

The first dialogue is opened by the narrator who asks “Are you going all the way to Dehra ?” The girl has not seen the man sitting in the dark corner. But the most interesting dialogues continue between them when they speak out their romantic words. The girl says,” I wish I were going to Mussoorie. I love the hills. Especially in October.” In the course of their conversation the man says, “You have an interesting face.” This statement fills her with pleasure and she gets inflated and elated. She also reciprocates him telling, “You are a very gallant young man.” These dialogues remind one of love and romance. The two persons only exchange loving and romantic words for each other.

In fact, the exchanges of dialogues in the story makes it entirely dramatic. Actually, dialogues in the story provide a strong sustenance which gives a powerful fillip to the work of art. Dialogues reveal the dare comer of their heart. The story writer is really very realistic on this regard. On the whole, the dramatic style as adopted by Bond here, is extraordinarily marvellous and heart-touching.

Question 4.
Critically examine the atmosphere in the story.
Answer:
Actually, the story “The Eyes Have It” is of course, one of the most typical masterpiece of Ruskin Bond, a popular and outstanding story teller. Bond has been the most beloved of Indian writers whose works have been mostly on Indian life and setting. A graphic picturesque portrait of nature with her varied colours, sights and sounds adds to the poetic beauty and charm of his fictional world. The stories delineate the intimate moments of the life of characters and their psychic responses in a dramatic manner. Like dialogue, the atmosphere is another important ingredient of this story, “The Eyes Have It”. The atmosphere is one of suspense and surprise.

The story extracted from Bond’s collection of “Delhi is not far”, transports the readers from a world of painful awareness of the misfortune and suffering due to blindness to a world of beauty and romance, as evident in the brief conversation between the two blind travellers. But the departure of the girl brings an end to the delightful world of sensuous appreciation. More pathetic is the final revelation about the girl which might be a shock to the romantic inquisitor and might have” razed his romantic mansion to the ground.

Bond very cunningly and evasively maintains the suspense, making the story amusing and comic. In addition to the emotional and psychic contents of the story, it derives its charm from its poetic descriptions of the beautiful Mussoorie and the sonorous effects of the; trains rumble on the rails and more so of the narrator’s exhilarating moments with the girl. What is striking is that the story is not marked by criticism or morbidity on account of the deprivation of sight, but rather celebrates on that account, a strong desire to participate, in the process of life. The elements of irony and pathos make the story a memorable one in spite of its simple plot.

As a matter of fact, the atmosphere of the story is romantic and gay. On the other hand, it bears a lot of suspense from the beginning of the story to the end of it. Both the blind travellers on the train do not know that they are blind each but they .go on hiding from each other about it. On the whole, Bond is an outstanding master in setting the atmosphere of the story in a most attractive manner The young man who is the narrator of the story is a blind man and the girl who gets into the same compartment where he is travelling is also blind and again she comes to exactly the same compartment where the narrator is alone, of course, realistic, but they indicate the superb and fantastic setting of atmosphere of the storyteller. In short, Bond is at his best in setting the story suspensively.

Grammar:
A. Supply question tag to the following:
1. He was driving two too fast.
2. The train has not left.
3. He hardly likes his job.
4. There are some mangoes in my bags.
5. She does not know what I want.
6. None of the girls like the show.
7. A large number of tourists are expected this year.
8. Let us go now.
9. He hardly goes out.
10. There is little milk in the glass.
11. Everybody will attend the meeting,
12. You aren’t afraid of a dog.
13. They can read English.
14. That was my friend on phone.
15. His mother is very proud of him.
16. Switch off the light before going to bed.
17. We must meet him today.
18. You take curd after your meal.
19. Your formula never works well.
20. It is cold today.
21. Mr, Mohanty is our principal.
22. Post the letter.
23. Have a cup of tea.
24. Stop talking.
25. Everyone knew the answer.
26. Few students are present in the class.
27. A little milk is left in the cup.
28. Little milk is left in the cup.
29. He hardly came here last month.
30. She scarcely sings.
31. Don’t laugh loudly.
32. Shut the door.
33. Transfer the salt please.
34. He did it well.
35. She reads well.

B. Supply prepositions to the following blanks:
1. Today he is absent _________ school.
2. A stick abstains him _________wire.
3. He can’t account __________ his mistake.
4. His father was accused __________theft.
5. He is not accustomed __________.
6. They are not acquainted ___________.
7. We were not adapted ___________.
8. He is addicted ___________drugs.
9. We must adhere _____________ some basic principles.
10. I have a great admiration __________ Subash Bose.
11. He is generous and affable ___________ neighbours.
12. His affection _________ children knows no bound.
13. Our principal didn’t approve __________our proposal.
14. He has no-aptitude __________ mathematics.
15. He is ashamed __________ his own misconduct.
16. He atoned __________his own sins.
17. Such a book has no attraction__________me.
18. He was not aware __________ such a danger.
19. He is not averse _________ hard work.
20. Poverty is not a bar __________ success.
21. This cycle belongs __________ Mohan.
22. Be ware ____________ dog.
23. He called _________ me yesterday.
24. He is clever __________ making plans.
25. Kalidasa was contemporary _____________ Vikramaditya.
26. The enquiry committee consists ___________ fifteen members.
27. A man who is connected ____________ his life is a happy man.
28. A woman’s work was never confined ____________ kitchen in the past.
29. The judge is convinced ___________ his attention.
30. The craze __________ pop will not last long.
31. There is no cure A.I.D.S.
32 The demand ___________ low cost car is going up.
33. He is devoted ___________ his work.
34. The Chinese differ ___________ Indians in many ways.

Answer:
A. Question tags are supplied as per the following:
1. Her was driving too fast, wasn’t he?
2. The train has not left, has it?
3. He hardly likes his job, does he?
4. There are some mangoes in my bag, aren’t there?
5. She does not know what I want, does she?
6. None of the girls like the shows, did they?
7. A large number of tourists are expected this year, aren’t they?
8. Let us go now, shall we?
9. He hardly goes out, does he?
10. There is little milk in the glass, is there?
11. Everybody will attend the meeting, weren’t they?
12. You are not afraid of a dog, are you?
13. They can read English, can’t they?
14. That was my friend on phone, wasn’t that?
15. His mother is very proud of him, isn’t she?
16. Switch off the light before going to bed, will you?
17. We must meet him today, must not we?
18. You take curd after your meal, don’t you?
19. Your formula never works well, does it?
20. It is cold today, isn’t it?
21. Mr. Mohanty is our Principal, isn’t he?
22. Post the letter, will you?
23. Have a cup of tea, will you?
24. Stop talking, will you?
25. Everyone knew the answer, didn’t they?
26. Few students are present in the class, are they?
27. A little milk is left in the cup, isn’t it?
28. Little milk is left in the cup, is it?
29. He hardly came here last month, does he?
30. She scarcely sings, does she?
31. Don’t laugh loudly, will you?
32. Shut the door, will you?
33. Transfer the salt please, will you?
34. He did it well, didn’t he?
35. She reads well, doesn’t she?

B. Preposition are supplied to the given blanks.
1. Today he is absent from school.
2. A stoic abstains him from wire.
3. He can’t account for his mistake.
4. His father was accused of theft:
5. He is not accustomed to such surrounding.
6. They are not acquainted with Chinese food.
7. We were not adapted to the life of a desert.
8. He is addicted to drugs.
9. We must adhere to sorpe basicprinciples.
10. I have a great admiration for Subash Bose.
11. He is generous and “affable to neighbours.
12. His affection for children knows no bound.
13. Our Principal didn’t approve of our proposal.
14. He has no aptitude for mathematics.
15. He is ashamed of his own misconduct.
16. He atoned for his own sins.
17. Such a book has no attraction for me.
18. He was not aware of such a danger.
19. He is not averse to hard work.
20. Poverty is not a bar to success.
21. This cycle belongs to Mohan.
22. Beware of dog.
23. He called for me yesterday.
24. He is clever at making plans.
25. Kalidasa was contemporary of Vikramaditya.
26. The Enquiry Committee consists of fifteen members.
27. A man who is connected with his life is a happy man.
28. A woman work was never confined to kitchen in the past.
29. Content always conduces to happiness.
30. The judge is convinced of his attention.
31. The craze for pop will not last long.
32. There is no cure for A.I.D.S.
33. The demand of low cost car is going up.
34. He is devoted with his work.
35. The Chinese differ from Indians in many ways.

Section-I

pre-reading Activity:
Have you ever come in close contact with a blind or listened to him or her? Have you noticed anything special about blind people? You might have noticed that they try to make up for their loss of sight by using their imagination.

Focusing Question:
Here is an interesting story narrated by a blind man who uses his imagination very well. As you read the story, try to find answers to these questions :
(i) How does the narrator make guesses about the fellow passenger
(ii) When does he get a surprise and what is it?

Gist:
paragraph: 1-11
The narrator had a train journey up to Rohana. He was in his train compartment. At that time, a girl got into that compartment. Of course, her parents saw her off outside. The woman gave the girl a vivid instructions about how to travel and how to behave with strangers, The narrator was entirely blind and so he was not capable of saying how the girl looked like. However, he liked her voice and the sound of her slippers. She said that she would be getting off at Saharanpur. Her aunt was awaiting her there. She wanted to know where the narrator was going. So he answered that he was going to Dehra and then to Mussoorie. The girl exclaimed that she loved the hills there in October when the hills are covered with dahlias the sun is delicious. Tourists came in large numbers. The roads were quiet and almost deserted.

Paragraph: 12-30
The girl remained silent. He asked her what it was outside. But she replied him that he should look outside to know it. He asked her again whether she had noticed that the trees seem to be moving while one keeps standing still. She answered that it always happens. He said that she had an interesting face. She replied that it was nice to be called her having an interesting face. He had been fed up with the expression ‘penalty face’. She called him a gallant young man. All of a sudden her station arrived and she got up together her things. The girl said him goodbye and went away. He wished to touch her hair but as soon as he had done that, she disappeared and the perfume, ‘from hair still lingered where she stood.

Analytical outlines:

• The narrator had a train journey up to Rohana.
• He was in his train compartment.
• At that time, a girl got into it.
• Of course, her parents, saw her off outside.
• The woman gave her a vivid instruction about how to travel.
• The woman also told her about how to behave with strangers.
• The narrator was entirely blind.
• So he was not capable of saying about her beauty.
• However, he liked her voice.
• He also liked the sound of her slippers
• She said that she would be getting off at Saharanpur.
• Her aunt was waiting her there.
• She wanted to know where he was going.
• So he answered that he was going to Dehra.
• He also told that he would go to Mussoorie then.
• The girl exclaimed that she loved the hills there in October.
• Because, the hill was covered with dahlias then.
• At that time, the sun is delicious.
• Tourists came there in large numbers.
• Of course, the roads were quiet and deserted.
• Then, the girl remained silent.
• He asked her what ‘it was outside.
• But she replied that he should look outside to know about it.
• He asked her again whether she had noticed that the trees “seem to be moving while one keeps standing still.
• She answered that it always happens.
• He said that she had an interesting face.
• She replied that it was nice to be called her having an interesting face
• He had been fed up with the expression ‘penalty face’.
• She called him a gallant young man.
• Suddenly, her station reached.
• She got up together her things.
• The girl said him goodbye.
• Then she got down and went away.
• He wanted to touch her hair.
• As soon as he had done that, she disappeared.
• Her perfume from hair still lingered where she stood.

Meaning of difficult words:
formidable – avoidable, difficult to deal with.
ledge – a raised edge, sharp edge.
nimble – a heavy rolling noise.
gallant – brave, noble, courageous.
bun – a rounded mass of hair.
plaited – intertwined
tantalize – movement by presenting something., to excite desire but keep it out of reach.

Section- II

Gist
Paragraph-31
There was some disturbance in the doorway. Aman was getting into the compartment. He stammered an apology. Then the door banged. It was shut out again. The narrator returned to his berth. The guard blew his whistle and the train moved. Gradually, the train gathered speed, the wheels took up their songs, the carriage groaned and shook. He found the window and sat in front of it staring into the low light that was darkness for him. So many things were happening outside the window. The man who had entered the compartment broke into his reverie that is a kind of daydream about pleasant things or events. He said standingly that he must be disappointed because he was not nearly as attractive a travelling companion as the one who then left. The narrator replied that she was an interesting girl, continued if he could say whether the girl kept her hair long or short. The new companion replied that he was his eyes not hair. Her eyes were very beautiful, but they were of no use of her. The girl was completely blind.

Analytical outlines:

• There was some disturbance in the doorway.
• A man was getting into the compartment.
• He stammered an apology.
• Then the door banged.
• It was shut out again.
• The narrator returned to his berth.
• The guard blew his whistle.
• Then the train moved.
• Gradually, the train gathered speed.
• The wheels took up their songs.
• The carriage groaned and shook.
• He found the window.
• He sat in front of it.
• He stared into the low light.
• It was nothing but darkness for him.
• So many things were happening outside the window.
• The man already entered into the compartment
• He broke into his reverie.
• Reverie refers to a kind of daydream about pleasant things or events.
• He said something slantingly.
• He must be disappointed.
• Because, he was not nearly an attractive travelling companion.
• The one who left was much more better.
• The narrator replied that she was an ’ interesting girl.
• He also said about her hair whether long or short.
• The new companion replied that he was his eyes not hair.
• Her eyes were very beautiful.
• But they were of no use to her.
• Actually, the girl was completely blind.

Meaning of difficult words:
confusion – disturbance
Stammer – to speak slantingly
apology – excuse, pardon
banged – shut with a loud noise
berth – sleeping place of the train.
grown – to utter a deep moan
shook – trembled, quivered.
reverie – a daydream about pleasant things or events.
slantingly – obliquely, here in a low voice.
companion – friend, partner.

Read More:

• The Rainbow-Bird Question Answer
• The Eyes Have It Question Answer
• The Little Wife Question Answer

Odisha State Board CHSE Odisha Class 11 Approaches to English Book 1 Solutions Unit 1 Text D: A Time to Think Textbook Activity Questions and Answers.

Class 11th Alternative English Chapter 4 A Time to Think Question Answers CHSE Odisha

A Time to Think Class 11 Questions and Answers

Activity-14

Comprehension:
Decide whether the following statements are True (T) False (F) or you can’t be sure from the above text (N)
a) One can think for improvement even after solution to a problem at hand has been found.
b) Robert 0 Anderson (Chairman of Atlantic Richfield) said that he set aside 10-15 minutes twice a day for thinking.
c) Slow thinking is always a waste of time.
d) You get one idea today, a better idea tomorrow and the best idea… never. This was a favourite saying of Sir Robert Watson Watt.
e) Thinking time is helpful more for problem-solving than for improvement thinking or for thinking around and about a situation.

Answer:
a) One can think for improvement even after solution to a problem at hand has been found. (T)
b) Robert 0 Anderson (Chairman of Atlantic Richfield) said that he set aside 10-15 minutes twice a day for thinking. (F)
c) Slow thinking is always a waste of time. (F)
d) You get one idea today, a better idea tomorrow and the best idea never. This was a favourite saying of Sir Robert Watson Watt. (T)
e) Thinking time is helpful more for problem-solving than for improvement thinking or for thinking around and about a situation. (N)

Activity-15

Understanding Diagrams In A Text:
Look at the three diagrams given in para 5 representing three kinds of thinking and briefly explain whether and if so, how the different elements in each diagram clarify description of the corresponding type of thinking given below the diagram.
Answer:

Diagram-1:
Thinking to achieve a purpose:
Classically this is problem-solving whether of the open or the closed variety. There is an endpoint. The thinker is trying to reach some destination.

Diagram-2:
Thinking for improvement:
A solution has already been reached. An answer is available. Things are going well. The thinken simply wants to do better.

Diagram-3:
Thinking around and about:
This in using free-wheeling, preparing the field, setting the context, exploring the situation, just as an intending purchaser might prowl around a house is to buy so the thinker prowls around the situation. There is no definite point of focus.

Activity-l6

Study the use of these expression in the text and then use them in suitable form in appropriate blanks in the following passage:
(i) to take place (para-1)
(ii) to call for (para-2)
(iii) to be regard as (para-4)
(iv) to be inclined to (para-6)
(v) in fact (para-8)

On the day of the coronation __________the prince _________ the best sovereign to occupy, the throne of Kanchi. During the first year of
his reign, however, it became obvious that he ___________ sit over problems that ___________ immediate action ____________ even before the first anniversary of his coronation the new king had proved that he was not equal to the task of governing his kingdom.
Answer:
The day the coronation took place the prince was regarded the best sovereign to occupy, the throne of Kanchi. During the first year of his reign, however, it became obvious that he was inclined to sit over problems that called or immediate action in fact, even before the first anniversary of his coronation the new king had proved that he was not equal to the task of governing his kingdom.

Activity-17
Understanding Text Organisation:

Extract the central idea of Text-D and Write a brief essay of about 300 words on how the other ideas in the text are related to the main idea.
Answer:
Thinking Time and the Solution of Problems: There is an ambivalent attitude towards thinking. Thinking a good thing. There are three kinds of thinking.

(1) Thinking to achieve a purpose: This is a problem solving whether of the dosed variety in which the thinker tries to each a destination.

(2) Thinking improvement: It is a solution already been reached to which an answer is available. The thinker simply wants to do better.

(3) Thinking around and about: It is musing, free wheeling, preparing the field, setting the context, exploring the situation. Just as an intending purchaser might prowl around a house he is to buy so the thinker prowls around the situation. There is no definite point 0f focus.

Thinking is not necessary after getting an appropriate solution. A solved problem is a part 0f whole string of problems. The thinker must be anxious to move on to the next problem. If we suspect that there may be a better solution then how can have full confidence in the one that has been found. How can confidence be inspired to carry out solutions. All the reasons for not thinking beyond the fet solution„ practica| and
realistic. It does not require an effort of will for it is no longer natural behaviour. A habit of some specific thinking time is required for that effort of will. After finding Out such a thinking time, then the agenda for mat thinking time follows.

However, the major use of thinking time comprises thinking around or about a situation or subject. A trivial type of problem-solving is regarded as an on going part of normal work. Time spent in musing is regarded as an investment. It can create an important new insight or specific idea. The maintenance of the thinking habit and exercise of thinking may give a valuable yield on future occasions. Sometimes, slow thinking is considered as the waste of time. Hence, wd should think quickly. But slow thinking is often much more. valuable than quick one. Other things are also involved in slow thinking. These can be unwillingness to make a decision, thinking as an excuse for an in action etc. Thinking has two levels of skill. Such as skill that resides in the tool itself and the skill that is concerned with how and where we use it.

Extra Activity-17(A)

Countable Nouns with A/An and Some A/An and The:
A. Countable Names can be singular or plural.
a dog
dogs
this part
these parts
a child
children
an umbrella
some umbrellas
the evening
the evenings

B. Before singular countable Nouns one can use a/an
Ex.
1. Goodbye! Have a nice evening.
2. Do you need an umbrella?

You can’t use singular countable Nouns alone.
Example:
1. She never wears a shirt.
2. Be careful of the dog.
3. What a beautiful day!
4. I have got a headache.

C. We use a/an to say what kind, of thing or person something/ somebody is.
Example:
1. A dog is an animal.
2. I’m an optimist
3. Tina’s father is a doctor.
4. Are you a good driver?

D. You can use ‘some’ with plural countable Nouns. We use it in two ways:
1. Some = a number of a few of/a pair of:
Example:
1. I have seen some good films recently.
2. Some friends of mine are going to organize a picnic.

2. Some = Some but not all
Example:
1. Some children learn very quickly (but not all)
2. Some police officers carry guns, (but not all)

Study the following:
1. I had a sandwich and an apple for breakfast.
2. The sandwich wasn’t very good but the apple was nice.
3. A man and a woman were sitting opposite me. The man was American but 1 think the woman was British.
4. When we were on holiday, we stayed at a hotel. Sometimes we had our evening meal at the hotel and sometimes we went to a restaurant.
Answer:
We use ‘the’” when we are thinking of a particular thing. Compare a/an and the.
1. Tom sat down on a chair (one of many chairs)
2. Tom sat down on the chair nearest to the door, (a particular chair)
3. Ann is looking for a job (not a particular job)
4. Ann got the job she applied for (a particular job)

B. We use ‘the’ when it is clear in the situation which thing or person we mean. For example- in a room we talk about the light/ the door/ the ceiling/ the door/ the carpet.
1. Can you turn off the light, please, (the light in this room)
2. I took a taxi to the station, (the station in the town)
3. I’d like to speak to the manager, please, (the manager in this shop)
4. I must go to the Bank to get some money and then I am going to the Post Office to get some stamps.

C. We say ‘once a week/three times a day/Rs.8/- a kilo’ etc.
1 . How often do you go to cinema? (About once a month)
2. How much are these potatoes? (Rs.8/- a kilo)
3. She works eight hours a day. ( six days a week)

Section D
Pre-reading Tips:
In this section you will have the chance to read an excerpt from Letters to Thinkers, a book written by Edward de Bono. Edward de Bono, who now owns and lives on a private island in Venice, is a leading authority in the field of creative thinking and is the originator of the term lateral thinking. He has written more than forty books in the field of creativity and thinking including the international bestsellers such as Lateral Thinking, Six Thinking Hats and Serious Creativity.

Lateral thinking is the core idea in all his writings. In de Bono’s view, the sequence of experiences in our life sets up certain familiar patterns of perception, certain typical ways of looking at things. And it is very difficult, if not impossible, to get out of these familiar patterns of thinking and to think in new ways and be creative.

De Bono says that we can get out of our familiar thought patterns by moving sideways across the acquired patterns (hence lateral thinking) and by imposing a new pattern of perception on the relevant bits of information. Lateral thinking thus refers to moving sideways across the familiar patterns instead of moving along them as in normal thinking, and thus facilitating generation of new patterns of perception and new thoughts. The diagram represents lateral thinking vis-a-vis normal thinking. With this background information at our disposal, we can start reading de Bono’s ‘A Time to Think’. But let’s quickly finish a small pre-reading Activity before going to the text.

Pre-reading Activity:
Match each word in column A with its meaning in column B. You can look up a dictionary, if you find the Activity difficult to complete.

A	B
1. agenda (para 8) 2. ambivalent (para 3) 3. feature (para 1) 4. prevarication (para 4)	(i) a piece of writing in a newspaper or magazine (ii) not sure whether you want or like something (iii) a plan to do something (iv) an effort to hide the truth by not answering the questions directly

A Time to Think Summary in English

Paragraph-1:
The USA based magazine Forbes was issued on 20th December 1982. It carried feature about the author and his thinking. He knew the topic properly well. Several businessmen were asked about their attitude to thinking. George Ball, the Chief Executive Officer, Prudential- Beche Securities said that he thought 10-15 minutes twice a day. Philip Knight, the Chairman, Nike Inc. did it one hour a day, three or four days a week. Robert O Anderson, the Chairman Atlantic Richfield did not set aside any regular time and found that travelling alone in a private air craft provided a great deal of thinking time. It was said that no specific time was devoted to thinking since a lot of thinking was taking place at every instant.

Paragraphs 2-4:
Actually, there was a natural difference between thinking of an intentional perseverance of will and maintenance of a habit. There is an ambivalent attitude towards thinking. Thinking is a good tiling A teacher thinking. Thinking is a good tiling A teacher to think like a student. There was time when we had less regard for a man who thought than for a man who appeared to know, all the answers.

Paragraph-5:
Three kinds of thinking have been identified in very general terms:
i) Thinking to achieve a purpose: Classically, this is problem-solving. It may be either open or closed type. There is an endpoint. The thinker is trying to reach some destination.

ii) Thinking for improvement: Here, a solution has always been reached. An answer is available. Thinking are going well. The thinker simply wants to do better.

iii) Thinking around and about: This is missing, free wheeling, preparing the field, setting the context, exploring the situation. Just as an intending purchaser might prowled around a house he is to buy, so the thinker prowls around the situation. There is no definite point of focus.

Paragraph-6:
Thinking is not necessary after getting a proper solution. A problem just solved may be only of a whole string of problems. The thinker is anxious to move on to the next problem. If we suspect that there may be a better solution, then how can one have full confidence in the one that has been found. How can confidence is inspired to carry out solution.

Paragraphs 7-8:
All the reasons for not thinking beyond to first solution and practical and realistic. Thinking beyond the first solution does not require an effort of will. It is no longer natural behaviour. The simplest way to make the effort of will is to establish a habit of specific thinking time. After the achievement of this thinking time, the agenda of other thinking time will follow.

Paragraph-9:
Thinking around or about a situation or subject happens to be the major use of thinking time. It is thinking time because problem-solving of the ordinary type would be regarded as an ongoing part of normal work. Time spent in amusing as regarded as an investment. An important new insight or specific idea may emerge from it. The maintenance of thinking habit and exercise of thinking may give a valuable yield on future occasions.

Paragraph-10:
Slow thinking seems to be a waste of time. So we should always think quickly. But slow thinking is often much more valuable than quick one. Other things are also involved in slow thinking. Sometimes further thinking may cloud the nice certainty of our first reactions. Thinking is k tool that involves two levels of skill. Skill .that resides in the tool itself and the skill that is concerned with how and where we use it.

Analytical outlines of the topic:

• The USA based magazine Forbes was issued on 20th December 1982.
• It carried a feature about thinking.
• Several businessmen were asked about their attitudes to thinking.
• George Bell was the Chief Executive Officer of Prudential- Bache Securities.
• He was thinking 10-15 minutes twice a day.
• Philip Knight was the Chairman of Nike Inc.
• He was thinking one hour a day, three or four days a week.
• Robert 0 Anderson was the Chairman of Atlantic Richfield.
• He was getting much thinking time at the time of travelling alone in a private aircraft.
• Actually, there was a difference between will of thinking and maintenance of a habit.
• There is an ambivalent attitude towards thinking.
• Thinking is a good thing.
• A teacher should think like a student.
• In past, thinking was not so important.
• Three kinds of thinking have been identified.
• They are (1) Thinking to achieve a , purpose, (2) Thinking for improvement and (3) Thinking around and about.
• Thinking to achieve a purpose is required for problem-solving.
• It may be either open or closed.
• There is an endpoint.
• Thinking must reach to same destination.
• Thinking for improvement provides solution.
• Here, an answer is available.
• Thinking goes well.
• The thinker wants to do better.
• Thinking around and about includes missing, free wheeling, preparing the field, setting the context, exploring the situation.
• A thinker prowls around the situation.
• There is no definite point of focus.
• Thinking is not necessary after getting a proper solution.
• A problem just solved may be only of a whole string of problems.
• The thinker is anxious to move into a better solution.
• All the reasons for not thinking beyond to first solution are practical and realistic.
• It does not require an effort of will.
• The simplest way to make the effort of will is to establish a habit of specific thinking time.
• This thinking times will follow agenda of other thinking time.
• Thinking around or about a situation or subject happens to be the major use of thinking time.
• Problem-solving of the ordinary type would be regarded as an ongoing part of normal work.
• Time spent in amusing is regarded as an investment.
• It can provide a new insight or specific idea.
• The maintenance of thinking habit and exercise of thinking may give a valuable yield on future occasions.
• Slow thinking seems to be a waste of time.
• So we should always think quickly.
• Slow thinking is sometimes much more valuable than quick one.
• Other thinks are also involved in slow thinking.
• Thinking involves two levels of skill.

Meanings of difficult words:
Forbes -It is a USA-based newspaper
lateral- belonging to the side,
set aside – sacrificed, devoted to, spared,
allocated – placed, assigned, given.
Instant – at the moment, the very moment or time,
distinction – separation, unidentical, difference,
occur – to come into mind, to be, to be found, to happen, take place.
surroundings – things around us, the environment.
required – needed, desired, wanted.
deliberate – to consider, to think, adj international, willful, purposeful.
effort – endeavour, perseverance, toil, labour.
initial – primary, first, beginning.
Curious – eager, anxious, interested
ambivalent – having either or both of the two contrary or similar values, meanings etc.
implies – to signify, to mean, to express indirectly, connotes.
lack of – absence of, short of, wanting.
decisiveness – settlement, judgement, the act pf taking decision.
pausing – halting stopping standstill.
obvious – perceptible, evident clear, terse, succinct.
accuse of – change with an offence, ill doing.
regard – to consider, to esteem, to respect.
prevarication – making untrue or partly untrue statement, try to evade, telling the truth.
growl – go about cautiously looking for a chance.
adequate – sufficient, a lot of, enough, complete”
a string – a chain of, a series of.
suspect – to doubt have no faith or confidence in.
genuinely – naturally, really, purely, sincerely, authentically.
cliches – idea OT expression that has been too much used and now outdated, stereotyped phrase.

Read More:

• Text A: Memories of Crossgates School Question Answer
• Text B: Make me a child again, Just for tonight Question Answer
• Text C: Confessions of a Misspent Youth Question Answer
• Text D: A Time to Think Question Answer

Odisha State Board CHSE Odisha Class 11 Approaches to English Book 1 Solutions Unit 1 Text C: Confessions of a Misspent Youth Textbook Activity Questions and Answers.

Class 11th Alternative English Chapter 3 Confessions of a Misspent Youth Question Answers CHSE Odisha

Confessions of a Misspent Youth Class 11 Questions and Answers

Activity – 8

State The Central Idea From The Text:
Answer:
1. The text deals with the worst system of school he was made to carry on his studies. It was the school which was known by Sand and Sea.
2. The writer was enrolled in a small private school in Greenwich village. In this school, there was a tremendous emphasis on art and educational freedom. The students were free not to learn anything that bored them and there were no tests.
3. They learned history by recreating its least important elements but without gaining ‘any knowledge or insight.
4. Their reading lessons were postponed till the third grade as early reading was considered harmful to creative spontaneity.
5. As a result, the students of Sand and Sea committed suicide out of frustration although the writer was fortunate to continue her education and pass her B.A.
6. They came to discover that their early education had gone waste only when they came to the high school. The writer’s mother came to realize his folly and sent her son to a traditional school.

Activity – 9

Understanding The Sequence Of Presentation:
Rearrange the following sentences to that they reflect the sequence in which Wolynski presents her ideas. You can begin with sentence (d) The writer was enrolled in small private school in Greenwich village – which is the first sentence in the sequence,
(a) The students were free not to learn anything that bored them and there were no tests.
(b) One of the students of Sand and Sea committed suicide out of frustration although the writer was fortunate to continue her education and pass her B.A.
(c) Their reading lessons were postponed till the third grade as early .reading was -considered harmful to creative spontaneity.
(d) The writer was enrolled in a small private school in Greenwich village.
(e) As a result, the students of Sand and Sea came to hate intellectuality.
(f) They learned history by recreating its least important elements but without gaining any knowledge Or insight.
(g) In this school, there was a tremendous emphasis on arts and educational freedom.
(h) The writer’s mother came to realise her folly and sent her son to a traditional school.
(i) They came to discover that their early education had gone waste when they came to the high School.
Answer:
The writer was enrolled in . a small private school in Greenwich village. In this school there was a tremendous emphasis on art and educational freedom. The students were flee and not to learn anything that bored them and there were no tests. They learned history by recreating its least important elements, but without, going any knowledge or insight. Their reading lessons were postponed till the third grade as early reading was considered harmful to creative spontaneity etc: As a result, the students of Sand and Sea came to make intellectuality. One of the students of Sand and Sea committed suicide out of instruction although the writer was fortunate to continue her education and pass her B.A. They came to discover that their early education. had gone waste only when they came to the high school. The writer’s mother came to realise her falling and sent her son to a traditional school.

Activity – 10

Comprehension:
Answer the following questions briefly :
(a) What is Wolyuskl’s major criticism of sand and Sea’s emphasis on creativity?
Answer:
Wolynski’s major criticism of Sand and Sea’s emphasis on creativity is that it. attracted great emphasis to arts and educational freedom. Their reading lessons were postponed, till the third grade as early reading was. considered harmful to creative spontaneity. Students were forbidden to be bored or miserable or made to compete with one another. When someone felt bored with math, he was allowed to write short stories in the library. This process shocked the students overall progress.

(b) Wolynski says that she was an example of “educational freedom- freedom .not to learn”. What does she mean?
Answer:
Wolynski says that she was an example of educational freedom, because she was herself, a student of Sand and Sea in which the students were guaranteed optimum liberty. She. when got bored with math was allowed to write stories in the library. She was a direct experience holder of all kinds of the intellectual educational pattern in the school.

(C) What is the basis of contrast between two kinds of education?
Answer:
The traditional pattern of education and the kind of education at Sand and Sea are greatly contrasted. Liberty, in the traditional pattern greatly rested on rationality Freedom was given out with limitation. But, freedom at this school was let loose and students were not found what they did not like. This brought about partial learning neglecting the main motto of education. Students were thrust into uncertainty and frustration.

(d) Does Wolynski explicitly state the points of contrast between the two types of education? If your answer is ’yes’, indicate the paragraph 5 and quote the words which explicitly state these differences. If your answer is ‘no’, say why the author does not explicitly state her points of contrast.
Answer:
Yes, the contrasts are explicit. The paragraph 3 “It was the school policy that we were forbidden to be bored or miserable”… “There were no tests and no hard times”. Paragraph 5- “We did not learn to read until we were in the third grade because early, reading was thought to discourage creative spontaneity. The one thing they taught us very well was to hate intellectuality…” Paragraph-9 – “They (parents) had sent in bright curious children and gotten back, nine years later, helpless adolescents Paragraph-10- Now 1 see my twelve-year-old brother (who is in a traditional school) doing college level math and I know that he knows more about many other things besides math, than I do and I also see traditional education working in the case of my reformed mother. When he was eight so that he wouldn’t become like me. Now, after seven years of real education he is making impressive film documentation for he Project in Bicentennial explicitly edpress the constructing difference.

(e) In paragraph 9 Wolynski admits that she could be accused of overstanding her case. How effectively does she reflect this change?
Answer:
Wolynski admits the fact that she | could be accused of overstating her case for some might say that those who freaked out of Sand and Sea would have freaked out any f where. But she pleads that such accusation does not hold true because when one sees the same bizarre behaviour pattern in succeeding. graduating classes, one can draw certain, terrifying conclusion.

(f) Briefly comment on the effectiveness of Wolynski’s conclusion. Does it accurately sum up her essay, or should she have written a different conclusion?
Answer:
Wolynski supplies a well-knit conclusion with strong effectiveness. The conclusive words run- “And now I have come to see that the real job of a school is to entice the student, into the web of knowledge and then, if he is not enticed to drag him in. 1 wish I had been. “These lines explicitly express .that a student must not be guaranteed freedom to the excess. There must be limitations to it. force and compulsion need be exerted upon the students for better results.

Extra Activity – 10(A)

Question 1.
What does appeal Wolynski’s mother in 1956?
Answer:
The idea of permissive education appeals Wolynski’s mother in 1956. She was a Bohemian and the writer was four years old at that time. She found a small private school in Greenwich village whose beliefs were her and got her child i.e., the writer admitted in this school.

Question 2.
What does the writer say about Sand and Sea in paragraph-1?
Answer:
Sand and Sea in paragraph-1 gives an impression that it was a’ school without pain. It was the kind of school which believed in back to basics which people are truly afraid of. It guarantees freedom-freedom not to learn.

Question 3.
How was the school managed?
Answer:
The school was managed by sixteen teachers out of which fifteen were lady teachers and one teacher. The teacher was teaching science.’They were decent people both young and old. ‘they devoted themselves to cultivate the internal creativity in man. They gave high stress on arts.

Question 4.
What was the pattern of education?
Answer:
Total freedom was given to the students. Reading is not considered important. But other things are considered important. When the students become bored in a subject they change it immediately. The writer was bored in math. He was told to write short stories in the library. No tests were conducted there. They were allowed to go there own way. For this reason, all-round development of the students was not possible. They taught history in a different way The teaching methods were not suitable for human development.

Question 5.
What was the method of doing history?
Answer:
The students of Sand and Sea public school, were taught history in a different method. They were to learn history by recreating its least important elements without acquiring any knowledge from it. They pounded com, made tepees, ate buffalo meat and learnt Indian words. This was all about teaching American history. They made elaborate contumes, clay pots and papier- mache Gods of Greek culture. They were also made maidens and knights in armour like the Middle Age.

Question 6.
What does the writer say about the creative spontaneity?
Answer:
In the Sand and Sea public school, the students spent a lot of time in being creative. Because they were told by their mentors that to be happy in life was to be creative. They did not go to read until they were in the third grade. It is because, early reading was thought to discourage creative spontaneity. They were made to develop a sense of hatred for intellectuality for nine years.

Question 7.
What was the result of the type of schooling at Sand and Sea?
Answer:
The pattern of education at Sand and Sea made the students fall down the hill. they felt a profound sense of abandonment. The parents were also harassed and perplexed. The students were allowed to change their subject again and over again. Their standards diminished. No all round development was possible. The students became underachievers and culturally disadvantaged. Even a student committed suicide out of frustration.

Question 8.
What did the psychologist suggest the writer’s mother?
Answer:
Due to the rough teaching method, the standards of the students of Sand and Sea public school diminished to a great extent. During the Writer’s high school years, the school psychologist puzzled by her lack of real knowledge. He suggested her mother that the writer had to undergo a better of psychological tests to find out the reason why she was blocking out information although she had no information to block.

Question 9.
What does she say about her former classmates?
Answer:
The standards of students of Sand and Sea school reduced unexpectedly. The parents of her former classmates could not find out the reason of this problem! Their children were bright and curious but after nine years, they got back dull and helpless children. They said that those of them who had .freaked out, would have freaked out anywhere. it was surprising that the same bizarre behavior pattern was earmarked in succeeding graduating classes. It was really a very horrifying conclusion.

Question 10.
What does she say about the educational achievements of her younger brother in the traditional schools?
Answer:
The writer’s brother was twelve years old. He was reading in a traditional school. He was capable of doing the college-level math, and knew much more about many other things besides math. His brother who was summarily ranked from Sand and Sea was making impressive film documentaries for a project On the Bicentennial.

Activity – 11

Understanding The Structure Of The Test.
Now, keeping the above sequence in mind notice the pattern the author has used in presenting her thoughts and give an account of the structure of the text on the model presented under discussion of Text-B.

Paragraph No.(s)	Ideas in points
1
2
3 and 4
5 through 7
8
9 and 10
11

Answer:
Paragraph-1
(i) The writer was enrolled in a small private school in Greenwich village.
(ii) The name of the school was Sand and Sea which was run by fifteen women and one man who attached more importance to inborn and natural creativity!

Paragraph-2:
The Sand and Sea school had total 16 teachers out of which 15 were lady teachers and one was science teacher who gave much importance and stress to inborn and natural creativity.

Paragraphs- 3 and 4:
1. The students were free not to learn anything that bored them and there were no tests.
2. They learned history by recreating its least important elements but without gaining any knowledge or insight.
3. In this school, .there was a great emphasis on arts and educational freedom.

Paragraphs- 5 through 7:
1. Their reading lessons were stopped till the third grade, as early reading was accepted harmful to creative spontaneity.
2. They discovered that their early education was wasted only when they came to high school.
3. One of the students of Sand and Sea committed suicide out of frustration although the writer was fortunate to continue to her education and passed.

Paragraph-8:
The school psychologist who was puzzled by the writer’s deprived of real knowledge, suggested that she should undergo a bitterly of psychological tests to find out the reason why she was lacking out of information.

Paragraph 9 and 10:
1. The writer’s mother came, to realize her folly and sent her to; a traditional school, parents sent their bright, curious children to this school and after nine years got back helpless adolescents.
2. The writer’s twelve years and fifteen years old brothers did wonders in the traditional schools.

Paragraph-11:
This paragraph tells about the writer’s conclusion of the text in which she opines that a school has, to attract, the students into the web of knowledge and if they are not enticed, they have to be dragged in.

Activity-12

Grammar:
Go back to Text-C and notice the following sentence in paragraph 1- “And it was the kind of school that the back to basics people feared most. The underlined parts is called a relative clause. A clause is a sentence within a sentence and it is a part of a long sentence. A relative clause modifies as noun phrase. Hence, in (i), the relative clause begins with that which stands for the noun phrase the kind of school’ “that’ is called the relative pronoun. The relative pronouns that being relative clauses are:
who, whom, which, that and whose.
Examples:
1. The girl who loved dancing _________.
2. The clown whom everyone liked __________.
3. The jewels which belonged to the queen ________.
4. The boy whose father is a teacher _________.

Below you have a few phrases. Put them in their appropriate places in the paragraph after adding who/whom/which/that/ whose in form of the phrase. The first one has been done for you.

• was part of a long holiday.
• was again in very, warm and sunny, was both a bathroom and laundry.
• was in the hills.
• the children poured over themselves.
• mothers were carrying large bundles of clothes.
• they had brought with them.

We decided to spend the weekend. which was part of a long holiday, in a small hotel __________ where it would be cooler. We arrived late on Friday evening and sent straight to bed. On the Sunday, morning _________ we went to a nearby pool. It was surrounded by rocks and seemed to be very private. Soon after we arrived, a lot of children came. They were followed by their mothers. The children __________ quickly jumped into the pool. Then their mother threw them some large bottles. The bottles contained some
soapy water __________. Then the matters un did the bundles of cloths __________ and started to wash them and scrub them on the rocks nearby. For being a place of a quiet swim, the pool became a place ___________ The children were very happy and laughed and shouted as they washed their clothes. We sat quietly at the edge of the pool. We didn’t know what to do.
Answer:
We decided to spend the weekend, which was part of a long holiday, in a small hotel which was in the hills where it would be cooler. We arrived late on Friday evening and sent straight to bed. On the Sunday morning when the weather was again very warm and sunny, we went to a nearby pool. It was surrounded by rocks and seemed to be very private. Soon after we arrived, a lot of children came. They were followed by their mothers.’ The children whose mothers were carrying large bundles of clothes quickly jumped into the pool. Then their mother threw them some large bottles. The bottles contained some soapy water which, the children poured over themselves. Then the mothers undid the bundles of clothes which they had brought with them and started to wash them and scrub them on the rocks nearby. For being a place of a quiet swim, the pool became a place which was both a bathroom and laundry. The children were very happy and laughed and shouted as they washed their clothes. We sat quietly at the edge of the pool. We didn’t know what to do.

Extra Activity- 12(A)

VERB+[-ing (enjoy doing/stop doing etc.)] Look at these sentences.
I enjoy dancing.
Would you mind closing the door?
I can suggest going to the cinema.

(i) After enjoy, mind and suggest we use -ing (not to-).
Here are some more verbs that are following by – ing
stop
delay
fancy
consider
admit
miss involve
finish
postpone
imagine
avoid
deny
risk
practice

• Suddenly everybody stopped talking. There was silence.
• I’ll do the shopping when I have finished clearing, to flat.
• He tried to avoid answering my question.
• I don’t fancy join out this evening.
• Have you ever considered going to live in another country.

Note the negative form of not -ing.

• When I’m on holiday, I enjoy not having to get up early

(ii) We also use -ing after:
Give up (- stop)
put off (= postpone)
carry on/go on (= continue)
keep or keep on(=F’ do-.something, continuously or repeatedly)

• Ram has given up smoking.
• We must do something. We can’t go on living like this.
• Don’t keep interrupting, me. while I’m speaking.

(iii) With some verbs: verb+somebody+ (-ing):

• I can’t imagine George; riding a motorbike.
• You can’t stop me. doing what I want.
• Sorry to keep you -waiting so long.

Note the passive form (being done/ seen etc.)

• I don’t mind being kept waiting.

(iv) When one talks about finished action, one can say having done/ stolen/said etc.

• She admitted having stolen the money

(v) After some of the verbs on this page (especially- admit/deny/suggest) you can use that.

• She denied that she had stolen the money or she denied stealing the money.
• I am suggested that we went to the cinema.

Verb+ (-ing)/to… (1) (remember/regret)

(a) When one verb+(-irtg) or verb+to… Compare the sentences in the table below:

Verb- (-ing)	verb – to…
They denied stealing the money.	The decided to steal the money.
I enjoy going out → Often we use –ing action that happen before the first verb or at the same time Stealing ←denied (enjoy going)	I want to go out. Often we use to… for an action that follows the first verb decided to →steal want → to do

(b) Some verbs can be followed by -ing or to -% with a difference of meaning:

Remember	I remember doing something. = I did it and now I remember, this you remember doing something after you have done it.	I remembered to do something. ÷remembered that I had to do something = I remembered that I had to do it and so I did it. You remember to do something before you do it.
	I remember locking the door = I locked it and now I remember this.	I remember to lock the door when I left = I remembered that I had to lock the door and so I locked it.
Regret	I regret doing something = I did it and now I am sorry about it.	I regret to say/to tell you/to inform you = I am sorry that I have to say etc.
	I now regret saying what I said. I should not have said it.	We regret to inform you that we are unable to offer you the job.
Go on	Go on doing something continue doing the same thing. The minister went on the talking for two hours. We must change our ways can’t to on the living like this.	= Go on to do something = do or say something new. After discussing the economy, the minister then went on to talk about foreign policy,

(c) Begin, start, intend, continue, bother.
These verbs can be followed by – ing or to – with little or no difference in meaning. So you can say :

• It has started on meaning or it has started to rain.
• John intends buying a house or John intends to buy
• Don’t bother locking the door or Don’t bother to lock

(d) But we usually do not use -ing after -ing.

• It’s starting -to fain (not it’s starting raining.)

Confessions of a Misspent Youth Summary in English

Summary (Paragraph 1-2):
The writer’s mother was highly inspired by the idea of permissive education in 1956. At that time, he was only four years old. His mother found a small private school in Greenwich village. The writer called die school “Sand and Sea”. It was a school without pain. Here, there was total educational freedom – the freedom not to learn. There were fifteen lady teachers and one teacher. He was teaching ‘science’. They were giving much stress to cultivate natural creativity in man. They give more stress on arts.

Happiness And Hieroglyphics
Summary (Paragraph 3-4) :
They used to learn various subjects. But they could cancel anyone at any time. It was te policy of the school. It was making the students out of any pressure. They were free from any mental stress. This policy, on the other hand, was creating a competitive mind among themselves. Once the writer was bored with math. So he was permitted to write short stories in the library. One year, the students pounded corn made tepees, ate buffalo meat and learned Indian words. Another year, they made elaborate costumes, clay pots and papier- mache gods. And in still another year they were all maidens and knights in armor like Middle Ages. One year, the writer while building pyramids, did a thirty feet long moral for. which laboriously cupid hieroglyphics on the sheet of brown paper.

Ignorance Is Not Bliss
Summary (Paragraph 5-8) :
The writer and his friends were spending their time to be creative. Their mentos told them that to be happy is to create. They were made not to learn, because early reading could discourage creative spontaneity. Hence, they were forced to be creative for nine years. Much emphasis was provided for forming and reforming interpersonal relationship. When they graduated from Cannot all the happy little children fell down the hill. Both children and their parents felt abandoned. The children though themselves to be under¬achiever and culturally disadvantaged. The school psychologist was puzzled by his lack of actual knowledge. He suggested that the writer should undergo a battery of psychological tests to know the reason why he was lacking of information. The author was often asked by teacher how he had come into the high school. ‘

The Lure Of Learning
Summary (Paragraphs 9-11):
The- parents of the writer’s former classmates were unable to find out the real problems of the system. Parents sending their children who were bright and curious returned back helpless. His twelve years old brother who was reading in a traditional school was far better than him except math.

Outlines of the text-C :

• The writer’s mother was highly inspired by permissive education.
• At that time, he was only four years old.
• His mother admitted him in a small private school.
• It was situated in Greenwich village.
• The writer called the school ‘Sand and Sea”.
• In this school, there was total educational freedom.
• It was the freedom for not to learn.
• There were fifteen lady teachers and one teacher.
• The teacher was teaching them science.
• They were giving much stress to cultivate natural creativity.
• They gave more stress on arts.
• They used to learn various subjects.
• But they could change any subject at any time.
• It was the policy of the school.
• It was making the students free of pressure.
• They were free from any mental stress.
• This policy was creating competitive minds among them.
• Once the writer was bored with math.
• So he was permitted to write short stories in the library.
• They learned different things in different years.
• One year, they pounded corn made tepees, ate buffalo meat and learned Indian words.
• Another year, they made elaborate costumes, clay pots and paper-mache gods.
• Again in one year, they were all maidens and knights in armour.
• Once, the writer while. building pyramids did a thirty feet long mural cupid hieroglyphics on the sheet of brown paper.
• The writer and his friends were spending their time to be creative.
• Their mentos told them that to be happy is to create.
• They were made not to learn.
• Because early reading could discourage creative spontaneity.
• Hence, they were forced to be creative for nine years.
• Much stress was provided for forming and reforming interpersonal relationships.
• All the happy little children fell down to hill.
• Both children and their parents feel abandoned.
• The children thought themselves to be ‘underachievers.
• They became culturally disadvantaged.
• The school psychologist was puzzled by his lack of actual knowledge.
• He suggested the writer to have the psychological tests.
• So that the reason could be found out.
• The teacher often asked how he had come to high school.
• The parents could not find out the real problems.
• The good students returned back helpless.
• His brother was reading in a traditional school. ,
• He was twelve years old.
• His standard was better than the writer

Meanings of difficult words :

example – a person an example; of something.
decent – proper, modest, nice, fairly good.
innate – inborn, a quality from birth, internal.
tremendous – huge, marvelous; astounding, amazing.
stunted – checked the growth or development of.
forbidden – prohibit, not to be done.
least – superlative degree of ’little’ (little-less-least)
pounded – thump, to crush into powder, break to pieces.
tepees – round texts used by Red Indians in America.
elaborate – detail, more illustrated or descriptive.
costumes – dresses, items of dress put on occasion.
armor – a defensive covering worn during fighting.
pegged their horses – pattern with pegs.
a quarrel of blood – blood measuring capacity equal to two points about 1.14 liter.
the Hums – medieval invaders from Central Asia.
mural hieroglyphics – system of writings which uses pictures to represent words.
bliss – blessing, higher happiness, divine happiness.
incurably – that which can’t be cured.
optimistic – hopeful, looking at the brighter side of life.
mentors – person who takes care of the little men.
discourage – make dispirited, unenthusiastic.
creative spontaneity – natural flow of creative work.
continually – again and again, again and over again, continue at a stretch, interpersonal.
relationship – relationship among various kinds of persons.
twist – distort, bend, make deformed.
introverted – being interest in one’s own thoughts and feelings than the things outside oneself,
cowered in the corner – shrank back and crunched in the comer.
sense of abandonment – a feeling of being left completely, alone, a state of loneliness.
flunking out – fail an examination, fail a candidate.
occupational therapy- treatment for helping people to get that their health by giving them special work.
baffle – trouble, bewilder, mentally disturbed.
substantive knowledge – knowledge having an independent existence real or actual
enduring – bearing, tolerating, withstanding putting up with stumbling.
through – speak in a hesitating way with pauses and mistakes.
braked out – became upset and frightened, disturbed.
bizarre – odd, ridiculous, absured, unnatural, yanked (American) taken away suddenly.
bicentennial – celebrating of completion of 200 years after the American declaration of independence.

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Odisha State Board CHSE Odisha Class 11 Invitation to English 2 Solutions Non-Detailed Chapter 4 The One and only Houdini Textbook Exercise Questions and Answers.

Class 11th Invitation English Non-Detailed Chapter 4 The One and only Houdini Question Answers CHSE Odisha

The One and only Houdini Class 11 Questions and Answers

Unit – I

Gist :
The writer takes us back to the swimming pool at New York’s Shelton Hotel. In response to Houdini’s declaration, a box is ready. After he enters inside, it will be tightly closed. The pool now becomes the scene of an incredible performance. Driven by curiosity, people are gathering here. The reporter finds a telephone and an alarm bell with batteries inside the box for eventualities. According to Collins, he is going without air for even an hour. Houdini is as good as words. In the mean time, Dr. MacConnell emerges on the scene. He has already checked Houdini’s blood pressure and pulse. Everything is fine. The reporter is interested to know how long he can live without air. To the doctor, it is a difficult question.

He comes to know of Houdini’s knowledge of breathing easily and saving the oxygen. His condition is stable, yet he is fifty-two. The doctor is sure of Houdini’s ability to cope with danger. Now Houdini clad in a black swimming suit appears, smiling and determined. He expresses his thanks to the ladies and gentlemen for coming to see his performance. He is going to explode the myth that a man can live only three minutes without air. Now we find Houdini in the box. Several men are engaged in sealing it tightly. Then the box was submerged in the swimming pool of Hotel Shelton. Joseph Rinn, the official time keeper is in charge of counting every minute of Houdini’s stay in the box. The reporter is optimistic.

Glossary :
edge : the sharp side of something (କୌଣସି ଜିନିଷର ତୀକ୍ଷ୍ଣ ପାର୍ଶ୍ୱ)
sealed: closed tightly (ଜୋରରେ ବନ୍ଦ)
soldered: firmly fixed with solder (solder is easily melted metal) (ସୋଲ୍ଡର ସହିତ ଦୃଢ଼ ଭାବରେ ସ୍ଥିର କରାୟାଇଛି)
trick : cheating, a fraud (ଠକେଇ, ଜାଲିଆତି)
emergencies : sudden happenings which make it necessary to act without delay (ଜରୁରୀକାଳୀନ ପରିସ୍ଥିତି)
And days : Houdini is as good as his words (ଏବଂ ଦିନଗୁଡିକ)
Concerned : anxious (t) (ଚିନ୍ତିତ)
signal (v): to give a sign (ଏକ ଚିହ୍ନ ଦେବାକୁ)
build (n): general shape or size of a person’s body (ଜଣେ ବ୍ୟକ୍ତିର ଶରୀରର ସାଧାରଣ ଆକାର ବା ଆକାର)
He himself: Housini is firm in his determination (ସେ ନିଜେ)
motioning: making a sign (ଏକ ଚିହ୍ନ ତିଆରି କରିବା)
will : desire (ଇଚ୍ଛା)
rocked: moved backwards and forwards (ପଛକୁ ଏବଂ ଆଗକୁ ଗତି କଲା)
admire : praise (ପ୍ରଶଂସା)

Unit – II

Gist:
Five minutes have passed ever since he was in a sealed casket submerged in the swimming pool. In the meantime, the reporter probes his past. His real name is Ehrich Weiss. His native place is Appleton, Wisconsin. He was born in 1874. His father was a Jewish priest. Houdini, renowned for his remarkable magic tricks, has an astonishing control over his body. He excels in the art of putting his shoulders out of position. When he was working for a locksmith, Ehrich knew technique of opening handcuffs with small, sharp pointed instruments. He also took interest in reading about Robert Houdini, the renowned French magician. At last he relinquished his job and became a professional magician under the name of Harry Houdini.

The reporter gives a picture of Houdini’s married life. Bessie is his wife. She was a magician too. Houdini is known for his sensational escape acts. Bessie has stood by her husband through thick and thin. Rinn informs that twenty minutes have passed. Tension mounts. Houdini has a tension-ridden career. His underwater box escape is a case in point. Handcuffed and chained, Harry Houdini is placed in a wooden box which firmly shut with nails. The box is then left underwater. Houdini accepts the challenge in his characteristic tricky manner. He swims to the surface safe and sound in a few minutes. This also demonstrates his skill in using tricks. Rinn, the official time-keeper keeps on counting time. Twenty five minutes have gone. In Houdini, the reporter finds an unusual person. He admires Houdini’s incredible control of chest muscles. He excels others in the act of moving around inside the jacket at the time of relaxation. The reporter is lavish in his praise, ‘There’s only one Houdini.’

Thirty minutes have trickled by. The reporter sees one of the swimmers standing on the box lose his balance. Other swimmers are no better. The box has moved up quickly above the water level. The reporter is worried. He enquires of Mr. Collins, about his condition. Collins talks to Houdini and says that he is fine. Rinn announces that thirty minutes have passed since Houdini’s adventure. The reporter brims with confidence. Houdini’s rigorous training for three weeks seems to be rewarded. The reporter thinks of Houdini’s march to a spectacular success. Forty minutes have elapsed. Meanwhile, the reporter refers eloquently to Houdini’s wonderful stomach muscles, that have resisted the fists of big, strong men. Forty-five minutes have already gone.

Glossary:
amazing : astonishing ବିସ୍ମୟକର)
dislocate : put out of position (ପଦରୁ ବାହାର)
straitjacket(ଷ୍ଟ୍ରେଟ୍ ଜାକେଟ୍) : kind of garment once used to prevent madman from struggling
rabbi: Jewish priest (ଇହୁଦୀ ପୁରୋହିତ)
locksmith: one who makes locks (ଯିଏ ତାଲା ତିଆରି କରେ)
a bit picks : a little small, sharp-pointed instruments (ଟିକିଏ ବାଛି ନେଲେ)
quit: give up (ତ୍ୟାଗ କରିବା)
idol : somebody greatly admired or loved (ଆଦର୍ଶ)
catch sight of: see (ଦେଖିବା)
career : way of making a living; profession (ବୃଭି)
bobbed up : moved up quickly (ଦ୍ରୁତ ଗତିରେ ଉପରକୁ ଉଠିଲା)
paying off : rewarding (ପୁରସ୍କାର ପ୍ରଦାନକାରୀ)
sources : places from which information comes or is got (ସୂତ୍ର)
claims : says, declares (କହୁଛି, ଘୋଷଣା କରୁଛି)
punch (v) : strike hard with the fist (ମୁଠା ସାହାୟ୍ୟରେ ଜୋରରେ ପ୍ରହାର କରନ୍ତୁ)
tensed : stiffened or hardened (ଦୃଢ଼ୀଭୂତ)
withstand : resist (ପ୍ରତିରୋଧ କରିବା)

Unit – III

Gist :
Houdini’s well-being concern the people. Everybody seems to be nervous. The doctors seem especially panicky. The reporter enquires of Dr. MaConnell about Houdini’s present condition. The doctor is really not aware of anything about him. Fifty minutes have gone. Other reporters are furiously taking track of Houdini’s adventurous mission. Time does not wait for anybody. Rinn announces – “Fifty minutes !” A group of grim-looking doctors seem to arguing with James Collins, Houdini’s assistant. Collins pleads his helplessness. The doctor advises him to be sensible and pull Houdini out of the box when an hour is up. Collins is adamant. The doctor insists him on responding to his advise. Collins contacts Houdini and apprising him of the doctors’ pressure on him to bring him out of the casket and an hour has passed. He gives them good news. Houdini is doing well. But the reporter’s anxiety continues.

Now one hour and thirteen minutes are up. Collins learns that the box has developed a leak and only a little trickle of water is entering. Houdini tells him that he faces no danger. The reporter promptly responds: “Houdini has nerves of steel.’’ This section comes to a terrific end. In spite of spending one hour and thirty-one minutes, underwater without air, Houdini emerges victorious. His secret lies in making very few body movements while in the box and taking short breaths. Houdini knows no panic. He has trained to reconcile himself to any situation. We see him in the reporter’s eyes: ‘You ’re a fantastic man, Mr. Harry Houdini!’

Glossary:
on edge : nervous (ସ୍ନାୟବିକ)
exhaustion : tiredness (ଅବସାଦ)
superstitious: full of superstition (ଅନ୍ଧବିଶ୍ୱାସରେ ପୂର୍ଣ୍ଣ)
grim : (here) anxious (ଉତ୍କଣ୍ଠିତ)
sensible : intelligent (ବିଚକ୍ଷଣ)
urging : persuading (ପ୍ରରୋଚନା)
sprung a leak : appeared to have a leak (ଲିକ୍ ହୋଇଥିବା ଜଣାପଡ଼ିଥିଲା)
trickle : thin flow (ପତଳା ପ୍ରବାହ)
dizzy : feeling as if everything is whirling (ସବୁ ଘୂରିବା ଭଳି)
panic (v) : a sudden fright (ହଠାତ୍ ଭୟ)
calm : quiet (ଶାନ୍ତ)
fantastic : wonderful (ଅଦ୍ଭୁତ)

Think it out :

Question 1.
What was the feat that Houdini took up in Hotel Shelton?
Answer:
The feat that Houdini took up in Hotel Shelton was to remain in a sealed casket or coffin submerged in a swimming pool. He was to stay inside the tightly closed box for an hour and that too without air. According to Mr. Collins, his assistant, Houdini was serious about being buried alive.

Question 2.
What were Houdini’s purposes behind doing this miraculous act?
Answer:
Houdini’s purposes behind doing this miraculous act were to disprove science and thereby, to show that determination can shake mountains. It is well-known that man can only live only three minutes without air, but he is going to stay without air for over an hour. Houdini is committed and according to Collins: ‘Houdini does what he says.’

Question 3.
Discuss how he prepared to do the act.
Answer:
Houdini undertook a rigorous training for three weeks at a stretch. He practised the habit of holding his breath in the course of his underwater escapes. He trained long and hard with great patience before doing the act. He developed a mastery over his body control. Determination, hard work and calm acceptance of any challenge were his forte.

Question 4.
Focus on the role of the reporter during Houdini’s performance.
Answer:
From beginning to the end, the reporter had a keen watch on Houdini’s, spectacular performance in New York’s Hotel Shelton. He is the first to communicate Houdini’s ordeal in the swimming pool of New York’s Hotel Shelton to the public. He always keeps on touch with Dr. McConnell, Collins, Houdini’s assistant and Joseph Rinn, the official time-keeper. He probes Houdini’s past. As minutes trickle by, the reporter’s reaction fluctuates from anxiety to confidence. Houdini’s incredible feat of remaining in a sealed box, submerged in the swimming pool of the Hotel Shelton, overwhelms him. His admiration of Houdini’s knows no bound.

Question 5.
Describe some of Houdini’s previous achievements.
Answer:
Houdini was an Austrian-Hungarian born. American stunt performer, noted for his sensational escape acts from handcuffs and jails in the length and breadth of the country and Europe. Once he was handcuffed to the bars in a jail cell. While kissing him for good luck, his wife Bessie passed a small lock tool from her mouth to his. Several minutes later Houdini took his jailers by surprise. His handcuff was no more. He walked freely into their office. His underwater escape is another achievement. Besides, Houdini became a professional magician under the name of Harry Houdini.

Question 6.
Why does the reporter say to Houdini, You’re a fantastic man?
Answer:
The reporter here is a keen observer of Houdini’s miraculous act of remaining in a tightly-closed box, submerged in the swimming pool of New York’s Hotel Shelton for one hour and thirty minutes. Houdini comes out with flying colours, putting an end to everyone’s fear, tension and anxiety. That he is able to survive so long in such a situation bears the stamp of his determination. Houdini states that he had trained himself to remain calm in the face of any situation. These facts make the reporter say to Houdini, ‘You’re a fantastic man.’

Question 7.
Bring out the important aspects of Houdini’s character.
Answer:
Harry Houdini is a many-faceted character. He is a magician. He is also known for his sensational escape acts. He is an incredible stuntman. His act of remaining in a sealed box, submerged in the swimming pool of New York’s Hotel Shelton for one hour and a half is indeed unprecedented. He is the epitome of commitment. He does not understand the language of fear. To maintain calmness in any situation is his forte. We see him through the doctor’s eyes: ‘Houdini’s an amazing man!’ The reporter aptly remarks, ‘You’re a fantastic man, Mr. Harry Houdini.’ Houdini’s life shows that an ordinary human being can achieve anything through determination and hard work.

CHSE Odisha Class 11 English The One and only Houdini Important Questions and Answers

Question 1.
Read through the extract and answer the questions that follow.

Reporter Thanks, Mr. Collins. It’s hard to believe that a man can live without air for over an hour. Oh, here come the doctors. Dr. McConnell, have you seen Houdini?
Dr. MaConnell: Yes, I just checked his blood pressure and pulse rate. They’re both normal.
Reporter: How last without long do you think Houdini will air?
Dr. MaConnell: That’s a difficult question. When they seal the box, there will be enough oxygen inside for the average man to take fifty breaths. Houdini says he knows how to breathe easily and save the oxygen. He is in good condition, but still he’s fifty two years old. I’d guess he might be able to get by without air for fifteen minutes.
Reporter: And after that?
Dr. MaConnell: After that Houdini had better telephone for help or ring his alarm bell – if he still has the strength.
Reporter: Are you doctors worried?
Dr. MaConnell: Well, we’re concerned. Houdini’s no fool. He isn’t trying to kill himself. But there’s always the danger that he’ll pass out before he can signal for help.
Reporter: There’s Houdini now! He’s wearing a black swimming suit. For a man his age, his build is great. He’s smiling. He seems sure of himself. Now he’s motioning for silence!
Houdini: Ladies and gentlemen, thank you for coming. As you know, it has often been written that a man can live only three minutes without air. I’m going to prove that that is wrong. If I die, it will be by the will of God and my own foolishness.
Reporter: Houdini’s in the box now. Several men are putting the iron cover in place. This is it! A man is soldering the cover. The box will be lowered into the shallow end of this pool. Then a team of swimmers will stand on the box to keep it level beneath the surface of the water. So far, the only person I’ve seen who doesn’t look nervous is Houdini. Well, they’re lowering the box. It’s under! Joseph Rinn, the official
timekeeper, has started the clock. Mr. Rinn, what are your plans?

Questions :
(i) Throw light on the conversation between the reporter and Dr. McConnell. What does it reveal?
(ii) What does the reporter tell us about Houdini’s imperial ordeal?

Answers :
(i) The reporter asks Dr. McConnell if he has checked Houdini. The doctor replies that his blood pressure and pulse rate are Both normal. The reporter asks the doctor how long he thinks Houdini will breathe. McConnell in his reply, states that the average man breaths fifty times in a sealed box, but Houdini is an exception. He knows the technique of breathing easily, but the doctor guessing he could remain without air for fifteen minutes. After that Houdini would be advised to seek help. The conversation between the two reveals their concern for Houdini.
(ii) The reporter apprises all of Houdini’s presence inside the box. After sealing it firmly, several men will put the box into the shallow end of the swimming pool. After that a team of swimmers will stand on it to maintain it level below the surface of the water. The reporter says that he has never seen such a person as Houdini, for he never looks nervous, despite this great ordeal. We also learn that Joseph Rinn, the official time-keeper has a look at the watch.

Question 2.
Read through the extract and answer the questions that follow.
Reporter: Well, Houdini is going past the limit suggested by Dr. Mc Connell! I wonder how his wife Bessie, is taking this. I haven’t been able to catch sight of her. She’s also a magician. After she married Houdini, they both had an act that played in many theatres. She dropped out after Houdini became famous for his escapes from handcuffs and jails throughout the country and in Europe. She still helped him, though. Once, after Houdini had been searched and handcuffed to the bars in a jail cell, she kissed him for good luck. It was more than good luck she offered. She also passed a lock pick from her mouth to his. Several minutes later, Houdini surprised his jailers by walking into their office.
Rinn: Twenty minutes!
Reporter: The tension here is growing. But tension has followed Houdini through most of his career. Take his underwater box escape, for example. He is handcuffed and chained. Then he’s put in a wooden box and it’s nailed shut. After that the box is dropped underwater. Minutes later Houdini swims to the surface. In that act, though, he uses tricks. He has lock picks and other special tools hidden on him or in the box. But there’s always the risk that the picks or tools will fail. Most people wouldn’t try Houdini’s escape tricks even if they knew how to do them.

Questions :
(i) Describe the part played by Bessie in Houdini’s life.
(ii) Describe of Houdini’s feat of underwater escape.

Answers :
(i) Houdini is widely known for his sensational escapes. Bessie, a magician, plays an important part in her husband’s life. Both had showed magic in many theatres. Houdini’s life is a saga of escape from handcuffs and jails in the length and breadth of the country and in Europe. Bessie stood by him through thick and thin. Once she kissed her husband for good luck. He was in a prison cell. In the course of offering her good luck, Bessie passed a small lock tool from her mouth to his. Several minutes later, the jailers, to their astonishment, saw Houdini walk into their office.
(ii) Houdini, handcuffed and chained, was put in a wooden box which was tightly sealed with nails. Then it was dropped underwater. After some minutes, Houdini swims to the surface safe and sound by using tricks, though he possesses lock picks and other special instruments not visible to others. This underwater box escape is one of Houdini’s wonderful feats.

Question 3.
Read through the extract and answer the questions that follow.
Reporter: Well, one can only wonder how he’s doing in the box. He still has a long time to go. Of course, he is unusual. Did you know that he can tie and untie rope with either foot? That won’t help him now, but it’s another example of his body control. He also has great control of his chest muscles. Before he’s bound into a straitjacket, he fills his chest with air. Later, when he relaxes, he can move around inside the jacket. Perhaps it sounds easy. But others have tried the same trick and failed. There’s only one Houdini!
Rinn: Thirty minutes!
Reporter: Oh – oh! There’s trouble! One of the swimmers standing on the box has lost his balance. He’s failing into the water! Now the other swimmers are falling, too. The box has bobbed up above the water level. I wonder if Houdini caused the box to move. Mr. Collins, is Houdini all right?
Collins: Quiet, sir, I’m calling Houdini. Harry, can you hear me?
Houdini: Yes.
Collins: The swimmers fell off the box. They’re getting back on now. That’s what caused the movement of the box. Are you all right?
Houdini: Fine.
Reporter: Mr. Collins, Houdini’s voice sounded faint. Is he well?
Collins: That’s what he said. I believe him.
Rinn: Thirty-five minutes!
Reporter: Houdini’s training seems to be paying off. According to sources around here, he has been training for three weeks. Also, he probably learned a lot about holding his breath while doing his underwater escapes. Anyway, it’s no secret that Houdini always trains long and hard before he does anything for the public. He wants to be sure that he can do anything he claims he will do. And right now he seems on his way to an amazing success.
Rinn: Forty minutes!
Reporter: When I was talking before about Houdini’s chest muscles, I failed to mention his stomach. Quite often, he lets local strongmen punch him in the stomach as hard as they can. Of course, his stomach muscles are tensed, but they have to be almost as hard as steel to withstand the fists of big, strong men.

Questions :
(i) Give an account of Houdini’s chest muscles and stomach muscles.
(ii) What picture of Houdini do you get in the extract?

Answers :
(i) The reporter presents a very clear picture of Houdini’s chest and stomach muscles. He eloquently refers to Houdini’s great control of his chest muscles. Before being bound into a straitjacket, he fill his chest with air. But, in times of relaxation, he has the ability to move around inside the jacket. The reporter then throws light on Houdini’s stomach muscles. Very often, he allows local strong men punch his Stomach in the hardest possible manner. His stomach muscles tensed, but they have to be as hard as steel to resist the fists of big, strong men.
(ii) We see Houdini through the reporter’s eyes, “Of course, he is unusual.” He has the ability to tie and untie rope with either foot. He is remarkable for his great control over his chest muscles. Before being bound into a straightjacket, he pumps air into his chest. In his moments of relaxation, he is capable of moving around inside the jacket. But others have tried the same trick but in vain. The reporter aptly remarks, ‘There ‘s only one Houdini.’ Houdini resorts to rigorous training before he does anything for the public.

Question 4.
Read through the extract and answer the questions that follow.
Collins: All right. Houdini, can you hear me? You have just passed an hour. The doctors are urging me to pull you out. What do you say?
Houdini I’ll let you know when I’m ready.
Rinn: One hour and one minute!
Collins: Well, you heard him, gentlemen. He seems to be doing well.
Reporter: Rinn’s going to be calling out each minute from here on. I’ll get back to him. Meanwhile, I’d like to hear from one of the doctors. Is this a world’s record, Doctor?
Doctor: As far as I know, it is. If I weren’t here, I don’t think I would believe it. Houdini’s an amazing man!
Reporter: He certainly is, Doctor, and thank you. Well, people are whispering to one another around the pool. When Houdini passed the hour mark, some of the crowd seemed to relax somewhat. Still Houdini is far from safe. I’m going to try to pick up the time.
Rinn: One hour and thirteen minutes!
Reporter: Did you hear that? What a man. Wait! Collins has a call from Houdini.
Collins: Had enough, sir?
Houdini: No. The box has sprung a leak. But there’s no danger. Only a slight trickle of water is coming in.
Collins: Are you sure?
Houdini: Yes.
Reporter: Houdini has nerves of steel. He’s under there with no air, and the water is leaking in on him. Yet he’s going to stay.
Rinn: One hour and twenty-five minutes.
Reporter: I must say, I wish he would come up. I’m probably more nervous than he is. Even Collins seems to be showing some concern.
Rinn: One hour and thirty minutes.
Reporter: This may be it! Collins has a call.
Houdini: Jim, get me up.
Reporter: They’re raising the box. Now they’re opening it. I wish they’d hurry.
Rinn: One hour and thirty-one minutes.
Reporter: Dr. McConnell has Houdini’s arms. He’s checking the magician’s pulse and blood pressure. How is he, Doctor?
Dr. McConnell: His pulse and blood pressure are very low. The man’s suffering from exhaustion.
Houdini: Nonsense! I feel a little dizzy, that’s all! If I do an hour or so of exercise. I’ll feel fine.
Reporter: Mr. Houdini, congratulations! How did you do it? Was it a trick?
Houdini: It was no trick. I took a series of deep breaths before the cover was soldered on. I made very few body movements while in the box and took short breaths. That’s all. I certainly hope that trapped coal miners and deep-sea divers take a lesson from this.
Reporter: How can they take a lesson from your performance. Mr. Houdini? You’re in perfect physical condition.
Houdini: They must learn not to panic. If you panic, your body needs more air. I have trained myself to remain calm in all situations. Everyone should do the same.

Questions :
(i) Describe Collin’s contact with Houdini.
(ii) What happens after Houdini comes out of the box?

Answers :
(i) The doctor and the reporter are concerned about Houdini, because there has been no sign from the man in the box yet. They insist on Collins, Houdini’s assistant, to talk to him. Collins informs him of the passage of an hour and the doctors pressure on him to pull him (Houdini) out. Collins waits for his reply. He learns that he is doing well and shares this information with them. Collins gets a call from Houdini concerning the leak in the box and a slight trickle of water coming in.
(ii) After Houdini comes out of the iron box in a triumphant fashion, the reporter congratulated him on remaining for one hour and thirty-one minutes in a sealed box and that too submerged in a swimming pool. He asks Houdini if he had resorted to a trick for his success. Houdini says that there was no trick. He had taken a series of deep breaths before the cover of the box was firmly fixed with solder. During his stay inside the box, he made few body movements and took short breaths. Above all, he has trained himself to remain calm in the face of any situation. In the reporter’s view, Houdini is a fantastic man.

Introducing the Author :
Dr. Robert Lado is one of the founders of contrastive linguistics which as a sub-disciple of applied linguistics served the purpose of improving language teaching material. He is a prolific writer. His works include over 60 books and many articles that deal with various topics ranging from linguistics to language testing and cross-cultural understanding.

About the Story :
‘The One and Only Houdini’, as the title signifies, throws light on Houdini’s miraculous act. Houdini’s second variation on Buried Alive was an endurance test designed to expose mystical Egyptian performer Rahman Bey, who claimed to use supernatural powers to remain in a sealed casket for an hour. Houdini bettered Bey on August 5, 1926, by remaining in a sealed casket, or coffin, submerged in the swimming pool of New York’s Hotel Shelton for one hour and a half. Houdini claimed he did not use any trickery or supernatural powers to accomplish this feat, just controlled breathing.

Summary :
It was August 5, 1926. All eyes were set on the swimming pool at New York’s Hotel Shelton. James Collins, Houdini’s assistant, Dr. Mc Connell and Joseph Rinn, the official time-keeper were present. People were gathering gradually at the pool. They were placing the iron box near the pool’s edge. It comprised a telephone and an alarm bell with batteries.

Harry Houdini clad in a black swimming suit appeared there. He was fifty-two, yet he was in good physical condition. Before getting inside the box, Houdini thanked everyone for coming to see his performance. He was going to disprove the theory that a man could live only three minutes without air. Houdini was inside the box now. Then it was tightly sealed. A team of swimmers would stand on the box before it was submerged in the swimming pool. The swimmers were instructed to keep the box level beneath the surface of the water as a result of which Houdini will not be moved backwards and forwards. The countdown started.

Houdini who was keen on going without air for an hour made him an object of attention. His success would come out in all newspapers all over the world. The reporter probed Houdini’s past. His real name was Ehrich Weiss, who was born in Appleton, Wisconsin. He was interested in magic. He became a professional magician under the name of Harry Houdini. He was married. Houdini was widely known for his sensational escape acts. Bessie had played a great role in her husband’s life. Minutes trickled by. Nobody knows what Houdini was doing inside the box. He had undertaken this ordeal after undergoing rigorous training for three weeks. Houdini possessed strong chest muscles. His tough stomach muscles resisted the fists of big, strong men.

With the passing of minutes, fear and anxiety gripped the people. There was no response from Houdini. The doctor in particular advised Collins to pull him out of the box when an hour was up. After interacting with Houdini, Collins declared that he seems to have smooth sailing. Doctor’s anxiety gave way to admiration. Houdini was an amazing man! Collins got a call from him. The box had developed a leak and only a slight trickle of water was entering. Everybody was understandably concerned. It was now one hour and thirty minutes. The box was opened. To everyone’s stunned disbelief, Houdini emerged out of it with flying colours. The reporter congratulated him. One key to his achievement lay in his ability to be calm in the face of any situation. The topic comes to close with the reporter’s fabulous remark, ‘You’re a fantastic man, Mr. Harry Houdini!’

ସାରାଂଶ :

Harry Houdini ଥିଲେ ଜଣେ ପ୍ରସିଦ୍ଧ ଯାଦୁକର । ତାଙ୍କ ସ୍ତ୍ରୀ Bessie ମଧ୍ୟ ଜଣେ ଯାଦୁକର ଥିଲେ । ସେମାନେ ଉଭୟ ଅନେକ ମ୍ୟାଜିକ୍ ସୋ ଦେଖାଇଛନ୍ତି । ତାଙ୍କର ସବୁଠୁ ଭଲ ସୋ ଥିଲା, Houdini ଙ୍କୁ ହ୍ୟାଣ୍ଟକପ୍ ପକାଇଦେଲେ ସେ ଆପଣାଛାଏଁ ହ୍ୟାଣ୍ଡକପ୍ ଖୋଲିଦେଇ ଚାଲିଆସୁଥିଲେ । ତାଙ୍କୁ ପାଣିଭିତରେ ବୁଡ଼ାଇ ରଖୁଲେ ସେ ଆପେ ଆପେ କୂଳରେ ଲାଗିଯାଉଥିଲେ । ତାଙ୍କର ଯାଦୁଖେଳର ୟୁରୋପରେ ଖୁବ୍ ନାଁ ଥିଲା । ଦିନେ Houdini ଘୋଷଣା କଲେ ଯେ ସେ ଗୋଟେ ନିବୁଜ ବାକ୍ସ ଭିତରେ ରହିବେ ଓ ବାକ୍ସଟି ପାଣିଭିତରେ ବୁଡ଼ାଯିବ । ବାକ୍ସ ଭିତରେ ଟେଲିଫୋନ୍, କଲିଂବେଲ ରହିବ । କିଛି ଲୋକ ବାକ୍ସଟିକୁ ପାଣିଭିତରେ ସ୍ଥିର ଭାବରେ ଧରି ରଖୁବେ । ବିଜ୍ଞାନ କୁହେ, ମଣିଷ ବିନା ବାୟୁରେ ମାତ୍ର ତିନିମିନିଟ୍ ରହିପାରିବ। ମାତ୍ର ସେ ପ୍ରମାଣ କରିଦେବେ ଯେ ସେ ବିନା ବାୟୁରେ ଏକ ଘଣ୍ଟାକାଳ ରହିପାରିବେ ।

Houdini ଙ୍କ ଅଲୌକିକ ଘଟଣା ଦେଖିବାକୁ ସେଦିନ ପୋଖରୀ କୂଳରେ ହଜାର ହଜାର ଲୋକ ଭିଡ଼ ଜମାଇଥାନ୍ତି । ତାଙ୍କ ସହକାରୀ Collins ସାମ୍ବାଦିକମାନଙ୍କୁ ତାଙ୍କ ଗୁରୁଙ୍କ ବିଷୟରେ ବୁଝାଉଥାଏ । Dr. Mcconnell ପ୍ରସ୍ତୁତ ଥାଆନ୍ତି, କାଳେ କିଛି ଅଘଟଣ ଘଟିବ । Rinn ପ୍ରସ୍ତୁତ ଥାଆନ୍ତି ସମୟ ଗଣିବେ । ପ୍ରତି ପାଞ୍ଚ ମିନିଟ୍‌ରେ ଥରେ ଲେଖାଏଁ ଘୋଷଣା କରିବେ । ଘଣ୍ଟାଏ ଡେଇଁଗଲାପରେ ଯଦି Houdini ନ ଆସନ୍ତି ଓ ଭଲ ଥାଆନ୍ତି, ତେବେ ସେ ତେଣିକି ପ୍ରତ୍ୟେକ ଏକ ମିନିଟ୍ ଘୋଷଣା କରିବେ । Houdini ଧୀର ଓ ହସହସ ମୁହଁରେ ଆସିଲେ । ସେ ସମବେତ ଜନତାଙ୍କୁ ଅଭିବାଦନ ଜଣାଇଲେ ଓ କହିଲେ, ମୁଁ ଆଜି ବିଜ୍ଞାନର ନିୟମକୁ ଭାଙ୍ଗିବାକୁ ଯାଉଛି । ଯଦି ସଫଳ ହେଲି ଭଲକଥା । ଯଦି ମରିଗଲି, ତା ହେଲେ ଜାଣିବ, ଈଶ୍ବର ବୋଧହୁଏ ମୋର ମୁର୍ଖମିକୁ ସହିଲେ ନାହିଁ । Houdini ବାକ୍ସରେ ପଶିଲେ । ତା’ପୂର୍ବରୁ ଡାକ୍ତର ତାଙ୍କର ହୃତ୍‌ସ୍ପନ୍ଦନ ନାଡ଼ି ପରୀକ୍ଷା କରି ଦେଖୁଥିଲେ ଯେ ସେ ସଂପୂର୍ଣ୍ଣ ସୁସ୍ଥ ଅଛନ୍ତି । ଏଥର ବାକ୍ସକୁ ଭଲଭାବରେ ନିବୁଜ କରାଗଲା । ତାକୁ ପାଣିଭିତରେ ବୁଡ଼ାଇ ରଖାଗଲା ଓ କିଛିଲୋକ ବାସଟିକୁ ପାଣିଭିତରେ ସ୍ଥିରକରି ରଖୁଲେ । ଏଣେ Rinn ଗଣନା ଆରମ୍ଭ କଲେ ।

ମିନିଟ୍ ପରେ ମିନିଟ୍ ଗଡ଼ିଚାଲିଲା । ସାମ୍ବାଦିକ ଜଣକ Collins ଓ ଅନ୍ୟମାନଙ୍କଠାରୁ Houdini ଙ୍କ ବିଷୟରେ ବିଭିନ୍ନ ଖବର ସଂଗ୍ରହ କରୁଥାନ୍ତି । ସେ ଜଣେ ଦକ୍ଷ ଯାଦୁକର । ସେ ନିଜ ଦେହରୁ ହାତକାଢ଼ି ନେଉଥିଲେ । ସେ ୧୮୭୪ ମସିହାରେ Appleton ରେ ଜନ୍ମ ନେଇଥିଲେ । ତାଙ୍କର ପ୍ରକୃତ ନାଁ Enrich Weiss I ତାଙ୍କ ପରିବାର ଖୁବ୍‌ ଗରିବ ଥିଲା । ଏଣୁ ସେ ପିଲାଟି ଦିନରୁ ପରିବାର ପୋଷିବାପାଇଁ କାମ କରୁଥିଲେ । ସେତେବେଳେ ସେ ହ୍ୟାଣ୍ଡକପ୍ ଖୋଲିବାର କଳାକୌଶଳ ଶିଖୁଥିଲେ । ସେ ମଧ୍ୟ ବେଳେବେଳେ ଫରାସି ଯାଦୁକର Robert Houdini ଙ୍କ ରଚିତ କିଛି ବହି ପଢ଼ି ଖୁବ୍ ପ୍ରଭାବିତ ହେଲେ ଓ ନିଜ ନାଁ ବଦଳାଇ ନିଜକୁ Harry Houdini ନାମରେ ପରିଣତ କରାଇଲେ । ସମୟ ଗଡ଼ି ଚାଲିଥାଏ । Rinn ପାଞ୍ଚ, ଦଶ, ପନ୍ଦର, କୋଡ଼ିଏ ଏମିତି ଗଣିଚାଲିଥାଆନ୍ତି । ଯେଉଁ ଲୋକମାନେ ବାକ୍ସକୁ ଧରିଥିଲେ, ସେମାନେ ଖସି ପଡ଼ିଲେ । ଲୋକମାନେ ଉତ୍କଣ୍ଠିତ ହୋଇପଡ଼ିଲେ । ଭାବିଲେ, Houdini ବୋଧହୁଏ ବାହାରକୁ ଆସିବାକୁ ଚେଷ୍ଟା କରୁଛନ୍ତି । Collins ଟେଲିଫୋନ୍ ଲଗାଇ ପଚାରିଲେ Houdini! | 66 ଅଛନ୍ତି ? ସେ ଉତ୍ତର ଦେଲେ, ଭଲ ଅଛି’’ । ଡାକ୍ତରମାନେ ମତଦେଲେ, ବାକ୍ସଭିତରେ ଯେତିକି ବାୟୁ ଅଛି ସେଥ‌ିରେ ଜଣେ ଲୋକ ପଚାଶ ଥର ନିଃଶ୍ବାସ ନେଇପାରିବ । ତା’ପରେ ସେ ନିଶ୍ଚୟ ଅଶ୍ୱସ୍ତି ଅନୁଭବ କରିବ । ସେ ନିଶ୍ଚୟ ବାକ୍ସ ଖୋଲିବାକୁ କହିବେ । Collins କହିଲେ – ମୁଁ ତାଙ୍କୁ ଯେତିକି ଜାଣିଛି, ସେ ସମୟ କେବେ ଆସିବ ନାହିଁ । କାରଣ Houdini କୌଣସି କଥାକୁ ପାଞ୍ଚ ଦଶଥର ପରୀକ୍ଷା ନ କରି ଜଣଙ୍କ ଆଗରେ ପେଶ୍ କରନ୍ତି ନାହିଁ ।

ବେଳକୁ ବେଳ ସାମ୍ବାଦିକଙ୍କ ଭିଡ଼ ଜମିଲା । ଡାକ୍ତରମାନେ ମଧ୍ୟ ଆସି ପହଞ୍ଚିଲେ । ସେମାନେ କହିଲେ – ଏହା ଏକ ଆତ୍ମଘାତୀ କାର୍ଯ୍ୟ । Houdini ଙ୍କୁ ଏଥୁରୁ ନିବୃତ୍ତ କରାଯାଉ । ଏହା ଭିତରେ ଘଣ୍ଟାଏ ବି ହୋଇଗଲା । ଲୋକମାନେ କିଛି ସମୟପାଇଁ ଖୁସି ଦେଖାଗଲେ । ଭାବିଲେ, ଏଥର Houdini ବାହାରକୁ ଆସିବାକୁ କହିବେ । ମାତ୍ର ସେମିତି କିଛି ହେଲା ନାହିଁ । ଡାକ୍ତରମାନେ ବାଧ୍ୟ କରିବାରୁ Collins ପୁଣିଥରେ ଟେଲିଫୋନ୍ ଲଗାଇ ପଚାରିଲେ – Houdini ! ଡାକ୍ତରମାନେ ବାଧ୍ୟକରୁଛନ୍ତି ବାହାରକୁ ଆସିବାପାଇଁ । Houdini ଉତ୍ତର ଦେଲେ – ମୁଁ କହିଲେ ମତେ ଉପରକୁ ନେବ । ଏଥର ଲୋକମାନେ କୁହାକୁହି ହେଲେ – Houdini ନିଃଶ୍ଵାସ ପ୍ରଶ୍ଵାସ ରୋଧ କରିବା ତାଲିମ ପାଇଛନ୍ତି । ସେ ବିନା ବାୟୁରେ ରହିବାର କୌଶଳ ଶିଖ୍ଯାଇଛନ୍ତି । ଏହା ଭିତରେ ଏକ ଘଣ୍ଟା ତିରିଶ ମିନିଟ୍ ହେଲା । ଏଥର Houdini ଙ୍କ ଠାରୁ ସଂକେତ ଆସିଲା ତାଙ୍କ ବାହାରକୁ ଆଣିବାପାଇଁ । ଲୋକମାନେ ଏକଘଣ୍ଟା ଏକତିରିଶ ମିନିଟ୍‌ରେ ବାକ୍ସ ଖୋଲିଲେ । ଡାକ୍ତରମାନେ Houdiniଙ୍କ ସ୍ବାସ୍ଥ୍ୟ ପରୀକ୍ଷା କଲେ । କିଛି ବ୍ୟତିକ୍ରମ ହୋଇନଥିଲା । ସାମ୍ବାଦିକମାନେ Houdiniଙ୍କୁ ଅଭିନନ୍ଦନ ଜଣାଇଲେ ।

ଏଥର ସାମ୍ବାଦିକମାନେ Houdini ଙ୍କୁ ପଚାରିଲେ ଏହା କେମିତି ସଂଭବ ହେଲା ? Houdini କହିଲେ ଏଥ‌ିରେ ଯାଦୁବିଦ୍ୟା ନାହିଁ । ଏହା ଏକ ସାଧନା ମାତ୍ର । ମୁଁ ନିଃଶ୍ଵାସ ରୋଧ କରିବା ଶିଖୁ ଯାଇଛି । ଏହା ମତେ ଏତେ ସମୟ ବାକ୍ସ ଭିତରେ ବଞ୍ଚାଇ ରଖୁ । ଶ୍ଵାସକ୍ରିୟା ଖୁବ୍ ମନ୍ଥର ଥିଲା । ସାମ୍ବାଦିକମାନେ ପଚାରିଲେ – ଆପଣ ଯୁବଗୋଷ୍ଠୀଙ୍କୁ କି ବାର୍ତ୍ତା ଦେବେ ? Houdini କହିଲେ – ସେମାନେ ଭୟ କରିବା ଛାଡ଼ି ଦିଅନ୍ତୁ । ସେମାନେ ଯେ କୌଣସି ପରିସ୍ଥିତିକୁ ସହଜ, ସରଳ ଓ ଶାନ୍ତ ଭାବରେ ସାମ୍ନା କରିବାକୁ ଶିଖନ୍ତୁ । ସମସ୍ତେ Houdini ଙ୍କର ଜୟଗାନ କଲେ ।

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Odisha State Board CHSE Odisha Class 11 Approaches to English Book 1 Solutions Unit 1 Text A: Memories of Crossgates School Textbook Activity Questions and Answers.

Class 11th Alternative English Chapter 1 Memories of Crossgates School Question Answers CHSE Odisha

Memories of Crossgates School Class 11 Questions and Answers

Activity – 1

Comprehension:
Look at the passage again and put a tick mark against the correct alternative.
(a) The writer describes the pleasure of school life enjoyed during.
(i) Winter,
(ii) Summer,
(iii) Summer and Winter.
Answer:
Summer (✓)

(b) The phrase ‘taking fee walk’ in line 15 is given within question marks to indicate.
(i) that the writer does not approve of the master’s talking a walk.
(ii) that the mortar was actually keeping watch over the boys on fee pretext of taking the walk.
(iii) fee mortar had gone on a visit to the town on the pretex of taking a walk.
Answer:
That the mortar was actually keeping watch over the boys on fee pretext of taking the walks. (✓)

Activity – 2

Comprehension:
Answer the following question briefly as you can.
(a) At what time of the day did the writer bath in fee sea?
Answer:
In the afternoon of the day, the writer took bath in fee sea.

(b) Did he enjoy swimming among the chalk boulders or have a sense suffering for it? What words in the text tell you the’ answer?
Answer:
The author had a pleasant pain for his swimming among the’ chalk boulder. lt was painful because he was full of cuts when he was back at home. The words – “bathed dangerously” and “covered; with cuts” tell us this answer in the text.

(c) What was the boys’ “special treat” in mid-summer evening?
Answer:
The boy had a “special treat” in mid-summer evenings when they were not driven off to hed arid were allowed to go about the grounds in the long twilight terminating in a drive into the swimming bath at about 9 O’clock.

(d) Who were Orwell’s favourite authors in his boyhood ?”
Answer:
Ian Hay, Thackeray, Kipling and H.GWells were Orwell’s favourite authors in his boyhood.

(e) What are the different kinds of caterpillars ‘ that’ Orwell mentions in the passage?
Answer:
The silky green and purple puss moth, the ghostly green popular lewk, the private hawk are the kinds of caterpillars that Orwell mentions in the passage.

(f) What does Orwell say about his “hopeless love affair”?
Answer:
Orwell had a proud love for cricket till he was eighteen. But he was not cricket till he was eighteen. But he was not at all well at the game. Therefore it was “hopeless Ipye affair- a relentless love without any yield.

(g) What does Orwell learn from his experiences at Crossgates School?
Answer:
Orwell learnt a lot of sweet and bitter experiences at Crossgates school. The childhood days were the formative years when children enjoy moving about scot-free. This experience helps to build up the conviction that the things one wants ‘most are always unattainable.

Activity – 3

Writing:
Write in points, the six pleasures of school life that the writer mentions in the passage.
Answer:
The six pleasures of school life that the writer mentions in the passage are:
(1) Bathing dangerously among the chalk boulder in the sea in the returning afternoon.
(2) Deriving special pleasure from mid summer evenings to move about the grounds in the long twilight and taking a dive into the swimming bath at about 9 O’clock.
(3) Walking early on summer morning and having an hour’s undisturbed reading of his favourite authors like Ian Hary, Thackery, Kipling and H.G Wells.
(4) Devoting to cricket hopelessly because he was not good at this game in spite of his sincere efforts.
(5) Keeping caterpillars and dragging a beg-net along the bottom the dew ponds to collect biological specimens.
(6) Escaping long enough from the master with the illicitly purchased of tiny insects.

Activity – 4

Grammar:
Subject-verb Agreement in ’There’ constructions will you please give Text-A another look to find out how many ‘there….’ sentences are used by the author? Notice that sentence-2 in the text-Sentences on summer afternoons there were wonderful expeditions across the Downs…. is a ‘there…’ sentence. Write the sentence number as well as the ‘there…’ sentence you find in the text.
Answer:
Sentence-3: And there were still more wonderful midsummer evening when as a special treat, we were not driven off to bed as usual but allowed to wander about the grounds in the long twilight, ending up with a plunge into the swimming bath at about 9 O’clock.

Sentence-4: There was the joy of walking early on summer morning and getting in an hour’s undisturbed reading (Ian Hay, Thackery, Kipling and H.G. Wells were, the favourite authors of my boyhood) in the sunlight sleeping dormitory.

Sentence-5: There was also cricket which I was no good act but with which 1 conducted a sort of hopeless love affair upto the age of about eighteen.

Sentence-6: And there was the pleasure of keeping caterpillars-the silky iron and purple puss-math, the ghostly green popular park, the privet hawk, large as one’s third finger specimens of which could be illicitly purchased for sixpence at a shop in the town-and when one could escape long enough from the morter who was “taking the walk” share was the excitement of dredging the dew-ponds on the Downs for enormous newts with orange coloured Bellies.

You can very well notice that the verb ‘there’- sentences is either was or more. As you known the verb in an English sentence agrees with the subject in number and person.

Example:
(1) He was ready.
(2) They were ready,
(3) I am reading English grammar today.
(4) She is writing a letter to his friend now.

The subject ‘he’ in sentence-1 is singular in number and so, a singular verb ‘was’ has been used- The sentence would. be wrong if a ‘plural’ verb, such as were, was used. Also notice that verb ‘were’ in sentence two agrees with the subject they in respect of plurality.

The verbs in sentences (3) and (4), do not differ in number i.e., both of them have singular subjects, but they do differ in person. ‘I’ is a first person pronoun, while ‘she’ is a third-person pronoun. So the difference in the verb ‘am’ and ‘is’ are according to them.

In sentences 1-4, the subject comes before the verb. In these sentences, however,’ there’ comes in the subject position while the real subject (which is .also. known as the postponed subject), occurs after the verb. You can, now look back at your list of these sentences above and notice that the verb after there is ‘was’ or ‘were’ according to whether the postponed subject is singular or plural. Thus, in sentence 2 of the text-Sometimes on summer afternoon, there were wonderful expeditions…. the verb ‘were’ is plural because the postponed subject wonderful expeditions is plural. In sentence 4 of the text-there was the Joy of walking easily the singular verb was agrees with the singular postponed subject the Joy of walking early.

Now fill in each blank in the following letter with an appropriate verb from the following list:
is required
is take
do not object
are
attract
is wanted.

Dated the 11th June 2001
To
The Chairperson.
Bhimpur Municipality,
Bhimpur.
Madam,
I would like to express my concern at the growing number of so-called lottery centres in our town.
There__________ several reasons why I object to these places. Firstly, die operators under the false promise Of an easy fortune, _________quite substantial amounts of money away from the poor people who ate least able to afford it. Secondly, While I __________ to gambling in principle, I feel that this particular kind, where no skill __________ on the part of the betting person, is especially Offensive and deadening to the intellect. Thirdly, these establishments often ____________ undesirable individuals into the neighbourhood. Lastly, die physical appearance of these places is must unattractive, and there __________ almost always a lot of noise around. I hope that the Municipal Council will consider very carefully whether this mindless kind of gambling is what _______________ in this traditionally peaceful town.

Yours faithfully,
Smita Samantray.

Answer:
To
The Chairperson
Bhimpur Municipality,
Bhimpur.
Madam,
I would like to express my concern at the growing number of so-called lottery centres in our town.
There are several reasons why I object to these places. Firstly, the operators under the false promise of an easy fortune, take quite substantial amounts of money away from the poor people who are least able to afford it. Secondly, while I do not object to gambling in principle, I feel that this particular kind, where no skill is required in the part of the betting person, is especially offensive and deadening to the intellect. Thirdly, these establishments often attract undersirable individuals into the neighbourhood. Lastly, the physical appearance of these places is must unattractive, and there is almost always a lot of noise around. I hope that the Municipal Council will consider very carefully whether this mindless kind of gambling is what is wanted in this traditionally peaceful town.

Yours faithfully,
Smita Samantray.

Section- A
Pre-reading Activity:
Before reading the following passage which presents George Orwell’s recollection of his school days, write three main things which you remember about your school days.
(1)
(2)
(3)
Now read Text A below quickly to see what Orwell remembers about his school days.

Section- B
Pre-reading Activity:
The text you are going to read in this section has the title “Make Me a Child Again. Just for Tonight”. Almost every one of us has fond memories of childhood, and therefore wants to become a child again. Can you write below three possible reasons why people want to become children again?
(1)
(2)
(3)

Pre-reading Tips:
In this section, you will read a passage or learning. Your primary aim here is to grasp the central meaning of the passage. To do this rapidly and accurately, you have to adopt aggressive reading. In other words, you must get into the habit of speeding through words and you must try to focus on the broad structure, of the passage while reading.

Try to recognise the author’s pattern of thinking and to realise how the detail serve to highlight the main ideas, but don’t let these details slow you down Skim or Skip whenever you feel, you can safely do so, that is, where, you are reasonably sure that you know what the next sentence or paragraph will contain. In order to detect the author’s pattern of thinking and to understand what, in essence,the author is trying to say, you don’t have to read every single word or every single sentence. By thinking along with the author’s pattern of thinking, you can predict what is likely to come next, and whether it is important, less important or completely unimportant to the central meaning of the text. Now cruise through Text-B with conscious pressure on your speed, with an awareness that you must go first. As average learner on the Alternative English course needs 4 to 6 minutes to complete a quick reading of the passage with the aim of grasping the central idea of the piece.

Extra Activity – 4(A)

A. Make sentences of your own using the following:
horde
expeditions
bath
wander
plunge
ghostly
specimen
illicit
escape
excitement

Answer:
horde – He encountered a horde of critical situations.
expeditions – We pray God before starting our expeditions.
wander – The mad man wanders the whole Say.
bath – We should have our baths before praying God.
plunge – We plunge into a river before swimming.
ghostly – The terrorists made the atmosphere ghostly.
specimen – The bank requires specimen signature before opening an account.
illicit – It is illicit to keep gun without licence.
escape – The criminal made all possible efforts to escape punishment
excitement – One cant act well without excitement.

B. Supply appropriate prepositions in the blanks:

(a) We go by the river __________ summer evenings.
(b) He came back from the forest covered __________ cuts.
(c) We were not driven ___________ to bed as used but allowed to wander __________ the grounds _______the long twilight ending up with a plunge ___________ the swimming bath ____________ 9 O’clock.
(d) There was also cricket which I was no good ‘ but ___________ which I conducted a sort of hopeless love affair ____________ the a sort of hopeless love affair ___________ the age of about eighteen.
(e) This business __________ being out ___________ a walk coming across something _________ fascinating interest and then being dragged __________ it by a yell ___________the mortar, like a dog jerked onwards ___________ die leash, is an important feature ___________ school life.

Answer:
(a) We go by the river on summer evening.
(b) He came back from the forest covered with cuts.
(c) We were not driven off to bed as usual. but allowed to wander about the grounds In the long twilight ending up with a plunge into the swimming bath at about 9 O’clock.
(d) There was also cricket which 1 was no good at but with which I conducted a sort of hopeless love affairs upto the age of about eighteen.
(e) This business of being out for a week coming across something of fascinating interest and then being dogged away from it by a yell from the mortar like a dog jerked onwards by the leash. It is an important feature of school life.

C. Use the following :
cover
finger
treat
purchase
ground
escape
end
master
conduct
walk
Answer:
cover :
(N) The cover of this book is attractive.
(V) They covered the idol with flowers.
treat:
(N) Going on a horse’s back gives a special treat.
(V) They treated their guests with respect.
ground:
(N) Your argument has no ground.
(V) This building grounds on a solid structure.
end:
(N) The play has a tragic end.
(V) The play ends with a tragic note.
finger:
(N) Our fingers are not equal.
(V) He fingers well in typing.
purchase:
(N) Business centres round.
(V) He purchased a car yesterday.
escape:
(N) He had no escape from such a crime.
(V) At last, the criminal escaped from the prison.
Master:
(N) The master scolded his servant for his mistake.
(V) He has mastered English language well.

Memories of Crossgates School Summary in English

However, George Orwell had memories at Crossgates School. They were both sweet and bitter memories. He, very often, had beautiful expeditions to different spots. These were Downs, a vast grassy land, and Beachy Head an attractive spot for summer days. He also took baths in Beachy Head. Sometimes, he returned home with injuries. They also had special pleasure from the midsummer evenings. He also very often wander about in the twilight. He also derived great pleasure by taking a dive into the swimming bath. He had also great mirth of getting up early on summer mornings and also reading Ian Hay. Thacjceran, Kipling and H.G. Wells works. Actually, he was not very good at cricket, but this did not imply that he did not love it. On the other hand, he loved cricket upto eighteen. He also took tremendous joy in the forbidden churphase of tiny insects and ran ‘away from the mortar who was “taking the walk”. He had pleasant experiences in bringing up bag nets to collect newts with dredges. He was also bringing up other biological specimens.

Outlines of the Eassay :

• George Or well had memories at Crossgates School.
• They were both sweet and bitter memories.
• He, very often, had beautiful expeditions to different spots.
• These were Downs, a vast grassy land and Beachy Head, an attractive spot for summer days.
• He also took baths in Beachy Head.
• Sometimes, he returned home with injuries.
• He also had special pleasure from the mid-summer evening.
• He also very often wandered about in the twilight.
• He also derived great pleasure by diving into the summer bath.
• He had also great joy of getting up early on summer mornings.
• He derived great joy by reading land Hay, Thackery, Kipling and H.G Wells works.
• However, he was not very good at cricket.
• This did not imply that he did not love it.
• Actually, he loved cricket upto eighteen.
• He also took tremendous joy in the forbidden purchase of tiny insects.
• He ran away from the mortar who was ‘taking the walk’.
• He had pleasant experiences in bringing up beg nets to collect newts with dredges.
• He was also bringing up other biological specimens.

Word Meaning:
horde – a lot of, a great number, crowd, a group of.
expeditions – journeys, movement, wanderings.
the Downs – vast- grassy land.
treat (n) – joy, pleasure, pleasant experience.
wander – roam, move, travel, go about.
twilight – faint half-light after sunset or before sunrise.
walking – getting up from bed, go without sleep.
illicitly – illegally, unlawfully.
purchased – bought, had or exchanged for money.
escape – run away from free sight of
excitement – stirring up, provocation.
dredging – dragging a bag net along the bottom to collect biological specimens.
depends – small ponds.
enormous – large, huge, very big in size.
newts – small aquatic animals wife a moist skin, short legs a long tail.
yell – sound, shout or noise produces from a.distance.
unattainable – which, can not be obtained easily.

Read More:

• Text A: Memories of Crossgates School Question Answer
• Text B: Make me a child again, Just for tonight Question Answer
• Text C: Confessions of a Misspent Youth Question Answer
• Text D: A Time to Think Question Answer

Odisha State Board CHSE Odisha Class 11 Approaches to English Book 2 Solutions Short Stories Chapter 1 The Rainbow-Bird Textbook Exercise Questions and Answers.

Class 11th Alternative English Short Stories Chapter 1 The Rainbow-Bird Question Answers CHSE Odisha

The Rainbow-Bird Class 11 Questions and Answers

Section- I

Questions For Discussion:
Question 1.
Why was Maggie unmindful in the classroom the whole afternoon?
Answer:
Maggie was unmindful in the classroom the whole after-noon because her mind had been filled with the vision of the Rain-bow bird.

Question 2.
“The hands crawled down the cracked face of the clock with aggravating slowness….”. What does this expression suggest ?
Answer:
Maggie felt as if the hands of the c,ock were consider ably slow. A small spare of time seemed very long to her. Waiting makes time longer. And therefore she felt that the hands of the clock were very slow in their movement as her mind was preoccupied with the thought of the bird.

Question 3.
Why did Maggie avoid the other girls of the class?
Answer:
Maggie avoided the other girls of the class because she never wished them to find out her secret. She looked down upon their empty faces and their coldly-mocking eyes. They also made fun of her because she carried beetles.

Question 4.
What did Maggie do when the school was over?
Answer:
When the school was over, Maggie had a look at Don. She also raced down to the bottom fence along through the bushes that covered the side of the hill.

Question 5.
How did Maggie feel at the sight of the rainbow bird and the world of the school? What do they signify?
Answer:
However, Maggie felt exulted and Proud at the sight of the rainbow bird and she felt nervous and at the world of the school. However, the former signifies the world of happiness and the latter the world, of unhappiness.

Question 6.
Which lines present a contrast between the world of the bird and the world of the school? What do they signify?
Answer:
The lines 13 to 21 present a contrast world of the bird and the world of the school. They signify the dullness of the world of the bird.

Question 7.
“It is a bird now”. In which context does Maggie’s mother say so? Why ‘now’? Does it imply that Maggie had other obsessions earlier? Which ones? (See Paragraph 5)
Answer:
Maggie’s mother says so when she hears the girl mutter on the pillow. It is “now” because, she chirps like at the moment, Maggie had other obsessions also, because she carried beetle wings and cowries about in her matchbox to stare at under the dark.

Focusing Questions:

Question 1.
What does this section of the story tell us about Maggie’s preoccupation with the bird?
Answer:
“The Rainbow Bird” is, undoubtedly, Vance Palmer’s outstanding and typical short story. The first section of the story explains us about Maggie’s preoccupation with the bird. We know that Maggie’s mind has been filled with the vision of the bird. The bird is blue-green shot with gold, its tail an arrow. The girl could scarcely know what she was writing. It has become a regular feature with her. When the school was over, she had. a look at Don. She raced down to the bottom fence along through the bushes that covered the side of the hill. Don was limping because of his sore toe, flushed and breathless Maggie had reached the bottom of the gully before he came out of the undergrowth.

However from the end if the playground, she could hear the other girls her classmates calling her. She did not pay any heed to their voices: She looked down upon their empty faces, their coldly mocking’ eyes. They made fun with her because she carried beetle wings and cowries about in her matchbox to stare at under the desk. Maggie walked along with Don. They went up the other hills across a cleared paddock that lay beside the beach, Before the eyes of both of them won die deep cleft left by the store truck when it was bogged months before and the title round hole with a heap of sand in front of it. Such a tinny tunnel in the side of the rut that no of could notice unless he saw the bird fly out. There had been a sudden burr of wing almost beneath their feet. A shimmer of opal in the sun-bright ajr and then a stillness as the bird settled on the sbe-oak thirty yards away, making their hearts turn over with the sheer beauty of its bronze and luminous green.

It was a rainbow bird which had come from that rounded tunnel in the sandy earth where the couch grass was growing over the old rut, Moreover, the strange bird was shining out of the grainy grey branches. It was only rarely they surprised her in the nest for as usually seemed to feel the puttering the vibration of their feet along the ground and sleep out unobserved. But, they never had to look far for her. There in the she-oak, she shone, flame-bright and radiant as if she had just dropped from the blue sky. The vision came back to Maggie each night before the closed her eyes in sleep. It seemed that it belonged to a different world from that of the school. As a matter of fact, the section 1 deals with the imaginative aspects, of Maggie whose mind gets preoccupied with the thought of the bird. Her farfetched ‘imagination caries her forwards and her vision drags her to the world of the bird,” a world of brightness, joy and soothing.

Question 2.
How does the storyteller show the contrast between the real world of the school and ‘ the’ world of Maggie’s dreams?
Answer:
Vance Palmer is an eminent and outstanding master in the art of storytelling. In this discussing story “The Rainbow Bird”, he displays a sharp contrast between the real world of the school with the dreamy and imaginative world of Maggie very intensely in the first section of the story. The two world have been beautifully gestaposed and a succinct picture of the both has been trickily extricated.

Actually, the world of the school was real. But Maggie was preoccupied with the imagination of the rainbow bird and she feels herself out off from the real and physical world devoting herself wholeheartedly to the world of imagination. While at school, she scarcely knew what she was writing. It was usual with her every day. She was impatient with the passage of time, which she thought passed very slowly. The teacher’s voice for her was like the droning of a blowfly against the window pane.

As a matter of fact, the world of the school was regarded, here, as dull, drab, monotonous, gloomy, pale, colourless and charmless. The life has been routined and schemed. It is traditional, prosaic and uninteresting. On the whole, the imaginative world is more flamboyant, gorgeous, enjoyable, rapturous, elusive and devoting them the real world.

Vocabulary:
A. Use the following in sentences of your own:
squirm
beg
skim
rut
cavern
burr
growl
shimmer
blaze
mutter
Answer:
Squirm – He squirmed as a ball hit his head.
skim – I like skim milk.
cavern – I Having seen a tiger, the hare hit itself in the cavern.
growl – The servant did a mistake and so he growled like a dog.
blaze – People telephoned the fire brigade as the house was in blaze.
bog – He, unfortunately, bogged in the marshy land.
rut – This wheel has ruts on the soft soil.
burn – The madman burred at me.
shimmer – The light shimmer due to power disturbance.
mutter – The dull student muttered the answer due to the fear of a mistake.

B. Write the noun forms of the following:
mental
deep
hairy
monthly
momentary
sandy
empty
miraculous
impatient
different

Answer:
mental – mind
deep – depth
hairy – hait
monthly – month
momentary – moment
sandy – sand
empty – emptiness
miraculous – miracle
impatient – impatience
different – difference

Grammar:
Fill in the blanks with suitable prepositions.
1. In my way to school, I saw a soldier _________uniform.
2. He married a lady _________ thirty.
3. He is a man _________ quiet temperament.
4. I saw him going to the field _______ spade.
5. Skill comes _________ practice.
6. The shop was destroyed ________ a fire.
7. The case is investigated __________ police.
8. This letter is written __________ink, not _________pencil.
9. This picture is drawn ________ pencil.
10. He wrote ________ left hand.
11. They won the game _________ case.
12. The world is heading __________another war.
13. When I was going __________marked I saw a beggar ________a broken leg.
14. The train ________ Ambala leaves at 2 p.m.
15. He is __________ London, He wants __________visit Konark.
16. The boys threw stones __________the beggar.
17. Don’t laugh _________ others.
18. Wine is made ___________grape.
19. Your ring is made ___________ gold.
20. Her mother died _________pneumonia.
21. Her father is living __________ New York today.
22. subash Bose was born ___________Cuttack.
23. Now, she is living __________a beautiful house just _________the end of the street.
24. We met __________ Padhihari Pathagar.
25. Her husband works _________a factory.
26. They are living ___________ a flat ___________ Bhubaneswar.
27. He was brought up ___________ a village.
28. He is working _________ a tea plantation.
29. His brother is __________ a bank.
30. They live ___________ 23, Lajpat Road.
31. The monk is living _________ a forest __________the end of the village.
32. She teaches English __________ a school.
33. All know he is not ___________homte. He is __________his office.
34. All who live ________ India are IndiAnswer:
35. The plane landed _________ an island _____________the Indian Ocean.
36. His father works __________ the railways.
37. What’s the distance in miles __________Bhubaneswar and Delhi.
38. The Chief Guest distributed sweets ________ students.
39. He is known all _______ the world as a champion of the poor.
40. Put your signature________ nine.
41. Your pen is __________ your desk.
42. His portrait is handing __________ the fire place.
43. The box is __________ the rack.
44. There is a garden _______my house.
45. His house is just _______ the road.
46. The road is _________ repair.
47. He is _________ criticism. All knew __________ his honesty.
48. Now, twenty men are working ___________him.
49. He can’t sign the contract as he ___________ age.
50. Banki is __________Cuttack, on the Mahanadi.
51. He has no command ________himself.
52. Fix a revenue stamp and sign _________ it.
53. To wear long hair has becoihe a fashion _________young people.
54. He has no command _________himself.
55. We shall start _________ dinner.
56. A woman is _________ gold necklace.
57. I saw a soldier_________ uniform.
58. A farmer was going to field __________a plough on his soldier.
59. He is a man _________ quiet habits.
60. The woman __________pimples on her face quarrelled with your aunt yesterday.
Answer:
1. In my way to school, 1 saw a soldier in uniform.
2. He married a lady of thirty.
3. He is a man of quiet temperament.
4. I saw him going to the field with a spade.
5. Skill comes from practice.
6. The shop was destroyed by a fire.
7. The case is investigated by police.
8. This letter is written in ink, not in pencil.
9. This picture is drawn with pencil.
10. He wrote by left hand.
11. They won the game with ease.
12. The world is heading towards another war.
13. When I was gring to market I saw a beggar with a broken leg.
14. The train for Ambala leaves at 2 p.m.
15. He is from London, He wants to visit Konark.
16. The boys threw stones at the beggar.
17. Don’t laugh at others.
18. Wine is made from grape.
19. Your ring is made of gold.
20. Her mother died of pneumonia.
21. Her father is living for New York today.
22. Subash Bose was bom in Cuttack .
23. Now, she is living m a beautiful house just at the end of the street.
24. We met at Padhihari Pathagar.
25. Her husband works in a factory.
26. They are living in a flat in Bhubaneswar.
27. He was brought up in a village.
28. He is working on a tea plantation.
29. His brother is in a bank.
30. They live at 23, Lajpat Road.
31. The monk is living in a forest at the end of the village.
32. She teaches English in a school.
33. All know he is not at home. He is in his office.
34. All who live m India are IndiAnswer:
35. The plane landed on an Island in the Indian Ocean.
36. His father works on the railways.
37. What’s the distance in miles between Bhubaneswar and Delhi.
38. The Chief Guest distributed sweets among students.
39. He is known all over the world as a champion of the poor.
40. Put your signature below nine.
41. Your pen is under your desk.
42. His portrait is hanging over the fire place.
43. The box is before the rack.
44. There is a garden across my house.
45. His house is just under the road.
46. The road is above repair.
47. He is under criticism. All knew about his honesty.
48. Now, twenty men are working under him.
49. He can’t sign the contract as he is above age.
50. Banki is under Cuttack on the Mahartadi.
51. He has no command oyter himself.
52. Fix a revenue stamp and sign among if.
53. To wear long hair has become a fashion over young people.
54. He has no command after himself.
55. We shall start before dinner.
56. A woman is m gold necklace.
57. 1 saw a soldier in uniform.
58. A farmer was going tja field with a plough on his soldier.
59. He is a man of quiet habits.
60. The woman with pimples on her face quarrelled with your aunt yesterday.

Section – II

Questions For Discussion:
Question 1.
Whom did Maggie and Don meet near the she_oak? What he was What he was doing there?
Answer:
Maggie and Dgn met Cafferty, the honey Man near the she_oak. He was standing almost the nest and looking down into the she-oak by the beach.

Question 2.
How was Maggie shocked on? How her feeling of excitement and joy changed suddenly to one of fear anger and hatred for the man?[Note: Horror laid an icy hand on the girl’s heart, ‘Try to understand’ the significance of this statement.
Answer:
Actually, Maggie had run covering a long distance so as to see the rainbow bird. But she was highly surprised to find something unreal that diminished he excitement. She found Cafferty the Honey man Man standing with a gun who had already hunted a Rainbow bird and kept it in pocket. She ran away in fear and fell on ground in sorrow. His lively spirit depressed.

Question 3.
“Beast! that’s what you are…A beast”. How do these words characterise the feelings of the small girl when she finds that her world of joy and wonder had been destroyed?
Answer:
Maggie had cherished a great joy and excitement to see the colorful Rainbow bird for which she had run a long distance from school. But, to her utter dismay, she found that the bird had been hunted down by Cafferty, the Honey Man. This caused a heavy shock to her. She felt nervous and terrified and knew that her world of joy and wonder had been shattered by Honey Mali. Her state of grief remained no bound. She could not utter a single word. She murmured calling him a beast.

Question 4.
Why did Cafferty swear to wipe the birds off the face of earth?
Answer:
Actually, Cafferty was a Honey Man who was much concerned with the bees, But the Rainbow birds which are very bright and colorful relish in eating bees. This makes a problem to both the bees and Cafferty. For this reason, he was determined to wipe the birds off the face of earth.

Question 5.
“There was dull passion in his absorbed eyes, a sense of warning against evil.” How does this sentence portray the attitude of the Honey Man. What contrast do you mark between the world of Maggie and the world of Cafferty?
Answer:
This statement is the reaction of the Honey Man against the innocent birds. It actually, a war against the evils as the ‘ in-bow birds for the Honey Man are evils, fact, the world of Maggie and that offerty are poles apart. However, Maggie’s role is one of love, joy and beauty whereas that of Cafferty is one of cruelty, hatred and destruction.

Question 6.
What /difference do you mark between the attitudes of Maggie and Don? Does Don support Cafferty? Explain, You’ll now come to the last part of the story while reading it, try to find answers to the following questions.
(i) What happens to Honey Man after the bird is killed?
(ii) How does Maggie look at the happening?
Answer:
Maggie and Don had the urge to visit the brightly coloured Rainbow birds. But Don was rather more practical whereas Maggie lived in a world of fantasy and imagination. She forgot everything for the bird. She felt sony and perplexed at die killing of the bird by Cafferty. On the other hand, Don although supported Maggie and was also against the Honey Man proved to be more practical and consoled her to cope with the- situation come whatever it may be.

Vocabulary:
A. Derive adjectives from the following words in the text, earth, death, suddenly, contempt, heat, hair, fire, home, solidity, stormy, people, moment, thought, obey, color, bag, proudly, sand, sheep, fear, trouble, child, confuse, heart, boy, eye, bewilder, .air, satisfied, color, face, horror, passion, hand, war, right, winter, shadows, superiority, father.
Answer:
earth – earthly
death – dead
suddenly – sudden
contempt – contemptuous
heat – hot
hair – hairy
fire – fiery
home – homely
solidity – solid
storm – stormy
people – popular
moment – momentary
thought – thoughtful
obey – obedient
colour – colourful
bag – baggy
proudly – proud
sand – sandy
sheep – sheepish
fear – fearful
trouble – troublesome
child – childish
confuse – confused
heart – hearty
boy – boyish
eye – ocular
bewilder – bewildered
air – airy
satisfied – satisfactory
colour – colourful
face – facial
horror – horrible
passion – passionate
hand – handy
war – warring
right – rightful
winter – wintry
shadow – shadowy
superiority – superior
father – paternal

B. Derive nouns from the following words in the text:
bathe, red, sure, obey, close, sandy, warm, new, intense, good, wonderful, green, dark, desperate, wooden, different, believe, reveal, hot, grow, thick, distant, solid, die, proudly, pretend, small, occasional, bewilder, noisy, satisfied, thoughtful, rob, drowsy, soft, gracious, heavy, serve, dull, hopeful, absorb, oppress, awkward, visible, dead, lustrous, feel, triumphant, airy.
Answer:
words – Noun
bathe – bath
red – redness
sure – surety
obey – obedience
close – closeness
sandy – sand
warm – warmth
new – newness
intense – intensity
good – goodness
wonderful – wonder
airy – air
dark – darkness
desperate – despair
wooden – wood
different – difference
believe – belief
reveal – revelation
hot – heat
grow – growth
thick – thickness
distant – distance
solid – solidity
die – death
proudly – pride
pretend – pretense
small – smallness
occasional – occasion
bewilder – bewilderment
noisy – noise
satisfied – satisfaction
thoughtful – thought
rob – robber
drowsy – drowsiness
soft – softness
gracious – grace
heavy – heaviness
serve – service
dull – dullness
hopeful – hope
absorb – absorption
oppress – oppression
awkward – awkwardness
visible – vision
dead – death
luster – lustrous
feel – feeling
triumphant – triumphantly

Grammar
A. Replace the Adverbs with Suitable adverb phrases.
1. Our guest will arrive
2. He spoke
3. Park your car
4. Read the book
5. The soldiers fought
6. He spoke on disarmament
7. The boys played
8. She completed the work
9. Their team played
10. He worked
11. My friend responded
12. She met her friend
13. Who was present with you
14. Corruption is the cheapest thing
15. She went away

B. Replace the following adverb phrases with suitable adverbs:
1. In India flourished a glorious civilization
2. Now we live in a
3. The workers completed the work
4. Pursue your aim
5. My mother treated the beggars
6. The thief entered into the room
7. The deer vanished into the forest
8. He broke his misfortune
9. The old man blessed me with
10. I shall join you r
11. He does it :
12. I called them .
13. She waited
14. He sold his commodities
15. The winning team returned

C. Fill in the blanks With “fairly” or “rather”.
1. His son is _________ clever.
2. Jatin’s answer is _________ better than’ Minu’s.
3. His daughter is __________a stupid girl.
4. He is __________ kind. You can approach him for help.
5. This packet is __________ small. I can easily take it in my pocket.
6. This packet is ___________ big. I can’t take it .
7. Your box is __________ small to contain all these articles.
8. This room is _________ precious. I like it.
9. This room is___________ spacious. I don’t like, such room.
10 The weather is _________ better today.
11. This room is _________ difficult to solve.
12. Your performance is _________ satisfactory.
13. Your son is a __________intelligent boy
14. He gave me a ________ silly book.
15. It is a __________good remark.

D. Complete the following sentences by adding suitable to infinite.
1. Do you like …………..
2. She agreed………..
3. The principal allowed us ………………
4. The society expects you……………
5. This dog is too heavy……………….
6. This bag is small enough ………………
7. The old woman wants someone ……………..
8. Will you give me something……………
9. Her story is too tragic…………..
10. She has an interesting story………………..
11. This essay is too difficult………………
12. I have nothing……………….
13. She does not know how………………
14. He didn’t know where …………………
15. We have many problems………………..
16. This poem is too philosophical………………
17. This pencil is too hard………………..
18. I do not know where……………………….
19. I request him…………………
20. I consented him……………………..

Answers:
A. The adverbs are replaced with suitable adverb phrases.
1. Our guest will arrive soon.
2. He spoke gently.
3. Park your car there.
4. Read the book thoroughly.
5. The soldiers fought bravely.
6. He spoke eloquently on disarmament.
7. The tyjys played cheerfully:
8. She completed the work satisfactorily.
9. Their team played carelessly.
10. He worked industriously.
11. My friend responded promptly.
12. She met her friend here.
13. Who was present with you then?
14. Corruption is the cheapest thing every where.
15. She went away hurriedly.

B. The given adverb phrases are replaced with suitable adverbs.
1. Once upon a time in India flourished a glorious civilization.
2. Now he lived in a foreign country.
3. The workers completed the work with satisfaction.
4. Pursue your aim with resolution.
5. My mother treated the beggars with kindness.
6. The thief entered into the room in silence.
7. The deer vanished into the forest at a great speed.
8. He bore his misfortune with patience.
9. The old man blessed me with all his heart.
10. I shall join you in a short while.
11. He does it as a habit.
12. I called them in a loud voice.
13. She waited with great anxiety.
14. He sold his commodities with profit.
15. The winning team returned in triumph.

C. The blanks are filled with ‘fairly’ or ‘rather’.
1. His son is fairly clever.
2. Jatin’s answer is rather better than Minu’s.
3. His daughter is rather a stupid girl.
4. He is fairly kind. You can approach him for help.
5. This packet is fairly small. can easily take it in my pocket.
6. This packet is rather big. I can’t take it
7. Your box is rather small to contain all these articles.
8. This room is fairly precious. 1 like it.
9. This room is rather specious. I don’t like such room.
10. The weather is fairly better today.
11. This sum is rather difficult to solve.
12. Your performance is fairly satisfactory.
13. Your son is fairly intelligent hoy.
14. He gave me a rather silly look.
15. It is a fairly good remark.

D. The sentences are completed by adding suitable to infinite.
1. Do you like to organise a party?
2. She agreed to help his friend.
3. The principal allowed us to fill in the forms.
4. The society expects you to do something spectacular.
5. This dog is too heavy to lift.
6. This bag is small enough to contain all these items.
7. The old woman wants someone to help her.
8. Will you give me something to eat?
9. Her story is too tragic to listen to.
10. She has an interesting stoiy to tell.
11. This essay is too difficult to write.
12. I have nothing to say.
13. She does not know how to drive.
14. He didn’t know where to go.
15. We have many problems to solve.
16. This poem is too philosophical to understand.
17. This pencil is too hard to write with.
18. I do not know where to go.
19. I request him to come.
20. I consented him to give money

Section – III

Questions For Discussion:
Question 1.
What ideas sweep Maggie’s mind after she returned home and threw herself on the bed? Do you mark the difference between Maggie’s feelings in Section-I and those in Section III? (Note: Wonder and Magic – they had gone out of everything: this line is a key to the understanding of the changed world of Maggie).
Answer:
After returning from the field, Maggie went upstairs, she threw herself down Upon the bed and she started thinking of the cruel face of the Honey Man and the bleeding dead bird came to her eyes repeatedly.

Question 2.
What did Maggie imagine when she heard voices between broken drift of sleep?
Answer:
Maggie imagined when she heard voices between broken drifts of sleep that perhaps the Honey Man had died.

Question 3.
How did she react when she was told that Cafferty had been injured ?’ Why did she think “everything had come right”?
Answer:
When Maggie came to know that Cafferty was injured she thought that he should die. She meant that right thing befalls a right man at right time.

Question 4.
Do you find in her a vengeful attitude? Does she feel that justice has been done? What impression do you form about her from her reaction to the Honey Man’s suffering?
Answer:
There is certainly a tone of vengeful attitude. She feels that justice has been meted out. This proves that Maggie’s reaction against killing the rainbow bird is at the apex.

Question 5.
What change do you mark in her in the last paragraph? Has there been a restoration of her world of joy and wonder? How did she imagine about the rainbow bird and the Honey Man.
Answer:
The deadly reaction of Maggie against the Honey Man continued up to the last stanza. She went on with the thought that the Honey Man was standing in the same place is before. The restoration is possible in dream. The rainbow bird and the Honey Man are antagonistic

Questions For Composition:
Question 1.
How does the rainbow bird created a world of wonder and magic for Maggie?
Answer:
The short story “The Rainbow Bird” is written by Vance Palmer, an eminent and outstanding storyteller. His stories are imaginative, thought-provoking and using. In this discussion story, his presentation of an Australian bird that is a Rainbow bird creating a world of wonder and magic for a little girl Maggie is really superb and fantastic. Actually, the rainbow bird automatically aggravated a World of wonder and magic in the psych of Maggie. The imaginative and attractive colour of the beautiful bird has already captivated her delicate mind. So her tender psyche is preoccupied with the idea of the bird and she thinks about it in every breath of her life. She feels disinterested like reading at home and school. In fact, she remains brooding’ over the fascinating bird which is undoubtedly for her a world of wonder and magic.

However, the imagination of the attractive coloured rainbow-bird has entirely captured her mind. She does not cherish any interest in her study at school. Whenever she gets a little bit of leisure, she starts brooding over the thought of seeing the bird. She gets enticed and bewitched by the bird and so runs to see it straightforwardly. She is accompanied by Don. The other students, of the school follow suit. She rushed to the spot to see the bird. But she discovers Cafferty the Honey Man there holding a gun. He has already hunted a rainbow bird before they arrive. The bird is blood-drenched. It is inside the Honey Man’s pocket. He dangles it in front of them. Maggie stands perplexed and shocked. Her heart becomes hardened and stupefied at the uncompromising shock. Out of utter disgust and irritation, she calls the Honey Man a ‘Beast’.

On the other hand, the Honey Man is determined to wipe all such type of tribes off the earth, because they are beefeaters. He moves away. Maggie and Don returned home. Father had been waiting /or their arrival outside. She scarcely eats any thing at home. Her mind has been highly sorrow-stricken by the thought of the dead bird and uncompromising hatred for the Honey Man. She goes upstairs directly without doing his home task’s. After a few minutes her mother arrives with a candle light. But she is being hunted by sleeplessness. She has nothing in her mind but the dead bird and the hideous man. Her mother informs her about that hideous man’s accident. So she starts thinking that such a brutal and hateful man should die.

Her mother marks that she has not slept till then. Even Maggie wanted to know whether he had died. She does not pay any heed to her mother saying that he is a good man. After all she returns to the dreamy state thinking about the dead bird and the brutal and hideous man like the, Cafferty. She thinks God must punish such a cruel man. As a matter of fact, the depiction of the imaginative and dreamy psyche of a little child. Maggie is superb and fantastic. Although imaginative, it on the other hand, carries a bit of truth which straightforwardly expresses the brutality of the man against the natural animals.

Question 2.
Discuss how the story comes full circle with restoration of Maggie’s world of joy and wonder.
Answer:
In fact, it is undoubtedly, accepted that the story “The Rainbow Bird” is one of the superb and fantastic creation of Vance Palmer, a prominent and outstanding story teller. Palmer’s description of Maggie’s world of joy and wonder is really inspiring and heart-enduring. The main character of the story is the little girl Maggie. She is school going. She remains under the hangover of dream and joy throughout the story. She remains in undated the thought of the bird anywhere atod everywhere. She only thinks of the beautiful bird at school. The thought of beautiful bud has disinterested her from her study. She only thinks about die bird on and on. She, is not at all aware of, anything else., Even she runs to see the bird whenever she gets a little bit of chance.

Actually, she is highly fascinated by the vision of this rainbow bird. She galloped with Don to see the bird. She was extremely surprised to discover Cafferty, the Honey Man there. It was that Honey Man who had already killed the rainbow bird. It was because such type of birds like rainbow bird eat the bees. He was standing there with a gun. He had already hunted a beautiful rainbow bird with his gun and kept it in one of his pockets. She was vehemently perplexed and shocked by the sight of that Honey Man. That man showed them the dead blood-drenched rainbow bird dangling it before their eyes. Maggie was entirely irritated by this and ran away with terror and nervousness. She fell
down on the grassy ground. She feels as if she were dead. She was so vexed and sorry that she could not express this by any words. She called him a ‘beast’. On the other hand, the cruel man only said that he was determined to wipe such birds from the earth because these are bee-eaters. Telling this, he departed from the place.

However, Don tried to console her and they returned home. Father had been waiting for them. They reached home and she went upstairs and laid on her bed. She started brooding over the dead hunted bird and about that hideous and brutal man. She came down for supper and then returned back to upstairs. she laid into the but sleep could not come to her eyes. The image 0f that crooked and brutal Honey Man pinched her mind again and over again. She saw the dangling of mat blood-drenched hunting bird in front of her eyes. she abuses on, Her mother marked her abnormal and odd behaviours. Her mother said m Honey Man would be taken to the hospital, as, he was injured hts though by an accident. Maggie thought that it was Gods not judgment for a hideous and cruel man like him. she got relieved because, the birds would be rescued from the clutches of a killer.

As a matter of fact, Palmer’s treatment of the story is really full circle with the restoration of Maggie’s world of joy and wonder. The opening of the story depicting Maggie’s world of joy and wonder ends with be same world of joy and wonder. The conclusion of the story at least provides solace and consolation and pacification to her perplexed and perverted mind of the middle of the story. In short, Palmer’s treatment of the story is superb, thought-provoking and alluring.

Question 3.
Give an account of the contrasting attitudes of Maggie and the other around her to the rainbow bird.
Answer:
In fact, the outstanding storyteller Vance Palmer of the story “The Rainbow Bird” is a superb master in his portrayal of contrasting characters. However, he has vividly observed the attitude of the contrasting characters who are varied and different in tone and temper. He has beautifully contrasted the characters in the following three sets –
i) Maggie and the other school children.
ii) Maggie and Don and
iii) Maggie and Cafferty.
Let us now discuss these contrasting characters in detail.

(i) Maggie and the other school children:
However, Maggie and the other schoolchildren stand in sharp contrast to one another. Maggie’s mind was only concerned with the vision of the beautiful rainbow bird at school. Her hair followed her intense, grape-dark eyes and she scarcely knew what she was writing. This was happening incessantly with her every day at school. On the other hand, die other students were not responsive as her; the colorful and fascinating bird. They squirmed in their seats and folded papers darts to throw across the room. Maggie lived for the intense attraction of seeing the colorful shape of the beautiful bird. After the school was over, she had a look at Don and raced down to the bottom fence along through the bushes that covered the side of the hill.

(ii) Maggie and Don:
Again, the second set of characters are Maggie and Don. They are also contrasted in their attitude towards the beautiful rainbow bird. It is certain that Don consented Maggie to escort her in order to see the GFC rainbow bird, but in reality, he was not so much esthetically bewitched by it. Again he was also not equally burr as Maggie was when they discovered Cafferty at the place having with a gun. Maggie’s running out in great sorrow and terror and falling down on the grass proved out of intense shock whereas Don kept on standing looking at the bereaved Maggie unconcerned with the blood-drenched dead rainbow bird.

(iii) Maggie and Cafferty:
However, the third set of contrasting characters and Maggie and Cafferty, the Honey Man. They are deeply contrasted in the story. They are just like two poles apart. They stand at the extreme ends in their attitudes towards the rainbow bird. In one hand, Maggie loves the little bright colourful beautiful bird, on the other hand, the Cafferty looks down upon such birds. It is because, they eat away the bees. Even he is determined to wipe the birds off the earth. Therefore, when Maggie is portrayed as love-incarnate and live-incarnate, the Honey Man is portrayed as death incinerate for the innocent beautiful birds. As a matter of fact, Palmer, depiction of the above contrasting set of characters is superb and excellent. Even he portrays them with their variegated and contrasting attitude. On the whole, Palmer’s portrayal is inspiring, alluring and heart-rendering.

Grammar:

Supply Preposition:
They panted ___________ the other hill and ____________ a cleared that lay_ them and the beach. Before the eyes __________ both __________. them was the deep cleft left by the store truck when it was bogged months before and the little round hole _________ a heap _________ sand __________ front __________ it. Such a tiny turned ___________ the side __________ the rut that no one would notice unless she saw the bird fly__________ They had cone ___________ it together when they were looking ___________ mushrooms, there had a sudden burr ____________ wings almost ____________ their feet, a shimmer___________ opal ____________ the sun-bright air and then a stillness as the bird settled ____________ the she-oak thirty yards away, making their hearts turn _________ the sheer beauty ___________ its bronze and luminous green.
Answer:
They panted up the other hill and across a cleared paddock that lay between them and the beach. Before the eyes, of both of them was the deep cleft left by the store truck when it was bogged months before and the little round hole with a heap of sand in front of it. Such a tiny turned m the side of the rut that no one would notice unless he saw the bird fly put. They had come on it together when, they were looking for mushrooms, there had a sudden burr of wings almost beneath their feet, a shimmer of opal in the sun-bright air and then a stillness as the bird settled on the sea-oak thirty yards away, making their hearts turn over with the shear beauty of its bronze and luminous green.

Notes on the story-writer and the Story:
Vance Palmer (1885-1959) is a Australian story writer who had considerable reputation among the Common Wealth literary figures. His writings are marked by an interesting portrait of the phenomenal world with its amazing beauty and wonder. With his deft sketch of manners and behavior especially the responses of the young, and tender minds, some of the stories are very impressively drawn. lie excels in the study of “the innocence of the oneself-conscious years” and ‘‘the beginning makes towards discoveries and disappointments which are an essential part of growing up”. His narrative is very often enriched by an evocative use of symbols.

The story in the beginning depicts the innocent joys of childhood days a visionary world of beauty and wonder. The rainbow bird with its multiple shining colours has a magic spell on the small girl. But, the joy and wonder does not last long: to the utmost shock and depression of the child it is totally demolished with the killing of the rainbow bird that represents for her entire world of enthralling beauty and splendor. The Honey Man for her Satan bent upon destroying God’s beautiful creation and design through to others beautiful creation and design through to others accident of the Honey Man, in her opinion, is retributive, and it signifies the ultimate triumph of good over evil.

With the grant of poetic and divine Justice,’ there is a restoration of the earlier world of magic and music, of course at the imaginative and psychic level of the child. The contrast between the two worlds is quite transparent. The rainbow bird has a symbolic significance, most of the lines in the story with their alliterative system have a poetic effect and serve as appropriate expression of the child’s shimmering world of beauty and wonder.

Section- I

Pre-reading Activity:
It is always a pleasure to remember how in your childhood days you ran after the colorful butterflies, how you wanted to keep pets and spend most of your time in their company and how you developed an attachment to the birds and animals. Here is a story depicting a small girl’s love and concern for a colorful Australian bird befittingly called the rainbow bird.

Gist:
Paragraphs: 1-9
Maggie’s mind had been deeply thinking about the sight of a bird. The bird was blue-green shot with gold, its tail an arrow. After the school was over, she had a look at Don. She was racing down to the bottom fence along through the bushes. Don was limping because of his sore toe. She ran breathlessly. She heard her friends call her to wait. She did not listen to them. She was coming back with beetle wings and cowries about in her matchbox.

Paragraphs: 10-14
They went up the bill across a cleared 21) small grass field. They encountered a crack which was sunk month .before. It was a little 22) round hole with a heap of sand before it. A 23) bird flew out of it. It was a rainbow bird. It 24) had come out of the rounded tunnel. Don had 25) wanted to put his hand in and feel if there were any young ones, but Maggie had caught his arm in despair. Her eyes were filled with tear. The bird was seen skimming through the air.

Analytical outlines:

• Maggie’s mind had been filled with the sight of a bird.
• The bird was blue-green shot with gold its tail an arrow.
• She did not know what she was writing.
• After the school was over, she had a look at Don.
• They raced towards the fence
• They raced through the bushes that covered the side of the hill.
• Don was limping.
• Because His toe was sore.
• Maggie had reached the bottom of the gully.
• Her friends woe calling her from the end of the playground.
• But she tried to shut their voices from her ears.
• None of them must find out her secret.
• She looked down upon their empty faces.
• She also despaired their coldly-mocking eyes.
• They made fun of her.
• Because she carried beetle wings.
• She cowries about in her matchbox.
• She did this to stare at under her desk.
• Maggie and Don went up the other hills.
• They went across a cleared paddock.
• The paddock was situated by the side of the beach.
• They had come on it together.
• They were looking for mushrooms.
• They heard a sudden burr of wings.
• They saw a shimmer of opal in die sun bright air.
• Then a stillness profiled the place.
• It was because the bird Settled on the she-oak tree.
• It was thirty yards away from them.
• It was a rainbow bird.
• It had come from the rounded tunnel in the sandy, place.
• The couch grass was growing there.
• Don had wanted to put his hand in.
• He felt of there were any young ones.
• But Maggie had caught his arm.
• She was looking desperate.
• The strange bird sat shining Put of the greenly-grass branches.
• She seemed to feel the puttering vibration of their feet along the ground.
• She stop and unobserved.
• It seemed as if the bird had fallen from the blue sky.
• Sometimes they saw her skimming through the air.
• While flying, it took long, sweeping curves and pausing at the top of the curve.
• The vision came back to Magg night before she closed her eyes in sleep.
• It belonged to a different world from the school the each.

Meanings of difficult words:

Blowfly – an insect that deposits its larval or carrier, excrement etc., or in the wounds of living animals.
squirmed – twisted the’ body as in pain or discomfort.
dart – a pointed missile, arrow.
skim – a thin layer, or film formed on a liquid.
cavern – a deep cave, hollow place.
gully – a water-worn ravine, a narrow channel made by rainwater.
beetle – an insect with hard horny forewings.
cowries -highly polished and usually brightly coloured shells,
growl – to utter a deep rough sound like a dog.
blazes – flames of fire.
paddock – a small grass field.
chafed – divided into two, crack.
bogged – sunk and stuck fast in a marsh or quagmire.
rut – a furrow made by wheels on soft ground.
burr – whisper or murmur.
shimmer – shine with a soft unsteady light.
opal – a type of white stone with changing colours in it.
she-oak – a variety of oak tree.
thistledown – the’ tufted feathery parachutes of thistle seeds,
luminous – clear, bright, shining.
desperate – furious, state of utter despair.

Section – II

Gist:
Paragraphs: 15-20
Maggie and Don quickly passed across the road. They went away the spindle-legged house with no fence around it. They also went away the red-roofed cottage where the bathing suits hung to dry. They thought that they would surely be out that afternoon. It was, indeed, surprising to observe those bits f of living colour down there in the dark. Of course, it would be much more amazing when/they would come out into the light. All on a sudden. Maggie started running snatching 1 Don’s arm. But Don prohibited her running. He said her that somebody was there. So they were to wait for some-time. Don stood glancing at the dark big figure on the slope ever looking the sea. It was Cafferty the Honey Man. He was standing almost on the nest looking down into the sea-oak by the beach. They saw him having a gun with him. The girl was terrified.

Paragraphs: 21-32
All on a sudden, Maggie started running. She became out of breath when she reached Cafferty. She asked him what he was doing with the gun there. She wanted to know whether he was shooting something. Actually, he had already killed a rainbow bird and put it in his pocket. He was waiting for its mate which would be killed within a short time. He I took the bird out of his pocket and dangled it. before her eyes. The girl fell on the turf calling him a ‘beast’.

Paragraphs: 33-36
Cafferty moved off down the beach. He was moving off shouldering his gun. His gait had a lumbering heaviness. Maggie was still lying prone on the turf, her face in her arms. Don watched her a while and ill-at-ease. Picking up the dead bird that Cafferty had thrown on the grass, he fingered it clum silly. He wondered if there were any bees in its crop. The boy called Maggie to rise because the other kids would be coming along very soon. She rose from the grass looking at the bird with reddened eyes. She told him to clutch away, but the boy insisted that he would make it home and skin it. But he hesitated for moment and then obeyed her.

Analytical outlines:

• Maggie and Don quickly passed across the road.
• They went away the spindle-legged house.
• It was having no fence around it.
• They also went away the red roofed cottage.
• In this, the bathing suits were hung to diy.
• They thought that they would surely be out that afternoon.
• It was, indeed, very surprising to observe these bits of living colour down there in the dark.
• Of course, it would be much more amazing.
• At any moment, they would come out into the light.
• Suddenly, Maggie started running.
• She snatched Don’s arm.
• But Don prohibited her running.
• He said her that somebody was there.
• So they were to wait for sometime.
• Don stood glancing at the dark big figure on the slope overlooking the sea.
• It was Cafferty, the Honey Man.
• He was standing almost on the nest.
• He was looking down into the sea-oak by the beach.
• They saw him having a gun with hint.
• The girl was terrified.
• All at sudden, Maggie started running.
• She became out of breath.
• She reached near Cofferty.
• She asked him what he was doing with the gun there.
• She wanted to know whether he was shooting something.
• Actually, he had already killed a Rambow bird.
• He put it in his pocket.
• He was waiting for its mate.
• He would kill its mate very soon.
• He took the bird out of his pocket.
• He dangled it before her eyes.
• The girl fell on the turf.
• She called him a ‘beast’.
• Cafferty moved off down the beach.
• He was moving off shouldering his gun.
• His gait had a lumbering heaviness.
• Maggie was still lying prone on the turf.
• Don watched her a while.
• He marked she was ill at ease.
• Picking up the dead bird, the Cafferty had thrown on the grass.
• He fingered it clumsily.
• He wondered if there were any bees in its crop.
• The boy called Maggie to rise.
• Because, the other kids would be coming along very soon
• She rese from the grass looking at the bird with reddened eyes.
• She told him to clutch it away.
• But the boy insisted that he would take it home.
• He would skin it at home.
• But he hesitated for a moment.
• At last, he obeyed her words.

Meaning of the difficult words:

cheeping – the chirping of a young bird, twittering of a bird.
mullet – a kind of sea-fish.
turf – surface of land matted with roots of grass.
dangled – hung in the air
ruffled – wrinkled, disordered.
plumage – a natural covering of feathers.
sheepish – embarrassed, in a trance.
hulking – bulky, heavy and clumsy.
humy – (Australian) any crude aborigine hut of shelter.
creek – small in let of sea or river, a watercourse smaller than a river.
vermin – harmful, small-sized disgusting insects difficult to control.
DinKum – (Australian) a swear meaning genuinely or honestly speaking.
Shanghai – drug applied to make somebody unconscious.
lumbering – moving clumsily or heavily.
crop – throat of a bird.

Section-III

Gist:
Paragraphs: 37-40
Father was waiting for Maggie and Don at the bowser outside the store. Don had to go for orders on his pony. Maggie went upstairs and threw herself down on the bed. Whenever she closed her eyes she could see the Honey Man’s evil face. After her evening meal she went upstairs again without doing her homework. Her mother shouted for her but Maggie was still lying awake. She imagined herself running down the slope and stopping suddenly to see the bird. But she could recall nothing but the Honey Man and the bleeding dead bird.

Paragraphs: 41-50
It was raining lightly. So it was making scarcely any sound upon the roof. People were coming and going in the store below. All other noises were dumped. She thought of buying the dead bird. Her mother appeared there with a candle. Her mother asked why she was not asleep till then.‘She also said that Mr. Cafferty had a little accident of When he had been waiting at the shop for ambulance in order to be taken into hospital. Listening to this Maggie’s eyes got widened. She wanted to know whether he was dead. Her mother replied negatively. He had an Injury on the thigh. So Maggie said that he had to die. Her mother could not grasp anything and was wanted to know why the child Was saying that. She also added that everybody loved the Honey Man and he would be right very soon. Her mother told her to sleep.’Maggie again kept thinking of the event.

Analytical outlines:

• Father was waiting for Maggie and Don.
• He was waiting at the bowser outside the store.
• Don had to go for orders on his pony.
• Maggie went upstairs
• She threw herself down on the bed.
• She tried to close her eyes.
• But she could see the Honey Man’s evil face.
• After her evening meal, she went upstairs again.
• She had not done her homework.
• Her mother shouted for her.
• But Maggie was still lying .awake.
• She imagined herself running down the slope.
• She stopped suddenly to see the bird.
• But she could remember nothing.
• She could recall Only the Honey Man.
• She could also remember the bleeding dead bird.
• It was raining lightly.
• So it was making scarcely any sound upon the roof.
• People were coming and going in the store below.
• All other tortoises were silent.
• She was thinking about buying the dead bird.
• Her mother appeared there with a candle.
• Listening to this, Maggie’s eyes got widened.
• Maggie wanted to know whether he.
• Her mother asked why she was not asleep till then.
• She also said that Mr. Cafferty had little accident.
• So, he had been waiting at the shop for ambulance.
• He wanted it in order to go to hospital.
• Listening to this, Maggie’s eyes got widened.
• Maggie wanted to know whether he was dead.
• Her mother replied negatively.
• She fold that he had an injury on the thigh.
• So Maggie said that he had to die.
• Her mother could not understand anything.
• She wanted to know about it.
• She added that everybody loved the Hopey Man.
• She wished that he would be all right very soon.
• Her mother told her to sleep.
• At last Maggie again kept thinking of that event.

Meaning of difficult words:
bowser – truck filled with a tank.
trudge – to walk with labour or effort.
flung – threw
swaggering round – walking with a sense of superiority.

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