PROSE
Chapter - 1: A Wrong Man in Worker’s Paradise — Rabindranath Tagore
Comprehension Questions
I. Answer briefly the following questions, (choose the answer from the alternatives given below)
1) “The man indulged in mad whims”. Who considers the man’s work as “mad whims?”
a) The man himself
b) the writer
c) the people in workers’ paradise
Answer: (c) the people in workers’ paradise.
2) Explain the comparison in Para 3
a) ‘some boys’ compared to ……………
b) Their not studying’ compared to …………….
c) Yet passing in the test’ compared to ……………..
Answers: (a) the artist. (b) he is wasting all his time in a painting. (c) going to heaven.
3) When the men say “We haven’t a moment to spare” (para 6) it means that
a) they are over-burdened with their work
b) they are happy and proud to be so busy
c) they are indifferent
Answer: (b) they are happy and proud to be busy.
4) Why is the torrent in the workers’ paradise silent?
Answer: It doesn’t waste its energy in making a sound.
5) “the girl’s hair was carelessly done”, (para 9) This indicates that
a) she was interested only in her work
b) she did not like to dress her hair properly
c) she was unaware of any sense of dressing
Answer: (a) she was interested only in her work.
6) Why did the “girl of the silent torrent” feel sorry for the man? Answer: She noticed that he had no work to do and was sitting idle.
a) the girl was impressed by art and beauty
b) the girl did not want the artist to know that she was impressed by his work.
c) the girl was afraid of the elders’ rebuke for wasting her time.
Answer: (c) the girl was afraid of the elder’s rebuke for wasting her time.
8) “The hurrying feet” of the girl became “less hurried” because
a) she became lazy like the man
b) she was attracted by art
c) she was trying to re-arrange priorities
d) the meaningless was,s slowly becoming meaningful.
Answer: (d) the meaningless was slowly becoming meaningful.
9) Why did the elders of the workers’ paradise become anxious?
Answer: More and more people in the worker’s paradise were becoming idle, wasting their time on painting and sculpture.
10) The girl follows the man out of the workers’ paradise. This suggests that the girl.
a) was bored with workers’ paradise
b) was fascinated with the man’s skill in painting
c) saw new possibilities open-up before her.
Answer: (c) saw new possibilities open up before her.
11 )
Answer: The man appreciated the beauty in everything and liked those which pleased the senses even though they were not useful for any activity.
12) What changes occur in the girl’s behavior/attitude at the following stages in the story?
a) Before she agreed to give her pitcher to the wrong man Answer: When the wrong man offered to draw pictures on her pitcher, the girl was slightly angry because she thought pictures did not help in making a pitcher more useful.
b) After she gave her pitcher to the wrong man
Answer:
c) When the wrong man offered to make ribbons for her
Answer: The girl offered her ribbons more readily than before and used the ribbons immediately too. She had to spend more time trying them, and this resulted in a lot of time getting wasted.
d) When she followed the wrong man out of the worker’s paradise
Answer: The girl no longer hesitated to go with the wrong man. She went running after him, asking him to stop for her. Her love for art was total.
13) At the end of the story, there is a complete 9hange in the girl’s attitude to life. Who should the credit go to? (is it to the idler – artist’s ability to impact others? or is it the girl’s readiness and the open-mindedness to change?)
Answer:
II. Close Study. Read the following extracts carefully. Discuss in pairs and then write the answers to the questions given below them.
1) “But the Moving Finger writes even in heaven.”
a) What does ‘Moving Finger’ mean here?
Answer: It can mean God or Fate that keeps an account or record of everything that a man does.
b) What figure of speech is used in “Moving Finger’?
Answer: Metonymy. (Apart is used to refer to a whole: a moving finger is used to refer to a person who keeps an account of man’s activities).
c) What does the sentence mean in the context?
Answer: Even in heaven, records are kept. Further, though everything is expected to be perfect in heaven, mistakes are made.
2) “As a princess sees a lonely beggar and is filled with pity, so the busy girl of heaven was filled with pity.”
a) Who is compared to a lonely beggar?
Answer: The artist.
b) Why was the girl filled with pity?
Answer: The girl was filled with pity to see that the artist had no work.
c) How did the girl offer to help him?
Answer: She offered him work.
3) “When she set out for the torrent the next day, her hurrying feet were a little less hurried than before.”
a) What had happened the previous ‘night?
Answer:
b) What does “hurrying feet” suggest?
Answer: Since there were no thoughts worrying about her mind, her feet were moving fast.
c) Why did they become less hurried?
Answer: She was lost in her thoughts about art.
III. Paragraph Writing. Discuss in pairs or groups of four each the answers to the following questions. Individually note down the important points for each question and then develop the points into one paragraph answer.
1) Men in Workers’ Paradise say “God! We haven’t a moment to spare”(para 6). The man says, “I haven’t a moment to spare for work” (para 11). Keeping in mind the above statements, contrast the attitude of the men in the paradise with that of the man (artist).
Answer: The men in workers’ paradise had a lot of work to do; happy to do that work; no pleasure in just standing and chatting for a long time with one other. The artist was involved in visualizing and imagining beautiful pictures which he wanted to transfer onto some surface. The artist found pleasure in art whereas the people in workers’ paradise found pleasure in working. Paragraph: The men in workers’ paradise had a lot of work to do and they were happy to do that work. They were glad to mention the huge amount of work they had. Hence they found no pleasure in just standing and chatting for a long time with one other. They found happiness in no activity other than work. The artist was involved in visualizing and imagining beautiful pictures which he wanted to transfer onto some surface. Hence he felt working would distract his mind which was full of colorful images. The artist found pleasure in indulgence in ‘art whereas the people in workers’ paradise found pleasure in working. They hand totally contrasting lifestyles.
2) There are two worlds in the story: the world of the idler – artist and the world of the inhabitants of the Workers’ Paradise. Which world is better? Why?
Answer: The world of an artist filled with colors and designs. The world in the Workers’ Paradise – filled with only work. Totally extreme worlds. Neither is good. The two worlds should come together. Paragraph: The world of the idler- an artist is a world where the man has no time to spare for any work. He spends his time standing by a stream or painting some object which has no meaning or purpose. On the other hand, in the world of Workers’ Paradise, men are bust at work. They have no time to spare for recreation or painting. To them time is precious and they have too much to do. Neither world is good. A life of idleness does not do any good. Working all the time with no breaks or entertainment is not good either. We should opt for a world where work and recreation are balanced.
3) Have a debate in the classroom on the following topic. Aesthetics V/s Utility You can make use of the following points:
Art for the sake of art
1. Art for making money Knowledge for the sake of
2. Knowledge for the sake of a job knowledge Man is not satisfied with bread alone.
Answers: Art for the sake of art
1. Art for making money Knowledge for the sake of
2. Knowledge for the sake of a job knowledge Man is not satisfied with bread alone.
Paragraph: When the individual creates art for the sake of art, his mind and soul are satisfied. He has done justice to his imagination and ability to create art. But even an artist has to survive, for which he needs food, clothing and shelter. Hence he should be ready to part with his products of art in exchange for money however he cannot create art only for the sake of earning money.
When Knowledge is accumulated for the sake of knowledge, it is not very relevant. When it is applied to real life problems, it becomes meaningful. For this purpose, the individual has to be engaged in a job which makes use of his knowledge.
Man cannot live by bread along because he is not an animal like cow, deer or birds. He has a soul which needs to be satisfied through art and literature. It is these finer aspects of life that lift man’s life above that of an animal’s and make life beautiful and divine.
Chapter - 2: The Elixir of Life
— C.V. Raman
Comprehension Questions
I. Answer briefly the following questions.
1. What is the imaginary elixir of life?
Answer: The divine amrita which can make man immortal
2. What, according to the writer is the real elixir of life?
Answer: Plain water.
3. What is the “wonderful difference” the writer talks about in paragraph 2?
Answer: The ‘wonderful difference’ the writer talks about is between the two areas: the Libyan desert and the Nile Valley – the sea of billowing sand without a speck of green on the side of the Libyan desert and the green, fertile, densely populated area on the valley of the Nile in Egypt.
4. What brought about this wonderful difference?
Answer: The wonderful difference was brought about by the water of the river Nile flowing down to the Mediterranean from its sources a couple of thousands of miles away.
5. What is the ‘cheering sight’, mentioned in paragraph 5?
Answer: The ‘cheering sight’ to the writer is the filled rain-fed tanks that are so common in South India.
6. What does the writer compare water in a landscape too? Why does he make this comparison?
Answers:
7. How does the water in rainfed tanks get its color?
Answer: The color of the water in rain-fed tanks is from the silt or finely- divided soil in suspension. This color varies with the nature of the earth in the catchment area and is most vivid immediately after a fresh inflow following rain.
8. What is the main cause of soil erosion?
Answer: Sudden bursts of excessively heavy rain resulting in a large run off of surplus water are the principal factors causing soil erosion.
9. What other factors add to the erosion of precious soil?
Answer: Contributory causes to the erosion of previous soil are the slope of the land, removal of the natural protective coat of vegetation, the existence of ruts along which the water can flow rapidly gathering momentum, and the absence of any checks to such flow.
10.How can soil erosion be prevented?
Answer: Soil erosion can be prevented by terracing of the land, construction of bunds to check the flow of water, the practice of contour cultivation and the planting of appropriate types of vegetation.
11.How does the prevention of soil erosion serve a double purpose?
Answer: Adoption of techniques preventing soil erosion would also help to conserve and keep the water where it is wanted, i.e., on and in the soil.
12.What are the two sources of water mentioned in paragraph 10?
Answer: Rain and snowfall.
13.The land formed of silt in alluvial areas is always fertile (Say whether the statement is True or False).
Answer: True.
14.
Answer: Erosion
15.Planting of the appropriate type of vegetation will result in _________
a. the continuance of successful agriculture.
b. the terracing of the land. c. preventing environmental pollution. d. reducing the momentum of the flow of water.
Answer: (d) reducing the momentum of the flow of water.
16.What does the writer mean by ‘civilized forests’?
Answer: Forests created by the deliberate planting of saplings by human beings, as contrasted with wild and untamed natural jungles.
17.Mention any two advantages of civilized forests.
Answer: Civilized forests would, directly and indirectly, prove a source of untold wealth to the country. They would check soil erosion and conserve the rainfall of the country from flowing away to waste.
18.How will the development of hydro-electric power help to overcome the inadequacy of water supply?
Answer: The development of hydro-electric power would enable underground water to be tapped to a greater extent than at present, and thus help to overcome the difficulties arising from irregularity or inadequacy of other sources of supply.
19.Complete the following sentences with appropriate details:
a. The Nile Valley is the creation of ________
Answer: the river itself. It was brought down as the finest silt in its flood waters, from the highlands of Abyssinia and from remote Central Africa, and laid down through the ages in the trough through which the Nile flows into the sea.
b. _____ are a ‘cheering sight’.
Answer:
c. A remarkable feature of water is its power to carry ______
Answer: silt or finely-divided soil in suspension.
d. It is the silt which gives _____ to the water in rainfed tanks
Answer: the characteristic water.
e. __________ the foundation of all agriculture
Answer: The upper layer of soil.
f. Ruts are formed by __________
Answer: rapidly flowing rainwater.
g. Terracing of lands helps in _____________
Answer: preventing soil erosion.
h. Indian agriculture depends heavily on _____________
Answer: seasonal rainfall.
i. Farmyard manure should not be used as ____________
Answer: fuel. j. ____________ would enable the overall development of the rural economy. Answer: Availability of electric power.
II. Close Study: Read the following extracts carefully. Discuss in pairs and then write the answers to the questions given below them.
1. Much of the Indian agriculture depends on seasonal rainfall and is therefore very sensitive to any failure or irregularity of the same a. In what context does the writer say these words?
Answer: The writer talks about soil erosion and the importance of conservation of water. Conservation of water would help agriculture at times of irregular or inadequate rainfall. The techniques of conservation of water would prevent soil erosion which is of great importance to agriculture.
b. What does “same” refer to?
Answer: “Same” refers to rainfall in Indian seasonal rainfall and does not have many other sources of water, it is “very sensitive” – easily affected by inadequate or irregular rainfall.
2. They would check soil erosion and conserve the rainfall of the country from flowing away to waste and would provide the necessary supplies of cheap fuel, and thus render unnecessary the wasteful conversion of farmyard manure into a form of fuel.
Answer: Vegetation like shrubs and trees grown in order to check soil erosion.
b. What is the cheap fuel referred to in the passage?
Answer: Dried branches and leaves of trees grown to prevent soil erosion.
c. How would cheap fuel help the farmer?
Answer: He could preserve the farmyard manure to enrich his farmland.
III. Paragraph Writing: Discuss in pairs/groups of 4 each and answer the following questions. Note down the important points for each question and then develop the points into one paragraph answers
.
1. How does C.V. Raman show that water is the real elixir of life?
Answers: Water makes the difference between a barren desert and a fertile valley teeming with life and vegetation. Water plays an important role in shaping the history of the earth. Water bodies add to the beauty of the scenery. Water has power to cany silt which is very necessary for agriculture. Water creates this silt by flowing over the rocks of the earth’s crust. Water is the basis of all life, animals, plants or human beings. Paragraph: C.V. Raman shows that water is the elixir of life. He gives us the example of the Libyan desert where there is no vegetation and not a single living thing visible. On the other hand, in the immediate neighbourhood the Nile Valley is teeming with vegetation, and people. The water of the Nile Valley has made all the difference. He says that water is a wonderful thing and it has shaped the history and the civilization of our earth. He also adds that the presence of water makes the countryside beautiful and it has enabled agriculture to thrive. Water enriches soil and makes it fertile. If water is used judiciously, it can improve our economy by generating electricity as well and provide us with cheap means of internal transport. He tells us that water is fundamental for human welfare.
2. What are the various causes of soil erosion? How can we prevent it?
Answers: Heavy rain Slope of land, removal of vegetation, ruts which enable water to flow faster and absence of my barriers to check flow of water. preventive action would be terracing of land, consu action ui aunds to check flow, contour cultivation, planting of vegetation. Paragraph : C.V. Raman tells that soil erosion is a major problem in India. Soil erosion happens due to several reasons: Firstly, a sudden downpour of heavy rain can result in excess water carxying top soil into the sea. Secondly, the slope of the land and the removal of the natural protective coat of vegetation, and the existence of ruts along which water can flow rapidly can giv. se to erosion. Thirdly, the lack of bunds to prevent water from flowing forcefully can lead to erosion of soil.
3. What does C.V. Raman say about rain-fed tanks?
Answers: Rain-fed tanks common in South India.
Shallow but bottom does not show up. Play a vital role in agriculture. Are surprisingly large in size.
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