Comprehension check…
Which is the right answer?
1. “Cambridge was my metaphor for England.” To the writer,
(i) Cambridge was a reputed university
in England.
(ii) England was famous for Cambridge.
(iii) Cambridge was the real England.
Ans: (iii) Cambridge was the
real England.
2. The writer phoned Stephen
Hawking’s house
(i) from the nearest phone booth.
(ii) from outside a phone booth.
(iii) from inside a phone booth.
Ans (ii) from outside a
phone booth.
3. Every time he spoke to
the scientist, the writer felt guilty because
(i) he was not sure what he wanted to ask
(ii) he forced the scientist to use his voice synthesizer.
(iii) he was face to face with a legend.
Ans: (ii) he forced the
scientist to use his voice synthesizer.
4. “I felt a huge relief… in
the possibilities of my body.” In the given context, the highlighted
words refer to
(i) shifting in the
wheelchair, turning the wrist.
(ii) standing up, walking.
(iii) speaking, writing.
Ans: (i) shifting in the
wheelchair, turning the wrist.
Working with the text…
1. (i) Did the prospect of
meeting Stephen Hawking make the writer nervous? If so, why?
Ans: Yes, the writer felt
nervous because he was going to meet one of the greatest scientists of the
world.
(ii) Did he at the same time
feel very excited? If so, why?
Ans: Yes, he felt excited
because he considered Stephen Hawking his inspiration. He felt that by meeting
somebody of his own kind would give him strength to meet challenges of life in
a better way.
2. Guess the first question
put to the scientist by the writer?
Ans: The writer must have
asked, “How have you been brave throughout the problems you face?”
3. Stephen Hawking said, “I
have had no choice.” Does the writer think there was a choice? What was it?
Ans: Yes, the writer think
there was a choice for Stephen Hawking. It was to live creatively in spite of
his disabled body.
4. “I could feel his anguish.”
What could be the anguish?
Ans: Stephen Hawking had to
make painful efforts with his pale fingers to find the words on his computer.
He was frustrated and tired. This was his anguish.
5. What endeared the
scientist to the writer so that he said he was looking at one of the most beautiful
men in the world?
Ans: The writer was not
looking at the outward beauty but the inner beauty. He was a strong and brave
man with a feeling heart.
6. Read aloud the
description of ‘the beautiful’ man. Which is the most beautiful sentence in the
description?
Ans: The most beautiful line
is “Before you, like a lantern whose walls are worn so thin, you glimpse only
the light inside, is the incandescence of man.”
7. (i) If ‘the lantern’ is
the man, what would its ‘wall’ be?
Ans: If the lantern is the
man, its walls would be the skeleton.
(ii)
What is housed within the thin walls?
Ans: The eternal soul is
housed within the thin walls.
(iii) What general
conclusion does the writer draw from this comparison?
Ans: The human body is only accessory
in this world. What matters is the eternal soul.
8. What is the scientist’s
message for the disabled?
Ans: The scientist’s message
is that the disabled should try to achieve what they are good at. They
shouldn’t wait for anyone to help them.
9. Why does the writer refer
to the guitar incident? Which idea does it support?
Ans: The writer was
referring to the guitar incident because he thought that he was trying to do
which was beyond his caliber. It supports Hawking’s idea of the disabled doing
what they are good.
10. The writer expresses his
great gratitude to Stephan Hawking. What is the gratitude for?
Ans: The writer’s gratitude
is for taking out time to talk to him. This conversation showed him a new way
of leading life without complaining about his disability.
11. Complete the following
sentences taking their appropriate parts from both the boxes below.
(i) There was his assistant
on the line ------
(ii) you get fed up with
people asking you to be brave ---------
(iii) There he was -----
(iv) You look at his eyes
which can speak --------
(v) It doesn’t do much good
to know --------
A
- ·
tapping at a little switch in his hand
- ·
and I told him
- ·
that there are people
- ·
as if you have a courage account
- ·
and they are saying something huge and urgent
B
- ·
tring to find the words on his computer.
- ·
I had come in a wheelchair from India.
- ·
on which you are too lazy to draw a cheque.
- ·
smiling with admiration to see you breathing
still.
- ·
it is hard to tell what.
Ans:
(i) There was his assistant
on the line and I told him I had come in a wheelchair from India.
(ii) You get fed up with
people asking you to be brave as if you have a courage account on which you
are too lazy to draw a cheque.
(iii) There he was tapping
at a little switch in his hand tring to find the words on his computer.
(iv) You look at his eyes which can speak and
they are saying something huge and urgent, it is hard to tell what.
(v) It doesn’t do much good to know that there
are people smiling with admiration to see you breathing still.
Working with Language…
1.
Fill in the blanks in the sentences below using the appropriate forms of the
words given in the following box.
|
guide |
succeed |
chair |
travel |
pale |
draw |
true |
(i)
I met a _______________ from an antique land.
(ii)
I need special _____________ in mathematics. I can’t count the number of times
I have failed in the subject.
(iii)
The guide called Stephen Hawking a worthy ________________to Isaac Newton.
(iv)
His other problems ______________ into insignificance beside this unforeseen
mishap.
(v)
The meeting was ____________ by the youngest member of the board.
(vi)
Some people say ‘yours ___________’ when they informally refer to themselves.
(vii)
I wish it had been a ___________ match. We would have been spared the noise of
celebrations, at least.
Ans: (i) I met a traveller from
an antique land.
(ii) I
need special guidance in mathematics. I can’t count the number
of times I have failed in the subject.
(iii) The
guide called Stephen Hawking a worthy successor to Isaac
Newton.
(iv) His
other problems paled into insignificance beside this
unforeseen mishap.
(v) The
meeting was chaired by the youngest member of the board.
(vi) Some
people say ‘yours truly’ when they informally refer to themselves.
(vii) I
wish it had been a drawn match. We would have been spared the
noise of celebrations, at least.
2.
Make six phrases using the words given in the box.
|
read/session |
smile/face |
revolve/chair |
|
walk/tour |
dance/doll |
win/chance |
Ans: (i) Reading session
(ii) Smiling
face
(iii) Revolving
chair
(iv) Walking
tour
(v) Dancing
doll
(vi) Winning
chance
3.
Use all or both in the blanks. Tell your partner why you chose one or the
other.
(i)
He has two brothers. _________ are lawyers.
(ii)
More than ten persons called. _________ of them wanted to see you.
(iii)
They ____________ cheered the team.
(iv)
___________ her parents are teachers.
(v)
How much have you got? Give me ___________ of it.
Ans: (i) He has two
brothers. Both are lawyers.
(ii) More
than ten persons called. All of them wanted to see you.
(iii) They all cheered
the team.
(iv) Both her
parents are teachers.
(v) How
much have you got? Give me all of it.
4.
Complete each sentence using the right form of the adjective given in brackets.
(i)
My friend has one of the ____________cars on the road. (fast)
(ii)
This is the ______________ story I have ever read. (interesting)
(iii)
What you are doing now is _____________ than what you did yesterday. (easy)
(iv)
Ramesh and his wife are both ____________. (short)
(v)
He arrived __________as usual. Even the chief guest came___________ than he
did. (late, early)
Ans: (i) My friend has one of
the fastest cars on the road.
(ii) This
is the most interesting story I have ever read.
(iii) What
you are doing now is easier than what you did yesterday.
(iv) Ramesh
and his wife are both short.
(v) He
arrived late as usual. Even the chief guest came earlier than
he did.
Poem 7 When I set out for Lyonnesse
Working with the poem…
1. In the first stanza, find words that show
(i) that it was very cold.
(ii) that it was late evening.
(iii) that the traveller was alone.
Ans: (i) Rime
(ii) Starlight
(iii) Lonesomeness
2. (i) Something happened at Lyonnesse. It
was
(a) improbable
(b) impossible
(c) unforeseeable
Ans: (c) unforeseeable
(ii) Pick out two lines from stanza 2 to
justify your answer.
Ans: ‘No prophet durst declare; Nor did the wisest wizard
guess’
3. (i) Read the line (stanza 3) that implies
the following.
‘Everyone noticed something, and they made
guesses, but didn’t speak a word’.
(ii) Now read the line that refers to what
they noticed.
Ans: (i) ‘All marked with mute surmise’
(ii) ‘My radiance rare and fathomless’