24-2-2014

3) Prevalent=common, widespread, existing, normal, prevailing, familiar, general, influential 4) Cripple=disable, handicap 5) Agony=suffering, pain, anguish, distress, torture, torment 6) Perforate=to make a hole through, bore through, puncture, drill 7) Ennoble=make noble 8) Sophisticated=highly developed, complex, advanced, intricate, elegant, ingenious 9) mutilate=cutoff, amputate, destroy one limb, disfigure 10) witness=see, give evidence 11) solace=comfort, relief, reassurance, consolation 12) Commandeer=to seize for public use 13) intrepid=fearless, brave, daring, bold, noble 14) Provide=give 15) Finale=the last item 16) Disfigure=become out of the shape, batter 17) malignant=harmful, dangerous, vicious, deadly 18) Amputate=cutoff, mutilate 19) Proud=vain 20) Profound=deep, great, complete, absolute, perfect 21) steer=guide, direct, show, lead, control, drive 22) mouldy=covered with fungus, infected,diluted 23) Tumour=diseased growth in some part of the body 24) stem=start, come out, originate, arise,spring 25) Thrash=move in pain, struggle, beat, lash, whip, flog 26) soak=wet 27) Tiny=small 28) Crew=employees in a ship or plane 29) Gallop=run with short steps, go at great speed 30) Gloomy=Sad, Sorrowful, unhappy, dark, dull, murky 31) Abnormal=not normal, unusual 32) Heart breaking=distressing 33) Scrape=draw or move with a sound 6) What lesson did the two children teach Dr. Barnard? A: The two children taught Dr. Barnard a profound lesson. Although they were disabled they created a lot of entertainment in the hospital. They did not feel sorry about their misfortune. They taught that the business of living is a joy in the real sense of world, not just something for pleasure, amusement or recreation. The business of living is celebration of being alive. 7) You don't become a better person because you are suffering but you become a better person because you have experienced suffering. How does Dr. Barnard support this observation? A: Dr. Barnard says that one becomes a better person because of experiencing suffering. He also says that one can't appreciate light without knowing darkness. and one can't appreciate warmth without suffering from cold. Like that one can't appreciate pleasure and happiness without experiencing suffering. In this way Dr. Barnard supported his observation. 8) Suffering ennobles you-makes you a better person whose words are these? Did Dr. Barnard agree with that person at that time? Does he agree with that view at the end of his speech? A: These words are told by Dr. Barnard's father. At first Dr. Barnard does not agree with this. But at the end of his speech Dr. Barnard agrees with this view.

4) What is the secret source of the trees' strength? Why is source of the tree is the most sensitives? A: Roots are the source of the tree's strength. The source of the tree's strength (roots) is the most sensitive because it has been hidden inside the earth for several years.

Lesson -3

Circus cat Alley cat

Summary
he writer, Anita Desai first saw Anna when she was playing hide and seek with the English children living next door. Anna was large and heavily built, with very black and bright eyes and a lot of wiry black hair. The children were afraid of her stature and her commands made the children shudder. The writer managed to escape from there by creeping over the manure pit. Anna was previously a cat - trainer in the circus. The author was unable to understand how Mrs. Bates could entertain Anna as a Nanny to her children. Shakti was the circus name of Anna. She used to drape a tiger over her shoulders and stand on the backs of two lions whom she would then order to emit great, rumbling roars that made her large frame tremble all over and the tiger snarl. It was a breath - taking, death-defying and terrorstriking act. Then she married the boy who led the cats. He was an ambitious man. He asked his wife to be at home and not to do any feats in the circus. He himself started to perform the same act which his wife used to do. She got angry and left the circus. Anna was found begging in the streets of Daryaganj. She with her little baby was starving. Mrs. Bates took pity on Anna and brought her home and made her the nanny far the children. The children knew that Anna was previously a cat trainer in the circus. Mrs. Bates' children could not move very closely with anna. They did what ever anna ordered them to do. The children could no longer walk or run but prowl. Their freedom was curbed. One day the author found Anna weeping. Anna told that her baby was gone and she could never see the baby again. The author understood that the baby was dead. She immediately ran and informed her mother about the death of Anna's baby. the author's mother was shocked to hear the news as the baby was so healthy only the previous day. The author's mother came and consoled Anna. The author and her mother met Mrs. Bates and asked her when the funeral would take place. Mrs. Bates was surprised and told that Anna's baby was not dead but taken away by Anna's husband and his family. The circus had by then moved to Bombay. Mrs.Bates was trying to send Anna to Bombay to get back her baby. The author could again see Anna after several years in a circus. Anna was performing the same feat. The author saw a small girl somersaulting in the sawdust and tumbling around with a deeply preoccupied expression on her thin face. The author thought that she was Anna's daughter. Anna's husband was not to be seen. Anna appeared to be a ferocious tiger snarling at others who tried to snatch the great bleeding hunk of flesh from it.

Poem-1

On killing a tree
Summary
This poem is written by 'Gieve Patel'. The poet ironically says that it is not easy to kill a tree and it takes much time to kill a tree. He says that the tree has absorbed sunlight, air and water and grown for years. He states that if you just cut the tree, it can't be killed. It will again grow to its former size. The poet further says that if we want to kill a tree, we have to pull out the root from the earth. The root, the source of the tree must be exposed in the sunlight and it should be dried to kill the tree completely. The poet is very sympathetic towards the tree and he is criticizing the killing of trees thoughtlesly. The poet treats the trees as living beings and advocates people not to kill the trees.

Important Questions & Answers

1) What was the accident that Dr. Barnard met with? What happened to him?What happened to his wife? A: One day when Dr. Barnard and his wife were crossing the street after a pleasant meal together. A car had hit him and knocked him into his wife she was thrown into other line and struck by a car. With the result Dr. Barnard had eleven broken ribs and his lung had been perforated. His wife had a badly fractured shoulder. 2) What were the views of Dr. Barnard's father on suffering?Does Dr. Barnard agree with this view? Does this mean Dr. Barnard had no faith in God? A: Dr. Barnard's father said that suffering is god's will and it ennobles a person. But Dr. Barnard did not agree with his father's views. Being a doctor he did not find any meaning or nobility in human suffering. This did not mean that Dr. Barnard had no faith in god. He was only against blind faith. 3) What had made Dr.Barnard sensitive to the suffering of children? Why do you think his father had kept the halfeaten biscuit? Who do you think Dr. Barnard had got compassion from? A: When Dr. Barnard was a little boy his father showed him a half-eaten would biscuit. He also told that Dr.Barnard's brother died because of abnormal heart. As there were no sophisticated methods then, his brother died. That half eaten mouldy biscuit was half-eaten by his brother. This made Dr. Barnard sensitive to the suffering of children Dr. Barnard's father kept that half-eaten biscuit to give inspiration to Dr. Barnard to become a doctor. 4) Why does Dr. Barnard find the suffering of children particularly heart breaking? A: Dr. Barnard says that he always finds the suffering of children particularly heart braking because the children have their total trust in doctors and nurses. They believe that doctors are going to help them. If the doctors can't help, they accept their fate and go through the mutilating surgery without any complaint. 5) Who were the driver and the mechanic of grand prix? In what way was the choice of their roles suitable? A: The driver and the mechanic of Grand prix were a lame boy and a blind boy. They were the patients in the hospital. One morning a nurse had left breakfast trolley unattended. The blind mechanic pushed the trolley and the driver steered it by scraping his foot on the floor. As the driver had only one hand, he chose the role of guiding the trolley by sitting in the lower deck of it. Although the mechanic was blind he had two hands so he pushed the trolley blindly while his friend was guiding it. In this way their choice of roles was suitable.

Meanings
1. Jab=a sudden, rough blow 2. Consume=take in, absorb, swallow, exhaust 3. Crust=outer part or outer layer of the earth 4. hack=chop, cut, crave, mutilate 5. Miniature=very small, tiny 6. Entire=whole, complete 7. Expose=uncover, show 8. Scorch=burn 9. Choke= stop breathing, strangle, suffocate, block 10. sprout=stem, originate 11. Bough=branch 12. Former=earlier, previous 13. Anchor=hold firmly, grip 14. Wither=dry and sapless 15. Curled=bent

Meanings
1) 2) 3) 4) Hound (v) = chase, call, pursue Wiry = muscular, strong, tough Twilight = dim light, evening light, final stage. Gibbering = fast meaningless utterances, sounds of monkeys and apes 5) Hefty = strong, stout, bulky, heavy, massive, husky 6) Spangle = metal or plastic sewn on dress 7) Authoritative = commanding 8) Staid = dull and unexciting, respectable, un adventurous 9) Eternal = ever lasting, permanent, forever, unending 10) Mystery = that can't be understood 11) Endeavour = try, effort, attempt 12) Charity = kindness, benevolence, generosity 13) Tame = homely, domestic 14) Defy = oppose, against, challenge, disobey, defeat, beat 15) Drape = to cover with, to wrap, hang, decorate 16) Emit = give out, send forth, release 17) Ambitious = desirous, self seeking, self centre, energetic 18) Odour = smell good or bad 19) Install = to fix, to settle, establish, introduce 20) Havoc = damage, destruction, loss 21) Shudder = tremble with fear, afraid 22) Gnaw = bite persistently 23) Gaudy = showy, attractive, lurid, tasteless 24) Glare = brightness, blaze, dazzle, scowl 25) Vanish = disappear, clear off, dissolve, evaporate, face 26) Theatrically=as if acting, artificially, exaggerated, unnatural

Important Questions & Answers

1) Why does it takes much time to kill a tree? A: It takes much time to kill a tree because it has grown slowly consuming the earth. It has been fed upon the outer layer of the earth and absorbed years of sunlight, air and water. If we cut the tree upto ground level, it will grow again. So it takes much time to kill a tree by pulling the roots out. 2) Why does the poet use the word 'kill' rather than 'desteroy'? Does it suggest his attitude to trees? What do you think is his attitude to them? A: The poet used the word 'kill' rather than 'destroy' because 'destroy' is harsher than 'kill' The poet thought that the trees were like human beings. It suggests his attitude to the trees that they are very sensitive and we should not kill them. 3) The bark of the tree is described as 'leprous hide'. What grows from it? What does leprosy usually do? Don't you think it is ironic that the leprous hide sprouts leaves? A: Leaves grow from the bark [leprous hide] of the tree. Leprosy usually eats away the living cells of the body. But here leprous hide is protecting the trees and it is used to sprout the leaves. So, the poet is ironic in describing the bark of the tree as leprous hide.