How do you usually understand the idea of ‘selfishness’? Do you agree with Kisa Gotami that she was being ‘selfish in her grief ’?
Kisa Gotami as being selfish like selfish people are those who think only about themselves, and to some extent because we are humans and it is natural to die. It is really very difficult to accept the death of our loved ones. Similarly it was happened with Kisa Gotami.She did not want him to die because he was his only child. So she finally went to Buddha for the help.
What made Mr Keesing allow Anne to talk in class?
Chubukov says of Natalya: “... as if she won’t consent! She’s in love; egad, she’s like a lovesick cat...” Would you agree? Find reasons for your answer.
Are there people like Lencho in the real world? What kind of a person would you say he is? You may select appropriate words from the box to answer the question.
greedy naive stupid ungrateful
selfish comical unquestioning
Why didn’t Valli want to make friends with the elderly woman?
Did Lencho try to find out who had sent the money to him? Why/Why not?
What ideals does Nelson Mandela set for the future of South Africa?
Anne says teachers are most unpredictable. Is Mr Keesing unpredictable? How?
How does Mandela describe the systems of government in his country
(i) in the first decade, and
(ii) in the final decade of the twentieth century?
Was Lencho surprised to find a letter for him with money in it?
Do you think Mr Keesing was a strict teacher?
Maxwell in the story speaks for the otter, Mij. He tells us what the otter feels and thinks on different occasions. Given below are some things the otter does. Complete the column on the right to say what Maxwell says about what Mij feels and thinks.
What Mij does | How Mij feels or thinks |
---|---|
plunges, rolls in the water and makes the water splosh and splash | |
Screws the tap in the wrong way | |
Nuzzles Maxwell’s face and neck in the aeroplane |
Who or what did Lencho have faith in? What did he do?
Join the sentences given below using who, whom, whose, which, as suggested.
1. I often go to Mumbai. Mumbai is the commercial capital of India. (which)
2. My mother is going to host a TV show on cooking. She cooks very well. (who)
3. These sportspersons are going to meet the President. Their performance has been excellent. (whose)
4. Lencho prayed to God. His eyes see into our minds. (whose)
5. This man cheated me. I trusted him. (whom)
Have you made a journey that was unforgettable in some way? What made it memorable?
Why does the postmaster send money to Lencho? Why does he sign the letter ‘God’?
Who does Lencho think has taken the rest of the money? What is the irony in the situation? (Remember that the irony of a situation is an unexpected aspect of it. An ironic situation is strange or amusing because it is the opposite of what is expected.)
Match, the italicised phrases in Column A with the phrase nearest meaning in Column B.
(Hint: First look for the sentence in the text in which the phrase in column A occurs.)
A | B |
---|---|
1. I was not unmindful of the fact | (i) had not forgotten; was aware of the fact (ii) was not careful about the fact (iii) forgot or was not aware of the fact |
2. when my comrades and I were pushed to our limits | (i) pushed by the guards to the wall (ii) took more than our share of beatings (iii) felt that we could not endure the suffering any longer |
3. to reassure me and keep me going | (i) make me go on walking (ii) help me continue to live in hope in this very difficult situation (iii) make me remain without complaining |
4. the basic and honourable freedoms of…earning my keep,… | (i) earning enough money to live on (ii) keeping what I earned (iii) getting a good salary |
Chubukov says of Natalya: “... as if she won’t consent! She’s in love; egad, she’s like a lovesick cat...” Would you agree? Find reasons for your answer.
What things does Mij do which tell you that he is an intelligent, friendly and fun-loving animal who needs love?
How does Mandela describe the systems of government in his country
(i) in the first decade, and
(ii) in the final decade of the twentieth century?